ics blamed Scientology a blind faith in the media
because of its strict rule but they should know that
Doug E.
of not treating mental ill- Scientology is easy to un-
nesses with drugs. derstand and easy to find
Fresh
Beyond that, there is
out about for yourself.”
also one of L. Ron Hub- In an effort to in-
bard’s, the founder of crease its visibility within
Scientology, ideologies the Black community the
which consist of “The Church of Scientology
Space Opera.” It states has two centers, one in
that humans are thetans Inglewood, CA, and one
(“immortal spiritual be- in Harlem. There is also
ings”) inhabited by alien a Scientology center on
spirits that are presently Middlebelt Road in Farm-
trapped in “meat bodies” ington Hills and they have
and have innumerable purchased a building
past lives that existed in in downtown Detroit on
extraterrestrial cultures Jefferson and Griswold
prior to their arrival to which will house their
planet Earth. Michigan headquarters.
“Scientology is not a White religion. It is not just for
“It’s a new religion. With help from the
White people,” Doug E. Fresh emphasizes. “Scientology
It’s not as old like most International Associa-
is not written with disrespect toward God. It doesn’t wor-
religions,” said Doug tion of Scientologists, the
E. Fresh. “People don’t Church of Scientology in
“Our children are not
“In Scientology you
ship something that is evil. It is scientific, mathematical
know enough about it Harlem also purchased
being educated in Har-
learn to make sure you
and spiritual. The Black community has to check it out
so they come up with all buildings on renowned
lem or New York City,”
understand the mean-
types of bad things about 125th Street. It will con-
says Cheeseboro. “They
ing of words,” Doug E.
and see what’s there. I’m not saying it’s for everyone
it. The media has beaten sist of one of the larg-
are at the bottom of per-
Fresh explained. “You
but you have to take a look. You may be amazed at it down and they never est churches in the U.S.
formance level. With Sci-
don’t read something and
came in and checked it for the organization, a
entology, our children can
not know what it means.
what you get.”
out.” six-story building about
get a great education and
If you don’t understand
55,000 square feet and
salvation. There are al-
something you won’t pay
“I am the first hip hop
spirits inhabiting each
Despite the media’s
the community center two
ready children around the
attention to it. You should
artist to do it,” said Doug
human.
censure, the religion,
doors down, at 16,000
world using the tools and
understand what you are
E. Fresh, who was in-
which was founded by
square feet.
have seen tremendous
reading.”
troduced to Scientology
One of Scientology’s
Hubbard in 1953, has
effects of the technology.
through his former girl-
most revered and vocal
more than 7,700 Scien- “Harlem, from Count
It helps them to become
One misconception
friend, Miss Jones, an
advocates has been A-
tology churches, eight Basie, Duke Ellington,
a literate person.”
about Scientology is that
early 80s R&B singer,
list celebrity Tom Cruise.
million members and is and eventually Stevie
you can’t be a Christian.
former New York and
The media has not
located in more than 164 Wonder and hip hop, has
Also, according to
“I grew up as a Baptist
Philadelphia radio per-
strayed from their attacks
countries. Scientology been an international cul-
Carmichael, Scientology
and I love me some gos-
sonality and author of the
on Cruise and his “odd”
has infiltrated the masses tural beacon,” said Car-
is currently serving the
pel music,” says Cheese-
book Have You Met Miss
behavior, blaming it on
at an exponential rate. In michael.
Black community with
boro. “I am still a Baptist.
programs teaching two
Jones?: The Life and
Scientology. There’s his
less than a century Holly-
You can be any religion
The Church of Sci-
million children in the
Loves of Radio’s Most
infamous appearance on
wood movers and shak-
and study Scientology.
entology in Harlem was
Johannesburg suburb of
Controversial Diva.
The Oprah Winfrey Show
ers such as Tom Cruise,
Muslim, Christian, Prot-
in 2005 when Cruise leapt
started in 2001 by two Af-
John Travolta, Lisa Marie
Soweto to study; some-
estant.”
“Isaac Hayes was a
from his seat and jumped
rican American women,
Presley and Kirstie Alley
thing which had been de-
former coworker of Miss
up and down on Oprah’s
Thelma Mitchum and its
have all become Scien-
nied to them by the apart-
Still with so much
Jones and he told her
sofa declaring his love
current president, Ver-
tology members.
heid rulers. The Criminon
negativity surrounding
about it,” said Doug E.
for his then bride-to-be
lene Cheeseboro. In
program has returned
Scientology from alleged
Fresh. “I went with her to
Katie Holmes. There was
While the percentage 1999, Cheeseboro, a
prisoners of all races to
brainwashing, financial
one of the classes. Miss
also an appearance on
of Black celebrities as- Harlem resident, created
honesty, self-respect and,
misappropriations and
Jones stopped going but
The Today Show in 2005
sociated with the religion a tutorial program, the
upon leaving prison, a
intimidation of members,
I continued. I found it fas-
when Cruise criticized ac-
is very low, musical and Hollywood and Education
productive life without re-
the religion continues to
cinating. It changed how I
tress Brooke Shields for
cultural icons such as Literacy Program Harlem
cidivism. And its drug re-
move forward in seeking
thought. I’ve learned how
advocating anti-depres-
MC Lyte, actor Haywood (HELP Harlem), for the
hab program, Narconon,
out Black members.
to look at things and not
sant medicine she was
Nelson (better known as young children of her
the largest such non-gov-
“Scientology is not a
judge them but respect
using for post-partum de-
Dwayne Nelson from the neighborhood because
ernmental program in the
White religion. It is not
them and use it in a way
pression. He later apolo-
television show What’s Harlem is one of the most
world, similarly deals with
just for White people,”
that people understand
gized to Shields, but crit-
Happening!) and the late, underserved and poorly
a plague which degrades
Doug E. Fresh empha-
that I respect them, show
great Isaac Hayes, follow educated areas.
its target without regard
sizes. “Scientology is not
them love and respect
Scientology.
However, she was
for skin color.
written with disrespect
their reality.”
“Scientology address- unable to find any edu-
Behind the mysticism
toward God. It doesn’t
Fascinating as it may
es the spirit, not simply cational resources that
associated with Scien-
worship something that is
be, Scientology has re-
the body or mind, and provided tools for ad-
tology, one of its basic
evil. It is scientific, mathe-
ceived mounds of scru-
works from the premise equate learning. A former
principles focuses on
matical and spiritual. The
tiny from the public vis-
that man is far more than co-worker at the New
language and commu-
Black community has
a-vis the media’s myopic
a product of his or her York State Department
nication. It teaches that
to check it out and see
view. Since the religion’s
genes,” said John Car- of Corrections introduced
many of the breakdowns
what’s there. I’m not say-
inception it has been re-
michael, president of the her to Scientology. She
in a person’s life are at-
ing it’s for everyone but
ferred to as a cult that
Church of Scientology of searched out the materi-
tributed to their misun-
you have to take a look.
practices black magic
New York. “I like to think als, studied the technol-
derstanding of communi-
You may be amazed at
and sorcery, along with
that the Black commu- ogy and began using it in
cation, especially in word
what you get.”
tales of UFOs and alien
nity is less likely to have her programs.
usage.
The Michigan FrontPage • November 13, 2009 13
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