Even though March is long gone, I still want to mention the celebration of L. Ron Hubbard's birthday.

Every year Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center is Emcee, hosting an evening that usually includes an interesting section about L. Ron Hubbard himself. It is information that is not commonly known and about the man, his life and his work. Sometimes there are people who worked with him many years ago sharing their experience of knowing L. Ron Hubbard and telling how he affected their lives. These stories are uplifting to say the least.




This tradition has been continued for many years and there are number of these tributes on the Internet:

1993

1994

1998

2002

East Grinstead is a beautiful Sussex town.

When I first visited there I felt as though I had just walked into the Lord of the Rings. With its Tudor era High Street and churches, the sheep, the rolling hills, winding lanes, the apple trees and blackberry brambles, I wouldn't have been at all surprised to encounter one of the little people on the road up from the town to Saint Hill Manor.

Into this idyllic setting arrived L. Ron Hubbard in the last years of the 1950s -- the decade when Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health exploded him into the limelight throughout the English speaking world (and when unofficial hand-translated copies of the book made their way throughout Europe and even behind the Iron Curtain to Russia and China).

But L. Ron Hubbard made himself a very welcome part of the East Grinstead Community, contributing much to the lives of the local residents. Purchasing Saint Hill Manor, where he live and carried out his research, he set up the Saint Hill Organization which provided advanced auditor training to Scientology auditors from around the world (an auditor is a Scientology spiritual counselor) bringing Scientologists from all over the world to live in the town while they studies there.

Here's an excerpt from the East Grinstead Hall of Fame site which describes the impact Mr. Hubbard had on that community in the 8 or-so years he made the town his home.

"L. Ron Hubbard [March 13, 1911 - January 14, 1986] lived an extraordinary and adventurous life. Although best known as the founder of the Scientology religion, he was also a Master Mariner, Pilot, Photographer, Musician, Author, Explorer, Philosopher and much more besides.

"He lived at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, between 1959 and 1967 during which time he greatly contributed to the local community. He was the East Grinstead Road Safety Committee organiser, an East Grinstead Parade Marshal and he sponsored children's cycling competitions.

"He was Vice President of the East Grinstead Horticultural Society and carried out revolutionary horticultural experiments at Saint Hill. He was also involved with and contributed to numerous community events and local organizations such as the St Johns Ambulance brigade and the Adeline Genee Theatre to which he was an original donor.

"The East Grinstead community has profited enormously from Mr. Hubbard's decision to make East Grinstead the place to further his research on the mind and life. Countless visitors have come from all over the world to study his discoveries here since 1959 when Saint Hill was Mr. Hubbard's home."

Church of Scientology of Pasadena

This weekend I went to an event at the Church of Scientology of San Diego.

I always love events where David Miscavige is the master of ceremonies, but this one really was a a treat for me.

I've been a Scientologist for many years, and I am thrilled with what is being done to get the perfect buildings located and purchased for all Scientology churches.

At this event there was news of so many new churches. The ones I remember were the of Scientology churches of Quebec, Orange County, Atlanta, Georgia and Pasadena, California.

If it is anything like what was done for the Church of Scientology of San Francisco or the Church of Scientology of Buffalo, this is going to be such a boost to the community, because these new churches have so many great community facilities and programs - conference rooms open to the community to use, tutoring programs (and of course the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program).

I'm not too happy with what I see in society today. There is so much potential with the Internet to unite people, but I see a level of dishonesty and unhappiness that is really disturbing. I've seen Scientology technology make so much difference in both of these and I find it so exciting that our churches are expanding the way they are.

L. Ron Hubbard -- helping others lead better lives

The Church of Scientology of San Diego shares the following:

"There are only two tests of a life well-lived, L. Ron Hubbard once remarked. Did one do as one intended? And were people glad one lived?"

I think this can be used almost like a "golden rule." If you were to work out what it would take for your to score well on both of these points, and then really stick to the plan, I think that would take care of most of the other issues in life.

In Honor of the 4th of July

In Honor of the 4th of July I thought I would share one of my favorite essays by L. Ron Hubbard, titled Strong Voices in the Land.

Mr. Hubbard wrote this in 1970, when the US was wracked by student revolt and inner-city riots. The Viet Nam war raged and a generation of youth were "not taking it anymore."

The anti-Iraq war marches remind me of the 70's and it is again an era of discontent as shown by results of a recent Gallop pole on President Bush's approval ratings hiting new lows.

The full essay by L. Ron Hubbard can be read online, but I thought I'd quote the first part as I believe it is so pertinent today. I believe it is part of our heritage in America to speak up about those things we feel should be corrected and thereby help the country acheive its potential both at home and as an international power.

"When things are not running right, when the public, unable to perceive why, drift down to an apathy below perception, when a culture, already misguided, drifts further and further toward ruin, the nation is fortunate indeed that it has men with the genius to recognize approaching doom and the courage to speak out.

"Fought, discredited, reviled by a blind system in the hands of a power elite careless of all destinies but their own short span, contemporary philosophers are called “Revolutionaries,” “Communists,” “Agitators,” “Malcontents,” “Rabble-rousers” and any other harsh word which the captive press and the arrogant pompous and blind Establishment can find in their dictionaries.

"Heedless, deaf to all reason, psychotic in their righteousness, the “pillars of society,” the “safe men,” like the treacherous rams of the stockyard who lead the sheep to the slaughter pens, refuse to hear any faintest criticism of their senselessness and fight back with an underhanded ferocity that seeks by any discrediting means to still any and all new thought." >> more

For more information on the application of the work of L. Ron Hubbard to improving society visit the Scientology Effective Solutions web site.