Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 1, 2005, Page 64
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)
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)
