Recent Activities
Volunteer Ministers have frequently been sent to the scenes of major disasters, where they distribute Scientology pamphlets and purport to heal or relieve pain using quack medicine techniques such as "Locationals," "Nerve assists" and "Touch assists."
Volunteer Ministers have been sent to the site of relief efforts in Southeast Asia in the wake of the December 2004 tsunami and to London Underground stations that were attacked in the 7 July 2005 London bombings. Eight hundred were sent to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina. An intercepted email from a Sea Org "Lieutenant" brags of a deliberate plan to prevent the grief-stricken from receiving counseling from mental health professionals.
- "Due to some brilliant maneuvering by some simply genius Sea Org Members we tied up the majority of the psychs who were attempting to get to families yesterday in Q&A, bullbait and wrangling. don't know it but they need the Scientologists with LRH's tech to be here right now."
The National Mental Health Association issued a public warning in response to the conduct of Scientologists in the immediate aftermath of September 11, claiming that scientologists were "Intentionally confusing public" by presenting themselves as mental health service providers. According to NMHA President Michael M. Faenza, "The public needs to understand that the Scientologists are using this tragedy to recruit new members. They are not providing mental health assistance."
In 2005, the group was given a "Points of Light Award" for "exemplary volunteer service to their community", by Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Read more about this topic: Volunteer Ministers
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