Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 56
Repper said that years ago she never would have introduced a mayoral candidate to a group
of Scientologists because the Church was too controversial. ―But things have changed,‖ she
says. ―I work with a lot of elected officials who turn to the church. Everyone goes now and
visits. Ten years ago it was a different thing.‖ (David Karp and Robert Farley, St. Petersburg
Times, Internet, 3/22/03)
Complaint Against Advertising Upheld
The Advertising Standards Authority in Britain has upheld a complaint by the Church of
England that Scientology claims to have ―saved over 250,000 people from drug abuse‖
were not true. According to a report from the Diocese of Birmingham, the Diocese
complained that a Scientology advertising campaign in 2001 was ―both dishonest and
misleading by both ambiguity and exaggeration.‖
―Despite the thousands of pounds spent by Scientology in legal fees trying to delay, bury,
and frustrate this complaint,‖ the Diocese said, ―the truth has come out—and the truth is
Scientology makes claims for their dangerous cult which they can neither prove nor
substantiate.‖ (Diocese of Birmingham, Internet, 3/25/03)
The Birmingham Post has printed a correction of its own recent report of the Advertising
Standards Authority ruling:
―The [original Post] article [not cited here] made it seem that a Church of England
complaint that the ad was dishonest and misleading was the opinion of the Standards
Authority. This is not so, although the complaint was upheld and the Authority advised the
Church to amend the [promotional] poster so that it also referred to ‗alcohol and other
toxins and not [use] just the term drugs.‘ A separate complaint, in which a member of the
public challenged whether Scientology could help people give up a damaging drug habit,
was not upheld.‖ (Birmingham Post, Internet, 5/28/03)
Defrauded Investors Want to Recover Funds from Scientology
Investors defrauded of $225 million by EarthLink co-founder Reed Slatkin are trying to
recover their money from Scientology and Scientology-related organizations that allegedly
now retain millions of dollars from the investment scam.
Bankruptcy judge Robin Riblet, in Los Angeles, has refused to block subpoenas ordering the
Scientology groups to provide records of money transferred to them by certain Slatkin
investors who made money in the process. Scientology says that they will object to release
of the material ―to the extent that the subpoenas seek to violate religious protections of
Slatkin‘s plea agreement,‖ which last year allowed him to request a lighter sentence
because of ―the psychological impact of his association with certain individuals and/or
groups,‖ meaning his membership in Scientology and his long and close relationships with
prominent Scientologists. (E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times, 3/26/03)
Suit against German Government for Alleged Harassment
Scientology has sued the German government to halt and declare illegal alleged surveillance
of its activities by security police and observation of church members by the state of Berlin‘s
Office of the Protection of the Constitution.
A U.S. State Department report says that the Germans felt a threat because Scientology
allegedly ―advocates replacement of parliamentary democracies by an undemocratic system
of government based on principles of Scientology.‖ (SPF, Internet, 4/1/03)
Courses for Prisoners Proposed
Scientology’s ―Criminon‖ program has proposed a research project to evaluate the
effectiveness of its current correspondence courses for inmates in British prisons. The long-
Repper said that years ago she never would have introduced a mayoral candidate to a group
of Scientologists because the Church was too controversial. ―But things have changed,‖ she
says. ―I work with a lot of elected officials who turn to the church. Everyone goes now and
visits. Ten years ago it was a different thing.‖ (David Karp and Robert Farley, St. Petersburg
Times, Internet, 3/22/03)
Complaint Against Advertising Upheld
The Advertising Standards Authority in Britain has upheld a complaint by the Church of
England that Scientology claims to have ―saved over 250,000 people from drug abuse‖
were not true. According to a report from the Diocese of Birmingham, the Diocese
complained that a Scientology advertising campaign in 2001 was ―both dishonest and
misleading by both ambiguity and exaggeration.‖
―Despite the thousands of pounds spent by Scientology in legal fees trying to delay, bury,
and frustrate this complaint,‖ the Diocese said, ―the truth has come out—and the truth is
Scientology makes claims for their dangerous cult which they can neither prove nor
substantiate.‖ (Diocese of Birmingham, Internet, 3/25/03)
The Birmingham Post has printed a correction of its own recent report of the Advertising
Standards Authority ruling:
―The [original Post] article [not cited here] made it seem that a Church of England
complaint that the ad was dishonest and misleading was the opinion of the Standards
Authority. This is not so, although the complaint was upheld and the Authority advised the
Church to amend the [promotional] poster so that it also referred to ‗alcohol and other
toxins and not [use] just the term drugs.‘ A separate complaint, in which a member of the
public challenged whether Scientology could help people give up a damaging drug habit,
was not upheld.‖ (Birmingham Post, Internet, 5/28/03)
Defrauded Investors Want to Recover Funds from Scientology
Investors defrauded of $225 million by EarthLink co-founder Reed Slatkin are trying to
recover their money from Scientology and Scientology-related organizations that allegedly
now retain millions of dollars from the investment scam.
Bankruptcy judge Robin Riblet, in Los Angeles, has refused to block subpoenas ordering the
Scientology groups to provide records of money transferred to them by certain Slatkin
investors who made money in the process. Scientology says that they will object to release
of the material ―to the extent that the subpoenas seek to violate religious protections of
Slatkin‘s plea agreement,‖ which last year allowed him to request a lighter sentence
because of ―the psychological impact of his association with certain individuals and/or
groups,‖ meaning his membership in Scientology and his long and close relationships with
prominent Scientologists. (E. Scott Reckard, Los Angeles Times, 3/26/03)
Suit against German Government for Alleged Harassment
Scientology has sued the German government to halt and declare illegal alleged surveillance
of its activities by security police and observation of church members by the state of Berlin‘s
Office of the Protection of the Constitution.
A U.S. State Department report says that the Germans felt a threat because Scientology
allegedly ―advocates replacement of parliamentary democracies by an undemocratic system
of government based on principles of Scientology.‖ (SPF, Internet, 4/1/03)
Courses for Prisoners Proposed
Scientology’s ―Criminon‖ program has proposed a research project to evaluate the
effectiveness of its current correspondence courses for inmates in British prisons. The long-
