Thursday, March 22, 2018

Nashville Church of Scientology Helps Religious Communities on World Civil Defense Day

The Nashville Church of Scientology observed World Civil Defense Day on March 1st with a seminar on the Secret to Standing Tall in the Face of Religious Discrimination.

The Nashville Church of Scientology recognized the United Nations World Civil Defense Day by hosting a workshop for the community on the Secret to Standing Tall in the Face of Religious Discrimination.

World Civil Defense Day was created by decision of the International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO) General Assembly in 1990, and is celebrated every year on the 1st of March. According to ICDO, this day has two main purposes, with the first being, “that of bringing to the attention of the world public the vital importance of Civil Protection and of raising awareness of the preparedness for, and prevention and self-protection measures in the event of accidents or disasters.”

Preventing disasters in religious settings altogether was the purpose for the seminar held at the Nashville Church of Scientology.

Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church, explained how the Church of Scientology becomes involved during times of disaster. “We have a program called Volunteer Ministers. Anyone of any culture or creed may train as a Volunteer Minister and use these tools to help their families and communities, and all are welcome to do so,” he said. Fesler encouraged people to look at the website volunteerministers.org which contains resources one would need to become trained in this technology.  

One chapter of the Scientology Handbook, which is used by Volunteer Ministers, includes helpful tools anyone can use to bring awareness and spread truth about oneself or one’s organization.

“In a world where religious institutions are attacked, we all must be prepared,” says Rev. Fesler, “And staying ahead of the curve by spreading truth is the way to prevent such attacks altogether.”

In creating the Volunteer Ministers program, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance.”

For more information about the Church of Scientology or the Volunteer Ministers program, visit scientology-ccnashville.org.


Tennessee United for Human Rights Working to Eliminate Discrimination

Tennessee United for Human Rights is spreading its message through educational tools, hard-hitting videos and inspirational messages.

Tennessee United for Human Rights (TUHR) held a meeting in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21 at the Nashville Church of Scientology. The theme for the day was “Diversity and Inclusion: A Public Listening Session.”

TUHR is the local chapter of United for Human Rights (UHR), an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who are actively forwarding the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all Mankind, according to humanrights.com.

UHR’s purpose is to provide human rights educational resources and activities that inform, assist and unite individuals, educators, organizations and governmental bodies in the dissemination and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at every level of society.

United for Human Rights was founded on the Declaration’s 60th anniversary, in the face of continued worldwide abuses which violate the spirit, intent and Articles of this charter of all human rights, the first such document ever ratified by the community of nations. Surveys have found that most people have only a limited understanding of human rights. The Declaration contains the thirty rights that together form the basis of a civilization wherein all people can enjoy the freedoms to which they are entitled, and nations can coexist in peace.

For more information about Tennessee United for Human Rights, go to www.tuhr.org.


Church of Scientology Welcomes Students for Tour

The Nashville Church of Scientology always welcomes interested students to tour the church, which has been in Nashville’s historic Fall School building since 2009.

Religious studies classes often attend Sunday Service in the church, receive a tour or meet with someone to get their questions answered about Scientology. This past Sunday, a religious studies class of more than twenty students visited the church in Nashville.

“We always enjoy hosting students, people of other faiths and anyone who has questions about Scientology,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology in Nashville, “A basic tenet of Scientology is that what is true for you is what you observe yourself. So I very much appreciate it when people look for themselves.”

The Nashville Church has hosted numerous tours of this nature over the years since it opened in the historic Fall School in 2009. The building, which was built in 1898 in a similar style to the legendary Ryman Auditorium, is 36,000 square feet and served the area as a public school until 1970.  The Church purchased the building in 2007. Many of its original features were preserved, including the hardwood floors, doors and stairwells and eight solid wood pillars capped with iron that support a central three-story atrium.

For more information on the Church of Scientology, its programs or community involvement, visit scientology-ccnashville.org.


Thursday, March 8, 2018

Tennessee United for Human Rights Bringing People Together to Eliminate Discrimination

Tennessee United for Human Rights is spreading its message through educational tools, hard-hitting videos and inspirational messages.


Tennessee United for Human Rights (TUHR) is planning to hold an event in observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21st at 4:30pm at the Nashville Church of Scientology. The theme for the event is “An Open Conversation on Minority Relations,” and will bring together members of minority communities for a dialogue on working better together.  

During a meeting at the Church of Scientology in January, a local pastor brought up a point that there is a need for more conversation among minorities. This led to the creation of this conversation for the International Day for the Elimination of Discrimination.

“If minorities work together, they become the majority,” says pastor of the Church of Scientology, Rev. Brian Fesler, “All are stronger together.”

TUHR is the local chapter of United for Human Rights (UHR), an international, not-for-profit organization dedicated to implementing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Its membership is comprised of individuals, educators and groups throughout the world who are actively forwarding the knowledge and protection of human rights by and for all Mankind, according to humanrights.com.

UHR’s purpose is to provide human rights educational resources and activities that inform, assist and unite individuals, educators, organizations and governmental bodies in the dissemination and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at every level of society.

United for Human Rights was founded on the Declaration’s 60th anniversary, in the face of continued worldwide abuses which violate the spirit, intent and Articles of this charter of all human rights, the first such document ever ratified by the community of nations. Surveys have found that most people have only a limited understanding of human rights. The Declaration contains the thirty rights that together form the basis of a civilization wherein all people can enjoy the freedoms to which they are entitled, and nations can coexist in peace.

For more information about United for Human Rights, go to www.humanrights.com.

Nashville Church of Scientology to Hold Open House for World Health Day

The Nashville Church of Scientology is welcoming the community to an event this year to observe World Health Day.

The Church of Scientology supports the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW), which has as its mission to educate people about the dangerous effects of drugs so they understand and can make informed choices on the subject. The Tennessee chapter, Drug-Free Tennessee (DFT) is planning an event to observe World Health Day where the organization will have plenty of educational materials to hand for anyone wanting more information on the topic. Organizers have partnered with community members who have information to share on healthier living.

Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Nashville Church of Scientology, says, “There is a need in our communities to educate everyone on how to be healthy—this includes staying away from illegal drugs, but there are many other aspects to health that people should know,” he said.

Rev. Fesler says the event will feature audio-visual pieces, interactive presentations and more to keep the audience engaged. “We’re helping people learn about being healthy in a fun, upbeat way,” says Rev. Fesler.

In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate April 7 of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. World Health Day is held to mark WHO's founding, and is seen as an opportunity by the organization to draw worldwide attention to a subject of major importance to global health each year. This year, the theme is #HealthForAll, and the Nashville Church of Scientology plans to incorporate this theme into the event.

For more information on the Church of Scientology or its programs, visit scientology-ccnashville.org.

Citizens Commission on Human Rights Spreading Awareness, Helping Children

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Nashville (CCHR Nashville) has been hard at work to spread information to parents on their basic rights so they can help their children.

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights Nashville Chapter (CCHR Nashville) is working to educate parents on their basic rights as they relate to their children’s mental health and well-being. To do this, volunteers have been to several recent events and informational fairs to get out information in a broad sphere.

CCHR has long been an advocate for human rights, especially as relates to patients’ rights in the field of mental health. Per the international CCHR website, cchr.org, “CCHR has long fought to restore basic inalienable human rights to the field of mental health, including, but not limited to, full informed consent regarding the medical legitimacy of psychiatric diagnosis, the risks of psychiatric treatments, the right to all available medical alternatives and the right to refuse any treatment considered harmful.”

Rev. Brian Fesler, who serves on the board of CCHR Nashville, said, “CCHR volunteers are getting the word out, but there is so much work to be done. Children are at risk in the hands of psychiatrists, and their parents deserve the truth.”

CCHR is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious mental health watchdog. Its mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. CCHR receives reports about abuses in the field of mental health and is especially interested in situations where persons experienced abuse or damage due to a false diagnosis or unwanted and harmful psychiatric treatments, such as psychiatric drugs, electroshock (ECT) and electronic or magnetic brain stimulation (TMS). CCHR is often able to assist with filing complaints, and can work with a person’s attorney to further investigate the case. To contact CCHR Nashville for more information, visit cchrnashville.org.  

Drug-Free Tennessee Circulating Truth

Drug-Free Tennessee, the local chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, has been helping people across the state to learn the harmful effects of drugs before they are lured into taking them.

With drug-related crimes being a weekly occurrence, Drug-Free Tennessee (DFT) is working out ways to combat usage rates by spreading truth. “We need to spread a positive drug-free message and educate as many people as possible and as fast as possible,” says Brian Fesler, regional coordinator for Drug-Free Tennessee.

DFT uses The Truth About Drugs booklets, which empower youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions to live drug-free.  

Volunteers are out in the community, handing out information and giving talks to students in schools. “This program works with anyone of any race or creed, as drugs don’t discriminate,” according to Fesler.

DFT is the local chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW), an international organization based in Los Angeles, and has as its mission to educate people about the dangerous effects of drugs so they understand and can make informed choices on the subject. At the heart of the campaign are the Truth About Drugs booklets, 13 fact-filled booklets that, without scare tactics, inform about drugs, empowering young people to make their own decisions to live drug-free.

Fesler says, “There is a need in our communities to educate everyone on drugs—drugs impact all our lives in one way or another. That’s why it is important for all of us to work together to end this epidemic.” For more information on Drug-Free Tennessee, visit drugfreetn.org.