Fears at intention of lecture on drugs

Fears have been sparked about the intentions of an anti-drugs talk in Markbeech after it turned out to be led by people with links to a controversial group.

Geraldine Ormond, the organiser of the hour-long lecture last week, admitted she would not have got involved if she had known the main speaker was linked to the Church of Scientology.

However, she said the talk did not peddle the group’s beliefs and only one leaflet which was handed out made reference to it. Scientologists insisted it was not a scientology event.

Villager Graeme Raeburn, 24, raised concerns after receiving one of Mrs Ormond’s flyers advertising the anti-cannabis lecture, which was held in the village hall on Tuesday last week and attracted 80 people.

Although he did not attend the get-together, he told the Kent and Sussex Courier he was worried it was a recruitment drive for new members.

Scientology was formed in the 1950s by East Grinstead-based L Ron Hubbard. It is referred to by members as a religion specialising in the spiritual being but has been plagued by accusations of being a money-making cult.

The Markbeech talk was led by American Bobby Wiggins, who speaks for Narconon, a drug rehabilitation programme which employs the beliefs of scientology.

Mr Raeburn, a vice-president at the Royal College of Art Students’ Union, said: “There have been a lot of controversial things they have been doing.

“The rehab involves complete surrender to the controlling people so effectively they are handing over their money and putting their complete belief into the Church of Scientology.

“In no way am I saying I am pro cannabis or any other drug, it is just the fact that when you look into it it’s not all it seems.”

Mrs Ormond organised the lecture after missing one held in Forest Row earlier this month. She said: “Bobby did mention he works for or is involved with them but I didn’t know anything of that when I organised the talk. There was no brainwashing and it was not a recruitment drive, it was purely educational.”

Scientologist Maryanne Hunter, 43, was also at the talk. She said: “It had nothing to do with scientology, all it had to do with was the community. Scientology is not bad, it is just a group of people who want to help.”

Read Another Article

Woman pursues Oregon public records – lots of them
Bigamist must complete term

Related News Articles Topic(s): Scientology Subscribe to Religion News Blog updates Subscribe to Religion News Blog [What is this?] Get Religion News Blog's headline by Email [What is this?] Follow Religion News Blog at Twitter Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults: ApologeticsSearch.com: Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs. CounterCultSearch.com: Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, and cults experts -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support. Find Related Religion & Spirituality Books at Amazon.com Scientology Possibly related... or Most Popular Religion News Articles Kent Hovind: Evangelist arrested on federal charges Beast’s real mark devalued to ’616′ Muslim Woman Gives Sex Advice on Arab TV Michael Jackson Confirms Conversion to Islam Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts The fall and rise of Carlton Pearson Search False prophet Harold Camping sets another date for rapture: May 21, 2011 Watch the film Theo van Gogh was murdered for Kent Hovind — Dr. Dino — sentenced to 10 years in prison

Search Religion News Blog