Church of Scientology statement re: CNN
March 22, 2017
CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY STATEMENT
A handful of rogue individuals claiming to be Scientologists doesn’t make a religion or even a movement. These individuals were expelled from the Church, are not Scientologists and do not deserve a platform from CNN to promote their heretical behavior. Moreover, it misinforms viewers on what Scientology is.
It is misleading to convey through a handful of individuals the false impression that there is some form of a “reformation” in Scientology. Their numbers are miniscule and the individual who was most identified as the leader of this so called “movement” called it a “failed experiment” years ago.
The real story is that the Church of Scientology has been experiencing a renaissance over the last decade with greater expansion than in the previous 50 years combined. In the last year alone, we have opened new Churches in Auckland, Budapest, Sydney, Atlanta, Harlem, San Diego and, just this weekend, the San Fernando Valley, California—adding to the more than 50 new Churches opened in recent years. There are now 11,000 Churches, missions and affiliated groups operating in more than 150 nations on five continents. Additionally, we opened our new media complex, Scientology Media Productions, last May as well as a new National Office in Dublin, Ireland, in October. Our humanitarian and social programs touch lives in nations around the world. Scientologists celebrate the fact that our Scriptural materials are now available in up to 50 languages and are disseminated and studied more than ever in our history. For information on the Scientology religion, visit www.scientology.org where our beliefs and practices are described and where you can meet Scientologists from every walk of life at www.scientology.org/videos/meet-a-scientologist.html.
One thing we can agree with: Mr. Aslan is correct in stating that Scientology is “the most successful new American religion of the 20th Century.”