Scientology Today

Youth delegates from 30 countries came together with human rights defenders this weekend at the 7th Annual Youth for Human Rights International Summit, in support of making the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights widely known and used.

Youth delegates from 30 countries came together with human rights defenders this weekend at the 7th Annual Youth for Human Rights International Summit, in support of making the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights  widely known and used. Held in the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva, the event was also attended by over 60 UN diplomats.

The Summit opened with a procession of the youth delegates carrying the flag of their respective nation, and a welcoming address from Mr. Adalbert Nouga, Founder of the Village Suisse NGO. He praised the Youth Delegates for their commitment and Youth for Human Rights International for promotion of the Universal Declaration and its development of human rights youth advocacy.

Formed in 2001, Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) is dedicated to fostering tolerance and peace through promotion of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the first document to define the fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United Nations Charter. The Declaration, ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948, has influenced national constitutions, treaties, laws, and human rights institutions the world over.

Growing in popularity each year, the 2010 Summit attracted nearly 1,000 applicants who submitted essays on human rights with evidence of their human rights education advocacy over the past year. The annual event provides YHRI members opportunities to learn about the UN and share their experiences in promoting the UN Declaration. This year a recent UN Resolution proclaiming August 2010-2011 the “Year of Youth” was also honored as part of the Summit’s theme.

The Summit included presentations from each Youth Delegate on their human rights activities; special addresses by human rights NGOs; a panel discussion on the human rights education draft resolution currently under discussion by the Human Rights Council of the United Nations; and presentation of Human Rights Advocate Awards for stellar contribution to human rights education.

The 2010 Summit was co-sponsored by the Uganda Permanent Mission to the UN, the Haiti Permanent Mission to the UN, Village Suisse NGO, Friends of the United Nations, Ariel Foundation International, the African Diaspora Foundation and the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International, which has also sponsored the distribution of millions of YHRI educational materials, including public service messages about the Universal Declaration and the educational film, The Story of Human Rights.

“When the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the aftermath of World War II, it called upon member countries to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded in schools and other educational institutions,” said Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, educator and YHRI Founder. “This remains the most vital cause and challenge of our times.”

Scientologist, Marc Kosta, who invented the one use only syringe to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other disease, is featured on the Scientology website  in a feature called “Meet a Scientologist.”

His work was covered in an article on Wired magazine, and is excerpted here, along with a video on the educational foundation he has created.

ONE USE ONLY: THE BROKEN SYRINGE THAT SAVES LIVES

_{rom Wired magazine: By Katie Scott, 06 August 2009}

“In 1984, Marc Koska read a newspaper article predicting the spread of HIV through medical syringes. He decided to take action and spent the next ten years researching the spread of diseases through the use of dirty syringes.

“His studies found that there were 23,000 HIV infections due to unsafe injections each year, as well as one million of hepatitis C and 21 million of hepatitis B. This results in about 1.3 million deaths per year.”

“Koska’s solution is a syringe that can only be used once. The AD (Auto Disable) syringe, or K1”

“Kosta has also created a charity called Safepoint, which sets out to educate people about the dangers of re-using syringes.” >>

Churches of Scientology in 14 countries joined forces with Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) last week conducting a global petition drive in support of human rights education. Based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the petition calls on governments to make human rights education mandatory and to conduct human rights education campaigns. The Declaration was ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948 and defines the fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United Nations Charter. Since that time it has influenced national constitutions, treaties, laws, and human rights institutions the world over.

“The Universal Declaration does more than condemn discrimination, slavery and torture,” said Rev. Bob Adams, spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International.  “Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the full scope of these rights and so have no way of knowing when these rights are violated.  It’s not something only for governments to care for—we all have an interest in these rights.”

Scientologists, their families and friends took to busy street corners, festivals and shopping centers and city squares, where they presented booklets and videos, engaged in human rights discussions and gained support for the cause on giant petition boards.   Active on many fronts of human rights initiatives and reform for five decades, the Church sponsors a worldwide human rights initiative to raise awareness and respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  This includes distribution of millions of booklets and the airing of 30 public service messages, both based on the Declaration’s articles.  In 2009, the Church sponsored the production of a new educational film, The Story of Human Rights, a 20-minute entertaining and historical account of the development of human rights, and a new human rights educators kit.  To date, these materials have reached over 500 million people in 180 countries.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the inherent dignity and rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace,” said Rev. Adams.  “The world needs a lot more people knowing it and supporting it.”

_{A team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers traveled to Gonaïves from their Haiti headquarters in Pétionville,  to provide seminars to the people of the city.}

Nancy, an American teacher who spent her summer with the Scientology Haiti Disaster Response Team, traveled with two other Volunteer Ministers to Gonaïves to give seminars to the residents of the town decimated by storms in 2004 and 2008.   There, the local Volunteer Ministers who invited them brought the team to a school and two churches to provide training in Scientology technology.  Here is Nancy’s story:

I had heard that in Haiti when you announce a seminar, 50 people appear out of nowhere to attend.  I thought it was an exaggeration, but that’s exactly how it seemed in Gonaïves, where we filled two churches and a school to capacity for a series of seminars on Scientology assists—techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard to help people recover from illness, injury, loss and trauma.

The seminars were simple and very practical.  We passed out copies in French of the Scientology Handbook booklets called “Assists for Illnesses and Injuries,” and after a brief demonstration got attendees right into action—practice,  practice, practice until they were confident they could use these techniques and teach them to their friends and families.

_{Seminar attendee reading the Scientology Handbook “Assists for Illnesses and Injuries” booklet.}

In the “touch assist” you tell the person you are helping to feel your finger as you touch them, to help restore communication with injured or affected body parts and the body as a whole.  I learned to say “feel my finger” in Haitian Creole—”santi dwèt mwen”—and acknowledge the person for doing so with a “thank you” (merci), “OK” (d’accord), or “very good” (très bien).

_{Seminar attendees practice the Scientology touch assist on one another.}

I demonstrated how to do the assist and attendees quickly stepped up to drill the technique on each other while I walked around making sure they were doing it correctly, referring them to the right page in the booklet when they had any questions.  The “practice” assists quickly turned into the real thing—those receiving them would suddenly look up with a smile or a sigh or a “Wow, I feel much better.”

Everyone wanted to give and receive them—teenagers, young moms, older men and women—it was amazing to watch them experience relief from pain as their tight muscles relaxed and their joints loosened up.

_{Scientology Volunteer Ministers demonstrate nerve assists, procedures developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to restore communication with the body.}

Next was the nerve assist, which gently releases the standing waves in nerve channels, improves communication with the body and brings relief. We had them read the directions in the Scientology Handbook booklet and laid blankets down on the floor to demonstrate the assist.  They gathered around to watch and learn and then eagerly got down on the blankets to receive and give these assists themselves.  The relief they gained from these assists was remarkable.

_{Scientology Volunteer Ministers Assist Seminar in Gonaïves.}

Hurricane season rarely spares the people of Gonaïves.  As in Port-au-Prince, where lack of  building codes and standard construction practices are blamed for the inconceivable devastation of the January 2010 earthquake, in Gonaïves, too, destructive “solutions” have exacerbated the effects of natural disasters.

With oil too expensive in this country of poverty, for decades the people of Haiti chopped down their forests for charcoal to cook their food.  By 2004, little more that one percent of the forests remained. With hillsides stripped of trees, three days of heavy rains caused mudslides and floods killing over 2,500 people in Gonaïves.  Another 500 died under similar circumstances in 2008.

Our two days of seminars didn’t change that.  But we put this tool called “Scientology Assists” into the hands of more than 200 people—a skill they intend to use with their friends and families to bring relief and help make life more livable.  And we shared the news that “Something Can be done about it”—the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.

_{Hundreds of Scientology Volunteer Ministers groups have been established throughout Haiti}

Conditions in Haiti can be improved, technology does exist for raising the bar on ethics and morals, improving literacy, and   accomplishing goals. And this is all available through the Scientology Handbook and the Haiti Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Pétionville.  Here, hundreds of Volunteer Ministers groups are forming up and thousands are learning to use these tools to create a better future for their city and their country.

A ten-day anti-drug marathon brought the truth about drugs to cities throughout the Netherlands.  Five former addicts and two additional volunteers participated in the run, coordinated by staff of the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam.

The runners want to education people about drugs.  “If people really knew the truth, they would not start.  It is important to for them to see how much harm drugs cause,” said Merel Remmerswaal, Social Reform Director of the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam and spokesperson for the marathon.

Cities visited included Lemmer, Horn, Lelystad, Almere, Amsterdam, Medemblik and Urk.>>

Haiti is a land that “once was.”  Occasional patches of concrete through the rubble in the Port-au-Pince streets evidence there must once have been roads. The French-colonial hotels with their wide verandas once must have been quite elegant.  And the passenger terminal that welcomed guests flying into the country in days past is long gone—replaced by a concrete-block hangar.

It is as though a 150-foot giant rampaged through Port-au-Prince on a drunken spree with a huge hammer—the teams of 30-50 government employees wielding pick axes, buckets and shovels around town are no match for the rubble he left behind.

More than a million Haitians live in tent cities now—little has been done to rebuild and there is no place else to go.

The structures that imploded on January 12, 2010, are crumbled monuments to those who saved a few dollars by adding extra sand to the concrete and those who condoned the lack of building codes.  The schools, markets and homes spared no one, not even those who built them, when they collapsed.

For the past month, as part of the Scientology Haiti  Volunteer Minister Relief Team, I’ve been doing what I can to change this, and help the freedom-loving people of Haiti transform their “once was” country into the nation they deserve.

There is wisdom in the maxim of teaching a man to fish rather than feeding him a meal and this is the philosophy of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program; we help others by giving them knowledge they can use  to make their lives better—knowledge that is easily taught, quickly learned, and useful in everyday life.

Ranking high among the skills we teach is a body of knowledge called Scientology assists.  Administered to help people recover from illness and injury (once needed first aid has been applied), assists can also relieve loss, trauma and the spiritual factors that contribute to chronic conditions.

A Scientology Volunteer Minister demonstrates a Scientology assist in a seminar in Haiti.

For most of my stay in Haiti I’ve been living (along with Russians, French, Australians, Mexicans and of course Haitians) at the program’s headquarters in Petionville, in the hills above Port-au-Prince, training Haitian Volunteer Ministers.  And I have learned so much from the Haitian people I’ve met—their beauty, resilience and optimism despite the ordeals they’ve survived.

While in Haiti, I ventured to Gonaïves with two other Volunteer Ministers.  A group from this town had attended a Scientology assist seminar in Port-au-Prince and asked us to bring this technology to their city as they prepare for this year’s hurricane season.

The hundred-mile bus trip begins with…waiting.  The bus only leaves Port-au-Prince for Gonaïves when it is full, and we soon learned that “full” means three adults to a seat in an ancient school bus.  Our only guarantee of a seat for the three-hour trip was to sit there from 7:10 until 8:40 in the morning while the bus slowly filled up. Once underway there was one hour on an asphalt road.  The rest of the way we barreled over concrete, ruts and rock and held our breath as the bus repeatedly swerved into the oncoming traffic lane to dodge stalled trucks.

On arriving in Gonaïves I was struck by its resemblance to the black and white images of ghost towns in old American westerns.  Although spared the wrath of the January 12 earthquake, it had never recovered from the tropical storms and hurricanes that decimated the city in 2004 and 2008.

But that impression ended when our seminars began.  I was once again struck by the spirit of the Haitian people—the true descendants of those who prevailed against the military might of Napoleon’s France; the only country in recorded history to have formed a free nation from a successful slave revolt—60 years before America’s Emancipation Proclamation.

Continued…

Celebrating 83 years in the heart of Clearwater, this historical icon is available for charity functions and tours by the community as well as a special weekly Open House on Sundays

Aug 18, 2010, Clearwater—In celebration of the 83rd anniversary of the Fort Harrison, The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, the owner of the facility, has announced that it is hosting “Sundays at the Fort Harrison”, a weekly Open House from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm on Sundays.

The Open House features tours of the Fort Harrison highlighted by heartwarming stories of the Clearwater landmark, live entertainment and special culinary events.

“The Fort Harrison is a part of the heritage of Clearwater,” said Lisa Mansell, Community Affairs Director for the Church.  “We are encouraging groups, organizations and families to tour the Fort Harrison so that they re-connect with the history of our beautiful city.”

Built by businessman Ed Haley at the height of the Florida land boom, the stately Fort Harrison hosted the sparkling lights of Clearwater society for fashion shows, bridge tournaments, Kiwanis and Rotary Club meetings, wedding receptions and the annual George Washington’s Birthday Ball.  Many local residents remember going to their high school prom, attending cotillion or swimming in the Fort Harrison pool.

Notable guests included humanitarian Helen Keller and the Rolling Stones, who stayed in the hotel’s penthouse in 1965 writing the song “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” after an especially disappointing concert at Jack Russell Stadium.

The Church of Scientology purchased the hotel in 1975 and undertook detailed renovations to restore the aging facility to its former grandeur and beyond.  The Church’s founder, L. Ron Hubbard, worked at the Fort Harrison for several years until the church’s international administration moved to Los Angeles.

Completed in 2009, the renovation and restoration of the property started in April 2008, when it was stripped virtually bare and rebuilt from its core.  This included installation of new state-of-the-art systems—plumbing, electrical and central air and heating—as well as fully modernized professional kitchens to service the retreat’s three restaurants.  Particular care was taken to make the work and the final product environmentally friendly.  This included recycled “blue jean” insulation, high efficiency water systems to reduce consumption and energy-efficient lighting, electrical and air conditioning.

Despite all the modernization, the Fort Harrison still bears its hallmark historical touches, including the replication of the lobby’s original black wrought iron work and gold leafed moldings, resurfacing of the entire exterior as well as restoring architectural detail that had been lost in the building’s “modernization” in the 1950’s.

The Fort Harrison is the international spiritual retreat of the Church of Scientology where parishioners come from all over the world to partake of the Church’s religious services.  However, the Church has opened its doors to community groups and charitable organizations since it bought the Fort Harrison and invites them to use the magnificent Crystal Ballroom, the grand auditorium and gardens for their charity functions.

Since the Fort Harrison’s grand re-opening in March of 2009, groups such as the North Greenwood Community Coalition, Jazztorians, the Sunscreen Film Festival and the Clearwater Downtown Partnership have utilized the facility for their fundraisers.

For more information, and for scheduling tours and booking private community events at the Fort Harrison, contact Lisa Mansell at (727) 467–6860.

# # #

About the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization: The Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization is the international religious retreat for the Church of Scientology’s millions of parishioners. Some 12,000 Scientologists travel to Clearwater every year to partake in Scientology religious services. There are over 8,500 Scientology churches, missions and groups in 165 countries. Scientology is an applied religious philosophy founded by author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. Scientology means “study of knowledge” and its basic tenets include that man is a spiritual being who is seeking to survive. For more information visit www.scientology.org

 by  Chad Andro  08.18.2010

United Nations’ International Year of the Youth was kicked off by Youth for Human Rights Florida with a petition drive in the Tampa Bay area on August 12 through August 15, gathering over 500 signatures to get human rights taught in schools and reaching hundreds of kids with the human rights message.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon says, “Youth should be given a chance to take an active part in the decision-making of local, national and global levels.”

In the spirit of the International Year of Youth, Youth for Human Rights Florida is stepping up its work, and hopes to take an active part in important decision-making issues by urging leaders in Florida to recognize that children who do not know their rights are vulnerable, and to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and cause it to be taught principally in schools and other educational institutions.

To better understand the importance of including human rights education in  schools and universities’ curriculums, a person could reflect on the pain and suffering as well as the millions of innocent lives lost in and before the World Wars. Those were the events that led to the UDHR in 1948.

Ignorance is a fertile breeding ground for abuse. Knowledge empowers.

It doesn’t take a genius to improve the conditions around one. Many people from ordinary backgrounds, ordinary homes and with ordinary means, all with a common determination, could help make this a better world in some small way.

Youth for Human Rights Florida is a secular non-profit organization with the mission to educate about Human Rights both in and out of the classroom. The uniqueness of the program lies in the educational materials created in collaboration with the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International. Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard stated: “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream”.  These educational materials include youth-designed videos of the 30 Human Rights according to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, along with a documentary, “The Story of Human Rights”, booklets and an educator’s guide.

Everyone can help ensure human rights are learned by signing the petition at www.youthforhumanrights.org.

Some of the graduates at the Scientology Volunteer Ministers ceremony in Haiti, awarded certificates after completing training on Scientology Assists—spiritual first aid for the relief of pain and trauma.

A ceremony at the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Headquarters in the Port-au-Prince suburb of Petionville on Friday, August 13, 2010, honored more than 100 graduates of Scientology Assists training—spiritual first aid for the relief of pain and trauma.  The graduates, many of them leaders of local Volunteer Ministers groups, use this technology in towns, villages and IDP (internally displaced persons) camps throughout the country. This was the second graduation held since the headquarters opened in May 2010.

It was a lively affair MCed by Dernel Metellus, leader of a local Volunteer Ministers group.  Three yellow tents were erected in the courtyard for the occasion and more than 250 guests filled the benches and cheered as certificates were presented to the new VMs.

The need for a local headquarters and training center became apparent within weeks of the Haiti earthquake.  First, Volunteer Ministers arriving on the scene gave medical assistance, distributed food and supplies, or helped with construction of buildings and sanitation facilities. But right from the start, the Volunteer Ministers provided their own unique form of disaster relief, based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of the Scientology religion—Scientology assists that speed recovery from illness, injuries, loss and trauma.

In hospitals and clinics, villages and refugee camps, as people saw the results of this technology they wanted to learn to use it to help their friends and families.  Many Volunteer Ministers who came to help in the first two months have since returned to Haiti, determined to continue to do their part to ensure the country fully recovers.  And interest from the Haitian people was so intense, it soon became clear a central base of operation would be needed.

The Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Petionville was established in May 2010 to coordinate the work of local groups, provide a base of operation for Volunteer Ministers from outside the country, and train new Scientology Volunteer Ministers group leaders who would then train their members to deliver seminars throughout the island.

Volunteer Ministers technology is contained in the Scientology Handbook.  In addition to Assists, the Handbook also covers communication skills, solutions to a dangerous environment, Study Technology and 15 other subjects—all aimed at helping people improve their lives and the lives of those around them.  From disaster relief in the wake of catastrophe, the goal has now expanded to providing the full array of technology to help the people of Haiti build a new future for their country.

Beginning with a few small groups in Port-au-Prince, Delmas and Carrefour, this grassroots movement has expanded to more than 500 groups actively delivering Volunteer Ministers services throughout Haiti.

The students at the August 13 graduation ceremony completed  intensive training and received official certificates signed by their supervisors and the head of the Volunteer Ministers operation in Haiti. One by one, the graduates came forward to receive their certificates to the applause of the crowd of fellow students and friends.

August 17, 2010

NEW YORK – “Only when we all know our human rights, can we have dignity, freedom and peace,” said Michael Hall, speaking for the New York Branch of Youth for Human Rights, on the New York streets Saturday as part of a worldwide network of petitioning events.

Youth for Human Rights is a worldwide network of groups in 88 countries, and YFHR volunteers and supporters held human rights petition drives from August 12 through August 15 in honor of the UN International Day of Youth.

Hall, one of a group manning a colorful booth and gathering signatures, explained that the Youth for Human Rights Petition aims at bringing about real implementation of the Universal Declaration. The petition has been signed to date by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

“While we think of other countries as the site of human rights violations, there are situations in this country – human trafficking, discrimination against minorities, intolerance of individual expression – that need to be dealt with. And we need to be vigilant to ensure our rights are preserved.”

“And on a more personal level,” said Hall, “a commitment to human rights allows us to treat one other with dignity and respect,” said Hall .

“Even children have human rights,” says Hall, “and as we enter the United Nations International Year of Youth, we urge leaders in countries around the world to recognize that where youth do not know their rights, they are particularly vulnerable.”

The petition urges that such leaders promote the UDHR and “cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories,” in accordance with the General Assembly when the document was adopted and proclaimed on December 10th, 1948.

YFHR was founded by members of the Church of Scientology, but now includes people from a wide variety of creeds and ethnicities. More data, downloadable videos re human rights, and a chance to sign the petition online, are available at http://www.youthforhumanrights.org.

Reprinted from The Nexus Queens: Queens Federation of Churches

Eight months after the Haiti earthquake left vast sections of the country in ruins, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Haiti Disaster Response Team continues to provide relief to the Haitian people.

The first priority in January was saving lives—the care of the injured in local hospitals and clinics.  But, with the worst of the medical emergency over, there was still an enormous task ahead.  More than 1.5 million were left homeless; an estimated 230,000 had died; nearly everyone lost family members and friends; schools and colleges collapsed; businesses were destroyed—and all in a country already suffering from the greatest poverty, worst literacy levels and lowest life expectancy in the Western Hemisphere.

The task was daunting.  But the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who arrived in Haiti from the U.S., Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and Latin America were determined to make a difference.  So while they continue to provide medical assistance and deliver food to camps and orphanages, over the past six months they have concentrated on establishing more than 600 local Volunteer Minister groups and training the members in basic Scientology Volunteer Minister technology to reach out into camps and outlying villages with help.

In creating the Volunteer Ministers program in 1976, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence.  Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well.”  The Volunteer Minister does this by using the technology of Scientology to change conditions for the better.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers, traveling to outlying villages, load supplies into a tap-tap bus. Tap-taps are privately owned vehicles—a cross between a cab service and public transportation.

Tens of thousands of MREs, “Meals Ready to Eat,”self-contained meals like those used by American soldiers, were shipped to Haiti in April on a cargo ship sponsored by the Church of Scientology.  Volunteer Ministers load MREs onto a tap-tap to distribute to outlying villages.

A team of Volunteer Ministers travel to a village to provide seminars in Scientology assists, technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to address the spiritual factors in illness and injury and help the individual overcome trauma.

More than 7,000 Haitian Volunteer Ministers are now trained to deliver seminars throughout the island.

excerpted from an article by  Laura Porter on About.com

“Fitzroy House, in the 1950s, was the London home and office of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Dianetics and Scientology. The public can visit for free and see the restored building and exhibits of his life and works.

“Writer, philosopher, mariner, founder of Dianetics and Scientology. It’s hard to label L. Ron Hubbard as he did so much. He holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for Most Published Author—1,084 publications (including lectures). Now that’s prolific! His works have been translated into 71 languages….”

“Dianetics is the all-time best selling self help book and you can see a first edition on display at Fitzroy House. It was published in 1950 with a 5,000 print run but had to reprinted 7 times in the first year.”

For a video tour of the Fitzroy House, visit the L. Ron Hubbard web site.

On Tuesday August 3, 2010, the Harlem chapter of Drug-Free Marshals joined the Harlem community’s celebration of National Night Out at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building to help stem the tide of drug abuse in Harlem by swearing in youth and adults as Drug-Free Marshals.  This is especially needed as new drugs (Finding Nemo and Nutcracker) aimed specifically at our youth are being introduced into our community.

Drug-Free Marshals, a youth anti-drug initiative of the Foundation For A Drug Free World, originally started over a decade ago by the Church of Scientology International, educates youth around the world on the dangers of drug use.  The first group of Drug-Free Marshals were sworn in by the local federal Bureau of Investigation’s Office for Drug Demand Reduction.

Drug-Free Marshals has spread internationally and continues to be supported by community groups, police departments, radio stations and religious groups world over.

The seven points pledge is: As a Drug-Free Marshall I pledge to lead the way by:
1.  Living a drug-free life.
2.  Showing my friends that a drug free life is more fun.
3.  Helping my fellow Drug Free Marshals.
4.  Learning more about how drugs really harm people.
5.  Telling people the truth about the harmful effects of drugs.
6.  Helping my family and friends to be drug-free.
7.  Setting a good example to all children by leading the way to a Drug-Free USA.

For more information about Drug-Free Marshals go to www.drugfreemarshals.org or call Verlene (646) 363-2011.

Reprinted from the Culvert Chronicles, August 12-18 edition.

excerpted from This is Sussex August 1, 2010:

East Grinstead, Sussex, England—Visitors to Saint Hill Manor got into the swing of things at the weekend.

For the seventh year running the Saint Hill Road site was the backdrop for Summertime Swing.

“The fundraising event on Sunday was organised by local jive and swing band The Jive Aces and The L.Ron Hubbard Foundation.>>

 oOo

Summertime Swing 2010, held August 1 at Saint Hill Manor in Sussex, featured the The Jive Aces—the UK-based high energy, jive and swing band, winners of the 2006 City of Derry International Music Award.

The Jives were joined by DJ Terry Elliot and the incomparable jazz and pop singer Keely Smith, with performances by Toni Elizabeth Prima, daughter of Keely Smith and the legendary bandleader Louis Prima (left above with the Jive Aces’ Ian Clarkson),  Kenny Ball, Chas McDevitt  and Keith Ball.

Hundreds of guests enjoyed the annual barbecue on the grounds of Saint Hill Manor;

the vintage vehicle display showcasing cars…

trucks…

and other classics;

and they danced…

and danced…

and enjoyed the entertainment throughout the day.

The Church of Scientology recently purchased the historic Sherlock Building, located at the corner of SW 3rd and Oak. The building sold for $6.4 million and was purchased from the Seattle-based Urban Renaissance Group. This is the second historic structure acquired by the Church of Scientology in Portland. In 2008, the church purchased the Stevens Building, but the interior of the historic structure proved too difficult to work with. The church planned to build a chapel in the Stevens Building, but the interior walls could not be knocked down. The open floor plan of the Sherlock Building, however, would accommodate such a chapel. The church listed the Stevens Building for sale this year with an asking price of $4.95 million, down from its purchase cost of $5.38 million.

Construction of the Sherlock Building began in 1893 by the Northwest Loan & Trust Company for the Forbes & Breeden Co., a furniture business. When Northwest Loan & Trust Company went out of business, William Sherlock, an Irish-born Portland businessman, acquired the building and oversaw the completion of its construction.

The building was designed by F. Manson White, an English-born architect who first came to Portland in 1888 to work with the firm McCaw & Martin. By 1892 White established his own practice, which continued until his retirement in 1933. In addition to the Sherlock Building, White also designed the Imperial Hotel (1894), the Auditorium Building (1895), Seaside’s City Hall (1914) and the Flatiron Building (1917).

The Sherlock Building stands as one of Portland’s most noteworthy late 19th Century structures and one of the first Chicago-style buildings in the city. The building contains both Romanesque and Chicago School architectural elements. Over the years, tenants of the Sherlock Building have included the popular nightclub the Embassy Club, various retail and service businesses, and currently Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.

The Sherlock Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. In 1980, the edifice was saved from possible demolition when the architectural firm ZGF Partnership moved its office into the building.

The Church of Scientology plans to renovate the building and undertake major seismic upgrades to the structure.

Reproduced from an article from the Portland Preservation blog

L. Ron Hubbard’s house in Washington DC

The following is excerpted from the description of L. Ron Hubbard’s home in Washington DC,  presented on the USA Museum website.

The L. Ron Hubbard House, also known as the Original Founding Church of Scientology, is a historic house museum and former Scientology church located at 1812 19th Street, NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The home served as the residence of Scientology  founder L. Ron Hubbard from 1955 until 1959, during which time he incorporated the Founding Church of Scientology and performed the first Scientology wedding.The building is a contributing property to the Dupont Circle Historic District, a neighborhood listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The row of buildings located at 1810-1820 19th Street, NW was designed by local architectural firm Wood, Donn, & Deming in 1904.  Notable owners of the home during the early 20th century included United States Senators James K. Jones and Claude A. Swanson.

Hubbard purchased the home in 1955, the same year he organized the Founding Church which met at 1826 R Street, NW from July 21, 1955 until 1959.  The building later served as the home of the Academy of Scientology, previously located at 1845 R Street, NW and known as The Academy of Religious Arts and Sciences.>>

A video about L. Ron Hubbard’s home in Washington DC is available on the Scientology website.

Hundreds of Scientologists in Tampa Bay have donated over 300,000 volunteer hours in one year alone

_{Clearwater Scientologists organize the Say No To Drugs Holliday Classic to promote drug-free living.}

Clearwater—A Volunteer Awards Ceremony will be held in the historic Fort Harrison to honor the over 800 Scientologists in Tampa Bay who have donated over 300,000 volunteer hours to raise funds for the needy, rehabilitate inmates in Florida’s prisons, tutor children, and to spread the message of the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and that a Drug Free Life is More Fun. Pat Harney, the Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization will be presenting the awards. She said, “In 1961, L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology wrote: ‘…a being is only as valuable as he can serve others.’ This is an ideology that Scientologists internationally practice, including those here in the Tampa Bay area and I want them to know that they are appreciated for the tremendous work they are doing to raise the standard of living of the people of Tampa Bay and throughout Florida.”

Harney continued, “Participation in Scientology volunteer groups, however, is not just limited to Scientologists. People of all faiths are welcome to volunteer, and most of our programs count a wide range of community volunteers.”

Here is a partial list of the volunteer groups established and led by Scientologists in the Tampa Bay area:

THE COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER (CLC): Holly and Brendan Haggerty founded the Community Learning Center to provide kids a safe place to learn and to go to after school for arts programs and sports. The proud parents of four children, they have now expanded their services to include literacy programs for adults. Though based right outside of downtown Clearwater, their after-school tutoring programs are running in Pinellas, Dade, Hillsborough, Alachua, Broward-Deerfield and Broward-Ft. Lauderdale counties. Their 89 volunteer tutors have helped some 500 students in the past year alone.

CRIMINON – FLORIDA: Founded here in Florida about 15 years ago, Criminon Florida is currently run by Clearwater resident Susan Broughton. A chapter of Criminon International, Criminon Florida offers character building criminal rehabilitation programs through correspondence courses in 85% of the 75 prisons in the state and has over 2000 inmates enrolled. This activity is 100% volunteer all the way, volunteer supervisors grade inmates lessons, while others ensure that the course is properly administered.

SAY NO TO DRUGS RACE: 20 years ago, Clearwater resident and world-class runner Sandra Johnson started the Say No to Drugs Holiday Classic to promote an anti-drug message through a road race. A team of 200 volunteers produces this race, which now brings over 1,000 runners a year. From executives to chiropractors, to Boy Scout troops to sponsors, all contribute to making this event a success. Now under the direction of Chris Alexander, the race continues to be a draw for elite athletes and weekend warriors alike.

THE WAY TO HAPPINESS: Written by Mr. Hubbard in the early 1980’s, the Way to Happiness is a non-religious moral code designed to help young and old make decisions about their lives that will enable them to flourish. Here in Tampa Bay, the Way to Happiness Club, led by Clearwater resident Betsy Cramb, distributed 125,000 free booklets and held 52 events last year to educate children in the application of this non-religious moral code to improve their survival and the survival of those around them.

THE CLEARWATER COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS (CCV): What originally started as the Women’s Auxiliary of the Church of Scientology, the Clearwater Community Volunteers holds fundraisers and events throughout the year for the benefit of local charities. These include Winter Wonderland in downtown Clearwater, the Easter Egg Hunt in Coachman Park, and Fashions-with-Flair Fashion show which just held its 8th annual event at the historic Fort Harrison. From these events, CCV is able to contribute tens of thousands of dollars each year to worthwhile local charitable organization such as the Make a Wish Foundation and the Children’s Home of Tampa. Realtor and self-proclaimed Professional Volunteer Pamela Ryan Anderson now heads up this group which utilizes the talents of over 800 volunteers.

FOUNDATION FOR A DRUG FREE WORLD, FLORIDA: Led by Julietta Gil, this group was founded to educate people about the dangers of abusing harmful drugs. This chapter of the international Foundation for a Drug Free World gave 30 drug education lectures in schools throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough County to about 3,500 people in one year. They also offer drug free educational pamphlets, and have distributed 75,000 over the last two years. Through partnerships with a multitude of groups, such as the Dunedin Blue Jays, the Clearwater Downtown Partnership and the Sunscreen Film Festival, youth are sworn in as “Drug Free Marshals” who pledge not only to lead a drug-free life, but also to educate themselves and others about the harmful effects of drugs.

HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS: The protection of basic human rights has been a hallmark of the Church of Scientology since its earliest days. Here in the Tampa Bay area, two groups have picked up the torch to educate people about what their rights are and how they can defend them: the Tampa Bay Chapter of Youth for Human Rights and the Human Rights Group. Members of Youth for Human Rights give presentations on the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights in schools throughout Pinellas and Hillsborough County. They have also passed out thousands of booklets and public service announcements depicting the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Headed up by Linda Drazkowski, the Human Rights Group held its fourth annual Walk-a-Thon this March in St. Petersburg’s Straub Park. More than 1,000 people from many different faiths and backgrounds marched in support of human rights.”

To find out more about the work of Scientologists as volunteers log on to www.scientology.org.

Shaleen Wohrnitz of the Church of Scientology of Johannesburg, South Africa is interviewed on a SABC 1 TV South Africa on a program called “Religions in South Africa.”

HOLLYWOOD—More than 1,400 guests attended the 41st Anniversary Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Gala in Hollywood on Saturday, August 7. The guest list included many of the Church’s well-known members, including John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Leah Remini, Anne Archer, Erika Christensen, Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson) and Jenna Elfman.

The annual event highlights the humanitarian programs sponsored by the Church—programs addressing drug abuse, human rights, moral values for a modern world, illiteracy and disaster relief.

The evening’s guest speakers included California Congresswoman Diane Watson; LAPD Hollywood Division Captain Beatrice Girmala; Mr. Albert DeCady, Special Advisor to Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph; and the former Liberian Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Nathaniel Barnes.

Congresswoman Watson told the audience of her history in working with the Church: “As a public servant I’ve had the privilege of a close working relationship with you for many years on many vital issues of our society, and especially since becoming the U.S. Representative for this district in 2001. The relationship has been productive because your social programs are for people no matter who they are—and it has been rewarding because they work, and the resources you so generously provide are very effective.”

Ambassador Barnes traveled to Los Angeles from Washington, DC, for the event, to thank Church staff and parishioners for their work in his previously war-torn country and neighboring West African nations, citing the Church’s human rights programs and volunteers for sparking a human rights movement in his native Liberia.

“We now have more than 9,000 youth activists—young people who are educated, who are taking a stand and actively imparting human rights principles crucial for the continued peace and stability of not only Liberia, but all of Africa,” he said. “I would like to personally express our deep gratitude to you for giving these young people a new lease on life by empowering them.”

John Travolta and Kelly Preston were publicly acknowledged by Mr. Albert DeCady, Special Advisor to Haitian Ambassador Raymond Joseph, for personally flying medical personnel and four tons of needed supplies to his native Haiti in the weeks following the January 12 quake that devastated the island nation.

Mr. Travolta described the programs he has engaged in for many years with hands-on volunteer work and support: “What we are doing around the world—the programs for drug rehabilitation, for education rehabilitation, for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers that help in all the disaster areas around the world—there are so many programs our group is involved with.”

The popularity of Scientology among artists and professionals in many fields mirrors its current growth internationally, expanding more in the last year than the last five years combined and more in the last five years than in the five previous decades. The rapid expansion is fueled by word-of-mouth based on successful application of the religion’s practical principles to improve conditions in life. Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups now exceed 8,500 in 165 countries. Concurrent to the increased international interest, new Churches of Scientology are opening at an exponential rate, with three new Churches opened in the last month, seven in 2010 alone and a dozen in the last year.

Celebrity Centres are those Churches of Scientology established to provide artists, professionals and leaders in every field with a distraction-free environment to practice their religion. Whether for up-and-coming artists or established public figures, Celebrity Centres provide an atmosphere where all can discover Scientology for themselves.

L. Ron Hubbard once wrote, “A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists.” As an artist himself, Mr. Hubbard understood how important those dreams are to the creative person. He recognized as well that artists supply the spark of creativity and the vision leading the society into tomorrow.

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Hollywood was founded in 1969. Celebrity Centres in other world cultural centers include New York, Paris, Nashville, Vienna, Florence and London, and in February of this year the new Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre Las Vegas opened its doors. Celebrity Centres, like all Churches of Scientology worldwide, are open to the public.

The Scientology religion was founded by humanitarian and author L. Ron Hubbard. Worldwide there are more than 8,500 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups in 165 countries.

Since the beginning of 2010, the Church of Scientology has opened seven new Churches in Seattle, Washington; Pasadena, California; Mexico City, Mexico; Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Quebec City, Canada; and Brussels, Belgium. Each is configured to provide the full services of the Scientology religion to parishioners and to the community, housing extensive public information multimedia displays, and ministering religious services in efficient and aesthetic spaces, including congregational services in expansive Chapels. These new Churches have expanded their ministry of religious services many times over, giving more than a million new people the opportunity to find out about Scientology.

Each of these new Churches is active in its community while also providing a strong base for Scientology-sponsored social and humanitarian programs aimed at curbing drug abuse, illiteracy, immorality and criminality, as well as restoring human rights, assisting individuals with personal troubles, and helping in times of disaster, both natural and man-made.

Another five new Churches of Scientology are scheduled for completion before the end of 2010.

Joining together to celebrate their beliefs, the stars were out for The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre’s 41st Anniversary Gala held at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles, California on Saturday night (August 7).

With John Travolta and expecting wife Kelly Preston turning up with daughter Ella, the happy family joined their many Scientologist pals for a swanky soiree.

Among the guests on-hand were former “Dharma and Greg” actress Jenna Elfman, as well as astronaut Buzz Aldrin and his wife Lois Driggs Cannon.  Rounding out the Scientology celebration were singers Elena Roggero and Michele Henderson.

Published on ansamblu.COM

Fireworks lit up the night sky as a finale to the opening event of an international arts festival on Sunday.

 An evening of music, song, drama and dance was staged at Saint Hill Manor at the classical concert opened by Cllr Christine Mainstone.

It was the start of the 18th Saint Hill International Arts Festival and the programme featured a range of professional performers.

Arts such as painting, drama, singing, dancing, film-making, photography, fashion design and sculpture are on offer this week.>>

 excerpted from a story in this is Sussex.co.uk of Tuesday, August 04, 2009 

More than 4000 Scientologists and their friends gathered to commemorate the occasion and tour the Church

From STAFF REPORTS
Published on Pasadena Now: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 | 10:25 AM

Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard at the grand opening of the Church of Scientology

Mayor Bill Bogaard topped the list of officials and community leaders who welcomed the Church of Scientology to its new home at 35 South Raymond Avenue in Old Pasadena July 18 at a ceremony officiated by the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center.

More than 4000 Scientologists and their friends gathered to commemorate the occasion and tour the Church, the second new Scientology Church to open in the Southland in the past three months.

The grand opening was the culmination of a longtime dream for a core team of 100 local Scientologists who took on the challenge seven years ago to build a new Church for their congregation, formed in Pasadena in the 1970s.   “They found exactly the right building,” said Rev. Eden Stein, President of the Church of Scientology of Pasadena.  “They activated the entire congregation and raised the funds to purchase, restore, furnish and equip it.”

Rev. Stein, who coordinated the Church’s Volunteer Ministers disaster response during last September’s Angeles National Forest fires and has been working with community groups for the past several years as coordinator of Church’s drug education and human rights programs, expects the new facilities to enable the Church to greatly increase the scope of its partnership with the Pasadena community.

The Church is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and visitors are invited to attend an open house or take a self-guided tour of the extensive interactive multimedia displays in the Church’s ground-floor Public Information Center.

For more information contact Rev. Eden Stein at (626) 795-9418 or email her at eden@edenstein.com

Queen Anne and Magnolia News on the Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology of Washington

About 1,600 Scientologists and their guests packed the street in front of 300 W. Harrison St. Saturday for the opening of the new Church of Scientology of Washington, a milestone for the congregation formed 54 years ago. >>

_{The new Church of Scientology building on lower Queen Anne  photo by Angela Nickerson / seattlepi.com}

_{By Amy Rolph—Seattlepi.com staff}

L. Ron Hubbard’s footprint is growing—in Seattle and beyond.

Want proof? The writing is on the western slope of Queen Anne in Seattle. The block letters on the side of a five-story brick building paint a pretty clear picture: “SCIENTOLOGY.”

Seattle’s new Church of Scientology regional headquarters opened its doors last weekend. The streets around the building at 300 West Harrison St. were closed Saturday for a grand opening attended by more than 1,500 parishioners.>>

Seattle—Sixteen hundred Scientologists and their guests packed the street in front of 300 West Harrison in Seattle today for the opening of the new Church of Scientology of Washington, a milestone for the congregation formed 54 years ago.

Duwamish Tribal Chairman Cecile Hansen, a descendant of Chief Seattle after whom the city was named, opened the event with a centuries-old ceremony, welcoming the Church to its new home.

Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, officiated, acknowledging the Scientologists who spearheaded the drive to build the new Church.  Stressing the significance of the occasion, Mr. Miscavige said:

“Just this year alone, we have opened six new Ideal Churches on three continents.  While in months to come you’ll see ribbons parting as far away as Tel Aviv, Melbourne and Moscow, and as close to home as Twin Cities, Sacramento and Portland—to cite but a few of the more than 60 new Churches now looming on the near horizon.

“So, yes, you are part of a movement that qualifies as ‘history in the making.’  Moreover, it is a movement that is all-embracive, all-inclusive and all about ensuring no one falls between the cracks.  Because when you possess a technology capable of restoring the infinite goodness in every human being, then every life becomes immeasurably precious.”

Acknowledging the Church for its many contributions to the community were Washington State Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders, Washington State Representative Marilyn Chase, Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce President Dave Peterson, Seattle Neighborhood District Coordinator Christa Dumpys, and FEMA volunteer liaison Jo Ann Oram.

Justice Sanders spoke of working with the Church in the field of human rights, a partnership spanning nearly 35 years:  “There is nothing more important in life than being true to yourself and standing up for what you believe. That is freedom, and that is what makes life worth living. And that, to me, is what you represent. … The Church of Scientology is truly a leader when it comes to fighting for the civil rights of those subject to abuse by the so-called mental health laws and those that enforce them.  And I respect your struggle to abolish coercive practices in the field of mental health and to restore human dignity and freedom to all people. I am proud of our accomplishments over the years, and I am especially proud for your significant accomplishment of opening this beautiful new Church.”

President of the Greater Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce, Dave Peterson, gave these words in acknowledgment of the Church’s history of service to its community: “Your Church of Scientology has never failed to step up….  Together, we have a proud tradition in Seattle, one in which the Church of Scientology can rightfully claim its due reward…  I am also proud to say that the Chamber and the Church have co-sponsored many projects for the benefit of the greater community.  And in every case, you never just stand by and think about improvements.  You do them. We at the Chamber know we can always turn to the Church of Scientology—and you will never let us down.”

Long active as volunteers in community betterment initiatives, just last April local Scientologists received the Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award.  Seattle-area Scientologists serve in the Washington Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and as certified associate chaplains of the Seattle Police Department’s Community Chaplaincy Program.  The Scientology Environmental Task Force, partnering with the Seattle Parks & Recreation Department, Department of Neighborhoods and Seattle Public Utilities to Keep Seattle Beautiful, sponsors the oldest Adopt-A-Street program in the city.  Scientologists have also volunteered with Food Lifeline since 2002 and, since 1993, the Church’s community drug education program has helped thousands of Seattle young people steer clear of substance abuse.

The State of Washington holds a significant place in the life of Scientology Founder  L. Ron Hubbard. In 1923, he joined Tacoma Troop 31 Black Eagle Patrol and the following year, at 13, became the youngest Eagle Scout in America. In 1926, he spent his sophomore year at Seattle’s Queen Anne High School on Galer Street, before embarking on the first of several voyages to a then rarely visited Asia.

During the 1930s, in his Port Orchard writer’s retreat overlooking Puget Sound, Mr. Hubbard authored several acclaimed stories and novels for what is remembered today as the Great American Pulp Fiction Movement. It was also in Port Orchard that he scripted the Warner Brothers classic Dive Bomber.

It was also from Seattle where Mr. Hubbard set sail on the famed “Alaskan Radio Experimental Expedition” to field-test a then novel system on which all future radio navigation was based.

Most importantly, it was in neighboring Port Orchard, in 1938, that Mr. Hubbard authored what is remembered as the philosophic foundation of Dianetics and Scientology. A now legendary work entitled “Excalibur, ” here was the first examination of key universal principles common to all life forms and underlying all behavior.

The new Church of Scientology of Washington is located just blocks from Seattle Center and the Space Needle.  The ground floor features an extensive Public Information Center with 17 multimedia displays that present and illustrate Scientology beliefs, the life and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard and the full array of social betterment and community outreach programs.  These interactive displays provide a concise but panoramic view of the religion to visitors, students and others desiring to learn more about Scientology.

To even better serve the community, the Church has further established the Scientology Life Improvement Center adjacent to the century-old Pike Place Market Historic District, the “Soul of Seattle.” This center provides Scientology introductory courses.

_____________

The Church of Scientology of Washington State is the seventh new Scientology Church to open in 2010.  The Brussels branch of Churches of Scientology for Europe opened on January 23; the Church of Scientology of Quebec opened on January 30; the Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre Las Vegas opened February 6; the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles opened April 24; a new National Scientology Church opened in Mexico City July 10; and the new Church of Scientology of Pasadena opened July 18

Last year (2009), new Churches of Scientology opened in Washington, DC; Rome, Italy; Nashville, Tennessee; Dallas, Texas; and Malmö, Sweden.  These join a roster of new Churches of Scientology recently opened in world cultural centers, including the Church of Scientology of San Francisco, in the original historic Transamerica Building; the Church of Scientology of New York, just off Times Square; the National Church of Scientology of Spain, in Madrid’s Neighborhood of Letters; the Church of Scientology of London, at the city’s epicenter; and the Church of Scientology of Berlin, near the Brandenburg Gate.

Another five new Churches of Scientology are scheduled for completion before the end of 2010.  Worldwide, there are more than 8,500 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups in 165 countries.