Church of Scientology Grand Opening in Washington, DC

November 10, 2009 at 3:10 am (Church of Scientology, David Miscavige, L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Religion) (, , , , , )

On Saturday, October 31, the Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC, opened its new premises six blocks from the White House and minutes from Capitol Mall. Attended by nearly 3,000 Scientologists and guests, the Church was dedicated by Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion.

The building, over 49,000 square feet, represents the Church of Scientology’s largest presence ever in the nation’s capital, a presence that dates back to the 1955 establishment of the Founding Church of Scientology in the District by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard — an occasion considered a milestone in the establishment of Scientology as the only major religion founded in the 20th century, a religion that has since become the fastest-growing religion in the world.

Mr. Miscavige and other speakers gave special praise to the millions of Scientologists the world over who have given of their time and effort to make the Church’s anti-drug education initiative the largest non-governmental program of its kind and the Church’s human rights education program the largest on earth. They also praised the work of over 195,000 registered Scientology Volunteer Ministers trained to respond in times of disaster.

In expressing the importance of a prominent Scientology Church in the nation’s capitol Mr. Miscavige stated:

“In a word, this Church is the sum total of all our history and all LRH envisioned when serving as our first Executive Director.

“This is also the kind of Church he envisioned when authoring our programs and campaigns — in anticipation of a day when turmoil knocks out the props and the whole social veneer collapses…

“Which, of course, is exactly what happened — and thus what prompted our Wake-up Call after 9/11…wherein our history intersects with the history of this nation.”

Yet the significance of a major Church of Scientology in Washington, DC, runs much deeper as Mr. Miscavige made clear:

“You are looking at a living embodiment of the freedom and equality that originally inspired this nation because, yes, this Church stands for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And, yes, it stands here today because of the freedom on which this nation was built — the freedom of religion. For it was here, in this nation’s capital, that we fought for and won our recognition.”

And in the words of Congressman Brad Sherman of California’s 27th District in his address to the gathering:

“I have worked diligently and continuously to express my views, and I believe the views of the entire Congress, that all countries should treat all religions equally and provide true freedom of religion for everyone.”

Congressman Sherman praised the Church’s efforts in raising awareness of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and stated that the battle for human rights includes bringing human rights awareness to all people.

“That is why the efforts of many churches and religious organizations to focus on human rights issues are so important.”

Others speaking and participating in the dedication of the new Scientology Church were Ms. Addie Richburg, President and Chairman of the Board of the National Alliance of Faith and Justice; Ms. Diane Rothe-Smith, Executive Director of the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD); and Mr. Mike Silverstein, President of the Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Association who also represented District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty.

Rev. Sylvia Stanard, Director of Public Affairs for the Founding Church, invited all inside to tour the new Church, which includes numerous multimedia presentations in its Public Information Center, describing fundamentals of the Scientology religion, the Church’s worldwide humanitarian and social betterment programs, and the life and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard. As in any Church of Scientology, the doors are always open for people to walk in and find out for themselves.

Washington, DC, played a pivotal role in the life of the Founder of the Scientology religion. At age 13, as America’s youngest Eagle Scout, L. Ron Hubbard traveled cross-country to meet President Calvin Coolidge. As a student at George Washington University in the early 1930s, Mr. Hubbard learned the scientific methodology he later applied to unlocking the riddle of the human mind and life. After World War II, he tested Dianetics techniques on numerous cases at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital and wrote the first manuscript of his discoveries in Dianetics: The Original Thesis. In 1955, he established the Founding Church and became its Executive Director.

The Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC, represents a milestone for the Scientology religion, which comprises more than 8,000 Churches, Missions and groups in 165 nations. As part of the continuing program to meet the demand for Scientology services, new Churches have been established in Berlin, Johannesburg, London, Madrid, New York and San Francisco. Earlier this year, new Churches opened in Malmo, Sweden; Dallas, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee and, on October 24, in Rome — five new landmark Scientology Churches opened newly in the last six months.

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Church of Scientology of Inglewood and United Methodist Church in South Los Angeles Hold Hate Crimes Conference and Seminar

November 5, 2009 at 4:27 pm (Anonymous, Church of Scientology, Human Rights, Scientology) (, , , )

South LA faith-based and community-based groups combat hate crime through character education

With the FBI reporting violent crime against churches on the rise, St. Mark United Methodist Church in South Los Angeles and the Church of Scientology of Inglewood co-sponsored the Second Annual Hate Crimes Conference on October 27 and a workshop on November 3 to educate leaders of faith-based and community-based groups on underlying causes of anti-religious hate crime.

Held at St. Mark United Methodist Church in South LA, Hate Crime Conference speakers included human rights attorney Barry Fisher; Rev. Chip Murray, former Senior Pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church and now serving as professor of Christian Ethics at University of Southern California; Ms. Tereser Banks, Victorville Federal Prison Warden; Captain Bob Green, commander of LAPD 77th precinct; Mr. Shakeel Syed, head of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California; and Bob Adams of the Church of Scientology International.

From the issues covered in the conference, community- and faith-based groups attending requested further training in programs introduced by the Church of Scientology, resulting in the follow-up workshop.

Pam Roberts, Director of Public Affairs for the Church of Scientology of Inglewood, introduced Joni Ginsberg, Executive Director of The Way to Happiness Foundation International, who conducted a workshop on the newly published educator’s guide to The Way to Happiness, a non-religious moral code based entirely on common sense.  Written by L. Ron Hubbard, the booklet fills the moral vacuum and addresses urgent issues that contributed to increasing violence in today’s society.

Ms. Ginsberg’s presentation covered the precept “Set a good example.”  Those attending will now in turn implement the program in their groups, churches and communities.  Rev. Willie Rollins of Community Missionary Baptist Church in Compton said the information covered in the Hate Crimes Conference and The Way to Happiness workshop will help “build and improve relationships that will bridge the gap between religions and races.”

This year’s Hate Crimes conference grew out of a program initiated in May 2008, held at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International in Los Angeles, at which law enforcement and government officials, clergy and educators examined the growing problem of Internet hate crime and ways to improve Internet safety and security.

For more information on Scientology programs that counter violence and intolerance, visit the Scientology web site at www.scientology.org

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Taiwan Scientology members Honored for Disaster Relief Effort following Typhoon Morakot

November 4, 2009 at 5:38 pm (Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, Religion, Scientology, Scientology Religion, Volunteer Ministers) (, , )

Scientology Volunteer Ministers were commended in a ceremony October 17 for their part in helping Taiwan recover from the deadliest typhoon to hit the country in 50 years.  Ms. Mei Tsu Lee, representing the Church of Scientology in Taiwan, accepted the award presented by the Youth Volunteer Association and the Kaohsiung City Council.  Many other groups and individuals were also acknowledged at the event.

Typhoon Morakot slammed into southern Taiwan last August, killing more than 600 and causing an estimated $1.5 billion in damage.  More than nine feet of rain inundated the island causing record flooding and mudslides buried entire villages.

Despite more than 20,000 troops pressed into service for disaster relief, without the volunteer community the country could not have coped with the needs of some 7,000 who lost their homes and the enormous cleanup operation needed to restore the island to any semblance of normality.

The bright yellow shirts of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers fast became a welcome sight in the days following the typhoon.  The Scientologists helped distribute food, water and supplies and rolled up their sleeves to help villages clean up mountains of mud that were everywhere.

But it was Scientology Assists—spiritual first-aid—that were the most valuable contribution of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.  Assists are procedures developed by L. Ron Hubbard that provide relief by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress, trauma, illness and injury.

“I could not close my eyes to sleep,” said one woman who lived through the storm.  The Assist brought her immediate relief. “The feeling of numbness is gone and now I can sleep.”

“Thank you for helping me put the smile back on my face,” said one person aided with an Assist. “The pressure in gone.” She asked to be taught techniques herself so she could help her family and neighbors.

To the 64-year-old woman whose banana farm was literally washed away, it seemed the typhoon had destroyed everything.  She was desperate with worry about how she and her daughter could carry on.  But after her Assist it all looked different:  she was relaxed, even optimistic, as she started to plan for the future.


The Volunteer Ministers were not there only for the Morakot victims, they also gave Assists to the military who were carrying out disaster response.   One solder was so impressed by the change he experienced from his Assist that he asked the Volunteer Ministers to teach him how to give them.   “I really felt lucky to have helped in this disaster,” he said. “I have never been involved in a more meaningful activity.  Now I want to do more.”

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit their web site at www.volunteerministers.org or the Scientology web site at www.scientology.org.

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