I just got this story in my e-mail from the Scientology International Library Campaign.  It’s from someone who has been working to get Scientology & Dianetics books into all of the libraries of Earth:

Several days ago I picked up a scribbled handwritten message from our Receptionist. This message mentioned that a person wanted to buy a book from our company. On the note was a long phone number — and from a glance at it, it was not from the U.S.

I sat down and called the number and it sounded like I was calling some number in a VERY far away land. A person picked up the phone and did not say anything. I heard a language I did not recognize in the background – one I had never heard before. Then suddenly a strong “hello” came across the line.

Library in Kurdish Iraq

I told him who I was and where I was calling from. He replied in broken English that he wanted to buy one of our paperback books. He and his wife had saved up enough funds for the past 3 weeks to come up with $15. Mysteriously he mentioned to me that he had read “The Secret Book”. Politely I asked him if it was a Dianetics book or a Scientology book. He replied that it was the first book I had mentioned. He continued to say that it completely changed his life and he wanted to tell his family and friends about it. In a roundabout fashion, he told me he had “gotten it from some friends”. He told me that he was in Iraq and that he was Kurdish.

I found out that he is a professor in a University in Sulaimanyah and wants to teach Dianetics and Scientology to his students.

I asked him, “Would it be okay with you if I sent you donations of the 18 hardcover books for your University library?” He had a 15 second comm lag and replied, “Are you fooling me?” To this I replied “No, I am not. I will send you donations if it is safe for you to have them.”

Once again he comm lagged for another 15 seconds and then said “If you did this, you would make me the happiest man on Earth!”

Weeks later I received a reply from Brwa Qadir Saeed (the name of the public) and his reply is as follows:

Studying the Scientology & Dianetics Basics in a Library in Kurdish Iraq

“Thank you very much for your assistance and I will be in very high spirits if I could help you with anything please. Your help is the best thing which has happened to my life and thank you again, and I don’t know what I could say to give my appreciation for your help. Thank you very much again, and I will let you know if I need anything.”

This is the very first reach for Dianetics and Scientology we have ever received from this area of the world — Northeast Iraq.

Buenos Aires

Reading up on the blog from the President of the Church of Scientology of Madrid, Spain — I just found out that the Church of Scientology just got religious recognition in Argentina!

A resolution from the Director General National Register of Worship of Argentina, and in accordance with Article 14 of the Constitution of this country (which establishes the right of every person to practice freely their religion), the President of the Church of Scientology of Argentina was notified last Thursday December 11 of this that Scientology “has demonstrated its religious character” and that is why the Secretary of Worship resolves “Enroll in the National Register of Religions under No. 4006 at the Church of Scientology of Argentina.

This makes something on the order of 50+ countries which now recognize Scientology as a religion, something I take for granted here in the states as a matter of fact.  Constantly have to be reminded, though, that not all countries have such an emphasis on religious freedom as the USA.

If you speak Spanish, you can read the President of the Church of Scientology Madrid’s blog post on the announcement.    But I think it’s fantastic news for all of the Argentine Scientologists (several of whom I’m very good friends with).

Links:

See the Official Release by the Government of Argentina
Churches of Scientology in South America
Scientology Buenos Aires Official Site

No, I don’t speak German.  But approximately 100 million people around the world do, and is high time that they could find out about Scientology by browsing their on-line Scientology Materials Guide Chart, and getting their first book in Scientology to answer the burning question that’s all over the media — i.e., “Was ist Scientology?“

Die neue Buchhandlung der Scientology Kirche von Berlin!

There has been an immense amount of public reach and interest on Scientology ever since the new Church of Scientology of Berlin opened its doors in January 2007.     The Church itself ended up expanding by a factor of over 5 times, in terms of staffing, to handle the inflow of public wanting to get involved in Scientology.

But as impressive as the new Church is in Berlin, the best wasy to find out what Scientology is and how it can help, is through the pages of a book.  That way, you’re not dealing with anyone’s interpretation of the religion, but you are instead allowed to just sit on your own and formulate your own thoughts and conclusions about it.

ダイアネティックス in Tokyo!

As stress is such a big subject in the frenetic life of the average Japanese businessperson, it’s no wonder that Dianetics (ダイアネティックス) continues to be a top best-seller across Japan.  It’s also no wonder that our Scientology Church in Tokyo is among the biggest in the world,  and growing by the minute.

Contact Bridge Publications or New Era Publications if you are interested in this campaign, and they can send you a full-size version of this map.

No matter where one is on the planet, everyone deserves to be able to find out for themselves about what Dianetics and Scientology are, for real — and nowhere is that better done than via the pages of a book.

L. Ron Hubbard said, regarding this:

“The first principle of my own philosophy is that wisdom is meant for anyone who wishes to reach for it. It is the servant of the commoner and king alike and should never be regarded with awe.”  -L. Ron Hubbard

As such, Bridge Publications and New Era Publications (publishers of the works of L. Ron Hubbard) have been running a massive International Library Campaign, with the aim to immediately get a full set of L. Ron Hubbard’s Basics books into every single library on earth.

The set of books being donated to every library is all 18 books of the Basics — the full chronology of the development of Dianetics and Scientology.   Read more about the Basics here.

Due to generous donations from individuals around the world, Scientology books can now be found right in the local libraries of communities everywhere.  Many countries are already completed, such as Poland, most of North Africa, the Ukraine, most of the middle east and Southeast Asia.

Since the first sets of books began shipping out to libraries last year from our International Library Campaign, requests for more LRH books in all languages have been flooding in to us.

Some libraries want multiple languages so all their public can benefit. Others want multiple sets in existing languages due to pure demand for Scientology in their areas.

An example of this is the following feedback that was received from a library in Sierra Leone:

Scientology books are eagerly being checked out by library patrons of Sierra Leone, Ghana, and other West African Countries.

“These latest editions are the first we have received of L. Ron Hubbard’s works and will be earnestly added to our collection and will be monitored for evaluation. Scientology is a relatively new subject capable of arousing library patrons and public interest. More donations will be necessary to boost our collection of the subject.”

—B.K., Librarian, Sierra Leone Library Board, Rokel

YOU CAN HELP!

Right now there are only 12 libraries left to complete all of the Libraries in Ghana – a country with a good people and a wealth of natural resources, who yet live through some of the most horrific human rights abuses ever seen.  They need the technology of life as contained in Dianetics and Scientology books, and you can help bring this to them.

Donations from generous individuals is the way to get these books into the hands of the millions that need them.  Contact the International Library Campaign for more information, or you can make a donation here.

"The gift that you personally can give has the potential of changing this whole civilization in every land." - L. Ron Hubbard

The Golden Age of Knowledge marked a turning point in Scientology history.

Since the release of L. Ron Hubbard’s Basics Books and Lectures, the world of Scientology has changed forever. Scientologists the world over are achieving full conceptual understanding of the truths about the mind, spirit and life—the very foundation of Scientology.

Equally significant are the Congresses—LRH events and his announcements of the technical breakthroughs that formed the next milestones in building The Bridge for
all to travel.

NEW EASY-TO-USE SEARCH FEATURE: A new easy-to-use search feature on the site makes it easy to find titles and subjects you're looking for.

In celebration of the Golden Age of Knowledge for Eternity, this year’s catalog includes special holiday packages, so you can bring the gift of Source to yourself, your family, friends and associates. Within these pages are materials you need for your journey on the road to truth. From the spectacular editions of the Beginning Books and Audiobooks through The Basics and Congresses, these LRH truths have inspired, enlightened and changed the lives of millions.

This holiday season, give yourself and those you care about the gift of Source, a gift that will last through eternity.

FREE GIFTS & HOLIDAY SPECIALS: To make it possible for anyone to take advantage of the Golden Age of Knowledge Basics, Beginning Books or LRH Congresses, incredible Holiday Specials are being offered. Have a look!

Free Scientology Materials Guide Chart: Your Guide to the materials, now available on-line, or get a poster-size chart free.

IN AS MANY AS 50 LANGUAGES: Great gift ideas abound in the new site, with the Introduction to Scientology on DVD available in 50 languages, and all of the Classics lectures available on-line for the first time ever.

AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA:

The following Scientology Organizations have bookstores you can browse in their local languages, so as to get started in Scientology with basic materials, or to find out more in your local area:

Publications Houses & International Organizations:

Bridge Publications – Western Hemisphere, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, Japan & Taiwan

New Era Publications – Europe, United Kingdom and North Africa

Scientology Celebrity Centre International Bookstore

Central Scientology Organization Bookstores:

• Founding Church of Scientology, Washington, D.C.
• Scientology Boston, MA
• Scientology New York, NY
• Scientology Chicago, IL
• Scientology Atlanta, GA
• Scientology St. Louis, MO
• Scientology Kansas City, MO
• Scientology Mountain View, CA
• Scientology Orange County, CA
• Scientology Seattle, WA

Francophone (Français)

• Scientologie Quebec – Canada (Français)
• Scientologie Montreal – Canada (Français)

Ultimate Collection

Japanese (日本語)

• Scientology Tokyo (日本語)

Scientology in Dublin, Ireland -- where L. Ron Hubbard originally developed the Personnel Efficiency Course, so as to improve the prosperity and worth of the working individual.

As a part of Blog Action Day, I found it fit to mention our Church of Scientology in Dublin, Ireland.   As the theme of this Blog Action day is poverty, it’s only fitting to bring up the location where L. Ron Hubbard developed and delivered the Personnel Efficiency course — a course designed to take the average working man or woman, and immediately increase their ability to communicate and be effective in their work place or their home.

Based around many of the simplicities you find in the Scientology beginning book, The Problems of Work: Scientology Applied to the Workaday World, this course made use of testing and simple basics of communication, confusion and the stable datum, and the tone scale to raise anyone’s effectiveness and happiness in their daily work.

The Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin continues this tradition, offering all of the basic services of Scientology to the people of Dublin.  Get directions to Scientology Churches in Ireland here.

I bring this up as part of the Blog Action Day theme, as whilst the answer to poverty does in some cases involve the bringing of aid and donation of money and goods to those in need, it is many times more effective in the long run to increse the effectiveness, productivity and purpose of the individual himself — as that then opens the door to a long-term handling of poverty.  Learning to organize, to educate, and to find something useful for his fellow man to do and to get them to it — this in itself is a much more real and lasting solution to poverty.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers of West Bengal, India provided seminars to some of the Santhal tribes in the neighboring state of Bihar.

So, it’s this technology that I would most rather see applied to be able to overcome the troubles that affect poverty-stricken nations.  In many cases a full solution to their problems will start with a number of people getting themselves trained up on technology like you see being made available for free at the Scientology Volunteer Ministers On-Line Training center, where one can learn to be more effective, efficient, and a faster learner, and at no cost at all.

But the bottom line, is that springing from our center in Dublin is a technology that — if applied — can result in solutions to poverty for anyone.

The Church of Scientology of Port Elizabeth has completed the purchase of one of the city’s historic landmarks—the United Building on the corner of St Mary’s Terrace and Govan Mbeki Avenue. It will contribute to the area not only by way of the planned restoration and renovation project but also through increased community activities that will now be possible.

The United Building on the corner of St Mary’s Terrace and Govan Mbeki Avenue in Port Elizabeth will be the new regional headquarters for the Scientology religion.

The building will be the regional headquarters for the religion.

This announcement comes on the heals of a recent milestone for Scientology in South Africa: the Commissioner of Revenue recognized the church as a public benefit organization and granted it tax-exemption.

The church has also recently acquired new property in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town.

Artist’s renderings of the exterior of the building, once renovations are completed.

“We see our investment in Nelson Mandela Bay as a contribution to the uplifting of the area,” said Paul Sondergaard, public affairs director for the religion in South Africa. Sondergaard went on to say that the Church will restore the property to its former glory to add to the heritage of Port Elizabeth. He emphasized that the new building will make it possible to greatly expand the church’s anti-drug and human rights campaigns and provide more assistance to the region through its Scientology Volunteer Ministers—an international help and disaster relief program with a membership of over 100,000 worldwide.

“L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Scientology religion, once wrote, ‘From Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization,’” said Sondergaard, “The Church of Scientology of Port Elizabeth is working with other committed members of our community to bring this about.”

Kyalami Castle now belongs to the Church of Scientology.

“For all African Scientologists, this is a dream finally come true,” said Paul Sondergaard, national Director of the Public Affairs Office. “It means a lot to the future expansion of the Church in Africa.”

The 64,000 square foot castle on 22 acres of land will be providing religious services to people from throughout the Continent. It is the latest acquisition in a long series of 66 buildings the Church has purchased internationally over the past 5 years to accommodate the Church’s expansion.

“But the Kyalami Castle is the best yet,” says Sondergaard, “and a fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Church in Southern Africa.”

Other buildings have been purchased in South Africa over the past year including for the the seven-story St. Georges Center in the heart of Cape Town City for the Church of Scientology of Cape Town, buildings in Morningside for the Church of Scientology of Durban, a new home for the Church of Scientology of Pretoria on Church Street in that city, and a stunning building on the recently renovated Goven Mbeki Avenue for the Church of Scientology of Port Elizabeth. In Johannesburg, the Church has become a prominent feature in the Kensington, Bedforview area, having taken over the old Kensington Golf Club house, which it subsequently expanded and fully renovated.

For those who have questions about the Church, a new video channel has been launched on its official website (www.Scientology.org). The Scientology Video Channel provides a comprehensive overview of the basic beliefs and practices of the religion while answering the question “What is Scientology?” and provides information on the many humanitarian programs sponsored by the Church—programs addressing drug abuse, illiteracy, human rights and disaster relief.

L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion, once wrote: “From Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet….” and African Scientologists feel the acquisition of this new Advanced Organization is a significant step in the accomplishment of this dream.

The Church of Scientology was first established in the United States in 1954, and the first African Church opened in Johannesburg in 1957.

[cited from ScientologyToday]

Observing Los Angeles

Originally uploaded by jetteroheller

Looking down over the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles and Bridge Publications, toward downtown Los Angeles. Taken from Griffith Observatory.

The sky in L.A. has reverted to much of its pre-bushfires smog, as opposed to the thick, smoky haze that had been sitting over the whole city when the fires were at their worst.

Our Scientology Volunteer Ministers were incredibly active with the firefighters on this, as usual, with just about every VM in the San Diego / Los Angeles area participating.

Looking down at the Church of Scientology International Building – zoomed in

Originally uploaded by jetteroheller

The Church of Scientology International, mother church for the Scientology Religion, purchased the Hollywood Guaranty Building in 1988. The building was then restored to its original 1920’s look, and remains an historic landmark of Hollywood.

Housed in the Church of Scientology International building are the key ecclesiastical management bodies of the Church, including Scientology Missions International, which supports Scientology missions in all parts of the world, and the International Scientology Volunteer Minister corps, which provides disaster response actions throughout the world and training for anyone in any group.

The Church of Scientology, Mission of Wichita, Kansas

Originally uploaded by jetteroheller

I did a drive-by of the Church of Scientology, mission of Wichita, Kansas when I was in Wichita for other business. Beautiful place! I got a tour when I went there, and they had big plans for handling the illiteracy problem in Wichita.

Founding Church of Scientology, Washington D.C., on a Snowy Day

Originally uploaded by jetteroheller

The Founding Church of Scientology in Washington D.C., opened up by Mr. David Miscavige in 1995.

On this particular day, DC had only gotten around 5 inches of snow. However, as I think there’s only 2 snowplows in the entire DC-Baltimore metropolitan area, it was enough snow to shut just about everything down to the point where not even Starbucks was open!

Founding Church of Scientology Washington, D.C.

Originally uploaded by tallylibrarian

Here’s a nice photo of the sign of the Founding Church of Scientology in Washignton, D.C. — originally opened in 1954, but re-opened in its present premises by Mr. David Miscavige in 1995.

Town accepts role as Scientology’s mecca – CNN.com

The Church of Scientology in Clearwater, FL was just featured on the CNN home page today, with a great photo of the new building going up in downtown Clearwater.  The Tampa-Clearwater area is now one of the larger concentrations of Scientologists in the world, with the thriving Church of Scientology of Tampa, St. Petersburg Scientology Life Improvement Center, and Plant City Scientology Life Improvement Center. 

Clearwater is also the location where Mr. David Miscavige delivered his historic speech on the release of the Scientology Basics.

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Tags: scientology, clearwater, mecca, david miscavige, tampa

Scientology’s headquarters in Spain

Originally uploaded by John A. Debay

This is an interesting shot I saw of the Church of Scientology in Madrid, Spain. Usually I see these looking like the one on the Spain Scientology site, not like this one here – an entirely different angle.

This is the church that had it’s opening done by Mr. Tom Cruise, as well as Mr. David Miscavige – with much fanfare and excitement, resulting in that church later growing massively and reaching what’s known as “Saint Hill Size“.

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

Parishioners and staff have been working hand in hand to create the new Church of Scientology of Quebec .  The new church building is in old town in the center of town, with two faces – one on the traditional old town, walking street side, and the other on a more contemporary city street. 

• Scientology in Canada
• Scientology Quebec
• Ideal Scientology Orgs
• This is Scientology – by Mr. David Miscavige

technorati tags:scientology, quebec, canada, ideal, org

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Yet another one from the parade of stunning new Churches of Scientology being constructed around the world, is this one in Sunderland, England.  The Scientology Church in Sunderland, which is now relocating to nearby Newcastle, is expanding is community responsibilities and its size and scope is increasing commensurately. 

With the Church of Scientology London recently being built up as an Ideal Church of Scientology for the UK, other Scientology Churches around the UK are following suit.   Sunderland in particular, as per an answers.com article on such, was once famously hailed as the “Greatest Shipbuilding Town in the World”^[40] , ships were built on the Wear from at least 1346 onwards and by the mid-eighteenth century
Sunderland was one of the chief ship-building towns in the country.

However, the city definitely needs a pick-up and an infusion of administrative technology, as the heavy industry has not kept pace with population, and unemployment has garnered the city with the distinction of being the most “deprived city in northern England”.  This is something any Church of Scientology is well-equipped to handle, and with administrative know-how and management by statistics, as well as the simple Scientology lessons of Communication, this city can turn right around.

technorati tags:scientology, england, sunderland, ideal, org

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An absolutely stunning new Church of Scientology is soon to grace Valencia, Venezuela, where the largest Scientology Church in South America has been experiencing such continuous expansion that they need a new space.

The Valencia Church was proclaimed in 2004 as having achieved what’s known as “Saint Hill Size”, which is where a Scientology church reaches the size and scope of influence of the Scientology Church in England where founder L. Ron Hubbard directly managed the organization in the mid-1960’s.

This distinction was explained in importance by the Mayor of Buffalo, when an Ideal Church of Scientology opened in his city – a grand opening also attended by Scientology leader, Mr. David Miscavige.

Through dedicated work with the community, including groundbreaking campaigns with The Way to Happiness to quell local violence, the Church in Venezuela has more than deserved a new building and will shortly have even that filled to capacity.

References:

• Church of Scientology of Buffalo
• Mayor Anthony Masiello’s speech at the Buffalo Grand Opening, explaining “Saint Hill Size”
  
• Buffalo’s Grand Opening Spech by Mr. David Miscavige
• Ideal Scientology Org Photos
  

technorati tags:scientology, church, saint, hill size, david miscavige, valencia, venezuela

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