Scientology Followers Told To Protest NBC 'Rock Center' Report On Narconon
Aug. 17 2012, Published 7:00 a.m. ET
By Jen Heger - RadarOnline.com Assistant Managing Editor
Before Rock Center broadcast its expose on Narconon, which is based on the teachings of Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard, an e-mail was allegedly sent out to followers of the controversial religion, requesting that "We got instructions from up the line to have everyone call in and complain about this one-sided, biased show and say that they personally know people whose lives have been saved by NN (Narconon)."
As we previously reported, an Oklahoma rehabilitation center with the controversial Scientology program is at the center of an investigation after three young patients died there within the last nine months.
Deaths at the non-profit, non-medical Narconon Arrowhead, which was founded by Scientology creator L. Ron Hubbard, include 20-year-old Stacy Murphy, 21-year-old Hillary Holton, and 32-year-old Gabriel Graves.
Rock Center aired its report Thursday.
According to the e-mail, which was published on Marty Rathbun, a former high-ranking member of the Church of Scientology, "Narconon is about to get a big attack on NBC news tonight. Same old crap, we¹ve survived it before and will again but your help is needed. This is of course a Scientology attack as well. We got instructions from up the line to have everyone call in and complain about this one sided biased show and say that they personally know people whose lives have been saved by NN. So you are not going to lie because you do know people who did the Narconon program. But you are pissed that they would portray a program that helps people every day and staff who bust their ass working 12-16 hours days to save people¹s lives in such a bad light."
Recipients of the e-mail were asked to "Now comes your part, we need you to call the station and leave a message for the producer. Anna (REDACTED). It is getting harder and harder to reach her (email full, voice mail full) so that is why I need someone like you, tone 40 who won't back off by a couple of barriers. You call 212-(REDACTED) ask for Rock Center (that is her show), you want to talk to Anna, she won't be there, you want to talk to her secretary, you do not want to leave a comment in the general mail box, you want to talk to someone in her office or talk to her personally. Don¹t use Scientology lingo. Leave a message and let me know when done."
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Insiders claim the deaths could be linked to unorthodox methods the center employs, including patients spending up to five hours a time in a sauna for a month straight, and taking large doses of Niacin, a vitamin.
The facility -- which is licensed though the Scientology subsidiary ABLE (the Association for Better Living and Education) -- is "the authority on getting people off drugs," the movement's most prominent member, Tom Cruise, has said.
Kirstie Alley has often defended Narconon as having "salvaged" her ife when she did drugs in the 1980s.
According to Rock Center, the program is similar to Scientology's regimen called a "purification run-down," designed to free the body of toxins in order to achieve spiritual gains. Narconon is a "non-medical treatment facility," meaning it does not administer pharmaceutical drugs to aid in the withdrawal process or the healing of addiction. Hubbard shunned the pharmaceutical, psychiatric and psychotherapy industries. He believed any drug is essentially a poison and even medicines create a barrier to spiritual well-being." Treatment costs $30,000 per patient, and takes three to six months. It was also revealed that the Oklahoma facility doesn't have a full time doctor on staff.
Oklahoma law enforcement, and the health department have launched independent investigations into the deaths at the Arrowhead facility.
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