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Scientology Human Rights — An Oxymoron Update

July 21, 2021 By Mike Rinder 24 Comments

Following up on this piece, Scientology Human Rights — An Oxymoron, Tampa Bay Times intrepid scientology reporter Tracey McManus managed to speak to a number of the people concerned as covered in the story above.

It turns out that Hillsborough County Commissioner Harry Cohen was unaware of any scientology connection. Turns out people who read this blog contacted his office and he then found out about the link.

“This isn’t what I thought it was,” Cohen said on Tuesday, confirming he dropped out of the event. “Scientology and a human rights summit, I don’t know they are compatible with one another.”

Cohen’s office was alerted to United for Human Rights’ connection to Scientology by an email on July 15 with a link to a blog written by Mike Rinder, who spent 25 years as a senior Scientology executive before defecting in 2007.

It turns out the Children’s Board of Hillsborough had no involvement in the event other than renting out a space. They too discovered the problem and Tracey reports:

Children’s Board executive director Kelley Parris was unaware that a Scientology group was co-hosting until a citizen called her on Friday.

“I was extremely disturbed when I found out who they were and I think it is very deceptive not to have revealed that,” Parris said.

Children’s Board attorney David Adams confirmed Parris called him on Friday to ask if they could cancel the summit’s reservation because of Scientology’s involvement. Adams explained that, as a public entity, the Children’s Board cannot discriminate based on viewpoint.

“The building is a public forum and we have an obligation, if we’re going to open it up, we have to let everyone have access,” Adams said.

Thank you to those who took the time to contact the people who had been duped into participating in this event.  It made a difference. And in the future, there will be even less chance of a repeat with other officials and well-meaning individuals being suckered into scientology’s PR stunts.

 

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Filed Under: Human rights Tagged With: Children's Board of Hillsborough County, Harry Cohen, Kelley Parris, tampa bay times, tampa org, Tracey McManus, United for Human Rights

Comments

  1. KatherineINCali says

    July 24, 2021 at 12:45 pm

    “$cientology and a human rights summit, I don’t know they are compatible with one another.”

    Well, that’s certainly one way of putting it.

    Reply
  2. Zee Moo says

    July 22, 2021 at 11:50 am

    “I was extremely disturbed when I found out who they were and I think it is very deceptive not to have revealed that,” Parris said.

    ‘Deceptive’ is SOP in the $cienoverse. All who outed the claminess of this oxymoronic ‘presentation’ should take an ‘attaboy/girl from petty cash.

    I love a good outing.

    Reply
    • Chris Shugart says

      July 22, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      What is Scientology? By george, I think they’re getting it!

      Reply
    • Jere Lull says

      July 24, 2021 at 9:56 am

      Deception is required operation for scientology. Most of the deception winds up being to themselves, that it “works”, that it’s scientific, or anything of that ilk.

      Reply
  3. Missed Withhold says

    July 22, 2021 at 11:00 am

    When I demanded my money on account back that Scientologists intentionally moved around all of the Scientology orgs – aka “buttered all over Scientology’s universe” (intentionally so as to confuse and overwhelm its victims), I was sent a letter by Sleaze Bag Extraordinaire, Gary Soter, ( https://tonyortega.org/2020/10/18/the-top-25-people-enabling-scientology-no-11-gary-soter/ ) the lying, sleazy, dishonorable lawyer working for the cult of Scientology. He told me I had to claim “Scientology used manipulation and deceit” to obtain my money on account. I was too fucked up to do anything more about it back then. I was alone and my mind was shattered. That was a decade or so ago. I am still alone and have no resources, help or support to go after the cult for my money back on account.

    Please – Mike, Leah and everyone else that has help and support and resources to do something about it – you need to make that fact known.

    If people want to sue Scientology for refunds, they have to say the truth!
    That Scientology is a science of mind fucking, mind control and hypnosis. And…that Scientologists use deception, lying, deceit and manipulation to get money on account before services are rendered.

    Scientologists pay to get trained to manipulate, deceive, con, extort, bribe and trick honest, trusting people who have been told they are in a church, getting help.

    Look at the evidence all over the universe. Docuseries, Movies, books and tons of testimonials written by people who were harmed by the cult of Scientology.

    Tell the judges in the courts to fucking “Google Scientology”

    Reply
  4. otherles says

    July 22, 2021 at 10:38 am

    Scientology is lying. Why am I not surprised?

    Reply
    • Jere Lull says

      July 24, 2021 at 9:59 am

      You’re not surprised because scientology’s first action and last, and all the times in the middle is to lie. It’s required to operate at all in scientology.

      Reply
  5. ISNOINews says

    July 22, 2021 at 10:23 am

    In contrast to Scientology’s failure noted in today’s story, I’ve found that the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office, often utilizing the International Religious Freedom Roundtable (founded by Scientologist Greg Mitchell), can be effective in roping in politicians. The latest example is below.

    **********************************

    US Secretary of State, Senators and Congresspersons, including Nancy Pelosi, join Scientology National Affairs Office for International Religious Freedom Summit.

    **********************************

    EIN Presswire: Religious persecution worldwide addressed at bipartisan multi-faith summit in Washington, DC

    NEWS PROVIDED BY
    Church of Scientology National Affairs Office
    July 22, 2021, 06:04 GMT

    https://www.einpresswire.com/article/546883424/religious-persecution-worldwide-addressed-at-bipartisan-multi-faith-summit-in-washington-dc

    * * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

    The bipartisan Summit was organized by former Senator and former Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, and Katrina Lantos Swett, former US Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner and the daughter of former Congressman Tom Lantos, the only Holocaust survivor to serve in Congress. Speakers included US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The event can be viewed at http://www.irfsummit.com or go to http://www.irfroundtable.org for information.

    They were joined on stage or via video by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Senator James Lankford (R-OK), Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Cardinal Timothy Dolan Archbishop of New York, Muslim American actor Mahershala Ali and the Dalai Lama. Several foreign government leaders highlighted their support of religious freedom for everyone including a video message from the President of Guatemala and a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony with a Kazakhstan government representative.

    Over twenty faith and human rights organizations contributed to religious and human rights education with booths in the Summit’s exhibit hall. These included the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office whose booth featured educational materials on international religious freedom laws and treaties and human rights education materials from Youth for Human Rights International.

    [SNIP]

    Rev. Susan Taylor
    National Affairs Office
    +1 202-667-6404
    email us here

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=sPSIWHBq390

    * * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

    Memorialized on ESMBR with photos at:

    https://exscn2.net/threads/the-us-secretary-of-state-senators-and-congresspersons-join-scientology-national-affairs-office-for-international-religious-freedom-summit.3629/

    /

    Reply
    • Mark Kamran says

      July 23, 2021 at 12:56 am

      The Summit was organized by US State Department ,dept of Religious Freedom .

      https://www.vaticannews.va/en/church/news/2021-07/international-religious-freedom-summit-wasthington-dc.html

      Reply
  6. Missed Withhold says

    July 22, 2021 at 10:17 am

    With regards to Scientology front groups and Scientology in general:
    If it ain’t covert, filled with lies, deception and manipulation, it just ain’t Scientology.

    Each and every day, somewhere, somehow, some Scientologist is lying, manipulating and deceiving an honest person so as to contribute to the fake news of Scientology, the smoke and mirrors of Scientology, the dog and pony show of the evil cult.

    It is a Science of Trickery and Deception. A Science of Gas Lighting and Lying. A fake religion whereas the only winner are sleazy, manipulative and deceitful lawyers, scum bag private investigators and David Miscavige, the dictator of the cult

    Reply
    • J A Reyes says

      July 22, 2021 at 11:19 am

      It isn’t a “science”. It is merely the off-the-cuff writings of a science fiction writer, who wanted to find a way to make a living without paying taxes. He blew the wad of money he made from writing Dianetics and then decided that starting a church would be the way to go since he would demand a tax-exempt status. Hubbard is the ultimate grifter.

      Reply
  7. Joe Pendleton says

    July 22, 2021 at 9:59 am

    And yes, these are the people who want you to go to the Freewinds for a week to study LRH’s “tech” on public relations … because of course they are the experts in PR (as they are in everything else) …

    Reply
  8. Jere Lull says

    July 22, 2021 at 9:15 am

    scientology just can’t HANDLE the TRUTH. Every time, it trips them up when it rears its ugly (to them) head.

    Reply
  9. Loosing my Religion says

    July 22, 2021 at 8:04 am

    On a public level scn is becoming more and more a toxic subject, people know it by now and nobody wants to have anything to do.
    They are in a mud swamp, it has risen past their knees and is hardening very quickly.
    Thank you Mike and Leah.

    Reply
  10. Banchukita says

    July 22, 2021 at 4:47 am

    I am familiar with both the Children’s Board facility and the property owned by Scientology several blocks away in Ybor City, where there is much more unused space.

    So much more.

    Why, other than to legitimize itself, would they hold a summit at the Children’s Board and not their own spacious digs?

    Also, somehow I think if the KKK or other hate group that wasnt pretending to be a church for tax reasons tried to book the Children’s Board’s room, the attorney might have a different take.

    Reply
  11. Mark Kamran says

    July 22, 2021 at 12:06 am

    Multimedia and Social media are #1 enemies of Scientology followed by Google search and Wikipedia.

    Is there any escape from it ?
    And they still insist to live amongst WOGs ( isn’t what they say for non-scientologist )

    The shrinking size of Scientologist is due bad influence of non-scientologist culture , customs and norms.

    This may led them to either live alone hiding their identity , lies after lies to get work done .
    Even they fill small city like Clear Water with like mind , they were still living in UTopia.. Remember the
    Jim Carey’s Truman Show.

    They cannot roam around with common people as they know , they will knew ,what they don’t know .

    Its not some thing very unique ,it happened in past to various Cults in Asia ,Europe and North America.

    They went on isolation for next 50 to 100 years and came back with 100% growth in numbers with 200% brainwashed .

    Otherwise it’s a Final Countdown, it’s not me ,it’s written on the wall.

    Reply
    • Jere Lull says

      July 22, 2021 at 9:06 am

      Mark observed:
      “Multimedia and Social media are #1 enemies of Scientology followed by Google search and Wikipedia.”

      scientology doesn’t have knowing allies in its efforts to obfuscate their crimes and moral incapacity. They ARE effective at creating enemies through their lying ways.That’s the only ‘tech’ – techniques – that they have that works.

      Reply
      • Mark Kamran says

        July 22, 2021 at 2:45 pm

        Let me put it this way , from Paulette Cooper Scandal of Scientology to Barefaced messiah , Messiah or madman , inside Scientology ,Beyond Belief, Going Clear and more it is clearly evident that they were lying ,cheating and silencing but still growing till 90’s.

        But happened in 2000 onwards they are on reverse track.

        It started with Google search engine in early 2000 ,followed by multimedia : YouTube and Google vedio ( inactive after Google bought You Tube) and Wikipedia

        In late 2000 Facebook and Twitter and WordPress ,

        All applications exposed the Scientology in geographical free and time less environment with anonymity.

        Anonymous movement in late 2000 was mainly due to information exposed on YouTube and Wikipedia.
        This resulted in countless reporting on electronic and print mainstream media

        This helped senior Scientologist to came forward with reports of abuses.

        It’s the internet technology representing info from common man reaching the masses with out any strings attached.

        We may see some new technology in future which further ease the flow of information.

        Information is awareness but a deadly poison for Cults .

        No informatiom to less information provides element of control , that’s the food Cults needs.

        Cults dies when they cannot control their “assets “

        Reply
  12. georgemwhite says

    July 21, 2021 at 7:34 pm

    Great news! Thanks to all who helped get out the truth about Scientology’s deceptions.

    Reply
    • Aquamarine says

      July 22, 2021 at 3:06 am

      Really good news. Does me heart glad, it does.

      Reply
      • Jere Lull says

        July 22, 2021 at 9:09 am

        Right! One more façade (false front) they can’t hide behind any more.

        Reply
      • Jere Lull says

        July 22, 2021 at 9:19 am

        Another one (lie) bites the dust. scientology just can’t win when their lies are so ably and effectively exposed.

        Reply
      • Rip Van Winkle says

        July 23, 2021 at 7:00 am

        me too…and thank YOU..now I’ll be talkin like this all ‘a the day.

        Reply
        • Aquamarine says

          July 23, 2021 at 6:21 pm

          Ah, and there be no finer way for himself to be talkin’!

          Reply

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