Friday, October 30, 2015

International Association of Scientologists Marks Year of Incomparable Global Impact


The International Association of Scientologists’ 31st Anniversary Celebration showcased historic expansion and unprecedented reach, rounding out 12 months of extraordinary worldwide achievement.

More than 7,500 Scientologists converged on Saint Hill in the United Kingdom to celebrate 31 years of sweeping accomplishment and spectacular triumph of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) on Friday, October 23, simultaneously honoring the Scientology religion’s continued growth and impact as a planetary force for humanitarian uplift and social betterment.

The event is being re-broadcast in churches around the globe one week later to unite all Scientologists and share the good news.

Indeed, the past year has proven to be perhaps the most expansive and successful in Scientology history—a period marked by monumental victories in terms of both Church growth and its dynamic, tireless work in battling drug abuse and human rights offenses including in the field of mental health, as well as instilling morality and delivering freedom from travail for those suffering in the aftermath of disaster.

When the IAS was founded in 1984, Scientology could be found in 39 nations worldwide. Today, the association’s members hail from more than 130 countries across six continents—securing the Church’s eminence as the only world religion to emerge in the 20th century that continues to expand, evolve and thrive 15 years into the 21st.

Indeed, the vast roster of Scientology achievements in 2015 filled the nearly three-hour event, beginning with the peerless efforts of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to eradicate psychiatric human rights abuses around the world—at once bringing its perpetrators to justice and empowering its victims. CCHR’s trailblazing crusade to bring psychiatry under the law continued to ramp up dramatically over the past year.

It was also during 2015 that permanent facilities for the Scientology-supported humanitarian and social betterment initiatives were established along with a Scientology Information Center in Clearwater, Florida—spiritual headquarters of the Scientology religion. These serve as a model for raising entire communities with these enormously effective campaigns.

The programs represented are: The Truth About Drugs, an anti-drug education program designed to erase pandemic substance abuse worldwide; United for Human Rights, enlightening populations on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; The Way to Happiness, whose 21 universal moral precepts help to restore the bonds of humanity and basic decency of mankind; and Scientology Volunteer Ministers, providing urgent assistance to the devastated and traumatized and bringing succor in times of disaster, both acute and everyday.

Examples of the sheer impact of the initiatives during the presentation included:

The Truth About Drugs campaign reaches a potential user every five seconds along high-trafficking zones in 58 nations.

More than 70,000 children in 40 schools across the nation of Togo alone were educated on their human rights.

The Way to Happiness is now permanently woven into West Bank society in the Middle East to help bring calm to a volatile region, with full recognition as a charitable organization by the Palestinian National Authority.

Volunteer Ministers logged more than 300,000 miles to train in excess of 50,000 people worldwide in how to use the VM tools.

Volunteer Ministers persevered through one of their greatest challenges this year following the devastating 7.8 earthquake in Nepal in April. The temblor resulted in more than 9,000 deaths and 23,000 injuries and left some 2 million homeless. However, within 24 hours, the Volunteer Ministers International headquarters had dispatched and mobilized Mexico’s famed Los Topos and CINAT (National Circle of Aid Technicians) out of Colombia. VMs from Pakistan, India and Thailand joined in the search-and-rescue effort along with power teams from Colombia, Australia, Europe and the United States.

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The International Association of Scientologists, a membership organization open to all Scientologists from all nations, was formed in 1984. The purpose of the IAS is to unite, advance, support, and protect the Scientology religion and Scientologists in all parts of the world so as to achieve the Aims of Scientology as originated by L. Ron Hubbard: “A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where Man is free to rise to greater heights.”


Thursday, October 29, 2015

Nashville Church of Scientology Hosts Community Discussion on Drug Prevention

The Nashville Church of Scientology hosted a multi-faith, multi-cultural forum on drug prevention and education in honor of Red Ribbon Week, which occurs the last week of October each year and is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country, according to imdrugfree.com. The forum was titled “Fight Back: Make Drugs a Bad Deal.”

The Church showcased the Truth About Drugs program and the educational materials which are provided to community groups and schools free of charge.

Attendees heard from a narcotics officer who spoke about the drug trends in Middle Tennessee and gave tips on how to help loved ones who may be becoming addicts to prescription painkillers, one of the current drugs of choice. Also presenting was a former drug addict who now has taken it upon himself to spread the truth about drugs with informational seminars on the topic. The reason: he never knew what he was getting into, and believes that if others knew they would never fall into the trap.

Rounding out the program was a representative of the Office of Faith-Based and Special Initiatives from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services who spoke to what faith communities are doing across the state to handle the problem. He described congregations that are being certified as “recovery congregations” and how they are reaching into the community and helping addicts.

The Church of Scientology participates in drug prevention activities each year for the Red Ribbon Campaign, which was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a Drug-Free America, according to redribbon.org.


The Church works with Drug-Free South (DFS), the local chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. DFS has participated in the Red Ribbon campaign since 2009 by distributing copies of The Truth About Drugs booklets, which help young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user. For more information on DFS, visit drugfreesouth.org. For more on the Church of Scientology’s drug prevention efforts, visit scientology-ccnashville.org/antidrug. 

Spreading Happiness Among Tennessee Native American Tribes

The Way to Happiness participated in this year’s annual Intertribal Powwow in Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Native Cultural Circle (NCC) of Clarksville held its eighteenth annual Intertribal Powwow earlier this month with festivities all weekend long. Attendees came from all walks of life and enjoyed learning about and exploring Native American culture and traditions.

The Powwow is held each year in a location with special significance to Native peoples. According to the website, “during the Indian Removal of 1838, the Cherokee nation was taken from their traditional homes in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Alabama, and forcefully relocated to the Indian Territories in what later became Oklahoma. The Powwow grounds lay along the northern land route. Diary records of the removal identify Port Royal, as ‘the last stop before leaving Tennessee, and as an encampment site where the Cherokee stayed overnight or longer to re-supply, grind corn and rest.’”

During the removal, an estimated 4,000 - 6,000 Cherokee died. The journey became known as “The Trail of Tears” or, as a direct translation from the Cherokee Nunna daul Tsuny, “The Trail Where They Cried.”

The powwow is a time to commemorate the Trail of Tears and special ceremonies are held in remembrance of it.

This year, a volunteer from the Way to Happiness Foundation was welcomed to the powwow to distribute booklets written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s. The Way to Happiness booklet contains a common sense moral code that is interreligious and can be used by anyone.

Rebecca Carter, the volunteer for The Way to Happiness said, “This booklet, when distributed to people in need, has such a great effect. You see whole communities uplifted once they learn the values contained within.”


More than two-hundred booklets were distributed to those attending the Intertribal Powwow. For more information, visit thewaytohappiness.org. For more information on the next Intertribal Powwow, visit discoverclarksville.com. 

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Drug-Free South Scaring Away Abuse and Addiction

The week leading up to Halloween is often filled with children frantically deciding what costume to wear or ensuring they have enough bags to fill with candy, but many don’t know that this week is also a time to fight drug abuse and come together with solutions to end addiction. The week is known across the country as Red Ribbon Week, commemorating DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who died in the line of duty in 1985.

“Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country,” according to imdrugfree.com, and it occurs during the last week of October each year. This is the best time to educate young people and help prevent drug abuse.

As it comes right before Halloween, Drug-Free South organizers are set to participate in an event on October 30th, distributing materials to youth and encouraging health and safety during the holiday.

Drug-Free South began observing Red Ribbon Week in Tennessee in 2009 by distributing copies of The Truth About Drugs booklets, which help young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user, visiting school classrooms to deliver a seminar to students utilizing the documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories, and getting the Drug-Free World public service announcements played on television. Drug-Free South has provided seminars to students in over thirty counties in Tennessee.

Drug-Free South is the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org.


Artlightenment Festival Announces Several Seminars to Help Artists this Year

Artlightenment takes place in November at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville and organizers have just announced a seminar line-up to help artists.


The Artlightenment festival is an annual tradition in Music City which combines modern forms of many arts into one explosive event in November. This year will be the seventh year of the festival which continues to grow and change while inviting even greater participation from the area. The 2015 theme is Music City Mystique: Behind the Art.

The festival begins November 7th and ends with an awards ceremony and fashion show on November 14th.  The film festival will be Nov 12-14th, and the complete schedule can be seen at artlightenment.com.

Prior to the festival, organizers have announced a special seminar by successful artist Owen York on “How to Sell Your Art.” York has said, “My dream is to bring art back from the dead, by bringing the artist back to life.” York’s originals, commissions and portraitures have sold nationwide and internationally. He specializes in acrylics & watercolors and his influences include Impressionism, Rock & Roll and commercial Illustration.

The next talk will be on “Music City Mystique” and will be delivered by celebrity photographer Raeanne Rubenstein.

The Artlightenment festival is all about uplifting artists, and according to the Artlightenment website, the festival was created from one artist’s dream to help artists by giving them a festival dedicated to no other cause than the art itself. “This is a festival about them, the artists, and what they have to say,” says Robyn Morshead who founded Artlightenment and continues to organize the show each year.


The Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre Nashville is the festival host each year, in accordance with Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s vision to help all artists. More information and the complete schedule can be found online at artlightenment.com. 

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Announces Upcoming Breakfast Meeting

The longest running interfaith communications organization in the United States, the Religion Communicators Council (RCC), has chapters across the country that meet regularly and promote “excellence in the communication of religious faith and values in the public arena and encourage understanding among religious and faith groups,” according to the RCC website. 

In Nashville, the RCC Chapter has shifted the style of meetings to maintain the organization’s historic integrity while adjusting to 21st century ideals.

In September, the chapter met with open dialogue and communication among members about hot topics and current events. The group discussed exactly how clergy should and should not be involved in political processes, citing the recent editorial in the Tennessean by Rev. John Faison of Watson Grove Missionary Baptist Church where he spoke to how his church is not for sale and how his support for a mayoral candidate is also not for sale.

The next meeting will be on November 10th at the Islamic Center of Nashville.

According to the President of the Nashville Chapter, Rev. Brian Fesler who also Pastors the Nashville Church of Scientology, the chapter meetings take place on the second Tuesday of every other month during breakfast. “The concept for these meetings is to bring diverse people together to dialogue about hot topics and how we can unite to bring more inspiration and good news to the world,” he said.

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, and more. For more information about the RCC or their next meeting, visit www.religioncommunicators.org.


Singer Melanie Signs on as President of Tennessee United for Human Rights

Melanie Safka, best known for her musical hits “Brand New Key,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “What Have They Done to My Song Ma,” and her song about performing at the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),” has just signed on as President of Tennessee United for Human Rights, the local chapter of the worldwide United for Human Rights initiative.

Melanie has long been an advocate for peace, and recently headlined the Peace Day concert in Nashville, sponsored by Tennessee United for Human Rights (TNUHR). Just before the concert, she accepted the position as president of TNUHR. In her role, she will be an ambassador and spokesperson.

“When I first learned about the Declaration of Human Rights, I thought – ‘well of course!’ the rights all make sense and everyone should be aware of what they are,” she said. “When people realize they can influence government, that’s when by their actions, they can make things happen.”

Melanie became famous during one unforgettable night on stage at Woodstock in 1969. According to her website, during that night at Woodstock, Melanie was a New York kid barely known outside of the coffeehouse circuit in Greenwich Village. Long before it was a trend, while she sang her song "Beautiful People," the audience was inspired to light their candles and raise their lighters. That, in turn, moved the young singer to write ‘Lay Down (Candles in the Rain),’ which sold more than one million copies in 1970 and prompted Billboard, Cashbox, Melody Maker, Record World, and Bravo to anoint her female vocalist of the year.

Melanie appeared before the General Assembly of the United Nations, where she was invited back on many occasions. When she became an official UNICEF ambassador in 1972, she agreed to forego a world tour in favor of raising money for the organization. It was her work for the UN that sparked her unrelenting drive to speak out for peace.

For more information about Melanie, visit her website melaniesafka.com. For more information about United for Human Rights, visit humanrights.com.


Tuesday, October 13, 2015

International Day of Peace Celebrated in Nashville with Musical Concert

Tennessee United for Human Rights held a Peace Day Concert on the United Nations’ International Day of Peace with many artists and community leaders joining forces to create the event. It was spearheaded by Emmy Award-winning songwriter, Melanie, who recently signed on as President of the Tennessee United for Human Rights chapter.

Peace Day was a half-day festival at the Pavilion East in East Nashville with children’s activities, music and volunteers asking for signatures on a petition to make human rights education mandatory in Tennessee. In total, 185 signatures were garnered that day.

The show began with Nashville-based Americana singer/songwriter Jon Statham and his band. He was followed by Emmy-nominated songwriter Bianca Moon with guitarist Kent Wells.  Joseph Bell of the Who’s Bad Michael Jackson Tribute Tour performed next.  Dove Award nominee and inspirational pop/R&B artist T-Ran Gilbert delivered a powerful show and invited rap artist Canteen to the stage for a surprise performance.

In the evening, there was an all-denominational prayer for peace which involved representatives of several faiths including Sikhism, Hinduism, Scientology, Christianity, and the Nation of Islam. Internationally revered fashion designer Manuel Cuevas attended the event and participated on stage in the prayer for peace.

Melanie concluded the show. Her passion for peace was exemplified as she reminisced about the day she performed at the original Woodstock festival in 1969. She was accompanied by her son and virtuoso Beau Jarred Schekeryk. RoyEl Wooten from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, performed on percussion.  Celebrity accordion player Kristian Rusbjerg from Denmark came to the stage for two songs as a guest performer and Kevin Riley performed on bass.

During her performance, Melanie brought a poster-size version of the petition for human rights on stage, saying, ”I support a movement to make human rights education mandatory in Tennessee,” then signed the petition and asked everyone in the audience to join her.

While she performed her hit song “Lay Down Candles in the Rain,” candles were lit and distributed to the audience as a symbol of a wish for peace.


More than 250 people participated in the celebration concert on Peace Day and plans have already begun for Peace Day 2016. If you would like tickets to Melanie's Peace Day concert 2016, please go to peacedayconcert.org. For more information about United for Human Rights, go to www.humanrights.com.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Artlightenment Festival Announces Pre-Show Seminar for Artists

The Artlightenment festival is an annual tradition in Music City which combines all modern forms of the arts into one explosive event in November. 2015 will see the seventh year of the festival which continues to grow and change while inviting even greater participation from the area. The 2015 theme is Music City Mystique: Behind the Art.

The festival takes place beginning on November 7th through the awards ceremony and fashion show on November 14th.  The film festival will be Nov 12-14th, and the complete schedule can be seen at artlightenment.com.

Prior to the festival, organizers have announced a special seminar by successful artist Owen York on “How to Sell Your Art.” York has said, “My dream is to bring art back from the dead, by bringing the artist back to life.”

According to his website, owenyork.com, he has been involved in the arts “literally since Day 1.” As a child, he was recognized for his visual arts abilities, but was also a skilled writer & musician, playing the piano & saxophone and winning contests for young authors. At a young age, he was invited into a special program for the gifted, limited to a handful of those who excelled in the arts. He has also worked as an actor for TV, commercial, film & radio for stations including The History Channel, HSN and The Weather Channel.  Despite these adventures in the various arts, York is a fine artist at heart.

York’s artistic style speaks for itself. His originals, commissions and portraitures have sold nationwide and internationally. He specializes in acrylics & watercolors and his influences include Impressionism, Rock & Roll and commercial Illustration. He has a degree in Illustration from the American Academy of Art in Chicago.

The Artlightenment festival is all about uplifting artists and York’s seminar, although happening pre-show, ties right into this. According to the Artlightenment website, the festival was created from one artist’s dream to help artists by giving them a festival dedicated to no other cause than the art itself. “This is a festival about them, the artists, and what they have to say,” says Robyn Morshead who founded Artlightenment and continues to organize the show each year.


The Church of Scientology and Celebrity Centre Nashville is the festival host each year, in accordance with Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s vision to help all artists. All are invited and more information can be found online at artlightenment.com. 

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Drug-Free South Carries the Red Ribbon Forward

To protect youth from the disastrous effects of drugs, the Drug-Free South team is bringing the truth directly to students and the community in honor of Red Ribbon Week.


“Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country,” according to imdrugfree.com, and it occurs during the last week of October each year. This is the best time to educate young people and help prevent drug abuse.

The Red Ribbon Campaign was started to commemorate DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who died in the line of duty in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying red ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a Drug-Free America, according to redribbon.org.

Drug-Free South has participated in the campaign since 2009 by distributing copies of The Truth About Drugs booklets, which help young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user, visiting school classrooms to deliver a seminar to students utilizing the documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories, and getting the Drug-Free World public service announcements played on television.

This year Drug-Free South volunteers plan to commemorate Red Ribbon Week through community events. “We will participate in various community events to distribute copies of the booklet, and we are hosting an open house event to shed light on the subject,” says Brian Fesler, regional coordinator for the Drug-Free South.

Drug-Free South has provided seminars to students in over thirty counties in Tennessee. One school teacher expressed his gratitude by writing a letter to the volunteers.  He noted the program “is a highly informative, mind-grasping look at the dangers and horrible realities that addiction creates.”

Drug-Free South is the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org.


Thursday, October 1, 2015

Tennessee Celebration of International Human Rights Day To Take Place at John Seigenthaler Center

Human Rights Day is a time for activists to come together to celebrate milestones and award heroes who have championed human rights. The gathering which takes place in Nashville, Tennessee, is always one which strives to educate the broader community on the importance of knowing one’s human rights as well as bringing together those who work on these issues.

The planning committee is chaired by Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Nashville Church of Scientology. Fesler says, “There’s a core group of citizens who know the value of human rights and work on it daily. Our goal is to bring those people together, support their commitment, so in the end we can reach everyone else.”

The gathering celebrates the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations on Dec 10, originally signed in 1948. This year, the event will take place at the First Amendment Center in the John Seigenthaler Center.

“We are excited and proud to be going back to the John Seigenthaler Center,” says Fesler, “Mr. Seigenthaler stood for everything we are working to promote, so this makes it the perfect place to host Human Rights Day.”

The celebration centers around the Human Rights awards.  Last year, awardees in the category for Lifetime Achievement were Father Joseph Breen, formerly of St. Edward Church who is known widely for his work to strike down the 2009 “English Only” proposition in Nashville; and First Baptist Church Capitol Hill which has long served as a beacon for the civil rights movement.

Rising Advocate awards were given to individuals who are relatively new to the field of human rights and show great promise for the future.  They went to Eben Cathey with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and Daynise Joseph, formerly with Organized Neighbors of Edgehill. Outstanding Service awards were bestowed upon Yuri Cunza with the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Avi Poster who has championed immigrant rights, among others, for years.


To learn more about the event or how to get involved, visit www.nashvillehumanrights.org.