Doom
Lurking.
Link to Senator Xenophon's speech in federal parliament
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DL5MJTKU
its a bit of a large file at 34Mb video.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DL5MJTKU
its a bit of a large file at 34Mb video.
Carmel, you are a gem. An absolutely brilliant piece of organisation. Congratulations to the Schofields and Dethridges and Arron and of course, the Underwoods, for the courage they have shown.
My jaw has hit the floor. This is INSANE!
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!
I cant express my thanks to those who spoke out... this is just unbelievable!
I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next.
Church of Scientology a criminal organisation: Xenophon
To my very brave friends, the one's that stood up & insisted on responsibilityIn Parliament tonight, Senator Xenophon called for a Senate Inquiry into the Church of Scientology, and gave his reasons why.
Rest assured Min, yes, Sen X is one who has the balance of power on many matters, and he wouldn't have tabled this stuff if he didn't have certainty in regard to support. He has a heart of gold, IMO, but isn't silly enough to risk his political career by making a move on this before the time was right.Can I ask Carmel whether a vote was taken on this? Mr X is an independent senator and does not have party backing. So would need to have at least one of the major parties on board and some other minor party senators. Good thing about Nick is that he is an important cross seat mp who holds the balance of power, and the government really needs him on side it want to get legislation through. So they might be willing to entertain him on this. However, having some support from other mps wouldnt go astray.
It's a different scenario now, due to the work all those before us have done. Senator Xenophon has struck while the iron is hot, and with much to substantiate his claims, that wasn't available in times gone past. - Good on all who've contributed to the endless amount of documentation about the abuses of the CofS which is now available.I was in Adelaide when the only other recent enquiry into Scientology was conducted in about 1983/4 I think it was. There were earlier enquiries in Aus notably the Anderson Enquiry in Victoria and others in other states in Australia in the late 60s which resulted in Scientology being banned in several states.
The Adelaide enquiry was undertaken by the Legislative Council (upper house of the SA parliament) and the outcome was pretty much a non-event with only minor impact on the operation of the c of s. Think this was as a result of the weight of evidence which was given being from scientologists on lines. There were only a few people who were anti giving evidence.
Yep, so will we...it's in good hands now......let that snowball roll!I will watch this space with interest.
Hi all,
It's Aaron Saxton, previously known as Aaron Tweddell. It is great to finally join the boards. This is explosive stuff...
Aaron Saxton
Aaron Tweddell
Hi all,
It's Aaron Saxton, previously known as Aaron Tweddell. It is great to finally join the boards. This is explosive stuff...
It feels so good to finally have a place to meet all you guys, I have missed many. You all have courage, and strong minds, and are good people.
On a personal note to a number of the Sea Org LAers who will no doubt be reading everything I write anywhere from now on as part of their "exciting" post... I just wanted to say "Hi". And Hill-10 comes to mind as well...
On a personal note to anyone in the Sea Org reading this, I know your heart is in the right place, but your mind has to be as well. I admire you for your dedication, but not for where it is projected. I love you for your willingness to want to fight for truth, but not the truth you have been made to beleive.
And to the nasty ones who know exactly what you are doing and somehow actually enjoy it and justify it - I have nothing to say to you, just actions.
Aaron Saxton
Aaron Tweddell
Church of Scientology a criminal organisation: Xenophon
November 17, 2009 - 7:42PM
Independent senator Nick Xenophon has accused the Church of Scientology of being a criminal organisation.
The South Australian parliamentarian said he had been contacted by a number of former Scientologists, after he questioned the organisation's tax exempt status in a recent television interview.
"They have provided long and detailed letters to me about the workings of this organisation," he told the Senate.
"These people rightly see themselves as victims of Scientology."
Senator Xenophon said their correspondence implicated the organisation in a range of crimes, including forced imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, intimidation and blackmail.
"I am deeply concerned about this organisation and the devastating impact it can have on its followers," he said.
Senator Xenophon said the Church of Scientology had been convicted of fraud in France and was facing similar charges in Belgium.
A number of the organisation's former high ranking executives in the US had also recently spoken out against its leader, David Miscavige, saying they had seen him assaulting staff and urging others to do the same, he said.
"What we are seeing is a worldwide pattern of abuse and criminality," Senator Xenophon said.
"On the body of evidence, this is not happening by accident, it is happening by design.
"Scientology is not a religious organisation, it is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs."
Eight letters from former members of the organisation were tabled in Parliament.
Paul David Schofield said his first daughter Lauren had died after she was allowed to wander one of the Church of Scientology's Sydney buildings and fell down some stairs.
"My wife and I were actively discouraged from seeking compensation from the church," he wrote.
"I was also encouraged by church executives to request no coronial inquiry into her death, something I stupidly agreed with at that time."
Mr Schofield's second daughter Kirsty also died, in this case after ingesting potassium chloride at the family home - a substance he said was used widely in the organisation's "purification" programs.
"I did not tell the truth either to the police or the court (to my shame) but omitted details which would have 'embarrassed' the church," he wrote.
In another letter, Aaron Saxton said that as a member of the organisation, he participated in the "forced confinement and torture" of others.
He wrote that Scientologists considered to be "underperforming" were placed on diets of beans and rice for up to two weeks at a time, and they were also not allowed to access medications or undergo procedures such as pap smears.
In her letter to Senator Xenophon, Carmel Underwood said she knew of one instance where a Church of Scientology trainee counsellor's molestation of his step-daughter was covered up.
While in another episode, Ms Underwood said the organisation interrogated her over three days in Sydney about her alleged "misdeeds".
Senator Xenophon said many names had been erased from the letters he had tabled in Parliament.
"But those names haven't been removed from copies I am providing to the police," he told the Senate.
"This organisation must be investigated."
AAP
Rest assured Min, yes, Sen X is one who has the balance of power on many matters, and he wouldn't have tabled this stuff if he didn't have certainty in regard to support. He has a heart of gold, IMO, but isn't silly enough to risk his political career by making a move on this before the time was right.
It's a different scenario now, due to the work all those before us have done. Senator Xenophon has struck while the iron is hot, and with much to substantiate his claims, that wasn't available in times gone past. - Good on all who've contributed to the endless amount of documentation about the abuses of the CofS which is now available.
Yep, so will we...it's in good hands now......let that snowball roll!
And let this country be the one to lead the wayHopefully other countries start following suit. I don't understand how they've let this cult go so far unchecked.
Welcome Aaron, nice first innings smashed the leather right off the Ball.
welcome to the ESMB, I know right now OSA offices are in overwhelm.
Everyone needs to read thisIn Parliament tonight, Senator Xenophon called for a Senate Inquiry into the Church of Scientology, and gave his reasons why.
When the hansard (transcript) of Senator Xenophon's speech to the Senate (which was bloody awesome ) is available, we'll post it.
And, media will follow tomorrow, so stay tuned!