A new crop of incredibly creepy Scientology videos is working its way around the web. Apparently they’re all part of the same propaganda package as the “I’m Tom Cruise and I am the authority on everything” freakfest. They’ve been put up and pulled down from YouTube at least once in the last 24 hours, and the “clams” (as Scientologists are known by “SPs” like you and me) keep frantically trying to put the genie back in the bottle. So do what I do: The minute you see one, go to VideoDownloadX and save it to your hard drive.

These videos have more material on the Scientology “9/11 rescue worker detox” project I’ve been talking about for the last couple of days. I’ve been doing more research on it, and it’s just another name for an L. Ron Hubbard-designed technique called the Purification Rundown: sauna, exercise, vitamins. That’s all it is. But Scientology uses it for everything and says it can cure anything. Hey, after a few weeks of sitting in a hot box for 5 hours at a time and taking a liver-ravaging dose of niacin, you too might start believing that space aliens are trying to control your body and only Scientology can help.

Not to mention that in the past, Scientology has denied that this is even one of their programs! According to the NYT in Oct. 2003:

Officials with the clinic, while acknowledging some of them are Scientologists, said the clinic is not formally affiliated with the Church of Scientology. An official at the church’s office in Los Angeles said they were aware of the clinic, but described it as a secular enterprise employing Mr. Hubbard’s methods.

The official in Los Angeles, Linda Simmons Hight, said many Scientologists had donated to the clinic, but “as far as it being part of the church, it isn’t.”

Then why is it being touted in Scientology recruitment material? To use the words of the great Tom Cruise: Out-point, that’s a lie. It’s a Scientology program, and Scientology gets the money it generates. According to Roger Friedman in Dec. 2006:

The result [of the "detox" program], according to their federal tax filing, is the usual financial roundelay for the IRS-sanctioned religion. In 2004 they raised $1.6 million, nearly all of which went to “expenses.” Of that, $880,000 went to something called Downtown PC. Another $173,300 was funneled back to Dr. Steven Lager of Williston Park, N.Y., a major Scientologist who advocates alternative methods of detoxification…

How the Scientology detox program raises their money is perhaps even more interesting. As detailed on their Web site, their new fundraising initiative — launched Nov. 1 and set to conclude on May 1, 2007 — reads very much like a pyramid scheme at worst, or Amway at best.

“To reach our goal, we are asking for your help and the help of all New Yorkers. Those who join the campaign as Participants agree to ask 25 of their family, friends and co-workers to donate $5.00 each to the project. When a donation sheet with 25 donors donating a minimum of $5 each is completed and mailed to the project, the Participant will then be entered into a drawing to win a Caribbean Dream Vacation for two to the Atlantis Hotel & Casino in the Bahamas. Participants are encouraged to complete as many donation sheets as they can — each completed sheet qualifies you for another entry in the drawing…”

My source within the Fire Department warns that Scientology will not be allowed in again if there’s another terrorist attack. “Our crisis workers weren’t equipped to deal with them last time. They’re ready now,” my source said.

Good. As if surviving 9/11 wasn’t tough enough, these people have to deal with yet another life-sucking cult?

I just hope Deceiver doesn’t get hacked for talking about this. When the New York Press started investigating this blatant quackery targeting the city’s finest, their site was hacked:

In late April [2007], several items were posted to our blog regarding Downtown Medical and the Cruise fundraiser, including one defense of the program. [Scientology critic David S.] Touretzky sent us a response which was posted in full. Two days later, the New York Press website was hacked, and an anonymous person placed a pro-Downtown Medical, anti-Touretzky item on the site. After a short time, the item was removed.

One last thing: If Scientology is all about “not asking permission,” then why are they insisting Nick Denton at Gawker needed to ask permission to host these videos? He’s not backing down from their legal threats (unlike YouTube), and good for him.

P.S. Cult intervention specialist Rick Ross explains to Radar Online why Tom Cruise thinks Tom Cruise, Scientologist is normal.