Scientology’s Hate Monitor has published an astonishing attack piece against 12 News, Phoenix’s coverage of convicted murder Kenneth Thompson’s death.
Stand League’s “author” iteration number 27 opens with “In a feat of journalistic sleight of hand, NBC 12 News in Phoenix, Arizona managed to turn a page 3 story about criminal-on-criminal crime in a correctional facility into page 1 clickbait with a screaming headline as sensational as it was false.”
12 News’ original headline appears to have said “Convicted Scientology Murderer Found Dead in Arizona Prison”, as can be seen in this link for Twitter:
Sometime between 4:32 and 6:34 on December 30, 2021 the headline was changed, removing Scientology’s mention.
Given that this headline appears in various forms across the internet it is curious why 12 News Phoenix was targeted. Certainly there are far more sensationally descriptive captions such as “Murderer who claimed Scientology led him to butcher sister-in-law and boyfriend to death is killed in prison”
Scientology accuses 12 News of “blatant and bigoted calumny”, “Opening the door to religious hatred, marginalizing minorities and fomenting, propagating and perpetuating stereotypes and falsehoods” and of course the tired, overused cry of “bigotry”.
All while insisting that the article is false.
Except that it isn’t.
There is no calumny here.
No bigotry or hatred.
The facts are clear and come from the events revealed during Thompson’s trial: he and his lawyers used his belief in Scientology as a defense for murder.
While this may be an uncomfortable reality for COS it was not “…sensational as it was false”.
Scientology wants to be treated as a religion; thus they must learn to accept that religions are held to a much higher standard by society.
When one insists that they are THE most ethical, that they have all the answers and that they are Mankind’s only hope, others tend to view them accordingly.
Hubbard created the lenses through which he wanted the world to view his followers. Scientology, with staged photo ops, fictional press releases and outright lies, follows policy in order to convince non members of its goodness.
It is therefore unreasonable to attack people when they are scandalized and outraged when that goodness is proven false.
COS works zealously to force outsiders to accept the illusion they proffer, yet they furiously abuse and bully when held to the ideals they project.
Kenneth Thompson committed horrible murder and then attempted to use his Scientology beliefs to excuse it. This isn’t a lie, it’s a fact.
Just as Catholic priests who sexually abuse cause greater scandal that reflects upon The Church, so too the actions of a member of a group claiming superiority and salvation.
The fictional Landon writes; “It’s time to put an end to antireligious bigotry in reportage. It’s time to put an end to the merchandising of fear and hate at the expense of truth.”
But is this “anti religious bigotry”?
Is it hate?
No.
Rather, one suggests that it is bemused disappointment in those who insist upon their preeminence, who insist we all believe in their humanitarian façade.
Frustration in a group who presumes to instruct on what is moral, ethical and right even as they fall as short as the rest of the mortal world.
Scientology holds itself above and beyond. It utterly refuses to admit it is as capable of sin as anyone else. It wants people to buy in to this illusion.
Why then does it react in such vicious fury when the world responds in shock and disgust when their members fall so short?
Stand League/Hate Monitor acts like the world is filled with hateful bigots out to prey upon this put-upon, minority religion.
In truth, Scientology’s smug conceit is their own undoing.
They demand belief, acceptance and respect, then when they are held to these very ideals they lash out crying discrimination.
Tom Cruise stated that Scientologists could create their own realities. A claim as outrageous as it is bizarre. Whoever is behind the Martin Landon nom de guerre seems to believe as seen by their outraged insistence, that the headlines and articles concerning Kenneth Thompson are false and fabricated solely to bully Scientology.
While this may be the reality COS wishes, it is impossible. The facts are incontrovertible and no amount of wishful postulating will alter them.
Nor will attacking 12 News Phoenix for simply reporting the details of a terrible murder equal bigotry, calumny or hate.
Confront And Shatter 
Let us cite just a little taste of the “spiritual wisdom” of El Con Bloward-his words, which are the church’s unalterable scripture-to underscore the validity of the assertions you make here:
“If attacked on some vulnerable point by anyone or anything or any organization, always find or manufacture enough threat against them to cause them to sue for peace.”
L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 15 August 1960, Dept. of Govt. Affairs
“The purpose of the suit is to harass and discourage rather than to win. The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing that he is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.”
L. Ron Hubbard, A MANUAL ON THE DISSEMINATION OF MATERIAL, 1955
“ENEMY SP Order. Fair game. May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”
L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 18 October 1967
“A truly Suppressive Person or group has no rights of any kind and actions taken against them are not punishable.”
L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 1 March 1965, HCO (Division 1) “Ethics, Suppressive Acts, Suppression of Scientology and Scientologists”
“The sudden and abrupt deletion of all individuals occupying the lower bands of the Tone Scale from the social order would result in an almost instant rise in the cultural tone and would interrupt the dwindling spiral into which any society may have entered.”
L. Ron Hubbard, SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, p. 170
“In all the broad Universe there is no other hope for Man than ourselves.”
L. Ron Hubbard, “Ron’s Journal” 1967
And so on, ad nauseam.
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Thus the Potemkin Village that is Scientology. The façade is built and pushed as reality while empty rot exists behind the nicely painted doors. While I was being sarcastic it does bear considering; why attack the pedestrians for buying the illusion? Hubbard’s infinity symbol applies: COS’ crimes and abuses are exposed so they attack which leads to more exposure, so they attack, which leads to….
LRH forgot to steal the old adage that “Silence is golden”.
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There’s an important difference when religious–or in this case, “religious” (wink, wink)–people miss the mark of their faith. The difference is: whether they actually miss the mark at all.
A molesting priest violates the law of his church, exploits his position and gravely sins in the eyes of his God. As does anyone in the church hierarchy covering it up, even if they are claiming that their concern is for their church’s, or even God’s, reputation. In fact, most non-Catholics would agree with these standards intuitively.
Not so in scientology: covering up a crime, or even committing one is NOT at all “missing the mark” as long as it’s done for the benefit of the “church” (a deception in itself) or to glorify the name of elron. It’s simply following the “scripture” of “source.” Whether this results in deaths, covered up severe crimes (rape comes to mind), campaigns of intimidation or ordinary lies is beside the point.
Ethical systems, whether they claim divine inspiration or not, focus on the survival and prosperity of humanity. Following these ethical standards requires integrity and sacrifice. scientology ethics focuses strictly on organizational self-interest. It’s the ends justifying the means, regardless of how plainly unjustifiable the ends are.
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