Letters to the Buffalo News Regarding Scientology


The Buffalo News
2/6/2005

SCIENTOLOGY DOES HELP WITH LIFE'S PROBLEMS

I'm writing to you because I'm appalled that The News would put a family that has been through so much through an attack on their religion. I was a practicing Christian for 36 years before I came into Scientology. I still consider myself a Christian in my belief and behavior and know a fellow Christian when I meet one by their "Christ-like" behavior. However, it wasn't until after years of searching for the answers to life's problems that I found all the answers in the Scriptures of Scientology. That was 18 years ago and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It gives me the tools I need to handle life's problems.

Kathy Dunford
Lancaster
[The author is a Scientologist affiliated with the Church of Scientology of Buffalo.]


SCIENTOLOGY HELPED SAVE A BROTHER FROM DYING

Let me offer another insight into the effect that the Church of Scientology has on families. Without it, my brother would be dead or in prison. His drug addiction was out of control, he looked like a homeless vagrant, and I literally walked right past him on the street without knowing who he was. The Church's drug detox program ended this agonizing existence and gave him a life without drugs. And it gave a family back their son and brother as a whole person instead of an inmate or a corpse.

I will always be grateful for that.

Greer Parrish
Buffalo
[The author is a Scientologist affiliated with the Church of Scientology of Buffalo.]


2/8/2005

SCIENTOLOGY HAS HELPED COUNTLESS WORLD CITIZENS

I am writing in response to the Jan. 30 News article on Scientology. I have been a Scientologist for the last 10 years. In that time I have had some truly religious experiences. I feel younger and happier. I can help other people so I'm not worried about myself at all anymore. I have seen other people receive revelations about their own lives. I have used Scientology to help children read and businessmen prosper. The spiritual betterment possible through Scientology could not be believed by anyone who hasn't personally experienced it.

But the decency and care that Scientologists have for their fellow man should be obvious under only casual observation. In Buffalo, The Church of Scientology has pushed for keeping kids off drugs with drug free marshals, cleaning up the streets with Take Pride in Main Street and expanding Buffalo's ethical business community with the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises. Internationally, the volunteer minister program has cared for disaster victims from the World Trade Center attacks to the recent tsunami.

I am outraged that The News would state lies and misleading statements attacking my religion.

Charles Abramo
Buffalo
[The author is a Scientologist affiliated with the Church of Scientology of Buffalo.]


2/9/2005

NEWS ARTICLES UNFAIRLY MISLABELED SCIENTOLOGY

A few years' ago I saw David Copperfield disappear from one side of the Great Wall of China and reappear on the other side - giving many to believe that this magician must have the Star Trek touch.

I've been a Scientologist for over 40 years. I actually studied under and worked with L. Ron Hubbard at his home in England. I have complete understanding of what Scientology can do, what it can't do, and what it does do. The News' articles on Scientology is like David Copperfield's trick - an attempt to get people to believe the impossible. It is well documented that psychiatry does great harm. The only Nobel Prize to be rescinded was given to a psychiatrist. He invented the prefrontal lobotomy.

Scientology is expanding worldwide because it is workable and it helps people.

Pat Scrufari
Niagara Falls

[The writer's claim is false. No Nobel prize has ever been rescinded. Here is the 1949 award for Physiology or Medicine..]


2/12/2005

SCIENTOLOGY MISUSES THE SYMBOL OF A CROSS

As a born and raised Catholic, I am curious as to why the "Church" of Scientology would use the symbol of a cross on the front of its building, when, in fact, it is not a Christian-affiliated religion. Isn't that a little misleading?

Nancy C. Kelchlin
Buffalo


2/13/2005

SCIENTOLOGY ARTICLES PROVED ENLIGHTENING

I want to commend you for running News staff reporter Mark Sommer's expose of Scientology. Alerting your audience to the harm this group can do is urgently important.

I became involved with the Cult Awareness Network some years ago in researching an idea for a film and found them to be industrious, honest, credible people trying to help others. They were scrupulous, fair and, I think, quite courageous in taking on some of the more insidious elements in our society. Their battle with and eventual loss of everything to Scientology was a painful thing to watch. As a result of my involvement with the Cult Awareness Network, I became a bit of a target for some of Scientology's nastiness, though nothing as severe as many have experienced. They are indeed a vindictive bunch.

The point of this message, other than to thank you for encouraging this kind of meaningful journalism, is to commend you and Sommer for his courage and urge The News to take quite seriously the warnings about the potential for ugly repercussions that I'm sure you've already heard.

Mike Farrell
Los Angeles


SCIENTOLOGY ARTICLES WERE WORTH READING

I appreciated the well-written articles by News staff reporter Mark Sommer about Scientology. I am glad to notice that The News is doing more high-quality investigative reporting than in the past. There is no better way for a newspaper to serve a community.

Gordon Schorr
Snyder


2/15/2005

SERIES REVEALED TRUTH ABOUT SCIENTOLOGY

Congratulations to The News on its objective series on Scientology. Your fortitude and courage to tell it like it is was most admirable. It was interesting to see that all the smiling politicians who extolled the virtues of Scientology had no idea what they were promoting. Isn't that encouraging?

It's amazing to me that a religion founded by a science-fiction writer can claim 150,000 to 200,000 members. I read "Dianetics" years ago and found it laughable, as I thought most people would. But then again, most people thought the Rev. Jim Jones was a joke too. Scientology is referred to as a church, and a religion. It is neither. It's a cult.

Thomas J. Walsh Sr.
Williamsville

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