These are the stories of the parishioners of the Church of Scientology in Pasadena, California.
We’re a group of people of all ages and races. Some of us have been a part of this group for 40 years and some have just joined.
We work in all kinds of jobs and professions – attorneys, schoolteachers, entrepreneurs, artists, actors and plumbers.
Our aim is to share our stories with others who are genuinely interested in Scientology. If you want to know what it is, how we use it in our lives, how we interact with our community locally and around the world, read on.
We welcome questions and comments from anyone who wants to have a real conversation with us. We believe in tolerance and communication. We do, however, reserve the right not to post any hate mail.
On Friday 11 March at 2:46pm local time, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan, immediately followed by 6.8 and 7.3 magnitude2 aftershocks. This is the fourth largest earthquake in the world since recordings began in 19002. The quake triggered a 23 feet high (7 meters) tsunami across a 1,300 mile coastline, taking with it buildings, trees, cars, boats, ships and trains several miles inland.
The disaster has left over 590,000 people homeless and living in temporary shelters. An estimated 4.4 million more are without electricity and another million homes without water. The death toll is being estimated as reaching more than 10,000.
To make matters worse, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from a 30 mile radius area of a nuclear power plant that was damaged by the earthquake, threatening a radiation leak.
VMs TAKE ACTION
The Volunteer Ministers of the Church of Scientology in Japan instantly responded to the disaster and an international call for help has been issued to all VMs with experience in disaster response to come to Japan, as hundreds of VMs will be needed to assist the people of Japan. Volunteer Minister units in Japan, Australia and New Zealand have been activated and are in the process of setting up disaster response logistics.
The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) immediately granted funds for VM disaster relief efforts. The grant will cover all costs necessary to not only transport VMs into the disaster zones, but also to transport other disaster response specialists from other parts of the world. The grant also covers the costs of emergency equipment, medical supplies, food, tents, sleeping bags, communication devices and all other support for the VMs in the disaster area.
Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, officiated, welcoming dignitaries, parishioners and guests to the Church’s new 58,000-square-foot facility in Old Pasadena.
Also commemorating the occasion was Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard. Mayor Bogaard welcomed the new Church to the city: “With this beautifully restored structure in Old Pasadena, the Church of Scientology represents not only a growing religion, but an important factor in the future of this city. … So, it is a pleasure for me to extend a cordial welcome to you and this extraordinary Church of Scientology of Pasadena with its long history of service to the community.”
Pasadena Heritage board officer Teresa Grimes spoke of the appreciation for the city’s architectural legacy that is shared by the Pasadena Heritage Society she represents and the Church: “The Church of Scientology has purchased, rehabilitated and restored historic buildings throughout the world, and by doing so, has helped revitalize the communities in which they are located. …For not only have you preserved the physical past, you have also gone out of your way to care for tomorrow both culturally and spiritually. Your commitment to our community has been nothing less than outstanding, and I only hope that others will follow the example of the Church of Scientology.”
Pasadena Ministerial Association President Dr. Nicholas Benson spoke on behalf of the interfaith community: “For all of Pasadena, this day represents more than an opportunity to welcome a friend to their new home. This is a Church, an open haven where we have the opportunity to help ourselves, our loved ones and the community. I encourage everyone to make the most of this Church, and like me, take what it has to offer.” Dr Benson spoke of his experiences with using L. Ron Hubbard’s Way to Happiness program to rehabilitate offenders and the remarkable drop in recidivism rate among those who do the program.
The building features a Chapel seating hundreds, a library containing all Church Scripture, as well as a multitude of seminar rooms, film rooms and volunteer work spaces for its many social betterment and community programs and projects in addition to course and counseling rooms to provide Scientology training and auditing for parishioners.
Last night a group of the Church of Scientology parishioners in Pasadena, CA gathered to hear about the work of our Volunteer Ministers now in Haiti. The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) is funding this relief effort. Volunteer Ministers are working alongside medical teams under grueling conditions, organizing delivery of food and water to the refugee camps and in some cases doing the jobs no one else wants to do - like cleaning toilets.
Folllow Ellen’s Twitter feed for updates on their activities and an inside look at what it’s like to be a volunteer in a disaster area.
“A group of us went out to a refugee camp, delivering food and medical supplies, helping them organize. It was an open plot of land in a “residential” type area, kind of the equivalent “of a suburban area where each house is side by side and there is grass in the front”, except that here the houses are totally destroyed and there is a lot of uncut grass and rocky dirt road and goats running around.” Ellen Bennet in Haiti
They need more volunteers because ther are not enough people to care for everybody there. We hope our Fundraiser wil make it possible for a few more to go and help.
Our group in Pasdena totally supports our VMs in Haiti and we donated $4000 to the relief efforts last night.
NBC reported Monday that John Travolta would be flying aid to Haiti.
“The earthquake in Haiti has brought out all types of doctors, relief workers, celbrities and pilots. John Travolta fits most of those requirements. The avid flier is expected to hop on his personal Qantas 707 and pilot his family, 24 doctors, and ministers from the Scientologist church to Haiti to help in the relief effort. The plane, which will leave from Florida tonight, will also be carrying much-needed medical supplies for the thousands of Haitians still nursing devastating injuries.”
The actor and leading Scientologist flew his own Boeing 707 to the capital, Port-au-Prince, and helped unload six tons of ready-to-eat military rations and medical supplies. “We have the ability to actually help make a difference in the situation in Haiti and I just can’t see not using this plane to help,” said Travolta, (Source: Haitifeed.com)
Travolta was met by a team of Volunteer Ministers who are already in Haiti assisting victims of the earthquake.
The Church of Scientology has organized two chartered flights to Haiti to take doctors, medical supplies and Volunteer Ministers to the stricken country.
The first Scientology Disaster Response Team arrived in Haiti Sunday January 17th. They flew ut of JFK in New York with 126 doctors and nurses from the Haitian Physicians Abroad, paramedics from the Bedford-Stuyvesant Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and Volunteer Ministers from a half-dozen states.
The 2nd flight, a 168-seat aircraft, took off from Los Angeles Thursday January 21, stopped at Miami International Airport to pick up additional medical personnel and Volunteer Minister teams, and continued to Port-au-Prince.
More than half those on this flight were medical professionals, including doctors and nurses from the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad (Association des Medecins Haitiens a l’Etranger) and from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Also on board were Scientology Volunteer Ministers from cities across the United States. The Pasadena Parishioners are proud to support our Volunteer MInisters in Haiti and we’ll be keeping you updated on their activities.
The renovations are now well under way. The chapel on the first floor of the building will of course be the hub of the Church and we’re looking forward to seeing the completed space soon. Pasadena parishioners of the Church of Scientology were at the building on Sunday to pitch in as volunteers and help with the demolition.
For some strange reason there seems to be a huge misconception about what members of the Church of Scientology - in Pasadena and around the world - believe about medical treatment and medication.
Unlike some other religions, we have no disagreement with medical treatment and we are not averse to getting help from medical practitioners. In fact, the church’s position on medical treatment and medical drugs is quite clear:-
The Church of Scientology has always had the firm policy of not diagnosing or treating the sick.
Scientology policy is adamant that no true spiritual progress can be expected if underlying medical conditions remain untreated.
Medical doctors are trained to deal with the physical aspects of illness and injury. A Scientologist with a physical condition is always advised and supported to seek and obtain the needed examination and treatment of a qualified medical professional.
Once under medical treatment, a Scientologist then can address his illness or injury with Scientology counseling to handle any spiritual trauma or other factors connected with that physical condition which may have predisposed him to illness or injury. There are also many medical doctors who are Scientologists themselves.
I have been a member of the Church of Scientology for 40 years. I have raised four kids and over the years every member of my family has had to seek medical attention at one time or another. Active, athletic kids get into scrapes and break bones. My husband had a heart attack ten years ago. He survived thanks to the doctors and the hospital treatment he received. He takes medication every day of his life now.
I had a very serious car accident and without the excellent medical help I received at UCLA Medical Center I’d be dead.
What we don’t do is take street drugs or mind altering psychiatric drugs of any kind.
Scientologists believe that psychotropic or street drugs damage a person physically, mentally and spiritually. They decrease awareness and hinder abilities.
Many people turn to these drugs as a “solution” to some other problem, only to find that the drugs have become a bigger problem.
On December 10th 2008 the Mayor of Pasadena and the Consul General of the Philippines attended an event at our new Church of Scientology in Pasadena to mark the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.
“In the course of this year, unprecedented efforts must be made to ensure that every person in the world can rely on just laws for his or her protection. In advancing all human rights for all, we will move towards the greatest fulfillment of human potential, a promise which is at the heart of the Universal Declaration.”
On Friday 11 March at 2:46pm local time, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeast coast of Japan, immediately followed by 6.8 and 7.3 magnitude2 aftershocks. This is the fourth largest earthquake in the world since recordings began in 19002. The quake triggered a 23 feet high (7 meters) tsunami across a 1,300 mile coastline, taking with it buildings, trees, cars, boats, ships and trains several miles inland.
international call for help has been issued to all VMs with experience in disaster response to come to Japan, as hundreds of VMs will be needed to assist the people of Japan. Volunteer Minister units in Japan, Australia and New Zealand have been activated and are in the process of setting up disaster response logistics.
The Church of Scientology has organized two chartered flights to Haiti to take doctors, medical supplies and Volunteer Ministers to the stricken country.
More than half those on this flight were medical professionals, including doctors and nurses from the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad (Association des Medecins Haitiens a l’Etranger) and from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
