Australian Senator Denounces Scientology
November 17, 2009 by XENU TV
Filed under Latest News
Xenu or Xenophon: both names instill fear in David Miscavige today because Australian independent Senator Nick Xenophon has called Scientology a criminal organization. After listing a series of abuses that have been brought to his attention, the Senator stated the very obvious: ”What you believe does not mean you are not accountable for how you behave.”
The South Australian parliamentarian said he had been contacted by a number of former Scientologists, after he questioned the organisation’s tax exempt status in a recent television interview.
“They have provided long and detailed letters to me about the workings of this organisation,” he told the Senate.
“These people rightly see themselves as victims of Scientology.”
Senator Xenophon said their correspondence implicated the organisation in a range of crimes, including forced imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, intimidation and blackmail.
“I am deeply concerned about this organisation and the devastating impact it can have on its followers,” he said.
Senator Xenophon said the Church of Scientology had been convicted of fraud in France and was facing similar charges in Belgium.
A number of the organisation’s former high ranking executives in the US had also recently spoken out against its leader, David Miscavige, saying they had seen him assaulting staff and urging others to do the same, he said.
“What we are seeing is a worldwide pattern of abuse and criminality,” Senator Xenophon said.
“On the body of evidence, this is not happening by accident, it is happening by design.
“Scientology is not a religious organisation, it is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs.”
Eight letters from former members of the organisation were tabled in Parliament.
Paul David Schofield said his first daughter Lauren had died after she was allowed to wander one of the Church of Scientology’s Sydney buildings and fell down some stairs.
“My wife and I were actively discouraged from seeking compensation from the church,” he wrote.
“I was also encouraged by church executives to request no coronial inquiry into her death, something I stupidly agreed with at that time.”
Mr Schofield’s second daughter Kirsty also died, in this case after ingesting potassium chloride at the family home – a substance he said was used widely in the organisation’s “purification” programs.
“I did not tell the truth either to the police or the court (to my shame) but omitted details which would have ‘embarrassed’ the church,” he wrote.
In another letter, Aaron Saxton said that as a member of the organisation, he participated in the “forced confinement and torture” of others.
He wrote that Scientologists considered to be “underperforming” were placed on diets of beans and rice for up to two weeks at a time, and they were also not allowed to access medications or undergo procedures such as pap smears.
In her letter to Senator Xenophon, Carmel Underwood said she knew of one instance where a Church of Scientology trainee counsellor’s molestation of his step-daughter was covered up.
While in another episode, Ms Underwood said the organisation interrogated her over three days in Sydney about her alleged “misdeeds”.
Senator Xenophon said many names had been erased from the letters he had tabled in Parliament.
“But those names haven’t been removed from copies I am providing to the police,” he told the Senate.
“This organisation must be investigated.”
now we can hear tommy davis utter the word xeno! lol
I hope that this gives more people the courage to speak out.
Mr. Beard Man, your words are still quite wise.
For the past couple days, Ive been trying to find a way to convince a close friend of mine to not undergo Auditor training in Florida. Ive considered many ways, some of them borderline illegal, but instead I just linked him to Clambake, Xenu.com and Xenu TV.
Please keep up the good work, and thanks for informing us of these changes.
Your un-anonymous friend in Anonymous,
Bryant
More disgruntled apostates with chip axes to grind.
It does raise the question as to why so few politicians in those countries where the cult has tax exemption don’t speak out, as it is patently absurd for the Scilons to have state support in this manner. The copyrighting of their ‘religious’ text should be proof in itself that they’re not a religion let alone the myriad of other reasons.
I’m not suprised that this Senator is an independent, as it seems the parties perhaps want to be seen to be ‘inclusive’ on religion and have decided that there are no votes in it.
Vote for Nick, the Aussies !
In response to Ironhead’s point, maybe we can consider it a win if we can make a Scientologist say any word beginning with an ‘X’ !
Has anybody got a video where a Scilon uses and ‘X’ word ?
‘Xenophon’ would score 1 point as it should be easy. ‘Xenophobia’ 2 points and ‘Xylophone’ would score 3.
Of course ‘Xenu’ would score a massive 100 points !! (All scores would be doubled if it is Tommy Davis, and doubled again if he’s all angry and shouty ! )
Finally a politician giving a ear and a voice to the people he represents.
I wish all politicians were independent, as parties too often come with the unpleasant group-think illness.
I suppose we have to expect Tommy Davis to walk out when a reporter will ask him about Xenophone?
I voted for him because of his stand against socially destructive video gaming. This is an unexpected bonus though!
If we can get their tax exempt status removed, it will be a massive win for everyone. It will be a huge step forward, and a weight to that ever growing snowball that is inevitably growing every day. Our country has a chance to start something that might change the future of the cult of $cientology forever.
Could you imagine the headlines if something like this happens? Would love to see a wise beard man video if this comes to pass!
The Co$ in the UK aren’t tax exempt but they get around it by basing their headquarters in South Australia. If you remove their tax exemption in Australia, you effectively remove it in the UK as well.
The Tax Exempt status should have been revoked way back. This just gives them more money to attack Psychiatry and Psychology while promoting an electrogalvonometer and vitamin B as the salve to all that plagues mankind. If they didnt have the surplus cash they would be advertising in the back of silly magazines with all the other quacks. This is just an inhouse pryamid selling scheme, which should be recognised for what it is. The only problem is they are pretending to be something else.
“Of course ‘Xenu’ would score a massive 100 points !!”
And don’t forget, according to Hubbard, “Xemu” also counts.
Of course, this was also the guy who said “ga-LAX-y,” so who knows how it was “actually” pronounced.
piginthecity:
“It does raise the question as to why so few politicians in those countries where the cult has tax exemption don’t speak out, as it is patently absurd for the Scilons to have state support in this manner.”
The point is valid, of course, but at this point in time, Scientology is not exactly a major problem for them. There are at most 25,000 active Scientologists in the US and much less elsewhere. The politicians have, or at least should have, much bigger things on their plate.
Anyway, it looks to me like a death by a thousand cuts for the Church. There seems to be a new article, book, ex-member speaking out, legal verdict or something every day. I don’t think Tommy Davis will last much longer, and at some point Miscavige has to show up, unless he’d rather just quit.
This is making big news in the media in Australia, especially since it was raised in Parliament by Senator Xenophon. The Australian Government is now almost forced to make official enquiry as the allegations are serious (and probably more importantly to them) highly publicised.
In response to Mike’s comments, membership numbers should have zero impact on whether (Govt) officials should investigate serious crimes or otherwise. And the many allegations made highly public are very serious indeed.
I do not know how much pull this senator has given the fact that he is an “idependent” member of the Australian parliment, however better this than nothing at all.
He’ll need more than just letters from former members of the cult if this inquiry will cause significant damage to Scientology. Direct evidence would really put them on the defensive. Video, audio and eyewitness testimony from current members who, working on the inside, can provide extremely valuable proof of this cult’s violent and money-driven methods.
I urge anyone who is still in Scientology to work towards this goal – keeping in mind the very real dangers you will face if caught. i hope there are those among you with the courage to do this.
Some good news media, YouTubed:
Australian TV “Today Tonight” Special Report by Brian Seymour
Pt1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZpo7H1hIp4
Pt2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnW5JpcMYQ8
Isn’t it a shame that the Senate was “full” of empty seats when this brave Senator stepped up? A truely historic speach.
I wonder what they make of this inside Scientology? Someone with the name Xeno(phon) has attacked them in public; I’ll bet they are going absolutely mental – especially as they believe Xenu is still somewhere on the planet.
In christian terms it would be like a politician called Fred Satan calling for the mandatory marking of newborn babies with 666 on their forehead.
I reckon Nick must be a very brave man, because I would imagine Scientology will spend an awful lot of effort in trying to discredit him. If I were him I’d be careful what I throw out in my garbage for the next 20 years, and I would warn all my friends, relations and neighbours to watch my back.
To a Scilon, Xenophone might as well be Xenuphone.
XENO IS MY HERO!!