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| == Violent Incident == | == Violent Incident == | ||
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On ] ] Mario Majorski, a man who had previous dealings with the ], was shot dead by the Celebrity Centre's Security guards while wielding samurai swords. Majorski was pronounced dead at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center shortly after.<ref>http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5223393.ece</ref> "Hundreds of people were eating brunch or doing other activities at the time" said Scientology spokesman ]. Majorski was a ], but Tom Davis said he had left fifteen years prior to the incident. In 1993 Majorski and another Scientologist, both represented by ], sued a Professor from the ] for criticizing the Church of Scientology. The suit was not successful.<ref>http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/nov/24/ca-scientology-shooting-112408/?zIndex=15671</ref> Majorski's motives are yet to be known, but he did file for ] in 2000. Police are so far regarding the guard's actions as justifiable.<ref>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gr29VycNJh5j8QuZDOFWlwliF7TAD94LJFP80</ref> | ||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 10:35, 25 November 2008
 Scientology Celebrity Centre on Franklin Avenue in Hollywood, California | |
| Formation | 1955 |
|---|---|
| Type | Scientology recruitment |
| Headquarters | Hemet, California, USA |
| Chairman of Religious Technology Center | David Miscavige |
| Website | Scientology.org/ |
Celebrity Centres are Church of Scientology facilities that are open to the public but serve mostly artists and celebrities and other "professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government", and "for those are the people who are sculpting the present into the future". The Celebrity Centre International was established in Hollywood, California, in 1969 by Yvonne Gillham, a Sea Org member who worked with L. Ron Hubbard. Since then, other centres have been established in New York, London, Paris and a number of other cities across the world.
The Church often quotes L. Ron Hubbard as saying that A culture is only as great as its dreams and its dreams are dreamed by artists, citing this as the reason that Celebrity Centres were established — to create a good environment for "artists". Critics of Scientology point to the fact that Hubbard launched "Project Celebrity" in 1955 to recruit celebrities into the church and say that the centres were established for this purpose, because celebrity members give Scientology the publicity it needs to recruit more members. According to former publicity officer Robert Vaughn Young, "One of my jobs was to get celebrities active, to convince them to hustle and promote Scientology".The head of the Los Angeles Celebrity Centre is Tom Davis, the son of actress and Scientologist Anne Archer.
Church's Position
Despite the existence of the dedicated celebrity centers and numerous witnesses of former scientologists, in the interview to MSNBC program Countdown, Mike Rinder who was a commanding officer of the Office of Special Affairs during that time, vigorously denied the existence of a policy to actively recruit high-ranking celebrities.
Violent Incident
On November 23 2008 Mario Majorski, a man who had previous dealings with the Church of Scientology, was shot dead by the Celebrity Centre's Security guards while wielding samurai swords. Majorski was pronounced dead at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center shortly after. "Hundreds of people were eating brunch or doing other activities at the time" said Scientology spokesman Tom Davis. Majorski was a Scientologist, but Tom Davis said he had left fifteen years prior to the incident. In 1993 Majorski and another Scientologist, both represented by Kendrick Moxon, sued a Professor from the University of California for criticizing the Church of Scientology. The suit was not successful. Majorski's motives are yet to be known, but he did file for bankruptcy in 2000. Police are so far regarding the guard's actions as justifiable.
See also
Notes
- Scientology and Celebrities | Scientology Lies
- Leiby, Richard N. (1994-08-09). "One Theory On Michael-Lisa: It's All A Plot". Washington Post. Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Official transcript for Countdown show (May 12, 2006)
- YouTube video with part of the show related to Scientology
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5223393.ece
- http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2008/nov/24/ca-scientology-shooting-112408/?zIndex=15671
- http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gr29VycNJh5j8QuZDOFWlwliF7TAD94LJFP80
References
- Sappell, Joel (1990-06-25). "The Courting of Celebrities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Frantz, Douglas (1998-02-13). "Scientology's Star Roster Enhances Image". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Di Matteo, Enzo (2000-01-13). "Ex-Scientology celebs recall swingin' 70s". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Huus, Kari (2005-07-05). "Scientology courts the stars". MSNBC. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Goodyear, Dana (2008-01-14). "Château Scientology". Letter from California. The New Yorker. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- "Scientology Celebrity Centre International". Church of Scientology International.
- "Ecclesiastical Structure: "Celebrity Centre Churches"". A presentation of the Celebrity Centres churches. Church of Scientology.