This really is the most disgusting thing I've seen recently about the Church of Scientology: Their reaction to the Haiti earthquake.
The actions of the Church of Scientology are dispicable, in the extreme.
The Church of Scientology provides no money towards the victims in Haiti. None. Not one penny. The church supplies no food, no water, no medicine, no building materials, no personnel, no expertise, nothing for Haiti.
But they claim, in their press releases, that their Volunteer Ministers are "a major relief agency" helping in Haiti. If they do nothing, how can they claim this?
John Travolta supplied an airplane, not the church. Individual Scientologists volunteered to go using their own money. As usual, the Church of Scientology did nothing.
Along with a few untrained Scientology "Volunteer Ministers", Travolta offered a lift to health-care workers from the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad and from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Those other non-Scientology groups were sending trained medical personnel and the Scientologists were completely untrained. And yet, in a most disgusting bit of lying, the Church of Scientology is actually claiming they sent the medical personnel!
As is usual, the Church of Scientology volunteers showed up at the disaster without food, without medicine, without supplies, without equipment, without shelter, without expertise -- so they are a burden on resources already stretched very, very thin. As is usual, the Volunteer Ministers make the situation worse by requiring food and shelter that should be going to the victims!
But they have bright yellow t shirts that show up well for the Church of Scientology photographer! Yes, while the Volunteer Ministers are useless to real relief agencies, they are very useful to the Church of Scientology's PR department.
But, as disgusting as all this is, the Church of Scientology's response to this disaster is much, much worse.
The Church of Scientology is officially urging all Scientologists to "help Haiti by giving to the IAS (International Association of Scientologists)". Not to any legitimate relief agency. No, Scientologists must help Haiti by "giving to the IAS".
And the IAS has not ever given a penny to any disaster relief effort. The IAS will never give a penny to any disaster relief. The money goes to David Miscavige. Period. Last I checked, David Miscavige wasn't in Haiti and didn't need any assistance.
Yes, the Church of Scientology is using the Haiti disaster to make money! They are profiting on human suffering!
But wait, there is more!
Bridge Publications, the publisher of Scientology books, is urging Scientologists to buy Scientology books to "send to Haiti"! Scientologists are not being urged to pay for food or water or medicine or shelter for Haiti. No, they are being urged to pay for Scientology books to Haiti!
But get this: Bridge Publications is charging full price for these donated books, meaning Bridge Publications is making full profit on all the books. They are profiting on human suffering!
Further, judging by how Bridge Publications handles donated books (Library Program, Mission Starter Program), those donated books will never be shipped. Of course the books are useless to Haitians, but it is highly likely that Bridge Publications will simply keep all the money. Profit!
Yes, the Church of Scientology has reacted quickly and decisively on the Haitian disaster -- they are making millions of dollars of profit, generating many nice press releases for the church, without having to spend a single penny, nor actually help anyone.
All decent people, including Scientologists, should add their voice to absolutely condemn the Church of Scientology for their disgusting greed in the face of such human suffering.
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oh Bill, good post (as always! but it gets worse...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ny1.com/8-queens-news-content/top_stories/112541/boarding-mixup-grounds-medical-mission-to-haiti
They left the doctors & nurses at JFK & took their supplies!
@AnonLover
ReplyDeleteOh, Jeez! The Church of Scientology was so busy taking credit for the good work of others, they neglected to actually do the little that they'd promised to do -- potentially sabotaging the good work that others were attempting!
Come on, Church of Scientology! If you aren't going to help (and we know you won't) at least stop sabotaging the help others are attempting!
I would hope that by this point other relief organizations have gotten wind of the way the Scientology VMs operate, and might try a bit harder to keep the VMs at arm's length so they won't get in the way while they pose for photo ops.
ReplyDeleteAt least the US military had the good sense to bar the VMs from entering the Port au Prince hospital.
Yes! This is disgusting to the extreme. But so true to their nature. When my own brother (a long term Scn) had terminal cancer, he was being called to buy books, by his own son (still an SO member)!! I found this so gag provoking I could hardly contain my disgust. Was Scn there for him when he needed help and support? Of course not, he was thrown to the side and it was his non-scn family who stepped up to care for him to the end. This "church" is only interested in stats and money, not in helping the sick or needy. They make me sick.
ReplyDeleteI hope mainstream media will start reporting on what's really going on with Scientology's "disaster relief".
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile we wait for the inevitable claims from Scientology that THEY donated these supplies, not the true medical professionals left at the airport. (An "oversight", I'm sure).
Rachel99
Well said Bill. The Church of Scamology has no pride and knows no shame. Karma is not an option and this will all catch up with them sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteLet's not get carried away and focus on the facts: The IAS is "the greatest force for good this planet has ever known", so they deserve every penny to better Earth. Should they fail to salvage Haiti, the OTs will make it go right. Remember, they brought down the Berlin Wall and dissolved the Soviet Empire. I kid you not!
ReplyDeleteBTW: JUst Bill, do you believe in Karma?
Once I recall a long term SO had to undergo an operation. The SH size Class IV where he worked did nothing to help. He had to ask for free physician help, free hospital room, free lodging after surgery all from the society and if they do not take care of their own fine execs, what to expect about others?
ReplyDeleteThanks all for your comments and additions. Yes, I really don't understand how current Scientologists can reconcile their beliefs with what they actually see. What really goes on in the church is a vast, uncaring disdain for real people, real problems, real suffering. This is not an organization anyone should be supporting.
ReplyDeleteRe: Karma
If you mean some fundamental, cosmic law, I don't know. All I know for sure is that when I do good, I feel good; when I do harm, I feel bad; and I believe my life is better as I do more good.
When I see what David Miscavige does, I certainly hope that Karma exists. I know that Miscavige isn't feeling good -- anyone who drinks as much alcohol as he does every day is definitely feeling a lot of pain.
All of the above is why I now have to believe that not ALL Scientologists came to or stay with the CoS for idealistic reasons.
ReplyDeleteThey're not blind or stupid. I think they like the kickass, "we're the greatest" hype and don't care that it never materializes any results for society. After all, the Scientology storyline is that only a few will make it, right? Clearing the planet means ruling over it, isn't that correct?
It's personal and anecdotal, but over 30 years of close up observation, I'd say my brother and his wife found the CoS attitudes and behavior to perfectly suit their own lack of compassion, need to feel superior to everybody else, and fear of just about everything in life.
They never changed, only now in their new small town, they don't let ANYBODY know they are Scientologists.
I met a few cool people in Scientology, idealistic, kind, ethical, but in general I met people ready to lie, ready to rationalize, and ready to do just about anything to keep that fanatical, "I'm right" gleam in their eyes. I have to ask myself, too, if it wasn't fear and a need to bolster myself that led me into CoS. I'm sure it had a lot to do with it.
Well put. Bill. I hope our friend Baca picks up on this and exposes them for the low-lifes we all know they are. If you know how to forward this info to him I hope you will. By the bye, Anonomomily needs your help getting something posted on Topix as a thread. I wish I knew how, but I'm just an old fart with minimal computer skills. Keep up the good work, and remember, KSE- Keep scientology Exposed! Mad dog 54
ReplyDeleteDon't worry Bill, I'm sure the Freewinds will come to the rescue...
ReplyDeleteMy husband works in corporate aviation, and the weekly publications in that industry made mention of which corporate jets were volunteered to deliver humanitarian aid and doctors to Haiti. Not one of these companies have been in the mainstream media, tooting their own horn. When I saw the clip of JT and wife waving from their plane, it made me sick. This disaster is not a photo op, but it seems that the COS feels the need to use it as such. I left a year ago. Will never go back, and I don't use the word never lightly.
ReplyDeleteVulture Ministers FTW! Or how about a new moniker for Miscavige's PR squad? MISCAVENGERS.
ReplyDeleteQuite a few genuinely want to help, and they go to disasters sites on their own dime, but some are bragging about how they interfere with the work of real professionals - like trauma consultants. It's sickening that they take advantage of the situation, (mis)scavenging for people overwhelmed with pain and grief. Haiti suffered enough under their French colonial masters, now they're targeted by an organisation that promises total freedom and delivers the opposite. Sad!
Interesting to hear how other corporations are sending their jets down there with supplies and doctors and aren't clamoring to look good or just plain normal. I wonder if it was even Travolta's idea in the first place to fly his 707 down there. I bet he got "regged" for it. Or perhaps he was convinced he is in a "condition" and needs to "make amends."
ReplyDeleteI am so sick of this operating basis of the church's, all the pure bullshit hype, all the chest thumping and horn-blowing and 40-ft, gold, styrofoam columns and 5lb. glossy, full-color puff pieces for the IAS taking credit for any good thing being done by anyone anywhere. And still they contribute nothing, produce nothing, help no one. And scientologists continue to pay and pay and pay.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, every day there are fewer and fewer scientologists who are willing and able to pay.
At some point, and I hope it's soon because I'm tired of being made nauseous by this stuff, it will become obvious to the few, remaining deep-pockets that there's nobody else around to admire their IAS status, and sitting in the front row at events will lose it's prestige when the enire audience fits into that one row.
At that point, it will become interesting again.
Wake me up when that happens, OK?
if you want to know what the VM's are up to check the "Why we Protest" site
ReplyDelete"Haiti charity scam" thread
Dear Just Bill,
ReplyDeleteI may have to disagree with you on this one. I have a friend who was going to go to Haiti as a VM and IAS was going to pick up her tab. Also I have heard that the IAS is funding "tent cities" and funding 2 flights a week of doctors and medical supplies.
That sounds like real help to me.
@Ann
ReplyDeleteInteresting information, I'm a bit surprised, but it really doesn't significantly change what is going on.
First, this is still the Church of Scientology working things so it can claim they are "supplying doctors" when they are only transporting someone else's doctors.
Second, do you know what it means when the IAS "funds" something? It means public Scientologists have supplied the money for these things. The Church of Scientology still has not and will not open up its wallet and pay to help others.
Knowing the church, I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that the IAS didn't use a single penny of its enormous cache of money either, but instead "regged" public Scientologists for new donations to pay for this.
But the bottom line is that it's all PR. Look at the real groups doing real relief work! Look at real churches who run hospitals to help people every single day of the year. Look at real churches that run shelters every single day of the year. Look at real churches that have doctors and other medical personnel, medical supplies, food, shelter, clothing, paid for by the church and ready to go in such emergencies. And these churches don't run big public relations campaign to brag about what they are doing, they just do it.
But the Church of Scientology, in contrast, does absolutely nothing to help poor, destitute, desperate people except when there is an opportunity for some press releases.
Look at what the church does and when it does it. Look at how the church then tries to claim the good work of others for its own. Haiti is a "big PR opportunity" to "improve the church's image" -- and that's all it is.
I don't knock the public Scientologists who volunteer, they do it out of the goodness of their hearts. But the callous, opportunistic, lying actions of the Church of Scientology disgust me.
@Ann
ReplyDeleteOr, to put it more succinctly: What happens if TV cameras are not there?
The real relief agencies are still helping people all around the world, in small disasters and troubled times. The real churches are also helping people with food, clothing, shelter, clinics.
The Church of Scientology isn't there to "help" if there are no TV cameras. They show up around the world when they can make a buck.
The real relief agencies are there at the big disasters as well, but they don't dress up in bright clothing with their church name emblazoned for "good advertising value". They do their good work anonymously. Not the Church of Scientology.
The difference in motivation is very, very clear.
Disasters are just big PR events for the Church of Scientology.
Wow! Okay, I get it and have to admit you made your point in spades. You nailed it. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteFYI: For clarity's sake "Squash Lady" is also "Ann". It's a long story how that happened.
I'm pretty shocked to know about the intentions of Church of Scientology. People who are associated with church are generally peace loving creatures. God bless America!
ReplyDeleteYeah, the Church of Scientology is pretty bad. Of course, it's a "church" only as a legal trick.
DeletePlease note that most Scientologists are good intentioned people. When they realize what the church is doing, they leave.