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Scientologists are freaks but smart freaks

Sweeney went into a this process with no intention of writing a balanced story. Davis stuck up for himself as is his right. His religion was insulted and he fought back

Scientology is one of the finest organizations in the world today. Trying to portray the Church of Scientology as anything but the fine organization that it is would be rough on anyone. John Sweeny had prior addenda to miss represent a very good thing as a very bad thing to do. Lying and the truth simple don't mix.

Find out for yourself... notice Sweeney did not even enter a Church of Scientology or speak to every day Scientologists?
Check out http://bbcpanorama-exposed.org for the documentary they have done to expose Panorama!

Sweeney's a hack

I saw the Panorama Exposed documentat=ry (not to be confused with the BBC documentary that Sweeny did) and it was very well made. The sources they had were solid and it was an excellent documentary that made the BBC and Sweeny look like nothing more than tabloid journalists. If anyone wants the full, true story, they ought to see this documentary!

Does anyone not in SCientlogy actually have anything positive to say about it?

It was impossible for Sweeny to do a balanced documentary because it was impossible for him to conduct an interview with anyone without some drone tuning up to disrupt him. Why were they so scared of letting him interview a star on their own? Why were they slating "heretics" for being former addicts and rent boys when most of the stars they paraded were thoses things themselves.

And how much time have Scientologists wasted trawling the internet leaving posts and comments attacking one of the best and most dedicated reporters at the BBC

Pathetic cult

What terrible journalism. It is unfortunate what people will do for ratings.

What terrible journalism. It is unfortunate what people will do for ratings.

I saw the Panorama Exposed video. Wow!

It should be part of classes in journalism. The navigational link is at the top left-hand side of this page:

http://www.bbcpanorama-exposed.org/introduction-to-bbc-panorama-exposed.php

Wow...judging from the previous comments I can only guess that the scientologists have a full time staff that do nothing but pour over the internet to reply to stories like this by saying how "great" scientology is.

Wow...judging from the previous comments I can only guess that the scientologists have a full time staff that do nothing but pour over the internet to reply to stories like this by saying how "great" scientology is.

I agree! It is a disgusting cult of the worst kind

As Sweeny himself remarked, would the Church of England, or any other church, have acted so belligerently to critical reporting?

Emil, Thanks for being an apologist for pseudo-journlist Sweeney, who called his own company a bunch of "morons"...caught on tape.
Don't fall into the same trap, do your homework and see exactly how this "mockumentary" was planned and executed over a period of weeks at: http://bbcpanorama-exposed.org

There as zero intention of doing a balanced story and plenty of "made-up" scenes by Sweeney, doing several "takes" of not being able to enter Churches,which was false.

I'm a Scientologist and have been one for 38 years. I'm also Jewish. In both cases I don't like being falsely maligned as a cultist. It's derogatory propaganda and is spread by a few and believed by those that have not taken the time to actually read Scientology literature.

Journalists have every right to do investigative reporting and in many cases can uncover abuses, especially in government. They have no right to air their personal prejudices or spread hate in the name of free speech.

Terrible journalism - The BBC will happily give a pass to the Catholic Church or Islamic institutuions - Organisations that are equaly secretive at their higher echelons.

Refering to it as a cult was highly offensive and unprofessional. I highly debate the BBC would turn up at the opening of a Mosque in London and pursue the Mullah with various accusations...

Television can be highly damaging and the CoS was correct in taking a firm line.

In case anyone is inclined to believe the Scientology version of events, here's a quotation from the London Times:
(http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article1782050.ece)

'Sandy Smith, Panorama's editor, said: "Access to the church came with conditions that weren't acceptable to Panorama, such as not using the word 'cult', not conducting anonymous interviews and not interviewing 'haters' [critics of Scientology]. In Britain the Charity Commission doesn't consider them a religion and the Church of England has been extremely critical."'

Isn't it interesting that the Scientology response doesn't spend even a single second addressing the very serious concerns about "disconnects" raised in the Panorama program? Or that it repeatedly quotes from a code of conduct about the treatment of religions when Scientology is officially not a religion in the UK?

I've wondered for a very long time just how stupid and gullible one would have to be in order to believe the central tenets of Scientology. Pretty stupid and gullible, as it turns out.

Believe want you want but, if it's nutty like aliens from space, flying spaghetti monsters, rose from the dead, eternal life...then take the heat or get out of the kitchen. I think it's all bunk myself.

I can't belive that this comment section has been hijacked by the same people who followed Sweeney about! you're a Cult and your PR Cult has been on here!

It's called science-FICTION for a reason, what do you think would happen if Douglas Adams had declared something similar!
I'm off to get my thetans extracted, cheerio!!

Scientology is a load of crap. The way Tommy and the rest of his crew of mad hatters acted in that documentary shows exactly what scientology is.... fake and crap

Someday soon Scientology will be obliterated by their own lies and deception.
Aliens indeed

I am scared of people who believe in invisible things. Aren't you?

Jesus was just as bad

Jesus was just as bad

i'm amazed of how many scientologists post under the cover of biased users in order to white wash their cult!

just the clip on youtube that a londoner scientologist uploaded only let's users post after they have been reviewed by him... not very biased... a lot of the media outlets then reported that a lot of youtube users where inclined to post favorable about the video clip and scientology... which is absolutely not true... if one surf to one of the anti-scientology videos on youtube and read the uncensored comments the vote is around 20:1 against scientology! all the buy scientology posters can't manipulate uncensored commenting... comforting to know!

This is why I hate scientology. My brother during a time of emotional crisis was lured in by a pretty woman he knew, they became a couple but eventually Scientology broke them up for who knows what reasons. My brother would not seek psyciatric help because the Church of Scientology had him convinced that "psychiatry had killed and destroyed more people than the Nazis did". I told him L. Ron Hubbard must have been a Holocaust denier (ok I was being flippant but still such a stupid statement he made deserved a come back). My brother later seperated from Scientology, continued to feel worse and has been missing on the streets for two years.

This is why I hate scientology. My brother during a time of emotional crisis was lured in by a pretty woman he knew, they became a couple but eventually Scientology broke them up for who knows what reasons. My brother would not seek psyciatric help because the Church of Scientology had him convinced that "psychiatry had killed and destroyed more people than the Nazis did". I told him L. Ron Hubbard must have been a Holocaust denier (ok I was being flippant but still such a stupid statement he made deserved a come back). My brother later seperated from Scientology, continued to feel worse and has been missing on the streets for two years.

What amuses me is how many of the "viral videos" the Scientologists have been uploading endlessly to YouTube (only the 9/11 conspiracy people have them beat with their flood of vids) actually proves the very point of the BBC documentary - that Scientologists are incapable of accepting any criticism whatsoever. The overwhelming majority of these "viral videos" have either locked out viewer comments, or "moderated" them to remove anything that even tinges of a criticism or a question about whether it's appropriate to judge a reporter based on a 40 second video clip.

The Scientology community has an extremely long history of going completely overboard in defending their beliefs, including all of the tactics that this BBC reporter experienced himself. They even accused the BBC of being a terrorist organization. They've enshrined this practice under their "fair game" policy which directly targets anyone who is considered a threat to the organization.

That Scientologists would actually suggest the BBC is engaged in a conspiracy to take down their group by any means necessary is just bizarre - the BBC would have far larger targets if that were the case.

John Sweeney has covered world events and atrocities that would curl anyone's hair. He's a fine reporter. The debunking of Scientology is not Sweeney's lifelong goal, but to read the Scientology community's comments (which are so remarkably similar across a range of sites regarding this issue as to suggest a playbook is in use here), you'd think he's obsessed with them. Guess what, he's not.

I don't personally subscribe to any faith, but one thing is certain. When an organization assumes a persecution complex, cannot withstand even the slightest questioning or criticism of its beliefs, and has a group of people running around in dark suits and sunglasses spying and videotaping people, that says a lot about just how credible that particular faith is. I know those who have wrapped their life (and considerable amount of their personal wealth) into this organization are unlikely to pick up what I'm putting down, but as free thinking people, we have a responsibility to ourselves to carefully consider all points of view and investigate that which we are willing to devote our lives to. And any belief system that discourages (or even punishes) that isn't worth believing in.

and people who post here refering to scientology as "CoS" are clearly scientologists posting as non-scientologists!

bbcpanorama-exposed... another scientologist posting here!

that website was set up by an old british webdesign company owned by scientology!!!

those people are not even educated enough in trying to cover their propaganda tracks!!!!

and my understanding after reading and watching some stuff on the internet that, especially in the US, there are some scientology people in the lower positions that have absolutely no clue what is going on in scientology! not all are bad, nobody is trying to say that... but the stuff scientology! is trying to sell and all scientology people in the higher ranks know what's going on and are guilty of ripping a lot of people off...

and for the celebrities that let themselves be used for the scientology purposes: even if they don't know what's really going they're as guilty as the ones that make the decisions!!!

for my part i will try not to watch movies with travolta and co. and tv series with scientologists will also be off limits from now on!!!

Actually, Douglas Adams is much more believable, a better writer, and has more personal integrity than Hubbard was ever able to comprehend, let alone possess.

Note that I'm NOT recommending he, or anyone else, start a "Hitchhiker's cult". And I'm not recommending that anyone join the existing one ;)

And yes, Scientology DOES have a professional staff of public relations people - who do you think the folks harassing Sweeney were? Just random citizens?

Isn't it odd that there's nearly NO non-members who have anything positive to say about the cult? Everyone who defends it eventually coughs up that they're a member themselves (i.e. they have given Scientology a lot of, if not all, their money).

What OTHER non-cult buys up anti-cult sites and destroys all their data? Would such an action even OCCUR to a neutral group (and no, we don't need any smart remarks about organized religion. Often they're just BIGGER cults, and their behavior doesn't excuse Scientology one bit).

And don't let the clams get you.

What this blog shows is how well organised the "church" at PR. As a former PR professional, I'm genuinely impressed at their PR bullying tactics.

I would recommend strongly to anyone wanting to find out a bit more about this whole "scandal" to go to the BBC website and the Panorama page - you can watch the thing free.

Which leads me to the BBC and its brand of journalism. Clearly it's not perfect - but it is as far from voyeurism and "making-up stuff" as TV can get. It is publicly funded and doesn't chase ratings and hence doesn't "dress-up" stories. Should I remind readers here that while the US media was mostly hiding the truth of the Iraq debacle for months, the BBC reported on the conflict as fairly as possible - and that's why BBC America rating went through the roof. While the White House clearly didn't want to see journalists filming coffins with the flag flying home - the fact was that it was real, it was happening and it had to be reported and shown. This is what journalism is about. This is freedom of speech. The "church" might not be a cult - but if somebody says it is a cult, I can see anything wrong with a journalist reporting that fact.

As for comparisons with other churches - well, I'd say take a look at the BBC website, spend a bit of time there, and you'll see plenty of proper journalism about other religions too - be it coranic schools, wahabism, the Vatican's funds etc...

I put myself in the sceptic category - my reflexion is that if you pick up a history of world book anywhere and look at conflicts and death - so many are closely linked to religions. Plus most religions are selling (it's big business afterall) redemption and help from above...

So I'll take my chances about "judgment day" and I'll avoid religions so as long as that "church" leaves me alone, I don't care too much.

It's truly sad that Scientology centers use their "congregation's" donations to fund commenting and blogging to the degree of marketing. Everyone associated with the church could just as easily be influenced to join the military if the military had the access and ability to decieve people under the name of a "Religious Organization" to the intensity Scientoligist do. They target week emotionally unbalanced incomplete people who are DESPERATE for guidance. The prey on the ignorance of others and the whole CULT is controlled by only at most 10 truly intelligent people and they ALL know they are pulling the biggest get rich and powerful quick scam ever by taking advantage of a vulnerable demographic. We all realize John Travolta is going to pilot the mothership home so we here in the real world only have about 20 more years of having to deal with their rantings. It's great when everything you stand by and believe in cannot be credited, cause that also means it can't be discredited. BECAUSE ITS MAKE BELIEVE. Science, is disgusted that you would ABUSE the word to again recruit people. Isolation is the only way your sham will not crumble. Sad Sad

It's truly sad that Scientology centers use their "congregation's" donations to fund commenting and blogging to the degree of marketing. Everyone associated with the church could just as easily be influenced to join the military if the military had the access and ability to decieve people under the name of a "Religious Organization" to the intensity Scientoligist do. They target week emotionally unbalanced incomplete people who are DESPERATE for guidance. The prey on the ignorance of others and the whole CULT is controlled by only at most 10 truly intelligent people and they ALL know they are pulling the biggest get rich and powerful quick scam ever by taking advantage of a vulnerable demographic. We all realize John Travolta is going to pilot the mothership home so we here in the real world only have about 20 more years of having to deal with their rantings. It's great when everything you stand by and believe in cannot be credited, cause that also means it can't be discredited. BECAUSE ITS MAKE BELIEVE. Science, is disgusted that you would ABUSE the word to again recruit people. Isolation is the only way your sham will not crumble. Sad Sad

This is what the scientology Zombie Cult actually believes:

"In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu), pronounced /'zi.nu/, was the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of aliens to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living, and continue to wreak chaos and havoc today."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu

All you have to do is ask yourself if you would trust a religion founded by a man who said (and this is documented) that the best way to make money would be to make up your own religion.

Wow, I really never considered Scientology a DANGEROUS CULT until I saw that guy's off the scale behavior. Even given editing, I think that guy is a dangerous fanatic.
I am anti-CoS as of today.

Seeing that the bastion of the uneducated demented psycho who founded the CULT in in DC...I am not suprised at this anti sweeney nonsense going on here

Fact is Davis harrased Sweeney, we have no knowledge of Sweeney set out to do,but gors ASSUMPRIONS.. after antagonizing him serveral times..he fell into the trap Davis had set for him

Unfortunately for scientologist everywhere, BBC aired their program and included the shouting match, being responsible objective journalists that they were..which gravely suprised scicentologist because they had hoped to dissuade individuals with the youtube video they widely distributed to the media outlets..

Its unbelievable that these hacks make assumptions about intelligence of individuals and yet are unable to recognize that they cannot tell effective lies with the general public.

Interview with the likes of Cruise, Miscaviage , Davis, and the French counterpart to Davis can only be described as antagonistic and unacademic.

Did you read this just before you wrote your comment:
"We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features. "

That is what an organization that has nothing to HIDE encourages among the general public. As long as I am concerned Davis actions were nothing short of harrasment and potray scientology in a bad light.

And please dont make the classic assumptions that I know nothing about Scientology.I have been to a center and I have read the websites...nothing fascinating about it...it doesnt appeal to me and it only gets worse with the current media wave.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/default.stm

See this right before you comment:

"We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features. "

This is what intelligent nothing to hide organizations do..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/default.stm

This is what a fellow blogger put up today on TMZ:

I know little of this Scientology, but I do know what I deduce from watching that BBC video.

I found that Tommy Davis fellow to be ill mannered, hostile, offensively bullying and aggressive, purposely stepping into Sweeney's space as a form of intimidation. Last time I witnessed anything that looked or sounded like this was on the playground in junior high. Why would I listen to any pitch from someone who acts so completely uncivilized as a reaction to a ligitimate question or two? If they are not a cult, I would hope instead to expect some intelligent, fact-based, convincing and academic reply in response; not seemingly paranoic bullying, so therefore am immediately not convinced of any ligitimacy regarding this Scientology. Their over-the-top non-response to the word cult seems coached; I suspect (and I am a person with NO AGENDA, apart from thinking for myself) that this almost trained and embarrassing blatantly hostile response to the word 'cult' (rather than rational academic defence) might therefore be because cults are not given tax exempt status by goverments, and 'religions' are, and there are dollars to protect. Otherwise, why will they not come up with an intelligent, academic idea based response to convincingly counter the word 'cult'? Perhaps there is none? People would want to hear it. Such as, 'this is what we are', and then expound accordingly? There is no excuse to get in someone's face like that, seemingly all-secretive & threatened over a mere word/idea. The word 'cult' is argued and defined calmly and rationally in friendly tones at schools of academic learning all over the world, and you use intelligent, rational ideas to counter, not anger, hostility, and stalking of a news journalist by multi-vehicles. That's not cool, and so more people will question now. Plus Tom Davis was overloudly-accusatory, incorrectly but I believe purposely claiming John Sweeney was John Lonsdale's 'friend', when he wasn't; this was just another interview for BBC reporter Sweeney. His past aside, at least this Lonsdale fellow spoke openly, allowing us to decide for ourselves whether anything he said held any merit regarding what he had encountered in his quest for information from this group; even as he sat across from the cult street sign, and also while he had the guts to show the defamatory posters depicting and defaming him that they posted all over town. You know, character assassination such as these wall posters as opposed to proper argument is the bastion of the cowardly and the weak minded, and in and of itself tells me a lot about the posters.

This scary, stalking and hostile reaction to a few simple questions means I'll never be looking into Scientology for myself. "Fair game' as they termed it, although supposedly no longer done, looked to be obviously & creepily prevelant in this BBC video. It appeared to be some sort of misguided,carefully designed and vengeful vigilante tactics aimed directly at this BBC reporter who was simply trying to do his job. He was unable to get any objective and real information from Scientology apart from some 'I like it' testimonials from celebrities who later pulled their endorsements under (why?) pressure from higher ups. I saw no intent to create a slanted report on his part; rather, I saw that Scientology had every opportunity to present who and what they represented, but they didn't take it, and actually came off rather badly. Had Scientology presented themselves and their ideas well and in a proper manner, they might have been on their way to a tax exempt status in England, along with more followers. Heck, people WANT to believe. Scientology offered up NOTHING to believe here.

Posted at 11:24AM on May 16th 2007 by VerdictIsOutYet

This is why the conman and hack Science Fiction writer, Hubbard, invented the fake religion:

"A Reader's Digest article of May 1980 quoted Hubbard as saying in the 1940s "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion."[104][105]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Ron_Hubbard

The scientology criminal conspiracy has a long and sordid history, here's a sample:

"In addition to violating and abusing its own members' civil rights, the organization [Scientology] over the years with its "Fair Game" doctrine has harassed and abused those persons not in the Church whom it perceives as enemies. The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and the bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder LRH [L. Ron Hubbard]. The evidence portrays a man who has been virtually a pathological liar when it comes to his history, background, and achievements. The writings and documents in evidence additionally reflect his egoism, greed, avarice, lust for power, and vindictiveness and aggressiveness against persons perceived by him to be disloyal or hostile. At the same time it appears that he is charismatic and highly capable of motivating, organizing, controlling, manipulating, and inspiring his adherents." -- Superior Court Judge Paul Breckinridge, Church of Scientology of California vs. Gerald Armstrong, June 20, 1984.[120]

If I was going to follow a religion made up by a science fiction writer, I wouldn't select anything by a fourth-rate hack like L. Ron Hubbard.

If you call your organization a 'Religion' for tax purposes, it doesn't make it a religion!. Scientology, is a 'belief system' and there are many similar. Yes, you could say that various other religions are 'belief systems'. But, Somehow I don't think scientolgy believes in a God. Which I thought, defined what a religion was about!

Anyone want to join my "RELIGION" I am seeking tax exempt status for all coffee drinkers in the USA...thats reasonable isnt it?, considering that we will be harming no one and encourage no brainwashing and crude lie detectors.....Masters level and above only please, we believe in intelligent academic dialogues. Our mission is to drink coffee and ingnore the rest of society...can we get tax exempt status for that?

Whoever wrote this article needs to mea culpa. Since when did the BBC become "the church" complete with latin vulgates?

While the Roman Catholic Church reaches out ecumenically to everyone-BBC or scientologist, gay or straight, Christian, Muslim or atheist, rich or poor-she remains unique in her piety pertaining to confession and atonement, alone in fulling the daily sacrifice set forth by God which is the Eucharist, and is a leading force in the fight against abortion-the slaughter of the innocents.

Those who try to blur the lines between Catholicism and any other religion, in my opinion, are worse than those who outwardly object to Catholicism.

Tis the Bride of Christ I tell you!

To From UK: Please explain to me the difference between propaganda and PR... the latter seems only to be a PC way of representing the former.

All Hail the GREAT BEAN!!!!

Coffee was brought to earth 75 Zillion years ago by Fragrant Brown Angels. They were "hot stuff" man!

Internalize Coffee and it'll Change Your Life!! More energy, happier and More!

If bothered by scientology Kooks, just pour some on them, the hotter the better.

I love it...hmm the Coffee Cult..the scriptures will be whatever is printed on the coffee packet , to be added with each new brand we purchase, services will be Thursday evening featuring coffee drinking sessions.. naked of course

This is how Hubbard started you know..I give the demented arse props for the greatest con yet....

Judging by the comments on here, not many people know that the Panorama program is supposed to be the equivalent of the Washington Post or UK Times in terms of reporting. In other words intelligent, truthful and balanced.

We have TV and newspapers that cater for people who like to have their news sensationalized such as the National Enquirer. That newspaper doesn't pretend to be anything else other than what it is - small part truth, large part fiction, lots of female anatomy on show and sexual titillation.

The only thing missing from the Panorama documentary were the boobs and titillation - otherwise it was tabloid journalism at its very best.

The crime here is that a 'reputable' program stooped to such low levels to create 'a story'. The staged events I saw when I saw the Panorama exposed video linked to above tells the real story. Namely, lazy journalist sets out to create TV program to feed the public appetite for scandal, stages a series of events to create supportive footage for his 'story', tries in every way he can to elicit negative and controversial comments from his interviewees and pays scant interest to anything favourable.

There is no question after watching both the TV stations program and the Scientologists one that he did this. That some people may like or dislike Scientology or their followers is not the point here, and never was.

What is the point is whether this guy followed the fairness guidelines laid down by his employer of how he should conduct himself and how he should approach a subject. He clearly didn't and he seems to almost sarcastically admit to it when asked about them - he says 'Sure, I read them every night before I go to bed'.

The Scientologists are right to have made their counter documentary and all of us, regardless of our likes, dislikes, faith or no faith, should insist on fair reporting by our media.

Hilarious.,..I saw a man being harrased by Davis and I wonder is Davis would have done the same to a gun toting american somewhere in the Bayou

John Sweeney is a reputable journalist with list of prestigious awards he doesnt need to fabricate a story to get media coverage.

Much as you may like to think he was after scientology, you only have to go to utube and google cruise, miscaviage and this spectacle and you will realise this is the kind of interviewing tatics they indulge in with anyone they percieve as a threat or "suppresive".. Just as they believe no one has a right to label them a cult , then you should realise they have no right to label someone as a sexual pevert because they sleep with men ....

They posted the utube skewed 40sec rant thinking that the BBC will not air that in their show...this just made them look bad bad bad once the BBC showed EVERYTHING!!

Too bad , today is not a good day for the CULT

Now back to the cofee cult////I'm loving it!!1

Most scientologist always assume "we dont know" thats such a dead give away...Remember people in DC are from all over and have been exposed to foriegn media and some actually call it their home media, and there are no geographical boundaried on the internet..and seeing that most ppl here can read and surf the net, my question is: where on earth do you get off assuming NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW...about PANORAMA...or BBC...

hmmmmmmmmmmm

Coffee is great!

How can scientolgists ask one to believe a 40 sec doctored video that descredits a man who has an impressive body of work when Scientologist are unwilling to engage in an academic discussion on their beliefs...

SWEENEY WORK:
___________
John Sweeney's investigations

Angela Cannings
Angela Cannings was wrongly convicted of killing her children
Sally Clark, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony were all helped in their campaigns to be cleared by John Sweeney's investigation into the wrongly jailed cot death mothers.

The judges awarding him the inaugural Paul Foot Award for Campaigning Journalism praised his "battle against apparently insuperable odds and finally the exposure of shocking incompetence and shortcomings in three establishment professions - police, medicine and the law".

His report for BBC One's Real Story on the Anglela Cannings cot deaths case won a Royal Television Society prize for best home current affairs programme.

His report for Radio 4's flagship investigative programme, File on 4 on the case of Sally Clark won a Sony Gold for best radio programme.

For human rights work in Chechnya, Kosovo and Algeria he has won prizes from the Royal Television Society and Amnesty International and was made the What The Papers Say Journalist of the Year.

If you have a story that you feel merits investigating you can contact John Sweeney using the e-mail form below or by writing to him at BBC White City, Room 1127, Wood Lane, London W12 7TS.

taken from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/4770498.stm

I commend Sweeney for showing restraint in the face of weeks of stalking and "bull baiting" by the scientology Zombies. In the end, all he did was turn the tables on them for once.

Originally scientology was not claimed to be a religion, it was a quack Psychiatry business. That got Hubbard in trouble with the Law and the Medical establishment.

Since Religion in the USA is free and not regulated or taxed....Hubbard just started pretending that the scientology racket is a religion.

Scientology is an evil cult with years of brainwashing experience. Trying to be civil and reason with them is a losing proposition, they just see it as weakness.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology

cult.Cult.CULT.scientology.CULT.Cult.cult

whaaa, clam attack.

If the CLAM ATTACKS fail, bring out the Media biggies...Travolta the crowned scn expert on sexual pevertism speaks loud and clear, I guess they are saving the messiah cruise for later...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=454430&in_page_id=1773

MY FOLLOWERS ARE THE CHOSEN, AND I WILL SAVE ONLY THEM IN THE FINAL DAYS.

The funny thing about scn is the fantasy life they make up for LRON which is own son disputes :)

He dropped out of GWU and the scienos keep trying to donate money to GWU in hopes of getting some recognition, in the next decade or so we will be reading about his Doctoral Degree from GWU:)

The life of a demeneted narciccist with histronic, shcizoid and paronia infusions:
http://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-l-ron-hubbard.htm

His son's words:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien240.html

If you google you will get letters in his own writings, try the smoking gun or similar.

Back to my Coffee Cult..have a good day y'all..and Clams, I will be out for the rest of the day, so find someone else to tag around on the net

scientology was created by a science fiction write who couldn't get well known so he hung around with rich people, making himself look rich. then came up with different versions of other people's idea and made them his own. now, if you think tom cruise could cure you like he claimed he could, then you might as well join the cult. good luck to you when you find out that you've been had. try getting out without paying a price.

Scientology tried to bully South Park into not showing an episode they made that tells the truth and makes fun of scientology.

See it here:

http://www.clambake.org/SPEpisode912_-_Trapped_in_the_Closet_-_irc.tveps.net.rm

Dude, John Sweeney makes a living of getting people to loose it. Now he lost it.

Heck, it's totally his fault. He messed up in the game where he is meant to be the "pro".

And then reading the counter documentary by scientology well it's a tough one to swallow.

It's time to realize that the web 2.0 has arrived and people in power can no longer get away with murder...

Cheers mate ;-)

http://views-on-the-news.blogspot.com/2007/05/bbc-reporter-gets-taste-of-his-own.html

Funny how people complain at Scientology's reaction to the criticism.

Do you remember how the Muslims reacted when someone critized Mohammed and drew cartoons of him?

Messing with people's religion is never a good thing.

This is a typical anti-cult ploy. I can't say I liked Steiner's story (as a Scientologist I feel he's got it a bit skewed ) but at least he was attempting some balance, and I give him credit for that. But no sooner does he post this than it gets dive bombed by a few vicious anti-cultists posting with anonymous IDs (and it sure sounds to me like the same few posting over and over again with different IDs to me) turning some legitimate questioning into an attempt to silence Scientologists. Not that I expect them to change their tactics. But they sure make the Internet a bad neighborhood. Look at what Scientology is doing: the Scientology Handbook, Scientology solutions, Scientology News.

Scientologists should be more open about thetans and other aspects of their space alien beliefs.

The links I tried to refer people to didn't come through in my last post. Here they are again:
http://www.scientologyhandbook.org
http://www.scientologyreligion.org
http://www.scientologytoday.org

Criticism is cheap. Help takes some work.

Steve writes:

'I'm a Scientologist and have been one for 38 years. I'm also Jewish. In both cases I don't like being falsely maligned as a cultist.'

Steve, i am intrigued. You are a practicising Scientologist AND a practicing Jew?!? I have this crazy theory that real religions (like Judaism) are exclusive belief systems - which is why we see so few Presbyterian Jedi - and yet you are living proof of my silliness! Seriously though, what would your Rabbi say? Theolgically, exactly how do you square Scientology with Judaism? (p.s. If you can, then one of them isn't a real religion - see if you can guess which).

I was good friends a SF writer who knew Hubbard before he created the "religion" of Scientology. He says that, at the time, Hubbard wrote it as a farce just to show that people will believe practically anything you feed them, no matter how ridiculous. What's next? Worshiping some guy who was executed 2000 years ago?

Dear Emil Steiner,

Here is the written program the Scientologist was using to incite John Sweeney:

http://www.lermanet.com/scientology/john-sweeney.htm

Hope this helps understand what took place.

regards
arnie lerma
Lermanet.com Exposing the CON

Reading some of these comments, I feel like inviting a rabid dog with blunt teeth to chew my head off. Hello, cauldron of boiling water, say hello to my testicles. Alright Tommy D, I think you're a real swell guy ...

For those who think the BBC documentary was imbalanced, it might be worth noting that Tommy Davis - who seemed so very preoccupied with the fact that the reporting was bias - refused to sign the release forms for ANY of the 25 interviews conducted with Scientologists.

It might also be worth noting that everyone who is NOT a Scientologist thinks it's (at least) a religious cult, if not a fully-blown, come-to-my-apartment-and-put-on-a-bath-robe-before-I-sell-you-a-nonsensical-manifesto-for-$50, tell-you-never-to-speak-to-your-mother-again, and-then-cleanse-you-of-your-sins-by-having-sex-with-you, CULT. With this in mind, it's therefore reasonable for John Sweeney to ask how Tommy Davis feels about Scientology being described as a cult.

Finally, it's worth noting Tommy Davis has overseen the single greatest PR disaster in the history of mankind.

In fairness, I don't thinkthe BBC's 'investigation' of Scientology was the most impartial piece of reportage either. But I know for sure who came off better.

Wowza the clams are here in full force...and when I thought it was safe to retire ahahhaha

Okay folks listen up clamming 1o1 for those new to scientology blogs

1: We who criticize the cult are one and the same person and keep changing IDs to make it seem like we are many

2: Compare the Cult to unexplained idealogies in Catholism ..they alway assume all of christianity is catholism

3: If they cant come up with a smart rebuttal , redicule the blogger and ask a ton of stupid time wasting questions on proof this proof that ..they always want links to mentioned stories, so they can go fight in taking them down

4: Assign someone all day to the website , and call for backup to overwhelm the blogger till they give up the site..try tom cruise fan site, you will draw some serious clammers if you so as sniff in the dxn of the messiah midget

5: Always attack the blogger with ignorance of scientology , point out that they have no knowlegde therefore dont have a clue what they are talking about

6: Alway rant on about how one conme to an argument with assumptions that are negative towards the cult

They all this while provoking you to reveal personal information about yourself..dont lose your cool..they are not worth and Sweeney should have been more mentally prepared but frankly they wear you down

Give them as good as you got...you will realise that they never address any issues directly but spend time muddying your comments and rediculing your statement

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HIDE THAT MAKES YOU INTO VICIOUS ATTACK DOGS LIKE DAVIS

I am sure some of you members shoudl have some tickles about unexplained issues, ask your asthmatic dwarf questions then get of the clamming and reconnect with your families..

"In fairness, I don't think the BBC's 'investigation' of Scientology was the most impartial piece of reportage either. But I know for sure who came off better."

Well sorry, I don't know about that.

For the BBC to go into 'Damage Control' in the way that they have tells a slightly different story:

1. Posting their rebuttal video of Tommy (Scientolgist) getting angry back
2. Giving lots and lots of interviews about how JS was provoked, brainwashed blah blah, etc. etc.
3. Actually running a defensive story on the BBC evening news - prime time TV - ahead of the programme airing with the anchor asking prepped questions of the programmes editor about the YouTube battle to elicit the same answers... JS was provoked, he was having a bad day etc. etc.

You can see that video on YouTube as well.

Need any more?

It's a total PR disaster for the BBC for there to be a documentary circulating showing one of their star reporters staging negative footage for someone they are making a documentary about.

Sorry... but if you haven't watched it, I mean the one at http://bbcpanorama-exposed.org you should - it's seriously funny.

Oh, and I nearly forgot. You'll notice that the BBC didn't use the staged negative footage about denied access in their programme. They could have done but my guess is that they edited it out hastily as the Scientology documentary was all over the internet by then.

Scientology is a cult, there is no denying this. If you are involved GET OUT NOW!!

cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult. cult.

clut.Cult.CULT.scientology.CULT.Cult.cult

Please note that it was a cluster of evil dead space aliens that caused the BBC reporter to trigger like this. The friendly scientologist were speaking to them and focusing his energy beam on the reporters sick mind. The reporter was implanted with really bad memories by the space emperor Xenu in a volcano and Scientology can help him overcome the problem with the dead alien body thetans should he accept our help.

To download videos and documents about scientology that the cult is tryng to surpress, please visit
http://thepiratebay.org/search/scientology/0/0/0

The $500,000 cult bible can be found at
http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3352993/L_Ron_Hubbard_-_OT_Levels_(Scientology)

The comments here are ridiculous.

Its very simple to see what happenend here. The BBC embarked on a documentary about Scientology with their ace reporter
John Sweeney. Right from the start their story was prewritten " scientology is a stupid cult and everybody in it is a moron".
The obnoxious attitude of this reporter all through the panorama documentary shows the character of a bigoted, prejudiced bully.
If you look at the scientology footage of him making this film, he could not resist from being arrogant and obnoxious every step of the way. The footage of him interviewing the celebrities shows his only intention was to insult and degrade.
He shares prison stories with that lonsdale character - "I was in prison for criminal libel" and seemed proud of the fact.

Then he went berserk, but even in his apologies he was arrogant and obnoxious, as was the BBC editor who apologised for him.
If you look at both documentaries, I do not see how it is possible to draw any other conclusion than this was intended to be a hatchet job on Scientology, which is what plays to the British public and a lot of the posters here.
BBC were not in the least bit interested in doing a fair and balanced documentary, but this time the scientologist were ready for them. The BBC and this really stupid reporter gave the scientolgists so much ammunition for a serious lawsuit. I for one hope they sue the ass(ARS) of the BBC for being tacky, classless, bigoted and prejudiced.

These posts by apparent scientologists are so ridiculous. all the cult-think you need is right here BECAUSE THEY CANT EVEN TELL THEY ARE DOING IT. Their people tell them that Sweeny had an agenda, but, where is the proof? Can they read his mind? It doesn't appear at all that the man is bent on spreading "hate", he never says anything bigoted in the whole piece. of course cultists who simply believe what they are told, are told that he is a hater, but where is the evidence? in most of the documentary, he is incredibly patient, even affable, considering that he is being spyed upon with no cause other than that he tries to get both sides.

David and the Church should have used this opportunity to speak openly and dispel popular perceptions about Scientology. The fact that he refuses to offer Scientology's response to Sweeny's questions, and then accuses Sweeney of bias because he has interviewed critics, is a completely juvenile attempt to discredit the reporter. If Scientologists want to be acknowledged by the world, they need to earn that acknowledgement through proper discourse and mutual respect. I agree with other commenters who warned against suspicious comments left by Scientologist trollers. Their propaganda video is no substitute for watching the footage presented in Panorama.

tobire just gave us the scripted scientology defense..

Assume that we are all complete morons and cant think for ourselves then we will take the work of a follower of a demented sci fi writer over an EDUCATED think thank like the BBC that is considerablhy more transparent than a smoke and mirrors organization who WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE without any proof

We all make mistakes in life, Bigot Peverts, what other insults you throw out there, the imporant thing is to realise those mistakes and improve on ones situation..seems like all you are interested in is throwing slime..isnt it out of mode to be haring on homosexuals..what about your midget and tavolta???

I am sorry but you come across as uneducated, vengeful and lackin in all your critical thinking faculties and you assume we are down to your level. Come up with a new script than this same ole same ole...HOW anyone who questions your cult is automatically targetted and labelled an ignorant close minded liar...come on people...give us some credit..find more educated PR folk!!

THINK FOR YOURSELF!!

tobire just gave us the scripted scientology defense..

Assume that we are all complete morons and cant think for ourselves then we will take the work of a follower of a demented sci fi writer over an EDUCATED think thank like the BBC that is considerably more transparent than a smoke and mirrors organization who WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE without any proof

Seems like all you are interested in throwing slime..isnt it out of mode to be hating on homosexuals..what about your crown messiah midget and man kisser travolta???

You are too stuck in your brainwash mode to realise how offensive you are to the rest of the public in your name calling...look in the mirror and slowly pronouce BIGOT and you will see the ugly face of Lafayette Ron Hubbard right next to yours..dont be so quick to throw out words you dont conmprehend

I am sorry but you come across as uneducated, vengeful and lacking in all your critical thinking faculties and you assume we are down to your level. Come up with a new script than this same ole same ole...HOW come anyone who questions your cult is automatically targetted and labelled an ignorant close minded liar...come on people...give us some credit..find more educated PR folk!!

THINK FOR YOURSELF!!

H.G. Wells, now i bet he could have have started a good Cult, a lot better than this XENU Geezer.
John Sweeny should never have said sorry,he had a fit, it made good TV, Tommy Davis is Tom Cruise in a dress "I'm angry real angry", try a British High street 11 o,clock, saturday night, "THATS ANGRY".

lots of love, Griff

What a pathetic joke that people would look at one outburst over a sick cult.

I watched Paranoia - I mean Panorama- and saw John Sweeney sit celebrity Scientologists down in front of him and tell them "Some people say [WHO John? WHO?? Where are your FACTS!] Scientology's a cult" Then there is a shot of the celebrity - THEN THEY ARE CUT OFF VOCALLY! You see their faces but not their responses! Instead you hear Sweeney making degrading descriptions of the freeze-framed celebrity! How can the Washington Post - much less the BBC - stand by and praise this NAZI tactic! This example is one of many many in this so called "documentary" of HATE journalism. There was NO fairness or balance. From the beginning Sweeney barged in very late at night to begin his slander campaign and DEMANDED a confronmtation with Scientology's highest executive.This is pure ATTACK and I don't know about you - and maybe you don't get it until it happens to you, but when attacked - the best thing to do is attack back! Later Sweeney is saying he's being "brain washed" and he's afraid of Scientologists. He walks up to a car he thinks is a Scientologist following him and taps on the window. The car drives off. Somehow this is "proof" that it was a Scientologist. HUH?? That is inuendo and false slander. That car could have been a regular person wondering what this nut was doing tapping on his window. How can the BBC approve of such tabloid insinuations? Sweeney absolutely hates Scientology and comes at Scientologists with his own insane hatred and accusations - a complete WITCHHUNT! And the BBC approves? Well they obviously let their hatred do their judging. If anything should be banned it is this form of HATE journalism, and those who perpetrate it should be jailed. And has anybody considered Sweeney's mental health? Isn't psychiatry noting this down as a perfect dramatization of paranoia, bipolarity and oppositional defiance disorders? Or does psychiatry, who really has no idea what is really wrong with anyone (they pronounced Cho seung-hui NORMAL 3 weeks prior to his raid!)simply pronounce Sweeny "normal" despite the footage and evidence? Scientology doesn't hate or go after skeptics (L Ron Hubbard states - "nothing in Dianetics or Scientoilogy is true unless you yourself observe it to be true" Thoase who don't, don't have to and can go their own ways - but Scientology WILL defend itself against liars and hate-driven attackers who would push their own false and destructive intentions at them with intent solely to slander. And defend they SHOULD!

That Sweeney is quite something and needs to be taken off the air. Can you believe how he actually staged and manufactured artificial "evidence" and then took 3 takes to make sure it looks good on video?

This is not an investigative reporter, I would call it infestigative crapporter. No wonder that he also included some footage of himself in the bathroom, maybe that's where his most productive creation gets inspired.

J Via is really grasping for straws here. Watch the video again and note that Sweeney says only very POSITIVE things about Scientology in the celebrity interview portion. Watch 30 seconds more and hear the part about how all the celebrities pulled out of the show and the BBC could not air the interviews.

The notion that the BBC's segment is motivated by some sort of deep-seated hatred illustrates the delusion, paranoia, and narcissism of Scientology. Get over yourselves. You're not winning anyone over this way.

Is lying and yelling a tactic that all Scientologists use as a substitute for reason, our is that just J Via and Mr. Davis?

Oh my the trolls are out because they think we are all sleeping

_______
Did someone inquire about Jett Travolta a while back

I stumbled on a story..the comments are hilarious..my faves are

Posted by: Dr. Bob at May 11, 2007 01:16 AM

John Travolta does nothing to treat his son's autism because L.Ron Hubbard did not write an instruction book for it. The only thing that Hubbard suggests for people in this condition is his process called R2-45, which is essentially death by using a handgun. This is an actual Scientology process. Hubbard thinks that the person is better to 'end cycle' and come back again in a new body. That is Scientology compassion for you.

I think that this restaurant owner is pefectly entitled to be outraged at Travolta. Travolta is a man in a position of power who could do much to help his own son and the children of others. He chooses not to.
______

Posted by: Travoltaisagoof at May 11, 2007 02:59 PM

Not only does Kelly Preston shill for scientology, she also advertises for Neutrogena skin cream. Neutrogena is owned by Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson owns Ortho McNeil Neurologics who produce "Haldol", and Janssen who produces "Risperdal" and "concerta".
These drugs are used in the treatment of ADD & Postpartum Depression.
I have met John Travolta and also got a glimpse of Jett, who at the age of 13, was sitting in front of the T.V. watching Barney. Jett is morbidly obese and gets very little exercise.
Jett is confined to the hotel room with his nannies, while daddy goes to the spa to hit on the male therapists.
Scientology will never help Jett, as he is considered a "degraded being" according to their tenants.

http://www.hollywoodinterrupted.com/archives/travolta_family_travesty_wild_hogs_star_gives_own_autistic_son_the_silent_treatment.phtml

Now it's sooo much fun to call Scientology a cult.

Can Dianetics clear that? :)

Wow, the reaction is amazing but what I can see is really crapy jornalism on one side with twisted intentions and a very well made report on the other side, check this out: http://www.bbcpanorama-exposed.org/

One fact is enough: Hubbard has gotten 4 years unsuspended in France for fraud and extortion. He was an ill pervert and a souls destroyer.

One fact is enough: Hubbard has gotten 4 years unsuspended in France for fraud and extortion. He was an ill pervert and a souls destroyer.

Gabriel Casey, you wrote "Steve, i am intrigued. You are a practicising Scientologist AND a practicing Jew?!? I have this crazy theory that real religions (like Judaism) are exclusive belief systems..." I assume you really want to know the answer to this question. I too am a Jew and a Scientologist. In fact I've been a Scientologist for 37 years. I absolutely also consider myself a Jew, and my understanding of my spirituality and my abilities has only increased my ability to be a good Jew. I was struck at a recent service I attended in which the rabbi focused on tolerance as the theme of his sermon. I believe in tolerance. I disagree with the kind of ambush Sweeney tried to do. I watched the video at http://www.bbcpanorama-exposed.org and that's what I've come to expect, unfortunately, from the media in the past so I was disappointed, but not surprised. If you are really interested in Scientology visit the site for the Scientology Handbook at http://www.scientologyhandbook.org. Not only will you learn something about it, but you'll learn how to use it, which is really what it's all about.

Hi Tobire and J Via,

Get this you can't "sue the ass(ARS) of the BBC for being tacky, classless, bigoted' or "prejudiced", non of the aforementioned are illegal...and by the way it's "ARSE".

If you watch both the video put out by your lot, and the BBC's program with an open mind, you will notice that Scientology edit John Sweeny's words to misrepresent what he says. WHY - perhaps you can help with that?

I am genuinely interested in some of the techniques used be Scientology and would like to find out more. The BBC set about making a documentary to satisfy people like me. They failed not because of bias or because they are not able, but because they were dealing with characters from a FREAK SHOW. What a shame, or more appropriately, what a SHAM!

Considering Scientology believes it can make people realise their full potential, what's happened to their Public Relations department?

Hi Tobire and J Via,

Get this you can't "sue the ass(ARS) of the BBC for being tacky, classless, bigoted' or "prejudiced", non of the aforementioned are illegal...and by the way it's "ARSE".

If you watch the video put out by your lot and the BBC's program with an open mind, you will notice that Scientology edit John Sweeny's words to misrepresent what he says. WHY - perhaps you can help with that?

I am genuinely interested in some of the techniques used be Scientology and would like to find out more. The BBC set about making a documentary to satisfy people like me. They failed not because of bias or because they don't know how to do it but because they were dealing with characters from a FREAK SHOW. What a shame, or more appropriately, SHAM!

Considering Scientology believes it can make people realise there full potential, what's happened to their Public Relations department?

I would encourage everyone who's following this story to check out the other bits and pieces found via a Google new search. Fascinatingly, the first handful of comments on each of the various news pieces are exactly like the ones above, a glowing list of talking-points to hype up Scientology. After thinking about it, I realise that it actually wouldn't take that much to flood the internet with this sort of PR attack -- just a dozen people in a room with their laptops, constantly refreshing their search parameters and then furiously piling on new stories. But most organizations would be a bit more subtle, I think, realising it looks manipulative.

Ground's been well-covered in pointing out how Scientology is alarming. The pay-as-you-go religion has a foul track record of alienating families and intimidating critics, not to mention a few lurid "Operations" in the mid-70s. Their range was pretty stunning -- "Operation Snow White" infiltrated US government departments, while "Operation Freakout" harassed an author critical of the group (no joke -- they tried to get her arrested or institutionalised for over a decade). This isn't rumour or slander; it's easily found in FBI court records, where you can also view Scientology "teachings" that were entered into evidence.

Sweeney's question was to find out if the CoS had successfully shed this sinister image as they claimed. Instead, he was confronted with strangers following him around his hotel, cars tracking him through the streets, and the CoS rep Tommy Davis ambushing him at his hotel and during an interview. Davis himself is flat-out alarming; his posture and attitude were so like Tom Cruise's that I can only come to the conclusion that Scientologists are specifically taught to firmly, loudly, and accusatorily drone when they start hearing conversation they don't like. There are certain social niceties observed by Western culture, including personal space, moderate volume, and the ability to both speak and listen -- when faced with someone who unabashedly ignores those conventions and forces their opinion on you, it can not only be alarming, but sometimes a little brainwashy.

There's a lot of argument around as to whether Scientology's a religion or not. I have no idea, the word's sort of lost all meaning to me by this point. But one line of argument doesn't make any sense to me: that Scientology is secretive and aggressive and has shifty practices, but that should be allowed because they're growing pains that every major world religion went through. What?! Why?! Many of the old religions came about in an age where education was nowhere near as widespread as it is today, and where society was very different. Sure, Christians bunged unwanted daughters into convents and they were doomed to a life of silence and solitude -- but we live NOW, not then, and we live in the Western world where that's basically outmoded.

The major world religions got away with murder because the people at the time didn't know any better. There's absolutely no reason that Scientology should get a free pass and hold their own version of the Inquisition merely because it's their turn. In two thousand years, we've learned, and by now we should know better.

I'd just like to make the point that most people don't hate practicing Scientologists; the major issue is with the organisation itself and their tactics, not the well-intentioned follower.

I'd love to have a discussion (rather than a lecture) with a Scientologist about their beliefs, but the few times I have tried, there's been an unfortunate dynamic where the pair (they always seem to come in pairs) muzzle each other, and so no real talking happens. I also realise there's a huge difference between the public Scientologist who experiences the entire thing as a self-help organization, and then the more hard-core Scientology warriors.

A faith's not worth having if you can't ever question its tenets, and you're not truly free if your access to the world is limited. It's like a carnival goldfish being freed from its plastic bag, only to find it's in a fishbowl. Trading a cage for a cage.

There are probably very involved Scientologists following all this who have doubts about the group. They're likely to hate themselves for the doubts and see it as a sign of weakness, or fear losing family or friends if they take that step and leave the cult. To all of those people, know that there are plenty of others out there ready and waiting to help you. Set up a dummy email account at an internet cafe, reach out to one of the many, many skeptics groups (xenu's a good one), test the waters a little. It's not as scary out here as they're making you think, and it's a lot brighter and wider and vibrant. I'm sorry you're in the position of worrying about OSA and your family and your auditor and DM in the first place, but listen to your intuition and follow it, and you will find help, who will just be happy to have you out and safe.

I was delighted to see PANORAMA treated the way they were. The programme regularly spies on people they do not approve of, tricks them into making comments, and then reports them to the police. KGB tactics! See:- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/6133754.stm

I hope you can see the hidden agenda here - scientologists using multiple aliases to spew out comment after comment here about how a single, well-respected BBC reporter is out to get them and how important it is to visit the scientology web sites.

I for one hope that we will see many more investigate reporters take on the cult. In a perfect world, we would see 60 minutes expose the organization.

However I the cults history of harassing and suing reporters, their families and employers has the intended effect. The cult is left alone without public scrutiny.

Thank you BBC for standing up for the freedom of the press and for the good of mankind.

This video showed the insane minds forming this cult. I think they all need a good psychiatrist to help them.

This video showed the insane minds forming this cult. I think they all need a good psychiatrist to help them.

Yes, obviously the scientologists have been here.

The scientologist hierarchy would like to protect their revenue. How many people who have struck a goldmine in these gullible millionaires wouldn't protect it by any foul mean.

The documentary I felt was well balanced and showed John Sweeney to be a true hero of modern journalism. It would have been totally balanced apart from the spokes person, who has probably mysteriously disappeared.

Not many people will have spotted this I guess if you haven't studied human behavioural patterns and Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), but the scientologist was trying to use these methods on John during the entire footage, which is odd as I thought they hated Psychiatry.

John if you're reading this... the outburst which you can not explain is caused by sensory overload, which is normally used during interrogation exercises. I'm not entirely sure how they get away with making a side show out of it. Very perplexing as subliminal advertising is banned in the many countries, and should fall under the same ruling.

These folks at Cult take a whole lot of communication classes, and if you scroll up tp Arnie Lerma comment you will find a link on their training tatics. Mainly cold war era style of interrogation

The reason for this hate agianst Psychaitry can be found in L Ron's TRUE biographies. Its a personal vendetta which is left for the followers to carry on..

He exhibited some serious mental disorders which he had reported to the military and sought help for. He also fashioned himself a mental health professional of some sort However his writings were rejected by the professional journals etc.. Combined with his paranioa, he pretty much went off the deep end and started this demonization of psychiatry..

You must also note that ppl like miscaviage and Cruise are narrowly educated in cult theories...they were fed it and they swallowed it whole

What they accuse others of, they are actually practising..they approach every mental heath professional and journalist with gross assumptions about their disciplines, without having bothered to read other than LRON ramblings

They project their limited knowledge and paranioa on the rest of mankind. When you are not in this group its quite obvious , when you are in it, I guess the smothering of ones critical thinking skills freezes them long enough to serve in the organization

I think its will be best for this group to stop this foolish fight with the BBC..They did the same thing when Time did a cover story of them..you should google them on UTUBE and you will find thier "leader" talking away as aggressively as Cruise did with Matt Lauer...they go through these extensive communication programs and they all start behaving like clones..with a mission to overwhelm the interviewer..If one undergoes this kind of communications in thier everyday lifes its extremely exhausting adn I call it abusive and disresptful especially when the other part is fully aware of applying this tatic..

Case in point..see pre and post tom behavior of Katie Holmes and I wonder if her parents are watching this critically...

Scientology - Business opportunity turned cult.

Fact

T.A.K.E.M.E.T.O.Y.O.U.R.L.E.A.D.E.R.

Scientology is a bizarre, exploitative cult. But why is the BBC stooping to such cynical tabloid tricks?

Too many comments to read them all. I wrote my views on this whole hubbub in my blog.

http://marcozna.wordpress.com/2007/05/17/my-views-scientology-bbc-john-sweeney-and-all-the-hubbub/

But I noticed someone complained that Scientologists "hide" the thetan stuff. That's so funny someone should say that. Pick up any scientology book or lecture from 1952 onwards and it's all covered in there, and none of it is secret. If you don't want to buy one go to the library. All I can advise is follow the research trail don't jump into the end of the line as it may get confusing.

If anyone thinks that doing journalistic RESEARCH means surfing the net then they are a lazy bunch of journalists. Being a journalists requires a little more work and a lot more sweat than that.

Like the Scientologists have been saying for a while...

THINK FOR YOURSELF

FIND OUT FOR YOURELF

[;-]

Having watched both the BBC's and Scientology's efforts, I'm inclined to side with the latter. As a Brit it mortifies me that Sweeney still has a job. He had a set agenda from the start and made little or no attempt at a balanced programme or coverage. A disgrace. That's not to say I side with Scientology, I subscribe to no religion whatsoever, but the BBC should be ashamed.

It is a shame that it's not possible to have a reasonable debate on the topic. Most of the people here have obviously taken the time to view the BBC footage and can see the harassment that took place over a prolonged period.

Any article on this subject has been carpeted by people obviously in the employ of scientology, but none of them will offer any reasoned answers to the question. They dont come here to promote their religion, or enter any kind of discourse as to the pros and cons it offers.

I knew nothing about them before this furore erupted, but I have to say they seem like a very sinister and intimidating organisation now. Thankfully I live in the UK where they have not been permitted status as a religion.

Are there any other scientologist out there who could offer a positive review of your religion, or will we just have more of the hate filled diatribe claiming the BBC has some kind of agenda to destroy you, when it is patently obvious to even the media novice this is not the case.

Red Herring seems to be the scientology cult's favorite fish.

They just CAN'T make a direct and truthful statement about Anything.

Here is some truth, it's an article from Time Magazine...

The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power
Ruined lives. Lost fortunes. Federal crimes. Scientology poses as a religion but really is a ruthless global scam -- and aiming for the mainstream
by Richard Behar

Link:

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/time-behar.html

When I took courses with the Scientology Cult they had a phrase, "Non-Confront-- Flunk!" Well, as a group, they can't confront their own mistakes and limitations.

Attacking the attacker is part of their "Holy Scripture". Fixing things is not. Then again, if they fixed everything, there wouldn't be much of a cult left to gather around. Maybe all of Hubbard's wisdom would be reduced to one book. Thin.

It's a brainwashing cult. What's worrying is these people don't see anything wrong with themselves and others.

The people who are all 'Look how bias the BBC documentary was' cant understand just how bias the counter-documentary was.

What would the BBC gain in telling lies? Nothing.

Pathetic.

It's a brainwashing cult. What's worrying is these people don't see anything wrong with themselves and others.

The people who are all 'Look how bias the BBC documentary was' cant understand just how bias the counter-documentary was.

What would the BBC gain in telling lies? Nothing.

Pathetic. I hope Tom Cruise and the others find something better to do with their time.

And, to anybody who watched the counter-documentary. Scientology inst LEGALLY a religion in this country (UK) so it isn't really appropriate to list all these BBC & Ofcom policies which state how people should treat religions.

Isnt't it hard to make us believe that the internet has nothing to offer. It's the gateway to university libraries and suddenly I have information on my fingertip that previously I had to do dig in dusty old cupboards for.

However it's a little difficult to make the world believe that all these Heretics and Detractors hold a conference and decide to go out and make up stories on people they don't even know while describing the exact same intimidation tactics. The unifying information in all these stories are the intimidation tatics of the Organization.

If I was in an Organization that behaved in this manner I will be questioning my organization before going out and accusing people of not understanding my plight. Reminds me of the Kathy Hiltons unquestionable support for her crazy daughter. Learn to question your organization, it can only improve it. Any org that does not want to be questioned has something to hide and journalists can sniff it from afar and start digging..

The journalists certainly have my attention; I want to know whats being hidden.

Here are some good articles. You can think for yourselves and compare with any alternatives that the Org has to offer and draw your conclusions. There some hole here and there but on the whole I though they were well written.

http://web.uni-marburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/mjr/beit.html
The Rolling Stone did a story as well:
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9363363/inside_scientology/1

I have no doubt that an "All Hands" notice went out, directing members to defend their cult online.
Some of them refer to the 'BBC Exposed' bit of tripe that Scientology spewed all over the web. I have no doubt that these people really believe they can "think for themselves," as the Scientology motto puts it. So, let's have a look at that, shall we?

The snippet of Mr. Sweeney going postal, as offered by the cult, has no lead in. It shows Sweeney in full spate, without a clue as to what prompted his outburst. Furthermore, Davis' voice is muted on that clip, while it is quite clear on the BBC's version. A bit dishonest, don't you think?

Mr. Davis' outburst, on the other hand, appeared to me to be insincere and scripted. When he says, "I'm very, very angry," I have a hard time believing it.

How crudely the Scientologists twist reality! Mr. Sweeney starts a question with, "Some people would say you're a cult," and Mr. Davis starts shouting about his "faith" being called a cult, successfully running off on a rant of misdirection and diverting the direction of questioning. Note that he managed to completely avoid addressing the cult issue altogether. This is classic Scientology training at work.

An even more stellar example comes from a radio programme on KFI talk radio, when Scientology International President Heber Jentzch completely loses it in front of thousands of listeners.
http://personal.linkline.com/frice/

Notice how he diverts the conversation away from the topic of his arrest in Spain by screeching about drugs and his mother. Fabulous!

(It should be noted that Scientology's "drug rehab" project Narconon has been repeatedly debunked by qualified medical experts)

What happened to transparency Tommy Davis obviously had something to hide, methinks he protests too much. Sweeny seemed sincere enough to me.

Given that L. Ron Hubbard was an accused pedophile. It's kind of creepy that the church enjoys such popularity - based on this fact alone. Has anyone investigated how the children of the church are treated, given the records of similar "churches"?

Sweeney didn't interview any real scientologists because that Freak Davis wouldn't let him. I learnt two thing from the documentary in that Sweeney is a dignified reporter who lost his cool to a disrespectful freak and that Scientology is a dangerous cult and should not be recognised as a religion as it does not benefit society.

John Sweeney IS a Hero. People who go up against the scientology gang often end up mysteriously dead or ruined in some way. Sweeney knows that.

The cult must get it's lawyers from the same place the Mafia does.

There are several writings on children and Scientology. Note that some of these are actual Scientology text and some from "heretics"

The best way to arrive at your own conclusion is to compare "church" text"-which you may have to pay for... to that of the "heretic" writing. In my case I am not into treating children the way they do and based on their rep, I will take the word of an ex-member over them any day

However not that celebs as public Scns have a totally different perspective than the ordinary member

Try these "heretic" sites:

http://www.primechoice.com/philosophy/shelp/cruise.htm

http://www.articles2k.com/article/77/50809/GAGGED_While_Giving_Birth/

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/Xenu/scs.pdf

http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/children.htm

Also below is a Scientology website on raising children: A public front as you should know by now :)
http://www.correctscientology.org/children.htm

I see some of my former friends from the Church using their time-honored persecution technique claiming that everyone is out to get them and the church.

Those who are wondering if there is an active effort to post comments and spread links favorable to the church, why of course there is. As an ex-member, I used to be involved in just such activity. It's not as if members are sitting in a room typing comments all day long at some church somewhere. Instead, action alerts are sent out in e-mail and on private websites with links to suspect websites and articles like this one, and members are encouraged to visit and file Knowledge Reports detailing the negative comments, including any identifying information about who made them, and also attaching their responses. This information is then stored in electronic databases for future reference and tracking purposes.

It is also incorrect to say that new members are not exposed to tech straight away upon entry into the organization. From the earliest moments of involvement in the church, tech is taught. I've included a link which shows exactly what early members are exposed to which will be absolutely familiar to anyone, right down to OT-0.

I left the Church in 2001 after I was pressured to disconnect my family. A close friend of mine who left a year earlier was deemed an SP (the church's blacklist) and his life was made a living hell. I quit when I started doing research on the Internet and started getting answers to questions I had been putting in the back of my mind. The Lisa McPherson Trust helped me tremendously.

The media and the Internet are incredibly dangerous for the Church because they let members privately explore their own doubts and questions outside of the control of the Church. An incredible amount of time and money is spent on restricting this information because it threatens the viability of the entire organization, should enough people follow my footsteps.

I don't blame my friends still in the Church for their beliefs. You don't know just how effective group persuasion and tech methods can be. For those outside of the Church, the cause for skepticism is as plain as day, but for those within, attacking them for their beliefs threatens their self-worth, and people will try to defend that for a long time.

Scientology attacks psychiatry, which is ironic, because so many of their techniques of manipulation were tested and found effective by that same field!

But for critics of the church, please don't attack Scientologist followers for their beliefs -- help show them there is a way out to a world that waits to welcome them back with open and accepting arms. That is what ultimately worked for me and I could not be happier. You cannot lead someone away from Scientology through name-calling.

And now a demonstration of TR's:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-799954787514590907&q=tr+training

was it not scientologist that were responsible for the holocast?

I'm no fan of religion, especially organized ones but Scientology is objectively worse. "Cult" is not just a term for an unpopular or new religion. You can be a catholic without it destroying (or taking over) your life. Try that trick as a scientologist.

Cults actively exploit their members. Religions believe scientifically irrational things. Those things are not necessarily destructive to the members, nor necessarily for the benefit of the leaders of the religion at cost to the members. There is a difference there and it isn't just a question of degree, it's a question of intent.

Of course there are some grey areas, where intent is not as clear, or the exploitive aspects are not proven while the beliefs are just merely bizzarre (I would point to Mormons and Falun Gong here). I suppose something could be a cult and a religion simultaneously.

Posted by: Dan D | February 28, 2006 10:21 AM

Reading over some of the other posts has been both enlightening and disturbing. That anyone would actively support or speak out on behalf of a sinister and oppressive an organisation as the Church of Scientology is not only alarming but also extremely depressing.

Watch the BBC documentary and see how he was goaded. If i'd been harassed and stalked in a similar manner i think i would have lost the plot on him a bit as well.

Linda, you wrote:

'I too am a Jew and a Scientologist. In fact I've been a Scientologist for 37 years. I absolutely also consider myself a Jew, and my understanding of my spirituality and my abilities has only increased my ability to be a good Jew. I was struck at a recent service I attended in which the rabbi focused on tolerance as the theme of his sermon. I believe in tolerance.'

Linda, many thanks for your reply - it was much less aggressive and less 'Tommy Davis' than i would have expected any reply to my comment to be. However, i clearly didn't make my central question apparent. What i am really interested in is how the theology which Judaism proposes as the basis for a Jew's beliefs can possibly be reconciled with Scientology. 'Tolerance' is, of course, an important and admirable part of any religious person's interaction with the world, but surely the most basic tenets of Judaism, while tolerating other faiths, must insist upon Judaism's exclusivity from other faiths. You cannot, for instance, believe that Christ was really the son of God and continue to practice Judaism - no matter how 'tolerant' your Rabbi might be. So how exactly can you make claims about life and the world as a Scientologist and not fatally compromise your faith as a Jew? Thanks again.

It looks like I'm the first person to post here who actually appeared on the programme, albeit for a few seconds. I was one of the picketers in the London street towards the end. I'm not anonymous - Google on my name.

All I'd like to say is that the Church of Scientology has claimed that BBC faked that demonstration. I and my friends have been picketing Scientology shops since 1996, we arranged that picket not the BBC, and we will continue to picket with or without media attention.

hartley patterson,

Was the Kool-Aid that you drank Red or Blue?

Just kidding *Smile*

Good for you Hartley, also check out the london times site, they also have a blog with mucho clams

Please accept my thanks.

John Sweeney has been dumped on by most Media Outlets. That is disgusting. They are cannibals.

If John Sweeney, or you, come near me, I will pick up my baseball bat and back you up. If you get attacked, I will