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New Zealand Greens challenge ethics of Church of Scientology

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10804699



"Greens say tax payer money going to Church of Scientology
By Kate Shuttleworth


6:45 PM Wednesday May 9, 201


Green Party drugs spokesman Kevin Hague.

Green's drugs spokesman Kevin Hague has alleged in Parliament that the Church of Scientology is using tax-payer money to promote an anti-psychiatry agenda and messages against medication used to treat mental illness through charities disguised as social service organisations.

Mr Hague said he had watched members of the church on Auckland's Queen Street target vulnerable people.

Using parliamentary privilege, Mr Hague said....."
 
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Jump

Operating teatime
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10804699



"Greens say tax payer money going to Church of Scientology
By Kate Shuttleworth


6:45 PM Wednesday May 9, 201


Green Party drugs spokesman Kevin Hague.

Green's drugs spokesman Kevin Hague has alleged in Parliament that the Church of Scientology is using tax-payer money to promote an anti-psychiatry agenda and messages against medication used to treat mental illness through charities disguised as social service organisations.

Mr Hague said he had watched members of the church on Auckland's Queen Street target vulnerable people.

Using parliamentary privilege, Mr Hague said....."

mmm this is gonna be good...

:drama:
 

randomx

Patron with Honors
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

New Zealand Herald

Greens say tax payer money going to Church of Scientology

By Kate Shuttleworth
Wednesday May 9, 2012

Green's drugs spokesman Kevin Hague has alleged in Parliament that the Church of Scientology is using tax-payer money to promote an anti-psychiatry agenda and messages against medication used to treat mental illness through charities disguised as social service organisations.

Mr Hague said he had watched members of the church on Auckland's Queen Street target vulnerable people.

Using parliamentary privilege, Mr Hague said groups affiliated to the church had been able to receive community grants.

<snipped for copyright reasons, more at link>

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10804699
 
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sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Here is transcript from the Hansard (May 09): (written record of NZ Parliament)

GENERAL DEBATE

15:44:55~KEVIN HAGUE (Green)

KEVIN HAGUE (Green): There is a particular spot on Queen Street in Auckland—or at least there used to be—where a bunch of smiling young people with clipboards accost those who are going past and invite them to participate in a personality test. I watched for a while and the people they approach are invariably those who are alone, who look perhaps a little vulnerable, who perhaps are particularly Māori and Pacific Island people. Strangely enough those who take the personality test invariably find that the solution to the problems with their personality lies somehow in the Church of Scientology .

[Continuation line: More recently, viewers of Māori Television will have seen]

More recently, viewers of Māori Television will have seen advertisements for a drug-free world. School pupils—some 230,000 of them—have received leaflets from Drug-Free Ambassadors. There is a group of family members bereaved by people who have killed themselves who have been befriended by a group called the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. The Foundation for a Drug-Free World, the Drug-Free Ambassadors, and the Citizens Commission for Human Rights are all fronts for the Church of Scientology , as is Criminon, as is Narconon, as is RehabilitateNZ, as is the World Literacy Crusade, and many others. I am not a person with a religious belief myself, but I do not object to churches providing social services, provided that the church connection is transparent and that the service is not a front for recruiting into the church. It seems to me that the Church of Scientology fails on both those fronts. As many people will know, scientology was invented by the science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. There is a lot of dispute about some of the basic facts, but at its heart is the quote from Mr Hubbard at an authors conference in 1948: “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.” Mr Hubbard’s religion has an evil intergalactic overlord named Xenu, who solved an overpopulation crisis by rounding up aliens, transporting them to Earth , and killing them in extinct volcanoes with hydrogen bombs. Now the souls of those aliens then came to haunt human beings. They are called “thetans”, and the way that the distorted thinking that results from being haunted in this way can be resolved is actually by an expensive process involving audit by a senior Scientologist. In fact, the Church of Scientology came 4 years after the science of “Dianetics”, also invented by Mr Hubbard—a science of mental health that he described to his publisher as one with tremendous promotional and sales potential. So why is it a problem? It is a problem because in addition to the repugnance of deceiving, exploiting and often brainwashing and fleecing the vulnerable and desperate, the Church of Scientology also has a very strong opposition to the use of medicines and psychiatry. Its drug-free programmes are smokescreens for this anti-psychiatry agenda. Members of Parliament will have received this DVD from, in fact, the Church of Scientology in the guise of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. It is called Dead Wrong: How Psychiatric Drugs Can Kill Your Child. It is evil to try to persuade people with mental illness to avoid proper health professional services and the treatment that they need. What is especially concerning is that these programmes are now increasingly being funded by taxpayers’ money through the Community Organisations Grants Scheme and other community grants schemes. A number of these front organisations are registered with the Charities Commission, and there is increasing evidence that they are being funded. I say to the Minister of Internal Affairs, please follow through with the investigation promised by the department back in February. The New Zealand public is owed that.


http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/D...09-Draft-transcript-Wednesday-09-May-2012.htm
 

sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Oh my! Kevin said "xenu" in NZ Parliament. Oh my xenu! lol Now on permanent record forever more.

The NZH called Mike "Mark". Things really have gone pear-shaped! All that "area control" and some reporter gets his name wrong!

This really could get interesting...
 

Jump

Operating teatime
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Nice item Sallydannce.

The snippet right after that speech is also encouraging...



GENERAL DEBATE

15:49:57~SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel)

SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel):
One of the
most interesting things for me as a new member in this
House is the constant, daily discovery of new information.

What I have learnt this afternoon about the Church of
Scientology has added to the sum total of my general
knowledge immensely, so I would like to thank the
Green member Mr Hague for his very interesting
presentation on the Church of Scientology.
 

sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Nice item Sallydannce.

The snippet right after that speech is also encouraging...



GENERAL DEBATE

15:49:57~SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel)

SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel):
One of the
most interesting things for me as a new member in this
House is the constant, daily discovery of new information.

What I have learnt this afternoon about the Church of
Scientology has added to the sum total of my general
knowledge immensely, so I would like to thank the
Green member Mr Hague for his very interesting
presentation on the Church of Scientology.

Yeah I saw that. Lovely place the Coromandel. :)

Gee I wonder what happens next...
 

Jump

Operating teatime
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

That is a lovely idea Jump. :)

Sent mine to both of them :)

Kevin Hague has worked for Gay rights, AIDS awareness, Treaty issues and other community actions.

Scott Simpson has worked for 'Make A Wish Foundation'

Both of them sound like good people.
 

sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

NewsTalkZB run the story:

Greens challenge ethics of Church of Scientology

By: Newstalk ZB staff | Latest Political News | Thursday May 10 2012 11:11

Serious allegations are being made against the Church of Scientology and the anti-drug programmes it runs in New Zealand.

Green MP Kevin Hague has used the protection of Parliamentary privilege to launch a blistering attack on the church, calling its actions repugnant, and accusing it of fleecing the vulnerable and the desperate.

More:
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/aucklan...ens-challenge-ethics-of-Church-of-Scientology
 

scooter

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Note to self:

must must must send personal stories to NZ politicians so that they get moar understanding of cult - when I get time tonight:biggrin:

Wonder of they've heard Mikey's reply to my radio NZ interview? :roflmao:

Will report compliance to this thread once done:thumbsup:
 

freethinker

Sponsor
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Does Mr. Hague have a record of getting things done?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10804699



"Greens say tax payer money going to Church of Scientology
By Kate Shuttleworth


6:45 PM Wednesday May 9, 201


Green Party drugs spokesman Kevin Hague.

Green's drugs spokesman Kevin Hague has alleged in Parliament that the Church of Scientology is using tax-payer money to promote an anti-psychiatry agenda and messages against medication used to treat mental illness through charities disguised as social service organisations.

Mr Hague said he had watched members of the church on Auckland's Queen Street target vulnerable people.

Using parliamentary privilege, Mr Hague said....."
 
The ferret. Scream of unconciousness.

The travolta story got reported in the New Zealand Herald too this week.
That's 3 entheta articles and some of the entheta in parlyamint.
That means Mike is very downstat and no hope to get his arse up the conditions
by 2pm. Hard being a ferret. Plenty of work to do for amends. Renovate the idle morgue over the weekend. Where to start? Get some tools and materials. Where's the money? Do a call in. Nobody to come in....Mmmmm, ask someone to use more of their inheritance for a bit of money. They already spent it going on the forced trip to Melbourne for their idle morgue thingy........just say anything to uplines terminals and shut brain off. Oh, it already is....Ok, think about next cup of coffee...
 

sallydannce

Gold Meritorious Patron
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Note to self:

must must must send personal stories to NZ politicians so that they get moar understanding of cult - when I get time tonight:biggrin:

Wonder of they've heard Mikey's reply to my radio NZ interview? :roflmao:

Will report compliance to this thread once done:thumbsup:

There is nothing like the ANZAC spirit. It lives on! Thank you!

I am confident that Mr Hague will be a well informed Member of Parliament. :)

Does Mr. Hague have a record of getting things done?

To be honest with you my dear, I have no bloody idea who Mr Hague is. :)

I am so not a political creature these days. I know who the Prime Minister is only because one of his homes was near one of my relatives homes and said relative pointed out PMs home to me one day when we were out walking. She said "see that house, that's John Key's home." I asked who that was. She told me. I remarked on what a nice home it was. She rolled her eyes at me.

Is there any hope for me?

I knit? :wink2:
 

freethinker

Sponsor
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

I hope he is as tenacious or more than Zenophon.
There is nothing like the ANZAC spirit. It lives on! Thank you!

I am confident that Mr Hague will be a well informed Member of Parliament. :)



To be honest with you my dear, I have no bloody idea who Mr Hague is. :)

I am so not a political creature these days. I know who the Prime Minister is only because one of his homes was near one of my relatives homes and said relative pointed out PMs home to me one day when we were out walking. She said "see that house, that's John Key's home." I asked who that was. She told me. I remarked on what a nice home it was. She rolled her eyes at me.

Is there any hope for me?

I knit? :wink2:
 

randomx

Patron with Honors
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

I have sent a copy of the following to Mr Hague...

Scientologists push anti-drug classes in schools

Published: 11 May
Swedish news in English.

The anti-drug organization Drogfritt, which has ties to Scientology, has been selling lectures and information on drug abuse to Swedish schools, information that includes significant factual errors, according to an investigation carried out by newspaper Svenska Dagbladet (SvD).

Stockholm family assigned Scientologist pre-school (27 Apr 11)
Scientologists reported for harassing Swedish family (28 Jul 09)
Swedish tax money benefits Scientology (1 Oct 08)

“It’s terrible when youngsters are being fed a lot of erroneous information,” said narcotics researcher Björn Johnsson to the paper.

During the lecture, the audience is told that dependency sets in from the first time someone tries a drug; that antidepressants, sleeping pills and paracetamol is stored in the body; and that people fall back into drug abuse through a so called “flashback”, when a drug “reawakens” in the body years or even decades after the person stopped using them.

But Swedish experts on drugs and drug abuse roundly repudiated the group's claims about how drugs interact with the body when approached by the paper.

“No, no, no, that’s not how it works. That’s a myth that circulates among certain drug users,” Johnson said about the "flashback" phenomenon.

One of the lecturers, Alexander Breeze, works with the lecture tours full time and talks to children, teenagers and parents about drugs, as well as at corporate events, holding some 250-300 lectures annually.

In interview with SvD, he made no secret of being a Scientologist.

However, according to Drogfritt, the organization is politically and religiously independent, but implement the Narconon prevention programme, which is based on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s ideas.

And in 2003 the group's chairwoman, Åsa Graaf, was awarded the International association of Scientologists Freedom Medal for her work against drug abuse, according to SvD.

According to SvD’s investigation, 65 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities have purchased lecture series from the organization over the last three years to a value of 750,000 kronor ($108,000).

http://www.thelocal.se/40762/20120511/
 

Wants2Talk

Silver Meritorious Patron
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/aucklan...eens-challenge-ethics-of-Church-of-Scientolog

Serious allegations are being made against the Church of Scientology and the anti-drug programmes it runs in New Zealand.

Green MP Kevin Hague has used the protection of Parliamentary privilege to launch a blistering attack on the church, calling its actions repugnant, and accusing it of fleecing the vulnerable and the desperate.

He's worried the church is getting public funding for its work and says it's something that needs to be fully investigated.

"I say to the Minister of Internal Affairs, please follow through with the investigation promised by the department back in February. The New Zealand public is owed that."

Mr Hague is particularly concerned by the church's numerous anti-drug programmes, saying they're a smokescreen for an anti-psychiatry agenda.

"It is evil to try to persuade people with mental illness to avoid proper health professional services, and the treatment that they need."

Meanwhile the Church of Scientology says Drug Free Ambassador groups have had just $6,500 of government funding.

Spokesman Mike Ferriss says that money's let them reach tens of thousands of people with drug information booklets.

Mr Ferriss says, while the drug ambassadors receive a few thousand dollars, the Church itself has had no funding from any government agency.
 

randomx

Patron with Honors
Re: Mike Ferris gets ferreted out of his ferret hole

Got an email back from Kevin Hague.

", especially when I have since been contacted by the Church (as have all MPs) attempting to ‘correct’ me! "

He also mentions having been contacted by other ex members.

Keep it up guys.
 
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