There have been plenty of unhinged articles published in Freedom magazine over the years, but this one just popped up and it is so absurd I thought it was perhaps a joke.
Scientology has a long and well documented history of smearing reporters who say things they don’t like. From Paulette Cooper to Anderson Cooper, Alex Gibney and John Sweeney…
They have set their sights on Martha Ross who writes for the San Jose Mercury News.
They target her for having an undisclosed “conflict of interest” in writing anything about scientology because: “Martha Ross and her husband, John Sterns, have spent years writing about Mr. Sterns’ interactions with and support for the psychiatric industry, as well as the forms of treatment he’s chosen to undergo.”
They have a visual:
Their logic is summed up thusly: “Ms. Ross is familiar with the Church of Scientology’s vocal opposition to dangerous psychiatric drugging and psychiatric abuse… The point is self-evident: Ross has a clear conflict of interest that she’s never disclosed, in spite of her more than 70 articles attacking the Church of Scientology.”
Seems pretty well disclosed to me? They say themselves she has spent years writing about this…
Then they go on, claiming that because she wrote about her issues with alcohol nearly two decades ago, she cannot possibly report on anything related to scientology?
“But the story is even more compelling. Ross would also certainly be aware of the Church of Scientology’s stance on substance abuse, including the abuse of alcohol. …Ross has written about her extensive history with alcohol, including an article titled: “Am I An Alcoholic”
Ross again failed to disclose her conflict of interest.”
And another visual.
The claims of an “undisclosed” conflict of interest are disproven by the very material they cite to try to smear her.
“To be sure, Ross is entitled to her personal beliefs. What she is not entitled to do is write stories attacking the Scientology religion and its members without disclosing her personal motives for writing them.”
How rich is that?
Motives? She is unqualified to report on scientology because she wrote about her alcohol problems in 2008?? Today, she may well be as anti-alcohol as scientology is (scientology does not forbid alcohol use).
But even more absurd — what does this supposed standard of “undisclosed conflict of interest” even have to do with this?.” A conflict of interest would classically be having a potential financial gain by making a company look bad with biased reporting. Or smearing a politician because you were offered a job by their opponent if they were elected. Not personal or private life matters that don’t match those of the subject being reported on. By this logic, the only person who could report on scientology is a scientologist. The only reporter who could cover the Catholic Church would have to be “pro-life.” And a Jew could never cover Nazi atrocities.
and most ironically, no scientologist could “report” for Freedom magazine about the media because they have a hidden bias that all media are merchants of chaos
otherles says
Gee, gosh, wow. What a surprise!
visitor says
With journalistic hit pieces like the Freedom article above, people might conclude that Scientology is a hate group.
Scooter says
Freedum mag is a great tool for educating people.
I’ve personally shown it to many journo.s and others to enlighten them on what the kult is really about.
WORKS EVERY TIME !!!
So it MUST be 100% Standard Tehc being applied per KSW #1.
GL says
Jeez, the nuts are really falling off the sanity tree with that piece of totally warped lunacy.
sinjian Smythe says
To quote George Carlin: “If firefighters fight fire, and crime fighters fight crime, what do freedom fighters fight?”
Seems a bit appropriate in many fronts.
Well, in my experience, SCN is notorious for making new “self-benefiting” definitions for words, or colloquiums, that are a far cry astray from the original, everyday definition. Ironic, since it’s pounded every day, the use of Dictionaries, and getting “full conceptual understanding” of words. mmm, wait….. wouldn’t this fall under the “conflict of interest” on their part?
LoosingMyReligion says
Well, when I was in SO in Copenhagen just before every Christmas they celebrated ‘beer and cheese’.
There were all kinds of beers and some very alcoholic. A good part of the staff ended up pretty drunk.
It was allowed, rivers of beer, cheese and music. Those who were there will remember it.
Chris Shugart says
Let’s remember that Freedom Mag doesn’t create even the slightest ripple in the news media world. Just like any of their org publications, FM is an echo chamber that only reverberates within their puny insignificant bubblesphere. Never mind that the article barely makes any sense. Even if it did, no one but a foolish flock of true believers would ever read it.
Glenn says
Ah yes, the kettle calling the pot black; again.
Mike, from both of our decades working in the highest echelons of the cult you and I know with utter certainty that scamtology ALWAYS misrperesents facts and slants everything they say solely to benefit itself. Freedom Mag runs only what the cult wants folks to think or believe. Hubbard’s mantra “if it isn’t written it isn’t true” is maybe what the Mag is trying to follow?
Like all the rest of the cult; nothing works. Never has. Never will. It’s bullshit isn’t worth the paper it is written on.
Keep up the good work Mike.
Ms. B. Haven says
When it comes to full disclosure, I wonder if Freedumb Magazine will ever write an article about their biggest donor, Bob Duggan. From what I’ve heard, Bob made his millions in Big Pharma. When I was in the cult, it was a big no-no to even take an aspirin.
OSA net nannies might want to check in to this and make a preemptive strike against any bad PR that might arise when things go south for Bob (and Trish). Just sayin’.