Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 91
Satmar Hasidim
A New York appeals court has upheld the claim of Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum to remain
head of the 25,000-member Brooklyn congregation of the Satmar branch of the Hasidic
movement. The decision to deny the succession to Zalman‘s brother, Aron, who heads the
14,000-member Kiryas Joel congregation, in Orange County, NY, was based on
constitutional grounds — Grand Rebbe Moses Teitelbaum, who died in April, said he wanted
Zalman to succeed him.
Scientology
Scientology has produced a set of six DVDs, three CDs, and several books presenting six
lectures delivered by founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1958 at the Shoreham Hotel, in
Washington, DC. The publication, said to have taken a million man hours to complete, has
been translated into 15 languages, using subtitles, and includes an English interpretation for
the deaf. ...Scientologist Priscilla Presley will speak at the inauguration of the 120-bed
Narconon Stone Hawk East residential drug treatment center in Albion, MI. ...
Scientology‘s basic text, Dianetics, will sponsor a NASCAR racing team named ―Ignite Your
Potential.‖ Driver Kenton Gray says, ―Through Dianetics I‘ve handled stress and increased
my performance and ability to compete — both on the track and in life.‖
Quebec advocates for the learning disabled are worried that Scientology — which
condemns both psychiatry and the use of psychotropic drugs — may take over the current
debate concerning a proposed class action suit challenging the use of Ritalin to treat
attention deficit disorder among school children. Scientologist George Mentis is the head of
an organization that is spearheading a separate $11 million lawsuit of a parent who says her
son was harmed by Ritalin and Risperdal and alleges that his school virtually required him to
take the drugs in order to be allowed to attend class.
A Nebraska Scientology couple has filed a suit aimed to overturn the state law requiring
the screening of a newborn‘s blood for possible disease. They say the mandatory test would
violate their freedom of religion. Scientologists believe that infants should have seven days
of silence after birth, without pain or trauma that might affect the child‘s mental and
physical health later in life. All states have screening statutes, but only four, including
Nebraska, do not allow an exemption based on religious beliefs. Officials say that later
treatment of diseases not detected at birth strain families as well as taxpayers who must
often pay for long-term care of the disabled.
Scientology in Ireland, financially pressed to maintain defense of a suit against it brought by
a former member, is being kept afloat by a 400,000 Euro interest-free loan from overseas
members of the international organization. The debt of the Irish branch, which has drawn
only a few hundred members in 18 years of operation, is now one million Euros.
Milton James, executive director of the Florida chapter of Ebony Awakenings, a group of
African-American Scientologists, has opened up a Church of Scientology Mission in Tampa,
saying, ―people need help,‖ and ―the old stuff is not working.‖ He believes people become
criminals because they ―feel stupid or ignorant,‖ and Scientology can help them ―see they
have in their own grasp the ability to understand.‖ He wants to communicate his ideas
especially to African-Americans. The President of the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic
Association says, ―I‘m hearing a lot of grumbling. They [neighboring businesses] don‘t want
them [Scientologists] there.‖
Scientology plans to buy a historic building containing upscale shops and relocate its
Pasadena establishment there to accommodate a bookstore, information center,
classrooms, and a 250-seat chapel and meeting room.
Satmar Hasidim
A New York appeals court has upheld the claim of Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum to remain
head of the 25,000-member Brooklyn congregation of the Satmar branch of the Hasidic
movement. The decision to deny the succession to Zalman‘s brother, Aron, who heads the
14,000-member Kiryas Joel congregation, in Orange County, NY, was based on
constitutional grounds — Grand Rebbe Moses Teitelbaum, who died in April, said he wanted
Zalman to succeed him.
Scientology
Scientology has produced a set of six DVDs, three CDs, and several books presenting six
lectures delivered by founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1958 at the Shoreham Hotel, in
Washington, DC. The publication, said to have taken a million man hours to complete, has
been translated into 15 languages, using subtitles, and includes an English interpretation for
the deaf. ...Scientologist Priscilla Presley will speak at the inauguration of the 120-bed
Narconon Stone Hawk East residential drug treatment center in Albion, MI. ...
Scientology‘s basic text, Dianetics, will sponsor a NASCAR racing team named ―Ignite Your
Potential.‖ Driver Kenton Gray says, ―Through Dianetics I‘ve handled stress and increased
my performance and ability to compete — both on the track and in life.‖
Quebec advocates for the learning disabled are worried that Scientology — which
condemns both psychiatry and the use of psychotropic drugs — may take over the current
debate concerning a proposed class action suit challenging the use of Ritalin to treat
attention deficit disorder among school children. Scientologist George Mentis is the head of
an organization that is spearheading a separate $11 million lawsuit of a parent who says her
son was harmed by Ritalin and Risperdal and alleges that his school virtually required him to
take the drugs in order to be allowed to attend class.
A Nebraska Scientology couple has filed a suit aimed to overturn the state law requiring
the screening of a newborn‘s blood for possible disease. They say the mandatory test would
violate their freedom of religion. Scientologists believe that infants should have seven days
of silence after birth, without pain or trauma that might affect the child‘s mental and
physical health later in life. All states have screening statutes, but only four, including
Nebraska, do not allow an exemption based on religious beliefs. Officials say that later
treatment of diseases not detected at birth strain families as well as taxpayers who must
often pay for long-term care of the disabled.
Scientology in Ireland, financially pressed to maintain defense of a suit against it brought by
a former member, is being kept afloat by a 400,000 Euro interest-free loan from overseas
members of the international organization. The debt of the Irish branch, which has drawn
only a few hundred members in 18 years of operation, is now one million Euros.
Milton James, executive director of the Florida chapter of Ebony Awakenings, a group of
African-American Scientologists, has opened up a Church of Scientology Mission in Tampa,
saying, ―people need help,‖ and ―the old stuff is not working.‖ He believes people become
criminals because they ―feel stupid or ignorant,‖ and Scientology can help them ―see they
have in their own grasp the ability to understand.‖ He wants to communicate his ideas
especially to African-Americans. The President of the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic
Association says, ―I‘m hearing a lot of grumbling. They [neighboring businesses] don‘t want
them [Scientologists] there.‖
Scientology plans to buy a historic building containing upscale shops and relocate its
Pasadena establishment there to accommodate a bookstore, information center,
classrooms, and a 250-seat chapel and meeting room.
