Scientology front groups
The Church of Scientology uses front groups to promote its interests in politics and to make itself appear legitimate. Many of the groups are founded on pseudoscience, named disingenuously, and underplay their links to Scientology.
History
Following discovery of the Church's Operation Snow White, the FBI's July 7, 1977 raids on the Church's offices produced, among other documents, an undated memo entitled "PR General Categories of Data Needing Coding". This memo listed what it called "Secret PR Front Groups" which included the group Alliance for the Preservation of Religious Liberty (APRL), later renamed Americans Preserving Religious Liberty.[1]
In 1991, Time investigative reporting identified several other fronts for Scientology, including the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), The Way to Happiness Foundation, Applied Scholastics, the Concerned Businessmen's Association of America and HealthMed.[2] The article The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power resulted in years of litigation.
The Cult Awareness Network (CAN) was an organization that provided information on cults, as well as support and referrals to deprogrammers. The organisation was founded in 1978 and was eventually overpowered by the Church of Scientology in a series of lawsuits.[3][4][5] In its place, the Church of Scientology created the organisation called the New Cult Awareness Network.
In 1998, the Boston Herald identified Narconon and the World Literacy Crusade as front groups for Scientology.[6] Other Scientology groups include Downtown Medical, Criminon and the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE).
Other organisations with links to the Church of Scientology include EarthLink and Striker Systems.
Known Scientology front groups
| Group | Founded |
|---|---|
| Akademie für Management und Kommunikation | |
| ALERT International Inc. | 1986 |
| Applied Scholastics | 1972 |
| Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) | 1988 |
| Author Services, Inc. | |
| Bigotwatch | |
| Bridge Publications | 1981 |
| Citizens for an Alternative Tax System | 1990 |
| Citizens Commission on Human Rights | 1969 |
| Computer Ethics Institute (CEI) | |
| Concerned Businessmen's Association of America (CBAA) | 1983 |
| Criminon | 2000 |
| Downtown Medical | |
| Education Alive | |
| Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE) | 1981 |
| International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance | 1997 |
| HealthMed | |
| Hollander Consultants | 1983 |
| Hubbard College of Administration | |
| International Academy of Detoxification Specialists | 2001 |
| International Executive Technology Inc. | |
| Irons Marcus & Valko Services | |
| Lead the way to a Drug Free USA | |
| Mace-Kingsley Ranch School | 1987 |
| Mojave Academy | |
| Narcodex | 2006 |
| Narconon | 1966 |
| National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) | |
| New Cult Awareness Network | 1996 |
| New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project | 2003 |
| Pur Detox and Recovery | |
| Religious Freedom Watch | |
| Second Chance Program | 1995 |
| Set A Good Example (SAGE) | |
| Sterling Management | |
| Stop Torture of Mental Patients (STOMP) | |
| The International Hubbard Ecclesiastical League of Pastors (IHELP) | |
| The Way to Happiness Foundation | 1984 |
| U-Man Belgium | |
| World Literacy Crusade | 1992 |
References
- Kent, Stephen A.; Krebs, Theresa (1988). "When Scholars Know Sin: Alternative Religions and Their Academic Supporters". Skeptic. 6 (3): 36–44. Retrieved 2006-06-06.
- Behar, Richard (1991-05-06). "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power". Time. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
- Knapp, Dan (1996-12-19). "Group that once criticized Scientologists now owned by one". CNN. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
- Kent, Stephen A. (January 2001). "The French and German versus American Debate over 'New Religions', Scientology, and Human Rights". Marburg Journal of Religion. 6 (1). Retrieved 2007-05-07.
- Russell, Ron (1999-09-09). "Scientology's Revenge - For years, the Cult Awareness Network was the Church of Scientology's biggest enemy. But the late L. Ron Hubbard's L.A.-based religion cured that -- by taking it over". New Times LA. Retrieved 2011-10-21.
- Mallia, Joseph (1998-03-03). "INSIDE THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY; Scientology reaches into schools through Narconon". Boston Herald.