Scientology a ‘criminal organisation’ – ABC News Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

I recall the first time I went to an American Psychiatric Association conference. There I was, trying to learn (about interpersonal therapy and teaching using movies) and there were a bunch of moronic movie stars picketing us.

Stating we were EEEVIL. And being filmed. So I rabbit eared the spokeswoman as I went past.

From the link:

Do you want Australian tax exemptions to be supporting an organisation that coerces its followers into having abortions? Do you want to be supporting an organisation that defrauds, that blackmails, that falsely imprisons?” he asked.

“Because on the balance of evidence provided by victims of scientology you probably are.”

Senator Xenophon told Parliament the Church of Scientology is a criminal organisation that hides behind its “so-called religious beliefs”.

“The letters received by me which were written by former followers in Australia contain extensive allegations of crimes and abuses that are truly shocking,” he said.

“Crimes against them and crimes they say they were coerced into committing.

“There are allegations of false imprisonment, coerced abortions and embezzlement of church funds, of physical violence and intimidation, blackmail and the widespread and deliberate abuse of information.”

Senator Xenophon says the allegations are shocking.

“It is alleged that information about suspicious deaths and child abuse has been destroyed and one follower has admitted that he was coerced by the organisation into perjuring himself into deaths of his two daughters,” he said.

“These victims of Scientology claim it is an abusive manipulative and violent organisation.”

In a statement, the Church of Scientology says Senator Xenophon has abused Parliamentary privilege and is being pressured by disgruntled former members who are unreliable witnesses.

Xenophon is correct. If scientology is a religion, it is to some wierd value of a religion beyond the agnostic asceticsm of buddhists or quakers.