Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2008, Page 55
residence there on compassionate and humanitarian grounds. But Canada refused and he
was deported to face U.S. law. His three-year probation agreement forbids him to annoy,
harass, or come within a thousand feet of a Scientologist. ―I still fear for my life,‖ he says.
―My problem is that I haven‘t been paranoid enough in the past.‖
Invoking eBay rules, Scientology has prevailed upon the trading site to stop hosting
auctions for second hand ―e-meters‖ — Scientology spiritual counseling devices — because
the church says it owns the trademark and patent rights to the device. The church‘s legal
right to demand this is being contested.
Three women raised in Scientology, including leader David Miscavige‘s niece, have launched
a Website, ExScientology Kids.com, that accuses the church of physical abuse, denying
some children a proper education, and alienating members from their families. Meanwhile,
the popular Internet culture blog ―BoingBoing‖ says that Scientology founder L. Ron
Hubbard plagiarized a 1934 German book and turned it into the church‘s basic text. These
and other Web-based attacks on Scientology threaten the organization‘s traditional ability to
control its image. Web-based criticism of Scientology may be increasing because the
aggrieved, whom Scientology has typically attacked personally for their complaints, find a
certain safety in anonymity and numbers on the Internet.
Munich authorities have closed Scientology’s Kinderhaüs Child-care facility, saying, ―The
well-being of the children in the establishment was under threat because the education
process was based on the principles of Scientology.‖ The German federal Office for the
Protection of the Constitution has also closed down Neo-Nazi and radical Muslim groups with
teachings deemed antithetical to a free and democratic society.
With 1.7 million square feet of office and residential space in Clearwater, and between
5,000 and 12,000 members living and working in town, Scientology is ―turning the city
center into a virtual Scientology campus.‖
Judges on a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in California, now hearing an
appeal that questions a 1993 settlement between Scientology and the Internal Revenue
Service, ―appeared sympathetic to a couple‘s claim that the agency isn‘t treating members
of all religious groups fairly concerning charitable deductions for educational expenses‖ —
this according to a recent report in the American Bar Association Journal. The suit was
initiated when the IRS refused to allow Orthodox Jews Michael and Marla Sklar to deduct
some of their children‘s private religious school tuition. The Sklar‘s now want access to the
Scientology-IRS agreement that they say will show Scientologists have been allowed to take
substantial deductions for ―religious training and services.‖ They want the same benefit. The
IRS says that the private agreement with Scientology involves religious training rather than
the kinds of religious education the Sklar children get. The law journal report cites one of
the judges saying that the issue ―does intrude into the Establishment Clause,‖ and that the
―bottom line‖ is whether the IRS has, in fact, agreed to treat members of one religious
group differently from members of another group. The report concludes, however, that,
―Even if the IRS did discriminate by allowing Scientology training deductions, that doesn‘t
necessarily mean that the Sklars will get to take similar education deductions. The proper
course of action is a lawsuit to [put a stop] to that policy,‖ a concurring judge said in the 9th
Circuit‘s 2002 written opinion on an earlier case brought by the Sklars.
Three Scientology kindergartens are operating in Tel Aviv without licenses and ―without
the ministry [of Education] being aware of their principles,‖ according to YNet (Israel),
3/21/08. A ministry official says, ―The pedagogical aspect will be examined this year and we
will then make a final decision whether to grant [one of the kindergartens] a permanent
license.‖
residence there on compassionate and humanitarian grounds. But Canada refused and he
was deported to face U.S. law. His three-year probation agreement forbids him to annoy,
harass, or come within a thousand feet of a Scientologist. ―I still fear for my life,‖ he says.
―My problem is that I haven‘t been paranoid enough in the past.‖
Invoking eBay rules, Scientology has prevailed upon the trading site to stop hosting
auctions for second hand ―e-meters‖ — Scientology spiritual counseling devices — because
the church says it owns the trademark and patent rights to the device. The church‘s legal
right to demand this is being contested.
Three women raised in Scientology, including leader David Miscavige‘s niece, have launched
a Website, ExScientology Kids.com, that accuses the church of physical abuse, denying
some children a proper education, and alienating members from their families. Meanwhile,
the popular Internet culture blog ―BoingBoing‖ says that Scientology founder L. Ron
Hubbard plagiarized a 1934 German book and turned it into the church‘s basic text. These
and other Web-based attacks on Scientology threaten the organization‘s traditional ability to
control its image. Web-based criticism of Scientology may be increasing because the
aggrieved, whom Scientology has typically attacked personally for their complaints, find a
certain safety in anonymity and numbers on the Internet.
Munich authorities have closed Scientology’s Kinderhaüs Child-care facility, saying, ―The
well-being of the children in the establishment was under threat because the education
process was based on the principles of Scientology.‖ The German federal Office for the
Protection of the Constitution has also closed down Neo-Nazi and radical Muslim groups with
teachings deemed antithetical to a free and democratic society.
With 1.7 million square feet of office and residential space in Clearwater, and between
5,000 and 12,000 members living and working in town, Scientology is ―turning the city
center into a virtual Scientology campus.‖
Judges on a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in California, now hearing an
appeal that questions a 1993 settlement between Scientology and the Internal Revenue
Service, ―appeared sympathetic to a couple‘s claim that the agency isn‘t treating members
of all religious groups fairly concerning charitable deductions for educational expenses‖ —
this according to a recent report in the American Bar Association Journal. The suit was
initiated when the IRS refused to allow Orthodox Jews Michael and Marla Sklar to deduct
some of their children‘s private religious school tuition. The Sklar‘s now want access to the
Scientology-IRS agreement that they say will show Scientologists have been allowed to take
substantial deductions for ―religious training and services.‖ They want the same benefit. The
IRS says that the private agreement with Scientology involves religious training rather than
the kinds of religious education the Sklar children get. The law journal report cites one of
the judges saying that the issue ―does intrude into the Establishment Clause,‖ and that the
―bottom line‖ is whether the IRS has, in fact, agreed to treat members of one religious
group differently from members of another group. The report concludes, however, that,
―Even if the IRS did discriminate by allowing Scientology training deductions, that doesn‘t
necessarily mean that the Sklars will get to take similar education deductions. The proper
course of action is a lawsuit to [put a stop] to that policy,‖ a concurring judge said in the 9th
Circuit‘s 2002 written opinion on an earlier case brought by the Sklars.
Three Scientology kindergartens are operating in Tel Aviv without licenses and ―without
the ministry [of Education] being aware of their principles,‖ according to YNet (Israel),
3/21/08. A ministry official says, ―The pedagogical aspect will be examined this year and we
will then make a final decision whether to grant [one of the kindergartens] a permanent
license.‖
