WHILE we may sometimes agree to disagree with another's religious beliefs and practices, one principle fundamental to Australians is the notion of a fair go. Jill Singer has the right to think what she likes about Scientology. But it is clear from what she wrote that she doesn't know the first thing about Scientology and relies on a report almost half-a-century old.
Former Victorian Health Minister Tom Roper had the good sense to comment much later that the report and the subsequent repealed legislation was draconian law passed in a time of hysteria . My family donates to the Church of Scientology. We have already paid our taxes once for our hard work before we pay it to the church and donations we make to Scientology are not tax deductible.
Why should our church then have to pay income tax on the donation that we have already paid taxes on? The people who would benefit from my church being income-tax free would be those we help with our programs, such as our anti-drug campaigns. Last time I looked, society supported those organisations that support so many others.
The beliefs of almost any religious, philosophical, political or social group are susceptible to derision if viewed outside of their proper context. Racism is fundamentally based on ignorance and prejudice is no different. Just because someone doesn't believe what we believe is no basis for denying us the basic rights afforded to all similar organisations.
Churches have long been plugging the holes in society, ensuring the neglected and the misunderstood have someone to turn to. Scientology has helped untold numbers of people to put their life back together and make a success of themselves when everything seemed to be stacked against them. Scientology provides a practical methodology that can be applied to life.
Discrimination is ugly and is the root of all wars and inhumanity to man. If I could give more money to Scientology I would, and so would many others. Wouldn't you give money to a drug rehab program that gets more than 78 per cent of people off drugs forever?
Scientologists are out there on the weekends helping others, taking unpaid leave or giving up holidays to help if someone needs a helping hand. The guys in the yellow T-shirts, the Scientology volunteer ministers, are well known when there is a flood, hurricane or disaster around the world. The Scientology relief team was one of the first into Aceh after the tsunami and one of the last to leave.
The full bench of the High Court that unanimously declared Scientology a bona fide religious organisation is far more competent to make judgment on such issues than Jill Singer. If you are interested in what makes successful people like Kate Ceberano or John Travolta so interested in Scientology, find out for yourself. - Emmanuel Foundas is president of the Church of Scientology of Melbourne (What is this?
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com.au is not responsible for the content for external internet sites WHILE we may sometimes agree to disagree with another's religious beliefs and practices, one principle fundamental to Australians is the notion of a fair go.
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