Tom Cruise is many things to many people but one thing he really exemplifies is being a Scientologist.

In October 2004 Tom Cruise was awarded the International Association of Scientologists Freedom Medal of Valor the first time this Scientology award has ever been given.  And with all he's done to make Scientology solutions and technology available to people he has certainly earned this honor.  Here are articles where he has expressed his views on the Church:

                                                           

Tom Cruise: Scientology Helped Me  Tom talks about using Study Technology, developed by     L. Ron Hubbard, to overcome a "learning disorder" he was diagnosed as having as a child. 

The past few years have seen a greater expansion of Scientology than any time in its history.

All new religions have been met with some opposition.  Remember the early days of Christians in Rome?

But the late 20th and early 21st Centuries have presented a problem other new religions have not had to face (and advantages as well, certainly). 

Because Scientology is no "the same as" other religions, it is sometimes not so easy to understand what it is.  And because Scientology applied religious philosophy deals with all aspects of life it is sometimes hard to convey what it is and what it does.



There is a DVD I highly recommend, called "This is Scientology".  This is a speach by Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center, Mr. David Miscavige.  This doesn't just "explain" Scientology, it gives you concrete examples of what we are doing right now to create a better life.

These are tools every family and community needs, no matter their religion.

You can get a copy of this DVD from Bridge Publications or New Era Publications  or by stopping in at the nearest Church of Scientology

I am throwing my blog open to my friends who are on the ground in Thailand, helping in the aftermath of the tsunami.

I have invited them to blog and share what they are running into and how they are helping.

These friends are all Scientology Volunteer Ministers, and I now their help is incredibly valuable, from what I've read about it at the Scientology Volunteer Minister web site.

So, my friends, here's to you.

Thank you so much for being there and doing what you are doing.

I wish I could join you, but I will help from here in any way I can.

TOM CRUISE FROM THE HEART:


“In Scientology I have found several tools that I can apply to my daily life and they have allowed me to help myself and to help others to better the conditions of my life and of society. Honestly I can tell you that I wouldn’t be here today as an artist, as a father and as a human being if it were not for Scientology.

“It has given me a larger comprehension of the world that we live in and of the spiritual being that I am.” 


                                           

                           Tom Cruise Scientology Madrid Church Opening  
                                             also covered by Beliefnet

L. Ron Hubbard's legacy is the help he provides today for people in all walks of life.  No where is this more apparent than in the humanitarian applications of his work in handling drug abuse, illiteracy, crime and immorality. 

David Miscavige, Chairman of Religious Technology Center, describes these as the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and that is a perfectly apt description. 

 

Our modern world is so polarized.  More billionaires in the US than ever before in history, almost all the material wealth of this planet invested in a small proportion of its inhabitants, while people are starving to death in Sudan, the chocolate plantations of the Cote D'Ivoire is dependant on child slaves stolen or purchased from neighboring African countries, and illiteracy cutting the 3rd world populations off from the technological benefits that could "equalize" and integrate these cultures with the West.

And no technology of study to help raise these 3rd world countries into their rightful place in the community of man. 

Until L. Ron Hubbard's discoveries and the technology of study he developed.

Known as "Study Tech" or "Study Technology" this tech is so simple a 1st grader can learn it easilty, and it is so effective it can restore a burnt out graduate student to a love of his or her subject, can raise test scores throughout an entire school system, and can help anyone of any age learn whatever they want to learn.

Sounds impossible until you look into it.  Then you wonder why no one else ever discovered it before!  That's the way with many of L. Ron Hubbard's discoveries.  They are so simple, so basic, that they are easy to learn but are incredibly powerful.

  

APPLIED SCHOLASTICS

Applied Scholastics is a non-profit organization  that trains teachers, tutors, parents and mentors in Study Tech.  Applied Scholastics is located in St. Louis on a beautiful campus, fully equiped to do this training.  Applied Scholastics also licenses and supervises schools, literacy programs, mentoring groups etc. that use L. Ron Hubbard Study Technology.  They are the experts in this field. 

 

 

Well, New York is a pretty swinging city with a lot going on all the time.

News is that the new Church of Scientology premises will be officially opened in the very near future.  From all accounts this is a pretty amazing building and well worth taking a look at.

I don' t know if I'll be in the area for the grand opening but it would be great if I can.


Another fun place with a new building soon to open is Madrid, Spain.  I have a picture here of the beautiful new building.

               It is interesting to note how many different religions there are, it must be quite confusing for people.  One fun thing that beliefnet.com has is a Belief-O-Matic quiz.  Now, I think it depends who worked out the questions, but the results can be interesting too.  When you get your results you are given a link to the religions that your answers relate to.  Some people talk about it on their blogs:

           I am a Pariah

       Davblog

       Andyandlizette

       Robson Ryan's Rants

       The Vengeful Cynic
   

      So thought I'd show you how it goes.  
      Here are some examples of the pages that Beliefnet offer: 

Freedom Magazine is produced by the various Churches of Scientology around the world, including the Church of Scientology International.

                                                               

Along with many other concerned non-profit organizations, the Church of Scientology International works intently on solving the problem of drugs that destroys lives, families and societies.

As with any organization, there is a membership organization that the Churches of Scientology support.

There are different levels of support and participation, more information is here Membership in the Association

Also, anyone who is in agreement with the Aims of Scientology, even if he does not attend a Church of Scientology or participate in its religious services may, support the Association.  

There is more information on this new web site about the International Association of Scientologists

Again, it lists out the statuses and goes more in to the details of the purpose of the Association.