Scientologists Deny Senator’s Allegations
Senator Nick Xenophon. Credit: liam.jon_d
By Rich Bowden:
The Church of Scientology has described a speech by independent Senator Nick Xenophon yesterday outlining allegations against the church as an “abuse of parliamentary privilege.”
The Church was responding to Senator Xenophon’s statement in which he said he was “…deeply concerned about this organisation and the devastating impact it can have on its followers.”
Basing his findings on material provided to him by former members of the Church, the senator concluded Scientology was a “two-faced” organisation which preyed on its followers.
“There is the public face of the organisation founded in 1953 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, which claims to offer guidance and support to its followers, and there is the private face of the organisation, which abuses its followers, viciously targets its critics and seems largely driven by paranoia,” he told the Senate.
Claiming a “…worldwide pattern of abuse and criminality,” Senator Xenophon alleged the abuse was tolerated at the highest levels of the Church.
Speaking under parliamentary privilege he said: “Scientology is not a religious organisation. It is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs.”
Pressured
However Church authorities vehemently denied the allegations in a statement which said the claims were an “outrageous abuse of Parliamentary privilege from a Senator who would not even meet with Church representatives several months ago to discuss his concerns.”
The Church claimed that Senator Xenophon was being “…pressured by disgruntled former members who use hate speech and distorted accounts of their experiences in the Church,” adding that evidence produced by the former members was as reliable as “…former spouses are when talking about their ex-partner.”
The statement went on to say the Senator’s claims amounted to a denial of fundamental rights.
“Senator Xenophon’s attempt to marginalise Scientologists by saying that they should not be believed, is fascistic and violates freedom of speech and the right to religious beliefs,” it added.
Senator Xenophon said he has passed the allegations on to the police and has asked for a Senate inquiry to look into the Church’s tax exempt status.
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I also support Nick Xenophon (whom I like to call “Senator X”), and have emailed him thanking him for his recent comments. It’s about time someone took a big stick to them.
Sonny: “If some crime syndicate put the word “church” on some buildings, would it get tax exempt status too?”
lol… Don’t give anyone ideas!
Thanks for your response Sonny. The following developments will be interesting to say the least.
I support Senator Xenophon. His speech carefully documented crimes and abuses perpetrated by this criminal organisation. If some crime syndicate put the word “church” on some buildings, would it get tax exempt status too?