Read the letters that A&E continues to ignore in their effort to manufacture bigotry and prejudice and drum up hate and violence. You will not see this information on Leah Remini’s series, despite producers having had it in their possession for weeks.
It is shameful that you have not yet come to your senses and withdrawn this dishonest and malicious program.
December 28, 2018
Myles Reiff
Slauson Productions
By Email
Re: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath/“Ideal Orgs”
Dear Mr. Reiff:
I write concerning your upcoming Ideal Orgs episode.
This letter serves to continue to make a record of the malice, prejudice and knowing falsehoods promulgated by Slauson aka IPC aka Core Media aka Industrial Media and A&E.
You pay Mike Rinder to provide you false information that he then corroborates from his collection of the same handful of hungry apostates he has been using for years. Your desperation at reaching to the bottom of the barrel to find more losers to corroborate Rinder is disconcerting—especially that you would go to such lengths to pull a fraud on the public.
For this episode on our Ideal Churches of Scientology, through the biased prism of your program, it appears you are attempting to show that the Church is “guilty” of doing what all religions have done, establishing facilities to minister to its parishioners and the community at large.
We open new Churches to help realize our Founder’s dreams so we can continue to help millions of people to live better lives. We build not just for today, but for centuries to come. You view our Churches as merely buildings, when in fact they are monuments to our religion.
The reality is that all religions engage in fundraising and do so to support their religious and charitable activities. Throughout the centuries, members of religious communities have raised funds to erect churches, build cathedrals, succor those in times of need, provide education, drug rehabilitation and generally improve the moral fabric in society.
The growth of the Church of Scientology is the result of people discovering for themselves the religion’s practical, real-world tools that assist an individual to improve his or her life. The Church’s humanitarian programs are effective and selfless and are making the world a better place in which to live.
All of this is ultimately funded by donations from our parishioners, who donate generously to the Church because they are proud to support our religious mission: the opening of new Scientology Churches, global humanitarian initiatives and social betterment programs.
As a result, the Scientology religion has expanded more in the past decade than in its previous 55 years, with an increasing number of parishioners attending services and commensurate growth in our social and humanitarian programs. As a sample of this growth, just in the last two years new Scientology Churches have opened in major cities throughout the world: San Diego, California; Auckland, New Zealand; San Fernando Valley (North Hollywood), California; Miami, Florida; Denmark, Copenhagen, Dublin, Ireland; Birmingham, England; Amsterdam, Holland; Johannesburg, North, South Africa; Salt Lake City, Utah; Silicon Valley, California; Perth, Australia; Orlando, Florida; Stuttgart, Germany; and Detroit, Michigan.
If your production company and A&E were truly interested in pursuing the real story of Scientology you would have included questions designed to elicit the truth:
Is it true that some Scientologists believe their religion, its services and its humanitarian programs are so important to the world at large that they donate generously so that anyone, no matter how unfortunate their circumstances, may benefit?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that some people have been Scientologists for decades, if not half a century, and their cumulative donations are substantial?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that Scientology parishioners donate to their local Church Building Funds so that they may create Ideal Churches, capable of providing services and programs to help the entire community of which they are a part?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that those new Ideal Churches are open to members of the community?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that the donations of Scientologists sponsor the largest nongovernmental anti-drug education program on Earth?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that the donations of Scientologists sponsor the largest nongovernmental human rights education initiative on Earth?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that the donations of Scientologists sponsor the Scientology Volunteer Minister program, which is today the largest independent disaster relief force on Earth, with more per capita service by members, than any other group and which has served in every major disaster site in the last 10 years—from Ground Zero after 9/11, to the European flood zones, Haiti and Japan earthquakes and, most recently, California fires?
The answer is, yes.
Can any Scientologist participate in services and attend your Churches, including new Ideal Churches, without making any donation (whether they have the means to make a donation or simply prefer not to)?
The answer is, yes.
Is it true that many Scientologists donate to support grants for humanitarian programs in the fields of literacy, drug prevention education and rehabilitation, morality and human rights; to establish Ideal Orgs in cultural centers around the world; to bring humanitarian relief to disaster sites across the planet; and to disseminate the life-changing benefits of their religion?
The answer is, yes.
The Church is fortunate that its parishioners are productive members of society who give generously to their chosen religion.
Your allegations make it clear that you are trying to paint the fundraising activities in a false light. Were the allegations you recite true, the Church could not successfully raise the funds it does to carry out its religious mission.
SOURCES
The common denominator of your sources is that years before A&E invested in this bigoted program, they had been expelled for malfeasance and severe ethical lapses. These individuals joined together with Mike Rinder to seek to make money from their former religion. We have previously provided you with detailed evidence documenting the complete lack of credibility of Rinder and his paid agenda against the Church.
SUMMARY
Indeed, it is very troubling that Slauson aka IPC aka Core Media aka Industrial Media and A&E are intent to incite religious hatred leading to violence.
As you know only too well, A&E and your former production company have been forced to admit to paying sources who were members of the KKK to stage false scenes of hate against blacks. That is what your program continues to do today to members of our religion.
Your most recent episodes have produced yet a new round of threats of violence against Church leadership including threatened “murder” and other forms of hate aimed at our Church. It is shameful that you have not yet come to your senses and withdrawn this dishonest and malicious program.
Regards,
Karin Pouw
cc: Cameron Stracher
Paul Buccieri
Ben Sherwood
December 4, 2018
Myles Reiff
Slauson Productions
By Email
Re: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath/Collections
Dear Mr. Reiff:
This is in reply to your letter of November 26, 2018, “Collections,” so there can be no doubt that the record documents this is yet another false and biased episode, maliciously intending to incite religious hatred leading to violence. It comes as no surprise that you knowingly continue to produce preconceived story lines that are based entirely on lies.
I looked into the few particulars you provided and my answers are below.
Mark and Stephanie Fladd: These assertions are false. We can find no Church official who told the Fladds that they could use their donations in anticipation of future religious services in their next lifetime. That is absurd. The Church’s policy with respect to religious services is that donations are generally non- refundable. Parishioners understand that as a relatively new religion, all of our religious, social and humanitarian missions are funded through parishioner donations. A return of donations is not a legal right of a parishioner nor a legal obligation of the Church. It is longstanding Church policy that the return of donations for religious services is exclusively within the ecclesiastical authority and sole discretion of the Church and only when the parishioner follows exactly Church policy and procedures. When a donor is dissatisfied with a charity to which he has donated, his usual recourse is to cease making those donations.
Contrary to the false implications contained in your questions, all of which are rejected, parishioners donate voluntarily and generously to support their Church. Donations to Churches of Scientology, like those of any other religion, are charitable gifts and thus are not in any way refundable on demand. Mark Fladd left the Church of Scientology to pursue Mormonism and we wished him well.
Heather Ruggeri: Again, the assertions are false. Heather Ruggeri’s sister and Ann Lenarcic’s daughter, Jennifer Butler, provided a response to these allegations: “What Heather is stating regarding our mother’s inheritance is a lie. Heather states that Ann was pressured to give her inheritance to Scientology. This is not the case. At the end of 2005, my mother excitedly told me that she was donating in support of the Scientology religion. She was proud to achieve the status of Patron with the International Association of Scientologists. She was excited about the humanitarian programs she was supporting. Without question, my mother voluntarily donated and told me personally she wanted to do this. She never said anything to me about withdrawing her annuity or owing taxes. She was just happy and excited about the prospect of donating and supporting the religion.” Ann Lenarcic’s former husband, Andy Lenarcic, confirms Jennifer Butler’s account. Further, Ann happily presented the donation to the International Association of Scientologists to Andy as a Christmas gift. Sea Org members do not join the religious order for compensation; they volunteer their services to support the Church’s religious mission and to help make this planet a better place for all mankind. Ann made this commitment in writing and verbally on multiple occasions. It was Ann’s choice to leave the religious order.
Tyler Adams Plasch: Mr. Plasch was not billed $40,000 in a “freeloader debt” (which, as you well know, is a religious agreement related to future religious services), nor was he required to leave Los Angeles as a condition of his routing out or “forced” to sign papers. When Mr. Plasch suffered his regrettable injury, he was given extensive assistance, both medical and spiritual. His medical treatment, in which he saw the best doctors and was given top care, was entirely covered by the Church as is routine for Church staff. Zerrin Muller, the staff member overseeing the healthcare of staff at the time, spent many hours each day with Tyler caring for him and giving him assistance in his recovery. Ms. Muller said Tyler was grateful for the help and never once did he blame anyone for his unfortunate accident, as he was aware he had disregarded safety rules. The Church in Los Angeles maintains a safe work environment for all members of the religious order in compliance with all safety rules and regulations.
Carol Nyburg: Carol Nyburg’s account does not match any policy or authorized practice in the Church of Scientology. It is false to suggest there is something unusual about the Church’s fundraising practices. In substance, Scientology fundraising practices are really no different from those of other religions. Only a bigoted television show such as yours, paying anti-Scientologists, would take the position that parishioners’ gifts in support of their religion are peculiar. Every religion needs funds to survive and most look to their members for support: some require tithes; some request membership fees; and still others pass the collection plate. Being a young religion, Scientology does not have thousands of years of accumulated wealth to draw upon to support its religious and humanitarian goals. It is thankful for the generous and enthusiastic support of its parishioners.
SUMMARY
Scientology is a force for good in the world. The Church of Scientology and its members are actively working to do something to help people. No matter how you try to spin it, nothing will change the facts. In the last two years, Scientology has continued to grow, opening fifteen new Churches in nine countries, from Auckland, New Zealand to Copenhagen, Denmark; from Dublin, Ireland and Birmingham, England to Amsterdam, Holland; from Johannesburg, South Africa to Perth, Australia; from Stuttgart, Germany to all across the United States: San Diego, North Hollywood and Silicon Valley, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; Detroit, Michigan; Miami and Orlando, Florida. Scientology Churches represent their proud parishioners, and, by mandate of the Founder, are a home for the entire community to coordinate and implement programs that help and uplift society as a whole—regardless of religion, race, or creed. That is what we are all about and the mission we are fulfilling. Individual Churches of Scientology around the world are supported by a global membership organization—the International Association of Scientologists, which helps forward the Church’s humanitarian goals to effectively address the most pressing ruins of society: reversing the trend of drugs; guaranteeing human rights; restoring humanity and bringing back spiritual values.
The Leah Remini show continues to be a false program, designed to incite religious hatred, bigotry and violence by spreading lies. We caution you not to broadcast your twisted, prefabricated program in an effort to distort the religious practices of Scientologists.
Regards,
Karin Pouw
cc: Cameron Stracher
Hear the true story from the sibling of one of Leah Remini’s lying and paid sources:
