Well, the event was every bit as good as I heard it would be and better.

Where to begin!

I LOVED Mr. David Miscavige's intro. He pulls no punches, and he put current events, such as the never-ending non-war in Iraq, the presidentially sanctioned torture of prisoners of war and the general ramp-up of military solutions while people starve and go uneducated in the correct light.

Then the next speech was on pscyhiatry and one of the sections of the "Psychiatry an Industry of Death" documentary was shown. I won't tell you what's in it in case you haven't seen the event yet. Don't want to ruin it for you. But it smoked.

I ten got copies of the DVD so I can get it out to everyone I know.

This is a MUST SEE (both the documentary and the event).

Every Scientologist needs to see this event, and anyone interested in human rights and raising the tone of the society should too. It's totally appropriate for anyone, whether or not a Scientologist, to go to it.

I've heard that this year's IAS event is the most impinging and importan Scientology event that has ever been held.

To any Scientologist reading this, if you haven't yet confirmed that you are attending you should call your local org and let them know you will be there.

This is an event to bring your family members who aren't Scientologists to, because it concentrates on what Scientologists are doing to help improve the society - and that's a tremendous amount! 

I guess one reason I'm so excited about the Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology of London is I've always had a real fondness for London.

I was born just after WWII and when I was a child the British were still digging out from years of being bombed. Their economy suffered and they had quite a lot of privation.

Then, of course, were the Beatle years, which turned my whole generation into devout Anglophiles.

I've visited England 4 times and it is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

So I am THRILLED that they have this huge, beautiful church that is totally set up to service the community.

And, as David Miscavige is quoted as having said: "This day will go down in history. Of all the foreign lands where LRH (Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard) lived and worked, he called England home.

"This is the city wherein he first defined the human spirit as an immortal being possessed of capabilities beyond anything predicted and so arrived at the axiomatic truths on which the whole of Scientology is founded."

"We are about to drive home the message 'This is Scientology ' like you have never seen," said David Miscavige , chairman of the Church of Scientology (sic.) [David Miscavige is actually the Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center.]

So reports Robert Booth on Saturday in the Sunday Times - a story that got picked up internationally.

And Sunday's grand opening was everything Mr. Miscavige promised.

The Scientology Press Office announces the news as follows:

With thousands of Scientologists, local residents and officials in attendance, the new Church of Scientology of London opened its doors.

Mr. David Miscavige , Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center and leader of the Scientology religion , stressed the historical importance of London. "This is the city L. Ron Hubbard himself [founder of the Scientology religion] selected as home to the first Scientology organization. This is also the city wherein he first defined the human spirit as an immortal being possessed of capabilities beyond anything predicted, and so arrived at the axiomatic truths on which the whole of Scientology is founded. Your early London organizations were also the original proving ground for the bulk of Mr. Hubbard’ s social betterment programs which are used to uplift neighborhoods just like this one."

Creative Expression posting this great story today!

LONDON – More than 3,000 members and friends of the Church of Scientology of London packed Queen Victoria Street in the heart of London for the sensational grand opening of the new home of the UK’s oldest Scientology church.

Steps away from the Tate Gallery and St. Paul’s Cathedral, the beautifully restored historic building at 146 Queen Victoria Street now serves the growing membership of London-area Scientologists. Its opening marks the largest expansion for Scientology in the Church’s 50-year history in London.

Guest of honor, Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center and leader of the Scientology religion, stressed the historical importance of London. “This is the city L. Ron Hubbard himself [founder of the Scientology religion] selected as home to the first Scientology organization. This is also the city wherein he first defined the human spirit as an immortal being possessed of capabilities beyond anything predicted, and so arrived at the axiomatic truths on which the whole of Scientology is founded. Your early London organizations were also the original proving ground for the bulk of Mr. Hubbard’s social betterment programs which are used to uplift neighborhoods just like this one.”

The London Church on Tottenham Court Road, which served the community for the past 38 years, was also completely refurbished and re-opened on Sunday as a Scientology Life Improvement Center. It now features a full public information exhibition, including audio-visual presentations of the Church’s work across society, and introductory film showings, live lectures and materials for anyone to learn more about Scientology for themselves.

To add to the import of the day was the announcement that the Church had acquired and renovated the very building where, in 1957, Mr. Hubbard established that first Scientology organization in the UK at 35-37 Fitzroy Street.

The Church of Scientology of London was welcomed to its new premises on Queen Victoria Street by Alderman Ian Luder, representing the Lord Mayor of the City. He spoke of the effective help the Church provides to get people off drugs and its successful programs to reduce crime.

Mr. Kevin Hurley, Divisional Commander of London’s Snow Hill Police Station, called upon the Scientologists to “tenaciously focus on bettering this world,” and said that he knows with “complete personal certainty” that the members are “raising the spiritual wealth of society” with their charitable works. He presented a special recognition for their valuable assistance and support following the city’s tragic bombings of July 2005.

United Nations Peace Envoy, Dr. Iftikhar Ahmed Ayaz, spoke of his personal insight into the work done by Scientology around the world. “It is my personal belief,” he said “this Church can restore what this world has lately lost – namely, much of the dignity and respect with which it was created.”

The Church’s new home is an 1866 Italian-styled Victorian landmark designed by architect Edward l’Anson for the British and Foreign Bible Society. Redevelopment in the mid-80s transformed it into a fully functioning modern office facility that served British Petroleum for two decades. The stunning period staircase and double-height entrance hall have been restored to create a welcoming and elegant atmosphere for parishioners and visitors.

Beyond the aesthetics of the building itself, David Miscavige spoke of the role of the programs that will roll out from within the London church’s walls: "Our gift of literacy to disadvantaged children; restoring self-respect to those who’ve gone astray; easing suffering; eradicating racial prejudice; and, repairing the bonds that bind man together.

"This new church packs the full body of L Ron Hubbard’s technologies as derived from the greater well of Scientology knowledge,” said Mr. Miscavige, “and, as such, it provides the full gamut of Scientology activities for the betterment of mankind.”

The two I liked best are:

and

I have it on my desk, so it reminds me of her every time I look over.

She's been living in another city for the past 3 years and we rarely get to talk. But the friendship doesn't diminish from the distance.

It's just great to know she's there and she's okay.

He has the most beautiful photo gallery. It just knocked me out!

Here's just one:

Wow, eh?

This is a map I found on Wikipedia showing the percentage of people living on $1 per day in countries around the world.

Real, effective solutions are needed for poverty.

I support WISE - the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises.

WISE is an international membership organization whose members use L. Ron Hubbard management technology to improving the quality of life for all in the workplace and society in general.

'"Nip/Tuck, doesn't so much take on issues as it tosses them into the pot. There's no passing judgment here…. That means you can trust the show to handle something like religion with absolute indelicacy and that's what I love about it. I'm looking forward to a showdown between Scientologist Kimber and Christian's shrink, Brooke Shields.' (In a clever casting twist, Shields, a target of Cruise's tirade against psychiatry, is playing a psychiatrist this season.)

"So far, no one from the church has contacted FX or Murphy. "

Well no one from the Church may have responded, but I'm frankly bored with people misrepresenting Scientology.

At first I would get angry. Now it's just sort of "whatever."

I think it's so ridiculous that Scientology is considered secretive, while we are, at the same time, doing everything we can to explain our religion and what we stand for.

When a church is open 7 days a week, 9 am to 10 pm, every day of the year, it's a bit odd to call if "close."

But the best way to find out about Scientology and separate the rumor from the truth is to study it yourself.

Get a book or some tape recorded lectures and read or listen to them and see what you think.

The only thing I would suggest beyond that is to apply this one point of Scientology to your study -- if you run across any word you don't understand (a Scientology term OR a term in your own language) stop and clear it in a dictionary or glossary.

If it's a Scientology term and it isn't defined in the back of the book (all recent editions have extensive glossaries) you can always clear it up in the online Scientology glossary

Like brids, let's
leave behind what
we don't need to
carry...
Grudges
Sadness
Pain
Fear
and Regrets

Fly Light. Life is
beautiful!

I would like to echo that with one of my favorite quotes by L. Ron Hubbard:

Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today, and you make your tomorrow.

I woman who has been having some trouble in life went to a psychiatrist for some help, and was simply told she has a disorder and she should take meds for the rest of her life.

Let's take every novel, every great play, all the poetry that was ever written, all of philosophy, and re-classify it all as "disorders."

Let's reduce the entirety of human relationships, love, family, learning and growing to something that is "kept under control" by SSRIs (as long as you are one of the fortunate ones whom they don't cause to become:

It annoys me no end for "professionals" to give such very unprofessional advice.

Take this one for example: The right to a safe place to live

I pride myself on being pretty aware of human rights issues, but this video shocked me. What do you think?

It's always good to keep in perspective how absolutely crazy it is to even consider nuclear weapons as any alternative.

She's got an ex-husband who is an irresponsible creep, teachers who "are very nice" but blame the kids for not remembering what they are supposed to be teaching them, and call it a "learning disorder" (hello - what is the teacher there for if not to help the kids who NEED help. The other kids pretty much teach themselves), and she's in pain!

At the risk of sounding trite, I'd love to give her a hand.

Don't know where she lives, but there's tech in the Scientology Handbook to help you figure out who you can rely on (although it sounds like she's worked it out long since that her ex is NOT in that classification), how to help your kids with so-called learning disorders and processes you can use to reduce pain and heal your body faster.

And depending on where she lives,there's probably a Scientology Volunteer Minister not too far away who could come visit and help her out.

As I said -- might sound a bit unreal, but I really hat to see someone suffering when it isn't necessary. God knows there's enough to put up with, without having to try to go it without tools to help you out.

Oneness hidden yet true,
Wounding others we wound ourselves.

Lack of understanding
Only deepening our sorrow.
An endless cycle like the rings of hell.

Self laceration the fruit of hatred,
The suffering self inflicted as others are struck down.

Seeking relief in hatred and revenge,
Is as futile as a thirsty man drinking dust,
The man seeking peace through revenge and contempt is forever lost.

This reminds me of one of my favorite essays by L. Ron Hubbard, called "What is Greatness," where he says:

The hardest task one can have is to continue to love his fellows despite all reasons he should not."

"For the one who can achieve this, there is abundant hope.

"For those who cannot, there is only sorrow, hatred and despair. And these are not the things of which greatness, or sanity or happiness are made.

"A primary trap is to succumb to invitations to hate.

"Never use what is done to one as a basis for hatred. Never desire revenge.

"It requires real strength to love man*. And to love him despite all invitations to do otherwise, all provocations and all reasons why one should not.

"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."

Scientology comprises a body of knowledge which extends from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these truths:

* Man is an immortal spiritual being.
* His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime.
* His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.

In that regard, Scientology is a religious philosophy in the most profound sense of the word, for it is concerned with no less than the full rehabilitation of man’s innate spiritual self — his capabilities, his awareness and his certainty of his own immortality.

Furthermore, as religion deals with the spirit in relationship to itself, the universe and other life, and is essentially the belief in spiritual beings, Scientology follows a religious tradition that is at least as old as mankind.

Yet what Scientology ultimately represents is new. Its religious technology is new, its ecclesiastical organization is new, and what it means to 21st-century man is entirely new.

At the heart of Scientology lie its axioms that precisely define the fundamental laws and truths of life, including who we are, what we are capable of, and most importantly, how we might realize our native spiritual abilities.

These axioms form the foundation of a vast body of wisdom that applies to the entirety of all life. From this wisdom has come a great number of fundamental principles people can use to improve their immediate lives, as well as to achieve spiritual immortality. In fact, there is no aspect of life that cannot be improved through the application of Scientology principles.

You can find information in it to help with just about anything you can run into in life.

And most of it is on the Net at www.scientologyhandbook.org.

I broke up with one boyfriend because he was too "depressed" to celebrate my birthday with me (and so I went and found someone who wasn't).

My first husband always bought me what he wanted for my birthday, which always pointed up how different (and unsuited) we were. I guess that's why he was my first and not my onlyhusband.

I'm sure glad I got rid of that baggage!

What a relief!

"Antidepressant medication was recovered from Duane Morrison's Jeep, but investigators are still working to put together the puzzle of the crime."

Then yesterday: "A tuck driver with a grudge burst into a one-room Amish schoolhouse today and killed at least three girls before committing suicide, authorities said."

No word yet on what antidepressents he was on. But you can be sure he was on them.

So what is the real story?

Psychiatrists invent "disorders" and literally vote them into being in their "DSM" (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders -- which contain no statistical measurement whatsoever).

"Somehow" pharmaceutical companies "happen" to have meds to "cure" (oh - sorry. "There are no cures for psychiatric disorders, we can only keep them under control with meds," of course, so you keep taking them the rest of your life).

And they cook the results of their trials, release the drugs onto the market with huge campaigns that sell them to people as the solution to their personal relationship problems, to absolve them of feeling guilty for cheating on their friends, cheating on their husband/wife/partner, not being able to cope with suppression in their environment, not succeeding in life...

...and these drugs drive people to sensless acts of violence.

No. It's not that they commit these crimes because they are crazy.

I'll tell you what statistics should be included in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: The statistics of how many sensless acts of violence have occurred, date coincident with the release of SSRIs.

No. These are not "natural born killers." They have been manufactured.

Visit the CCHR web site, go to CCHR Museum of Death or visit the CCHR traveling exhibit as it comes to your city.

You deservee to know the truth behind this violence.

It is NOT a mystery. And we can STOP it by banning the use of these drugs.