Though this document is from 2012, it is worth sharing. I have never seen it before and I doubt many others have either. It was attached to a comment by Rick Mycroft but I felt it too important to simply be a comment. Thanks for providing this Rick.
This Nation Of Islam Singles Retreat was held at Applied Scholastics International Campus in Spanish Lake, Missouri.
Apparently renamed for the NOI "Camp Kiswah," this promotional item makes NO mention of Scientology, let alone Applied Scholastics. The only way to be certain that it is in fact Spanish Lakes headquarters is from the bottom right photo.
"Camp Kiswah"?
I did a fast google search on Camp Kiswah.
It turns out this was not a one time event. In fact, there is an entire website devoted to "Camp Kiswah" run by the Nation of Islam.
The last NOI event was held on 21 April:
And the next one will be on 30 May:
They even have a YouTube video to promote "Camp Kiswah"….
How Can This Be?
If anyone listened to the Shermanspeak at the events, and read the IAS Impact Mags and looked at their website one would get the impression there are thousands of teachers training and millions of students applying study tech "spreading across the globe from the IAS sponsored central emanation point for the planetary assault on illiteracy that has taken off like a rocket and is soon to touch down on Uranus…" So how come they can just turn their facility over for a "singles retreat"? See recent Fact Checking posting….
Nation of Islam Taking Over?
It seems the Nation of Islam is making much greater use of Applied Scholastics facilites than Applied Scholastics are. Surely they are not evicting all of their public learning LRH study tech from around the world every month to accommodate the Captains of the Nation of Islam and Singles Retreats?
It leads to two conclusions:
1. The Nation of Islam is FAR bigger and more active than Corporate Scientology
2. Applied Scholastics is desperate for money (in spite of their massive IAS support???) and don't have an insurance scam like Narconon to keep them going….
No wonder OT VIII, Miscavige-pet Benetta Slaughter bailed. This place is a miserable failure like the Ideal Orgs.
Pretty soon the DC Ideal Org will become an NOI day care center and the Way to Happiness Fdn headquarters will be converted into a gym for NOI members only.
I guess no one told RCS PR about Spanish Lake.
New Scientology Brochure Aims to Raise Education Standards
| Spanish Lake, Missouri • MAY 4, 2013
The Applied Scholastics campus in Spanish Lake, Missouri, was established in 2003 to make possible broad implementation of this technology to government heads of education and schools. The Spanish Lake facility provides many courses available for postgraduate continuing education credits. It also offers a full schedule of courses and workshops on specific aspects of Study Technology. The organization works with hundreds of affiliated schools and educational programs throughout the world.
==
With all that activity, it’s amazing that they can squeeze in those NOI events!
In North Korea, “Benetta” is a cherry-flavored alcoholic drink laced with cyanide. The well-known “Benetta Slaughter” is the same thing, but includes a double shot of cyanide. And an eyeball in the bottom.
Mike, I have to thank you again for yet this latest great post. The way you are getting this true data out is so valuable.
Would the Catholic church rent out a convent for a singles retreat run by the Baptists?
While I agree this is odd I don’t see anything inherently wrong with this. If one sets aside all biases what do we have? From what I can see we have some young people possibly getting some good stable datums. Perhaps not, but what’s the harm?
Kevin — the issue with all of these things is that a lot of people gave a LOT of money to the IAS and a lot of other places to buy the buildings that are now being used for other purposes. And while the IAS CONTINUES to collect money on the basis of their “massive international 4th dynamic programs”, pretending to be accomplishing enormous good all over the world, they are NOT telling the truth.
I agree — if there is some valid purpose to it, who cares.
Perhaps I have failed to make clear why I post some of this stuff. I seek to expose the LIES that have been told and continue to be told that persuade people to give their money.
You make a perfectly valid and understandable point. I guess it jus saddens me to see some young people caught in the “cross fire”. Keep exposing.
Can you imagine the cult putting on a “singles event”??
I can’t. They would think that it was much too “out-ethics” or “off-purpose”. At least the NOI recognize that people need to hook up. Lol.
However, to the church, “Bingo”, “Pirate Parties” and “Bowling for dollars” are NOT off purpose.
I’m sure if the Singles Event could somehow be a fundraiser, it would be just fine.
I hear you! I was thinking the same thing! The sadism exercised in that group over an ounce of lust is worse that a DEA agent finding five pounds of cocaine in some breast implants at customs!
Wow. I remember being at the grand opening (and being bored to death of Dan Sherman’s speech). Then I stopped in just a year or so later on a trip to St. Louis, and the place was already dead. It’s been dead from the start – never really even got off the ground. At least the nuns who used to own the building (and whose graveyard had to be excavated) will now know that the facility is actually being used for something.
From the website:
Camp Kiswah is a not -for -profit corporation founded to service the needs of the community by providing quality educational programs and camps. Furthermore, to provide a place where schools all organizations religious, non religious, and all institutions can have a modern and quality meeting place.
We have a 100 acres campsite located in Spanish lakes MO. that offer room and board to accommodate 175 to 200 or more people. We have a convention center that can seat 300 people auditorium style and for dining we can serve 200 people. Moreover, we have several large classroom for instructional purpose or smaller breakout meeting. Lastly, we have a warm and friendly staff ready and able to serve you 24/7.
Camp Kiswah Features
3 Meals Each Day (Customized Menu).
Optional Barbecue Outdoors.
Dorm Style Rooms (No T.Vs).
Auditorium: Seats 200 Banquet Style And 700 Theater Style.
Multiple Break-out Rooms.
Lounge On Each Floor With T.V/DVD Access.
Café: Card Games, Chess, Pool Table, Ping Pong, Foosball Table, Ect…
Movie Night (Outside Picnic Set Up Available).
Note in above picture for 30 May event, also linked below:
“MANDATORY FOR F.O.I. COORDINATORS & CAPTAINS”
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/62639_379970585455191_1538536996_n.jpg
F.O.I. = Fruit of Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_Islam
“The Fruit of Islam (FOI), or “Fruit” for short, is the male-only paramilitary wing of the Nation of Islam (NOI). The Fruit of Islam wear distinctive blue or white uniforms and caps and have units at all NOI temples. Louis Farrakhan, as head of the Nation of Islam, is commander-in-chief of the Fruit of Islam, and his son, Mustapha Farrakhan Sr, is second in command. The women’s counterpart to the Fruit of Islam is Muslim Girls Training (MGT).
The Fruit of Islam draws its membership from male members in Nation of Islam temples. While NOI does not release membership figures, estimates for total membership in the NOI range from 10,000 to 50,000.”
At least the NOI is putting the building to good use. This is pretty theta news actually! I bet they have a great time up there at the singles events. The Muslims I have known have been very cool people. Very loving.
Typo, in part at least…..
Great article Mike.
If you pause the video where you can see books on a rack, they are APs packs. Study and comm courses.
Some of the shots are definitely comm course drills in progress.
It seems they have various events planned at Spanish Lakes.
John P, maybe you can do some analysis. What is the subsidy being paid by C of S to NOI to have these events there?
This fee surely cannot contribute enough for equitable overhead recovery for such a facility?
This means the parishioners, one way or another are doing the contributing, I part at least.
Make sense ?
I’m not entirely certain that Scientology is subsidizing the NOI events. Let’s assume that a three-day NOI event has 250 people in attendance. We would model the following line items:
* Raw institutional food costs (i.e., company lunchroom type food) is typically around $10 per person per day. Over the course of a 4 day conference, food costs would be no more than $30 (two half days and two full days of meals), or a total of $7,500.
* Hotels typically have about 1 staff person per every 4 guests. Let’s say that there are 60 AS staff at this place dedicated to guest care (given sloppy Scientology facilities, this may be ludicrously high, but please play along). Given that Applied Scholastics staff are probably paid the same as the staff in the rest of the Scientology universe, assume $50 per person per week, for a total payroll of $3,000 per week, and we’ll apportion half of that (i.e., $1,500) for a three day event.
* Assume other overhead costs of electricity, heat, phone, linen/laundry of $30,000 per month and apportion 1/10 of that to the three-day NOI event, for $3,000.
With 250 people, NOI would gross $62,500 for their little “Love Boat.” For AS to recover their costs, they would need $12,000 of the fees; any more would be profitable. Most importantly, if AS is really in the tank financially, this could be a bit of a lifeline for them on this albatross of a facility… I have to believe that opposition has hardened to AS “tech” being introduced to schools, particularly after states are being allowed to opt out of certain No Child Left Behind Act provisions, and after the disaster at “Life Force Academy” near Flag. And they certainly need a lifeline if global warming continues to savage the Great Plains — ever increasing frequency of massive floods on the Mississippi River probably will depress the resale value of a building located less than half a mile from its banks and only one levee away from disaster.
And for NOI, if they paid $20,000 of their $62,500 in gross revenue, that’s less than 30% going to lodging expenses, which ain’t bad. They’re making money even if they’re paying AS a hefty profit over their expenses.
Some more numbers: Their 5 day Study Tech boy’s camp cost $450/person.
Maybe DM could test his luck and attend one of these NOI
single retreats get-together.
Cross-posted to Facebook Group Scientology Invasion of the Black Community:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScientologyInvasion.of.the.BlackCommunity/permalink/450930664988414/
Cross-posted to WWP: https://whyweprotest.net/community/threads/mike-applied-scholastics-int-headquarter-becomes-noi-singles-retreat-named-%E2%80%9Ccamp-kiswah%E2%80%9D.110651/
Cross-posted to ESMB: http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?31539-Mike-Applied-Scholastics-Int-Headquarter-Becomes-NOI-Singles-Retreat-%93Camp-Kiswah%94
FINALLY, Scientology is getting into some “rigteous Muslim fun” !!! I can’t wait ….. starting my A-E tommorrow!
If you go to the Camp website you can see all the different types of events one can book there…reunions, religious retreats, etc.
I wonder if the next Indy party should try out the facilities.
That would be a hoot and worth looking into. Looking for more information about the renting out of facilities.
… and they [Co$] say they don’t do matchmaking …
Holy Cow!!!!
On the one hand, it’s interesting that NOI is “taking over” a Scientology-related facility without acknowledging its ownership. On the other hand, it’s not like the NOI is a ripping success either. By counting windows in various photos of the building, I’m estimating that there are perhaps 300 rooms in the place. And given that Farrakhan says this is the most important way for single NOI members to meet and fall in love, if they only have at most 300 singles, they’re not exactly doing a rip-roaring job of filling seats either. Consider that the Census Bureau says there are 112 million single adults over 18 in the US (in 2012), equal to about 47% of the adult population. It seems reasonable to believe that highly religious organizations place a high premium on getting married early. So let’s say that the NOI has only about 20% of adults who are single, dramatically less than the US population as a whole. Then let’s say that about 15% of the singles in the NOI make it to “Camp Kiswah” for the event. That would put total NOI membership at about 9,000, which is not exactly a rip-roaring success.
Understand too, JP, that the NOI only promotes to 13% of the US population, which is 39 million. That’s the total number of blacks in the US. As it is, I highly doubt that their membership comprises even 1% of the black population, which would be 390,000 people. It *might* comprise 1/10th of 1%, which would work out to 39,000 members nationwide. Ever since I was a kid, they’ve had a small footprint in the black community. Even in that small segment of the overall population, they’re as rare as hen’s teeth.
John P. Thanks. The mystery is how often they use the space. Their promo and the ESMB link with a radio interview, implies it is “their” camp for various applications, INCLUDING anyone who wants to use it for an event, can contact the ‘Camp’ and book it. The interview mentions a book outlet called Ebony Books.
Practically, also to you Oracle, I do not mind if the c of s does business with NOI. That is their weird positioning and affiliations. I am no longer taking services from c of s. They can do combined events and save overhead or make a profit.
The main point of contention for me, is I have some guys I know who are linked up to APS who deliver some of their material as secular material. The c of s botches this up by making APS a religion via the c of s website. The media sees it this way as well. All one thing, and not secular.
Now if we add NOI into the mix, it is very poor association for an apparently secular outfit. Not only is APS conflated with c of s and thereby making it impossible for private organizations who use APS material to claim secular usage, but now they add NOI to give these poor users a double-whammy.
[I think of Kingsley et al as users].
This reduces the ability of these private operations to deliver tech that they believe in and is valuable to the recipients. It kills off any expansion.
Pisses me off from that perspective.
Greenonwhite.
Good eyes Rick and Mike for spotting this! Mike your blog is doing a great job bringing me up to present time vis-a-vis the CoS realities which COB works so hard to conceal.
I went there more than 10 years ago and it was empty except for about 3 people. I was told it was “Spring Break” or some stupid thing. I can’t believe I fell for it.
hahaha…that is funny, Bluebonnet.
I probably would have bought that at one point in time too.
My guess is they are running out of Scientologists and they have to fill the shop one way or another…
Oh my. At the rate it is going it will be the Church of Scientology, a subdsidary of the Nation of Islam.
Saying that NOI is bigger and more active than RCS isn’t saying much, just saying. I wonder if they fib to each other about their active members? “Oh yeah, 8 million Scientologists, straight up and vertical!” “Heck, we had a million men out for just one march. That was years ago, we’ve expanded since then…” Pffft! World membership of both groups together couldn’t fill the smallest major league baseball stadium without serious photo shopping.
Rick — you are right of course. Except Miscavige loves to announce to the world that “Scientology is the fastest growing religious movement on earth”….
I could use simple math, but this comic does it better:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/fastest_growing.png
I read this and burst out laughing. What can I say.
“spreading across the globe from the IAS sponsored central emanation point for the planetary assault on illiteracy that has taken off like a rocket and is soon to touch down on Uranus…”
you’re wicked funny Mike.
Oh my god…..
I know! The huge world headquarters and mecca of Applied Scholastic is now the mecca of NOI singles dating. (I’m sure that they’ll try to sell some comm courses to help with that.)
I kind of doubt that wee Davie is going to stand at the podium and mention that! (Maybe he’s trying to cut some co-op deal with the Super Power building?)
Hmmm. Wow.
Maybe a “phase two” for the Ideal Orgs will include using the empty space for banquets and “wog” events. Some of the buildings are pretty nice and there’s lots of space. Ideal staff already look like servers and busboys in their uniforms.
Chris — you are prescient. Stay tuned here….
Better to look like servers than to look like vampires with those blood red colored capes.
The assimilation of the NOI appears complete. Since Dave is only one left in the church they could hold the Miscavige family reunion at this place. That would be hilarious.
I wouldn’t count on NOI staying assimilated. Eventually, I predict there’s going to be whole lot of back stabbing going on in both directions.
If Dave put on a family reunion, is there anyone left in the Miscavige family left that would show up?
You can tell it is not a COS event because the cost is too low. What can you do in the COS for $250?
🙂
“What can you do in the COS for $250?”
Buy a dozen TWTH booklets to be distributed to victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.