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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Anonymous Announces "Operation: School's Closed". On Saturday, September 13, the collective known as Anonymous will stage a global protest, including one here in Birmingham, against the Church of Scientology management, its attempts to infiltrate schools, and its internal exploitation of children. Since January, Anonymous has staged seven successful, non-violent protests against this cult at over 130 Scientology centers around the world. Each global protest has a theme intended to raise public awareness of specific abuses. In September, Anonymous turns its attention to the harm caused to children. Since 1970, the Church of Scientology has worked to infiltrate public school systems around the globe through "Applied Scholastics" and the "Study Tech" of Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Despite public claims to be secular in nature, its own management labels Applied Scholastics a "Church program" and "Scientology-related entity". In addition, Study Tech is derived entirely from Scientology materials, and staff members are almost always Scientologists themselves. The Cult of Scientology also infiltrates schools using seemingly innocent groups like the "Drug Free Marshals", "Youth for Human Rights", and "The Way to Happiness Foundation", in an effort to improve the image of Hubbard and to till the land for his pseudo-scientific doctrines and methods.[1] Study Tech corrupts the most basic principles of most educational systems, representing them in a different manner. This is an effective form of social control over the classroom. Disagreement with the material one is studying is evidence of a misunderstood word (M/U), which must be located and cleared before one can progress. Study Tech includes a convenient blame mechanism. In Scientology, if a concept is not understood, it is always the fault of the student, never that of the teacher or source material. Study Tech complies with Hubbard’s demands that his ideas not be re-interpreted, or even debated. He puts the emphasis on rote learning (or "duplication" in Scientology) rather than critical interpretation: "A misunderstood word keeps a person from duplicating what the written materials actually say" (Hubbard, "Method 9 Word Clearing The Right Way," HCO Bulletin of 30 January 1973, revised 19 December 1979).[2] Another principle, that of breaking a subject down into pieces and teaching the simple before the advanced, is called a "gradient" in Scientology. Study Tech teaches that viewing advanced material out of turn can lead to discomfort, and this is used to justify the hiding of controversial materials and encourage deceit such as lies (called an "acceptable truth"), half-truths and misdirection to students and the public. Children involved in Scientology are treated as adults, their childhood years taken from them. They are often made to work on the organisation's staff from a very young age, for long hours, without weekend breaks, instead of getting a much needed education. An Australian television program, "Today Tonight", aired a segment on Scientology's treatment of children that exposes this further.[3] The website Ex-Scientology Kids[4] collates the stories of many young men and women of the Church of Scientology. Many of these stories cite long work hours as a child, verbal and emotional abuse, and even sexual abuse at the hands of the cult. Jenna Miscavige Hill (niece of David Miscavige, the current leader of the Church of Scientology) spoke of her life growing up in Scientology in an interview with ABC's Nightline.[5] Her story describes the mistreatment and intimidation she suffered in the Church's "Sea Org" in her younger years. Scientology is a movement created by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-20th century. It emphasizes man’s immortal spirit, reincarnation, and an unscientific method of psychotherapy called "Dianetics". On higher course levels, Scientologists learn that Dianetics can't 'cure' lower level Scientologists as their bodies are possessed by the souls of aliens. Scientology blames psychiatry for the Holocaust and the 9/11 attacks, and works for a 'global obliteration' of mental health organisations.[6] Scientology operates a large number of shell companies and front groups. One such group is the "Scientology Volunteer Ministers", which interferes with disaster relief. The New York City Fire Commissioner has called for Scientology operatives to be prosecuted for fraudulently claiming an FDNY Medal of Valor after 9/11. Project Chanology is an ongoing campaign against the abuses of the Church of Scientology by the collective known as Anonymous. An info package has been created and is available for download at http://img1.anonbw.com/press/GoldInfoPack.pdf; For more information, see http://www.whyweprotest.net , http://www.enturb.org or http://www.brumanon.co.uk Anonymous will be turning up en masse on Saturday, ready to take their message straight to the Birmingham 'Church' of Scientology at 11am, staying for several hours.. For information on September's campaign, visit http://www.schoolsclosed.org and http://www.studytech.org To learn about the Church of Scientology's mistreatment and exploitation of children please see http://www.ExScientologyKids.com - a website to support young men and women who have left the Church. References: [1] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_...icle1290317.ece [2] http://www.studytech.org/study_tech1.php [3] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSm2hoqVhyE&fmt=18 [4] http://www.ExScientologyKids.com [5] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnbQKQAbVlg&fmt=18 [6] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfu7Sr50N7U&fmt=18 ### |