SCIENCE FRICTION

Protesters say church destroys families, by Maxine Frith, this brilliant investigative journalist had her report published in the April 13, 2008 edition of the sun-Herald.

An Australian who was a former high-ranking member of the Church of Scientology is calling for the religion to be “totally dismantled” because of the human rights abuses he says it inflicts on its followers.

David Graham has gone public after years of keeping quiet when he feared retribution from the church.

He says members are encouraged to cut ties with non-scientologists.  And they are threatened with being ostracised from members, including family and friends, if they try to leave the church, an act known as “disconnection.”

He supports the actions of an internet based group called Anonymous, which wants the church tax-exempt status rescinded, alleging it is a cult rather than a religion.

About 200 people protested outside the Church of Scientology’s Australian headquarters yesterday, many wearing masks and chanting slogans such as “religion should be free” as part of a worldwide picket.

Mr. Graham 71, lives in NSW.  Even though he left the church almost 20 years ago, he still does not want his location revealed, fearing harassment from the religion.

He joined the church in Sydney in 1976.  He rose through the ranks and become a full time employee before being sent to work for the church in the US, where he joined Sea Org, Scientology’s elite inner core.

Sea Org members must sign a billion year contract to the church (as they believe in afterlife, this condition is taken very seriously).  They live and work full time in scientology compounds and are responsible for running the church.

In 1990, after becoming disillusioned, Mr. Graham fled the Los Angeles Scientology base to return to Australia.  He was declared a suppressive person, an enemy of Scientology.  No member can have contact with him.

“I enjoyed a lot of my time in Scientology and I think at its lower levels some of the auditing (counselling) can be very useful,” he said.  “But at the upper levels a lot of the teachings are useless..

“I think it needs to be totally dismantled to help save the people in it.  It is not run like a religion.  It’s more like a cult.  My concerns are about the constraints it puts on an individual and the denial of human rights.  It is run by fear.”

Well known Australian Scientologists include singer Kate Ceberano, James Packer and former St George rugby league player Pat Jarvis.

In the 2006 census, 2,513 Australians listed Scientology as their religion.  The church believes it has 250,000 followers in Australia.

Vicki Dunstan, a trustee of the church in Sydney, said anonymous was like a “terror group.”  “They have sent death threats to Scientologists and we have had bricks through our windows,” she said.  “We have become victims of religious hatred.  The early Christians were persecuted by being thrown to the lions.  We are thrown to the media and have these allegations thrown at us that are completely untrue.”

Ms. Dunstan denied there was a policy of disconnections.  “I think for some who leave the church it can be a bit like a divorce.  People feel very bitter,” she said.

Those who attended yesterday’s Sydney protest by Anonymous denied they employed violent tactics against the church.  One member, who did not wish to be named, said:  “We are not a hate group, we just want people to know the truth about Scientology.

“People do not know what they’re getting into because Scientology does not tell them the truth.

“Truth is not hate.  One of the things about our group is that we came together from the internet. The internet is free and is all about freedom of speech.  Scientology is not.”

Other supporters said Anonymous main objection was to what they claim is a policy of destroying families by cutting off followers from anybody who is not a Scientologist.

“A former member of the church said” “I think these protests are just wonderful because they’re getting the message out there about what happens in scientology.  I know mothers who have been cut off from their sons and families split up because of the church.  It is dreadful.”

Anonymous says its membership is growing every month and that more than 8000 people worldwide protested yesterday.

We at “Voice of the People” believe that all government’s, Australia wide, must push for asset-rich religions to be taxed like any other Australian business.  The religious order.  It should be the individual’s choice.

The Australian taxpayer should not be forced to subsidise religious orders.  Australian leaders have preached that we live in a Democratic Country.  If this is a fact, then it is up to the individual if they want to financially support any religious order.   It should be the individual’s choice. 

Link - Update August 2006, Another Religious Sect Playing Politics.