http://www.randi.org/jr/082605charles.html#16
SCIENTOLOGY GETS TAX FUNDS
Back a month ago, the media noted that our administration has chosen to
sup****t a dangerous and
vindictive "religion," L. Ron Hubbard's "Scientology" farce. Margarita
Lopez, a Manhattan, New York,
council member successfully lobbied for $630,000 in funding of a
controversial Scientology "medical
treatment" for rescue workers who worked on the 9/11 disaster, and then
received nearly $100,000 in
her political campaign account from Hubbard followers.
The "New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project," which based its
"therapy" on Hubbard's book,
"Clear Body, Clear Mind," called for the rescue workers to abandon
traditional medical treatment in
favor of large amounts of niacin, long sauna baths and exercise. Hubbard
was against all
pharmaceuticals and preached "natural" modes of treatment. Of further
interest to us is the fact
that the "Project" was co-founded by Scientologist Tom Cruise. Questioned
about the wisdom of
Hubbard's system, Lopez asked, "This is a program that should be funded.
Who are the stupid people
who are criticizing it?" Well, Ms. Lopez, just about everyone who doesn't
believe that intergalactic
alien octopi were here billions of years ago imprisoning criminal souls in
volcanoes.
Not to our astonishment, the "Project" also has sup****ters in Congress.
Senator Chuck Schumer and
Representative Charles Rangel have both come out in favor of it and
Representatives Vito Fossella
and Carolyn McCarthy have requested $1.5 million in federal funds for the
New York programs. But,
after all, Scientology is a religion, and offers "faith-based" reasons for
acceptance, so it must be
okay with the White House, right?
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