Constitutional Law, Politics, Religion, Society

Flint Michigan Considers Distributing Scientology Book To Save City

seal220px-L._Ron_Hubbard_in_1950For those already uncomfortable with the erosion of the separation of church and state in voucher programs and faith-based programs under Presidents Bush and Obama, a new proposal in Flint Michigan is likely to seen the inevitable result of this trend. The Flint city council is considering using police and other public officers to distribute copies of “The Way To Happiness,” a book by Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard.


1233401_637574412941910_1965015334_nScientologist Monika Biddle reportedly introduced the council to the book during an August 22 meeting as a way to reverse the high rates of crime and poverty in the city. The message appeared to resonate with Councilwoman Monica Galloway (right) who said “We need to sow [values] into these children [because these] are things they are not getting.”

While presented as a nonreligious moral code, the book is obviously associated with Scientology and written by its founder. Putting aside the controversy over Scientology and the view of some countries that it is a cult or criminal organization, there remains the more pressing question of the use of material closely associated with a religious organization. The book contains 20 different principles like “Don’t Be Promiscuous,” “Be Temperate,” and “Do Not Murder.” It has been distributed by The Way to Happiness Foundation which claims a distribution of 100 million copies of the book all over the world. The Foundation and distribution of the book has been the source of long controversy around the country, particularly in schools.

Police Chief James Tolbert did not balk at the notion of police officers passing out the book. He is quoted as saying “From the information I’ve seen, apparently it works. I’m for anything that works.” (You may recall Tolbert from the Detroit scandals)

488px-scientology_symbolsvg220px-The_Way_to_HappinessSecularists have objected to the plan for obvious reasons. First, the use of public employees to distribute such a book is highly troubling, particularly when the book is written by a religious leader. I would feel the same if it is Hubbard or a rabbi or the Pope. It further erases the line of separation that is already under fire in our society. Second, the notion that a book like this will save the city of Flint shows how detached from reality some members of the government have become. The idea that a police officer will hand a copy of this book to a drug dealer and he will suddenly realize that killing and promiscuity is wrong seems less than likely. Finally, the role of politicians in trying to instill morality in a population is a dangerous proposition. Not only are politicians the last group that I would look to for such lessons, they often use such gimmicks to take away from the fact that they are making no serious efforts to address these social problems.

Flint has enormous and growing problems. It will not help its image with investors to be seen as using public employees to pass out a book like this. More importantly, it will not help its citizens. Flint has lost too much in jobs, the environment, schools and other areas. It does not need to add the separation of church and state as another casualty of its long-standing downturn.

123 thoughts on “Flint Michigan Considers Distributing Scientology Book To Save City”

  1. This is nonsense. The job of the council is to govern. The distribution of morality tracts, religious or otherwise, is beyond the scope of its proper function. Furthermore, since Scientology professes to be a religion, the distribution of its literature by a unit of government is an unconstitutional endorsement.

    And although it’s beside the point, I suggest that nothing from the pen of L. Ron Hubbard is even remotely “the same kind of stuff” one finds in the Nicomachean Ethics.

  4. I don ‘t see what the problem is. So what if Hubbard (who I think is a nut) wrote it. If the message is stuff like “don ‘t be a drunk” and “don ‘t be a skank ho” then what is the problem? That ‘s the same kind of stuff you find in the Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle.

    Squeeky Fromm
    Girl Reporter

  5. Well, Elaine, I think there’s even a back story to that as well. The problem with a non-discriminatory policy is that it sounds all well and good until the Westboro Baptist Church shows up, or, God forbid, the Muslims. So the town crafts a facially neutral statute which you’re suggesting will bar atheists. That’s one aspect, but the town also makes a further note in limiting the class of potential participants to established participants in the town itself. Look that up? Its on mygreeceny.com and under places of worship you can see who is there and of course its mostly a Who’s Who of Christian denominations.

  6. Checking In on the Town of Greece
    The town set a new prayer policy, and—surprise, surprise—it doesn’t include atheists.
    By Dahlia Lithwick
    http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2014/08/the_town_of_greece_s_new_prayer_policy_atheists_need_not_apply.html

    Excerpt:
    The issue is complicated by the fact that the town of Greece once promised the high court that the town would include prayers from both atheists and people who don’t worship collectively. That promise, in fact, was the basis for the court’s 5–4 holding in the case. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy expressly noted that the town had “represented that it would welcome a prayer by any minister or layman who wished to give one” and that “a minister or layperson of any persuasion, including an atheist, could give the invocation.” The new rules seem to suggest that this is no longer true and that the town government is poised to engage in a case-by-case inquiry into which religions (and nonreligions) meet and pray in a manner that comports with the town clerk’s view of a legitimate faith. (It was the town clerk’s view of what constituted a legitimate faith that got Greece into trouble with the courts in the first place.)

  9. When you send in $30 we will ship you a “life towel” sanctified by the tears Benny Hinn. Carry this wherever you go, and doors to peace will open before you.

  10. “The Flint city council is considering using police and other public officers to distribute copies of “The Way To Happiness,” a book by Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard. ” – JT

    That is like walking around with a “sue me” sign.

  12. The invocation is upheld pursuant to the logic of Marsh v Chambers, ie. ceremonial deism, an exception to the Establishment Clause based on the notion that the expression has lost genuine religious signifigance without any genuine endorsement of a particular religious believe. Here we have an overt endorsement. You can do it, Nick, “as long as its my religion.”

  14. http://jonathanturley.org/2011/10/02/separation-of-church-and-state-not-on-the-2012-campaign-trial/

    This article on the Seperation of church and state that JT linked to in this current article is excellent, worth pondering when discussing the recent SC decisions and charges of a War on Religion by Governor Jondal and other religious folks. Things haven’t changed for the better since JT’s 2012 article either as it appears that certain types of bigotry want to be cloaked in religious exemptions, such as in Arizona this past year. It’s a dangerous percent being set to allow a book on morals written by a relgious leader to be used as a way to decrease crime and poverty. As JT pointed out, it’s doubtful that such writings would have any impact. As I see it those committing the crimes have already rejected morals taught to them by various people and organizations. Is it government’s role to teach values of any sort? I think not. Government can’t sanction one religious philosophy/ ideology over another, there is no state religion in this country.

  17. JT, what you write here are all real concerns (as well as laughable). Does anyone know the story behind this move?

    It appears to be PR. I do know that there have been high level defections and revelations concerning abuse in Scientology. I wonder if this is their attempt to paper over these revelations.

    There is no way that a govt. agency should be passing out any type of religious literature.

  18. Regarding the separation of church and state:

    Atheists Get The Shaft In New York Town After Supreme Court Ruling
    8/26/14
    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/greece-galloway-town-prayer-policy-atheists-supreme-court

    Excerpt:
    Earlier this year, the Supreme Court gave its blessing to local governments that want to open their public meetings with religious prayer.

    It was a victory for the town board of Greece, N.Y., which stressed that it was fighting not just for Christian prayer but for the right of all people express their views regardless of their faith. In a 5-4 ruling along ideological lines, the Court ruled against the Jewish and atheist plaintiffs, who argued that the practice violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment.

    Less than four months later, the town of Greece has adopted an invocation policy that excludes non-religious citizens and potentially shuts out faiths that aren’t well-established in the town, according to a top secular group.

    Seeking to “avail itself of the Supreme Court’s recognition” that government prayer is constitutional, the new policy restricts opening remarks to “assemblies with an established presence in the Town of Greece that regularly meet for the primary purpose of sharing a religious perspective.”

  19. Putting that cult and their faux-religion aside, this is just a stupid idea.

  20. I think Travolta and Cruise should move to Flint. That city, along w/ many other Dem controlled cesspools of corruption, poverty, crime, drugs, failed schools shows you what this country would look like if the Obama philosophy of big govt. succeeded. Thank God it is imploding before our eyes.

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