http://www.religionnewsblog.com Religion news about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:15:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23923/scientology-is-evil http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23923/scientology-is-evil#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:15:49 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23923 'Scientology is evil; its techniques evil; its practice a serious threat to the community, medically, morally and socially; and its adherents sadly deluded and often mentally ill.''

The above statement was not made by Nick Xenophon under the privilege of the Senate this week, but by a Victorian barrister, Kevin Anderson, QC, who had led a two-year government inquiry into the Church of Scientology in the 1960s. Then, as now, former Scientologists alleged that ''mind control'', physical and emotional abuse, and financial deception were standard practices, not exceptions, and integral to the church's ''brainwashing'' of its parishioners.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23923/scientology-is-evil/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23921/scientology-quackery-practices-putting-people-at-risk http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23921/scientology-quackery-practices-putting-people-at-risk#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:10:24 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23921 Dangerous dismissal of psychiatry and mental health problems must be part of a Senate inquiry into the Church of Scientology, a Melbourne cult-counsellor said yesterday

Cult Counselling Australia director Raphael Aron said Scientologists put vulnerable people at risk by taking them off psychiatric drugs and treatment, instead treating them with vitamins and E-meter readings.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23921/scientology-quackery-practices-putting-people-at-risk/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23917/australian-police-take-up-complaints-about-scientology http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23917/australian-police-take-up-complaints-about-scientology#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:43:30 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23917 Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd raised concerns about the Church of Scientology yesterday, as police began investigating complaints from seven former Scientologists.

As highlighted by senator Nick Xenophon, the former cult members allege abuses including coerced abortions, assault, imprisonment, the covering up of sexual abuse, the embezzlement of church funds and blackmail. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23917/australian-police-take-up-complaints-about-scientology/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23916/prison-for-man-in-cyber-attack-on-church-of-scientology-web-sites http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23916/prison-for-man-in-cyber-attack-on-church-of-scientology-web-sites#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:03:24 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23916 A New Jersey man will serve a 366-day federal prison term for conducting a cyber attack on Church of Scientology Web sites in January 2008, Associated Press reports.

At a hearing Wednesday in Newark 19-year-old Dmitriy Guzner of Verona also was sentenced to two years' probation after his release from prison.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23916/prison-for-man-in-cyber-attack-on-church-of-scientology-web-sites/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23914/australian-senator-tells-parliament-widespread-criminal-conduct-within-the-church-of-scientology http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23914/australian-senator-tells-parliament-widespread-criminal-conduct-within-the-church-of-scientology#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:36:34 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23914 The Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has used a speech in Parliament to raise allegations of widespread criminal conduct within the Church of Scientology.

Senator Xenophon says he's received letters from former followers of the religion detailing claims of crimes and abuses. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23914/australian-senator-tells-parliament-widespread-criminal-conduct-within-the-church-of-scientology/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23884/anonymous-scientology-critic-arrested http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23884/anonymous-scientology-critic-arrested#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:40 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23884 The arrest of a member of an anti-Scientology group on terrorism-related charges last month thrust Las Vegas into the forefront of a worldwide dispute between the group and the celebrity-laden church.

Authorities say they believed acts of violence were about to be committed against the Las Vegas Scientology church, which is creating a new 36,845-square-foot center on Eastern Avenue to cater to celebrities.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23884/anonymous-scientology-critic-arrested/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23876/scientology-disconnection-policy-destroys-relationships http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23876/scientology-disconnection-policy-destroys-relationships#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:16:53 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23876 I knew Scientology was in trouble when the media moved on from the usual silly gossip about its celebrity members to much darker, disturbing issues at the heart of the movement – issues, as I have come personally to understand, that actually matter, Jonny Jacobsen writes in Herald Scotland.

After a Paris court last month convicted several Scientologists and two organisations associated with the movement in France of organised fraud, and amid other investigations in France looking at a suicide and an alleged abduction, Oscar-winning film-maker Paul Haggis, a long-time member, quit Scientology.

Haggis, who wrote and directed Crash, denounced the practice of "disconnection", which sees members forced to cut off contact with anyone – even their loved ones – if they are deemed an enemy of Scientology.

In Edinburgh in the early 1990s, I found out just what the practice of disconnection could do to ordinary people when a close friend became involved in Scientology. It was an experience which marked me so profoundly that I have been tracking the movement ever since...]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23876/scientology-disconnection-policy-destroys-relationships/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23875/church-of-scientology-told-to-drop-churchill-images http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23875/church-of-scientology-told-to-drop-churchill-images#comments Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:37:41 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23875 The family of Winston Churchill has asked the Church of Scientology to stop using images of the former prime minister in its recruitment literature, The Times reports.

The controversial religious organisation has been circulating promotional material to recruit staff in the UK which includes photographs of Churchill along with quotes from some of his most famous speeches.

It has also used Churchill’s image to promote speaking engagements by its members and campaigns to raise money to create new Scientology facilities in Britain.

The church defended its use of Churchill in its materials and accused detractors of “trying to stir up mischief”.

The cult apparently sees aligning itself with respected causes (e.g. human rights), celebrities or respected personalties (e.g Einstein as an effective recruitment tactic.

Another favorite ploy is the use of the impressive sounding -- but basically useless -- Oxford Capacity Analysis test.]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23875/church-of-scientology-told-to-drop-churchill-images/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23854/newspaper-continues-series-of-exposes-of-scientology-cult http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23854/newspaper-continues-series-of-exposes-of-scientology-cult#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:11:05 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23854 The St. Petersburg Times is continuing to expose the Church of Scientology to daylight -- by reporting on the destructive cult's unethical tactics.

Billed as The Truth Rundown, its series of special reports highlights the alleged abusive behavior of current Scientology leader David Miscavige, as well as other criticism leveled at Scientology by a number of high-level defectors. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23854/newspaper-continues-series-of-exposes-of-scientology-cult/feed 0 http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23840/scientology-fraud-quackery http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23840/scientology-fraud-quackery#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:57:36 +0000 Religion News Blog http://www.religionnewsblog.com/?p=23840 French judges said they did not order the church offices closed because they did not want to drive Scientologists underground, where they could not be monitored.

At least five other cases involving complaints against the church are under investigation by courts around France, according to press reports. [video]]]> http://www.religionnewsblog.com/23840/scientology-fraud-quackery/feed 0