We previously discussed the fraud prosecutions of fortune tellers in the United States as well as crackdowns in other countries. We discussed the uncertain line drawn in such cases between such soothsaying and magical services and the practices of protected religious organizations. A recent story raise precisely this question out of Clearwater, Florida where the Church of Scientology has opened a $145 million, 377,000-square-foot complex that features a new “superpower program” for followers who wish to attain god-like abilities.
Scientology has been prosecuted in other countries as a criminal enterprise, particularly for its practice of charging greater and greater amounts to achieve higher levels of spirituality.
This is reportedly the first such space dedicated to “Super Power” training — a power described by founder L Ron Hubbard in the 1970s. He described it as the “superfantastic, but confidential series of rundowns that can be done on anyone whether Dianetic clear or not that puts the person into fantastic shape unleashing the super power of a thetan. . . This is the means that puts Scientologists into a new realm of ability enabling them to create the new world. It puts world clearing within reach in the future . . . It consists of 12 separate high-power rundowns which are brand-new and enter realms of the tech never before approached.”
Former Scientologists claim that the superpowers program is a fundraising scam and that the church delayed construction to milk members. At least that is the claim of former Scientologists Rocio and Luis Garcia of Irvine, California who contributed more than $340,000 to the construction of the Super Power building. They are now suing the church. I am not sure of the basis of a lawsuit for charitable contributions, but it does again raise the uncertain lines drawn between promises involved in the prosecutions discussed earlier and the practices of protected religious organizations. The promise of super powers on Earth is protected while these defendants are prosecuted for promises of bringing back loved ones or improving a person’s love life. While states require fortune tellers to warn that they are merely entertainers (though many insist they are not), a church can raise more for super powers without any disclaimer of any kind.
What is missing is a single coherent rule that applies to everyone engaging in supernatural or spiritual practices. When we are prosecuting people, that line should be easy to discern without . . . .well . . . super powers.
Source: Daily Mail
Janet Reno could destroy this place in one day
RobinH45,
It is not the ones already ensnared you go after with the technique of ridicule and making the cult look silly. It is the potential new recruits. If you can make a joke of it, it becomes harder to take it seriously.
If Scientology is allowed to claim the ability to release super powers without being charged with fraud, it should be on the condition that they demonstrate members with the superpowers of psychokinesis and to kill goats by staring at them.
OS that would be lovely but its also lyingtology doesnt allow its members to be on the internet or have any outside friend/relation ships. its why they demand your entire family joins or you have to deny them. i refuse to use the word disconnect. its a word L ron hubbard.. made up . go to the blog ” the underground bunker” and read the stories and comments from ex cobs who tell the truth , who tells about how it was when they finally woke up to the truth of what lyingtology is really about.. the truth about the midget david miscavige and his minions and what they have and are continuing to do to anyone who speaks out AGAINST lyingtology..
lyingtology got their tax exempt status by harassing the workers at the irs, breaking into their buildings and constantly and continously filing bogus court cases against them.. much as what they are trying to do to the Garcias….
Find out what chaos they caused down in clearwater with this duped power building. and how its gotten so tiresome there at cos that inside members are giving out information to the sites dedicated to bringing out the truth about dm and his bs…
How they harassed one woman so badly she filed suit against them and she isnt was never a member but her husband Marty Rathburn was and he was dm 2nd hand man…
another site to read is operation clambake.. anyone who wants to know the truth about cos today there are more then enough books and internet sites out. NOT RUN by current members but ex members who no longer feel they have anything to lose. by speaking out..
One of the best ways to take away power is humor and ridicule. More of a Zen approach. Here is a sample of how it’s done.