21 - 30 of 30 Comments

1. Anonymous

   3 years ago

   I find Steve's comment to be filled with misinformation. "A handful of people complain" is blatantly inaccurate as over 700 former members of Scientology have publicly spoken out against the organization. Their names, achievements within the organization (almost every one was an active member for over 5 years, many as long as 20 or 30 years), and complaints are well documented and have been cross-referenced against the stories of others.
   
   "the Church of Scientology are tried on the internet as guilty"
   While Steve does mention France, he has failed to mention the numerous trials in America, Canada, Germany, Australia, Norway, and other countries which found that the organization was engaged in illicit activities. Judicial statements, documents entered into evidence, and witness testimonials under oath all verify the claims that have been brought forth.

2. Dean Fox

   3 years ago

   The organisation calling itself the church of scientology cannot be given the benefit of doubt because as you know from your research there is so much evidence of actual harm.
   
   It's also clear from the many 000's of internal policies, especially those of the "Sea Org" who police the organisation, that these policies are responsible for the abuses and harm the organisation causes; it is not just a few individuals causing problems within the organisation rather it is a matter of policy.
   
   Many of the inner policies contradict the outwardly expounded ideals and beliefs of the organisation. Take for instance compliance. Outwardly the organisation teaches that one can achieve compliance through affinity. Looking at internal policies however it is clear that compliance is achieved internally though fear and abuse, indeed it is stated repeatedly.
   
   Excellent article, keep it up.

3. Murray

   3 years ago

   @steve: if the only thing you have heard is the French case then you have not done a lot of research to qualify for giving them the benefit of doubt. Google scientology (and read past the obvious sponsored links at the top) and read about more than just "a handful" on just "some things". They are a criminal organisation posing as a church.

4. Kha Khan

   3 years ago

   The last two paragraphs of this essay really resonated with me. I'm an ex-Scientologist. While I am not and never was a Catholic, after I left the Church of Scientology I returned to the Christian roots of my upbringing (in my case Methodist). One thing people don't understand is that Scientology ethics are morality are the antithesis of Christian ethics and morality, and particularly the gospel of Jesus. Where Jesus teaches charity, Scientology counsels against rewarding "degraded beings" and rewarding "the down statistic." Where Jesus teaches turning the other cheek, Scientology specifically told Time magazine, "We are not a turn-the-other-cheek religion." Unlike the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches, you will not find the Church of Scientology feeding the homeless, sheltering the sick, or caring for the poor. (Finally, please forgive my screen name. It has special meaning in the Church of Scientology and I use it to avoid retaliation.)

5. bob dobbs

   3 years ago

   Read up on 2chan, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2channel, you'll get a better idea what Anonymous means and where it came from.
   
   There's tons of opposition to Scientology, and the threats it poses to free speech, on the net from people who don't neccesarily hang out in the chans.

6. Steve

   3 years ago

   I would still prefer to give Scientology the benefit of the doubt until more evidence is presented. A handful of people complain about some things and the Church of Scientology are tried on the internet as guilty. The only thing I have heard about them being found guilty of for a long time was the fraud charges in France, which came from the Church's description of the benefits of nutritional supplements.....not exactly criminal activities in my mind!

7. Anonymous

   3 years ago

   Several mistakes here. Anonymous was not founded by former scientologists but is a group of internet kids who got fed up with Scientology trying to censor the web. Paulette Cooper was not a former Scientologist. She is a reporter who was framed for a crime she did not commit by the cult in the 1970's for writing a critical story on them. She was exonerated when the FBI found evidence that Scientology had framed her and several Scientologists went to prison for this, including the wife of L. Ron Hubbard. Not just for that but also for burglary of the offices of the FBI and IRS. Pity the government didn't put an end to Scientology for good then and there. Maybe they will take a second look at it now that these stories are making it into the mainstream press.

8. Hartley Patterson

   3 years ago

   One minor correction to an otherwise accurate article - very few Anonymous are ex-scientologists. The Church of Scientology has been attempting to suppress discussion of its activities on the Internet since 1995, generating waves of opposition of which Anonymous is the latest.

9. John

   3 years ago

   Great article. The only thing wrong with it is saying that there's a reported 12 million members. That is a blatant lie by the Church of Scientology. The organization is actually shrinking. In 2008 the American Religious Identification Survey estimated that there are only 25,000 Scientologists in the United States. The same survey in 2001 said there were about 55,000 Scientologists in the US. Factnet.org estimates that there are only 50,000 active Scientologists worldwide.
   
   Of course, it's hardly shocking that an organization that would coerce its members to have abortions would lie about the number of members it has.

10. Anonymous

    3 years ago

    Anonymous was not founded by ex-$cientologists. Also, it's only the cult itself that "reports 12 million members". Independent surveys say that there's far less than 100.000 $cientologists worldwide. $cientology counts everyone who has ever taken a single course since 1954 as a "member".
    I couldn't help but be amused that Mr. Klagenburg told you to "look at abuses closer to home". This is a typical $cientology tactic - distracting from their own crimes by trying to put the focus on the accuser's alleged crimes.

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