One time Scientologist Lance Hoskins has had a first hand insight inside the mind and workings of the strange religion.

A scientologist doctor, who gave evidence on the suicide of a church member she treated, is promoting a controversial educational resource in New Zealand schools. Dr Helen Smith gave evidence this year to a coroner's inquiry after the death of David Sampson in December 2008. Sampson had won $651,000 in Lotto's first division in 1991, but battled with alcohol abuse and depression. A friend of Sampson was upset at the church's policy against psychiatric help: "He was suffering from depression, but ...

[Picture / Caption: Carly Crutchfield, CEO of Ccorp at the 'Massive Results Bootcamp' the Gold Coast.] Scientologists are using a get-rich-quick seminar at the Gold Coast this weekend to groom potential new members for the controversial church, say former members. Carly Crutchfield, the key speaker at a 'Massive Results Bootcamp seminar' at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Sanctuary Cove confirmed that she and two other main speakers are Church of Scientology members. She said the others speakers were Gareth Jekel, a business ...

An international group sponsored by the Church of Scientology says it has been targeting children in schools across Australia for at least three years. The Youth For Human Rights group has been distributing DVDs and brochures that spread its message about rights and name Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard as a leader on the issue alongside Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. The New South Wales education minister confirmed yesterday that primary schools had been ordered not to hand out the ...

Since writing about the public connection between Scientology and Polaris Media Group a lot of accusations and claims have been thrown around as the discussion ran hot. There’s been a lot of claims made and from what I gather the revelation of the link, which up until only recently hasn’t been publicised with any concrete proof, has made a lot of people uncomfortable. Up until now I’ve been written off by Polaris EMC as spreading rumours, despite the fact that I ...

L’Église de scientologie a investi 4 millions de dollars pour l’aménagement d’une église de nouvelle génération au centre du quartier Nouvo St-Roch. Ce super centre, qui sera le plus moderne au Canada, ouvrira d’ici peu ses portes sur la rue St-Joseph. Avec les scandales qui éclaboussent l’Église depuis quelques mois, doit-on s’inquiéter de son expansion à Québec? ? La question n’est pas de critiquer les croyances de qui que ce soit. Par contre, il est nécessaire de se questionner sur certaines ...

LEGAL action is threatened by the family of Sir Winston Churchill in a bid to stop Scientologists using the famous wartime leader's picture and words in their recruitment drive. Town MP Nicholas Soames told the Courier and Observer: "Organisation like the BNP and the Scientologists have no right whatsoever to use my grandfather as a means to solicit and elicit support. "I have written to them asking them to desist from using his image immediately. Unless I get a satisfactory reply, ...

A French court has convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud, but stopped short of banning the group from operating in France. Two branches of the group's operations and several of its leaders in France have been fined. The case came after complaints from two women, one of whom said she was manipulated into paying more than 20,000 euros (£18,100) in the 1990s. A Scientology spokesman told the BBC the verdict was "all bark and no bite". France regards Scientology as ...

[...] *The only irritation of the night had nothing to do with Summer Jam 5 and everything to do with the annoying Church of Scientology recruits stationed on either side of Centro Ybor. On the Seventh Avenue side, where the religious fanatics usually set up shop, a pleasant young man and his newb companion (who was actually wearing a Dianetics shirt) asked, “Where are you going tonight? Would you like a free personality test?” “No, thanks, I like my personality just ...

A FEW months ago, Sydney Council approved a development application for the Church Of Scientology’s Castlereagh St headquarters with little incident. It was somewhat of an anticlimax after the bitter opposition by residents and anti-Scientology activists, who argued the group would increase recruitment drives which “harass, and badger people to join” if the proposal was approved. Residents said they feared the church would use “menacing activity” to target people on Castlereagh and Bathurst streets for recruitment. The $12-million expansion involved adding ...

About 20 years ago a delegation from the church of Scientology came to my school and asked that I be fired from my position as a teacher (some might take note here of a recurring theme in my professional life). They had objected to a conversation I had with my students about a constitutional issue, and secondarily, about truth in advertising. Time magazine had just done a feature article about the organization, and it managed to make its way into a ...

THE Church of Scientology plans to spend $12 million upgrading its Sydney headquarters, but faces a ban on trawling the street outside the building for new recruits. The group's controversial plans include building an extra level on its Castlereagh St premises, and renovating the facade of the heritage building. Neighbours and businesses have objected to the proposed upgrade at Scientology House, citing aggressive recruitment tactics, nuisance, loss of view, extra pollution and heritage concerns. City of Sydney councillors will vote on ...

As a fiercely secular nation, France has always had an awkward relationship with religious groups. Officials often find themselves struggling to strike the delicate balance between maintaining church-state separation and honoring the right of citizens to express their faith. But in the current case against the U.S.-based Church of Scientology, authorities have abandoned their usual attempts at fine-tuning religion's standing in French society — instead, they want to ban Scientology from France altogether. In a long-awaited trial that opened this week, ...

Two former executives have been waging a court battle against Diskeeper, alleging the software company's CEO, a Scientologist, practiced religious discrimination. As it turns out, they have documents intended to prove it. The company's former CIO and Automation Planning Officer failed to injoin Diskeeper from using the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard in the administration of the company. Now the Burbank, California company is going for the legal jugular, seeking summary dismissal of the case. Amid this legal tussle, ...

(VG Nett) Helsedepartementet mener det er på tide at Scientologikirkens aktiviteter blir kontrollert opp mot norsk lov. Etter å ha besvart 200 spørsmål i Scientologikirkens personlighetstest på internett, gikk tre av VG Netts medarbeidere hver for seg til kirkens lokaler i Karl Johans gate i Oslo. Journalistene Stian Eisenträger og Marianne Vikås svarte ærlig på spørsmålene ut fra eget ståsted. Begge opplever seg selv som stabile, og fornøyd med livet. For å finne ut hvilke tilbakemeldinger depressive personer kan få, påtok ...

VG Netts journalister tok scientologi-test * - Deprimert, tilbaketrukket, uansvarlig * - På nivå med en gjenstand som ikke lever * - Undertrykkes av en eller flere personer * - Må velge mellom kurs eller kjemikalier * - Kan forbedre livet med 1000 prosent (VG Nett) Dette var blant tilbakemeldingene VG Netts tre journalister fikk da de tok den omstridte personlighetstesten til Scientologikirken. Det er denne testen Olav Gunnar Ballo (SV) mener var en utløsende årsak til at datteren Kaja tok ...

AN EXHIBITION in Sheffield by followers of the controversial Scientology religion prompted complaints from some members of the public. Scientologists – whose celebrity members include Tom Cruise and John Travolta – set up a bright yellow tent in Barker's Pool to educate people about the religion. But critics have dubbed the religion a "cult" and Star reader Mark Nuttall said he thought it was "appalling" Sheffield Council had given the Scientologists permission to set up the tent. He said: "I would ...

Flak is flying at Concordia University this week over the school's decision to allow an exhibition sponsored by the Church of Scientology. University officials have been bombarded with email. Protesters have put together a YouTube video of the show and yesterday staged a demo outside the McConnell library building - where the exhibition is being held till Sunday - to register their objections. The exhibition was sponsored by the Citizens' Commission on Human Rights, which is affiliated with the Church of ...

Like many musicians, Charlie Brand was not a happy high-schooler. Discussing his days as an art school dropout — a troubled kid sent to a Scientology-run youth camp, where he lied to the E-Meter reader to escape, only to become a chronically depressed and morbidly obese pothead — the 24-year-old singer grimaces. Fast-forward to today: Brand's undeniably infectious and quirky indie-pop songs are getting a huge response for his band, Miniature Tigers. The four-piece has been lauded by Spin and Rolling ...

Mathieu Lamothe et Marie-Eve Lafontaine Le Nouvelliste —– Des employés cadres dy club de golf Les Vieilles Forges auraient été invités à signer un contrat dont l'une des clauses leur demandait de respecter la politique administrative de l'Église de scientologie de Ron Hubbard Photo: archives Le Nouvelliste - Ève Guillemette —– (Trois-Rivières) Un malaise important s'est installé au club de golf Les Vieilles Forges depuis que les employés ont appris qu'un des nouveaux propriétaires, Antonino Putorti, serait lié à l'Église de ...