Will Scientology Celebs Sign 'Spiritual' Contract?

[TrogL]

http://www.foxnews.com/printer_friendly_story/0,3566,96299,00.html

(apparently FOX doesn't know the difference between a sentence and a paragraph)

Tom Cruise claims to have been dyslexic before he was saved by Scientology.

Let's hope that he can read the fine print in a new agreement the religious organization is demanding its members sign.

The contract — called the "Agreement and General Release Regarding Spiritual Assistance" — makes it clear that the signee does not believe in psychiatry and does not want to be treated for any kind of psychiatric ailment should one befall him.

Instead, once the paper is signed, the agreement calls for the Church of Scientology to step in if there's ever a problem. The result would be total isolation and constant surveillance.

I don't know whether this is fundies bashing a different cult or actual "fair and balanced" reporting, but I suspect the former.

[qb]

1. FAUX is pissed because they got burned by that phony Scientology Helpline

number on 9/11 (I don't have a link, but FAUX's faux-pas and apology were well documented after they showed a 1-800 help line number for victims of 9/11 that turned out to be a Scientology recruitment line.

[enki23]

2. well... christians hafve baptism. jews have circumcision.

most religions have some sort of "spiritual contract." in this case it's all wrapped in pseudoscientific pseudolegal gobbledygook, but what the hell. their religion seems to be a product of the time in which it was concieved.

it's not like it would be legally binding.

[Blue_Chill]

4. Try reading the article

This is not a ceremony, this is signing your rights away and it is highly suspicious.

[enki23]

20. in case you missed the "it's not like it would be legally binding" bit

i said (paraphrased, perhaps, because i don't feel like rereading my post) "it's not like it would be legally binding."

because... well, maybe legally binding is the wrong way to put it. it's not like it could do what this article says it would do. they can't legally stop you from seeking medical attention, no matter what you signed.

"i'm sorry sir, but the scientologists have a paper you signed refusing all right to medical attention." right. i've got a contract here which says that if you want to continue to responding to my posts you must never again affix a religious symbol to your message. if you do, i'll sue your ass.

i don't have the authority to grant or revoke that right.

this contract is to protect *them* from lawsuits. i imagine you would have a harder time suing them for failing to cure you, or your family would find it more difficult to sue them for your wrongful death (as the article says.) doesn't mean they can stop you from seeking outside attention.

in that, i think it seems to me to be an effort to claim the sort of protection that's *already* afforded to more mainstream cults.

[TrogL]

5. enki!!! you're alive!!!

where ya been?

[enki23]

21. causing trouble mostly

getting my masters. being a slacker, but doing well enough despite that. basically, i'm doing exactly what i've always done. that, and being really, really sarcastic in GD every now and again.

and you?

[DrGonzoLives]

9. Baptisms and circumcisions

are not legally binding contracts. You cannot go into a court of law and sue some wayward churchgoer for comitting adultery because they were baptized.

On the other hand, the $cientologists will likely, and gleefully, go after anyone who violates this contract. Shit, they chase down and harass anyone who has the audacity to even leave their little cult. This is just giving them a legal basis for squeezing them even drier when they do.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. This cult has a history...

of denying its members medical and mental heath care, sometimes resulting in death. Most have occurred in Europe but some have happened here. Should a family member or mental health authority come try to and help out a sick member, this "contract" could be used to keep that member from getting the help they might need.

There is a young woman down at the Florida Scientology headquarters who was having some sort of mental health crisis -- instead of getting her help, the nutbars kept her locked in a room "taking care of her" until she ended up dying. The autopsy photos show bruises and insect bites all over the poor thing.

When you sit down and read the full history of this "church", it is clear as day that this is a "religion" in tax-exempt status only.

[GainesT1958]

3. This is ONE case where...

I would (Gasp!) actually AGREE with the "Wholly Without Merit" cable network. Scientology is evil, and it's a pervaisive, controlling, sadistic "society" unto itself. I'm certain it figured into why Nicole Kidman left Tom, as she didn't want their kids growing up in that cult's tentacles.

It's an organization every bit as sick as the Peoples' Temple! :mad:

B-)

[Rich Hunt]

8. glad to see

Glad to see people criticizing $cient0l0gy on here.


However, I would be afraid of criticizing them too much online.

[Chovexani]

11. Tell me about it

I got email bombed by some clamhead way back when I used to hang out on Usenet.

Totally sick and twisted group they are.

[damnraddem]

16. Oh, worse than that.

Maybe as bad as Falwell. ;-)

[VolcanoJen]

6. Not really LBN... moving to DU Lounge

For the most part, current LBN guidelines indicate that "celebrity" posts, unless involving a high-profile death or policy decision, should be moved to the DU Lounge, where they will receive a better response.

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator

[TrogL]

7. OK, thanks

Read the rules but must have missed that one.

[damnraddem]

17. But is it a celebrity post?

Or is it about manipulative policies of a religious sect?

For example, is a post about a celebrity criticizing Dubya's crimes a celebrity post or a political post?

[Chovexani]

12. If anyone still honestly believes $cientology is a religion

And not a wacky ass money making scheme/People's Temple type cult, I highly suggest going to Operation Clambake's website at http://www.xenu.net

A year or so ago the clamheads* demanded that Google take down links to Operation Clambake claiming that their site was a violation of the DMCA:

Google pulls anti-Scientology links

By Matt Loney and Evan Hansen
Staff Writer
March 21, 2002, 11:35 AM PT


Google was accused Wednesday of effectively removing from the Internet a Web site that is critical of the Church of Scientology after it deleted links to some of the site's pages from its search engine.

The popular search company said it removed the links after it received a copyright-infringement complaint from the Church of Scientology. Andreas Heldal-Lund, Webmaster of the site Xenu.net, said in a Usenet posting that the complaint demanded that Google take down a large number of references to different parts of Xenu.net.

"The complaint mentions a ridiculous list of addresses, which successfully removes the whole site from their engine," he said.

Search engines routinely remove links to URLs, or Web addresses, upon request to avoid litigation. Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), sites cannot be held liable for copyright infringement provided they promptly take down content flagged by a copyright holder. Much of that activity has targeted links to MP3 files that turn up on search engines.

Digital rights advocates said the Church of Scientology's takedown request is noteworthy because it underscores potential conflicts between the DMCA and free speech.

"The danger is that people will attempt to silence critics under the guise of copyright infringement," said Fred von Lohmann, an attorney with San Francisco's Electronic Frontier Foundation.

<snipped>
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-865936.html

Incidentally, I'm not sure what the outcome of this case was, but xenu.net is listed on Google so I guess the clamheads lost.

--Chovexani

*About "Clams" "Clamheads" etc: these are common perjoratives used by the anti-Co$ community to describe the cult, its members, etc. It's a reference to a particularly bizarre claim put forth by L. Ron Hubbard in one of his books (and taught by Co$) that human beings evolved from clams. No, really. Read all about it in xenu.net's Clam FAQ: http://www.xenu.net/clam_faq.html

[ET Awful]

13. Anybody dumb or gullible enough to get involve with Scientology

Deserves whatever they get.

You want the real story? Go to www.clambake.org you'll find all kinds of real stories about Scientology.

You think the Repugs go to great lengths to slander their opposition, wait until you read what Scientology has done in the past.

[AntiBushRepub]

14. scientology is some scray stuff...

Did you know John Travolta is a scientologist?

So is Isaac Hayes...

What are they thinking?????

-An

[Chovexani]

18. There's really 2 $cientologies

One for rich celebs and one for average schmucks. The celebs get lavish attention and treatment in order to keep them happy and smiling and telling the world how wonderful it is to be a clamhead. The average schmuck signs on, and is bilked for everythng he/she has.

There is a story I can only vaguely remember offhand, but will try to find the details if anyone's interested--it's about how Co$ basically used "low level" members as slave labor to build a lavish Co$ retreat center for Tom Cruise. They worked for like a year doing the landscaping and when the CEO er--"leader" of Co$ came by to inspect he demanded they tear it all up and start over. I've also heard that this guy was boofing Tom Cruise, but that's neither here nor there (it sounds like Usenet horseshit to me).

--Chovexani

[damnraddem]

15. I had a nephew who got entangled with the Scientology people.

They were very manipulative. He got away. I wouldn't put anything past El Ron's folks. But I'm sure that RW Fundies get upset with the competition, too -- after all, they're so much alike!

[Chovexani]

19. Fundies hate the clams

Cause they're too much competition...

Pat, Jerry and friends wish they had the money and power over their cultists that Co$ has. Co$ makes those fundie televangelists look like rank amateurs.

[ET Awful]

22. Actually the Fundies hate the $cientologists because . . .

El Ron Rhubarb said that Christ didn't exist. "The man on the cross? There is no Christ." (direct from Ron's mouth to your screen via a few decades of repetition).