Cult News

“Scientology Volunteer Ministers” cooked and served meals to workers cleaning up after Hurricane Lili in Louisiana, reports the Daily Advertiser of Acadiana.

The same group has done other volunteer work, such as “assisting” workers at Ground Zero after 9-11.

But is this a genuine effort to help, or a thinly veiled publicity stunt using high profile disasters to promote Scientology’s own interests?

A closer look at their recent effort in Louisiana is somewhat revealing through its cost effectiveness. That is, no cost to Scientology. The meals were made from food donated by local residents. Likewise, an area restaurant donated its kitchen and utilities.

Scientology provided the labor of 50 “volunteers,” which doesn’t cost the church anything. Those volunteers then prepared and delivered the meals wearing bright yellow T-shirts with the logo “Scientology Minister” across the front. They probably paid for their own gas.

So for virtually nothing out of pocket, the controversial church got a photo op and some publicity for little more than rounding up some of its faithful to work for free.

In George Orwell’s seminal classic “1984” “Big Brother,” the omnipresent totalitarian society that controls his fictional world, seeks to wipe out any history it doesn’t like.

It appears that Scientology is now vying to become “Big Brother” of the World Wide Web.

Lawyers representing the organization that Time Magazine once called “The Cult of Greed,” have successfully persuaded an Internet historical archive to purge its files of material Scientology deems inappropriate, through its interpretation of the controversial US Digital Millennium Copyright Act, reports England’s Times on Line.

According to noted experts, destructive totalistic cults seek to control information.

Robert Jay Lifton, author of “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism” wrote, “The totalist environment seeks to establish domain over all that [it] sees and hears, reads or writes, experiences, and expresses…It creates an atmosphere uncomfortably reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984.”

Lifton has often been cited to explain the mindset of destructive cult members and the process cults often use to produce that mindset.

Now Scientology seems to be demonstrating not only its apparent propensity to foster parallels with Orwellian themes, but also revealing aspects of its seemingly totalistic tendencies as well.

Has the “cult” created by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard cast itself as the Internet’s “Thought Police”?

Pat Robertson the head of Christian Broadcasting Network once condemned the Bush “faith-based initiative,” which is designed to give money to religious groups for social service programs. The TV preacher said he was worried that “cults” would exploit such funding.

However, Rev. Robertson apparently has changed his mind and accepted $500,000.00 from Uncle Sam for his “Operation Blessing” reports the Washington Post.

The grant to the Robertson charity was one of 25 dispersed yesterday by the Department of Health and Human Services.

There are many groups called “cults” that have programs, which they claim, are designed to help the larger community. Critics have charged that such programs are often little more than fronts for proselytizing.

Scientology promotes “Applied Scholastics,” which has been endorsed by President Bush Sr., Barbara Bush and Mr. and Mrs. Colin Powell. The Krishna Consciousness movement runs soup kitchens. And Rev. Moon’s Unification Church has sponsored abstinence programs through “Pure Love Alliance.”

It is not clear what “cult” organizations may receive a share of the $30 million dollars being doled out by the Bush program this year. But it is likely that some “cults” will at least try to get their own piece of the pie.

It seems improbable that religious groups known for fervent proselytizing can somehow compartmentalize their core beliefs when doing “social work.” But President Bush thinks so. And Pat Robertson once a staunch critic of this controversial formula, has now become its first “poster boy.”

According to two books Elvis Presley apparently couldn’t stand Scientology.

However, his ex-wife Priscilla and daughter/heir Lisa Marie are both now Scientologists and relentlessly promote the group.

Priscilla Presley seemed to disregard history when she recently discussed her ex-husband, insinuating that he had no experience with Scientology, reports MSNBC.

But Elvis did have extensive exposure to the organization and concluded, “These [Scientologists] want to control your mind, I think, so I’d never be interested in anything like that,” according to the book “Child Bride: The Untold Story of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley” by Suzanne Finstad. The King is also quoted to have said, “They’re just after my money and my name.”

In a strange twist it seems that Scientology eventually got both the Presley name and at least some of Elvis’ money, well that is posthumously.

And what would Elvis say if he could see what is happening now? One old friend quoted within the book “Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations From the Memphis Mafia” says that he would “shit a brick.”

Neil Bush, the brother of President George W. Bush, and Lisa Marie Presley both worked the nation’s capital last week in what seemed to be largely a Scientology effort to lobby congress.

Presley is the designated celebrity talking head for the “Citizens’ Commission on Human Rights” (CCHR) founded by Scientology.

Presley and Bush appeared before the House Committee on Government Reform to rap the use of Ritalin and other drugs used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Presley also took time to interview with People Weekly to promote this effort.

It is interesting that United Press International reported crtically about the President’s brother’s appearance with Scientologists. Long-time Bush family friend Rev. Moon, founder of the Unification Church, controls UPI. Perhaps the two “cults” are mutually exclusive to the point of a bit of jealousy.

During the hearings Rep. Constance Morella (R-MD) pointedly exposed the CCHR as little more than a Scientology effort to discredit psychiatry, their perceived nemesis, reports ABC News. Morella quoted the CCHR’s international president, who described psychiatry as a “malignant disease” that “threatens society and ultimately mankind.”

L. Ron Hubbard the founder of Scientology taught his disciples that mental health professionals are virtually Satanic. Perhaps this was because of Hubbard’s struggle with his own demons. He once requested psychiatric help and was apparently given to both fits of hysterical rage and seemingly pathological lying.

Whatever the personal reasons were, which may have motivated Hubbard’s vitriolic attacks against the mental health profession, one thing seems certain. Since Scientology sells itself as the best way to cure or “clear” the mind, psychiatry, psychiatrists and psychiatric drugs represent a competing alternative to their business. And what better way to shoot down the competition than stage an attack before Congress?

University of California student Thad Hammerhead III lived up to his name and hammered Scientology in his school newspaper, The State Hornet. He didn’t like a promotional ad insert placed by the group in a previous issue.

Hammerhead called Scientology the “C” word and claimed the “cult” was both “predatory” and “a tool of mind control.” Ultimately, he warned The Hornet that it risked its “integrity and honor” by allowing a “proven cult” space.

A Scientologist promptly responded that he was “outraged” by the student’s remarks and then offered his own personal testimonial, extolling the group’s benefits.

Lately, it seems there are more brave students (see “The Cougar” article) slamming Scientology in school papers than there are tough journalists reporting critically about the group in the mainstream press. It appears that most media types are fearful to say much about the group due to its reputation for litigation and harassment.

One example is Time Magazine, who ran a cover story “Scientology The Cult of Greed” in 1991, but then spent years and millions of dollars before winning dismissal of a lawsuit filed against it by the “cult.”

Scientology probably won’t subject Mr. Hammerhead to similar harassment, who is despite his name, a little fish.

“Das Experiment” opened this week in Germany. The film follows a group of volunteers as they evolve through an experiment about the effects of group persuasion, reports the New York Times.

An experiment like this was actually conducted during 1971 by Professor Philip Zimbardo in California, but it frightened the good doctor so much he shut it down after only one week.

The German thriller is an obvious analogy about the rise of a totalitarian regime like the Nazis. Germany is very vigilant regarding such groups and has dealt decisively with the Church of Scientology on that basis.

Robert Cialdini explores these same themes in his book “Influence.” Robert Jay Lifton wrote the definitive book titled “Thought Reform and Psychology of Totalism.”

Another book just released “The Power of Cult Branding” details how the public is manipulated through marketing.

When people say only “nuts” join cults, this can be seen as a form of denial. Most people are susceptible to persuasion techniques. But it seems to be disconcerting to admit just how vulnerable the human mind really is.

The House of Representatives unanimously passed a “non-binding resolution” to condemn “rebirthing,” reports Associated Press. This bizarre therapy caused the death of a 10-year-old child in 2000. Two “rebirthing” therapists were subsequently sentenced to prison.

Maybe congress will soon condemn Scientology? That organization has some pretty bizarre practices and a wrongful death lawsuit now pending. But since Scientologyists have deep pockets, a good lobby and friends in high places, this seems unlikely.

The “International Church of Christ,” has often been called a “cult.” The group was founded by Kip McKean in the Boston area of New England, but quickly spread to old England as well. Its membership went from a mere dozen in 1978 to more than 100,000 in twenty years, though now its numbers appear to be slipping.

Damian Thompson, an English journalist spent a week with the group to make a documentary and said, ” I did not get the impression that they were a sinister group,” reports The Times. Maybe Mr. Thompson should have stayed longer.

In the United States and around the world Kip McKean’s “International Church of Christ” has received perhaps more bad press than any other group called a “cult,” with the possible exception of Scientology.

These reports have included suicides seemingly linked to the group and its influence, the “deprogramming” of members and its expulsion from numerous college and university campuses.

A troubling issue has also been the lack of detailed disclosure regarding the total compensation received by some of the ICC’s top leaders. ICC founder Kip McKean is a resident of an exclusive gated California community. He calls a half –million-dollar condo home. Mr. McKean recently went on a “sabbatical,” presumably with pay.

Whatever the “politically correct” description is for this “new religious movement,” it has apparently hurt many participants. And its attrition rate has continued to climb in recent years. There now may be more former ICC members than current ones.

The ICC requires each candidate for baptism to “count the cost” before becoming a “disciple” and officially entering the group through ritual immersion. But shouldn’t the real question be what cost those who left personally paid?

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed suit against Harlingen Family Dentistry of Texas for firing employees that refused to take Scientology courses, reports the Valley Morning Star.

According to the suit employees were pressured to become involved in the controversial church, and thus subjected to “religious discrimination.”

This situation is not unique. It is not uncommon for professionals such as dentists, doctors or chiropractors, to become Scientologists and then subsequently run their practice based upon its principles and “technology.” This may lead some to essentially evangelize their staff as virtually an article of faith, though such an effort is more likely to be characterized as a means to increase employee efficiency and performance.

What is Scientology, a faith or a business? Maybe the EEOC will help to resolve this issue in court.