Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Scientology "experts" deceived by con man

German Radio came out with a new Scientology story today shedding some light behind the reliability of so called "former Scientologists". They had checked the background of a so called "Scientology Expert" and found him to be fraud with search warrants out against him in several countries. He "saved" himself into a psychiatric clinic, most likely to prevent extradition (or because his "leader" told him so. I guess it's awfully hard to give interviews under psychiatric medication).

Source (German) : Website of SWR Radio, 21 August 2007
Radio broadcast as MP3 (German), 21 August 2007

in english:

Scientology experts deceived by con man

According to SWR (German TV/Radio broadcast station) information, the supposedly high-ranking dropout of Scientology is a notorious con man. The man was presented to the media by sect experts as a longstanding member of Scientology with secret insider knowledge.

In June this year Christian Markert contacted German authorities in the USA. The 36 year old supposedly seven-year member of Scientology with secret insider knowledge was helped getting out of the organisation.

Shortly later Ursula Caberta (head of the Task Force Scientology, in Hamburg) presented the man in an event about Scn to the Berlin CDU faction. Before that the Hamburg ministry of interior had the man flown into Germany. ...

In jail for fraud

According to investigation by SWR the 36 year old man was noted many times as a con man; the supposed dropout was even sentenced several times for fraud. In the late 1990s he was in prison. The data about his life history are that much contradictory in itself that a longstanding membership and high-ranking duty in Scientology seem to be impossible. In an interview with SWR he said to have studied in the USA in the late 1990s when he became a Scientologist. He claims to have been rapidly appointed member of the inner circle of executives for his talents.
Finally he would had been sent to Ireland where he “more or less was head of the Dublin mission”. Meanwhile a speaker of the Irish police confirmed that Markert is currently wanted for theft in Ireland.

Markert gave interviews to “Focus”, ARD, ZDF and other media. The Baden-Wuerttemberg OPC, too, questioned him for several days and was convinced about the correctness of his data to a great extent. When confronted with SWR´s investigations the OPC meanwhile declared that Markert´s information “are considered with caution”.

Voluntarily into psychiatry

But Markert not only deceived sect experts and authorities but also artists. In 2004 he planned the a musical gala with two dozens of performers and rented 40 halls throughout Germany. One staff became suspicious when he showed off to have been on stage even with Glen Close and reported him to the criminal police for fraud which then stopped the whole tour. According to information of the staff’s attorneys he then went to Essen where he admitted himself to psychiatry, the staff said to SWR.

In a catalogue draft of the musical available to SWR, he called himself Chris Markert-Davis and claimed “to have performed as various leading characters in the musical productions of Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Les Miserables and The Beauty and the Beast. With the same photo as in the catalogue he praises himself as an counsellor for life and “doctor of psychology”. Since weeks Markert could not be reached for a comment.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Remember this face

Found this warning on www.religiousfreedomwatch.org and though you should know.
Andreas Heldal-Lund

Norwegian citizen Andreas Heldal-Lund is a key instigator of anti-religious hatred amongst extremists. He does not act purely as an individual, however. Heldal-Lund has links to established organizations that have a specific agenda to discredit religions and bring about their destruction.

Hope he didn't get a sunburn while hanging out harassing Scientologists.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Guys, shake those German idiots 'til they wake up!

Church of Scientology

According to Spiegel Online, certain German authorities would like to ban the Church Scientology in the country. Notwithstanding the fact that they have no evidence or legal justification for such a move, politicians are afraid that they just can’t get away with it.

The latest rash of insane rants was initiated by Ursula Caberta, a known human rights violator who works for the Hamburg Ministry of Interior. Several years ago, the state attorney investigated Caberta for almost two years on suspicion of corruption because she had accepted a “private loan” from a Church of Scientology opponent in the amount of 75,000 dollars. Caberta was able to get the proceedings dropped upon payment of a 7,500 euro fine.

Reading between the lines it is evident that the real reason that the concerned German officials are restrained from taking such a blatantly illegal action is their fear that it would be exposed as a major human rights violation and would give them another black eye to add to Germany’s long historical track of religious bigotry and intolerance, dating back to the days of the Holy Roman Empire.

Many people not familiar with Germany’s history ask the question why certain German politicians are so upset and downright crazy when it comes to the subject of Scientology.

I will attempt to answer this.

In Germany you have two main religious groups, the Catholic Church and the Protestants. Most Germans are born into either religion and over the centuries there has been no clear distinction between Church authority and government rule. Separation of Church and State is a new idea which has not fully taken hold in Germany as evidenced by the fact that the government still collects a Church tax from its citizens which it turns over to either the protestant or Catholic Churches. This amounts to billions of dollars into Church coffers every year.

Obviously the established churches will not bite the hand that feeds them and in fact in many cases, church officials hold government posts in Germany further bluring the line between government and religion.

As Scientology is new, has a purely religious purpose and accepts no tax money from the government, it is not beholden to any German political agenda. Not being under any government or politician’s thumb, there are individual German politicians and established church apologists who fear that if Scientology gained in influence and power it might force a morality on the government which any dishonest official would rather not have anything to do with.

The German government knows it cannot function without the allegience of its population and religious people tend to give their allegiance to God and the cause of good. Because the established churches in Germany are financially dependent on the government their allegiance is not only to God but to the state and the financial support that it represents.

The Church of Scientology is not controlled financially by any external entity and thus not under the direct control of the German government. It is free to point out immoral conduct of corrupt officials when it sees it. This frightens certain German politicians who fear the rise of a new spiritual force which could lead the population to resist decrees and exploitation. Dishonest and corrupt officials therefore try to depopularize, blacken the reputation of and harass any Scientologist and the Church itself. Thus you get religious persecution as it occurring in Germany today.

Source: Human Rights Alert

Scientology leader David Miscavige blasting Eli Lilly

I bet you have that too: Some boring afternoon you paddled through YouTube and got hooked on something totally new. In my case this was Scientology leader David Miscavige in an interview in ABC Nightline. I never understood why Scientology is attacked the way it is. I am not wondering now, these guys kicked butt galore, Eli Lilly and cohorts, you name it. Ok, here is the piece:


Wednesday, August 8, 2007

One of those strange people: Arnaldo Lerma & Scientology

I haven't asked but I assume the people from lermanet.org are ok if I hijack their "PSA":

Public Service Announcement

by www.lermanet.org

Arnaldo Pagliarini Lerma

Aliases: Arnie, Oxy-Boy

Date of Birth: unknown
Place of Birth: Washington, DC
Hair: brown-gray (frontal receding)
Eyes: brown (often bloodshot, shadowed)
Build: overweight, muscular atrophy
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 170 lbs (approx.)
Sex: male
Race: Caucasian
Complexion: medium
Nationality: US Citizen

Considered To Be a Weakling and a Coward

While Lerma appears to be physically threatening, he is actually a coward and a weakling. His degraded lifestyle and lack of real intelligence prohibit any ability to engage in constructive activities, and he eagerly participates in destructive activities.

Caution

Arnaldo Lerma is reclusive, rarely leaving his residence except to obtain food or supplies related to his antisocial activities. He spends most of his time on a computer managing his internet domain which he uses as a means of disseminating hate propaganda and soliciting funds for his anti-Semetic and neo-Nazi causes. Personal contact with Arnaldo Lerma should be avoided at all costs due to his history of antisocial behavior and mental instability.

If you have any information regarding this person's suspicious and/or criminal activities you are urged to anonymously contact Lermanet.org and call your local police department.