Look up disaster capitalism in the dictionary and you will find an IAS logo and nothing else.
More IAS lying about the “largest private relief force on earth.”
Funny how they can report down to the exact number how many people attended a ribbon cutting “2,763 gushing fools cheered as the ribbon was yanked” and 13,859 inches of wire was run to connect the covert video cameras in the auditing rooms in the new “ideal org” of Lower Slovobia and “a new person clicks on one of our internet sites every 6.47836 seconds” — but when it comes to reporting on “what you donations buy” with the IAS there are NO NUMBERS.
There is no clue as to how many VM’s flew in, though they do make clear there are 65 islands, 170mph winds, 18 people killed and 3,000 diplaced.
The best they can do is two anecdotes — about giving assists.
And the pitch for more money.
The IAS is a rip-off organization pure and simple. They proclaim themselves a mighty humanitarian organization and they collect HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars every year. Yet if you Google Volunteer Ministers in Vanuatu you find NOTHING. The only thing is scientology paid ads. Now how can this be from the largest private relief force on earth? And how come there isn’t even a single photo of anyone doing anything?
This is the same story as for last year’s disaster in the Philippines.
And everything else the IAS has ever claimed to have “done.” The IAS is a confidence scam, pure and simple.
Besides mooching on supplies donated by legit relief organization, stealing stuff, poking fingers at disaster victims and being a general pain in the ass, what have those morons in yellow shirts ever done for anyone ?
They’re not qualified to do anything useful on a disaster scene. It’s a wonder none of those bumbling fools have been hurt or killed by angry mobs.
Been wondering if any VM would show up at the Tornado disaster sites in Rochelle and Fairdale north of Chicago. Hopefully not.
The idea of VM’s being in the loop with executive directors at disaster relief sites gives me a loud belly-laugh. All the reports I’ve heard make it appear they are considered minor nuisances if not totally ignored. I’m surprised there isn’t a photo-op with one of them posing over an injured person (just as a medical team is about to ask them to please get out of the way). But that would be impossible if there was nobody there. Still, I don’t see why they don’t do a dramatization photo shoot in the studio with VM’s leading a team of distinguished surgeons and firefighters in a daring bid to save lives, or something like that. Of course it would look fictitious, not that that should be a problem.
I agree. I am certified by FEMA in the basics of incident command structure.
There is no way officials in charge would bring unknown and unqualified persons into the command circle and the very clearly defined roles that each participant in an incident must carry out.
At the very most, were I in charge at an incident, I might say to an assistant “Go give those yellow shirts directions on where they can / cannot rove around and then make sure they stay there. Now, back to incident management …”
At the worst, a group of untrained “civilians” could pull the trained responders off task, tie up communications and coordinating personnel, and risk further property damage or risk human life.
Their main contribution then may be to create what Scientologists call Dev-T because they are not part of incident command structure.
Having said that, yes, they may be of some psychological (gasp!) help to persons outside the sphere of official activity. But if they get someone “in” that palliative help and empathy turns quickly into betrayal of the captured individual through erosion of liberty and suppression of critical reasoning.
PS There is a grammatical error (at least one) in the flyer, some things that go away from the AP style that is normally used for announcements, and for gawd sake they hit the “thanks to an IAS grant …” theme three times that I counted. Once was enough. Repeating it starts to sound like the IAS really has a self-confidence problem.
‘the’ mission statement, it should read…
Franklin Graham, son of Billy, runs ‘Samaritan’s Purse’, an international relief agency.
This is there mission statement from their website:
‘Samaritan’s Purse stands ready to respond at a moment’s notice whenever and wherever disaster strikes. We specialize in meeting critical needs for victims of conflict, disaster, famine, and epidemics throughout the world, often working through ministry partners on the ground. We provide food, water, shelter, medicine, and other assistance in the Name of Jesus Christ.’
Today, Mr Graham posted this message on his Facebook, wishing well to reported Scientologist John Coale, who is having open-heart surgery:
‘Greta Van Susteren’s husband John Coale is having heart surgery tomorrow. Greta and John are great friends and supporters of Samaritan’s Purse. John is Greta’s soulmate, they do everything together. Open heart surgery is not for sissies. John is one tough man, so much so that my father wrote about him in his book, The Reason for My Hope; but there can always be issues. Pray for John—and let Greta know you’re praying in the comments below. I believe in the power of prayer!’
(Greta has traveled with and promoted Mr Graham’s work, notably with Sarah Palin tagging along on a quick trip into Haiti a few years back…)
I am having cognitive dissonance and can’t discern exactly why…is it just one of life’s great synchronicities that makes for great stories at the end of the day?
does anyone here have information, thoughts or comments that would throw light on this…
Scientology has successfully pitched itself as a movement with such a noble purpose, that no dollar given is ever wasted. After all, who wouldn’t want to help disaster victims in some way or perhaps someday even clear the planet. Just look in the empty Ideal Organizations to see how this last one is working. To those still drinking the Kool-Aid, switch to Jack Daniels.
The IAS serves a great purpose. When I was told that my IAS dues were going directly to help victims of the
Tsunami and nuclear reactor meltdown in Japan; I started to take a close look. And I learned about the true
heroes, people that stayed in the reactors and worked while exposing themselves to radiation. And I said to myself, “wow, this is shit and this is shinola”. I lived in Japan for 20 years and I wept for the suffering and the heroic way that the people handled it. That’s the purpose the IAS serves. They are the lowest of the low and in that way they call attention to the best that humanity can do.
They don’t like being laughed at. Oh no. They can lie, steal and cheat in the name of their “eternity” but when you laugh at their idiocy they get upset. The laughs I’ve had in the last few weeks have been really
good for my eternal soul. Thank-you, IAS, for providing them.
A song for Dave and his IAS: to the tune of “Diva” by Beyonce Knowles. Check out the tune first.
DIVA DAVE
Dave’s a diva, diva, a diva. Dave’s a diva, diva, a diva.
He’s a hustler like no other, can’t compare to another.
Like no o-ther, like no o-ther.
He’s got a wife banished away, Shelly’s Missing they say.
She would never last the day.
She can’t find a way.
Baby went M.I.A.
Hey!
He’s got a Hole called SP Hall, for his warriors that fall.
Not standing tall, they’re on the floor with ants crawling up the wall.
Insect bites, he’s so right.
Forced Confessions day and night.
Uh!
Asthmatic lungs, he’s got guns trailing his Papa on the run.
Who’s escapin’ his fun.
He’s depraved, he’s diseased and he’s got Jenny on her knees.
Oh- she’s begging him to please.
Yeah!
Valley Goddess is smokin’ crack and he’s got Lou on her back.
She’s got her legs in the air but he can never take her there.
Dave wears his wedding ring cuz he thinks that it’s the thing.
But Baby ain’t comin’ back.
No!
He’s got an IAS and lots of cash that Monique Yingling locked it tight.
He’s gotta fight, he’s always right, money can never get light.
Monique’s in the back and he’s got LRH’s Source Hat.
And the sheep are down with that.
Ho!
Na, na, na, Dave’s a hustler like no o-ther, like no o-ther, like no o-ther.
I am very interested in seeing the actual IAS financials. Since I contributed over 20K and I strongly feel that I’ve been ripped off, there really isn’t any reason to prevent “members” from seeing where the money is actually going.
I am going to be filling out the IRS forms as posted on Ortega’s blog and on the Scientology Money Project blog. I’m also sending letters to my congressmen to let them know that I (as a paid member of the IAS) wish to have a congressional oversight committee delve into the potential fraud by the IAS and David Miscavige.
While I have no love of the IRS and the abuses they commit, I believe it is long past time for them to correct their error in granting 501c3 status to Miscavige or any of his rackets.
Upon retirement, two friends of mine became Red Cross Disaster Volunteers. They went to New Orleans after Katrina, they’ve been to many tornado sites, they were down in New Jersey after the hurricane. Never have they seen any yellow shirted Volunteer Ministers or any $cieno presence.
The worn out, but totally correct description of the IAS { and all of $cientology} is still, ‘lying liars who lie’.
Go to tonyortega dot org and use today’s info to complain to the IRS about fraud in fund raising.
Thank you Mike, this one really pisses me off.
You see … THIS is exactly what the CoS needs … “Disaster Management Officials” … yup!
And yes, Mike, just thinking about that I was extremely hushed … and now my eyes are moist.
I’ll bet most Scientologists believe that the South Pacific is somewhere near the North Atlantic ocean.
And just North of Target Two!
I did honest hurricane relief in the South Pacific. Did not see IAS there. I am deeply offended by IAS propaganda.
cut-n-paste from Tony Ortega’s blog ….
If you’re serious about getting the attention of the IRS, forget the White House petition and get real. The IRS already has a well-defined set of rules for complaining about an organization’s tax exempt status.
Jeffrey Augustine has been investigating this, and sent us a primer on how to complain about Scientology’s activities to the IRS. And hey, if you follow his suggestions, it just might take some of the pain out of that other thing you procrastinators are sending in to the IRS this week.
Jeff found, for example, this happy language from the government about how it really, really wants to hear from you! “Go ahead and complain. The Internal Revenue Service is all ears — particularly about complaints alleging any abuse of the tax-exempt status granted to a non-profit organization,” says an agency information sheet.
He recommends that you grab a copy of the official form the IRS wants you to use to submit a referral (which is IRS lingo for a complaint).
“The IRS Form 13909 is a one-page form that allows anyone — you don’t have to be an American citizen — to report the Church of Scientology and its related tax exempt entities for abuses of tax exemption. Sections 1 and 2 ask for basic information,” Jeff says. And he’s supplied this information to help you fill out those first two sections. Choose your favorite Scientology entity to drop a dime on!
Church of Scientology International –- EIN 59-2153393
6331 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 1100
Hollywood, CA 90028
Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization — EIN 59-2143308
210 S. Fort Harrison Avenue
Clearwater, Florida 33756-5109
Church of Scientology Flag Ship Service Organization — EIN 98-0133545
118 North Fort Harrison
Clearwater, Florida 34615
US IAS Members Trust — EIN 52-1840679
1311 New Hampshire Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Church Of Scientology Religious Trust — EIN 91-6254980
6331 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 1011
Hollywood, CA 90028
After you’ve filled in that basic info, here’s what the next section of the form looks like…
IRSForm
Now, which of these boxes should you select? We think you can confidently check the first three, and the second to last, about deceptive fundraising. And Jeff supplied the following examples that you can select from for the next section, where you’re asked to supply a “Description of activities.”
Examples of Scientology using 501(c)(3) tax-exempt funds to engage in systematic violations of public policy:
— Paying attorneys to hire private investigators for the purposes of engaging in systematic acts of spying, harassment, and terroristic intimidation directed against former members of the Church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers who expose church abuses. Private investigators are paid tax-exempt funds to follow, photograph, and collect data on their “targets” and report this information back to the church. This is part of a Church of Scientology conspiracy to attack, intimidate, silence, and destroy these people.
— Paying attorneys to hire private investigators who then illegally purchase the phone records of former members of the church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers who expose church abuses. This illegal invasion of privacy is done in order to have Scientology-paid private eyes track the calls and contacts of former members of the church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers.
— Using illegal means to obtain the flight and other travel information of former members of the church, critics, journalists, and filmmakers in order to stalk and harass them.
— Making public the contents of private confessional data of former Scientologists in an attempt to smear, impugn, and humiliate former members who speak out against the abuses of the Church.
— The Church of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs pays tax exempt dollars to hire writers, videographers, and social media specialists to create false, defamatory, malicious, and deceptive propaganda in the form of hate websites and publications. This malicious content is directed against former members of the church, critics, journalists, filmmakers, and others who publicly expose Church of Scientology abuses.
— Paying for Google ad campaigns to promote Scientology’s malicious hate websites and smear campaigns directed against former members of the church and critics, journalists, and filmmakers who expose church abuses
— Spending millions of dollars on lawyers to defend David Miscavige and the church from the legal consequences arising from their own illegality.
— Deceptive and misleading fundraising activities to gather funds to “defend the Scientology religion” which are really meant to fund David Misavige as he spies on former church members, critics, people in the media, and even his own father.
Write up your report, include any relevant documents, and add your personal information. “You may wish to check the box marked ‘I am concerned that I might face retaliation or retribution if my identity is disclosed’ if you have concerns about Scientology retaliation,” Jeff tells us.
You can send in your report by email as a PDF to eoclass@irs.gov, or fax it to 214-413-5415, or mail it to IRS EO Classification, Mail Code 4910DAL, 1100 Commerce Street, Dallas TX 75242-1198
“You can also write letters to the Ms. Tamera Ripperda, Director of Exempt Organizations, IRS. She is located at 1111 Constitution Avenue, Washington D.C. 20224,” Jeff says.
Thanks for looking into that for us, Jeff. We hope the IRS gets an earful.
Hmmm, The IRS got overwhelmed by 2,400 lawsuits from scientologists when they capitulated and gave them tax exempt status. If each and every person who signed the petition would mail, email or fax the PDF to the IRS perhaps, just perhaps, the IRS may become overwhelmed in the opposite direction.
Look what happened when we united in a simple effort to help the Humane Society of Pinellas County against the scientology school who was trying to take grant money. Perhaps since there are so few scientologists left to push back, this is when the outside world needs to do an active push against the IRS like scientology did in the 90’s. They bent to massive outside pressure then.
This tactic is similar to a DoS (Denial of Service) attack, and should be illegal. If I were the IRS I would get my brightest on the case to work out some sort RICO angle on this type of corporate bullying.
IIRC, it was more than just the lawsuits. There was also some embarrassing information collected on the IRS Commissioner. But I guess the movie couldn’t talk about that, probably due to lack of documentation. Maybe enough public outcry would get their attention, but it might force somebody to have to retire/resign if they were to do anything about it. And the rest of them wouldn’t want their dogs drowned. How is that aspect going to be neutralized?
Link to IRS Form 13909
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf
Wow Shoukd have proof read that. Lol^^^
Errrr!!! This is what really pisses me off dude! How has the nosey ass IRS not noticed any of this,but they see all anti hillary Clinton Sachs senate house members,like Melendez who may have a friend that might fly him out to catch up and to hang out!they see stupid shit this small but not a tax exempt org,that has billions that can actually dent our national debt if seized??!! There is something deeper there has to be!!!! I’m sick of paying taxes and working my ass off barely able to pay rent,and this “church” gets millions of tax free money for making pretend they are helping,any VM that goes anywhere I’ll bet pays there air fair and accommodation out of there own money,that alone should puss the VM off,how don’t they say, ummm I just donated 2gs to the ias for this disaster,why am I paying for my flight? Where is the money going? Am I handing out 50s to victims? Omg and the ideal org bs,like they have billions! Why won’t the USA just Finnish the valley org??!!!! How can members be so stupid as to all this money they give but see NOTHING?
A good friend of mine became a N.Y. fireman when we graduated high school. He was there for 9/11 and was very involved with the aftermath. While I was in the Sea Org we were told all these stories about how the Volunteer Ministers were at 9/11 running around in their yellow shirts, saving the day. How the firemen just loved the VMs, who pretty much ran the relief efforts….. Well stupid me went back to N.Y. a couple years after getting out of the Sea Org. I was having a beer with my friend and I brought up the VM’s at 9/11. I assumed he would know all about them. Of course he knew nothing about them, never saw any helpers in yellow shirts and I thought I saw him look over at my mug to see if there was Kool-aid in it. It was yet another wake up moment for me.
It looks like the pendulum is beginning to swing. some of my loyal KAD friends are even beginning to bitch about the IA S’s gauntlet of thugs. Well maybe they will get a, clue, epiphany or possible a “cognition” in the next millennium. But they better hurry, cuz they’r getting older and some are achieving ambient temperature as I speak.
CCHR attempted to capitalise on the Germanwings crash. Bridge tried to capitalise on Hubbard’s birthday (apparently selling less than a thousand commendations, which is indicative of just how many dedicated scientologists are left).
Expect to see the IAS and DM direct people’s attention increasingly to the “dangerous environment”.
Way To Hardship campaigns should be next.
Now, correct me if I am wrong. Out of the same IAS Web page we have the following IAS’s purpose:
“To unite, advance, support and protect the Scientology religion and Scientologists in all parts of the world, so as to achieve the aims of Scientology as originated by L. Ron Hubbard.”
Giving a few assists does not unite scientology, nor protects it or supports it. Will it advance it? just because a handful of people go very, very occasionally to disaster areas just to “make others believe” more money is needed (basically a PR action)?
The answer is NO, it won’t advance scientology not even an inch. Yes, it is a scam, has been a scam, and will continue to be so until more letters reach congressmen and until IRS decide to take a step in.
If the law prevents to audit a church then, audit the leader who is the one with the ripped off millions.
I thought most VMs were expected to pay their own way. So what exactly does IAS chip in for? (Perhaps not even the photo crew if they’re stealing images from the people who were there.)
They provide the MAAs to sec check the shit out of the perps when they return home.
“Have you failed to fleece any of the victims when you had an opportunity to do so?”
(take all reads earlier/similar to full BIs)
That is way too short a Sec Check, Newcomer!
Just a few to start off with:
1. Have you taken money from the IAS for travel when you could have paid yourself?
2. During your time as a volunteer, did you ever fail to take advantage of a photo op?
3. While acting as a volunteer, did you ever fail to identify yourself as Scientologist supported by the IAS?
4. During your time as a volunteer, did you ever not acknowledge the leadership and support of COB? RTC?
5. Have you ever had unkind thoughts about COB?
6. During your time as a volunteer, did you ever put the needs of one individual over the group? (grove this in well. Volunteer may have spent time giving assist to one person when they could have been making a big effect in a photo op or making sure they are seen by large groups)
7. Did you ever fail to seek donations for the IAS?
8. Have you ever felt you didn’t get enough support from the IAS? (get the crime that came before this thought)
Excellent Raindog! That ought to produce a few rock slams!
Mike – in this mood of IRS nudging and lawsuits, do you have any anecdotes / evidence from your time in Sci about VMs wasting donations, being ineffective, improper use of donations, etc?
What else do they do other than shoot videos and tell lies about how much help they provide. Hell, more good would be done by driving the yellow vans over a cliff!
http://www.redcross.org/
Think before you donate re the Red Cross:
http://i2.wp.com/www.bitsandpieces.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/think-before-you-donate.jpg
Greta
The older lady as referred to in the last paragraph in the VM baloney above ”was so moved she could hardly speak at the end” was probably incredulous at the stupidity of having some untrained strange white dude poking his fingers into ever part of her body by doing an ”assist” being the real reason why she could not talk. The ”many moist eyes at the end” of the assist from the villagers were probably tears of laughter of the ineffectiveness of the ”assist” and the WTF were they doing to her!
Also,there would have been no more than 2 or 3 Vulture Ministers there as no-one goes to these disasters because they have to pay themselves!!! So much for the IAS ”grants”.
Now, I am a ”declared SP (Smart Person for leaving Scn) and they were so DESPERATE for VM’s to go that the VM I/C ANZO in the Sea Org there, emailed me to come! We were good mates many years ago before he joined the Sea Ogres and I left Scn in 2006, but that is how desperate they are to get VM’s to go (anyone who can do an ”assist” and can put a yellow tshirt on the right way without help qualifies as a VM) that he contacted me and knew I was declared 3 or 4 years ago. Here is a video i created a few weeks ago to prove what I say is true if people think I am kidding – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxYhQ0Xtbg
The Vulture Ministers have put an engram in me: every time I see canary yellow, I want to vomit. Preferably in one of their faces.
This is an Off topic message to Espiando:
This is the first time I have seen you post since Tony O announced the passing of Captian Howdy.
I could have missed your other posts.
I do not read through the comments.
Go to Tony O’s post of April 3 for details.
It is below the main article.
I thought you would like to know.
Mike sent me a mail forwarded from one of the other Bunkerites the day Ortega announced it. That was a really rough day. But thanks anyway, E. Glad to know I’m not forgotten with all of the fresh meat there after GC.
Possibly a photo of before the cyclone arrived.
I think it’s pretty well established the church’s method of handling truth. Truth is merely a subjective piece of information and is not granted anymore significance than that.
The church gathers information then qualifies whether it serves the church or potentially harms the church. If it is a liability the information is HIDDEN. If it casts the church in a favourable light, it is recorded with extreme (at least 4 to 5 significant digits) precision.
No one really cares if it was 170mph or 168mph; 6.47836 seconds or 6.25 seconds. They use numbers for the effect they think they create. To the unsuspecting reader, it gives the impression of openness or honesty. That they care so much about being accurate they will go out of their way to split hairs.
As you point out, when it comes to reporting money figures, they are suspiciously omitted. Why? Well, doing so becomes part of the public record and creates a point of reference. If you don’t want people to know about how much money you make or what you spend it on (or not), the first thing you do is WITHHOLD the information.
What on earth do they have to hide?
Other legitimate charities promote the amount of money they sent to Africa or elsewhere in relief efforts.
I know this is a bit far-fetched, but stranger things have happened…I would not be shocked if it were revealed that the IAS was involved or linked to some criminal activity which involved money laundering or some such thing.
This is the FRAUD of Scientology; the phony bill of goods that the IRS and Justice Department have bought into.
Until now, that is.
The first political figure to take this on as a bi-partisan issue will garner enormous public support.
Who will it be?
How does one get to be a professional volunteer?
Raise your hand.
and sign a billion year contract to rape, pillage and burn in the name of help!
Isn’t “professional volunteer” an oxymoron? And here I always thought oxymoron was a dumb steer….
It’s a dumb steer living in Hemet near a golf course producing Daveshit rather than bullshit.
Easy take other people’s hard earned money
and piss it away on PIs to watch your parents.
Yo Dave,
You have really raised the bar on demonstrating how to be a full blown idiot sociopath good buddy!
Congratulations!!!!
You join staff.
This endeavor is as chilling and evil as the activity of ISIS. No difference. Financial ravage on the backs of innocent storm victims. Sick.
Tell that to the relatives of the beheaded.
Yeah, I hate the Poison Dwarf and his scam as much as anyone, but when he killed Lisa McPherson it was by neglect, rather than beheading, and he had the grace not to do it on video and broadcast it to the world.
The best they can do is STEAL this image from THIS website and try to make it their own: http://www.efsyn.gr/arthro/vivliki-katastrofi-sto-vanoyatoy
Beyond pathetic.
Its a Reuters / Unicef photo; I wonder if we can do a little investigating and see if they were even there? And if they had permission to use that photo?
I like a lot seeing the famous cult anti-copyrights stealing the images…
But THESE shacks are standing. They’re not blown down. Huh?