One of our regular commenters, ISNOINews, pointed out this new decision reported in the UK.
Since being denied charitable status in the UK in the early 2000’s, scientology has been attempting all sorts of end-runs to circumvent the decision of the Charity Commission. They once again fell falling short as the British regulatory agencies don’t just buy the bs scientology tries to foist off about what they do.
Here is an article about the latest decision where they were seeking rate (tax) exemptions for 3 org buildings (the org and test center in London and the org in Manchester) on the basis they are places of worship. They fell afoul of the definition which requires them to be PUBLIC places of worship, open to anyone. There is a link to the full decision at the end of the article below. If you wade through it, you will see they were not impressed by the evidence from the only two witnesses that provided testimony, the Legal Officer OSA UK Massimo Angius and solicitor Peter Hodkin as both had to admit they hardly ever even visited the organizations in question and had virtually no personal knowledge of what occurred.
I wish other governments (like the US) had the sort of requirements for charities and tax exemption that exist in the UK. Anyone who really knows scientology doesn’t mistake the fact that they offer “Sunday Services” for anything other than an attempt to appear to be something they are not. You must pay before you go for scientology services. The “free Sunday Service” would not exist if they were not trying to gain tax exemption or recognition as a valid religion.
The Church of Scientology has been testing the limits of business rate exemptions in its latest appeal at the Valuation Tribunal for England (VTE)
The religious group was trying to get its Religious Education College Inc. classed as a place of worship and then seek business rate exemptions under Paragraph 11 of Schedule 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.
The VTE President heard three appeals relating to premises in Tottenham Court Road and Queen Victoria Street in London and Deansgate, Manchester.
The disputed issues were:
1. Did the appeal properties comprise chapels which were places of public religious worship?
2. If so, did the identified rooms qualify as similar buildings to a church hall?
Without prejudice to the above, did the identified office areas qualify for exemption?
The VTE President found against the Church in that none of the appeal buildings were places of public religious worship. He ascertained that from a physical viewpoint none of the buildings would give the ordinary passer-by the impression that they were places of public worship. In addition, there was no regular visible signage or advertisement of religious ceremonies to which ordinary members of the public could attend. He concluded the invitation test for places of religious worship wasn’t met.
As the appeal properties did not qualify for exemption under paragraph 11(1), the VTE President then considered the argument that the premises used as offices qualified for exemption under paragraph 11(2).
Here, an hereditament would only be exempt if it was occupied by an organisation responsible for the conduct of public religious worship falling within paragraph 1(a); the President determined that mere office use didn’t qualify for such an exemption.
The office use had to be in connection with the place of religious worship. As the appeal properties were not places of public religious worship, the offices could’t qualify for exemption simply because the Church of Scientology had other buildings elsewhere in the county that qualified for exemption. In the cases under consideration, there was no evidence to show that the offices were used for similar administrative functions that took place in a church back office. Instead, the evidence showed that some of the offices were used for auditing to rid persons of negative influences or behaviours.
The appeal was dismissed and can be read in full here: Valuation Tribunals (valuation-tribunals.gov.uk)
I wonder how it will be before Demento drags Barkin’ Parkin and the rest of the S(hit) T(alking) A(nd) N(auseatingly) D(oltish) undeads out of their graves to attempt, very badly and hopelessly, to whip the sheepbots into a frenzy.
scientology is hobbled in such things because it can’t show, much less prove, any public benefit. More, it can’t demonstrate ANY benefit to the “reasonable man” level of proof. That’s partly due to Ron outlawing reasoning amongst his followers.
Reminds me: as we were driving along the freeway, I noticed bags of trash picked up by some community service group and it struck me: why does COS punish people with cleaning toilets with a toothbrush when they could instead be picking up trash or some other worthwhile task?
Revolted —
Because it’s all about shaming their members and making them feel degraded rather than doing anything helpful or beneficial for the community.
KatherineINCali is spot on correct, Revolted.
Picking up trash in the community as a punishment would make the wrong-doers feel BETTER.
It would restore to them some SELF-ESTEEM to them.
Knowing that they had actually HELPED in some way would lift their spirits somewhat.
So, no – community service work as punishment is OUT because the purpose of the punishment is degradation and shame.
To achieve that purpose the Sea Org mandates spirit-breaking, back-breaking, uselessly time-wasting “work” resulting in a poor product, or no product that helps no one, and a depressed, exhausted and ashamed human being.
How ’bout: stocking the bathrooms with TOILET PAPER!? That would be far more beneficial than cleaning the toilets, though that’s welcome every few years or so.
Brian Houston, the co-founder with his father Frank, of the Pentecostal Hillsong Church, has been charged for allegedly concealing child sex abuse committed by his father Frank here in Australia and New Zealand.
Police say they allege in court that Brian Houston, 67, knew information relating to the sexual abuse of a young male in the 1970’s and failed to bring that information to the attention of police.. Houston was charged last Thursday.
Ring a bell?
What sticks out to me, from this great today article on this blog, is the word “worship”.
Hubbard’s total wordage and lectures could be searched for anything fulfilling “worship” and it won’t be found.
I wonder what the UK lawyers defence against Scientology’s lack of “worship” practices are?
I’d think Scientology would ally themselves with other “religions” which are present in the UK which don’t also carry out “worship” activities.
Scientology supposedly practices a soul therapy and a soul exorcism set of procedures, and possible some self soul searching activities.
But nothing like worship of deities or worship of souls or worship of anything supernatural, other than possibly Scientologists as a result of their pseudo-therapy soul activities, or by doing their self exorcism activities of the OT levels 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, they might think the results of all that soul therapy and soul exorcism will result in them regaining their “Native State” or the Tone 40 or infinite powerful status of the top of the Tone Scale, supposedly.
Scientology’s only “strengths” to me today, would be the Hubbard “Native State” or “No Games Condition” state of being at Tone 40, pure intention as a “static” (using the Hubbard definitions of “static” “theta being” “thetan” “Native State”).
But all the advertising done in house to promote Scientology is horribly more business like self improvement sales style.
Scientology’s advertising to get Scientology being more similar to other non traditional “religions” so as to succeed in the UK, I’d think the UK Scientology advertising and that Marketing Branch at Int Base researchers ought to damned see how Scientology has to fit within the UK alternative religions if any of those UK alternative religions have gained any tax exemption or whatever the charity legitimate status they may have gained, and Scientology change their spots, so to speak, there in the UK.
The one size fits all marketing motif coming out of the Scientology might not work, strategically in the UK, and the on the job Marketing Int Base staffers ought be working better how to satisfy legitimately as a “religion” in the UK.
My advice to Scientology management, would be focus on “static”, “Native State”, “No Games Condition” and top of the Tone Scale Hubbard ultimate state states.
Miscavige is not the right leader for how to change Scientology’s spots to fit in with other legit “religions” and so this won’t be happening under this Miscavige era.
Fat chance that McSavage or his henchmen will change ANYthing significant enough to truly be “charitable”. That would be “rewarding down stats”, something scns just don’t DO! It would be a violation of their most fundamental ‘scripture’.
Balancing the OSA strategy of gaining the public indispensability of Scientology, and following LRH’s “religion” and “religious status” primary goals also of OSA, that will take precedence of any fundraising predatory foul Miscavige era money making and “downstats be damned” and “make the upstats more capable” current Miscavige era strategic focus.
If insufficient people are even pushed up the ladder in Scientology and become wealthy enough to make the high donations required to do the stepladder of the Hubbard soul pseudo-therapy and soul-exorcism practices, then switching to aiming at lower down the economic totem pole client/parishioners and at the same time better secure the “religion” “angle” goals of securing Scientology’s legitimacy, will mean refocusing on the other Hubbard “soul” theory (Native State, “static” status, “No Games Condition”, top of the “Tone Scale” states of the soul). Doing that refocus would be doable using these other LRH strategic goals, namey the other OSA embedded strategic goals of “indispensability” and the “religion” angle policies, which despite Miscavige, the “way to go” if Scientology future leaders after Miscavige are serious.
The “old GO” wordsmiths who wrote the first “What Is Scientology” layout and also the Scientology hired gun Scientologists who wrote most of the 1993 (?) edition of “What Is Scientology” were halfway decent in laying out the “religious” nature of Scientology, which would be what I think the UK hired Scientology lawyers would use in longer range winning for Scientology in the UK the charity status.
But Scientology has no one thinking like this to fix themselves, which thankfully is longrange correct to me today, since the quackery soul-therapy and the quackery soul-exorcism practises of Scientology ought not merit anyone’s time or money engaging in.
Don’t waste time in a group pretending supernatural improvement quackery practices who parade as a “religion” in the first place.
Skip Scientology. And quit fast if you are in the quackery empire.
Hey, Chuck: Don’t give them such good ideas! Dwarfenführer® might just have a moment of sobriety and DO it, to his followers’ detriment.
Your series with Leah has been eye-opening. I just have an observation – it seems that every time a higher-ranking member leaves, the COS immediately releases a statement about how untrustworthy, criminal, evil, etc. that member was. This could be true of one or two people in any org, but they do this with everyone. I don’t think they realize that the impression it leaves is that they either have really bad instincts when choosing people for higher positions and the entire org is crawling with incompetent idiots, or that they are lying. In either case they make a bad situation for themselves worse, no “average” man on the street believes anything they say. Also, is there a hotline people could call if/when they leave for someone to help them since many might not have any contacts in the real world?
Any time OSA *thinks* someone *could* be a future problem-maker, they busily make up a pile of lies that they *think* would ‘prove’ their target is too awful to be a credible witness to scn’s abuse, criminality, and failures. Their primary error is that they paint ALL such people with the same brush, which has become too obvious to ignore. particularly when there are those who provably did not have those failings. For instance, Mike Rinder wasn’t “fired” as he was doing the important job of being scn’s SOLE spokesperson right up to the moment he decided to board a train and leave McSavage’s employ.
Hello Jere.
What do I have to do to get me my own hate website from the cult. I have supposedly been declared as a number of people have disconnected from me without a word or a piece of paper. I have 2 videos with Karen de la Carriere in which I state that they are Guilty of kidnapping my wife and repeated attempts of attempted murder towards myself.
Their Operating Basis is that they never deny charges, but just smear the charger.
So where is my smear?
I earned it, it’s mine. (Tell me if I haven’t really earned it and I will find a way to step up my game.
It is a bit rude to hear nothing at all.
Although the Captain Freewinds predicted my imminent death 19 years ago. I have been letting them know that I am still alive by posting on this blog. Maybe they just haven’t gotten the message.
I hope that is all that it is. It’s either that or else They are dead.
I agree, Bill: You’ve thrown your CICS refusal to obey orders in their faces too long NOT to get your own personal hate site. I’m sure it’s out there under “who is William Straus” or some such; probably mispelled with awful grammer and punctuation.
OR Davey-Boy might not have sobered up long enough to order it, or he got buried under all the micromanagement he HAS to do to get ANYthing done PROPERLY.
OR, he just forgot.
The twisted twit can’t get anything accomplished since Shelly abandoned him.😂
SHE was the one who got things done around there.
Bill, I feel your pain. If anyone deserves Goldenrod its you. Its so unfair. So many serious suppressive acts, and no acknowledgement.
OSA, what is your problem? Are you playing whack-a-mole with us Chaos Merchants? Like, you confront and shatter one, and then immediately 2 more pop up? Are there just too many of us and not enough of you?
I, too have long felt outrage at having been deemed unworthy of Scientology’s highest SP honor. I am shunned, no Scientologist in good standing can talk to me, and yet – no official Declare. Its downright insulting. I DESERVE Goldenrod. I earned it!
OSA, I speak for Jere and myself and all the Unacknowledged SPs everywhere: Send us our Goldenrod! We’re mad as hell, and we’re not going to take it anymore!.
Yes, the Aftermath Foundation http://theaftermathfoundation.org/requesting-help/
@Theresa Shapardanis—I share your observations here. For any professional working in crisis communications, the common C of S management response shows exactly what NOT to do. Their statements come across as a victim (no responsibility), whiney (“pay all your attention to me”), scorned-kid-on-the-playground. This is not a thoughtful, comprehensive, honest, mature, or effective strategy.
Besides what you smartly point out—for C of S to be so hypercritical suggests they must be managerial idiots, incapable of spotting even one ‘rotten apple,’ not to mention all these (accused) many—their words additionally promote what C of S is selling doesn’t work. C of S is continuously selling themselves on having “the Solution” to render man a whole new “homo novis” state of fitness, intelligence, and ethics. It costs people Harvard Business School prices (and then some) to pursue this.
When a high-ranking person* leaves, C of S management now “reveals” that person is a dreadful piece of pond scum at best. Say, whaaa? C of S is saying, this person who was in for two or three decades, as a result of all that Scientology activity is…pond scum at best? Following that line of reasoning, why would any (other) person sign up?
It seems a shoot-themselves-in-the-foot implosion at every turn.
*And I would include individuals such as Leah Remini and Paul Haggis in this category.
OMG, Peridot! WHO would accuse the scamtologists of being “thoughtful, comprehensive, honest, mature, or effective”? No one acquainted with them, I’m sure.
LOL Jere Lull – That’s right. “Thoughtful, comprehensive, honest, mature, or effective” would not describe the brush with which any would paint these characters.
Martin Gardner’s mid 1950s critical book which lays of the general patterns of crank pseudo-science groups and their pseudo-science author/founders listed this as one of the high signs of a quack crackpot group.
Their founder quacks crackpots get the members blaming themselves and blaming everyone but the founder quack.
Scientology’s own “Keeping Scientology Working” Hubbard writing is absolutely megalomaniacal the ultimate crackpot founder statement.
And the Scientology crackpot pseudo-science-soul-therapy-exorcism practices are mostly hidden from the public to digest and see how crank they are.
Xenu is the reason for 5 of the 8 secret upper exorcism steps of the Scientology spiritual stepladder of quackery. Xenu dumped “body-thetans” (surplus and damaged bodiless souls) on earth which infest all humans today unknowingly to everyone, and which Scientology cannot publicly admit to this surplus souls problem that they think humans have, and which need the five exorcism levels of Scientology.
Scientology’s top quackery is high volume surplus souls exorcism, ridding their Scientologist followers of their surplus souls (Xenu’s earth dumped “body-thetans”).
You cannot sell crackpot quackery when it’s properly labelled, and Hubbard made things so Scientologists are crippled to even tell the truth about their crackpot exorcism practices.
Anyways all crackpot groups, or at least some, as Martin Gardner writes about, do this blaming others deflection off the group’s quackery.
Hubbard’s intel security writings are a mammoth further development of the megalomaniacal mind of L. Ron Hubbard. The Frank Oliver material pack of material on Wikileaks has numerous Hubbard intel/security writings which are horrible.
And Mike’s blog has outlined the best (worst) of Hubbard’s intel/security strategic writings, all of which are essentially crackpot calling the rest of world as “bad” and never admitting anything wrong with the Hubbard home team quackery’s very worst problems.
Thanks to those who replied above. As an org COS has blundered so much for so long it’s amazing they’ve lasted this long. I understand that fear and thuggery has helped quite a bit, but I don’t think a lot of it has been that secretive or unknown to the public. As a teen in the 70s just hearing the most basic info about COS made me and almost everyone I knew laugh at what cranks they were.
I watched all 3 seasons of Leah and Mike’s show and at first I kept thinking the same thing most people do, How in the world can anyone fall for such garbage? When Leah and Mike respond to this question, they repeat that they were convinced they were saving the world, that it was a message drilled into them and they were committed to it. It is probably fairly common for most people to assume that those who join a cult are stupid, or vulnerable, etc. and I’m sure some are. But Leah and Mike aren’t stupid as both have accomplished quite a lot in life (productive and otherwise).
The element I think that doesn’t get mentioned is that plenty of people would like to save the world or some part of it, but 99.9 percent of people don’t fall for cults, or they leave as soon as they see which way the wind blows. COS presents craziness fairly early – a billion year contract?!?!? Who in their right mind would take that seriously? I think the ones that do have something a lot of people don’t – a very large sense of self (ego) that seems to block out common sense when the stroking they get is right. The notion of saving the world is quite enticing and may keep them in when true craziness is obvious and many leave. I think it is an oversized “ego” that keeps many in because of course, it would be hard to admit being misled or wrong. Perhaps the element of humility is missing, they aren’t humble enough to admit they were bamboozled, at least not initially at the critical point between staying or going fairly soon after initially being introduced to it. Obviously this wouldn’t be true of those born into it.
I try to think of other reasons why fairly intelligent people would stay when right out of the gate the stuff they’re being told is so laughably ridiculous. It’s not that they’re stupid, many of them have been very productive in their roles as they rose through the org., accomplishing quite a bit. My point is not to insult Leah and Mike. For me, the series really works because both of them come across as very genuine, compassionate, and humble. LRH was genius in knowing how to attract the right type of person with traits he could flatter that would guarantee a long period of fidelity at the same time that it prevented them from seeing reality.
In grad school I studied cults at one point and what I remember is that they attracted the vulnerable, the lost, those without close connections or family. LRH seems to have done the opposite, many of COS adherents don’t appear vulnerable, lost or friendless at all. In fact, many seem to be very motivated, intelligent, well-connected. Maybe the vulnerable lost ones are those doing the manual labor in the campus like housing. I think the ability of LRH to attract those with a bit of a grandiosity, which led them to commit for so long with such tenacity and work so hard was the reason COS has been around as long as it has. Considering the complete buffoonery of LRH’s writings and the way Miscavige consistently mishandles everything, the COS should have been a flash in the pan historical footnote.
Why the long term Scientologists fell and kept aboard Scientology once there, is individual.
For me, being a dropout with some ill formed phiolosophical ideas which were semi escapist (past lives/future lives is one of the biggest escapist legs Scientology rests on, and then the OT powers which all humans have awaiting them if they do the Hubbard stepladder) were my career long flaws for falling and sticking with the nutty nasty cult. “We were saving the world” to me included “making OTs” meaning making super souled better people and thus fix earth.
It’s ludicrous when you look at the quitters who quit, and most were far more capable than the diehards who stuck with the nutty cult.
It’s a losing proposition, when you weigh Hubbard’s full corpus and his never ending promises of the spiritual goodies, which no one gets.
It’s a long con of spiritual goodies which people wish for, but never get, and then manage to accept and live and pretend what they do get is good enough to keep at the hopeful stepladder.
“Tom Cruise can’t fly” one protester put on her sign in NYC.
Team Xenu is a fraud.
It’s sad: The number and power of anti-scientologists far exceeds that of the organization, itself.
We live lots better and healthier, too.
The Wehrmacht *didn’t* give up in ’43? Sure seemed like the professionals all left the field about then.
Any chance of the Australian Charity Commission reviewing their charity status? That would put a big crimp in their money hose.
Not “on topic” per se but am compelled to share this regardless. Hope you all enjoy…..
Woke up this morning thinking about getting declared because of reading Mike or Tony’s sites. I guessed I’d be considered “disaffected” for that. But then I smiled broadly when I realized I wouldn’t be disaffected I’d be disinfected.
So true, Glenn.
@Glenn: Copy that—poetic.
Glenn, Love it!
On September 6, 2017, Tony Ortega recounts on his blog the “Scientology and the Aftermath” episode of the night before dealing with OT VIII. My understanding of what was said and written is that OT VIII reveals that all of the former life “memories” adherents “uncover” through endless auditing over years were not true memories of the adherent. Rather, the memories are those of the body thetans they have exorcised. So, after years and a lot of money, the identity people had formed regarding their former lives turns out to be rubbish.
AND all of it: the Bank and the BTs and the clusters, was mocked up by the PC/Pre-OT and now he/she doesn’t have to.
Hubbard: “We frown on money motivation like a cloud”. Also Hubbard: institutes FSM system to motivate people with money.
In order to find the truth of most statements of Hubbard about his/scn’s intentions and motivation, invert them. In fact, scientology and the whole “religion angle” was about money, money, MORE MONEY.
Then Hubbard, via McSavage in his first public outing, took the money away from the most productive FSMs: the franchises.
CRASH went the stats and there’s been no improvement since.
scientology is all and only about money now, and it only flows UPLINES; into Davey’s control. Those who generate the income can’t benefit from it at all, not even decent food and lodgings.
Wasn’t $cientology/Dianetics always about the money from the get go?
I cannot imagine Hubbard was ever truly interested in helping anyone but himself.
I wonder if a full display of the written OT 8 elements would cause some to drift away from Scientology – or run away screaming. It is my understanding that all the hard work, money and time spent trying to get rid of body thetans along the OT I – VII levels is discovered in OT 8 to have been simply a fools errand, because there were no body thetans. Ha ha, fooled ya!
Maybe I have the exact ‘gotcha!’ wrong, but I think there is a real ‘gotcha’ in place at OT VIII. Maybe no one yet has revealed it in writing to the general public, but I feel sure the hints of a humongous ‘gotcha!’ expressed on the net are sure to come to the light of day sooner or later.
I’ve read that the OT VIII materials are closely guarded, but that should prove no problem for Scientologists who have spent years learning how to lie with a straight face during the training routines.
Am I right? Does the info in OT 8 truly negate all the money, time, and effort of earlier Bridge levels? I’m sure Curious, as Scientology sez, to find out, but of course without putting in the money and effort of a Tom Cruise or Kirstie Allie.
ALL of scientology winds up to be “HA, I fooled ya.”
Why should OT VII be any different? IF Dwarfenführer ever pulls 9 and 10 out of his diminutive derriere, I expect it’ll be more of the same.
Ammo, the OT levels are out there to be discovered. I forget where I found them, but have a copy of them somewhere on disk. They’re FUNNY.
” He concluded the invitation test for places of religious worship wasn’t met.” But, but, but every wallet and credit card is welcome!!
Sadly, I see no way that the US will ever have public benefits test. The Ernst Angleys and Joel Osteens will never let anyone threaten their cash flow.
Sadly, Zee, I believe you’re right. Religion is the oldest scam in the books. It’s great! How else can you get paid scaring people with awful stories about invisible magical beings? Beats working for a living!
Well, so much for “religious image”! Sham revealed.
Good to see a court recognize the truth.
If only the IRS would similarly be enlightened. Added to McSavage’s activity, that might ensure that scientology will implode in our lifetimes, rather than in some time in our children’s children’s children’s lifetimes, maybe.
Obviously our British cousins have far more common sense than we do. Being married to a Manchester lass for 30-odd years I can definitively state this is true.
My good friend is a Manchester lad and he is sensible too. Read Dianetics when it first came out and had suspicions that Hubbard didn’t have all the degrees he professed to have.
Scientology appears to be a physical confirmation of the Dunning-Kruger effect. My first job in the private sector was a part time janitorial gig at two candy shops in Downtown Minneapolis. Both shops had picture windows and Hubbard’s method of washing windows was NEVER used.
NO one who has real work to do uses Tubby’s window-washing technique. The pros use soapy water and squeegees. It’s 10 times faster, at least, and doesn’t leave bits of paper lint around.
Oh my! The cult is failing all over the world.
How much longer can it keep on going?
Why don’t they just put the last nail in the coffin and give up already?
Why didn’t the Wehrmacht give up in 1943? (Military History geek here.)
The Wehrmacht *didn’t* give up in ’43?
scientology SEEMS to be still alive solely because Dwarfenführer® is enjoying his lifestyle too much. Unless and until he establishes the enterprise AND his palatial retirement “cottage” in Bulgravia, he’ll have to keep the existing Potemkin villages propped up and still (seemingly) viable.
“Why don’t they just put the last nail in the coffin and give up already?”
The foul smelling and potentially explosive alcoholic gas continually emanating from Demento Miasma keeps pushing the lid up.
And “The foul smelling and potentially explosive alcoholic gas continually emanating from Demento Miasma” precludes doing anything which could strike a spark. Otherwise, “BOOM!”