Scientology may be, once again, at risk of losing its status as a religion. It's elite "Sea Organization" is being sued in a labor dispute. Former members, Marc and Claire Headley were once working in the Sea Org. They made $29,000 over five years, worked more than 100 hours per week for three years, making products for instruction of Church members - like tapes that were sold for a whopping $75 each. Additionally, they had to flee the Sea Org campus in San Jacinto separately.

Claire fled a "minder" that was assigned to go with her to an off-campus doctor appointment. Marc escaped on a motorbike, with $200 and two day's worth of clothing. He crashed the bike while evading Sea Org security and was found by a passer by. He and his wife were eventually reunited when Claire emailed Marc on an old email address that the Church was unaware of.

Stories of the Sea Org make it appear to be a para-military organization. Their facility in San Jacinto, California holds more than 500 members. All of whom have signed a "billion year contract", effectively meaning that the individual is a permanent, indentured, volunteer of the Sea Org for all their many reincarnated life times. Rich white guys in the south in the 1700s might have called this "indentured servitude". The rest of us called it slavery. Fuck that.

When a religion attempts to make a profit (and it's undeniable that that's what the CoS does that's why all it's highest ranking members are rich celebrities), particularly from its members, it no longer is a non-profit religious organization. It is a business - officially and not just because atheists like me who are suspicious of all religion have suggested that it is such.

If Marc and Claire win this case, Scientology's status as a religion in the US will be at risk.

Many well-meaning, brave, and dedicated lawyers that deserve to live in a land where chocolate won't make them fat and Olympic sports medicine specialists are constantly giving them massages around the world have spent this past year trying the Church of Scientology for varying misdeeds. In particular, these misdeeds have allowed the brave hero-lawyers and their clients to call into question the Church of Scientology's standing as a religion.

In 2009, the nation of France filed a lawsuit against Scientology for organized fraud. If France won, the Church would have been dissolved in that country. Alas, France didn't win the lawsuit and dissolution, but four leaders of the Church were convicted of fraud. Prior to the final verdict being read in the case, a law was conveniently passed that prevented the dissolution of religious organizations. This of course leads me to suspect that a CoS member (or members) is fucking about in the French legal system, passing laws to the benefit of his lord and master, L. Ron.

Many countries have revoked Scientology's status as a "religion". Of course that would prevent them from having many rights, such as allowing them to have private citizens function as volunteers. The United States is a very religion friendly country, partially due to the nature of its founding. However, Scientology has been able to manipulate this to its advantage in the US. It has it's biggest financial foothold in its US operations, this is because we have all of its rich celebretard members. It stands to lose a lot in the US. Scientology is actually economically beneficial to the United States, particularly California. I would suspect that if this lawsuit continues through the legal maze in the state, we may find it thwarted by some bullshit law mystically appearing out of no where but being dandily advantageous to the CoS in forcing the case to either be dropped or the dissolution of the Church to be made futile.

While Scientology is scary, and clearly I'm not the only one that thinks so, its Sea Org is far more frightening. It is the cult of cults. It is the pinnacle of weird brainwashery in Scientology. As the AP article describes, the Sea Org was started in 1967 by L. Ron Hubbard to acquire poorly captained ships and take his most dedicated followers around the world to spread the teachings of CoS. They wear maritime uniforms, carry swords, and are rumored to have an arsenal of weaponry which include tanks. This is some serious shit. This is government sanctioned, batshit crazy terrorist style worship, complete with firepower and rigid militaristic leadership. 

Here is more information about the Sea Org.
Wikipedia
Xenu.net

For those that are not wealthy enough to obtain Scientology-required training, auditing, and religious education, they can become members of the Sea Org. They will essentially sell their existence for the training they have been told they must have if they ever want to become "clears" - the highest level of Scientology (Tom Cruise and John Travolta are clears). They can join at any time, stories of Sea Org members as young as three years-old have been revealed. However, the Sea Org does not permit it's members to have children, hence Claire Headley's coerced abortion.

I don't find too many differences between Scientology's Sea Org and radical Islam's Al Qaeda. They both offer education, housing, and religious sanctity for those who are desperate, young, and emotionally distraught. Neither care for the lives of their members, rather, they are interested in perpetuating the social power and fear-mongering skills of their leaders. They desire to spread the word of their cause no matter the cost and use the leniency of their governments to do so. Both the Sea Org and Al Qaeda act as paramilitary organizations.

While Scientology and radical Islam don't stand to take over the world, the stronghold they both have in their native lands is terrifying. But like all religions, the mindless dedication of their followers, who dare not bite the hand that feeds them, is their most powerful weapon.