I refer to the article "Ex-Scientologists testify to suffering" (C-M, Oct 4). Scientologists and non-Scientologists alike have come out in defence of the religious persecution in France. First, the French Government blows up the Rainbow Warrior, then despite world condemnation, they expose the Pacific to atomic fallout. Now we have them deciding that a new religion has become too popular and a threat to their hypocrisy. Scientology may be new and controversial but no one can deny it is the fastest-growing ...

The star of Phenomenon claims the movie is close to real life and says he can cure people with his bare hands — but is it just cult fiction? In John Travolta's latest movie, Phenomenon, the once disco-dancing star plays an ordinary man who is miraculously given supernatural abilities. It sounds like fantasy — but in real life John believes he, too, has weird powers. Behind that famous smile, the 42-year-old gentle family man is an obsessive cult follower who claims ...

THE Church of Scientology has attacked what it called "religious apartheid" in Germany after a Bavarian move to bar its members from public service and calls to boycott Tom Cruise's latest film because the star is a Scientologist. In a communique issued in Bonn, the church said "officially-sanctioned religious apartheid" was "the result of years of unsubstantiated emotional propaganda against the Church of Scientology and other religious minorities in Germany". It was "incredible" and "blatant hypocrisy" that the Christian Democratic Union, ...

There's one thing worse than an over-hyped author, and that's a self-over-hyped author. The late L Ron Hubbard falls into the latter class, thanks to the efforts of the Scientology industry to promote his fiction alongside his non-fiction works. Hubbard (who once declared that the best way to get rich would be to start your own religion, and who later proceeded to do exactly that) continues to attract devotion and hatred in about equal measures. Nevertheless, his services to science fiction ...

As the mother of an ex-Scientologist, I believe if Henry Bartnik (S-H 19/5) researched official records he would find the autobiographical accounts of Scientology founder Ron Hubbard to be grossly inaccurate. The problem with Hubbard's achievements in education and science is his lack of scientific process. His work is not subject to ongoing public discourse, criticism and reproduction with controlled studies. His most damning legacy is a policy which effectively suppresses critical analyses internally, and attacks external critics with vengeance. Hubbard, ...

In response to the comments made about the George Street Volcano (Nightmare on George Street, S-H 26/5), I wish to make certain facts clear. My company, Woodbridge Associates Pty Ltd, owns the lease on the volcano. We are leasing some of the screen time to New Era Publications, not the Church of Scientology. New Era Publications is advertising the Dianetics book on the screen. They are the publishers of the works of L. Ron Hubbard. There have been no breaches of ...

Free speech has come under renewed threat because of a little-noticed decision by the Australian Broadcasting Authority. In an ominous echo of moves to restrict free speech via racial hate laws, the ABA has ruled that radio station 3RRR breached acceptable standards on religious vilification. The unprecedented case centred on criticisms of the Church of Scientology by ex-Scientologist Cyril Vosper on 3RRR's The Liars' Club program last year. Among other criticisms, Vosper likened Scientology to an extremist political regime and ...

Australia's most elaborate billboard, a giant three-dimensional volcano unveiled in Sydney's George Street theatre district, won't be selling soft drinks or hamburgers but the path to religion. The 330-square-metre billboard, including a five-metre-high television screen, will be used to promote L. Ron Hubbard's 1950 book Dianetics, the foundation stone of the Church of Scientology. Unveiled by Hollywood scientologist Nancy Cartwright — the voice of cartoon character Bart Simpson — the volcano has been positioned on the facade of the Metro Theatre ...

YOU ARE PERHAPS SICK OF HEARING that Kate Ceberano, Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, John Travolta and various other luminaries owe their glittering fame and wealth to Scientology. You may also have noticed that Scientology is taking ads on buses. The days of the kids with clipboards eyeballing you on the street to ask if you would like to do a personality test are fading. Scientology is moving to big business and the Internet. The Church of Scientology tends to live by ...

AN Adelaide journalist was yesterday cleared of theft charges in a London court case billed as the battle of the hidden cameras. The Church of Scientology in London used hidden cameras to try to entrap Alison Braund while she was using a hidden camera in the church while working undercover, the City of London Magistrates' Court heard. Ms Braund was preparing an investigative report for a British television company. Chairman of the bench, Hinda Style, said there had been an abuse ...

It is now well understood and accepted that freedom of speech does not include the freedom to malign others, because hate propaganda and vicious smears in public have a destructive effect on excitable individuals (witness the effect Nazi propaganda had on the Germans in the 1930s and 40s). The recent publication of a book written by Louise Samways entitled 'Dangerous Persuaders: An expose of gurus, personal development courses and cults, and how they operate in Australia' and the ensuing publicity for ...

Exclusive A former cult security guard blows apart the star's squeaky clean image with claims of shocking abuse HOLLYWOOD megastar Tom Cruise has been sensationally named in a multi-million dollar lawsuit in the United States alleging receipt of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of illicit perks from the controversial Scientology religious cult. The 32-year-old Oscar winner is alleged to have turned a blind eye to the use of slave labour to build him a gym, an apartment and other gifts ...

CULTS: Article ignored other side of the story from the Reverend Mary Anderson, director of public affairs, Church of Scientology I write to express my amazement and concern that 'The Sunday Age' (3/10) published an article on Louise Samways and her book 'Dangerous Persuaders' without presenting the other side of the story. Scientology is an applied religious philosophy which contains solutions to the problems of living. Its end result is increased awareness and freedom for the individual and rehabilitation of his ...

Louise Samways has spent the past decade investigating the many mind-control techniques of Australia's cults, gurus and personal development courses. She is also familiar with their tactics to keep critics quiet. The brick that slammed through the psychologist's car windscreen recently was a reminder that there are other, older methods of persuasion. She was frightened: "I'd like to hope it was just schoolkids playing stupid games, but when these things come one on top of the other, I don't think I'm ...

[This appears to be an OCR'ed version of a paper document. I wish to find a copy of the original document in order to fix the typos troughout.] —– To Whom It May Concern To the best of my memory - I, Lorna Levett was a Scientologist from 1961 to 1974, from 1966 to 1974 full time, from 1968 to 1974 a franchise holder and received rewards for being the top recruiter on the planet 1969 to 1970. In late 1969/early ...