While the grand opening of the new Orange County Church of Scientology’s Santa Ana Ideal Org was well attended and very well orchestrated, there were a few detractors – including at least one disgruntled member of the local media.
The anti-Scientology protesters have their own website, here.
Josh Dulaney, a reporter at the OC Weekly, wrote that he was not invited to the grand opening of the Santa Ana ideal org, here, but the Churck of Scientology did contact many of us in the media today to see if we wanted to have a look at the new facility. I was tied up in Little League activities yesterday and a Cub Scout meeting today, but I have an open invitation to visit their building next weekend.
I am told that the Santa Ana ideal org has a lot of plans to reach out to the local community, including an upcoming Quinceañera fashion show.
The Church of Scientology did a great job remodeling their historic building in Downtown Santa Ana. So far they seem like a great addition to our Downtown.
I wonder if they know however that Don Cribb, the founder of the Santa Ana Artists Village, is now calling for a ban on all churches in our Downtown area?
R. U. Fing kidding me? Now the Scientologists are going to fall into the Quinceanera Trap? Don’t they know that is the Bermuda Triangle of Santa Ana? You can not be for or against the Quinceaneras!!!!! Losers.
Thank you Art for your fair and balanced look at this topic. Frankly, I find it very confusing. Seems to be a lot of controversy and yet the crowd attending seemed very professional. I looked at this web site:
http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?27298-Protest-of-Grand-Opening-of-Orange-County-Ideal-Org-Santa-Ana
but still can’t figure out why they didn’t want them to open a church in Santa Ana???
this post sucks. what is this the national enquirer? yuck
I think the protest was worth nothing but as you noted we didn’t give this story the type of coverage that the OC Weekly gave it.
I don’t think the protests were specifically about opening a location in Santa Ana, but more generally directed against the abuses that occur within and around the church.
For example
– disconnecting Scientologists from their family members by declaring people “Suppressive Persons”
– physical abuse of staff members (latest example: Debbie Cook, high ranking staff member)
– extortion of money from members (punishment of doubts against the organization, constant pressure to sign up for more courses that become gradually more and more expensive)
– forced abortions in the Sea Org
– spying on and harassing critics and former members with their own secret service (named the largest non-government secret service in the world)
The more research you do on the activities that go on inside and around of Scientology, the stranger it gets.
It definitely makes sense to read both sides and make up your own mind about it.
I can definitely recommend “Inside Scientology” by Janet Reitman. But Mark Headley’s “Blown for Good” is also very good as a first-hand account of what goes on in the organization’s location in Hemet California.
There is also a lot of information online – just google “Scientology” and you will find official information from the organization as well as the writings and reports of journalists and critics.
A very interesting recent expose about Scientology’s secret service was broadcast by Arte recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCX5-ty3C2c
It would make some sense for officials in the U.S. to be more concerned about this.