On April 9, the Montreal branch of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights—an organization opposed to psychiatry and psychiatric drugs—set up a large exhibit occupying the whole atrium of Concordia University’s downtown library building. Students had no way of knowing that the CCHR is a sister organization of the Church of Scientology, unless they read the fine print of pamphlets being handed out. By 6 p.m. a small group of students stood outside of the exhibit’s entrance with a sign reading, ...

BROOKSVILLE — Over the fears of a parade of residents concerned about the safety of their homes, families and property values, the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday approved the expansion of residential drug and alcohol treatment program in Spring Hill. Suncoast Rehabilitation Center on Cessna Drive sought a special exception to build two dormitories, an administration building and swimming and sports facilities. The expansion would more than double the program from 54 beds from 22 on a 3-acre parcel. A ...

Tom and Katie Cruise’s doll-like daughter Suri is to be trained in Scientology after her third birthday this week. The Cruises are sending their daughter five days a week to the Church of Scientology’s £6,000-a-year New Village Academy in Los Angeles, launched last year by Tom’s friend, fellow actor Will Smith. It is staffed by trained Scientologists and lists ‘study technology’ as a key curricular focus. ‘The children have a lot of responsibilities from a very young age,’ says a source. ...

The Scientology organization has increasingly targeted poor countries such as Haiti in its recruitment efforts. Why would this money-hungry crime-cult be interested in one of the world’s poorest countries? The answer: Because they want to bring Haitians in to the USA on "religious worker" visas to serve as unpaid laborers. Quoting at length from Scientology-affiliated newspaper the Tampa Bay Informer: Haiti, with its 75% unemployment rate, $15-$20.00 average income per week, 70% illiteracy, 10,000+ homeless in the capital and thousands ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A Nashville building on the National Registry of Historical places is getting a multi-million dollar makeover. Construction crews are working everyday bringing new life to the old Fall School building. "People are excited to see it returning to its former glory," says business neighbor William Walter. Walter admits the group moving in has raised curiosity. "They're just redoing the whole thing - doors, walls, windows. They took down the fixtures, so that should be a pretty impressive building ...

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A woman accuses the Church of Scientology of human trafficking, obstructing justice, employment violations, discrimination and violation of privacy. Laura Ann DeCrescenzo says she signed her first "contract" with the church when she was 12, and did not "escape" until she had suffered 13 years of forced labor at less than minimum wage. "There are two very different versions of Scientology," DeCrescenzo aka Laura Dieckman says in her Superior Court complaint. "There is the Scientology as presented ...

PART TEN Former Scientologist Maureen Bolstad continues her account of her years at the church headquarters near Hemet. "I was actually one of the older ones at 17. There were 13-year-olds, 12-year-olds," Bolstad recollects. "There was just one kid, 12-years-old that was given an executive responsibility doing something. He had a complete nervous breakdown." This is how Maureen spent her teenage years: making videos for the church. Looking at her social security tax forms, she says nobody ever told her about ...

CLEARWATER, Fla., March 31, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ —-In connection with the Church's rapid international growth and the continuing expansion of its spiritual headquarters in Florida, the Church of Scientology held the grand opening of the Fort Harrison, the second facility completed in just the last 18 months to accommodate the influx of thousands of parishioners to the Church's spiritual headquarters and religious retreat As part of its continuing expansion, on March 14, 2009 the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization ...

HuffPo's Rachel Weiner has already reported on Greta Van Susteren's defensive response to a Politico story today, which cited an anonymous source saying that one of the reasons that Sarah Palin has been caught up in a "series of public relations gaffes" is because she is "taking advice from Greta and her husband." In her Fox News blog, Van Susteren vehemently denied offering Palin any advice, and called the authors to task for not checking on this allegation. Let me give ...

PART EIGHT Up until the late 1990's, each person inside received five cards. There's a pay card, a berthing or "housing" card, a chow card, a social card, and, a bonus card. If the production statistics for a worker or their team go down, management took a card or two away. If you lost your chow card, you had to make do with rice and beans. If you lost your berthing card, you lost your apartment. If you lost your pay ...

PORTLAND, Ore. – Jeff Hawkins is on a mission to expose what he says is a cult. "It's become too abusive," he said. Hawkins is referring to the fast growing, famous and mysterious religion known as the Church of Scientology. He says Scientolgy's California headquarters and other large facilities have turned into work camps for staff members. "They work underground, and sometimes they stay there sometimes for years," Hawkins said. "They're not allowed contact with anybody outside." Protestors demonstrate regularly oustide ...

Two former employees who worked more than a decade at the Church of Scientology's Golden Era Productions enclave near Hemet have filed lawsuits alleging the church violated federal and state labor laws and engaged in human trafficking. Church of Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis called the lawsuits "utterly meritless," noting that hundreds of staff would boast about working conditions at the nearly 700-acre compound in Gilman Hot Springs. "Working conditions at Gold Base are nothing short of spectacular," Davis said. In separate ...

Authorities today announced a $10,000 reward for help in identifying those responsible for two apparently connected vandalism incidents at churches in South Los Angeles. The first incident was at the St. Mark United Methodist Church at 8305 South Gramercy Place, where police said someone "severely vandalized" and burglarized the church on Feb. 8. Police said one of the church's stained-glass windows was shattered, a drum set was stolen, fire extinguishers were sprayed inside the church and obscenities were spray-painted across several ...

[Picture of interior] [DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times] [Caption:] The Crystal Ballroom at the Fort Harrison Hotel houses a 12,000-crystal chandelier. The hotel opened 82 years ago as the New Fort Harrison Hotel, and was a focal point of the community during the Great Depression and World War II. CLEARWATER — Marble floors from Spain. Gold leaf painted on elaborate crown moldings. Richly colored carpets from South Africa. Decorative plaster cornices. A 12,000-crystal chandelier for the ballroom. The Church of Scientology ...

Controversial religion wants more visibility in Nashville By Chris Echegaray Gannett Tennessee The Church of Scientology is expanding in Nashville, opening what the religion calls a "celebrity centre" at the historic Fall School Business Center on 8th Avenue South and Chestnut Street. Renovations are under way at the 36,000 square-foot building, with an opening expected before summer, said Gaetane Asselin and Wendy Beccaccini, who are overseeing the project. The current location at 1204 16th Ave. S. will close when the new ...

Published: March 21, 2009 Scientologist offers insight into beliefs Celebration to mark founder's birthday is today in Washington Last Friday marked the birthday of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, who lived from 1911 to 1986. Today, in Washington and worldwide, a birthday celebration takes place. Dr. Mat Pastore, the mission holder for the Church of Scientology Mission of Richmond, which opened in Carytown in 2008, shared insight into a religion sometimes marked by controversy. Can anyone participate in the D.C. gathering? ...

Parents oppose Narconon connection By Stephanie Bertholdo Bertholdo@theacorn.com Parents of Calabasas High School students complained to the school when they learned that the drug counselor scheduled to speak at a parent education night in midFebruary was a representative of Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Narconon approach to drug education purportedly is based on Church of Scientology doctrine rather than proven medical interventions. An objection from parents, as well as an ...

A Scientology spokesman has confirmed that Scientologists believe that mankind's problems stem from brainwashed alien soul remnants created millions of years ago by genocidal alien overlord Xenu. The admission follows years of attempts to dismiss the story, first leaked by defectors, as anti-church propaganda. In an interview with KESQ News Channel 3, Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis was quizzed over the Xenu story, which leaked papers show is revealed to senior Scientologists as part of their induction to "Operating Thetan Level III". ...

Lawsuit from Florida resident seeks $29,000 refund from company. By JEFF OVERLEY THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER NEWPORT BEACH A Florida man is suing Narconon Southern California, saying a brief stint in its Newport Beach drug rehab house subjected him to sexual assault, unwanted medication and demeaning work.. Pablo Mendoza checked into the company’s Balboa Peninsula triplex in September seeking help for cocaine addiction and found the oceanfront house to be “filthy” and filled with an “unbearable odor,” according to the lawsuit ...

Florida man claimed his brother was molested, discriminated against at the rehab home. By Brianna Bailey Updated: Friday, March 13, 2009 10:19 PM PDT There are No comments posted. View Comments The Newport Beach-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation home Narconon agreed to refund a Florida man’s money on Friday after he sued, claiming his brother was sexually molested, forced to scrub pots and pans and take unspecified pills that made him ill at the treatment center. “The parties are settling for ...