The Church of Scientology announced today the launch of their new Sientology.org web site: a video channel with some three hours of video clips on Scientology beliefs and practices.

In describing the new site, the Church stated that it "has always considered the Internet a resource for disseminating accurate information about the religion—concentrating on using the Internet to promote its message and mission in the world."

There are 82 videos on the new Scientology channel, which have previously only been available to people visiting Scientology churches or traveling exhibitions. The videos cover basic beliefs and practices of the Scientology religion and overviews of the humanitarian programs the Church sponsors such as activities to tackle drug abuse, promote human rights and improve literacy.

The original Scientology web site went online in 1996.

Once more our kids are about to be exploited, all to the greater good of psychiatry and Big Pharma.

Over 300 articles listed in Google News yesterday screamed about some "new study" showing a huge increase in bipolar kids.

Wow. Is this coincidental, or is it a direct correlation to the increase in prescription "meds" being given to kids to get them to sit up straight and not fight or disagree with their teacher? (oops, excuse me, for "ADHD" -- called "behavior problems" when I was a kid and usually handled by letting the kids blow off steam in the school yard or making sure they ate breakfast).

Why should we use our kids to bear the brunt of the pharmaceutical industry's need to expand their capital?

Over the years, with the help of briefings at Scientology events (even as recently as this last July when David Miscavige [Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center] covered the subject in a speech on reversing the current social catastrophe ). I've come to realize how responsible the psych/pharma syndicate [my words, not his] is for the degradation of our civilization). It has opened my eyes to what is really going on on this planet. Especially after I toured the CCHR (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) museum -- Psychiatry and Industry of Death. So much so, that when this latest "announcement" came out it was completely transparent to me.

Want to bet how long it takes for someone to come up with a new (expensive) miracle patent to charge our insurance companies and the US Congress (through appropriations) to "handle this mental health emergency." Leave me a comment on this blog on how long you predict it will be before the "fortuitous" announcement of the latest miracle drug that coincidentally solves this "new" problem.

What's even worse is that anyone can pick up one of the basic Scientology books or lectures by L. Ron Hubbard and find dozens of things they can do to help a kid. It's so easy to chill kids out. But once you start stuffing them full of meds you are setting them up for a life of desperation.

And by the way, if you want the real lowdown on big pharma "ethics" check out Michael Moore's new film, Sicko.

A good, stable adult with love and tolerance in his heart is about the best therapy a child can have.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

Is being a teenager a disorder? Is there something any blogger can do to help kids make it through period of their lives without getting into serious trouble?

I suppose you could consider being a teenager as a disorder (marked by rebellion, doing things that are harmful or dangerous for fun, avoiding authority figures like parents and teachers and only caring about what their friends think of them). But giving it a name doesn't do anything to fix the symptoms or prevent the damage. >>> MORE

Another Scientologist expressed his views about the subject. I don't share his exact sentiments, but I certainly understand where he's coming from:

Reading along on the internet I occasionally get the feeling of being in a zoo or an insane asylum, especially reading what "people" (presumably the same pseudonymous lunatics over and over again) claim Scientology is. Scientology works, there is no doubt about it and it is easy to see for those who have an idea what is meant when I say "Scientology". Scientology is open, realistic, comprehensible and transparent. It is a very young and dynamic religious belief system >>> More

I am often amazed at what I read about Scientology on the Internet. It's a kind of transcendental experience. Makes me wonder how some seemingly cogent, committed and interesting people can see things so differently from me.

Get's you wondering.

But having been a Scientologist for most of my adult life I know what I know. And I know Scientology works and that it helps people and that L. Ron Hubbard was a genius.

So it's hard to make sense out of it all.

Then again, I can understand this much: if I were reading all the crap I run across on the Net and believed even a small part of it were true I'd probably be pretty outraged and might join the anti team. That is, if I hadn't been fortunate enough to have checked it out myself before it became popular to bash it on the Net.

My point here, and my appeal to people I respect for many of their other views, is check out the real thing yourself.

Get and read a book by L. Ron Hubbard. Try to view it dispassionately, without preconceived ideas. I personally think you will find that so much of what you believe is mirrored in these books, but even better you will find they help you clarify your thoughts and put a hell of a lot of life into perspective.

I suggest Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health as the first book to read. It was mine. I've read it many times since. In fact I am reading it again right now.

I am open to comments, but I'm not open to hate and propaganda. So if you want to comment on my postings, have the respect for my freedom of speech and religion that I try to have for you.