Citizens Commission on Human Rights to Hold Benefit Concert in May

Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Nashville (CCHR Nashville) is holding a benefit concert in May to help those abused in the field of mental health.

The Nashville Chapter of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR Nashville) is planning a benefit concert in May to help those who have been abused in the mental health field.    

CCHR is known as an advocate for human rights, especially as relates to patients’ rights. 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.”

“CCHR is committed to helping people learn their rights, especially as relates to freedom of conscience,” says CCHR Nashville Board Member, Brian Fesler. CCHR Nashville regularly hosts events and meetings with local leaders who give insight into patients’ rights, parents’ rights and more.

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.  

Nashville Church of Scientology Recognizes Top Volunteers and Community Advocates

Volunteer Recognition Day at the Nashville Church of Scientology will acknowledge volunteers and inspire others to take action, exemplifying the spirit of the day.

The Nashville Church of Scientology will host an open house on Volunteer Recognition Day in April to acknowledge volunteers, while also lifting up others to help people in times of need. “Helping others is an incredible virtue, and one that should be recognized more often,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Nashville Church of Scientology.

Volunteers will be recognized for their work over the past year, those who have shown exemplary volunteer spirit and those who contributed to volunteer work in other ways.

The Church of Scientology’s Volunteer Minister program is a religious social service created in the mid 1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard who said, "The Volunteer Minister helps 'on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others.'"

To make this technology broadly available, the Church has a Volunteer Minister tent that is set up at fairs and other community events to offer help freely to anyone. The Church also provides free online training at the Volunteer Ministers website. Anyone of any culture or creed may train as a Volunteer Minister and use these tools to help their families and communities. During the open house, everyone was invited outside to see the tent where they could learn practical skills to help others.

The Volunteer Minister program was expressly intended for use by Scientologists and non- Scientologists alike. Transcending all ethnic, cultural and religious boundaries, the Volunteer Ministers program is there for anyone in need of help. Volunteer Minister training is available free of charge through the Scientology Volunteer Minister website to anyone who wishes to help others, at www.volunteerministers.org.

Youth Voices Create a Brighter Future at Church of Scientology Nashville

The Church of Scientology Nashville with The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee observed World Happiness Day with a special youth presentation from a diverse group of Nashville children.

“Youth Voices: Creating a Brighter Future” was the program title for the inaugural event to observe World Happiness Day at the Church of Scientology Nashville. Sponsored by The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee and The Way to Happiness Kids Club of Nashville, the program included words from young people, ages ranging from five to thirteen years old, who spoke about how to make a brighter future.

Anna B., who is just five years old, opened the program by welcoming all attendees and said, “I’m glad you all are here.” This was followed by two six year old speakers, the first thanking the church for welcoming everyone, and the second speaking about how all people should work together for a better future. Jazzy L., 11 years old, invited all children to join The Way to Happiness Kids Club. Then it came time for the panel discussion with thirteen year old, Yusuf L., 9 year old Omaran L., and 10 year old Celia S. They each answered questions posed to them about how to set a good example and remain true to themselves despite those who may try to suppress them. The event was concluded with an group photo of all children present that afternoon.

The Way to Happiness Association was formed around the book The Way To Happiness, written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. The Way to Happiness is filled with twenty-one precepts based on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others. One of these precepts is “Love and Help Children,” which showcases how children are the future. Each child attending the event was given a poster with each precept drawn out; and the parents were each given their own copy of The Way to Happiness booklet.

World Happiness Day occurs each year on March 20^th and is celebrated by the United Nations. According to un.org, “Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world…The United Nations invites each person of any age, plus every classroom, business and government to join in celebration of the International Day of Happiness.”

For more information on The Way to Happiness Association, visit twthtn.org.

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Learns About the Great Reset

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

What do people of vastly different faiths and backgrounds truly have in common? How can they discuss differences and walk away friends? This was the topic of discussion for the most recent meeting of the Religion Communicators Council, a group of religious communications professionals who meet monthly.

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. The Nashville Chapter recently heard from Kalinda Fisher, who founded the Great Reset.

The Great Reset is what Fisher dubs a series of open, heart-felt conversations around difficult topics that lead to enduring friendships between even the most disparate peoples. The series of conversations began in Fisher’s home a year ago, and has now spread to more than five other states.

The meeting took place in early March at United Methodist Communications on 12^th Avenue South in Nashville.

Fisher showcased the success of the Great Reset, and RCC members were encouraged to support her in her work, as this aligns with the purpose of the RCC, to “encourage understanding among religious and faith groups.”

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising and development. The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter.

Church of Scientology Nashville Hosts Basic CPR and First Aid Workshop

The Church of Scientology Nashville observed World Civil Defense Day this year with a disaster preparedness workshop.

In the United States, more than 500,000 children and adults experience a cardiac arrest each year, and of those, less than 15% survive, according to the American Heart Association. Nearly 80% of all cardiac arrests occur in public settings or at home.

“That is why it is so important for us to be prepared by knowing CPR and basic first aid, so we can help those we love,” says Julie Brinker, Community Affairs Coordinator for the Church of Scientology Nashville, which recognized the United Nations World Civil Defense Day by hosting a workshop open to the community with experts on disaster preparedness, specifically training attendees how to perform basic CPR and first aid.

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: 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; and that of paying tribute to the efforts, sacrifices and accomplishments of all the national services responsible for the fight against disasters.”

Brinker, who oversees community affairs for the Nashville Church, explained how the it 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,” she said. Brinker said volunteerministers.org contains resources one would need to become trained in this technology.  

Equipped with effective technology to resolve virtually any difficulty, Volunteer Ministers live by the motto: “No matter the problem, something can be done about it.” Transcending all ethnic, cultural and religious boundaries, the Volunteer Ministers program is there for anyone in need of help.

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.”

To learn more about the Scientology Volunteer Minsiters, visit scientology-ccnashville.org.