Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 3, Nos. 2 &3, 2004, Page 128
Shamblin, acknowledging that she might be arrested, like Jesus and some other biblical
leaders, says: ―If I‘m imprisoned because of this, if they take my home, whatever, I believe
that my calling is to write in clear terms how to fall in love with God. And I have been true
to that calling, even in the midst of all this.‖ (Karen Miller, The Tennesseean, Internet,
6/30/04)
Satanism
Now Says She’s Innocent of Satanic Ritual Crime
Robin Marie Murphy, serving a life term for a murder she once said was connected to the
rituals of a satanic cult, now says she is innocent. She claims she lied on the stand about
being present at the crime — knowing she might be imprisoned —hoping to convict Carl
Drew, whom she says was a devil worshipper and murderer of prostitute Karen Marsden
and many other women. Murphy said she constructed the Satanic cult story from second-
and third-hand accounts of Drew‘s activities. (Gregg M. Miliote, Herald News, Internet,
3/24/04)
Scientology
Prominent Clearwater Scientologists
Scientology lead spokesman Ben Shaw, son of a career Army officer, joined in 1971 and
became a minister in 1978. His wife heads the church‘s Flag Service Organization. Benetta
Slaughter, one of the first Scientologists to gain acceptance among Clearwater civic leaders,
and active in civic and social groups, is head of her own local publishing company and chief
executive of Applied Scholastics International, in St. Louis, a learning program that uses
teaching methods of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology‘s founder. Mary Storym from New
Zealand, is a board member of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Boys &Girls Club
while serving on the city‘s Main Street Design and Promotions Committee, the Homeless
Task Force, and the Economic Development Task Force of the Clearwater Arts Foundation.
Elias Jafif, a native of Mexico, heads a private investment group planning a high-rise
residential and retail project in downtown Clearwater. (St. Petersburg Times, Internet,
7/19/04)
Don’t Let them Take Over Clearwater
Church of Scientology documents seized by the FBI in 1977 outlined a plan to take over
Clearwater, discredit enemies, and make the town the world‘s first ‗Scientology city‘ by
2000. A recent series of articles in the St. Petersburg Times indicate that the church is well
on its way to achieving ―domination‖ in Clearwater‘s core, where there has been little
investment by others.
The population of Scientologists in the city is growing by 1,000 annually and members are
―stitching themselves into the city‘s civic and cultural fabric with volunteer work and
memberships in non-Scientology organizations.
―Clearwater could benefit from Scientology's energy and investment, but residents should
not let the controversial organization take over downtown.‖ (Editorial, St. Petersburg Times,
Internet, 7/25/05)
Summer School Course at UW Based on Scientology Methods
A five-day summer course for children at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, entitled
Study Technology, is based on the educational writings of Scientology founder L. Ron
Hubbard. Experts who monitor Scientology say the course promotes Scientology religious
beliefs and methods. One child says she found the course — which includes a section on
how to use a dictionary effectively — boring. Her mother, who looked into Scientology on
the Internet, called it junk science, and says that the methods did not make sense.
Shamblin, acknowledging that she might be arrested, like Jesus and some other biblical
leaders, says: ―If I‘m imprisoned because of this, if they take my home, whatever, I believe
that my calling is to write in clear terms how to fall in love with God. And I have been true
to that calling, even in the midst of all this.‖ (Karen Miller, The Tennesseean, Internet,
6/30/04)
Satanism
Now Says She’s Innocent of Satanic Ritual Crime
Robin Marie Murphy, serving a life term for a murder she once said was connected to the
rituals of a satanic cult, now says she is innocent. She claims she lied on the stand about
being present at the crime — knowing she might be imprisoned —hoping to convict Carl
Drew, whom she says was a devil worshipper and murderer of prostitute Karen Marsden
and many other women. Murphy said she constructed the Satanic cult story from second-
and third-hand accounts of Drew‘s activities. (Gregg M. Miliote, Herald News, Internet,
3/24/04)
Scientology
Prominent Clearwater Scientologists
Scientology lead spokesman Ben Shaw, son of a career Army officer, joined in 1971 and
became a minister in 1978. His wife heads the church‘s Flag Service Organization. Benetta
Slaughter, one of the first Scientologists to gain acceptance among Clearwater civic leaders,
and active in civic and social groups, is head of her own local publishing company and chief
executive of Applied Scholastics International, in St. Louis, a learning program that uses
teaching methods of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology‘s founder. Mary Storym from New
Zealand, is a board member of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and the Boys &Girls Club
while serving on the city‘s Main Street Design and Promotions Committee, the Homeless
Task Force, and the Economic Development Task Force of the Clearwater Arts Foundation.
Elias Jafif, a native of Mexico, heads a private investment group planning a high-rise
residential and retail project in downtown Clearwater. (St. Petersburg Times, Internet,
7/19/04)
Don’t Let them Take Over Clearwater
Church of Scientology documents seized by the FBI in 1977 outlined a plan to take over
Clearwater, discredit enemies, and make the town the world‘s first ‗Scientology city‘ by
2000. A recent series of articles in the St. Petersburg Times indicate that the church is well
on its way to achieving ―domination‖ in Clearwater‘s core, where there has been little
investment by others.
The population of Scientologists in the city is growing by 1,000 annually and members are
―stitching themselves into the city‘s civic and cultural fabric with volunteer work and
memberships in non-Scientology organizations.
―Clearwater could benefit from Scientology's energy and investment, but residents should
not let the controversial organization take over downtown.‖ (Editorial, St. Petersburg Times,
Internet, 7/25/05)
Summer School Course at UW Based on Scientology Methods
A five-day summer course for children at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, entitled
Study Technology, is based on the educational writings of Scientology founder L. Ron
Hubbard. Experts who monitor Scientology say the course promotes Scientology religious
beliefs and methods. One child says she found the course — which includes a section on
how to use a dictionary effectively — boring. Her mother, who looked into Scientology on
the Internet, called it junk science, and says that the methods did not make sense.
