Church of Scientology Sponsors Red Ribbon Week Forum on Strategies to Reduce Drug Demand

Jesse Morrow, Social Reform Director of the Church of Scientology
National Affairs Office in Washington, D.C., introduces those attending
the first annual anti-drug forum of the Truth About Drugs.

Honoring Red Ribbon Week and its message of prevention and education, The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. co-hosted the first annual anti-drug forum of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World on October 22.

Held in Chestnut Hall in the new National Affairs Office in Fraser Mansion at Dupont Circle, the forum focused on effective strategies to reduce the demand for illicit drugs. It was chaired by Jesse Morrow, Social Reform Director of the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office.

Red Ribbon week is a national drug prevention and education week, held in the last week of October each year to honor the memory of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was tortured and killed in 1985 by drug traffickers while working undercover in Mexico.    October is also National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, as designated in 2011 by President Obama.

The panel featured John Redman, Executive Director of Californians for Drug-Free Youth (CADFY), the group that created the first statewide Red Ribbon Week Campaign in 1985; Peggy Sapp, President of the National Family Partnership (NFP), the organization that initiated the first national Red Ribbon Week and sponsors the campaign; Courtney Bennett, Community Organizer for Wards 5 & 6 of the DC Prevention Center; and Imani Walker, Executive Director of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights.

The consequences of drug abuse affect everyone at all levels of society, whether or not they or their friends or families are directly involved. For example, drug abuse kills more than 37,000 Americans each year, more than the number of annual traffic fatalities. Teen deaths from drugs doubled in the first decade of this century. This year, the National Drug Control Policy Office reported that illicit drug use in America contributed to $193 billion in crime, heath-related costs and lost productivity.

In his presentation, Redman pointed out that much of the public discourse on legalization misrepresents the issue. He debunked myths that promote drugs as harmless, showing they are far more potent now than in the 1960s and 1970s.

Bennet’s presentation concerned synthetic marijuana, far stronger and more dangerous than marijuana. She covered its accessibility, the alarming effects of its use and its increased popularity among D.C. youth.

“Any successful drug prevention endeavor must include factual drug education at its base to empower individuals with the knowledge to decide for themselves,” said Morrow, “Once they have that knowledge, they make the right choice.”

The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office, opened Sept 12, 2012, at Fraser Mansion at Dupont Circle, was established to promote solutions to society’s greatest challenges. The historic building is configured to host a wide range of functions, from human rights symposiums and drug education workshops to panel discussions, press conferences and awards ceremonies.

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Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”

The Church of Scientology sponsors one of the world's largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.

 
^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of theScientology relgion}

Meet a Scientologist - Barbara Schneider's Happy Ending

Scientologist Barbara Schneider is a model, TV personality, paramedic, Scientology counselor and mother of four who didn’t anticipate how well things would turn out 18 years ago when things went wrong.  

Born and working as a paramedic in Lugano, Switzerland, in the early 1990s a failed relationship left her desperate to get away.

“I went to a travel agent and told him I needed a change,” she says. “I wanted to be someplace far away and on the sea.”

The next thing she knew, she was flying to Majorca with her 3-year-old son. Once there, she was paying a friend a visit at a hotel when a man directed her ‘right this way for the audition.’  She tried to tell him that was not why she was there, but he insisted, and she ended up being cast as co-host of a TV show.

Despite the change in scenery and an exciting new job, a year and a half later, Schneider was still suffering.

“My twin sister Elena could tell I was unhappy,” says Schneider. “She had been a Scientologist since we were 16 and she was convinced Scientology would help me.”

Agreeing to give it a try, she received some Scientology spiritual counseling and was amazed—the upset vanished.

Schneider relocated to Clearwater, Florida—the spiritual headquarters of the Scientology religion.  It was there that she met and married husband Roberto. 

A Scientology auditor (religious counselor), she credits the skills she has gained from her training for her success as a mother and in so many other aspects of her life.

“I don’t know how I would raise a family in the world today without what I’ve learned in Scientology,” she says.

She is tremendously proud of how self-reliant and responsible her children are.

“My kids have a very good life but they work hard for it,” she says.  “It’s not automatically—‘Oh, you’re 16 so here’s a car.’ They earn what they get by studying hard and doing well in school. Even with my little one who’s only four, she loves contributing to the family.  She helps me around the house.  We make it a game and she’s proud of what she does.”

Schneider’s commitment to helping others extends beyond the family.  A Scientology Volunteer Minister, she traveled to Port-au-Prince in January 2012 with her three sisters and several close friends to help in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. 

 “We are all mothers and the children there really touched our hearts,” she says. “We took on helping more than 100 children who were living on the streets, orphaned or separated from their parents. We built tents, turned an old school bus into a cafeteria, cooked and served their meals, arranged medical care, and tutored them.  Where possible, we helped them find their families.  My sisters stayed on for months and made sure the children would be cared for when they left.”

Involved with helping others since she was a child, Schneider finds being a Scientology auditor (counselor) enormously gratifying.

“What I like most is to touch someone’s life with a bit of magic—that’s what I really love to do,” she says, “to inspire them, bring out the best in them, so they can see solutions on their own and go ahead and resolve their problems and be happy.”

To meet more than 200 Scientologists and hear their stories, watch the “Meet a Scientologist” videos at www.Scientology.org. 

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The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, with videos now viewed more than 7 million times.

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of theScientology relgion

Meet a Scientologist—Jim Brewer on the Olympics, Then and Now

Jim Brewer (number 11) on the U.S. Men’s
1972 Olympic Basketball Team

Former NBA center and member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team of 1972, Jim Brewer reflects on competing in the Munich Games and the direction his life has taken since then.

For Jim Brewer, of Maywood, Illinois, the Olympics represents more than the thrill of seeing great athletes perform at their best. Forty years ago at the Munich Olympics, Brewer was a member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team. What began as the happiest moment in his life was marred by frustration and sorrow.

“The Olympics are humanity at its best,” says Brewer. “The whole world is there in one place and all the athletes treat each other with respect.”

Munich, however, also brought Brewer face to face with tragedy and injustice, when 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team died at the hands of terrorists.

And, on a personal level, he was brought up short by a decision that turned the men’s basketball final into what is often referred to as “the most controversial game in international basketball history.” The U.S. team, thrilled with their 50–49 win in the last three seconds of the game, ultimately lost the gold medal to the Soviet Union. Because of unauthorized interference from the scorers’ table, those last three seconds were ordered replayed twice and, in the end, the Soviet team took the game 51–50.

Graduating from University of Minnesota the following spring, Brewer went on to play nine years in the NBA including a championship season with the Los Angeles Lakers. But success didn’t bring him everything he had hoped for—there was something missing in his life.

“I just was not satisfied,” he says. “My career was OK, but for me personally, things were just kind of so-so.”

He began reading self-help books and in 1979 he came across Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard.

“That book made so much sense to me—the way it explained about the mind, the body and the spirit,” he says. “I saw that something could be done about any problem a person might have.”
In the back of the book he found the address of the Church of Scientology Detroit. He enrolled on courses, read more books, received Scientology auditing (spiritual counseling) and trained as a Scientology auditor (counselor).

“I was very eager to learn how everything was done and see why it worked so well. I just wanted to know it all. And everything I have looked at and experienced in Scientology has been positive,” he says.
His advice to young athletes or anyone who wants to succeed in life is simple.

“The beauty and the joy of living comes from working toward something,” he says. “Just make sure it’s a purpose that’s meaningful to you and something that you enjoy working toward, because you can’t really fail if you continue to pursue those goals in sport and in life. There’s always something to get you closer to what you are trying to accomplish.”

As to his own formula for success:

“I try to think for myself,” says Brewer. “At a very young age, I was doing what everybody else did and what people expected of me and I didn’t feel so good about it all the time. But I think when you look into things for yourself and make decisions based on what you think and keep counsel with yourself, that makes you a lot happier.”

For Brewer, thinking for yourself includes making decisions about recreational and psychotropic drugs. Knowing that athletes are role models for youth, Brewer volunteers with a Scientology-sponsored drug education and prevention program, conducting seminars in Chicago and Texas. He also worked on a program for Milwaukee kids identified as “at risk” by that city’s police department.

“Drugs are demand driven,” he says. “Kids are sold the wrong information—that they should drink and try recreational drugs—they don’t really understand what the effects are. If they know the effects of these substances and where drugs will lead them, they won’t try them, or, if they do, when they understand the down side they will quit. With the largest proportion of the U.S. prison population stemming mainly from drug use and sales, we owe it to our young people to get the word out to them. And that’s what my involvement comes from—just wanting to see things get better.”

To meet Scientologists from all walks of life and learn what they are doing in their communities, visit the Scientology website at www.scientology.org.

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The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.


A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, with videos now viewed more than 7 million times.
 

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of theScientology relgion

Tampa Leaders Honored at Scientology Open House

 The Church of Scientology of Tampa honored five civic leaders August 4 at a special open house held in honor of International Day of Friendship. The Church presented awards to Shannon Edge, Maria Asuncion Lopez, Sam Mobley, Dr. Wallace Reyes, and Pastor Essie Sims for their work to make a difference in the Tampa Bay community.

Shannon Edge has served as director of the Neighborhood and Community Relations Office of the City of Tampa since 2003. Her office works with Tampa neighborhood and civic associations and provides a liaison between residents and city government, helping people resolve issues, find information and connect with city agencies that offer the services they need.

Maria Asuncion Lopez is president of the Hispanic Alliance of Tampa Bay and founder and president of Voz y Acción de Puerto Rico, a nonprofit organization established to improve community interaction. Maria also heads LPNet—the Latino Professionals Network—which creates career, educational and social opportunities for Hispanic professionals.

Sam Mobley, president of the Eastern Heights Neighborhood Association, secured a Hillsborough County neighborhood grant to upgrade community facilities and regularly leads anti-drug marches through East Tampa to bring police attention to suspected drug dealers, making the neighborhood safe for local families and unsafe for criminals.

Ybor City historian Dr. Wallace Reyes conducts tours of local historic buildings, thus helping to preserve the heritage of the city by educating residents and visitors on the history of the region.

Pastor Essie Sims, Senior Pastor of Telling the Truth Ministries, is chairman of East Tampa Community Revitalization Partnership, which provides activities and opportunities for East Tampa youth such as midnight basketball and dances through the East Tampa Have a Safe Summer events program. His work with the National Football League Youth Education Town (NFL YET)—an educational and recreational center operated by the Boys and Girls Club of America on behalf of the National Football League—provides activities and opportunities for East Tampa youth.

During the awards presentation and throughout the day, the Church of Scientology Tampa introduced those attending the open house to The Way to Happiness, a nonreligious moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard and based entirely on common sense. The booklet and brief informational videos that illustrate its precepts provide a roadmap to a happier life through compassion and understanding, virtues essential to accomplishing the purpose of International Day of Friendship—to foster friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals to inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
To learn more about the Church of Scientology Tampa, visit their website at
www.scientology-tampa.org.


^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of theScientology relgion

Church of Scientology Amsterdam Sponsors 2nd Annual Anti-Drug Marathon

Former drug addicts carry out 350 km (217 mile) run to raise awareness on the danger of drugs

Volunteers from the Church of Scientology of Amsterdam joined former addicts in a two-week 350 km (217 mile) anti-drug marathon through Holland to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs. The team kicked off their cross-country journey August 2 in the town of Den Helder with the mayor joining them for the first kilometer of the run.

Along the route, the runners are distributing booklets and flyers presenting factual information on the effects of drugs. The former addicts on the team know all too well the damage drugs cause—how drugs can lead to stealing, prostitution and other criminal activities. They also have firsthand knowledge of longterm physical, emotional and mental consequences of using drugs.

"It all seems so innocent at first," says one of the former addicts, "but if I had known how drugs would destroy my life I would absolutely never have started. If I can prevent even one youth from suffering the horrors of addiction through this marathon, then I'm happy."

According to a recent study, there is twice as much cannabis use among Netherland teens age 15-16 as the European average. The purpose of the marathon, co-sponsored by the Say No to Drugs—Say Yes to Life Foundation, the Church of Scientology, and Narconon, is to decrease teen drug use by raising awareness of the dangers of drugs.

For more information on the drug education and prevention initiative of the Church of Scientology, visit www.Scientology.org.

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The Church of Scientology sponsors the world's largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaign. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.
 

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard}, founder of theScientology relgion

Scientology Added to the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy

For the first time, the Scientology religion is included in the Diccionario de la Lengua Española de la Real Academia Española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the Royal Academy of Spain) or DRAE, the most authoritative dictionary of the Spanish language. Produced, edited, and published by the Royal Spanish Academy since 1780 and now in its 22nd edition, it defines Scientology religion as a “religious movement originating in the United States, which aims to promote awareness through certain introspective techniques.

Dictionary additions such as this one require the consensus of the 22 Academies of the Spanish Language which represent all Spanish-speaking nations throughout the Americas and the Philippines. Members of the Academy are chosen from among the most prestigious Spanish artists and scientists. As with their French counterpart, the Académie Française, members of the Royal Spanish Academy are elected for life by their peers.
“We are pleased that our Church is now represented in this dictionary, as anything that makes greater knowledge and understanding available benefits society as a whole,” says Ivan Arjona-Pelado, President of the National Church of Scientology Spain.
Scientologists have been practicing the religion in Spain since the 1960s. The Spanish Ministry of Justice officially recognized Scientology as a religion in 2007.
The National Church of Scientology Spain is located at Santa Catalina, 7 in the heart of Madrid.
“The opening of our new Ideal Scientology Organization in 2004 and the expansion of its public information center and seminar and conference rooms in 2011 have made it possible to introduce scholars and civic and community leaders to our religion,” says Arjona-Pelado. “This makes our technology and social betterment programs even more broadly available.”

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Ideal Scientology Organizations (Orgs) realize the fulfillment of Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s vision for the religion. They not only provide the ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to greater states of spiritual awareness and freedom, each is also designed to serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift citizens of all denominations.
The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in the United States in 1954 and has today expanded to more than 10,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 167 nations.


^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

^{Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe.~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Philosopher, humanitarian, author, artist, educator and administrator—L. Ron Hubbard served us in a myriad of ways. In turn, he is quite literally viewed by millions worldwide as Mankind’s greatest friend: by those now literate, by those now drug-free, by those who used his work to reclaim their honor and self-respect, by those who enjoy newfound prosperity, morality and the unmatched joy of artistic creation. 

Yet what Mr. Hubbard ultimately provided in the name of uplifting humanity is found in the more than 75 million words of recorded lectures, books and related writings comprising the totality of Dianetics and Scientology. If this profile has barely touched upon those subjects, he nonetheless ensured that greater legacy is available to all who would avail themselves of it. True, this road to eternal freedom demands some commitment, some determination. But he never expected one to walk it blindly or without inspection. Rather and very simply:

“This is the track of knowing how to know. Travel it and see.”