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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

Religious protest of a different kind

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Most Torontonians, at one time or another, have passed a protest against China’s treatment of members of the Fulan Gong. But there is another religious backlash that happens with almost as much regularity here in the city: the anti-Scientology protest.

The Church of Scientology is located at Yonge and St. Mary, just south of Bloor. The ground floor has a retail component that sells L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics books (which form the basis of the Scientology beliefs). Almost every day when I pass this location I see one or two members of the church handing out fliers or asking for passersby to sit down for a “Free Stress Test” (see image at bottom of post). Once a week I work in the building just north of the church and I can often look directly into their building to watch teaching sessions or circles of 10 to 20 people holding hands (and, I assume, praying).

Across the street, a handful of young protesters will also being handing out pamphlets, but those pieces of literature try to discredit Scientology teachings. Most of the demonstrators cover their face with bandanas or masks, which I suspect is meant to hide their identity from the excitable, yet wrathful, Tom Cruise. (As a sidenote, Bill Maher’s new movie, Religulous, has a great scene of him as a street preacher in London’s Hyde Park reciting the belief system of Scientology)

When I stepped back to take photos of the protesters, photos were taken of me (in the photo above, see the person on the left sitting on the ground). The kids quickly assumed I was working for the Scientologists and began crowding me, asking me what I was going to use the photos for. I explained my purpose (a blog post for a magazine) and they seemed to find this acceptable. They told me they’ve been harassed and intimidated a few blocks away by people they saw watching them from the windows above church’s retail store. That’s why they were quick to judge me, a protester said. Sometimes the police show up to make sure nothing is getting out of hand and that the protestors are not taking over the entire sidewalk.

I find this demonstration to be a unique  occurrence on our streets because we rarely, if ever, see direct protests against a religious or spiritual sect. I can’t remember ever seeing a group outside of church, mosque, temple, or synagogue chanting negative slogans or openly trying to persuade people to reject the ideas of the religion. I’m sure a majority of people believe Scientology to be a cult (I certainly do), but that makes this situation all the more unique: most cults try to hide themselves from the public’s view while trying to convert newbies in very subtle and covert ways.

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13 comments

  1. Just a question: Are these protestors displaying religious intolerance?

  2. I think that’s a good question, George. I’m not sure and I think individuals will each have their own take on intolerance. the literature is usually just the facts of the ‘secretive’ theology (only revealed to you as donate more money to the ‘church’).

  3. They wear mask to protect their identity. If the church can identify you as a protester, they will dig up everything in your past and harass you at home.

  4. The group isn’t protesting Scientology as a religion, they’re protesting a lot of their methods, like fair game or their extremely aggressive use of copyright to prevent any mention of their religion that isn’t favorable. Google can inform a fair bit on their methods.

  5. Scientology isn’t a religion, it’s a business peddling products under a religious banner.

  6. It’s easy to confuse “Scientology as a belief system” with “Scientology as a business”.

    The Church of Scientology itself makes a point to blur the lines as much as possible.

    The demonstrators are calling into question the business aspects of Scientology, based on the numerous evidence that the business, practices and dealings of Scientology organizations are quite shady.

    The belief system of Scientology, while entertaining to non-believers (which explains the occasional Xenu references, an alien at the core of the church’s belief system, but yet isn’t disclosed to exist to the low-ranking church members), is not in question by the protests.

    For example, there are groups that attempt to practice the beliefs and teachings of Scientology without dealing with the business aspects. They are called “free zoners”, and have not been targeted by demonstrators (although the official church of Scientology itself has, starting with asserting their trademark on the word “Scientology” to prevent those groups from using it.)

    If you find those demonstrations unique or puzzling, spend a few minutes researching online why they are happening. It’s worth it.

  7. Man, scientology is not a religion at all. It’s a business. A business that kills.

  8. The organization is not recognized as a religion in Canada.Scientology infiltrated and stole documents from medical and law offices, RCMP, OPP,Toronto police and OHIP. They were found quality of Breaching the Public Trust and members were jailed. They libeled the Crown prosecutor who sued. Scientology paid the largest settlement in Canadian history. Their goal is to “clear the planet” and those below a certain level that can’t be “fixed” are to be done away with “quietly and without sorrow.” Those are the SPs Tom Cruise was raving about. All their beliefs and rules of operation have been leaked online. Wikileaks is a good start. xenu.net is more readable. You will find that Scientology is very scary and why it is being banned all over Europe. They continue to infiltrate governments (see Greece), schools (Applied Scholastics) and anywhere there is profit and power as L.Ron directed them. They do not pray and they believe God and all religion is an implant from aliens. L.Ron Hubbard stated that Jesus was a pedophile. See OT3 (Operating Thetan 3) online for more of the belief system. South Park had it right. It has been leaked everywhere.

  9. Well, put it this way, if people did what these protestors did to a muslim temple, what would happen? This legal religion, like islam, doesnt have the protection it has, yet they seem to deal with it.
    Critics tend to just spam the same stuff over and over on the net and think they are getting somewhere.
    The truth is they are a legal religion in many countries, and have gained religious recognition in a few more over the past couple of years.
    Mass posting the lie that it isn’t doesn’t change the fact that it is. Critics are just going to have to deal with that.

  10. I think there is good and bad in everything, but if the teachings of the scientologists is helping millions of people accross the Globe improve there lives and give meaning to things that were`nt previously understood about life then I think everyone should focus on these good attributes instead of spiraling down the negetive highway of oblivion, shaun gildea

  11. We do not protest the BELIEFS of the Scientologists. We protest the fraud and abuse of the Church of Scientology.

    It is akin to protesting the sex-abuse scandals at the Catholic Church. No one would argue that was religious intolerance. Simply outrage at the crimes and coverups of those crimes that were an endemic part of the organization.

  12. Luke: calling critics liars isn’t exactly the most nuanced position to be taking here. I’ve spoken to people who used to be Scientologists, including former members of Scientology’s “secret police” the Office of Special Affairs. While I think it’s important to keep a level head about what the organization is actually guilty or even capable of, the fact is that ex members like Tory Christman, Jenna Miscavidge-Hill, Astra Woodcraft, Jason Beghe and many, many others are not making all of this up.

    TorontoAnon may want to take this article as a call to refresh the materials they’ve been using to better explain what is being protested. Whyweprotest.net and marcab.org are both excellent resources for that.