John Travolta and Tom Cruise have forcefully denied allegations that they turned to Scientology to "cure" them of their supposedly gay urges. But critics continue to claim the religion is rife with homophobia. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote in his 1950 best seller, "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health," that gays were "sexual perverts" and "very ill physically." That apparently went for Hubbard's son, Quentin, who was said to have been confused about his own sexual orientation. "[Ron] thought ...

[...] Clarification: A story in Sunday's Chronicle about the California Medical Association adopting a resolution supporting schools that have dropped "factually inaccurate approaches" to anti-drug instruction should have more fully explained how the organization arrived at its decision. The process began with the San Francisco Medical Association drafting a resolution supporting school districts that have dropped an anti-drug program provided by Narconon, an organization with ties to the Church of Scientology. The resolution, which concluded that Narconon's program was based on ...

[Picture / Caption: Richard Perry/The New York Times Subway riders have become used to Scientologists' offer to gauge their stress level. But the city has ejected the group for selling books.] A corridor of the Times Square subway station may not seem to be the ideal spot to conduct a carefully controlled psychological experiment. For one thing, the soundproofing is entirely inadequate. The confluence of a dozen subway lines creates constantly shifting sonic interference, ranging from mild to deafening, that an ...

Months after the poster incident, the NY Times heads to the bowels of the Times Square subway station where the Scientologists are trying to de-stress New Yorkers. Whatever you may think of the Scientologists (Tom Cruise! Aliens! John Travolta! More aliens!), Gothamist has to give it up to them for picking one of the more insane subway stations to prey upon traumatized commuters and naive tourists who think "Wow, the secrets to a stress-free life are in that folding chair with ...

The California Medical Association has declared unanimous support for school districts that have dropped Narconon and other "factually inaccurate approaches" to antidrug instruction from their classrooms, and will urge the American Medical Association to do the same. Nearly 500 California doctors also endorsed "scientifically based drug education in California schools" at the association's annual meeting in Anaheim on Monday. Narconon, a drug education program with links to the Church of Scientology, is offered free to schools and has been used in ...

It boasts an 80 per cent success rate, the rock star Beck is a fan, and schools are inviting the Narconon centre into the classroom. So why are some people worried? Jamie Doward reports The following clarification was printed in the Observer's For the record column, Sunday April 3 2005 In the article below we state that 'The use of ear [auricular] acupuncture in treating acute drug withdrawal began in Hong Kong in 1972.' We should clarify that in 1972 surgeons ...

Long famous for keeping his private life private, Tom Cruise recently has taken a very public stance as far as his religious beliefs are concerned, involving those who wish to familiarize themselves with his place of worship, the Church of Scientology, reports The New York Times. About 20 managers from United International Pictures, which will distribute director Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds starring Cruise, were invited by the star in January to take a four-hour tour of three separate Scientology ...

The Dutch Attorney-General has endorsed a verdict seen as backing free speech over copyright in the controversial case between the Church of Scientology and writer Karin Spaink, Dutch ISP Xs4all reports. The Dutch Supreme Court, which will rule on this case on 8 July, had asked the Attorney-General for advice. The Church of Scientology sued Karin Spaink and her internet service provider Xs4all Internet BV after Spaink posted Scientology documents on her website. In the early 1990s, former Scientologist Steven Fishman, ...

NEW YORK (AP) - Federal prosecutors charged Tuesday that a 26-year-old Armenian immigrant led a plot to sell military weapons to an FBI informant posing as a middleman for terrorists. Other law enforcement officials, however, cast doubt on the danger posed by Artur Solomonyan and his associates, who allegedly claimed to be able to deliver rocket-propelled grenades, shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles and other arms from the former Soviet Union. ``It's unclear if they were ever able to deliver on their promise on ...

Narconon program has proven success For years an enemy has insidiously attacked us in Hawaii – drugs and drug abuse. Our keiki, neighbors, co-workers, our ohana have been grabbed by this monster and dragged down into the depths of human experience. No one is immune. It is hard to confront. Confronting a family member strung out on meth, I would not wish on anyone. Watching children get lured by advertising into the clutches of "innocent drugs" such as alcohol or marijuana ...

THE ISSUE California schools are being urged by the state superintendent to banish an anti-drug program planned for Hawaii schools. PRIVATE organizations are encouraged to join government agencies in the war against drugs, but their inaccurate or misleading proselytizing can make the problem worse. California's schools are being urged to drop one allegedly faulty program that has plans in Hawaii's schools. The Department of Education should step back and scrutinize that program and others that could add to the credibility problem ...

State Department of Education officials are expected to review a negative evaluation of an anti-drug program that wants to serve Hawaii public school students. Kendyl Ko, educational specialist with the department's Safe and Drug-Free Schools, said he had sent the evaluation on the Narconon Drug Abuse and Prevention Program to Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto and Deputy Superintendent Clayton Fujie. Ko noted that he was concerned about the findings in the evaluation by the California Health Kids Resource Center. He said he was ...

336/03 Male aged 40 years died on the 27th February 2003 at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst. Finding handed down on 24 March 2004 at Glebe by NSW State Coroner John Abernethy. This death has been assessed as a death during a police operation within the meaning of Section 13A, Coroners Act 1980. In those circumstances it has been independently investigated as a Critical Incident in accordance with NSW Police Protocols. This ensures impartiality on the part of the investigative team and ...

A drug prevention program interested in helping students at Hawaii's public schools received a negative evaluation by a California organization yesterday. An evaluation led by the California Healthy Kids Resource Center reports that Narconon Drug Abuse and Prevention Program's curriculum offers inaccurate and unscientific information. The report was posted yesterday on the California Department of Education's Web site. "We'll get a letter out to every school district today, saying this program is filled with inaccuracies and does not reflect widespread medical ...

Hawaii-born movie actor Kelly Preston said a rehabilitation program called Narconon International saved her life after a decade of drug use. A former drug addict introduced Preston – who started experimenting with drugs at age 15 – to the program after she abused marijuana, Quaaludes, Ecstasy and cocaine until her mid-20s. Preston stopped using drugs through the program. "I just got off all of them through this," she said. Through Narconon, Preston wants to help drug users in Hawaii combat their ...

Recruitment time in Aceh Not all who have responded to the pleas from the Acehnese of Indonesia for aid in the wake of the Boxing Day tsunami have put their self-interest aside, reported Vaudine England in the Hong Kong Weekly Standard (January 22/23). "Some groups are widely seen as cults, pushing a quasi-religious doctrine of healing and feeling. Other groups, particularly American evangelicals ... focus on a personal and direct relationship with a defined God through literal adherence to ancient texts. ...

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — In a tent near the center of town, under a banner that reads ''trauma center," volunteer ministers from the Church of Scientology administer their brand of grief counseling to tsunami victims, which includes massages. In another tent, at a mosque several miles down a main road, members of a militant Islamic group known for attacking bars and nightclubs during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, prepare to give thousands of homeless people a heavy dose of religious counseling. ...