Skeptico

It didn’t save us from "Battlefield Earth"

John Travolta thinks Anna Nicole Smith would have been saved if she had converted to Scientology, according to MSNBC:

Travolta says that if Anna Nicole Smith had followed the teachings of Scientology she’d be alive today.

The “Pulp Fiction” star says that if the late pin-up could have been saved if she had undergone treatment of Narconon, a controversial drug and detox treatment inspired by the writings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Let’s be clear what he is talking about. Narconon is based on L. Ron Hubbard’s strange idea that drugs, chemicals and other toxins lodge in the fatty tissues of the body. Scientology’s solution to this is a regimen of massive vitamin dosages (especially niacin), coupled with sweating in Saunas for four hours a day for up to a month.

It’s ironic that Scientologists like Tom Cruise criticize psychiatry for allegedly being pseudoscience. Scientology and its beliefs are the definition of pseudoscience. All Scientology’s rules and tenets were made up by L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard was the only “scientist” who was allowed to do this – so there was no peer review and no replication of results. (Assuming Hubbard ever obtained “results” from testing in the first place, which he almost certainly didn’t.) Hubbard is now dead, and so nothing can ever change: no one is allowed to test Scientology beliefs or practices to see what works and to abandon what does not. The result is nonsense like Narconon.

According to the anti-Scientology website Xenu.net, the United States National Institute on Drug Abuse does not know of a single peer reviewed piece scientific literature to support the claims made for Narconon:

The Narconon drug treatment modality treats all drug addictions the same. No scientific evidence was produced to show that all drug addictions are properly treated in the same manner ...

The Narconon [detoxification] program requires its patients to sweat up to five hours per day, seven days a week, for approximately thirty days. The rationale, according to Narconon for the sweat-out is to rid the body of fat-stored drugs and chemicals through sweat. However, there is no scientific basis for the technique. Most drugs of abuse are removed from the body by detoxification and excretion through the liver, kidneys and (in some instances) through the lungs. […]

The vast majority of time spent in the Narconon treatment plan and course work does not in any way relate to or involve education about drug and alcohol abuse treatment, issues, and/or addiction. […]

There is no credible scientific evidence that the Narconon program is effective in the treatment of chemical dependency.

Many things might have helped Anna Nicole. Narconon is a dangerous pseudoscientific treatment with little or no chance of helping anyone.

Additional references:

Narconon is Bad News for Customers

Is Narconon Safe? Dangerous detoxification

Is Narconon Valid?

Gentle Wind Recants

Wow! File this under “I would never have believed it!”

Remember the Gentle Wind Project (GWP) – manufacturer of those magic plastic cards, designed by aliens to cure all problems? Get this:

In a consent decree filed in York County Superior Court last week, the directors of the Gentle Wind Project admitted that they made false claims about their products, which they said could cure anything from alcoholism to paralysis. They admitted making false claims on their Web site, at public appearances and in written literature that the instruments had been scientifically proven to be effective.

Board members also admitted that they breached their fiduciary duty as officers of a charity by using donations for the purchase and upkeep of houses purchased in their own names and for other illegal transactions.

Once the consent decree is approved by a judge, the houses and all other assets will be sold by a receiver, with the money used to provide refunds to any Gentle Wind customer who bought a healing instrument since 2003.

Wow – they’ve admitted their little pieces of plastic do nothing. Not often you get to hear things like that. What’s next? Homeopaths admit their magic water is just placebo? Allison Dubois admits she’s just guessing and playing the odds? Yes I know, I’m dreaming, but it’s just so rare to hear any of these scammers have to admit their stuff is crap.

It’s also good news for Judy Garvey and James Bergin, the ex-members of GWP who were being sued by them. GWP's board members have admitted the truth of most of Garvey and Bergin’s statements, which would seem to end any change GWP had of winning their case.  Congratulations to Judy and James.

Technically, it seems the judgment only applies in Maine, but GWP’s admission that their little pieces of plastic (at up to $5K a pop!) don’t do anything, should make it harder for them to claim credibility anywhere else, and in any case the group’s assets anywhere in the US are forfeit.

Chalk this up as one for the good guys.

Reference:

The Maine Attorney General’s statement:

 

What – you mean this doesn’t do anything? 

 

Trapped In the Closet – Emmy Nomination

According to MSNBC, South Park’s Scientology episode (that was pulled because of complaints from Tom Cruise), has been nominated for an Emmy for Best Animated Program.

Personally I thought the episode concentrated too much on the Tom Cruise is gay rumors, and not enough about the bait and switch tactics that get the unsuspecting hooked on Scientology. Still, it did expose and poke fun at the cult’s Xenu creation myth, so any more publicity it gets would be good. The awards will be held on Saturday August 19^th, 2006.

But... I had that episode banned.

Cruise controls again?

Comedy Central were supposed to be showing the infamous South Park Scientology episode last week but pulled it at the last minute. As I wrote before, the episode has not shown in the UK and it is rumored Tom Cruise used his influence to keep it off the air both there and apparently now in the US too. His representatives have denied this.

As well as pulling the Scientology episode, Comedy Central also pulled the “bleeding statue” episode because that was offensive to Catholics. I guess we shouldn’t expect to see any more episodes involving Muhammad!

Anyway, via The Uncredible Hallq I found a site where you can view the Scientology episode online. It was pretty good, although in my opinion it concentrated too much on the Tom Cruise gay rumors, and not enough on Scientology. Worth seeing though, if you haven’t already.

Also I learn of Andrew Sullivan’s campaign to protest the censorship the South Park cartoons. For example you can Email the parent company Viacom and make your feelings known. Also you can use this page to register a protest.

Sullivan is taking it a step further:

Finally, make sure you don't go see Paramount's "Mission Impossible: 3," Cruise's upcoming movie. I know you weren't going to see it anyway. But now any money you spend on this movie is a blow against freedom of speech. Boycott it. Tell your friends to boycott it.

Pretty funny – I wasn’t going to see it anyway. Not sure if I would boycott a movie as a protest, but it’s an option if you want to. I do encourage everyone write protest emails to them though. The TV companies should be encouraged not to self-censor, especially when it comes to offending the religious, and protest emails can’t hurt.

Children! Don’t make fun of my religion

Via Terra Sigillata I just learned that Isaac Hayes has quit South Park, due to:

the show's "inappropriate ridicule" of religion

One of the show’s creators, Matt Stone, nailed Hayes real reason for leaving:

In ten years and over 150 episodes of 'South Park,' Isaac never had a problem with the show making fun of Christians, Muslim, Mormons or Jews… He got a sudden case of religious sensitivity when it was his religion featured on the show

As I wrote here, the November 16^th episode made fun of Scientology, and Hayes is a Scientologist. And a hypocrite, apparently.

And as I wrote here, religious beliefs are the ones not backed by any reliable evidence, and so should be first in line for ridicule. Scientology is based on the musings of just one person: L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard’s claims have not been independently verified, and in some cases there is evidence they are wrong. No one in Scientology is allowed to challenge the teachings of Hubbard, and since Hubbard is now dead no progress can be made, no errors can be corrected. Ridicule is the appropriate response. 

South Park pulls Scientology episode

According to Ananova Tom Cruise finally came out of the closet to threaten South Park:

TV bosses have axed an episode of South Park which 'outs' a fictional Tom Cruise character as gay.

They are scared the real Tom Cruise might sue them, according to the Sun.

…

An insider was quoted as saying: “Tom is famously very litigious and will go to great lengths to protect his reputation.

“Tom was said not to like the episode and Paramount just didn’t dare risk showing it again. It’s a shame that UK audiences will never see it because it’s very funny.”

Yes it would be a shame, assuming this story is true. As I wrote here, the episode makes fun of Scientology, as well as of Cruise who gets locked in a closet. The line, “Tom Cruise won’t come out of the closet” is repeated continuously. It is a good episode, ending with the Stan character looking at the camera and repeatedly saying “go on, sue me”. Clearly the TV company wasn’t as brave as South Park creators Matt and Trey. (Or, as the final credits have it, John and Jane Smith.)

If the story is true I declare Tom Cruise to be officially a humorless pussy. Although that’s not really news.

Gentle Wind Project

There is a lot of crazy stuff out there. For example, I have recently been looking at the Gentle Wind Project website. As far as I can tell, these people offer little plastic cards that you hold in your hands to achieve “physical and emotional balance” in the face of traumatic events such as the tsunami. They were supposedly designed by benevolent “non-physical entities living outside the Earth's physical and astral systems” who communicate telepathically with the project’s leader, John Miller.  No kidding.

Here’s one of the cards. Apparently they’re in laminated plastic. The detailed instructions for use are on the card.  (Er, you hold it between your hands.)

And this piece of plastic, sorry “instrument”, can not be “bought” for money, oh no. They are offered in return for suggested “donation requests” that range from $650 for the card to $10,000 for a thorough overhaul from the “New World System V 2.2”. What a deal.

And if you don’t believe they work, check out these pictures of satisfied customers who are tsunami survivors (I refuse to copy the pictures of these people to my site). Look at their happy faces. I’m sure those little pieces of plastic were a great comfort to them.

An “instrument” more advanced than the card is this healing hockey puck. Carnegie Mellon Professor Dave Touretzky has acquired pictures of these devices (suggested donation $300 to $450, although he says new models go for $5,850) taken apart. This is what the puck consists of: a round plastic container housing a printed computer art design and a small amount of sand.  That's it!

This is what its deconstructed components look like:

Impressive huh? But don’t forget, it was designed by aliens so it will provide “physical and emotional balance”, even if humanity isn’t ready for an explanation for how this pile of sand and plastic works. (No refunds.)

How do they work? Well, it’s a secret:

The way they work is extremely complex and cannot be understood by anyone in humanity at this time.

Told you. It gets better:

Remember - most people have no idea where their electricity comes from, how their radios, televisions, how their auto engines run, computers work, or satellite GPS systems work, let alone the complexity of high frequency temporal shifting matrixed with millions of predefined etheric modifications operating in a vertically and horizontally oriented polarization. If this sounds complicated and confusing - it is. This ultra complex process is set in motion by our Healing Instruments which are essentially a "Key." A temporal and spatial gate is created when a Healing Instrument is held. This "gateway" or window enables an individual's entire etheric system to interface with a very large, complicated, partially automated, predefined healing process. The more complex the Instrument the wider the "opening" and the deeper the penetration into the human system. As you can see, the Healing Instruments are only a small part of the entire process. Our healing technology incorporates an elaborate sentinel system which prevents anyone from "breaking into" or corrupting the system in any way.

Because some people don’t know where electricity comes from, this card works. I’m convinced. And um, well yeah, if it has high frequency temporal shifting matrixed with millions of predefined etheric modifications operating in a vertically and horizontally oriented polarization, it must be good.

Unfortunately for the very curious, this is the best explanation, shallow as it is, that we can provide right now. Some day in the future when humanity is ready, we will explain in more detail how the Instruments and the total system works.

Ha so grasshopper – one day you will understand. Just not yet. (In 2012, perhaps?)

It’s total pseudoscientific nonsense, of course.

A Cult?

Of course it’s nonsense, but (as someone once said) there’s nothing so dumb you can’t get someone to believe in it. A more serious criticism of the Gentle Wind Project from former members Judy Garvey and her husband Jim Bergin is that they are a mind-control cult. The Wind of Changes website details their 17 year involvement with the group, including claims of sexual manipulation, as well as financial ruin. (The description fits the bait-and-switch profile of other cults.) Bergin describes how little by little the organization gained more control over his family’s life and life savings:

It happened so slowly and subtly that I was not cognizant of the process at the conscious level. Had someone asked me early on whether I would submit to handing over a large part of my income and life’s savings, give up a nurturing and valued relationship with my wife, take a back seat to seeing and parenting my children, sell the business I loved, and live in greatly reduced circumstances, I would have laughed at the idea. But, as I will describe here, the process was deceptively subtle, pervasive, and persistent.

The Gentle Wind Project denies these claims and has filed a defamation lawsuit and a RICO (racketeering!) Federal lawsuit, claiming punitive damages.  Bergin and Garvey have filed a Motion for Summary Dismissal (.pdf file). The lawsuit is continuing, with a trial (if there is one) not slated until at least February 2006.

Rick Ross, who runs a database of cults, destructive cults, controversial groups and movements, has several articles on the Gentle Wind Project. Rick states "in my opinion the group appears to parallel the criteria for a destructive cult”.

It’s all tax free!

It gets better. The Gentle Wind Project is registered as a not-for-profit organization. Translation: it’s tax free.  The most recent 2001 tax returns (.pdf file) linked on their website show revenue of almost $1.57 million against expenses of $1.53 million. These “expenses” include $67K for “boat”, $89K for “electronics” and $66K for “shop”. They state “the majority of our funds have been spent on education and research” – research into boating, shopping and enjoyment of electronics, apparently.

Rick Ross has their 2003 tax returns (.pdf file) showing “donations” adding up to quite a tax-free (Gentle) Windfall:

As a private, nonprofit corporation known as "Gentle Wind Retreat" the project is exempt from federal income taxes, much like a church, a hospital or a private college.

…

The latest Form 990 filing shows GWP net assets of $2,077,324 as of August 31, 2003, up from $1,918,205 the year before. Revenue for the 2002-03 fiscal year totaled $1,969,923, with expenses totaling $1,810,804.

(My bold.)

You can buy an awful lot of sand and plastic (and electronics), for $1.8 million. The aliens must be living it up on their yacht.

References:

Gentle Wind Project

Wind Of Changes

Rick Ross Institute for the study of destructive cults, controversial groups and movements

Dave Touretzky

Now Magazine

Rip Off Report  and another Rip Off Report

Healthwatcher.net

Scientology on South Park

Apparently tonight’s edition of South Park is about Scientology:

According to a source who has read a draft of the script, it begins with Stan leaving a psychiatrist’s office only to be hailed as a savior by the leaders of a strange, Scientology-esque cult because of his off-the-chart results on an E-meter-like “personality test.” A group of Hollywood A-listers quickly gather outside Stan’s house, we’re told, with Tom Cruise somehow ending up stuck in a closet—leading a news crew stationed at the scene to report that Cruise’s fans fervently want the actor to “just come out.”

The episode, Featuring Tom Cruise, is called “Trapped in the Closet”. It’ll be interesting to see how they cover this story, although I hope it’s funnier than most other recent episodes. South Park is not as good as it was, in my opinion.

The article goes on to say that the “Chef” character doesn’t appear in this episode. Chef is voiced by Isaac Hayes, who is himself a Scientologist. I wonder what Chef would have said?

Children! Scientology is the gateway to eternity.  

Cruise control

Lawyers for Scientology are threatening legal action against the owners of scienTOMogy – a website devoted to the recent antics of Tom Cruise. Read about Scientology’s complaint. Also read the ScienTOMogy blog.

I hope these guys have deep pockets. Scientology has a history of burying opponents with lawsuits, and they do have deep pockets.

Got a spare $ half million? Join Scientology

Today, CNN’s Anderson Cooper had a segment on Scientology. He interviewed two former long-term Scientologists, Michael Pattinson and Tory Christman. Christman is a former member of Scientology’s “Sea Org” – the elite top level of the cult.

Pattinson started off the interview by explaining he’d joined Scientology because they’d told him they could “cure” him of being gay. (He didn’t say if they had but it I assume they didn’t.) However the eye-popping part was how much money Scientology had cost these two people. From the transcript:

CHRISTMAN: In Scientology, you have to pay for just about everything. They have a few free things to try to rope people in, but basically you pay for everything. It starts very inexpensive and builds rapidly into thousands, hundreds-of-thousands of dollars.

COOPER: Michael, you say you've spent, what? How much money?

PATTINSON: Approximately half-a-million dollars.

CHRISTMAN: Well, I know -- Yes, I would say $200,000, at least, was our inheritance we spent and more.

As I have explained before, Scientology is a bait and switch cult designed solely to take your money: after each stage you are told that your problems are still not over but that they can be cured with more Scientology. These additional courses cost more and more money. Both these people showed how devastating that can be as they eventually gave their life savings over to the cult.

Interestingly, Cooper had unwittingly picked up a bit of Scientology jargon and used it in one of his questions:

COOPER: As you know, both of you, Scientology says you are disgruntled members, you couldn't live up to the high ethical standards of the organization, and that's why you're speaking out.

In Scientology, the word “ethics” has a specific meaning:

"Ethics" is redefined by Scientology in such a way that to be ethical is to be a better Scientologist and obey the "church". Young people, not yet made cynical through the machinations of life and politics, are very keen to contribute to the world and to be ethical. So the "ethics" trick works easily into persuading them to join the "church".

In a superb piece of circular reasoning (today it would be called “framing”) anyone who disagrees with any of Scientology’s dogma is guilty of an “ethics” offence. I found it interesting that Cooper had inadvertently picked up this piece of Scientology mind-control jargon.  Overall, it wasn’t a bad piece though.