Comments on: No, Town Does NOT accept role as Scientology’s mecca

By: Filemonkeys

Filemonkeys — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 13:23:16 +0000

Who was it that went to prison for her part in the largest infiltration of Government Offices in U.S History in 1977, and what was her relgion?
What was the religion of the persons that perpetrated the largest ponzi scheme fraud in U.S history?
Who was convicted for fraud in absentia in France 1977?
What religion has a disconnection policy?
What religious philosophy dictates that telling lies (acceptable truth) is okay?
What was the religion of those who forged bomb threats in an attempt to utterly destroy a writer who wrote a not so flattering book about said religion?
What was the religion started by the professed war hero who was actually a failure in the Navy that only ever recieved the requisite medals all other serviceman recieved from WWII?
What religion set about trying to destroy the late Mayor of Clearwater Gabriel Cazares?
What was the religion of those who held a woman 17 days in isolation and did nothing until she was dead?
What was the religion of the aforementioned woman?

There is one common denominator in every instance of the above……SCIENTOLOGY

By: Pfunk

Pfunk — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:54:21 +0000

My experience with Scientologists have been largely negative.
Why is that? Well, it’s because they’ve not been forthcoming.
If you ask me about my faith, I will give you loads of information and take you to services if you wish to attend.
This isn’t an issue of demonizing an organization as far as I’m concerned, it’s about all of the secretiveness. (Is that a word?)
IF it’s on the up and up, why all of the mystery surrounding it and why all of the anger?
If you don’t agree with my beliefs I won’t shout you down.
That’s it and that’s all.
The ’stress’ tests all over the subways in NYC are indicative of a recruitment process not unlike the other folks handing out pamphlets…but UNLIKE the folks handing out pamphlets, it’s gonna cost you. Big time.

By: Angie

Angie — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 01:41:56 +0000

Who in the world said individual Scientologists don’t pay taxes? Don’t divert the issue. The “church” paid all of $900k in taxes last year when they OWN more buildings in downtown than I can count. They are certainly not paying the same taxes a legit business might pay.

Yes, most people in Clearwater would rather thr HQ just find a new home. I cannot think of anyone who honestly believes they have made Clearwater what it is. Clearwater is a charming town on the Gulf, with sugar sand beaches and a thriving tourist industry. Tourism is what makes this area what it is.

If you live in Clearwater and you want to know more about Scientology you had better be ready to look online or ask a member, for sure. Why? Just TRY and find info in our local libraries. It is, curiously, missing.

By: Jay

Jay — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:53:19 +0000

As a Scientologist who lived in Clearwater for a dozen years, I can tell you that I had many friends in town who were not Scientologists. For the most part all the locals were often curious to meet a Scientologist and asked me whatever burning questions they had on their minds Once they heard an answer from a real Scientologist, they stopped believing what they heard on the grapevine. Do we worship aliens? No. Are we a UFO cult? No. Making claims along that line is comparable to saying that the foundation of Christianity is ritualistic cannibalism — because they take communion.

I had a house on Drew Street and our neighbors (who knew we were Scientologists) were decent enough. If they were bigoted against Scientologists, they kept it to themselves. Bigotry is mostly a personal decision.

My adult daughter (a Scientologist who worked at one of the hotels) wore a white hotel uniform and she suffered some verbal abuse from passersby yelling insults at her. She took it calmly and noted there were always a fair percentage of jerks in any crowd.

To claim that the Scientologists don’t pay taxes is to spread an obvious lie. The church owns about a dozen hotels that they have renovated, as places for the thousands of visiting Scientologists (from all over the world) to stay when they study or receive auditing (a form of pastoral counselling). They pay plenty of taxes. And the hundreds of Scientologists who have bought homes in Clearwater pay the same taxes as anyone else. It is my belief that the economy of Clearwater would more closely resemble that of St. Pete, if the Scientologists were not there. St. Pete was a dead city last time I drove through it, full of pawn shops and second-hand stores — seedy and boarded up. Downtown Clearwater is comparatively vibrant and alive.

By and large, individual Scientologists are not the demons they are made out to be in the press and in various websites online, or in blogs like this one.

My advice, if you want to know about what Scientology is up to, is find a Scientologist and ask him or her about it.

I got my introduction to Scientology from an ex-Scientologist, who couldn’t say enough bad things about what the Church of Scientology had done to her. She had become a drug dealer and heroin addict. I figured anything she was against had to be a good thing, so I checked it out myself and made up my own mind about it.

I’ve never been sorry to have become a Scientologist or to study it or receive auditing. Personalaly, for me, Scientology’s whole influence has been overwhelmingly positive, and I expect that the same holds true for Clearwater.

While I’m proud to be a Scientologist, it’s not for everyone. No one will twist your arm trying to convert you, or try to tell you you have to believe something you don’t.

Jay

By: Angie

Angie — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:29:26 +0000

I wish it had occurred to me earlier. I bet this AP reporter did have an inside angle to paint such a one-sided picture.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:23:41 +0000

I never even thought about CNN having one hidden in their ranks. They must be close to the top to run such a slanted view of Clearwater. I mean really, the city went through a whole lot of work and money to move that road and bridge to Clearwater Beach far away from Sea Org land. I unfortunately work near downtown Clearwater and stay Clear of that area.

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:06:57 +0000

WHO needs any organization, religious group or otherwise? Just make up your own history, facts & write your own holy book. Be your own leader & save yourself. Be your own truth & inspiration. No need for traditions or relationships with others. No need for learning how to live in a way that brings good things to your life now and in the future. Just do whatever you want, the way you want, & with whom you want (as long as it doesn’t “hurt” anyone). Declare yourself god. IF this way of life appeals to you, then GET OFF THE REST OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD’S ASSES! Why bother criticizing & mocking them? They tolerate all agnostic, atheistic and even “Scientology” idiots. IF these cults or anti-Christian people are SO RIGHT & SO GREAT, then they at least ought to be intelligent enough to tolerate other people who don’t see it the way they do.

By: Lina

Lina — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 16:04:28 +0000

I’ve studied Scientology in two graduate school
disciplines. It’s a cult. It’s really that
simple. It appeals greatly to the ego — to
those who desperately want to believe that they
can personally one day become God’s equal. It
will be interesting to see how long Katie
Holmes stays with the group. Probably until
Suri (and any other kids) have all turned 18.

By: Modemac

Modemac — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:39:22 +0000

It’s worth noting that the best and most informative source of information in the world today about Scientology is the series of article on the subject at Wikipedia. Scientologists and non-Scientologists alike have duked it out at the online encyclopedia, and the result is an article that presents both sides of the argument over Scientology — both positive and negative. Wikipedia should be the first stop for anyone seeking to learn the truth about Scientology.

By: Pfunk

Pfunk — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 05:46:37 +0000

oooh, you’re gonna be in trouble…

I can’t believe that CNN actually ran that article without having ANY balance whatsoever.

In NYC,there are free ’stress tests’.
Being a total goof, I took one.
I knew only too well who they were.
They told me that I was blocked due to past drug addiction.
Funny, I am the last person to have ever done drugs.

I told the guy as much.
He tried another tac but was unsuccessful. He told me that my time was up.
Didn’t even offer me anything in the way of a come on.
I told him that I wanted him to have a blessed day.
He gave me the fish eye.