Disaster-hit Haiti ripe for Scientology expansion (Scientologists in Haiti: A Firsthand Account)

[Ian David]

Disaster-hit Haiti ripe for Scientology expansion
Wednesday, 3 February 2010

In the immediate aftermath of the Haiti earthquake two weeks ago, it was widely reported that Scientologists – who Tom Cruise infamously stated are the only people who can help at the scene of an accident – were descending on the country to provide their own brand of assistance. Indeed, celebrity Scientologist John Travolta personally flew some of them in with his Boeing 707.

Now, admittedly the Scientologists did turn up with medical supplies, rations and doctors but, given the fact that L Ron Hubbard taught that Scientologists should exploit disaster and bereavement with a view to aquiring new recruts, and that Scientologists have a history of delivering "Touch Assists" (basically healing by touch) on the scene of past disasters like 9/11 and the 2005 tsunami, you'll be able to see why the Church's intervention in Haiti hasn't met with universal acclaim.

And now we learn that Scientology is in Haiti to stay, with a spokesperson telling The Times “I have no doubt that in some form or other there will be a church of Scientology here". This doesn't exactly help with claims that Scientology's Haiti operation is an entirely selfless affair – after all, there's nothing quite like a humanitarian disaster to help kick start a conversion drive. Although you have to wonder what one of the world's poorest countries really has to offer a religion that costs truth-seeking followers hundreds of thousands of dollars as they tread the path to enlightenment. One hopes they're not looking for new employees – if my interview with ex-worker Marc Headley is anything to go by, no level of desperation would turn that into a wise career choice.

Update: Gawker has a first-hand account from someone who travelled to Haiti on a Scientology plane. It seems they've generally been getting in the way and in some cases putting people in danger - at one point they seem to have given food to people who were due to go into surgery. Definitely worth reading. http://gawker.com/5462117/scientologists-in-haiti-a-firsthand-account?skyline=true&s=i

More:
http://blog.newhumanist.org.uk/2010/02/disaster-hit-haiti-ripe-for-scientology.html

See also:

Scientologists in Haiti: A Firsthand Account

We've spoken to someone who traveled to Haiti on a Scientology plane — and witnessed firsthand the ineptitude, quackery and irresponsibility of the church's minions in a disaster zone. Here's his account.

I arrived at JFK last week, ready to go.

I knew we were traveling with doctors and EMTs, but I didn't expect to see 50 scientologists, in their yellow shirts with Volunteer Minister on them. They were completely unprepared for going to a third world country, let alone a disaster zone. One girl was in designer cowboy boots. I asked her if she'd brought any sturdier footwear.

"Oh no, these'll be fine."

I asked another guy what he'd packed and he said he hadn't bothered to bring soap or toilet paper or food, but that he'd just "buy whatever I need at Port-au-Prince airport." I couldn't break it to him.

They had no place to stay, and no supplies — their idea was to use the ton of money they had to buy food to distribute when they got there. But there was no food and no water. That was the point.

More:
http://gawker.com/5462117/scientologists-in-haiti-a-firsthand-account


Also:

Scientologists Profiteering in Haiti

Our Scientology sources tell us there's an interesting reason that some members of the church are swarming into Haiti. And it's even more appalling than you might have thought — tragedy profiteering.

John Travolta arranged for one plane of supplies to get to Port-au-Prince, and personally flew another Boeing 707 there himself. Those planes contained much needed food and equipment and genuine doctors. But they also contained volunteer ministers, ready to spread the word of Scientology.

Many Scientologists, says one of our sources, a longtime veteran of the church, "genuinely think that only they can help in an emergency." They are misguided, but well-intentioned. But there are others who "are just total buzzards." Those, he says, are engaging in a vain attempt to profit from the tragedy — a tale corroborated by another former church member. This email is doing the rounds:



By 'help', they mean money. And if those seminars result in confused and vulnerable Haitians signing up for any further courses in Scientology — unlikely as that seems, given the poverty in that country — these Global Pioneers get a 12 per cent cut of their future course fees. Our source says that over 100 plan to go to Port-au-Prince, and that he gets email and Facebook spam all day from 'Pioneers' seeking donations.

More:
http://gawker.com/5461231/scientologists-profiteering-in-haiti

[wtmusic]

1. "buy whatever I need at Port-au-Prince airport"

:rofl:

Somebody's in for a rude awakening.

[Warpy]

2. I have a feeling they'll cling to their pretty yellow tent

instead of going into the city, which is probably a good thing. This is the middle class mindset, though, that there will always be a 7/11 around the corner where they can just buy what they need to give to the poor in any disaster.

The Gawker article also says they gave food to pre-op patients. That is just insanely bad since patients recovering from anesthesia can barf when they're still partially out and breathe partially digested food into their lungs and die. The $cientologists are such blockheads they didn't bother to ask any medical professionals which patients to feed!

Some of the comments are priceless.

On edit: one poster suggested stranding them on "that island with a hatch." I think an island with an active volcano would be preferable, and I'm not talking about Hawaii.

[wtmusic]

3. Reminds me of NY socialite Sandy Pittman bringing chocolate Easter eggs

on the disastrous Everest expedition that took five lives (and on which she had to be carried off the mountain).

Clueless.

[Silent3]

4. Sounds more like the Scientologists *thought* Haiti was ripe...

...for their bullshit, but that they're so clueless that they're unlikely to succeed at exploiting the situation.

Since the big thing for Scientologists seems to be getting people to waste lots of money on E-meters and expensive indoctrination, I'm amazed that Haiti is even on their radar at all. PR value, maybe? I suppose some of the low level members, clueless though they seem about how to render help, might actually have real humanitarian motivations, in spite of (not because of) their Scientology beliefs.

[rd_kent]

5. While this IS shameful exploitation, it is no worse that what other religions have done in the past.

[trotsky]

6. Exactly. n/t