Scientology
Volunteer Ministers move on to next Pacific Island
by Samoa News
Staff
The Scientology
Volunteer Ministers South Pacific Goodwill Tour departed American
Samoa Saturday May 3, 2008, moving on to their next South Pacific
island after a three-month stay in the territory.
During their
time in American Samoa, the ministry had been in the media spotlight
with some people strongly opposing the religion and some people
defending the volunteer ministers who conducted training for
several government and private agencies.
In a statement
provided to Samoa News from director of the Scientology Volunteer
Ministers in the South Pacific Mathew Andrews, he shared the
highlights of their three-month stay and for the last time invited
locals to learn more about the religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard.
"The first
major highlight was training the Dept. of Public Safety officers
on the Disaster Response Specialist Course," said Mathews
of the one-month training conducted by the Scientologists. "This
was one month in duration and a tough course. I want to acknowledge
those officers who stuck it out. They are commended for their
dedication to their job and their interest in improving their
knowledge."
In addition to
DPS training, Scientologists also hosted seminars for Boy Scout
leaders, Seaport Police, Development Bank of American Samoa,
Pago Plaza Security and the Congregational Christian Church of
American Samoa youth camp.
Mathews said
he was "fortunate to meet a lot of people interested in
making positive change in American Samoa during these seminars
and in the famous yellow tents that we had up in Tafuna,"
a total of 1,639 individuals "approached us wanting to know
more about Scientology."
"We held
our final graduation and packed the yellow tents up. Amongst
the recent graduates were men from Pago Plaza Security,"
said Andrews. "They completed the Communication Workshop.
'A man is as dead as he can't communicate. He is as alive as
he can communicate' wrote L. Ron Hubbard in the Scientology Volunteer
Ministers handbook."
Andrews reminds
that people do not necessarily have to change their religion
to practice Scientology, which is "an 'all-denominational'
religion."
Andrews explained,
"it means that Scientology welcomes all men and women from
all religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Proof of this
is the thousands of Christians that have been helped and taken
courses in Scientology in the Samoan islands, yet are still practicing
Christians as well."
He said for those
who wish to know more about Scientology, "do not make the
mistake of criticizing something on the basis of whether or not
it concurs with the opinions of someone else..."
"The point
which is pertinent is whether or not it concurs with your opinion.
Does it agree with what you think? Look at Scientology, study
it, question it and use it and you will have discovered something
for yourself," Andrews said. "The techniques are highly
workable, but they are not highly workable just because we say
so! So the only advice I can give you is to study Scientology
for itself and use it exactly as stated, then form your own opinions."
The Basic books
of Scientology are available at the Feleti Barstow Library and
the Kanana Fou Seminary. More information is also available at
these Scientology Web sites: www.scientology.org and www.volunteerministers.org.
To find out more
about Scientology or to meet up with local American Samoans who
are interested in Scientology, contact Mathew Andrews via email:
pacific@volunteerministers.org.
In parting, Andrews
said, "Fa'afetai tele lava Amerika Samoa. Manuia le aso."
Reach the
reporter at tina@samoanews.com.
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