All of the hubub about Tom Cruise en Deutschland with his making of the movie Valkyrie has generated waves of people trying to find out what Scientology is.  Odd, seeing as though the film has nothing whatever to do with Scientology, but it doesn’t matter — Mr. Cruise and the religion are inextricably related, and as such people will have questions whenever his name is mentioned.

In Berlin, to meet the demand for knowledge of Scientology, the massive Church of Scientology which was opened in January of this year is now selling German Scientology books on the Internet.  These are the new Scientology Basics by L. Ron Hubbard, released by Mr. David Miscavige in July of this year.

For a beginners’s introduction to Scientology, the best book to start with is Problems of Work (Die Probleme der Arbeit, en Deutsch).  Other titles are available as well, including Dianetics (Dianetik),  and Scientology: Fundamentals of Thought (Scientology: Die Grundlagen des Denkens). 

Each are also available with Extension Courses  you can do in that Church.

These are also avaliable in other German Churches as well, such as the Church of Scientology in Munich.

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Tags: scientology, deutchland, germany, tom cruise, book, david miscavige

I’ve earlier posted on the Church of Scientology of Buffalo, and its newly-renovated building that I was priviliged to be at the grand opening of.

Just in trolling around the web recenty, I found an article on the architectural history of Buffalo specifically mentioning the Church of Scientology’s building on Main Street. Having been there, I definitely thought it quite interesting as there is a ton of absolutely stunning architecture in the area, and I thought it very fitting indeed that the Church was mentioned in this.

It was an immense team of Scientologists from all around the world that made this happen, with people flying in from all parts of the Eastern and Western united states, and as far afield as Hungary.  It was really a test to show that an ideal, perfect Scientology organization could be put together anywhere – and which has inspired many other organizations to do similarly.

Other Grand Openings:

• Church of Scientology of London
• Church of Scientology of Madrid
• Church of Scientology of New York
• Church of Scientology of San Francisco
• Church of Scientology of Johannesburg

Due to the recent popularity of Scientology in the Pacific Northwest, the Church of Scientology of Washington State, in Seattle, Washington, has purchased larger quarters overlooking Puget Sound.

The organization is dramatically larger than their current premises, so as to properly be able to service the Scientologists in the Seattle area. The Church of Scientology of Seattle is also responsible for many Scientology missions around the Pacific Northwest, from Bellingham, WA, all the way out to Kalispell in Montana.

Scientologists, spurred on by the recent opening of the new Church of Scientology of London by Mr. David Miscavige, are gearing up on renovations to get this Church completed by the beginning of 2007.

[note: this post has been updated with newer data and a newer photo - see this article on the Church of Scientology Seattle.

Ever since the Grand Opening of the Central Church of Scientology of South Africa in Johannesburg in 2003 (with Mr. David Miscavige as keynote speaker for the event), the Church there has been taking an ever-increasing role in terms of responsibility to the community as well as for expanding Scientology activities throughout the continent.

Of note recently:

31 March: The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Goodwill Tour, working in Maun, Botswana, work with government, civic and community leaders to make the technology of L. Ron Hubbard broadly available.

21 June: Drug-Free Marshals and East Wave FM teamed up and visited some of the primary school in Lenasia, South Africa. Their purpose was to provide a message about the life-ruining dangers of drugs and to hand out information fliers about the effects of drugs like dagga (cannabis), cocaine, mandrax (a synthetic drug that is highly addictive), alcohol, heroin and ecstasy.

I mentioned the Church of Scientology of New York once before, but due to the amount of work put into this particular building by Scientology volunteers, and people throughout the community, it bears some further detail that could be given.

After the new building was opened, in a large grand opening celebration with community leaders, dignitaries, as well as Keynote Speaker Mr. David Miscavige, the organization reached out into the community with well-known Stress Test tables – getting people information on the monumental L. Ron Hubbard text on the mind, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health.

After seeing the various displays on Scientology integrated into the new building, people have been bringing their friends in in droves to find out what Scientology is all about.

3,000-plus members of the Church of Scientology of London, as well as guests from around the community 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.

The new church is a short distance away from the Tate Gallery and St. Paul’s Cathedral, and 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.”

Recently opened in the Toronto metro area was the East Toronto Mission. Toronto has had a steadily expanding field of Scientologists in the area over the past several years, and is the center of Scientology activities in Canada. The Church of Scientology of Toronto, which is the center of this activity, is renovating its Yongue St. location, to better provide Scientology services to the many people in the area who are reaching for it. The Church of Scientology of Buffalo, only a hundred or so miles to the south, did a similar cycle of renovations in 2003. After their Grand Opening (with Mayor Anthony Masielo and Mr. David Miscavige Speaking), they over doubled their outreach efforts – an activity Toronto could use as well.

This Scientology mission in East Toronto recently held its grand opening, which was attended by civic leaders and dignitaries from the area, who welcomed the church and the programs it will bring to the area in terms of drug rehabilitation, education programs, and Scientology services.

Go to the Scientology East Toronto website for more information on how to contact them and get involved!

The Founding Church of Scientology of Washington D.C. was established on the 4th of July, 1955, and was the first Church of Scientology established by L. Ron Hubbard. It was in this church that Mr. Hubbard developed many of the administrative basics which comprise what Scientology organizations are today. The first publications organization was here in Washington D.C., as well as the first Hubbard Guidance Centre providing Scientology Auditing.

When you go through the Church, you’ll see items which bespeak Mr. Hubbard’s history in D.C. and the history of the Scientology Religion – exemplefied in the Office of L. Ron Hubbard which contains many of his original works, books, and artifacts.

This character was articulated in Mr. David Miscavige’s  speech  which he made at the Grand Opening of this church.

I had the opportunity to be a part of this, as I lived in D.C. for some time – taking Scientology services in this organization. It was a period of my life that always sticks out, as the staff of the Church of Scientology in D.C. are an extremely intense, extremely dedicated, but still very enthusiastic team. If you’re ever in DuPont Circle, ensure you visit!

References for this article:
- David Miscavige Official Resources
- David Miscavige Biography and Speeches

The Church of Scientology of London was one of the very first Churches of Scientology, first opening its doors in 1955 — mere months after the Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, D.C. However, with Scientology more popular than ever before in England, it’s come high time for Scientology in London to get larger quarters. The grand opening for the new Church of Scientology of London will be held on the 22nd of October, with thousands expected to attend.

Situated on Queen Victoria Street, the new Church is but a short walk from the world-famous Tate Gallery, Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge. Standing six stories tall, this building – the historic “D’Arcy House” – will have been fully renovated and restored from top to bottom, including the grand reception.

The grand opening of the new London church will follow this year’s anniversary celebration of the International Association of Scientologists, which will take place at L. Ron Hubbard’s Saint Hill Manor home in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England.

This Church Grand Opening follows other major Churches of Scientology being established around the world, including ones in New York, Johannesburg and San Francisco (see grand opening speeches by Mr. David Miscavige here) .