Today, the National Court in Madrid issued a landmark decision affirming the right to religious freedom in Spain by recognizing that the National Church of Scientology of Spain should be entered in the Registry of Religious Entities.
"This recognition marks the end of an era in which Spanish Scientologists were forced to fight for their rights to religious freedom. It vindicates the Church of Scientology and is a new beginning for all Spanish Scientologists," said Ivan Arjona, spokesperson for the National Church of Scientology in Spain.
The National Court thoroughly examined the Church's formative documents and aims and purposes to unequivocally determine that the National Church of Scientology of Spain has the right to be registered as a religion under Spanish law.
In reaching this decision, the National Court also relied on decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, most notably the Human Rights Court's unanimous decision of April 2007 affirming that the Church of Scientology is entitled to the rights and protections of religious freedom that flow to religious organizations pursuant to Article 9 of the European Human Rights Convention. The principles enunciated in that decision upheld the religious freedom of Scientologists and their religious associations and apply throughout the forty-seven member states that have signed and ratified the European Human Rights Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
"This is the culmination of a series of landmark victories for the Church of Scientology in Europe. Thanks to this recognition, we are now able to devote all our effort and attention to making our community and our country the best it can be, for all its people. The National Court's decision is extremely significant because it constitutes the latest official recognition of the Church of Scientology as a religious organization in Europe. It mandates that Scientologists and their religious associations be afforded the same rights and privileges as members of other registered religious organizations throughout the European Community and in the European Union." Arjona said.
In September 2004, the National Church of Scientology of Spain opened grand new premises in the heart of Madrid. That new Scientology church represents not only a house of worship for the thousands of Scientologists in the country, but a resource to the community and nation at large. The Church's social betterment programs reach millions of people every year.
The Scientology religion was founded by L. Ron Hubbard. The first church was established in the United States in 1954. Since then, it has grown to more than 7,500 churches, missions and groups and ten million members in 163 nations.
Scientology first came to Spain in the late 1960s.
For more information about Scientology, visit
www.scientology.org or contact:
In SPAIN:
Church of Scientology of Spain
Ivan Arjona
+34 912 092170
In EUROPE:
Church of Scientology
European Office of Public Affairs
Fabio Amicarelli
+32 22311596
In the US:
Karin Pouw
Church of Scientology International
+1 (323) 960-3500
The Scientology Religion Blog: New Scientology Church for Philadelphia
"Philadelphia and I'm so happy to see a new Church of Scientology is being built there."
| In May, Churches of Scientology around the world will celebrate the publication of "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health." A best-selling book by L. Ron Hubbard |
| Date Released: 05/08/2007 |
 Boston - In May, Churches of Scientology around the world will celebrate the publication of "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health." A best-selling book by L. Ron Hubbard, it is now available in 53 languages with sales exceeding 21 million copies. The Dianetics phenomena started in May 1950 when author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard's visionary work on the human mind, its problems and their resolution, first hit the bookstores. The book rocketed onto the New York Times bestseller list and has appeared on dozens of bestseller lists since. Its huge popularity is due to the workable methods it provides, enabling people to come to grips with the fears, upsets and negative emotions that adversely affect their lives and relationships. Although the year 2007 is dramatically different from 1950, the need for Dianetics technology has not changed. Instead of a "cold war", there is the peril and uncertainty of the "war on terror," and man’s inhumanity to man continues unabated, manifested by racism, hatred and violence. On a personal level, there has been little improvement, with day-to-day worries and stress about jobs, economic security, and the emotional “roller-coaster” most people experience from problems with their families and interpersonal relationships gone bad. With Dianetics, emotional pain and anguish are replaced by relief and joy, and worries and upsets become a thing of the past. One individual who recently used Dianetics techniques told of a problem he had at the end of a relationship: “We broke up and I was trying to get her out of my heart. Dianetics helped me relieve all that tension, all that pain and all that hurt." Another spoke of how he overcame feelings that were really holding him back in life: “I was upset, worried. Some people would call it depression. That changed. After Dianetics counseling I became a much happier person. I could really go after what I wanted in life.” Still another person explained how his whole attitude toward life improved: “I can go outside and if it’s a great day I can feel it––I mean I can really feel it; the way I felt it when I was a kid. I can enjoy the sunshine the way I could thirty years ago.” Countless others have experienced similar improvements. As Mr. Hubbard wrote in the book's introduction: "Dianetics is an adventure. It is an exploration into terra incognita, the human mind, that vast and hitherto unknown realm half an inch back of our foreheads. Some of the things you will find may astonish you." The Church of Scientology - Boston will be having a Dianetics 57th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, May 19 2007, 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge. The celebration is free and open to public please call to James or Anita at 617-266-9500 to reserve a seat. For more information call Gerard Renna 617-266-3841 or visit www.dianetics.org. |
With a new wave of crime in Boston that has created extra police work as well as the presence of the Guardian Angels, the Boston Scientology Volunteer Ministry is reaching even further into the community to give community organizations and other religions the opportunity to use their workable methods of education and morals.
Per ministry leaders, the most underlying source of crime is illiteracy and their tutoring programs create literate people who can apply what they read. They feel that with illiteracy, options close and crime is more likely to set in. Their moral/non-violence programs are also available to any person’s group wishes to help. To learn how you can have the knowledge to undercut the causes of crime, contact Robert Castagna at (617) 927-CCHR or email rwcastagna(at)yahoo.com .
Below is more information about the ministry and its programs. The time to act in now.
The Mission: The Boston Scientology Ministry is located at 1783 Washington Street in Lower Roxbury and provides free service to the Boston community that reduces the crime and violence of the area by handling the factors that underlie it. Examples of such programs are the Reading and Study Skills project, The UNITED Youth for Human Rights Program and the non-violence program called The Way to Happiness.
For more information on the Ministry call (617) 927-2247. For volunteer information regarding the Boston Scientology Ministry: Volunteer Match
Description: The Boston Scientology Ministry is sponsored by the parishioners of the Church of Scientology of Boston and provides a free community center to the inner city of Boston. The ministry is open to people of all ages and seeks to empower the individual through literacy, morals and other services. The ministry also assists other agencies in setting up literacy and non-violence programs by providing materials and training.
The center is open Monday to Friday from 3:00 to 6:00, and by special appointment. One-on-one tutoring is offered to assist those individuals who are having difficulty with their schooling and a complete phonics program is available to those in need of improved reading skills. Programs are available to the publics that provide parenting and community service skills. Such programs include the "How to Reduce the Violence with Effective Education" program. This program is also available for presentations at other agencies. http://www.uwmb.org/
History: Rev. Robert Castagna established The Boston Scientology Ministry in the summer of 2004 to assist the community in reducing crime and violence. The Volunteer Minister program was originally created by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology in mid 1970's. Mr. Hubbard concluded that crime was rising in direct proportion to the decline of religious influence in society and thereby developed the Volunteer Minister movement as a means of providing practical assistance to those in need. The ministry's programs are available to the citizens of Roxbury and the surrounding area free of charge and regardless of race, color or creed.
