Scientologists Exploit WTC Tragedy

by mikepence 1 Replies latest jw friends

  • mikepence
    mikepence

    From http://www.sacbee.com/news/calreport/data/N2001-09-17-2015-0.html

    See also, http://www.xenu.net/archive/WIR/wir6-22.html

    Scientologists accused of misrepresenting selves during crisis

    LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The National Mental Health Association accused the Church of Scientology of attempting to recruit members under the guise of providing mental health counseling after last week's terrorist attacks.

    "This is a very important and sensitive time," Michael M. Faenza, president and chief executive of the Alexandria, Va.-based NMHA said Monday. "I urge the Church of Scientology to stay out of mental health. The public needs to understand that the Scientologists are using this tragedy to recruit new members. They are not providing mental health assistance."

    Scientology spokeswoman Janet Weiland said church volunteers who offered assistance to people following last week's attacks at the Pentagon and in New York City were upfront about their affiliation. The church added in a statement issued Monday night that all of its volunteers wore bright yellow t-shirts or jackets with "Scientology Volunteer Minister" printed in 4-inch letters on them.

    "We reject and, indeed, are outraged by the NMHA's attempt to use false statements to create controversy in the midst of this tragedy," the statement said. "While thousands of people of good will are uniting to alleviate the suffering, NMHA officials are sowing discord."

    The church, which said it has sent 759 volunteer ministers to New York since the attack, promised to deliver a letter to the NMHA on Tuesday protesting what it called "petty turf wars."

    NMHA spokesman Mark Helmke said at least one television outlet, Fox News, publicized a toll-free number for the church last week as one to call for people seeking mental health counseling. A Fox official in New York confirmed the number was on the screen for about two hours.

    "Someone who called that number found out what it was and then they called us immediately and then we took it down immediately," said the official, who declined to be quoted by name.

    A press release sent to Fox identified the number as belonging to the National Mental Health Assistance crisis hot line.

    "The National Mental Health Hot Line is open and available to anyone in need of help -- or anyone who would like to assist the victims," the release said. It made no mention of Scientology.

    "Here they create a National Mental Health Assistance organization, with the same initials as our organization's and convince one major news outlet to post their mental health number, and what does it go to? It goes to a place where they are trying to get people to join Scientology," said Helmke.

    "It's clear they aren't trying to help people with mental health but to get them to join their cult," he said.

  • Moxy
    Moxy

    this weekends SA day program:

    We had a special part yesterday and were informed that on Friday, at Bethel
    they had a special meeting of all the District Overseers in the USA and the
    New York City Circuit Overseers, and it was decided that our field ministry
    would now be changed until further notice. For us it starts today. The
    Circuit Overseer's wife did the demonstration.

    We are for the time being not offering literature or the suggested offer. We
    are to state at the doors that due to recent events we are not engaging in
    our regular work, we are offering comfort where needed from the Bible to
    help cope with the tragedy.
    We are to read Isaiah 61:1, 2; 1 Peter 5: 7;
    and Phil. 4:6, 7.

    We are NOT to use the "When Someone You Love Dies" brochure as everyone who
    is missing and unaccounted is not referred to as dead, even the brothers who
    are still missing now. The Society is at this moment reprinting the
    "Terrorism" Awake! magazine, which they hope to have to us this week, and we
    are to put that magazine into everyone's hands that we speak to. In the
    interim, if we still have copies of that magazine we are to use it, or the
    "Post Traumatic Stress" one, or the "Youth and Depression" one. If we don't
    have any of those we are to use the tract "Comfort for the Depressed" which
    all congregations have.

    The Society is providing written information on all this as soon as possible
    and hopes to have the entire United States up and running with this new
    field ministry as soon as feasibly possible.

    by saying 'not engaging in regular work,' are they saying no record of interested people, rvs and hopefully bible studies? unlikely

    mox

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