World Literacy Crusade

Last updated

World Literacy Crusade (WLC) was a non-profit organisation formed in 1992 by the Rev. Alfreddie Johnson to fight illiteracy, and supported by the Church of Scientology. [1] [2] The group uses "study technologies" and "drug rehabilitation technologies" developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the Church's founder. [3] [4] It has been characterized as a "Scientology front group", [5] [6] and has been promoted by celebrity Scientologists such as Isaac Hayes and Anne Archer. [1]

Contents

The Los Angeles Times reported in 2008 that about 100 protestors gathered outside of the World Literacy Crusade offices after being sold fake low cost housing vouchers for as much as $1500. Officials at WLC admitted to selling the free vouchers, but stated they did not know they were fake. [7] The Compton, Californian offices of the WLC housed a drug detox program using “dry heat sweat therapy”. [8] In 2015 the executive director of WLC, Hanan Islam, Ronnie Steven Islam (AKA Rizza Islam) and her adult children were arrested for Medi-Cal fraud and insurance fraud for billing for this detox program. [9] [10] [11]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Lewis, James R. (2009). Scientology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 9. ISBN   9780199715954 . Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Lewis, James R. (2012). Hammer, Olav; Rothstein, Mikael (eds.). The Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements. Cambridge University Press. p. 137. ISBN   9781107493551 . Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  3. ↑ Mallia, Joseph (1998-03-02). "Church keys programs to recruit blacks". Inside the Church of Scientology. Boston Herald . Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  4. ↑ MacLaughlin, Jim; Gully, Andrew (1998-03-19). "Church of Scientology probes Herald reporter - Investigation follows pattern of harassment". Boston Herald . Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  5. ↑ Breitbart, Andrew; Ebner, Mark (2004). Hollywood, interrupted : insanity chic in Babylon - the case against celebrity . Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. p.  128. ISBN   9780471450511 . Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  6. ↑ Smith, Ronald D. (2013). Strategic planning for public relations (4th ed.). New York: Routledge. p. 209. ISBN   9781136172489 . Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  7. ↑ "Renters in search of affordable housing get scammed". LA Times Blogs - L.A. NOW. 2008-03-21. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  8. ↑ "As rehab operators fight to reopen clinics, criminal pasts come to light | The Center for Investigative Reporting". cironline.org. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  9. ↑ Socialcult (2016-04-11). "Scientology's Disappearing Front Groups: Applied Scholastics". Scientology - The Social Cult. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  10. ↑ "Hanan Islam et al, charge documents". Scribd. Retrieved 2019-04-16.
  11. ↑ "Rizza Islam". Anti-Defamation League . Retrieved February 18, 2023.

Related Research Articles

Narconon International is a Scientology organization which promotes the theories of founder L. Ron Hubbard regarding substance abuse treatment and addiction. Its parent company is the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), which is owned and controlled by the Church of Scientology. Headquartered in Hollywood, California, United States, Narconon operates several dozen residential centers worldwide, chiefly in the U.S. and western Europe. The organization was formed in 1966 by Scientologist William Benitez with Hubbard's help, and was incorporated in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology controversies</span>

Since its inception in 1954, the Church of Scientology has been involved in a number of controversies, including its stance on psychiatry, Scientology's legitimacy as a religion, the Church's aggressive attitude in dealing with its perceived enemies and critics, allegations of mistreatment of members, and predatory financial practices; for example, the high cost of religious training:191 and perceived exploitative practices. When mainstream media outlets have reported alleged abuses, representatives of the church have tended to deny such allegations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purification Rundown</span> Scientology pseudoscientific detoxification program

The Purification Rundown, also known as the Purif or the Hubbard Method, is a pseudoscientific procedure that advocates of Scientology claim is a detoxification program. There is no evidence for its efficacy in detoxification, and significant evidence from clinicians that it is dangerous. It involves heat exposure for up to 5 hours a day and can exceed 4 weeks in length. It can potentially cause heatstroke damage, which includes brain injury, heart problems, organ failure, and death. It was developed by Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard and used by the Church of Scientology as an introductory service. Numerous individuals have been hospitalised as a result of taking part in the process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Applied Scholastics</span> Scientology study techniques organization

Applied Scholastics (APS) is an organization that promotes and licenses the use of study techniques created by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Applied Scholastics is operated by the Church of Scientology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Scientology</span> American organization and business

The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religious movement. The movement has been the subject of a number of controversies, and the Church of Scientology has been described by government inquiries, international parliamentary bodies, scholars, law lords, and numerous superior court judgements as both a dangerous cult and a manipulative profit-making business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celebrity Centre</span> Scientology church branch for celebrities, politicians, artists & leaders

Church of Scientology Celebrity Centres are Churches of Scientology that are open to the general public but are intended for "artists, politicians, leaders of industry, and sports figures".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology and celebrities</span> Church of Scientology recruiting

The Church of Scientology has recruited celebrities for their endorsement of Scientology as a public relations strategy. The organization has had a written program governing celebrity recruitment since at least 1955, when L. Ron Hubbard created "Project Celebrity", offering rewards to Scientologists who recruited targeted celebrities. Early interested parties included former silent-screen star Gloria Swanson and jazz pianist Dave Brubeck. The Scientology organization has a particular interest in international focus on wealthy businesspeople and influencers to help promote its ideals. A Scientology policy letter of 1976 states that "rehabilitation of celebrities who are just beyond or just approaching their prime" enables the "rapid dissemination" of Scientology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Scientology</span>

This is a Timeline of Scientology and its forerunner Dianetics, particularly its foundation and development by author L. Ron Hubbard as well as general publications, articles, books and other milestones.

<i>Clear Body, Clear Mind</i> Scientology book, Purification Rundown

Clear Body, Clear Mind is a Scientology book compiled from L. Ron Hubbard material from the 1960s, which was published posthumously in 1990 by Bridge Publications, the Church of Scientology's publishing house. The book is considered part of Scientology's canon. It is the textbook for the Purification Rundown ("Purif"), which Scientologists believe is a detoxification program with medical and spiritual benefits, but has been criticized as pseudoscientific by medical professionals who have called it "dangerous", "quackery," and "in some cases lethal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Beghe</span> American film and television actor (born 1960)

Jason Deneen Beghe is an American actor. Since 2014, he has starred in the NBC TV series Chicago P.D. as Sergeant Hank Voight. He is also known for starring in the 1988 George A. Romero film Monkey Shines, playing Demi Moore's love interest in G.I. Jane, appearing as a police officer in the film Thelma & Louise, starring opposite Moira Kelly in the television series To Have & to Hold, and having recurring roles on Picket Fences, Melrose Place, Chicago Hope, American Dreams, Cane, and Californication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology status by country</span>

Recognition of Scientology and the Church of Scientology varies from country to country with respect to state recognition for religious status, charitable status, or tax exempt status. Decisions are contingent upon the legal constructs of each individual country, and results are not uniform worldwide. For example, the absence of a clear definition for 'religion' or 'religious worship' has resulted in unresolved and uncertain status for Scientology in some countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology</span> Beliefs and practices and associated movement

Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by the American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It is variously defined as a cult, a business, a religion, a scam, or a new religious movement. Hubbard initially developed a set of ideas that he called Dianetics, which he represented as a form of therapy. An organization that he established in 1950 to promote it went bankrupt, and Hubbard lost the rights to his book Dianetics in 1952. He then recharacterized his ideas as a religion, likely for tax purposes, and renamed them Scientology. By 1954, he had regained the rights to Dianetics and founded the Church of Scientology, which remains the largest organization promoting Scientology. There are practitioners independent of the Church, in what is referred to as the Free Zone. Estimates put the number of Scientologists at under 40,000 worldwide.

Kurt Weiland is a native of Austria and an executive in the Church of Scientology International. He is director of external affairs for the Church of Scientology's Office of Special Affairs, and Scientology's vice president of communications. He is a member of the organization's board of directors, and handles government, legal and public affairs for Scientology. He has often represented Scientology to the press as a media spokesman. Weiland works out of the Church of Scientology's offices in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Clambake</span> Website and organization critical of Scientology

Operation Clambake, also referred to by its domain name, xenu.net, is a website and Norway-based non-profit organization, launched in 1996, founded by Andreas Heldal-Lund, that publishes criticism of the Church of Scientology. It is owned and maintained by Andreas Heldal-Lund, who stated that he supported the rights of all people to practice Scientology or any religion. Operation Clambake has referred to the Church of Scientology as "a vicious and dangerous cult that masquerades as a religion". The website includes texts of petitions, news articles, exposés, and primary source documents. The site has been ranked as high as the second spot in Google searches for the term "Scientology".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology in France</span>

The Church of Scientology of France is organized as a group of secular nonprofit organizations. France is a secular state, which protects the rights of citizens to practice their religion. Although citizens can form religious associations based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, which grants certain benefits, the Church of Scientology of France is instead organized into secular associations based on a 1901 law regarding nonprofit groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology in the United States</span>

Scientology was founded in the United States by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and is now practiced in many other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project</span> American organization found in 2003

The New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project was founded in New York City in 2003 with the stated purpose of treating rescue workers for toxins inhaled from the smoke of the September 11 attacks. It has two clinics: Downtown Medical on Fulton Street, two blocks from the site of the World Trade Center, and another at Williston Park, Long Island. The project's co-founder and top fundraiser is actor Tom Cruise. It uses the Purification Rundown, a detoxification program invented by L. Ron Hubbard as part of Scientology's Bridge to Total Freedom. This rundown has been criticized by many doctors as pseudoscientific and medically dangerous. It was reported in October 2007 that 838 people had completed the New York program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology front groups</span> Organizations pretending to be not-Scientology

Scientology front groups are those groups named or operated in such a way as to disguise their association with the Church of Scientology (COS). COS uses front groups to promote its interests in politics, to make itself appear legitimate, and to recruit. The Times published, "[The church attracts] the unwary through a wide array of front groups in such businesses as publishing, consulting, health care and even remedial education." Many of the groups are founded on pseudoscience, named disingenuously, and underplay their links to Scientology.

Ronnie Steven "Rizza" Islam is an American member of the Nation of Islam and a member of its paramilitary wing the Fruit of Islam. According to the Anti-Defamation League, he is a social media influencer with over 500,000 followers across several platforms, posting antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-vaccine rhetoric, and promoting a range of conspiracy theories".

References



This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.