Pasadena leaders at the Truth About Drugs Prevention Forum at the Church of Scientology of Pasadena April 20 joined forces in fight against drug epidemic.
More than 80 civic, community and religious leaders representing over a dozen groups and associations attended a Truth About Drugs Prevention Forum April 20 at the Church of Scientology of Pasadena. The purpose: to tackle rising teen drug abuse in the Pasadena area.
Speakers included Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca; Sergeant Mark Cripe and Jesse Mendoza of the Sheriff’s VIDA program for at-risk youth; Gary Moody, President of Pasadena NAACP; Tarik Ross of the Amer-I-Can program; Jessica Ruiz and Porfirio Frausto of the Flintridge Foundation; Dr. Nicholas Benson, Vice President of the Ecumenical Council Pasadena Area Congregations; and Bob Adams of the Church of Scientology International.
Teen drug abuse in Pasadena—Cause for alarm
According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey for the Pasadena Unified School District, 19 percent of 7th graders and 33 percent of 11th graders surveyed are “current AOD (alcohol and other drugs) users”—they have used alcohol or illicit drugs in the past 30 days.
Concerted effort needed
“Our community’s greatest wealth is our ability and willingness to truly help one another,” said Eden Stein, President of the Church of Scientology of Pasadena. “Working together, we can save the lives and futures of our youth.”
Results from Truth About Drugs
The Truth About Drugs is a drug education and prevention program supported by the Church of Scientology. Because of the effectiveness of its educational materials, many Los Angeles County groups and organizations have adopted the program, several of whom shared their experience with forum attendees.
Sergeant Mark Cripe, county-wide director of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department VIDA program (Vital Intervention and Directional Alternatives), spoke of the results he and his deputies have achieved using the Truth About Drugs curriculum with at-risk youth and youth who have turned to drugs and crime. He said he uses the Truth About Drugs program because it is “the best.”
Jesse Mendoza, Director of Victory Outreach Youth Activities for South Los Angeles, told attendees why he uses the Truth About Drugs in his work. He particularly values the public service announcements and feature-length documentary, The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories.
Over the past 10 years, Dr. Nicholas Benson has graduated 5,000 inmates from the halfway house he runs. He learned of the Truth About Drugs program and put it to use in weekly drug education classes. Drug and alcohol problems were significant factors in what went wrong in the lives of most of his residents and the curriculum helps them examine their own circumstances and make important decisions for the future.
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The Church of Scientology has published a brochure, Scientology: How We Help—The Truth About Drugs, Creating a Drug-Free World, to meet requests for more information about the drug education and prevention initiative it supports. To learn more or read a copy of the brochure, visit the Scientology website.
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Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”
The Church of Scientology supports the Truth About Drugs, one of the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.
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More than a thousand Scientologists and their guests from across Canada and the U.S. Great Lakes region gathered on February 9, 2013, to celebrate the opening of the new Church of Scientology of Cambridge, Ontario. Joining Church officials for the dedication ceremony were national and provincial dignitaries.
The Church’s new home is located on a two-acre campus at the gateway to Canada’s Technology Triangle. The expansive Scientology Ideal Organization (Ideal Org) is designed to accommodate the Church’s ever-growing congregation in the tri-cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, and to extend social betterment and humanitarian programs to all communities of southwestern Ontario.
The presence of Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, marked the significance of the occasion. In his dedication address, Mr. Miscavige told Cambridge parishioners and staff: “This Church is the incarnation of all Scientology bestows to this world, forged of the very purpose with which L. Ron Hubbard bestowed Scientology itself: to help Man to again find his footing in this materialistic society; to restore to him the goodness, love and decency with which he was created; and to help him fulfill his eternal dream of spiritual freedom. So take all that you now have with this Ideal Org and let no one want of your help, for you now possess unlimited resources to answer every need and fulfill your dreams, your responsibility and your destiny as Scientologists.”
Also in attendance and commemorating the new Church were Member of Parliament, Canadian House of Commons, Ret., Mr. Derek Lee; Canadian Multicultural Council co-founder Mr. Sid Ikeda; and Encounter World Religions Centre founder, Mr. JW Windland.
In welcoming the new Church to Cambridge, Member of Parliament, Canadian House of Commons, Ret., Mr. Derek Lee, said: “I know the church is going to be a major player as a community partner in the development of this whole region. I also understand that 2012 was a really big year for Scientology in its expansion here and internationally and it was the biggest year in your history. So today in Cambridge, Ontario you are lighting the fire for 2013, and I wish you all success in making this the biggest year ever.”
Canadian Multicultural Council co-founder Mr. Sid Ikeda spoke to the Church’s long record of community service in Ontario: “I met you out in the city, doing the good turns for everyone you meet, every day. And that is why I deeply appreciate you and what you bring to the community. The Church of Scientology is doing a good turn for Ontario. L. Ron Hubbard spoke supreme truth when he said ‘a being is as valuable as he can serve others.’ May his legacy and spirit continue to shine all across Canada.”
Founder of the Encounter World Religions Centre, Mr. JW Windland, applauded the Church’s interfaith achievements: “I expect you to wind the fabric of this community even tighter through your continued engagement in interreligious dialogue and education, serving on interfaith councils, and graciously receiving through its doors the community at large as well as the seeker and the curious of all faiths. Your efforts are truly guaranteeing that L. Ron Hubbard’s vision of a world of religious tolerance and peace comes true.”
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The new Church provides the tri-cities with an introduction to Dianetics and Scientology, beginning with the Public Information Center. Its displays, containing more than 500 films, present the beliefs and practices of the Scientology religion and the life and legacy of Founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Information Center also offers a detailed overview of the many Church-sponsored humanitarian programs—including a worldwide human rights education initiative; an equally far-reaching drug education, prevention and rehabilitation program; a global network of literacy and learning centers; and the Scientology Volunteer Minister program, now comprising the world’s largest independent relief force. The Center is open morning to night for visitors to tour at their leisure and return as often as they wish.
The Church’s Chapel provides for Scientology congregational gatherings, including Sunday Services, Weddings and Naming Ceremonies—as well as a host of community-wide events open to members of all faiths. The new Church further includes multiple seminar rooms and classrooms, in addition to dozens of rooms for Scientology auditing (spiritual counseling).
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The Church of Scientology of Cambridge is the first new Ideal Org to open in 2013, following a parade of Ideal Orgs opened in 2012: Padova, Italy (October 27); Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel (August 21); Los Gatos, California (July 28); Buffalo, New York (June 30); Phoenix, Arizona (June 23); Denver, Colorado (June 16); Stevens Creek in San Jose, California (June 9); Orange County, California (June 2); Greater Cincinnati, Ohio (February 25); Sacramento, California (January 28); and Hamburg, Germany (January 21).
Through the coming year, more than a dozen new Ideal Orgs are scheduled to open—in Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, England, South and North America.
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Ideal Orgs reflect the fulfillment of Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s vision for the religion. They not only provide the ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to greater states of spiritual awareness and freedom, they are also designed to serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift citizens of all denominations.
Other new Ideal Orgs opened in recent years include in Europe, London, Moscow, Brussels, Berlin, Madrid and Rome; Melbourne, Australia; Johannesburg, South Africa; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, Inglewood, Pasadena and San Francisco, California; Tampa, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Seattle, Washington; Dallas, Texas; Mexico City, Mexico; and Quebec City, Canada. For a complete list of new Ideal Orgs of Scientology, visit Scientology.org.
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The Scientology religion was founded by L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in Los Angeles in 1954 and the religion has expanded to more than 11,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 167 countries.
http://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/grand-opening-scientology-ideal-organization-cambridge.html
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More than 80 civic, community and religious leaders representing over a dozen groups and associations attended a Truth About Drugs Prevention Forum April 20 at the Church of Scientology of Pasadena. The purpose: to tackle rising teen drug abuse in the Pasadena area.
On Saturday, May 11, the Church of Scientology Portland celebrated the grand opening of their new home in the city’s historic downtown quarter. More than 2,500 Scientologists and guests joined city and state dignitaries for the dedication ceremony.
Luana's Haven 