Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Blog

Myanmar - All Volunteer Ministers Call to Action

Wed, 07 May 2008 21:30:42 GMT

On Sunday, Cyclone Nargis hit the nation of Myanmar (formerly known as Burma, a country between India and China) and killed in excess of 25,000 people so far. The original report from the military government of Myanmar was a death toll in the hundreds, but there was a belated admission that the cyclone had killed at least 30 times this figure - with 10,000 perished in just one city. The devastation of the area has left several hundred thousand people without shelter and clean water.

The people of this area need our help urgently. A whole team of Volunteer Ministers need to go to Myanmar to start bringing order and delivering the miracles of Volunteer Minister technology.

We cannot just stand back and watch. The situation requires decisive action NOW. We need responsible Volunteer Ministers to bring hope to these people.

SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT!

"A volunteer minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well." -- LRH

We want to send at least 250 people on an immediate basis. Please contact the Disaster Response Officer at the International VM Office at 1-323-960-1949 or via e-mail or Sei Broadhurst or Donovan Reed at the Continental VM Office in Australia on 011-612-9264-7955.

If you cannot go but still want to help, you can make a donation to directly fund these disaster relief activities and contribute in that way in ensuring others can go.

Technorati Tags: myanmar,burma,scientology,aid,volunteers

Scientology Volunteer Ministers at the I-35 Bridge Site?

Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:35:28 GMT

I would imagine that Scientology Volunteer Ministers have arrived to the Bridge Collapse site in Minneapolis, but haven't seen any pictures yet. Usually the Scientology Volunteers are the first ones on the scene when something happens, and are the last ones to leave, so it would only stand to reason that they'd be there helping out in whatever capacity is needed. Anyone have any intel?

Refs:

Scientology Volunteer Ministers - Presentation by Mr. David Miscavige

Scientology Applied to the Workaday World

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:52:04 GMT

One of the primary tools of a Scientology Volunteer Minister is the technology contained in the book, The Problems of Work - one of the first books anyone would read when finding out about Scientology.

Mr. David Miscavige, when releasing a new edition of this book just a few weeks ago, outlined how this book - while providing an excellent introduction into how Scientology can be applied to life, further provides easy solutions that one can use immediately to make work easier.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers routinely seem to be able to produce miracles, but in many cases it's just a simple application of the technology in this book.

References:

Anniversary of Scientology Motor Vessel Freewinds

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 23:51:03 GMT

Today is the anniversary of the Maiden Voyage of the Freewinds - the Scientology motor vessel on which the highest levels of Scientology services are delivered. This is an anniversary celebrated each year by Scientologists with a series of "Maiden Voyage" events. The year is generally recapped at such events, and parishioners are briefed on new properties, organizations and expansion happening around the world.

This particular Maiden Voyage event seems like it's going to be a special one. Usually held on board the Freewinds (which for events, doesn't hold more than a few hundred parishioners), the Scientology events site is now promoting that the event will be held ashore, at the Clearwater Performing Arts center in Clearwater, FL. So, I guess its' going to be big.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Scotland Assisting After Train Derailment

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 01:20:10 GMT

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Glasgow and the Church of Scientology in Edinburgh, Scotland have been on the ground helping organize relief efforts after the train derailment in Cumbria, UK.

The Glasgow-bound Pendolino tilting train derailed last Friday at 95 mph in a remote country area, scattering carriages down a steep embankment.

"Investigation of the lock and stretcher bars in the facing points at Lambrigg crossover showed that one of three stretcher bars was missing, and bolts that secured the lock bar and another stretcher bar were not in place," the report said.

Stretcher bars are bolted across the moving rails, keeping them a fixed distance apart from each other.

Network Rail Chief Executive John Armitt said the company was "devastated" and accepted full responsibility: "We now need to understand how the points came to be in this condition -- and we will leave no stone unturned in our search for the facts behind this derailment."

It was said there was no evidence that the bolts had been "wrenched free" and indications were that the points were the immediate cause of the derailment.

Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson said he took "his hat off" to Network Rail for being dignified in accepting responsibility for the accident.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from neighbouring churches all over northern UK are being activated to come and assist with the effort, to help organize food and provide emergency services.

References:

Scientology Today news
Scientology Volunteer Ministers - in presentation by Mr. David Miscavige
Church of Scientology in Scotland
Scientology in the U.K.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Offer Training in Mumbai, India

Sat, 24 Feb 2007 02:25:40 GMT

This weekend's bombings of the Samjhauta Express in Northern India called to mind a similar tragedy of July, when a series of bombs in rush-hour commuter trains rocked Mumbai leaving 200 dead and hundreds injured.

Scientology Volunteer Minister helps an officer trainee at the National Fire Service College learn communication skills on the Scientology Disaster Response Specialist Course.

Those responsible for the security of an entire population never have an easy time of it, but in Mumbai, where 54 per cent of its 15 million residents live in slums, in which poverty, crime and disease run rampant, caring for the needs of the people takes even more courage and skill.

But there is a new factor in this equation: the Scientology Disaster Response Specialist Course. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers India Goodwill Tour, in coordination with city and state officials in Mumbai, has begun providing training to help civil servants gain the skill they need to succeed in their work and improve life for millions in the city.

"Today we live in a dangerous environment and deal with lots of problems in our day to day life," said one recent graduate. "There is an increase in robberies, rapes, riots and murders, there are fires, earthquakes and floods. You read about this or watch it on TV. Everyone thinks the environment is changing drastically and it is not possible to survive easily." But with this training he realized, "by applying this course we can solve many problems."

That young officer trainee was not alone in his praise for the training. On completing a course, based on the booklet "The Technology of Study"- a chapter of the Scientology Handbook, one fire fighter admitted, "Before using this technology, I really didn't know how to study. I just tried to memorize without going into the depth of the concept, neglecting the hard words and without using the dictionary. This resulted in my forgetting everything after the final exam and neglecting subjects which I had the least interest in." But through doing this course this changed. "I know that anything can be learned in this world by the proper use of study technology," he said. "Now, I am confident I can be expert in any field, no matter how hard it is."

Yet another recent graduate had this to say: "I have completed the Disaster Response Specialist Course and I am very happy. If everybody who did this course applied the data to his life he would bring a change to this world. He would easily be able to handle any situation or problem that arises. We can use the knowledge to help ourselves and our country."

The Scientology Handbook is based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard wrote, "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

References:

Scientology Volunteer Minister Goodwill Tours
The Scientology Volunteer Minister Program, as referenced in a speech by Mr. David Miscavige
Scientology Disaster Relief Techniques

What being able to DUPLICATE has to do with Communication

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 02:11:43 GMT

Witness: Striker was the squadron leader. He brought us in real low. But he couldn't handle it.
Prosecutor: Buddy couldn't handle it? Was Buddy one of your crew?
Witness: Right. Buddy was the bombardier. But it was Striker who couldn't handle it, and he went to pieces.
Prosecutor: *Andy* went to pieces?
Witness: No. Andy was the navigator. He was all right. Buddy went to pieces. It was awful how he came unglued.
Prosecutor: *Howie* came unglued?
Witness: Oh, no. Howie was a rock, the best tailgunner in the outfit. Buddy came unglued.
Prosecutor: And he bailed out?
Witness: No. Andy hung tough. Buddy bailed out. How he survived, it was a miracle.
Prosecutor: Then Howie survived?
Witness: No, 'fraid not. We lost Howie the next day.

Ever have trouble being duplicated?

Scientology is all about being able to communicate. A lot of people every day think they're communicating, but they're really just talking, moving their lips around, not really saying anything that people understand.

Honestly, the single most important thing in any job is the ability to communicate an interact with others. If one can't communicate, he's pretty dead -- no matter what technical knowledge he might have about his job. I've been to a trillion different job training classes, seminars, read a ton of books, etc -- but the single most important skill I'd say I have in my job is the ability to communicate. And that's something I learned at a Scientology church (in Portland, Oregon, actually -- right down the street from where I worked at WebTrends.)

I would heavily recommend that anyone, regardless of your religion, study up on L. Ron Hubbard's technology of communication. You can do this on the Scientology Handbook website, or you can just order the full book at the Scientology Volunteer Minister site.

References:

Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Lafayette, Louisiana - A Year After Katrina

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 06:48:32 GMT

A friend sent this one in to me -- it's from an article on Scientology that ran in The Advocate, a paper in Baton Rouge, LA.

LAFAYETTE — The volunteer ministers the Church of Scientology brings to respond to disasters come out of many walks of life.

Dentists, office managers, roofers and the actress who gives voice to Bart Simpson all donned the church’s bright yellow T-shirts and went to work.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, about 1,000 volunteer ministers from across the United States and Canada came to Louisiana in clusters of about 300 at any given time, church officials said. They worked with other faith groups and the Red Cross to assist and in some cases run the shelters.

While other faith groups that responded — Catholics, Baptists, Methodists — already had a large presence in the Gulf Coast region, the Church of Scientology is relatively small.

However, the visibility and goodwill earned during relief efforts following hurricanes Katrina and Rita created momentum that has helped the church open new missions in the region and see increased interest at the ones it already had.

“We grow as much as we help people,” explained Craig Gehring, an employee at the Church of Scientology’s Mission in Baton Rouge.

In the year following the hurricanes, the church has opened new missions — one in Lake Charles and another in Biloxi, Miss. — while reopening the flood damaged New Orleans mission.

Activity at the Baton Rouge mission has risen to about 100 people a week taking the various courses on communication, learning and other topics, up from about 60 to 70 before the storms, Gehring said.

Leaders at the Baton Rouge mission are contemplating the possibilities for opening a satellite mission in the north part of the city while finding a larger replacement for the boxy 7,000-square-foot office building near Old Hammond Highway and Drusilla Lane that has housed the mission for about a decade.

In Lafayette, reported activity increased even more.

Marie Pace, 50, the Church of Scientology’s Lafayette mission holder, said about 100 to 150 people a week come in for courses, up from 20 to 30 a few years ago.

Church officials agree that the Lafayette mission also has one of the more impressive stories of the church’s hurricane relief efforts.

With the Red Cross tapped out running shelters along Interstate 10, officials in Vermilion Parish faced a potential crisis of their own.

“We got a call that we would be receiving Katrina evacuees by the hordes,” recalled Tim Cresswell, the shelter coordinator for the Vermilion Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness. “I was told we needed to open shelters and I knew the Red Cross was swarmed. I was in a bind.”

Pace came to his rescue, coming to meet with Cresswell and Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon.

“She (Pace) said they could operate our shelters,” Cresswell said. “I asked about her background. She said they had worked in tsunamis. I said, ‘that’s good enough for me.’”

The Scientologists ended up organizing 11 shelters and running six of them, Pace said.

“What happened during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita is something I trained for my whole life and we were able to turn around and help others,” Pace said.

Actress Nancy Cartwright, who is the voice of Bart Simpson on the long-running animated television series “The Simpsons,” used her talents to entertain children in the shelters. Actress Anne Archer was also among the volunteers in the bright yellow T-shirts.

The shirts make the volunteer ministers easily recognizable in the aftermath of disasters, whether it be an earthquake, a flood or hurricane.

“I can’t say enough about these folks,” Creswell said. “They were all over the place. ... They hunted up rental houses for people. They provided funds for people that didn’t have gas money. That’s personal funds.”

Pace recalled how the visibility prompted an unexpected encounter in an Abbeville restaurant. “A woman who I had never met came up and hugged me and thanked us.”

As Scientology volunteers took on the task of coordinating shelter operations, it became apparent that everyone’s input and energy was welcome and needed, Pace added.

“It was beautiful to see all the different faith-based groups that came to the forefront and made it workable,” Pace said. “It was our job to manage and run it, but we utilized the entire community. When we came in, they didn’t know us and we didn’t know them.

“Our communities in south Louisiana are very dependent on faith-based organizations,” Pace said. “That is key to any community. With outreach programs, we have a unique ability to help.”

Pace has been a Scientologist since 1987. She started the Lafayette mission in 1995. One of the main ideas she has learned through scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard, is “no matter what, something can be done about it.”

That even includes hurricanes.

ON THE INTERNET:

Scientology in Sri Lanka and South India

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 15:53:55 GMT

Here's an outstanding photo I just came across on Thorsten Overgaard's After the Tsunami site, detailing the work of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers after the Indian Ocean Tsunami in December 2004.

Mr. Jagdish Singh from Kolkata reading Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard at the Kolkata Book Fair. Mr. Overgaard is an outstanding photographer, IMHO. His site has a ton of other good works of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of the area.

As he posted on his site,

"They appreciated our help - many people we met on the streets stopped us to thank us for being there and for our efforts - but they resent western, often materialistic, people coming to their country and try to run things, tell them to change their religion, eat pills to be happier about the tsunami, paint their houses in some trendy colors and what have you. What they wanted was help and support to help themselves come back to the life they have been living for thousands of years in harmony with nature and their soul."

The Scientology religion doesn't espouse any particular explanation or description of God. Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhist or anybody are welcome to use Scientology to become better Muslims, Jews or whatever. The purpose for going to Sri Lanka was to help: Therefore the word "minister" and the Scientology cross were omitted on the shirts worn by the volunteers working in Sri Lanka to avoid any confusion as to what their intentions were.

Numerous people and organizations have helped and are still helping in Asia. In Sri Lanka for example 2,500 US Marines cleared roads and rebuilt bridges for two months. I saw UN cars in Colombo and Galle and US AID t-shirts on 100 locals who were cleaning up bricks in Galle.

Ironically, one also occasionally sees a full blown, Madison Avenue advertising film crew replete with klieg lights, Panavision movie camaras, directors chairs, assistants, and French chefs working the catering wagon while dozens of people are standing around wearing sunglasses -- right next door to acres of tents packed with tsunami survivors. Let's hope the commercial being filmed raises lots of aid money.

Help come in many forms.

One of my reasons for going was, as I said, to help in any way I could. But I also wanted to learn for myself what was really going on. On one hand the Red Cross announced that they didn't need more people in the affected areas. Yet the Scientology Volunteers on the ground reported that they could use all the help that could get there. Contrary information that just didn't add up. I wanted to find out what was going on for myself and I wanted to let others know. I wanted to document and report things as they were - especially the good things, because the bad things had been reported so extensively, we all felt we could be hit by a tsunami any moment.

References:

Scientology Churches in Silicon Valley

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 01:57:26 GMT

Pursuant to my last post, I thought it might be helpful to show off some of the Churches of Scientology that are in Silicon Valley -- as there are several. Here are some of the main ones, several of which have been recently renovated and are in significantly larger quarters, due to the increase in Scientologists in the area.

Church of Scientology of San Francisco -- in downtown San Francisco. This building, newly renovated and opened by Scientology Ecclesiastical leader David Miscavige in 2003,
Church of Scientology of Los Gatos - located in between Los Gatos and San Jose, serves the heart of Silicon Valley and the working families in the area.
Church of Scientology of Mountain View - located in Mountain View, CA, and with a splendid new Scientology Information Center opened in 2004, is rapidly expanding, and serves both families and businesses alike, helping them to communicate better with Scientology Communication Technology.
Church of Scientology Stevens Creek of San Jose -- in its new Lundy Lane premises, is one of the largest Churches of Scientology in the world, serving an incredibly diverse parishionership. Their anti-drug and Volunteer minister campaigns are known all around the bay area for their effectiveness and willingness to help.

I've attached some Google Earth slides of some of these Churches, to help you find them better.

Scientology Anti-Drug Campaign in Silicon Valley

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 01:23:38 GMT

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is the Foundation which started as the Scientology Anti-Drug campaign, but due to its extreme popularity, has now come into its own to distribute its drug-free message everywhere. Completely non-religious in nature, the program has what is literally the most effective anti-drug pamphlets anywhere.

I recently saw that a Silicon Valley Anti-Drug coalition popped up, also forwarding the message -- and that they recently had a spot on KKUP in Silicon Valley. Have a look - but also have a look at the anti-drug booklets as well, as they're excellent. There's one on each major drug of choice:

•	Crystal Meth

•

Ecstasy

•

Joints

•

Crack

•

Cocaine

•	Kiddie Coke

•	Painkillers

•

Heroin

•

LSD

Contact the Anti-Drug chapter in Silicon Valley or the Foundation itself to find out how to use them.

Resources:

Scientology Volunteers in Brazil

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:12:13 GMT

It's February and people from all over the world will soon be traveling to Brazil for Carnival, the unique 4-day celebration leading up to Ash Wednesday, and starting this year on Saturday, February 17th.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour of Brazil is dedicated to bringing joy to every day of the year by putting effective tools for living in the hands of everyone who wants a better life.

Brazil is a land of extremes. Although it has the fourth largest city and the largest metropolitan area in the world, some of its citizens still live in the most primitive of villages. It has the ninth largest economy in the world but the discrepancy between the rich and the poor and the distribution of its wealth is one of the worst on Earth. Brazil has the largest Japanese population of any nation outside of Japan; twice as many Italians live in the City of São Paulo as in Rome; a third as many Spanish as in Madrid and a third as many Portuguese as in all of Portugal. Ethnicities ranging from native Amerindians, to former African slaves and immigrants from all parts of the world coexist, and their customs and peculiarities form a culture like none other on Earth.

Yet as different as the various cultures are that comprise this surprising country, every one of its people has dreams and aspirations, and each has to overcome barriers, problems and difficulties to accomplish them. Some are more effective at doing this than others, but all would benefit from an effective technology of life. And the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour is in Brazil to see that the people of this beautiful land have access to the technology of L. Ron Hubbard to enable them to truly live up to their full potential.

Begun in 1978, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers movement has experienced more growth in the past five years than in any previous time period.

The VMs use the Scientology Handbook and courses based on its chapters to give people skill in such diverse subjects as improving relationships, setting and attaining goals and helping addicts come off drugs. The book contains a remarkably effective technology of study and simple drills anyone can learn to improve his or her communication. These tools for better living derive from Mr. Hubbard's research into the basic nature of Man, and are a very practical application of technology he developed to help the individual attain personal spiritual freedom.

The VMs are dedicated to bringing joy to living every day of the year by putting effective tools for living in the hands of everyone who wants a better life.

References:

Scientologist Chewy Blog

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 01:23:18 GMT

A Scientologist friend of mine, who's quite a fan of Chewbacca, has a Chewie blog (http://thechewy.blog.com) -- which I always thought was entertaining. However, I've found something chewier.

http://rrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnnnhhhh.blogspot.com/

Enough said. :)

Outstanding Scientology VM article from India

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 02:20:19 GMT

I just found this outstanding article on the Afternoon Dispatch & Courier newspaper site, a newspaper from Bombay (Mumbai), India.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Program has been spreading all over India of late (as this story goes over) and fire fighters and police stations all over are getting involved as the program provides simple, effective solutions they can use.

Here's the article:
Scientology, founded by Mr. L. Ron Hubbard, means “Knowing How To Know” and hundreds of thousands have been seeing a group of people all over Mumbai in yellow shirts who have, as their logo, “Something Can Be Done About It.”

At the National Fire Service College training centre in Taloja over the past two weeks there has been a training course with a difference. The Scientology International Volunteers who have been in Mumbai for the past few weeks as part of their tour throughout India, were requested to train up a group of fire sub officers who are shortly due to be posted throughout the country.

The fact that the Scientology Volunteers had already trained up the West Bengal Home Civil Defence trainers to spectacular results as well as the CRPF 73rd Bn in Delhi may or may not have had something to do with the fact that when Mathew Andrews, the Scientology Public Exec walked in to the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai, he was, literally within minutes seen by the Disaster Management Dept CEO Mr. Vaidya as well as the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Disaster Management Mr. Hire.

Within the next couple of hours it was approved for top men from the health, education and disaster management departments along with the Mumbai Fire Brigade to undertake the Scientology training. The Nariman Point Fire Station was given to the Scientology Goodwill Tour to use to put up their distinctive “Something Can Be Done About It” yellow tent. This is where the first of the training was conducted at the end of December and where people from all walks of life are coming daily to do a Scientology course. After an introductory training to this group, Mr. Rahangdale, the Divisional Fire Officer Mumbai Fire Brigade (who offered his Nariman Point Fire Station as a venue) introduced Mathew to the Director of Maharashtra Fire & Emergency Service, Government of Maharashtra, Mr. Deshmukh.

Mr. Deshmukh, happy with the proposed training, demanded a full briefing with his officers at their headquarters. A presentation on Scientology Disaster Response occurred on the 10th of January. Some of the firefighter executives travelled 800-1000 kilometres to attend the one hour presentation. Simply stated, all 15 attendees at this presentation were very excited about effective and workable technology. Within two days the venue had been arranged and the training started to officers from Maharashtra as well as to officers of a further 10 Indian states. By the 27th of January, there was a graduation ceremony held with this batch. This not only included the officers in training but the top firefighter trainers of Maharashtra, Mr. Waghmare and Mr. Gaekwad who daily attended the intensive delivery of the course.
In the words of some of the graduates:

“Before using this technology, I really didn’t know how to study. I just tried to memorise without going into the depth of the concept, neglecting the hard words and without using the dictionary. This resulted in me forgetting everything after my final exam; and tried to neglect some subjects which I had the least interest. And now, after using this technology I realise that I was completely wrong. I realised that anything can be learnt in this world by the proper use of this study technology. Now, I am confident that by using this technology I can be an expert in any field, no matter how hard it is,” said A. Boro. “Since we are involved in the field of fire service this knowledge which I have acquired from the book [Basics of Organising by Mr. L. Ron Hubbard] will play a significant role in achieving success in my career. The method of organising and its subdivision can be applied in any field, for example in business, service, profession, management and 100% accuracy is going to be achieved,” said S. Khan.

“Really it’s amazing to be a part of it,” (Ms. S. Rawat). “After reading Communication I have gained concentration and confidence in myself,” (Mr. P. Panwan). “I solved my hesitation problem,” (Mr. K. Patil). “This course is the most unbelievable experience in my life,” (Mr. S.K. Sharma).

This same training is now intended to be implemented into the National Fire Service College and the Maharashtra State Fire Training Centre, Government of Maharashtra, by Mr. Waghmare who stated, “I learnt the technology very deeply and seriously. Above all I am confident and able to use this technology in my life as well as in my job effectively. I will also be able to teach this technology to as many persons including my staff members that will help them in developing and making them capable of handling any situation effectively.”

As the Founder of Scientology, Mr. L. Ron Hubbard put it: “Insecurity exists in the absence of knowledge. All security derives from knowledge.” Meanwhile, the Scientology Volunteers are training people on courses from The Technology of Study through to Basics of Organising, Communication, Targets and Goals at the big yellow tent at Nariman Point Fire Brigade Station. There are 19 courses in all being delivered, seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. These are being delivered so that anyone can effectively apply the data to their own lives as well as to and for family and friends and society in general.

References:

Official Scientology Volunteer Ministers Website
Scientology Disaster Response Training
Scientology Volunteer Ministers Worldwide - from Presentation by Mr. David Miscavige
The Afternoon Dispatch & Courier - Mumbai Newspaper, and source of this article

Scientology Volunteers from Tampa Help in Florida Tornado Aftermath

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 01:52:29 GMT

I just saw this on Ocala.com -- a Florida e-zine:

LADY LAKE - Norma Acabeo looked ashamed as she asked rescue volunteers for a few more blankets and a toothbrush. She looked disoriented and was still in disbelief. "We've worked so hard for everything. We've never had to ask for anything," Acabeo told a Church of Scientology volunteer minister, her shoulders shivering. Across the street, her son's mobile home in the Spencers Loop neighborhood, lay in shambles.

"He works like a dog for everything he has and look at what he has now," said Acabeo, pointing toward her son Bob Keown's home.

Deadly twisters early Friday morning tore through area neighborhoods and claimed 20 lives. Acabeo and her son were lucky. Instead of worrying about funeral arrangements, they were left picking up the pieces. Just down the street, their 17-year-old neighbor Brittany May wasn't so fortunate - a tree crushed her as she lay in bed.

Emotions ranged from one extreme to another in mobile home parks in Lady Lake and upper-middle-class retirement neighborhoods in The Villages. Storm survivors were upset, but at the same time optimistic.

"Despite our house being destroyed .If you look around there are at least eight people, volunteers, friends and neighbors who have come in and helped us with our furniture," said Al Seiden, who lives in The Village of Poinciana. "This has been fantastic. The spirit of community here is unbelievable."

In the background, neighbors - whom Seiden hadn't even met before the storm tore the roof off his house - picked up debris. White insulation inside the home looked like fluffy snow.

Outside, dozens of Community Emergency Response Team volunteers walked the streets, chatting with residents and offering water and hot dogs. Without the torn-up homes, the scene would appear like a casual block party.

A dozen Church of Scientology Disaster Response Team volunteers comforted residents.

"We've been to a lot of disasters," said Judy Fagerman, volunteer minister coordinator of the response team [from the Church of Scientology of Tampa]. "We come out, find out what the needs are and help the residents the best we can. And sometimes all they need is a shoulder to cry and lean on."

References:

Scientology Disaster Response Team
Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Tampa, Florida
Volunteer Ministers - from presentation by Mr. David Miscavige
Ocala.com - news in Central Florida

Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Taiwan - Handling Rising Recidivism Rates in Taiwan

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 01:12:56 GMT

From ScientologyToday.org:

"If you can't trust yourself, you will never make it out of the revolving door of the prison system." That's the message of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, working to rehabilitate the self-esteem of inmates in the jails of Taiwan.

Not only is rising recidivism straining the resources of the correctional system of the nation, it also victimizes the community with escalating crime and represents a dead-end existence for the criminal and his or her family and friends.

L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, described the key to resolving this problem when he wrote, "If one sincerely hopes to rehabilitate a criminal population then this is the factor one must consider: 'Where did they lose their self-respect?'"

The VMs have found that often what underlies this lack of self-esteem is an inability to communicate. Incapable of relating to people or dealing with conflicts or disagreements, they resort to actions that disregard the needs and wishes of those around them and start on a dwindling spiral that eventually winds them up behind bars.

The VMs deliver workshops using the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. They cover such subjects as ethics and integrity, communication and how to understand people. They get the inmates involved through practical exercises that increase their skill in dealing with others. And it is not unusual for those attending to gain new insight, like a recent participant who realized, "I thought I could just operate with my own interests in mind. Now I see I survive better if I help others survive too."

For more information on the Scientology Handbook and to read selections from the book online, visit www.scientologyhandbook.org

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Helping the Children of Kolkata

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 02:26:58 GMT

Life can be pretty grim for a child in the slums of Kolkata. But, with the Scientology Handbook and their motto "Something CAN be done about it," the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of West Bengal are working with other community groups and agencies to see that these children have the care they need.

In the slums of Kolkata, where the spread of disease puts the children at risk, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Center of West Bengal teams up with health care providers to help youngsters get free, basic medical care.

This city is a breeding ground for childhood diseases, and epidemics tear through the slums where children whose immune systems are weakened by malnutrition are much more prone to illness. All too often, parents can't afford medical treatment for their children, even at the low-cost hospitals in the area. So the VMs team up with health care professionals to make free health check ups and medicine available to these youngsters at the Volunteer Ministers Center.

But health and well-being depends on a lot more than medicine. And with their knowledge of Scientology technology, the Volunteer Ministers make sure to supplement the work of the health professionals with their own special kind of "spiritual first aid."

Following their checkups, Mohammad Kallil Ullah helps these youngsters with "spiritual first aid" in the form of a "locational assist," to extrovert their attention.

As described in the Scientology Handbook:

"People sometimes get hurt in the business of living. The human body is subject to disease, injuries and various mishaps of accidental or intentional character.

"Throughout the ages, religions have attempted to relieve man's physical suffering. Methods have ranged from prayer to the laying on of hands, and many superstitions arose to account for their occasional effectiveness. It has been a commonly held belief, however, no matter the method used, that the spirit can have an effect on the body.

"Today, medicine treats the body when there is something wrong with it. But it overlooks almost totally the relationship of the spiritual being to his body and the effect the former has on the latter."

The handbook goes on to state:

"L. Ron Hubbard developed numerous applications of his discoveries for the mental and spiritual aspects of a person's physical difficulties. And as more and more techniques evolved, a new body of technology came into use, called "Assists.*"

So, following their checkups, these youngsters all get a "locational assist" - a procedure that helps the individual free up his or her attention when it has become fixated because of trauma, loss or injury.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers of West Bengal exemplify the qualities described by L. Ron Hubbard in his essay, Religious Influence on Society: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

*Assists: Developed by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, assists can be used by anyone to help people who are ill, distraught or injured. Assists do not take the place of medical attention but aid it by addressing the emotional and spiritual side of the trauma.

References:

Church of Scientology of St. Louis

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 01:27:13 GMT

This is another Church of Scientology that I've spent some time at -- the Church of Scientology of Saint Louis. It currently occupies a former Freemasons building in University City, which is a few miles from downtown St. Louis.

From the Google Earth photo above, you can sort of see the 3D skyline of downtown St. Louis in the distance. So that you'd be able to get a better perspective, I rotated it, centered on downtown, as well:

There's a little yellow dot that you can see in the background of this photo (with nicely-modled versions of the St. Louis Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium and such). That dot is the Scientology Church, which is right next to Blueberry Hill and some other pretty jammin areas of town.

I was there last for the Scientology New Year celebration in 1998, when I worked out in the midwest. I ended up getting stranded there for 5 days, as we had the worst 2-day snowfall in midwest history on that day, and I happened to be driving a 1993 Mazda RX-7 Twin-Turbo -- which is probably the worst car in the world for snow.

In any case, the org there is beautiful, and has the unfortunate circumstance for being too small for all of the various Scientology activities the organization finds itself into. Right up the river, there's Applied Scholastics Spanish Lake campus, which is the emanation point for L. Ron Hubbard's study technology worldwide. There is also a host of other Scientology activities in the area, and as such the Church there can get pretty busy. Contact them if you want to arrange a visit!

References:

First remote text post to my Scientology VM Blog

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 03:53:44 GMT

I just saw that one can just go and publish to these MSN Live Spaces blogs using e-mail. That way, from my mobile or my blackberry or whatever, I can make posts to my Live account.

I wasn't planning on any content for this post (I wrote all about my first Scientology Volunteer Minister experience in my last one, not too long ago.), so this is more of a technical preview to myself to prove that blog posts can be done remotely.

Portland: Where I first started as a Scientology Volunteer Minister

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 01:53:21 GMT

Portland was where I first tried my hand at being a Scientology Volunteer Minister, battling the floods in 1997 that were happening all throughout the Willamette Valley. My dad and I threw our VM t-shirts on and ran down with a whole bunch of Scientologists that were from all over Oregon, and we started organizing up sandbag walls and so forth to keep flood waters out of people's houses.

Then, there was a Church (a baptist church, I believe) which was nearly starting to float down the road (it was totally flooded) and we worked our tails off to save various remnants of the church so it could be pieced back together when the floodwaters receded. It was an experience where I definitely realized the value of being a Scientologist and what it means to just get out and help people whenever it's needed.

All the data on this I got from the Church of Scientology of Portland.

(See above for Google Earth map)

First gaining prominence in the Church of Scientology's landmark crusade which happened in Portland in 1985 to gain religious recognition, the Church's parishionership has grown considerably since then. The world's most notable school which uses L. Ron Hubbard's study technology is located near Portland, in Sheridan (the Delphian School). There are also large companies affiliated with WISE which use Mr. Hubbard's administrative technology to better the businesses in the Portland area.

Contact the Church of Scientology of Portland here.

Scientology References:

#2 Site for Scientology Volunteer Ministers!

Sun, 28 Jan 2007 01:51:19 GMT

I just happened to look on Google Blog Search and it looks like this blog (for some reason) is constantly showing up as the #2 blog when you search for "Volunteer Minister". I don't mind at all! Call me obsessed, but honestly if I can't be one of these courageous souls that cruises out as a Scientology Volunteer Minister to one of these gnarly disaster sites around the world, I'm dang well going to blog about it. As much as I say about them, I think these Scientology VMs are one of the most under-promoted organizations in the world, taking into account what they actually accomplish.

Talking about E-Meter

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 02:19:53 GMT

Scientologists in Texas:

Quote

E-Meter
This is a shot of a scientologist showing a biker-dad how the E-Meter works at the Texas State Fair.

Scientology Church in Sydney Empowering Youth to Say No to Drugs

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 02:05:36 GMT

What do you do when you know drugs are a one-way street down, and yourfriends are taking them? That was the dilemma facing Rama, a teenagerfrom Sydney. "All drugs lead to one place. Nowhere," said Rama, who hadalready been through it — ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana — all before hewas 18 years old.

Rama counts himself as one of the lucky ones. Because he got help when he needed it.

Things were going downhill at breakneckspeed when a friend of his, a Scientologist, saw Rama was in trouble.His friend told Rama about a program sponsored by the Church of Scientology of Sydney,called the Drug Free Ambassadors and handed him a set of booklets aboutdrugs. The Drug Free Ambassadors and their American counterpart, theDrug Free Marshals, created by the Church of Scientology International13 years ago, have chapters throughout Australia and New Zealand andaround the world.

The booklets Rama read are very special.They were created by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, and they arewritten for young people giving them the truth about the most commonlyabused street and prescription drugs. What makes these booklets uniqueand effective is that they are easy to understand and they're factual.With peer pressure pushing kids to take drugs, these booklets arm kidsagainst the false propaganda, giving them information they need to makeeducated and responsible choices about drugs.

Once he decided to quit taking drugs,Rama wanted to get through to his friends who were still using them.And he wanted to reach out to kids throughout Sydney to help them avoidgetting into drugs in the first place.

Cyrus Brooks, the spokesman for theDrug-Free Ambassadors of Sydney, was full of praise for the teenager."Rama is very gung-ho. And he knows what he's talking about," saidBrooks. "He wants to make sure other kids don't fall into the same traphe was in."

For more information:

Scientology Disaster Team in the Philippines

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 02:46:23 GMT

The Scientology Disaster Relief Team traveling between villages in Albay Province in the Philippines.

Since early December, the Scientology Disaster Relief Team has been working one-on-one with those who survived Typhoon Durian, which killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

With seminars and workshops based on the Scientology Handbook and the book Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard, they are giving men, women and even children tools by which they can put these painful experiences behind them.

I was writing about this incessantly in my blog, trying to get enough people informed about what was going on so we could have some people get down there and start helping out.

Well, now the Scientologists who went to the Phillipines to help, have now also been getting natives trained up on what to do, and they're now all over the place in canoes and catamarans, going village to village to help people out.

Resources:

Scientologists Opening a New Church in Boston, now that Berlin is Over?

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 02:02:40 GMT

The new Church in Berlin is a reflection of the world scope of Scientology today, which comprises more than 7,500 churches, missions and groups across 163 nations.

On January 13th, the new Church of Scientology of Berlin opened its doors in Charlottenburg in western Berlin, to over 5000 church members. The new Scientology Church in Berlin, announced by Scientology leader Mr. David Miscavige at the Scientology New Year Celebration, is a reflection of the world scope of Scientology today, which comprises more than 7,500 churches, missions and groups across 163 nations. Each is dedicated to achieving the Aims of Scientology – including a world without war, without insanity and without criminality, where the able may prosper and all are free to rise to greater heights. Internationally, 1,500 new churches, missions and groups opened in the past year, and growth in the past five years has exceeded the previous five decades combined.” Said the Berlin Church’s president, Sabine Weber. “Our doors are open to you – to everyone. We want you to find out for yourself who we really are. We want you to find out for yourself what we really do.”

Thousands of Scientologists, friends from Germany, across Europe and even parishioners from Boston visited the new Church on its opening day, including world famous jazz artist, Chick Corea, originally from Chelsea, MA. Guest speakers welcoming the Church to its new home in Berlin included Mr. Bernhard Stitz, a 30-year police officer; Professor Jurgen Redhardt, Professor emeritus at Giessen University; Dr. Hubertus Mynarek, theologian and sociologist; and Mr. Almog Burstin, joining the event from Israel, a founding member of the European Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance.

Other new Scientology Churches recently opened include London, Madrid, New York, San Francisco and Johannesburg. Similar new churches are under construction and scheduled for completion in 2007 in Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Australia and Taiwan, as well as other planned churches announced by Mr. Miscavige such as the Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, D.C..

Rev. Gerard Renna, Human Rights Advocate and President of the Church of Scientology of Boston was interviewed and asked if there were plans to expand the Boston facilities he said “ It is inevitable that a world-class city like Boston will be part of the rapid expansion and international interest in Scientology”. Rev. Renna made no further comment other than to say, “The Church of Scientology of Boston is working to accommodate this overwhelming international interest and expansion of Scientology.”

About Church of Scientology - Boston

Scientology addresses man as a spiritual being and gives people tools they can apply to their lives to improve conditions. Among these are the techniques for alleviating spiritual trauma contained in the book Dianetics, by L. Ron Hubbard.

Community Programs include: “Say No to Drugs, Say Yes to Life” Campaign Human Rights Programs including Youth for Human Rights Interantional Scientology Volunteer Ministry serving the inner-city of Boston to the Boston volunteers who have traveled the world to assist in disaster relief.

References:

Scientology in Germany (German)
David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board, Religious Technology Center
Scientology Practices
What is Scientology?

What do Germans think about Scientology in Germany?

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 01:45:37 GMT

Found this on a German News source. With their history of manipulating media to give a bad light to groups that don’t run with the Power Elite and vested interests, it’s interesting to me that they let the great feedback from the opening sift through:

“I think that Scientology has some very interesting aims: a world without insanity, war and criminals. I see Scientologists helping in large numbers at places like Ground Zero or after Katrina and volunteering at my aunt’s retirement home in Berlin. I think they’re not liked because they attack psychiatrists and drug companies and seem to have solutions for making people feel better without medication. That would cut into a lot of pockets. The other thing I learned from the volunteers I met in Berlin is that they believe in God; you can keep your religious beliefs and still benefit from their lessons. It may take a while for the older people to learn tolerance of other beliefs, but a new big church available to people in Berlin can only bring more hope for a tolerant future for all.” — Yvonne

“German paranoia about Scientology strikes me as far more dangerous than any of the nebulous accusations made against the organization. In fact, one has to wonder who is more “undemocratic” here: the accuser or the accused? Secret surveillance by state police should make any German nervous. The country simply carries too much historical baggage from extremism on both the right and the left.” — R.E. Carnarius, US

Thousands Come to see Scientology Church Open in Berlin

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 03:05:48 GMT

From ScientologyToday:

The Church of Scientology of Berlin opened its new home today in Charlottenburg (a district of Berlin) to over 5000 church members (including Academy Award nominated actress Anne Archer and Jazz legend Chick Corea), government officials and community leaders, with an invitation to all Berliners to find out for themselves the answer to the inevitable question, "What is Scientology?"

A gallery of photos from the grand opening of the Church of Scientology of Berlin is available at the Scientology Berlin website.

This is easily the most talked-about Church Opening I've yet seen, as I can't go anywhere on Google News, Yahoo! News, etc, without picking up pieces of this.

An Introduction to Scientology

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 07:59:07 GMT

Dang! Make that 92,393 copies! (I'm just following the on-line counter on the Introduction to Scientology site.)

Bestselling Introduction to Scientology DVD - 88,000 in 2 days!

Wed, 03 Jan 2007 02:12:18 GMT

If you look on the website for the DVD, An Introduction to Scientology, which was just released -- it has now sold over 88,000 copies in just the first 2 days since its release. I don't know of another item of its nature which has moved so fast into public hands -- movies are one thing, but this! To me, this is just a testament to the number of people that want to find out what Scientology is -- and who then want to see others find out as well. After watching it, I can't disagree -- the most crystal-clear explanation of what Scientology is can be had right from L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology himself -- and all on hi-res DVD!

Resources: