Vintage Scientology: CoS members in uniform congregate in this image from the St. Petersburg Times’ ongoing coverage of the controversial church.
The St. Petersburg Times has done some in-depth reporting about the Church of Scientology that hasn’t always cast the organization in the best light, let’s say. The Times’ top brass must’ve known what they were getting into in opening that particular Pandora’s box, though, as the CoS is not known for taking criticism lying down.
In this case, the church hired three seasoned—and in a couple cases, award-winning—journalists to investigate the paper right back. This strategy didn’t go over well at the Times, but the reporters involved say they used the same objective journalistic standards they’ve always used to do their job, according to The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz.
While the journalists have promised an independent review, the Times has refused to cooperate, saying their work will be used to fuel the church’s ongoing campaign against the Florida paper.
“I ultimately couldn’t take this request very seriously because it’s a study bought and paid for by the Church of Scientology,” says Executive Editor Neil Brown. “Candidly,” he adds, “I was surprised and disappointed that journalists who I understand to have an extensive background in investigative reporting would think it’s appropriate to ask me or our news organization to talk about that reporting while (a) it’s ongoing, and (b) while they’re being paid to ask these questions by the very subjects of our reporting.”
Steve Weinberg, the former IRE executive, who has taught at the University of Missouri’s journalism school for a quarter-century, says he was paid $5,000 to edit the study and “tried to make sure it’s a good piece of journalism criticism, just like I’ve written a gazillion times. . . . For me it’s kind of like editing a Columbia Journalism Review piece.”
[...] Weinberg acknowledges that the “unusual situation” gave him pause, saying: “It certainly wouldn’t be something just any reporter would do. My role was more limited, and I can certainly use the money these days.”
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By marvin, February 23, 2010 at 7:41 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Seriously, you ought to know something about Scientology before shooting your mouth off.
Sometimes general knowledge is valuable, but other times, specific knowledge is critical, as in, say, brain surgery (whether you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express or not). This is one of those times.
By Jim Yell, February 22, 2010 at 2:19 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I really have never understood how C of S, could be called a church or a religion. In a wonkey way it is a philosophy, but not much. It is just a scam in which the organization functions like a chain letter.
I have no problem with people believing, but I do have a problem with believers believing they are so right that they may protest even the questioning of their belief system with the goal of making it illegal for anyone to express doubt, even people who have never subscribed to their personal belief system.
It is clear the Constitution doesn’t intend for the government to be controlled by any particular religion or sect.
My personal feeling about C of S is that I once worked with a nice young lady who had a son and she, after many disappointments was looking for a new direction in her life. Unfortunately she chose C of S and abandoned her young son to her parents and began a study in Scientology that required large cash payments for each course she took. That isn’t a religion it is a business.
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By marvin, February 23, 2010 at 7:41 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The C of S got it’s tax exempt status after having private detectives and researchers look into the private lives of IRS officials. Then after a private meeting between David Miscavige, the church’s leader, and Fred T. Goldberg Jr., the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, the IRS came around. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/09/us/scientology-s-puzzling-journey-from-tax-rebel-to-tax-exempt.html?sec=&spon;=&pagewanted=all
Gee, what do you think took place? Blackmail in broad daylight.
Report thisBy hartwilliams, February 22, 2010 at 6:56 pm Link to this comment
Seriously, you ought to know something about Scientology before shooting your mouth off.
Sometimes general knowledge is valuable, but other times, specific knowledge is critical, as in, say, brain surgery (whether you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express or not). This is one of those times.
Here’s something that you might begin with:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/06/AR2005070601374_pf.html
Or this, if you’re into actual evidentiary documents:
http://www.lisafiles.com/
Or, start here: Google “Lisa McPherson.” Do your own research. See where it takes you.
And good luck sleeping nights after you’re through.
Report thisBy Jim Yell, February 22, 2010 at 2:19 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I really have never understood how C of S, could be called a church or a religion. In a wonkey way it is a philosophy, but not much. It is just a scam in which the organization functions like a chain letter.
I have no problem with people believing, but I do have a problem with believers believing they are so right that they may protest even the questioning of their belief system with the goal of making it illegal for anyone to express doubt, even people who have never subscribed to their personal belief system.
It is clear the Constitution doesn’t intend for the government to be controlled by any particular religion or sect.
My personal feeling about C of S is that I once worked with a nice young lady who had a son and she, after many disappointments was looking for a new direction in her life. Unfortunately she chose C of S and abandoned her young son to her parents and began a study in Scientology that required large cash payments for each course she took. That isn’t a religion it is a business.
Report this