Narconon is Scientology Scientology "Community Services" Propaganda Piece Proving It

8/14/2019 Narconon is Scientology Scientology "Community Services" Propaganda Piece Proving It

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T

he Scientology religion hasa strong ethical and moralcomponent that offers veryworkable guidelines for

improving ones own life as wellas the lives of others. This reflects thevery essence of Scientology teaching: togo out and improve conditions to makethis world a better place for all.

Scientology Scripture repeatedlyemphasizes the need for individuals to

apply its wisdom to better theconditions of their family, neighbors,their friends and society at large.

Thus, Scientologists are not follow-

ing the scriptural mandate of their reli-gion to the extent they seek only thespiritual enhancement of themselves.As Scientologists continue their spiritu-al ascent up the Bridge, they assumemore and more responsibility for boththemselves and their fellow man.

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C H A P T E R S I X

As Scientologists continue to improve themselves spiritually,

they assume more and more responsibility for both themselves and their fellow man.

Thus the Church and its members have initiated a number of social benefitprograms to accomplish Scientologys mission to better society.

ScientologistsCommunityActivities

s


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Churchof Scientology

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Volunteer Ministers are involved in avariety of community assistance

programs such as working with the RedCross to provide food and clothing tothose in need (right). VolunteerMinisters teach study skills to teachersand pupils (center and bottom right).Using techniques known as assists, aVolunteer Minister can bring spiritualand physical relief to a person sufferingtrauma. (bottom left). Others help theelderly with entertainment, visits and

good cheer.


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As the Scientology Handbook explains:If no dynamic other than the first

existed, you would have no responsibili-ty other than to help yourself. But thereare seven more dynamics and, as youhave read, if you reduce them to noth-ing, sooner or later the first dynamicreduces to nothing. Therefore, one can-not sit back and watch his family, hiswork environment, his community,even his society or culture go downhill.The most wrong thing one can do is todo nothing. (Scientology Handbook,1994, page 764)

Scientologists translate this teach-ing into direct action by working withother individuals and organizations inbroad-based public benefit programs aswell as through their own volunteercommunity activities.

Churches of Scientology are natu-rally a focal point for their membersvolunteer actions, and provide encour-agement and guidance to these efforts.Churches also sponsor their own pub-lic benefit activities for members

involvement, from drug education andcrime prevention campaigns to com-munity improvement projects andcharity drives.

VOLUNTEERMINISTERIAL PROGRAM

One way Scientologists help theircommunities is through the ScientologyVolunteer Ministers Program, which issponsored by every local Church ofScientology.

Volunteer Scientology ministersoffer care and aid to neighbors, friendsand fellow employees, even strangers.

Volunteer ministers may work on theirown or together with other volunteer

ministers, attending to those in need athospitals and retirement homes, pro-viding succor and entertainment. Theyhave aided residents in places as diverseas Japan, Germany, France, United States,Italy and the Olympic Village in Atlanta,Georgia, and victims of every possibletragedy, whether natural or man-made.

In their ministries, volunteer min-isters use the fundamental Scientologyprinciples and techniques found in TheScientology Handbook. One very impor-

tant technique every volunteer minis-ter uses is the Scientology assist, aprocedure L. Ron Hubbard developedto alleviate the spiritual component ofphysical pain, shock and emotionaltrauma. Assists work on the principlethat one tends to withdraw spirituallyfrom an injured area of the body. Byrestoring communication with thisarea, one can bring the spiritual ele-ment into healing, thereby greatlyspeeding the healing process.

Volunteer ministers also gatherto help improve their communitiesthrough special projects such as clean-ing up parks, revitalizing neighbor-hoods and erasing graffiti from publicbuildings. They may scour parks andbeaches for used syringes as they do inSpain and Italy, to help alleviate thethreat of AIDS infection to people atplay. Or they may distribute food andclothing to the poor, as they do inFrance, Germany and all over Europe.

Volunteer ministers often join withtheir churches to support other estab-lished community benefit programssuch as the Red Cross, Cystic FibrosisFoundation, the Salvation Army andlocal community groups by participat-

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ScientologistsCommunity Activities


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ing in drug-free blood drives, collectingholiday toys for needy children, and

donating food and clothing for under-privileged families.

SCIENTOLOGY SOCIALBENEFIT PROGRAMS

Scientologists and others soon foundthat the principles and techniques dis-covered by Mr. Hubbard that form thefoundation of Scientology Scripture andpractice also could be adapted for use in

two broad-based areas of significantsocial concern drug rehabilitation andeducation. Over the years, the variousactivities Scientologists have conductedin these two areas have become the car-dinal points of extensive social benefitprograms churches of Scientology andindividual Scientologists have undertak-en to accomplish Scientologys missionto better society.

Another social benefit program thathas popular support among Scientologistscenters on a non-sectarian moral codethat Mr. Hubbard wrote called The Wayto Happiness. Scientologists use the codein social benefit programs that havehelped raise moral standards throughoutall levels of society.

DRUG REHABILITATIONAND EDUCATION

One of the most widely known of thesesocial benefit programs is the residentialdrug rehabilitation and public educationprogram conducted under the name Narco-non (meaning non-narcosis or nodrugs). The Narconon drug rehabilitationprogram uses a detoxification procedure

that Mr. Hubbard originally developed foruse in churches of Scientology as a means of

overcoming chemical deposits in the body often the result of prior drug use thatserve as a barrier to spiritual development.

Other Scientology techniques andprinciples used in the program address thecauses and effects of drug addiction andhelp participants become contributingmembers of society. These program com-ponents include helping participants learnhow to communicate, cope with the pres-sures of life, and regain higher standards ofself-esteem and honesty.

This program has been proven to behighly successful. Independent studieshave shown that as many as 76 percent ofNarconon participants were still drug-freefour years later. Penal program administra-tors have found that not one of theirinmates who graduate from a Narcononprogram returns to a life of crime.

It therefore is not surprising that Narconon programs have received theimprimatur of many governmental bodies. Narconon programs in Switzerland,

Denmark, Sweden, Italy and theNetherlands receive public funding. Andjudges and governmental agencies incountries such as Denmark, Germany,Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden andthe United States are now referring drugaddicts to Narconon for rehabilitation,rather than to jail or prison.

It is not unusual for a highly successful Narconon program to be started by theefforts of just one individual. For example,one Scientologist decided to do some-thing about the conditions in a Mexicanjail where almost every inmate was a hero-in user. When he began discussing thepossibility of starting a Narconon programwith the prisons officials, he was warnednot only that it would be difficult, but thathis life could be in danger. Nevertheless,


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Scientologists around the world areinvolved in many different anti-drugefforts. Children in Spain receivespecial recognitions from a mayor fortheir anti-drug activities (top left). In

Germany, Denmark, Canada and inmany other countries Scientologistshold special events to promote thebenefits of drug-free living and invitethose in their communities to sign theSay No to Drugs pledge.


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he went ahead. Today, illegal drug use inthe prison has virtually stopped and the

inmates are learning valuable life skills toprepare for their re-entry to society.

Stories like this have happened aroundthe world. At present, there are 32 resi-dential Narconon programs in 15 coun-tries, including the United States, Canada,Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy,Switzerland, France, Germany, Swedenand Denmark. In all, more than 30,000former drug addicts have graduated fromthe Narconon program since its inception.

Scientologists, working in conjunction

with Narconon, conduct a wide variety ofpublic drug-education programs. One ofthese, The Truth About Drugs, has beenpresented at schools, corporations, correc-tional institutions and rehabilitation centersin 11 countries, including Sweden, Brazil,Russia, Holland and Mexico. Started in1979, this program has reached more than 1million individuals, primarily children.

Churches of Scientology throughoutthe world also conduct their own drug-education program separate from those

conducted by Narconon. In 1993, theChurch of Scientology Internationallaunched an educational project called theDrug-Free Marshals Campaign to encour-age young people to take responsibility forcreating their own drug-free generation.Today the program is one of the most suc-cessful campaigns of its kind more than20,000 school children and adults have signedpledges to remain drug-free. Internationalin scope, it goes by a variety of different

names in many countries. Ambassadorsfor a World Without Drugs in France,Drug-Free Kids in Germany, Guardiansfor a Life Without Drugs in Switzerland,Drug-Free Sheriffs in Belgium andDrug-Free Youth in Denmark.

Churches of Scientology also sponsoran international anti-drug program that

enlists celebrities to give concerts withanti-drug themes, as well as high-profileconferences of community leadersinvolved in anti-drug activities.

Students in schools throughout Europe, the

United Kingdom and around the world use the

educational breakthroughs developed by L. Ron

Hubbard and sponsored by Applied Scholastics

a separate and autonomous charitable program

independent of the Church of Scientology but

supported by the Church and its members.

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EDUCATION

In the early 1960s, Mr. Hubbard con-ducted extensive research in the field oflearning in order to develop better ways toinstruct Scientologists in the tenets of the

Scientology religion. Through this research,he discovered a number of basic yet powerfuland widely applicable principles that hedeveloped into a technology of study.

Scientologists have utilized these tech-niques in grassroots educational programs invarious areas of education. These includeteacher training, schools, community educa-

tion programs, English as a second languageprograms and tutorials.

These programs can consist of an entireschool of professional educators or just oneor two concerned individuals. For example,one British Scientologist took it upon herselfto do something about the plight of youngchildren in Zimbabwe after she learned ofthe severe inadequacy of the educationalfacilities and resources there. Over a three-year period she made it her personal missionto bring to as many children as possible therudiments of education and the encourage-ment to continue. By 1997, after constant

travel between her home and Zimbabwe, shehad trained more than 1,000 teachers. Localofficials estimate that through her effortsalone more than 30,000 students have beenreached with her program.

Today, more than 3 million people haveparticipated in these educational programs.Mr. Hubbards study technology is used byhundreds of organizations and schools in 30countries on six continents, includingChina, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa,the United States and much of Europe. The

study technology has recently been intro-duced in Russia and Uganda.

IMPROVINGPUBLIC MORALITY

In 1981, Mr. Hubbard wrote a basic,common-sense moral code of fundamentalprinciples and values for living an ethicaland happy life that has been published as thebook The Way To Happiness. This moral

code consists of 21 precepts such as takecare of yourself, be temperate, love andhelp children, set a good example, andfulfill your obligations. Because the codeis entirely non-religious in nature,Scientologists have been able to use it as thegenesis of numerous nonsectarian communityprograms to combat moral decline.

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Churches of Scientology and their members have received thousands of awards from local, state andnational officials and community leaders in recognition of their valuable outreach contributions.


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Through the efforts of thousands ofScientologists, more than 53 million copies

ofThe Way to Happiness have been distrib-uted throughout the world in 23 languages.In many countries, Scientology volunteershave formed The Way To Happiness organi-zations and groups to distribute the moralcode locally. Often these groups work close-ly with other local charitableorganizations, media and gov-ernmental bodies to maximizedistribution to the public.

CRIMINALREHABILITATION

Scientologists also haveadopted principles from Mr.Hubbards writings to helpprison inmates and juveniledelinquents become produc-tive members of society. Thissocial benefit program calledCriminon consists of a

series of supervised and self-directed courses that help program partic-ipants develop communication skills,learn how to study, identify anti-socialtraits, and adopt higher standards of hon-esty and integrity. An integral part of theCriminon program is a correspondencecourse based on The Way to Happiness.

Since the Criminon program official-ly began in 1967, it has reached morethan 10,000 prisoners and juvenileoffenders in prison facilities in theUnited Kingdom, United States, Mexico,Argentina, Hungary, Poland, Swedenand Africa.

Feedback on the programs results hasbeen overwhelmingly positive. Withoutexception, graduates of Criminon pro-grams report a new feeling of self-respect,a new sense of meaning in life, and a

newly found commitment to do better inlife. Prison officials and probation officers

alike note a marked improvement in thebehavior of the offenders in their chargeas well as significant drops in recidivism.

COORDINATION ANDGUIDANCE

In 1988, the Churchformed a separate, non-profitcharitable organization called

Association for Better Livingand Education (ABLE) toprovide overall guidance ofthe various social benefit pro-grams churches of Scientologyand individual Scientologistshad been conducting over theyears. This enabled theChurch to concentrate itscharitable and social benefiteffort in a separate organiza-tion that could focus exclu-

sively on accomplishing thesegoals. Since then, ABLE has continued tosupport and promote the public benefitprograms with which the Church tradi-tionally has been concerned and enabledthem to expand greatly.

ABLE assists local social betterment pro-grams through four social benefit organiza-tions that are international in scope. Theseare Narconon International, which works inthe field of drug abuse and education;Criminon International, which works in thefield of criminal rehabilitation; AppliedScholastics International, which works inthe field of education; and The Way ToHappiness Foundation International, whichseeks to raise societys moral standards.

Although the social betterment orga-nizations are organized as separate, inde-pendent entities, they work closely with


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Churches of

Scientology

organize and

coordinate publicbenefit activities

as diverse as the

needs of their

communities and

the talents and

skills of the

membership.


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local churches by coordinating theiractivities wherever possible.

Churches of Scientology organizeand coordinate a wide range of publicbenefit activities as diverse as the needsof their communities and the talentsand skills of the membership. Amongthe common activities are communitybeautification projects to transformpublic eyesores into pleasing environ-ments, fundraisers for police-sponsoredyouth programs, blood drives for theRed Cross, holiday toy and clothing dri-ves, neighborhood anti-crime programs,

entertainment for childrens hospitalsand elderly homes, and assistance tolocal government and civic communitybetterment campaigns.

CONCLUSION

Churches of Scientology and indi-vidual Scientologists work tirelessly toimprove mankinds spiritual and moralwell-being. Many work in the formalsocial betterment programs describedabove. But Scientologys greatestimpact on society may well be at amuch more personal level, through theone-on-one interaction that happensevery time a Scientologist helps oneother person in the community. It isthese individual instances of seemingly

small benefits that truly affect the spir-its of others. Although unsung for themost part, they are certain never to beforgotten by the person helped.

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Saint Hill Manor, in West Sussex, England. L. Ron Hubbards home

from 1959 through 1966. Saint Hill also served as the international

training and administrative headquarters for the Church of Scientology.

Documents

Narconon is Scientology Scientology "Community Services" Propaganda Piece Proving It