Scientology Churches Spearhead Human Rights through Education

Scientology Churches on six continents called attention to human rights issues on Human Rights Day, with dozens of events including rallies, human rights walks, round tables, concerts and petition drives. To raise awareness of human rights and bring about much needed reforms, Scientologists are calling for human rights education in all schools as the first prerequisite to guarantee human rights internationally.

Human Rights Day is the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the UN General Assembly in 1948. The document was drafted by a committee of scholars and humanitarians chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt to prevent a repeat of the atrocities of World War II. The Preamble to the Declaration proclaimed the UDHR “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations,” and stated that “every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms.”

Now 61 years later, human rights education is not part of most schools’ curriculums, and human rights violations rival those of the past. According to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, there are an estimated 27 million enslaved today. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro reported that an estimated 2 million or more women are trafficked across borders every year.

“Education is vital to guarantee human rights,” said Tracie Morrow, Youth Coordinator for the Human Rights Department of the Church of Scientology International. “L. Ron Hubbard said, ‘human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream,’ and ensuring the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is broadly understood is a vital first step.”

To raise awareness of the UDHR, Scientology volunteers in Munich, Germany helped produce an event featuring educational video presentations on the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration, accompanied by musical performances, and speeches by young activists on the impact of human rights violations on their own and others’ lives. In Sweden, Scientologists set up a booth on a walking street in the seaport city of Malmö where they collected hundreds of signatures on their petition calling for human rights education. In Florida, Scientologists participated in a walk for human rights and a human rights poetry workshop.

In Russia, the Church of Scientology in partnership with Youth for Human Rights and the Moscow chapter of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights held a Human Rights Day celebration at the Central House of Journalists in Moscow. More than a hundred human rights advocates, including representatives of a wide variety of religious groups, the country’s Human Rights Committee, the Moscow Police Department and a former ombudsman of the Russian Federation participated and coordinated their activities for the coming year.

Dozens of other events and petition drives were held across the United States and in Canada, Europe, India, Japan, South Africa and Kenya.

For more information on the human rights initiative of the Church of Scientology, visit the Scientology site at www.scientology.org.

Scientology Churches Celebrate Children’s Rights on 20th Anniversary of International Children’s Day

Scientologists work to guarantee human rights for all children

Scientology Churches and their members, from Australia to Zimbabwe and Canada to the Ukraine celebrate the rights of children by demanding action by private citizens and governments on International Children’s Day. Twenty years ago the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, yet millions of children still die each year from preventable causes.

Scientologists ask:

· If the Convention on the Rights of the Child guarantees freedom from want, why do almost 16,000 children die of malnutrition—one child every five seconds?

· If children have the right to life, why did nearly 10 million children die in 2006 before they reached their fifth birthday?

· Why did an estimated 2 million children lose at least one parent to AIDS in southern Africa in 2003, a number expected to rise to 18 million in the year 2010?

· Why have an estimated 20 million children been forced to flee their homes because of conflict and human rights violations?

· How could 10,000 children be killed or maimed last year by landmines? Why have more than 2 million children died and 6 million been permanently disabled or seriously injured through armed conflicts?

· How come 300,000 boys and girls under the age of 18 have been pressed into service as child soldiers?

· And why do one million children suffer from sexual exploitation every year?

Churches of Scientology believe the answer lies with each of us, that only when people know their rights and freedoms will they insist on their enforcement, not only for themselves but for others.

That is why Scientology Churches partner with Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) and United for Human Rights (UHR) in distributing the documentary The Story of Human Rights.

Released in June 2009 The Story of Human Rights is an educational tour de force, making the subject of human rights, its history and ramifications understandable to a very broad audience, used to getting their information as entertainment in this multimedia age. The film lays the responsibility for implementing human rights where it belongs—with each one of us, to fight for our own rights and the rights of others.

The Story of Human Rights explains that although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, “…it did not have the force of law. It was optional. And despite many more documents, conventions, treaties and laws, it is still little more than words on a page.”

The film ends with a hard-hitting appeal to the individual: “Those who fight today against torture, poverty and discrimination are not giants or superheroes. They are people—kids, mothers, fathers, teachers—free-thinking individuals who refuse to be silent, who realize that human rights are not a history lesson, they’re not words on a page, they’re not speeches or commercials or PR campaigns. They are the choices we make every day as human beings. They are the responsibility we all share, to respect each other, to help each other and to protect those in need.”

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard once wrote, “Human rights must be made a fact, not an idealistic dream.” Understanding human rights is the first step in bringing this about.

To sign a petition to mandate human rights education in schools in your country or to watch The Story of Human Rightsonline, visit www.humanrights.com. To learn more about the human rights education initiative of the Church of Scientology, visit the Scientology site.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Help Philippines Recover from Crushing Typhoon Season

Scientology Volunteer Ministers bring spiritual first-aid to Filipinos devastated by this year’s typhoons that left tens of thousands homeless.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology Mission of Manila responded with help throughout this year’s devastating typhoon season. Four deadly typhoons in a two-month period, the last hitting only last week, have caused damage to the sum of nearly 40 billion Philippine pesos (almost $900 million U.S. dollars), killed 961 and left tens of thousands stranded or living in shelters.

As soon as the first typhoon hit in late September, the staff and parishioners of the Mission of Manila donned their yellow shirts and moved out into the streets and shelters to bring spiritual first-aid in the form of Scientology Assists to those in need. Scientology Assists are techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress, trauma, illness and injury.

Philippines President Gloria Arroyo declared a “state of calamity.” The need for effective, fast disaster relief was immediate and immense. To answer these needs the Scientology Volunteer Ministers not only helped on a one-on-one basis, they also trained other volunteers and those stranded in shelters in simple techniques covered in the Scientology Handbook that enable people to overcome seemingly insurmountable barriers and get on with their lives.

“Scientology Assists are very easy to learn,” said Ms. Maria Rehyer, Scientology Volunteer Ministers Disaster Response Director. “In half an hour a person can learn enough to help family and friends recover from trauma, shock or injury.” Ms. Rehyer encourages anyone wishing to join the ranks of the 203,000 Scientology Volunteer Ministers to visit http://www.volunteerministers.org/#/courses, where they can enroll on free online courses to learn these techniques.

For more information e-mail the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Disaster Response Director at vm@volunteerministers.org or visit the Scientology Volunteer Ministers web site at www.volunteerministers.org.

Freedom on Global Illiteracy

Spotlight on Global Illiteracy

Humanitarian Leadership Artists Making a Difference The Last Samurai star and producer Tom Cruise helped open Applied Scholastics International's new global headquarters in Spanish Lake, Missouri (above) and is the chief sponsor of a lower Manhattan detoxification program, based on L. Ron Hubbard's discoveries, that is helping to rid New York fire and rescue vets of debilitating post-9/11 toxins. (See photo below.) Actresses Catherine Bell, Juliette Lewis, Anne Archer and Jenna Elfman (left to right above) have spoken out at major national forums on behalf of human rights and religious freedom for people of all creeds, colors and cultures. Bell and Archer have taken their protests of religious persecution in Europe before the U.S. House of Representatives; Lewis has marched with mothers, families and educators from across the country against psychiatric drugging of schoolchildren; and Elfman has advanced arts and education programs for inner-city youth throughout America (far right, with singer Isaac Hayes, Anne Archer and U.S. Congressman William Lacy Clay at the Applied Scholastics International headquarters grand opening).

Of primary concern, says Rev. Watson, are the widespread challenges in the nation's education system and the magnitude of social action needed to turn the rising illiteracy rates around. The tale is told in these grim facts: students in America are dropping out of school at a rate of 25 to 60 percent. Combine this with more than 90 million American adults functionally illiterate, and “it is long past the time where any of us can ignore it,” she said.

“As a society we can no longer afford to depend on the existing 'solutions,' or leave it to our governments to solve these issues, they are concerns that affect all of us,” she said.

She said Scientologist celebrities and friends in a wide range of professional fields have responded to this urgency and have been working together for decades to establish literacy programs that use Mr. Hubbard's discoveries to help people overcome any and all barriers to learning:

“Today, through the combined efforts of many individuals, our literacy programs are bringing that help to 54 nations,” Rev. Watson explains. “We're working at the grassroots level to provide an actual technology that teaches one how to study and so allows one to be educated in any subject.

“You'll find these programs in the inner cities through mentoring programs operating under the banner of the 'World Literacy Crusade' and in tutoring programs right down the street on Hollywood Boulevard, where supposedly 'lost' and 'hopeless' children and adults have not only learned to read, but are now teaching others to do so as well.”

That program, the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project (H.E.L.P.), has grown to 26 centers in 21 cities across four countries. Spearheaded by Celebrity Centre parishioners, H.E.L.P. was established through a partnership with several social agencies that studied the measurable results of Mr. Hubbard's learning methods.

Honored Guests Applaud Good Works

And it was those tracking these results who applaud the real “doers” in society.

Six-term U.S. House member, Xavier Becerra (R-CA) praised the contributions of Scientologists, stating, “As a representative of the people, my job is made infinitely easier when the people are involved, and they take action, an active role in making a difference. That's how the system works best. I applaud you, your efforts and your undying commitment to protect the rights of those who cannot fight for themselves. Thank you and keep the flame of freedom burning brightly.”

Former NAACP regional executive director and executive producer of the NAACP's Image Awards, Ernestine Peters, is one who does not take education for granted. Coming from a family of 10 children growing up in segregated Memphis, Tennessee, she has made it her business to make education a fundamental human right available to all. She is renowned for her tireless community service and is recognized as a crusader for human rights.

“I am using these skills — working with the World Literacy Crusade — to make L. Ron Hubbard's learning technology available to as many people as possible in more than just the inner cities,” she explained. “If we arm our people with the tech, we will be able to gain the ground we seek. We will creatively develop and expand our various programs in the communities. We will indeed build on a willing audience that we will then train to accept and apply that technology and thus drastically improve the quality of life.

“It's the most rewarding thing I've ever done. The highlight of my life is to have been touched by the genius of L. Ron Hubbard,” she concluded. “Thank you for taking the dream — and finding the way to make it a reality.”

New York Firefighters Acknowledge Mr. Hubbard

At Celebrity Centre International FDNY veterans Izzy Miranda and Joe Higgins, who presented a symbolic firefighter's helmet to Mr. Hubbard on behalf of FDNY and other emergency vets taking part in the detoxification program.

Even New York Fire Department veterans have traveled cross country to present the results of programs initiated on their behalf by community-minded Scientologists and affiliated groups.

Israel Miranda and Joe Higgins were intimately involved in the rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero. They traveled to Hollywood specifically to tell their story to the Celebrity Centre gathering — how their health, deteriorating since the collapse of the Twin Towers, had been completely restored by a detoxification program developed in the late 1970s by L. Ron Hubbard. They and more than 200 colleagues have personally benefited from Mr. Hubbard's discovery of methods that dislodge “toxic residues” from the body's fatty tissues.

Determined to bring this technology to those now suffering from Ground Zero's aftermath, it was producer/actor Tom Cruise who helped establish a detoxification facility just two blocks from Ground Zero in downtown Manhattan, making it possible for rescue personnel and other survivors to avail themselves of this program.

Miranda, health and safety coordinator for the FDNY's Uniformed Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, represents an emergency medical organization that answers more than 1.2 million calls every year. About his personal experience with the program, he said, “Shortly after I heard about the Hubbard detox program, I knew it was a no-brainer for New York City.” He explained that, after learning of the potential results from the program, he put a colleague on it — a paramedic who had been in excellent health up until September 11, 2001.

“After 9/11, his health took a dive and he ended up on several drugs, he couldn't breathe, his life was falling apart, he was facing forced retirement,” Miranda said. “Within days of going through the Hubbard detoxification program he was off all medications. Prior to the program he had missed 79 days of work since 9/11.”

It has now been over a year since he went through the program, says Miranda, "and he has missed zero days; he's on zero medications."

Accompanying him to LA was Joe Higgins, one of the most highly regarded FDNY members, a trainer of more than 4,000 firefighters and a man who has fought more than 1,000 fires.

“We just started delivering this program to our 150th rescue worker in N-Y-C,” Higgins said. “We only have 49,850 to go — and we are going to do it, because I am obligated to make sure that everybody that wants to do this program has the opportunity to do it.

“Why?” he asked. “Because I feel good. And so should they!”

Miranda and Higgins presented an honorary FDNY fire helmet, its inscription reading, “To our brother, L. Ron Hubbard, from your brothers at the New York City Fire Department: We honor you with this helmet, a symbol of our motto, to protect life and property,' which the legacy of your technology embodies.”

Community Activism Nurtured

A number of celebrity Scientologists voice their personal thanks to Celebrity Centre and Scientology — not only for helping them, but also for giving them the ability to truly help others.

Says E! News Daily anchorwoman, Gina St. John, “You come to Celebrity Centre and you find out that not only can you be an excellent artist, you can be of value to your community, you can do good things for yourself and others constantly, create your own universe the way you want and when you portray a character on film or on television, you can portray the kind of character you can respect and admire and other people can see it too.”

Adds actor Jeff Pomerantz, “Celebrity Centre

International is revitalizing the artists who not only realize their own dreams, but reach out with Mr. Hubbard's technology to create a better world where man is free to rise to greater heights.”

And actress Jennifer Aspen speaks of the spirit of help she has been able to tap as a Scientologist. “Scientology has changed my entire life,” she said. “I am happy, I can communicate, I can be an artist; I don't have to be all confused in the pains of life; I can actually go out there and help other people and I am so happy, and so grateful for that.”

Celebrity Centre International this year celebrates its 35th anniversary, as well as the 75th anniversary of the historic Hollywood setting for the Hollywood church: The Manor Hotel for Scientologists.

Twelve Celebrity Centre churches exist in the world's cultural centers, including New York, Paris, Vienna, London and Nashville. All Celebrity Centres, like all churches of Scientology, are open to the public.

All Celebrity Centres work with artists and community leaders whose broad visions for social enhancement are essential for the positive progression of society. Their purpose derives from L. Ron Hubbard's 1951 statement: “A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists.”

The Church of Scientology's Planetary Social Betterment Campaigns

The global devastation and human misery wrought by drug abuse, human rights violations, moral decay and natural and manmade disasters is unmistakable. They threaten to rip the social fabric to shreds and in many parts of the world these societal ills have already caused seemingly irreparable damage.

What is conspicuously lacking in combating these virtually apocalyptic scenarios are readily available, easily assimilated and rapidly distributable tools—tools to raise awareness, tools to educate and tools to activate.

In recognition of the fact that mass communication in the modern world would hinge largely on audiovisual delivery capability, Mr. David Miscavige moved the Scientology religion into the multimedia age with the establishment of state-of-the-art studio facilities at Golden Era Productions.

Under Mr. Miscavige’s direction, that multimedia capacity has now been brought to bear on the global problems attendant to drug abuse, human rights violations and moral decay.

The Church of Scientology’s revolutionary social betterment programs in the fields of drug education, human rights awareness, moral resurgence and disaster relief now stand in testament of that focus. They are utterly unique, indisputably cutting edge and most importantly—effective.

The pattern is wholly consistent:

• Create aesthetically powerful public service announcements that communicate the core issues in direct terms that anyone can understand so as to raise public awareness.
• Freely distribute these announcements both for broadcast on the Internet and television as well as to like-minded organizations.
• Follow up with longer-form video properties that can be used to educate.
• Create educational material and curriculums that can be used to further enlighten and empower those in need.
• Make all of it freely accessible on the World Wide Web.
• Allow all interested individuals, groups and governments to make the campaign their own.
• And in this way create a global force for common good, uniting all in overcoming societal ills that plague this planet.

This is the fundamental pattern, and it was both conceived and inspired by Mr. Miscavige himself—right down to the finest details of scripting, production, post production, sound mixing and manufacture on DVD for mass distribution. What follows here are the statistics and accomplishments of the global social betterment campaigns of the Scientology religion.

This is what can be done when one man, driven to achieve the vision the religious Founder entrusted to him, with the full support of the religious movement he leads, extends the hand of indiscriminate help to others.

More at: http://www.freedommag.org

Church of Scientology Decision Protecting Religious Freedom in European Court of Human Rights

Today, the European Court of Human Rights ruled unanimously in favor of two Scientology religious groups in Russia, finding that they have the right to be registered as religious organizations under Russian law. This decision determines that members of the Church of Scientology of Surgut and the Church of Scientology of Nizhnekamsk have the right to religious freedom and freedom of association pursuant to Articles 9 and 11 of the European Human Rights Convention.

The Church’s human rights counsel, Bill Walsh, stated: “The judgment of the European Court of Human Rights today is a great victory for religious freedom in Russia and in all 47 member countries of the Council of Europe. The case is given the highest rating of importance by the Court itself as it effectively kills the repressive 15 Year Rule, denying religious organizations rights until they have existed in the country for 15 years. Moreover, the ruling will have great impact on countries throughout the European Community that have passed similar restrictions to repress religious freedom. So it is not only a victory for religious freedom in Russia, but for religious freedom everywhere in the Council of Europe.”

In 1997, the Russian government passed laws preventing religious organizations from forming legally unless they could prove they had been in existence in their respective state(s) for 15 years. Such a law obviously discriminates against religions not established in a state for 15 years and has now been ruled as unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights.

In reaching this decision, the Court “established that the applicants were unable to obtain recognition and effective enjoyment of their rights to freedom of religion and association in any organisational form. The first applicant could not obtain registration of the Scientology group as a non-religious legal entity because it was considered to be a religious community by the Russian authorities. The applications for registration as a religious organisation submitted by the first and second applicants as founders of their respective groups… were denied by reference to the insufficient period of the groups’ existence. Finally, the restricted status of a religious group for which they qualified… conveyed no practical or effective benefits to them as such a group was deprived of legal personality, property rights and the legal capacity to protect the interests of its members and was also severely hampered in the fundamental aspects of its religious functions.¨ Accordingly, the Court finds that there has been an interference with the applicants’ rights under Article 9 interpreted in the light of Article 11.”

Along with the recent decision of the Court in favor of the right of the Moscow Church of Scientology to be registered as a religious organization under the Religion law, these cases represent precedent-setting rulings that guarantee the freedom of religion and right of association for Scientologists and people of all faiths throughout the 47 nations that comprise the Council of Europe.

The Court concluded that “In the light of the foregoing considerations, the Court finds that the interference with the applicants’ rights to freedom of religion and association cannot be said to have been “necessary in a democratic society.” There has therefore been a violation of Article 9 of the Convention, interpreted in the light of Article 11.”

The Russian Scientology Church in St. Petersburg also has cases pending in the European Court of Human Rights for similar discriminatory harassment concerning their registration.

The Scientology religion was founded by L. Ron Hubbard. The first church was established in the United States in 1954. It has grown to more than 8,000 churches, missions and groups and millions of members in 165 nations. The Russian Federation has more than 70 Scientology Churches and missions from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok.

For more information about Scientology, see www.scientology-moscow.ru or www.scientology.org.

New Church for Sunderland

I am so impressed with the renderings for the new Church of Scientology of Sunderland! It's actually in Newcastle in the UK -- not to far from where the Sunderland org is now.

With the inspiration and leadership of David Miscavige, the Scientology religion is really making its presence felt in the 21st Century.

David Miscavige -- the Peacemaker

Great article in the latest Freedom Magazine online.

Called "David Miscavige the Peacemaker."

Here's an excerpt:

“IT IS HUBBARD, AFTER ALL, WHOSE WORDS MISCAVIGE will heed as he tries to improve Scientology's standing in Clearwater and around the world. Ten of them are inscribed on his boardroom wall: 'Ideas and not battles mark the forward progress of mankind.'”

With these words, S.P. Times reporter Tom Tobin closed his October 25, 1998, profile of David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center, the Church body responsible for safeguarding the purity of the Scientology religion.

Read the whole article here.

Scientology Tour Helps Benin Orphans

Scientology volunteers work with Benin humanitarian group to improve the quality of care for orphans in the City of Djougou

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour, which travels throughout western Africa offering seminars, courses and one-on-one help for people throughout the region, has provided training to orphanage administrators in the city of Djougou, teaching effective solutions to the challenges they face in improving the quality of care in their facilities.

An estimated 340,000 Benin youth are orphans, with no anticipated decrease in the short term. In the first half of this decade the number of AIDS orphans—children who have lost either one or both parents to AIDS—in Benin more than doubled, from an estimated 23,000 in the year 2000 to some 62,000 in 2005, and the prediction is that this will only continue to escalate. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Agency for International Development have predicted that by the end of the decade, 20 million children in Africa will lose one or both parents to AIDS.

To effectively address issues related to parentless children, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers partnered with a non-profit group responsible for 28 orphanages in the City of Djougou. The Volunteer Ministers delivered “The Raising of Children” seminar for orphanage administrators, presenting procedures and practices, developed by humanitarian and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, that can be applied to improve the quality of care of children in these institutions.

The orphan care initiative is just one in Benin, an emerging nation whose Gross Domestic Product ranks 159 of 177 nations. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour offers seminars and workshops free of charge to any non-profit group or government agency on increasing efficiency, improving communication skills and organizing to increase production.

Scientology volunteers also trained nurses at a local clinic to use Scientology Assists, techniques that provide relief and speed recovery from emotional or physical trauma. They also gave a drug education seminar to a local youth group and a workshop to a women’s association on how to resolve conflicts and save marriages.

In addition to seminars in community locations, the volunteer ministers provided small-group training and one-on-one counseling at their big yellow tent, where visitors could select from 19 courses ranging from “Assists for Illnesses and Injuries” to “Tools for the Workplace.” These free courses are also available online at the Scientology Volunteer Ministers website.

David Miscavige presents: Restoring L. Ron Hubbards Lectures

Restoring L. Ron Hubbard Lectures

In the 1950s, L. Ron Hubbard delivered hundreds of lectures to Dianeticists and Scientologists, each expanding on some aspect of the corresponding book. Although recorded, many of these lectures had never been broadly available due to lack of reproduction facilities in the Church's formative years. An earlier project had scoured the cities where the lectures were delivered—Los Angeles, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Wichita, London, Melbourne, Johannesburg—and rounded up all known original recordings. But mass reproduction was still hindered by the poor quality of many of the originals or by their deterioration over the years. Factually, despite various restoration attempts through the years, many of the lectures had never been heard since the day they were delivered.

By the turn of the 21st century, however, computer and digital technology had advanced dramatically, and the painstaking work was begun anew—this time with result. But even then, to achieve the quality befitting the content, the Church continually pushed boundaries of existing audio technology and thereby established the world's most sophisticated sound restoration studios. Tens of thousands of hours later, the project had successfully restored hundreds of hours of previously missing, distorted or inaudible recordings. The net result was the recovery of an enormous body of Scientology Scripture for today and forever.

This monumental undertaking in research, verification, editorial and audio was directed at every step by Mr. Miscavige. From this came the most dramatic achievement in the Church's history: recovery of the very foundations of the Scientology religion. Eighteen books by L. Ron Hubbard, perfect in every detail; the corresponding lecture series for each book, 280 lectures in all, produced inhouse on CD; each lecture series including verified transcripts and supplemental references; and each book and lecture series containing a massive glossary, defining words as Mr. Hubbard used them to ensure understanding by any listener. And to cap it all, every book and lecture was reproduced and released in the world's 15 major languages.

And that is why this is truly a Golden Age of Knowledge for every Scientologist.

As Mr. Miscavige summed it up: "And just in case you missed it—we are not speaking of 'corrected' manuscripts. Not 'newly verified' manuscripts. And definitely not just 'repackaged.' What we are speaking of is 100 percent unadulterated SOURCE."

To know that they are receiving the actual material from the source of the Scientology religion, L. Ron Hubbard, is the primary goal of every Scientologist. And Mr. Miscavige made it possible.

The Basics Create Demand for Dianetics and Scientology

The release of the basic books and lectures means that every Scientologist can now study the foundation of the Scientology religion easily, rapidly and in chronological sequence, thereby gaining an unprecedented understanding of the religion and its application to life. Tens of thousands of Scientologists have done just that.

As but one measure of its impact, in the 50 years prior to the release of The Basics, a total of 39 million copies of L. Ron Hubbard's written and spoken works on Dianetics and Scientology were in circulation. Since release—that is, in the last two years alone—more than 60 million L. Ron Hubbard books and lectures are in the hands of readers.

With all of those materials available in 15 languages, and the most basic of them in 50 languages, the total number of Dianetics and Scientology translations over the last decade is 10 times the previous five decades. In recognition of just that, the Guinness Book of Records has acknowledged L. Ron Hubbard as the world's most translated author.

But, of course, the real significance of the basic Dianetics and Scientology materials can only be measured in terms of people's lives. Whether to better one's ability to get along with others, mend a broken marriage, acquire artistic skill or improve job performance through increased competence—not to mention the attainment of total spiritual freedom—the books and lectures of Scientology contain principles that millions have applied to achieve their goals.

(More in Freedom Magazine)

Meeting the Demand for Scientology Materials

Bridge Publications is the world’s largest all-digital, print-on-demand publishing house.

New facilities can print 500,000 books and 925,000 compact discs a week

Since release of the Dianetics and Scientology Basic Books and Lectures in 2007, Scientologists have flooded into their churches in greater numbers than ever. Demand for the materials has grown exponentially and, as parishioners have progressed through those books and lectures, the numbers of new people coming in to find out about Scientology have likewise grown. Indeed, the Scientology religion is now enjoying its greatest expansion era in history, with public demand for L. Ron Hubbard books and lectures escalating across more than 200 nations, 150 cultures and in some 50 languages.

Meeting that demand required facilities to provide books and lectures in any language, any quantity, with adequate speed and economy—no matter if 500 copies of a title in Swahili for Uganda or 1 million in English. No conventional printing house would serve—not with a 2,500-lecture library times 50 languages. Time frames could never be met and printing costs for a relatively small number of books for new pioneer areas would prove entirely prohibitive.

A new publishing strategy was needed and, under the direction of Mr. Miscavige, that strategy was developed and put in place in early 2007—even prior to release of The Basics.

Mr. Miscavige directed that all books and lecture CDs be produced inhouse, the entire line from inception to distribution: printing, foiling, embossing, laminating, CD replication, packaging and shipping. Housed in massive new headquarters, the Church’s publishing arms are now the world’s largest all-digital, print-on-demand facilities. Their precision operation is visited regularly by industry leaders as a model of innovation and efficiency.

Bridge Publications manufactures all Dianetics and Scientology books, lectures and course packs for the Americas, Asia and the rest of the world, except Europe and the United Kingdom which are under the purview of New Era Publications in Copenhagen, Denmark. In combination, Bridge and New Era can print 500,000 books and 925,000 compact discs a week. Annually, that amounts to 26 million books and 48 million CDs.

Add in paperbacks and course packs, and the printed pages placed end to end would extend to the moon and back.

With digital printing and print-on-demand, production has soared and keeps pace with the demand. Eighty million L. Ron Hubbard books and lectures have been distributed in the past five years alone, more than in the previous 50 years—and 60 million in just the past two years.

Moreover, with all Mr. Hubbard’s religious works now available to anyone the world over, what has ensued is no less than a renaissance for the Scientology religion.

Cool Story on Scientololgy Volunteer Ministers in India

Scientology Volunteer Ministers, Nick and Erin, traveled to Kolkata, India in an effort to make a difference.

Every year, 26 million children reach school age in India. With this, the problem of education in a severely overcrowded school system becomes even more unmanageable. Despite increased school enrollment, some estimate that as many as 50% of India’s children do not attend school. That’s more than 150 million kids.

Time to bring out the Volunteer Ministers! As Church of Scientology leader, David Miscavige, described the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program: “The final word, as regards our front-line work bringing our help wherever and whenever needed is our corps of Scientology Volunteer Ministers — on call, 24 hours a day in scores of nations.”

“Slumdog Millionaire opened our eyes to the horrible conditions in India. We decided to go there and volunteer in the slums and we funded it ourselves,” said Erin.

“We thought if we could bring help there to some of the children who had no formal education and no real hope in life, at least that would be doing something about it,” said Nick.

While in India, Nick and Erin documented their work in the slums to communicate an accurate view of living conditions in India. “We wanted to let people back home know what it’s REALLY like living here, and through raising awareness get more help to the people here, especially the children,” reflected Nick.

These two young Scientology Volunteer Ministers helped teach English and mathematics to the slum children. They used study technology developed by L. Ron Hubbard to helping the kids improve their learning.

“Mr. Hubbard discovered that the first barrier to study is not having the real thing there that you are studying about. The real things or the object that you study are called mass,” said Erin “So, for example, we made sure the kids had things they could actually count with, 5 little wooden blocks lets say that represented the number 5, so they didn’t have to do it all in their heads. They liked that!”

“Conditions here are the worst of the worst,” they wrote to their friends. “It’s been just a continual amazement to both of us that there have been such magical moments, and bright smiling faces in amongst everything else. With all that’s going on in the world it can be very easy to get wrapped up in one’s own problems,” they continued. “The truth is that there are so many people in need of help and with far worse conditions than most can possible imagine. We decided to turn our efforts toward others for a few months and make a difference.”

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program visit their web site at www.volunteerministers.org or the Scientology Video Channel.

Scientology Blogoshere - recent posts

Here is a selection of some of the best recent posts on the Scientology Blogosphere:

TipsForSuccess: "How to Spend Money" - An interesting title for these economic times and the article is very appropriate. So if you want to spend your money wisely, read this article.
How Sushi Ate the World - An article from anthropologist whose main interest is food.
FDA Demands Big Pharma Stop Misleading Ads on Google, Yahoo - Drug ads get on my nerves. But now Big Pharma has to stop misleading the public on the Internet.
Purpose of this Blog - Why does Julia blog about Scientology?
Antipsychotic drug prescriptions for children down 75% in Florida in one year - Good news for kids in Florida.
Little Songs From A Big World - Andrea Gerak performs in Budapest
What is a Problem? - Can understanding what a problem is help you to do something about it?
Be Kind Rewind - Desi tells us about a very nasty person in her past and what this taught her about how to treat others.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Tamil Nadu

They came to help during a disaster and stayed to continue that help.

Read the story of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Tamil Nadu