Scientology Vultures / Crooks Thrown out of Disaster Site
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-fside09.html
Scientology's volunteers get frosty reception at fire scene
December 9, 2004
As fire raged inside the LaSalle Bank building, a band of
serious-looking young adults in yellow jackets hustled past the police
tape toward the action.
Their coats bore the words "Volunteer Minister." But these
weren't your standard chaplains -- like the five Catholic, Jewish and
Protestant clerics already on the scene.
The volunteer ministers are members of the Church of Scientology, a
religious group founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L.
Ron Hubbard and perhaps best known for celebrity followers such as
John Travolta and Tom Cruise. Some critics -- including the German
government, which views it not as a religion but a money-making scheme
-- insist Scientology is a cult.
This was the first time the group's ministers responded in an
organized fashion to a fire in Chicago -- and it probably won't be
their last, even though their debut didn't go over too well with the
Chicago Fire Department's chaplain corps.
"We can't have untrained people at a time when things are very
chaotic and you need a sense of order," he said. "Fire and
police chaplains are trained in how to do this."
Mary Ann Ahmad, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology in
Chicago, was told by her people that the volunteers were looking for
someone in charge "to find out what was needed and wanted, and they
were told, 'It's dangerous for people in here, so go outside.' "
If Scientology volunteers need special training, "they're totally
willing," Ahmad said, adding Scientologists were at Ground Zero after
the 9/11 attacks. [Also committing quack medical frauds and attempting
to scam the survivers and also getting thrown out by the authorities - flr]
David Klarich, one of the Scientologists at Monday night's blaze, said
the church is planning on regularly showing up at fires and other
disasters in the region to offer an "assist" -- special
techniques they use to aid the injured or traumatized.
A Chicago Fire Department spokesman was unaware of the situation but
said he'd look into it. [He did and he issued some heated denouncements
of the Scientology frauds]
"I threw 'em out," said one chaplain. "If they want to
minister to the people on the sidelines, that's great . . . but they
were standing in the triage and treatment area and they were making
total chaos in there.
The name "Scientology"® is trademarked to the "Church" of Scientology. Neither this web page, nor this web site, nor any of the individuals mentioned herein assisting to educate the public about the Scientology organization's "Volunteer Minister" program are members of or representatives of the Scientology organization. Quotes used within this web page and within this web site are used according to the Fair Use laws of the United States.
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