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Trade Center collapse, feel that it has helped them? A psychological argument rather than a
physiological one may explain the program‘s successes. This is so because there is a
similarity between the Scientology program and purification rituals found in many religious
and cultural traditions in which cleansing the body helps achieve spiritual renewal.
The language used by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, who developed Scientology‘s
program, seems related to the language of psychotherapy, as when, for example: detox
patients are said to experience ―manifestations of old traumas, or toxins when they taste
or smell long-forgotten chemicals or drugs or when they re-experience symptoms,
allergies, and wounds that ―turn off‖ again when toxins are ―flushed‖ from the body.
―Hubbard himself was notoriously hostile to psychiatry but what his method seems to offer
is a potent physiological analogue to talk therapy.‖ (Amanda Schaffer, Slate, Internet,
10/21/04)
Moving in on Tragedy Town
Twenty Scientologists have been ordered out of Beslan, Republic of North Ossetia, and
forbidden to offer their religious and psychological services in the region. They arrived in the
wake of the terrorist carnage at an elementary school, saying they were psychologists, and
advertised for people to come to their ―spiritual aid centre.‖ Beslan leaders, as well as
doctors, mainline clergy, and law enforcement officials were wary of the arrival of
Scientology and other new sects in town following the tragedy.
Specialists from the Serbski Institute, who have been working with Beslan residents, say
that under Scientology influence ―people develop an increased sense of aggression, an
inadequate reaction to the surrounding world, and people and children are subject to
negative emotional outbursts. People become uncontrollable.‖ (ITAR-TASS from BBC
Monitoring the Former Soviet Union, Internet, 10/16/04 Moscow News, Internet, 10/22/04)
Active in Hungary
The political opposition warns that Scientology, registered as a church but known
worldwide as a business that resembles a cult, is at least indirectly involved in a number of
Hungarian companies, including several working on a residential park in Nagyknizsa. Some
of the firms apparently employ the WISE business management system, developed by
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. In addition, the local railway headquarters used a
Scientology course and test for its workers, which caused a ―scandal.‖ Scientology also
advertised language courses in local schools until the mayor banned the activity. (Magyar
Menzet, Internet, 10/26/04)
Subway Celebration Poster Promotes Scientology
A poster celebrating the 100th anniversary of the New York subway seems mainly to
promote Scientology programs. The poster, depicting a crowded Times Square subway
station, contains a call to visit the Scientology Purification Center, and the addresses of a
variety of Scientology websites festoon T-shirts and shopping bags in the picture. The
poster is the work of author-artist Kathy Jakobson, a Scientologist, who also has included in
the poster a plug for her new children‘s book. A spokesman for the New York Transit
Authority said the poster depicts the ―actuality of Times Square and what is going on there.
We have no reason to believe she tried to work in Scientology references.‖ (Gwen Moritz,
Daily News, 10/29/04)
Surveillance to Continue
A German court has rejected an appeal from the Church of Scientology to end
surveillance of its activities by domestic security services. The court said that some
Scientology activities were ―contrary to the foundations of democracy‖ and went against

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human rights. In its last report, in 2003, security services said Scientology influenced
members in a way ―hostile to the constitution.‖ (AFP, Internet, 11/11/04)
Treating Norwegian Addicts
The Norwegian government has spent a great deal of money sending drug addicts to
Scientology’s Narconon treatment center in Denmark. A consultant at Norway‘s Health
West said his office was honoring existing agreements with Narconon but has no current
relationship with the organization. The head of the Narconon Denmark office says Narconon,
which cured him, is non-religious and independent of the church. ―We have clients that
become Scientologists when they complete treatment. Maybe they think like I do, that if
just a tiny part of Hubbard‘s technology can free them of addiction, what could all of his
teaching do?‖ (Jonathan Tisdall, Aftenposten [Norway], Internet, 12/1/04)
Growth Claimed in Copenhagen
Scientology says that an average of 560 people a week during November attended films
and lectures introducing them to the new age religious movement. Most of the activity took
place in Copenhagen, the organization‘s European headquarters.
The Copenhagen Bishop, Erik Norman Svendsen, criticizes Scientology, saying: ―Their entire
mythology is so absurd that even a bishop has to object. You can debate whether
Scientology is a religion or a business — but it‘s the latter, in any event. This sect has
resisted all attempts to submit to any regulation or control, which is the very reason why it
has not been formally recognized (in Denmark) as a religious denomination. So for that
reason, I‘m highly skeptical of their new numbers [of attendance].‖ (Copenhagen Post,
Internet, 12/3/04)
Scientology is able to recruit public school students in Copenhagen because teachers are
taking them to the group‘s centers as part of their required religious education curriculum. A
Scientology spokesman says one class per week now attends, compared to one per month
five years ago. ―Schools are no longer as anxious about dealing with us, and they‘re much
more curious.‖ She said that every school in Denmark receives the Scientology periodical
Freedom, and that many smaller groups of students visit Scientology centers on their own
to work on school projects.
Jens Faerk, chairman of the Danish Teachers Association‘s headmasters‘ section, criticized
the teachers for visiting the centers. ―Seeking out Scientology is a temptation to weak souls,
and it‘s these same weak souls that Scientology targets.‖ Jens Linderoth, Chairman of the
Dialogcentret, which provides information to the public on new religious movements, says:
―Teachers need to make clear that this [Scientology] is a movement with secrets that they
won‘t tell you about until you‘ve climbed high in the hierarchy. Members risk losing all
contact with their relatives and loved ones, and end up giving all of their money to
Scientology.‖ (Copenhagen Post, Internet, December 2004)
“Volunteer Ministers” Rejected
A group of Scientologists wearing coats bearing the words ―Volunteer Minister‖ were told
to go back behind police lines at the site of a still raging fire in downtown Chicago recently.
A spokesman for the group, which critics call a cult, said the interlopers were looking for
someone in charge ―to find out what was needed and wanted.‖ A fire department chaplain
said: ―I threw ‗em out. If they want to minister to the people on the sidelines, that‘s great .
..but they were standing in the triage and treatment areas and they were making total
chaos in there.‖
One of the volunteers said Scientology would dispatch people to other fires and disasters, as
they had to Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks, to ―assist‖ the injured or traumatized with
special techniques. (Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times, Internet, 12/9/04)