News

Where's the other side of the story on Scientology?

Letters to the Editor
Published July 22, 2004

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Re: Scientology's town, July 18, and Striving for mainstream, building connections, July 19.

What a sad day indeed when we see an award-winning paper like the St. Petersburg Times stoop to serving as a PR brochure for Scientology.

Where are the crack teams of investigative journalists who actually dig up the facts?

This series of articles on Scientology reflects simply the glossed-over pablum put out by this group and nothing more. One would only need visit their Web site to get the same warmed-over bunch of bunk. Why bother having a reporter regurgitate the church's own PR?

Where is the story about the "Lisa Clause," that was uncovered this past year, which the Times failed to cover? Major media elsewhere covered this heinous contract guaranteeing that Scientologists should expect the same treatment as Lisa McPherson, except now they will not be able to take legal action against their "church."

Where is the investigative report about the "church's" heavy use of private investigators to follow and harass former members in order to assure their silence?

Where is the coverage about Scientology's front groups, like Narconon, being exposed as a scam in headlines in the San Francisco Chronicle and covered by nationwide media? Every major news outlet in the country covered that story and the Times was conspicuous by its silence. Now your paper runs this puff piece glorifying this group with no mention of any of these recent hard news stories?

So many questions need to be answered by your paper before any of your readers will take you seriously ever again. Unless, of course, you expect us to buy the fact that a cult's takeover of a town is a warm fuzzy event that should be accepted with a shrug and a smile while you avoid reporting the other side of the story.

-- Patricia Greenway, Tampa

Everyone's town

Re: Scientology's town.

Thank you for the article in the Sunday paper. Truly, Clearwater is everyone's town. People in Clearwater are invited to the same Wednesday night talks of the Business Expansion Club by Marc DeEulio where they can learn how to better flourish and prosper, be able to buy property, open stores in Clearwater or accomplish whatever their own purposes dictate.

Scientology is a game where everyone wins. The end result is a town that is everyone's town, for everyone is making it and creating it to be a sane, safe, happy place to live.

-- Elyse Van Breemen, Clearwater

We're seeing the end of Clearwater

Re: Scientology.

"Overwhelming" is the first word that comes to mind when I read the articles about Scientology. But when I let what I read sink in, the words "shock and awe" are perhaps more appropriate. Also "unbelievable" and "sadness."

Overwhelming because that is what the cult wants to do, to overwhelm us with their presence. To shock and awe the community into thinking that no matter how we feel, it is too late to do anything about it. The intimidation factor is high. Sadness because we are seeing the end of Clearwater that the citizens have loved, and unbelievable because the officials have given in and let it happen. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

A few Scientologists have contacted me over the years because of a few letters I have written, and I told some of them that they are very good at what they do. They have accomplished what no other, that I am aware of, cult/business/organization has accomplished. To be legitimate in the eyes of the public and to be able to continue with their goals, which are to make as much money as possible and expansion.

They want taxpayer money for their programs such as Narconon, which is not approved by the AMA or FDA. In fact the AMA says it may even be harmful. They want to get at our kids with their teachings and "counseling" methods. The only good things the cult does is for public relations to benefit themselves in the form of recruiting more victims to increase its financial base. Real churches to not deprive people of their services if they do not get "donations." Thousands of dollars for training and auditing? Does that sound like a church?

The cult's goal was for Clearwater to be known as the first Scientology city in the world. Well, they've succeeded. Too bad. It is up to the citizens to decide if this is a good thing or not. Let them have downtown; they own it anyway. No more tax dollars for the cult's benefit. Let the politicians grovel for votes. Relocate to a new area for the citizens of Clearwater to invest in and enjoy.

-- David Rodman, Dunedin

Negative responses expected

Seeing a feature story on Scientology's hold on Clearwater made me think of one thing and one thing alone last Sunday: How many letters will the newspaper publish in the coming days that border on bigotry?

-- John Fontana, Palm Harbor

Creating their own private retreat

Re: Scientology's town.

I would like to start this letter by applauding Susan Latvala, Pinellas County commissioner, for officially changing the city of Clearwater to "Scientology City." Oh yes, it is there in black and white on page 10A in Part 1 of the never-ending saga of "As this city turns itty bitty."

I try to find humor in most things, but this is a subject I have gone to great lengths to research and have been increasingly convinced of Scientology's unredeeming qualities. I call them, the good, the bad and the ugly. Now depending on which side of the issue you are on, those adjectives cover both of us. This two-part article only reinforces my stance that the Scientologist organization has in fact, slowly but surely, taken over a community's epicenter and turned it into a corporate retreat.

Why in the world would a "church" buy so much property in any city's limits while claiming tax-exempt status? Who then pays for the shortfall from this tax exemption to the city?

Multiple choice: A) The attorneys, private investigators and public relations directors hired by Scientology to "safe point" and/or squelch the free speech of "suppressive persons" (nonbelievers). B) The droves of followers who visit this city to seek spiritual enlightenment. C) The taxpaying citizens of soon-to-be-renamed "Suckerville." I am guessing you all choose (C) because that is the correct answer.

If any of you out there have been following this issue over the years, you too have heard the same story from the Scientologists about how they are not buying up our town and how they want to be part of our community. Tact-101: Do not buy property in the city limits totaling more than $100-million and say you're not infringing on the community as a whole.

The fact that they have done this is of absolutely no surprise to anyone who would take the time to understand what it is they are all about. Why not buy county property? This way the tax burden is spread evenly. I am not saying the organization should not be allowed to express their "religious views." What I am saying is stop turning a community into a private retreat of your own.

My other favorite tidbits in the article are the lists of elected officials who actively participate and condone the activities of Scientology. Simply put, I have just completed my do-not-vote-for list for the next election. Hopefully, we can live together in this community, but as it stands someone is truly not playing a "fair game." Look it up.

-- P. Hodges, Clearwater

Look beyond "let's be friends'

Re: Scientology's town.

Robert Farley's "fluff" piece in the Sunday Times was a bit of a shock. Yes, for the most part, the information reported on the affects of the Scientology influx into the city of Clearwater were accurate. However, the overall "let's be friends" feel to the piece was a bit much. It's one thing to have local government officials roll over for this organization, but the St. Petersburg Times too?

There is a worldly wealth of information out there about Scientology and its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Information that portrays a much darker and sinister organization. One recommended Internet site is http://www.xenu.net

I would hope that future articles by the Times will more accurately present the complete history of the Church of Scientology - good and bad.

-- Steve Jenks, Largo

Buildings are a facade

Your front page articles on Scientology describe Scientologists getting chills on seeing the monster building Scientology built to dominate downtown Clearwater. If Scientologists get chills, you can't imagine what I experience. My husband spent eight years against this cult fighting for the family of Lisa McPherson, who was killed at the Fort Harrison Hotel. Rather than defend itself on the merits, for eight years it continuously attacked my husband professionally and personally, which took an emotional toll on my family.

These face-saving buildings, old and new, simply hide the real work of the cult. When the hotel is made open to the public, I wonder who will be the first to stay in Cabana Room 174, where Lisa suffered for the last 17 days of her life, while Scientology proclaimed she was there for "rest and relaxation."

Scientology now is the same as it was for the past 50 years. Don't be fooled by the way they "influence" politicians or its expensive new "church" facade. If you cross them simply by exposing the truth or expressing your opinion, you are then a target.

-- Lauren Dandar, St. Petersburg

A Clearwater encounter

I arrived in Florida in May. The first day I was here I rode my bike on the Pinellas Trail to St. Petersburg. The next day I decided to ride north, but I got lost.

The trail takes a sharp left at Drew Street and then a right in the middle of the block. I missed the sign for the right turn. When I got to the bay, I knew I was lost.

I saw the entrance to what appeared to be a large resort hotel on my right and a security guard standing on the hotel steps across the parking lot. I decided to ride over and ask him for directions.

As soon as I entered the grounds, everyone stopped and stared. I immediately knew I was unwelcome there. I stopped and dismounted. As the guard approached, he smiled. Thank God!

Almost immediately he recognized that I posed no security threat. I was just a poor old soul on a bike who was lost. He set me straight, and I was soon back on the trail heading home. But I couldn't help wondering: Who were all those people, what had I done to offend them and why were they all dressed in blue?

-- Bill Grab, Largo

Voiceless in paradise

Re: Zoning rules trumped by developers, and Touch screen voting flaws ignored, July 21.

Not only will we all be living in our own "Waterworld" from the continuing denuding of our environment, but when we go to vote to stop this insane overdevelopment, our vote may not count due to the new "touch screen" voting machines' inability to perform properly.

Welcome to paradise, a.k.a., Florida.

-- Kitty Mozina, Palm Harbor

[Last modified July 21, 2004, 23:20:22]

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