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Peer declares scientology membership

Press Association, 17 December 1996
From: nobody@huge.cajones.com (Huge Cajones Remailer)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Peer declares scientology membership
Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 18:11:24 -0800
Message-ID: <199612180211.SAA14041@mailmasher.com>


  By Andrew Evans, Lords Staff, PA News
   A Liberal Democrat peer today disclosed he is a member of the
Church of Scientology, as a Home Office minister warned of the
"potential dangers" of becoming involved in such organisations.
   The scientologists, who have been accused of harassment and
brainwashing, have applied to the Charity Commission for charitable
status. But their bid to be recognised in UK law as a religion was
turned down in 1969.
   In Lords question time exchanges on the operations of the
organisation, Lord McNair, 49, declared: "I have to tell the House
that I have an interest -- and that interest is that I am a member of
the Church of Scientology."
   If peers had "any problem or any questions about scientology", he
said, he would be very happy for them to come and ask him.
   "Those who fail to meet and talk to members of such organisations
are liable to form a biased or incomplete picture of the
organisation."
   Tory Baroness Sharples earlier told the House: "Those who have left
the cult, a number of them, have been both threatened and harassed and
a considerable number of them have been made bankrupt by the church."
   Home Office Minister of State Baroness Blatch said: "People should
be warned of the potential dangers of becoming involved in
organisations of this kind.
   "Any evidence of harassment or threats which could amount to
criminal activity should be reported to the police."
   She told Lord McNair: "I know how seriously you feel on this issue.
   "But if somebody makes allegations and we simply go to a member of
the Scientology Church, or any other cult, it is unlikely they are
going to say, `yes, of course, we harass people, extort money from
them, or whatever'."
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