Another Scientology monument to L. Ron Hubbard is going up in besieged Clearwater

 
Rod Keller has your first look inside the newest Scientology behemoth in Florida!

Scientologists in Clearwater, Florida have been informed that the empty lot between the Super Power building and the parking garage can no longer be used for parking. The long wait is over, construction on L. Ron Hubbard Hall is about to start. We reported last year on the fundraising efforts to build the 4,000-seat theater, and we have a few more details about the project now that the project has been approved by the planning department. The hall will have more seating than the 2,180-seat Ruth Eckerd Hall usually rented for major Scientology events.

 
The lobby area will have a large number 8, or infinity symbol chandelier. Infinity turned on its side is the number 8, and L. Ron Hubbard defined its use in the book Scientology 8-8008. “The original definition of Scientology 8-8008 was the attainment of infinity by the reduction of the apparent infinity and power of the MEST universe to a zero for himself, and the increase of the apparent zero of one’s own universe to an infinity for oneself.”

 
The words of L. Ron Hubbard will be prominent on the walls, including a quote from the Scientology Code of Honor, “Your integrity to yourself is more important than your body.” “You Are Truth” is a quote from Hubbard in the 1962 policy The Road to Truth, and “Life is not much worth living if it cannot be enjoyed,” is a quote from The Attributes of a Clear.

 
When it was first announced the building was to serve a dual purpose as theater and museum. We can’t find any space set aside for the museum in the approved plans, so perhaps there is another Scientology building being planned for the downtown area.

 
The planning process considers how the building will impact surrounding land owners. Since Scientology owns the land on three sides of the lot, that approval was easy. The design is not in the Spanish revival style of other downtown landmarks, but some design elements are intended to complement the Super Power building next door.

 
Scientology makes an amusing claim in the planning documents, that the LRH Hall will lead to increased interest for development in the downtown Clearwater area. There is no interest in developing downtown specifically because of the domination by Scientology. This project makes non-Scientology development less likely than ever, even with the Imagine Clearwater waterfront project being promoted to bring residents and visitors to downtown.

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Speaking of approvals, the owners of the proposed Narconon Birch Run in Michigan are confusing the neighbors. This week a sign went up announcing “Pierce Cemetery” where the Narconon sign once stood. At the same time they have resubmitted their zoning application to open under the “Foster Care Facility Group Home” permitted use. The cemetery is an old family plot that predates the current owners. If it ever opens, Birch Run will be the only Narconon in the world with its own burial yard. The sign has since been removed.

 
Missing from the application is any description of Scientology’s Narconon program, the long-duration saunas, the overdoses of vitamins, the staring for hours, the yelling at ashtrays. This appeal is to the township zoning board which is not responsible for the license required in Michigan to operate a drug rehab. If Birch Run approves the site, the next step will be to apply for a Substance Abuse Program License.

 
— Rod Keller

 
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When Scientology front groups get caught acting stupid

You may have seen some press about an incident that happened recently in Cyprus. We asked our man in Greece, Thodoris Chondrogiannos, for his description of what happened. Thodoris was the author of a well-done two-part series about Scientology in the Greek world.

On January 30, the Foundation for a Drug-Free World participated in a meeting of the Education Committee of the Parliament of Cyprus and made a startling claim: A secondary school’s cafeteria had provided students with illicit drugs.

The accusation sparked serious worries in the school community. The Union of Parents for secondary schools asked the Cyprus Police and the Ministry of Education to investigate the case and to guarantee the safety of the students. “Our common goal is to guarantee the safety of the students and we ask that all the people in charge take all the necessary actions to protect our children,” the Union said in a statement.

A spokesman for Cyprus Police, Stelios Sergidis, said that they hadn’t received any official complaint regarding drugs in any of the country’s schools. “After the end of the meeting, I personally asked to know which was the school and we immediately gave orders for the investigation of the case,” he said on a Cyprus radio station.

He saved some criticism for Drug-Free World, saying it should have been more concrete about its complaint. “We cannot just throw accusations so easily,” he said, adding: “The state has bureaus that are for the collection of information regarding drugs. As a police we should concentrate on this information and we cannot base [our action] on estimation and assumptions of others.”

Having investigated the case, the Cyprus Police published a statement, saying: “The investigation so far has not confirmed the information, and some new information have come to the surface, showing that the accusation might refer to interpersonal disputes that are not related to drug trafficking.” He further characterized the accusasation as “misinformation and generalities.”

Drug-Free World struck back with a statement by its spokeswoman Stella Constantinou on the RIK TV channel: “There is a difference between talking about an information we received six months ago and making an accusation of that. We are not the Police, we cannot take the role of making complaints”.

Soon, the story turned from accusations about drugs in schools and an examination of Drug-Free World and its connection to Scientology.

The Church of Cyprus warned that the foundation was a branch of the Church of Scientology which, it said, was not only one of the most dangerous cults but was also “a disguised financial enterprise.” In a written statement, the Church’s Synod Committee on cults said that Scientology “works under various facades and with a variety of parent organisations whose names do not cause any suspicion…Under pseudonymous titles and names, it tries to erode all areas of life, including politics and the economy.”

According to some media from Cyprus, the Church of Cyprus also referred to a branch of the Church of Scientology – the Centre for Applied Philosophy. As we wrote in our investigation on Scientology in Greece, this Centre for Applied Philosophy was shut down by a court decision as it had acquired a profit purpose, which was against the Law.

We should point out that the Orthodox Church of Greece and the Orthodox Church of Cyprus are very conservative against other religions, as they don’t want to lose the great majority of the people believing in them.

It’s worth noting also that in the last years the Drug-Free World Organisation has made some visits to Greek schools too, while not stating in their brochures that they are an organisation supported financially by Scientology. In this story we said that although there was no mention of “Scientology” or the “Church of Scientology” in the brochures and on the Facebook page of the organisation, they are funded by this church.

 
— Thodoris Chondrogiannos

 
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Start making your plans!

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!

Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology set to turn Silicon Valley ‘Ideal!’ Here’s our first look from the grand opening
[TWO years ago] Scientology’s next move in forced-abortion lawsuit: Deposing defectors
[THREE years ago] When will academics acknowledge that the Scientology ‘apostate’ theory is finished?
[FOUR years ago] On the eve of the big Tampa hearing, the Garcias fire back at Scientology’s ‘bench memo’
[FIVE years ago] NEW DATE: Celebration details of Los Angeles Scientology facilities leaked
[SIX years ago] Sunday Funnies: The Grant Cardone Is An Asshat Special Edition!
[SEVEN years ago] Debbie Cook: “I Have Seen L Ron Hubbard’s Technology Create Many Miracles”

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 17, 2019 at 07:00

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