Skip to main content.
Related sites:
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
Web religionnewsblog.com
Home | Site Menu | About RNB | RNB Store | Cult FAQ | Cult Experts | Apologetics Index | Cult Information Search Engine
Scientology:

UK: Demonstration against Scientology move into Birmingham

Birmingham Mail, UK
Apr. 14, 2008
Jasbir Authi
www.birminghammail.net
  • Article Tools  • Share This Story

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 21160 • Posted: Monday April 14, 2008  

Click here... More articles on this topic: Scientology

Protesters took to the street to campaign against controversial plans by the [Church of Scientology] to open a new headquarters in Birmingham.

Around 70 placard waving members of a group called Anonymous, many of them wearing full gowns and masks, gathered outside the Church of Scientology headquarters on Ethel Street, on Saturday.

Scientology’s Hypocrisy: Cult known for history of terrorism
Aside from being inaccurate, Scientology’s claims about Anonymous are hypocritical — given the cult’s history of terrorism against its critics and ex-members.
When it comes to harassment and persecution, Scientology takes the cake. Its founder, charlatan L. Ron Hubbard, codified the unethical policies — including ‘dead agenting‘ and ‘fair game‘ — that led to the cult being known for its hate- and harassment activities

The Church of Scientology has Tom Cruise and John Travolta among its followers.

The protesters said they were concerned over the way it recruited members.

But the Church of Scientology responded by comparing Anonymous to “terrorists”.

The protest, dubbed Operation Reconnect, comes after the Birmingham Mail revealed that the Church is thought to have paid as much as ?4.25million to buy the old Pitmaston building, in Moor Green Lane, in Moseley, to use as its Midlands HQ.

It will become the organisation’s second biggest base in the UK.

Protest supporter Dr Martin Poulter said: ” The information we have from Birmingham tells us that while Scientology is declining in the rest of the country, it is growing in Birmingham.

“That is suggested by them getting a property in Birmingham. People should be warned about Scientology increasing their operations here.”

Dr Poulter also said Anonymous was concerned about the Church’s recruitment methods, which he claimed involved taking large sums of money, and policy of disconnecting members from their family and friends.

“There is no science behind their theories,” he claimed.

But a Church of Scientology spokesman called Anonymous “anti-freedom of religion and anti-free speech”.

In a statement, the spokesman said: “Anonymous is perpetrating religious hate crimes against Churches of Scientology and individual Scientologists for no reason other than religious bigotry.

“The terrorist crimes of Anonymous should be condemned.”

• Original title: Demo against church move.
• Note: [Church of Scientology] in brackets as the phrase apparently ‘fell away’ from the original online text.

Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe: Religion News Blog RSS feed  |  Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe by topic: Scientology
more cult news articlemore religion news More articles about Scientology

Like this story?

Today's Most Popular Articles

Doctor Says...

Share this

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:




Article and Site Tools

» PermaLink to: UK: Demonstration against Scientology move into Birmingham
   Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final /
» More news articles + news archive on Scientology
» More religion and cult news

Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?]
» RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed
» RSS News Feed - Single Topic: Scientology
» Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines

More Article Tools
• Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us
• Bookmark / Tag: Furl
Save this article
Email this article
Print this article [Temporarily out of order]

More Information
Books about Scientology
Relevant books (and other goodies)

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.