International Association of Scientologists

According to the Scientology News web site:

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) is an unincorporated membership organization open to all Scientologists from all nations. It does not participate in management or Church affairs and is not part of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. The IAS was formed in 1984 at Saint Hill Manor, the home of L. Ron Hubbard from 1959 to 1967, which is located in East Grinstead, Sussex, England. Delegates from around the world representing the Scientologists in their areas gathered in recognition of the need to unite all Scientologists as one international body. Specifically the IAS was formed to guarantee that Scientologists will always be able to practice their religion. It assists in instances where individual Scientology churches or Scientologists are subjected to religious persecution. The strength of all the individual members of the team, briefed and coordinated with one another, unifies and strengthens the group. Additionally, the IAS supports the Church’s social betterment and social reform activities. It also keeps Scientologists informed of all important developments and successes of the religion around the world and provides a forum through which they can coordinate their actions.

Wondering Who it will Be

As the IAS event draws near (less than a month away) I wonder who will be the winners this year.

Anne Archer

Here's a photo of Anne Archer from last night's Freedom Magazine Human Rights Leadership Awards celebration, where she was the master of ceremonies.

As I said - an incredible beauty and a really dedicated humanitarian.

Freedom Magazine Human Rights Leadership Awards

Freedom Magazine held its Human Rights Leadership Awards Event at the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill. Actress Anne Archer presented this year’s awards to Congressman Dan Burton (R – IN), Robert K. Goodwin, President and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation, and Lisa Thompson the Liaison for the Abolition of Sexual Trafficking for the Salvation Army USA National Headquarters.

Alec Baldwin Defends Scientology

Alec Baldwin has spoken out in defense of fellow screen star Tom Cruise's Scientology beliefs, insisting followers of his controversial faith are not nearly as worrying as those who "drove planes into the World Trade Center."

The actor believes that, until Scientologists are found to be responsible for atrocities such as the 9/11 attacks, the media should leave Cruise alone.

He tells PageSix.com, "I think what's been done to Tom is kind of silly. I don't really understand Tom's religious beliefs; nor do I want to. All I know is I don't see people who are disciples of Tom's faith driving planes into the World Trade Center. When Scientologists start crashing planes into the Pentagon, then I think we should sit Tom down and have a grand jury talk to him. In the meantime, let's just leave him alone."

Greg Capazorio

This article appeared on a web site called "Rehabilitate New Zealand.":

Freedom Medal Winner Greg Capazorio has just arrived from South Africa to take on the position of President, Criminon International and spearhead the major expansion of Criminon across the planet.

He, along with Nancy Pomerantz (the Executive Director of Criminon Int), have taken responsibility for accomplishing The Worlds Most Effective Rehabilitation Program: A spell-binding, incredible story from South Africa

Criminon's goal on a global scale. Their mission is to bring about a total revolution in the field of criminal rehabilitation and make Criminon the name on the tip of everyone's tongue when they think of effective rehabilitation of criminals.

Greg Capazorio was awarded the IAS Freedom Medal in 2002, for his role in spearheading the thorough implementation of the Criminon program throughout South Africa. The Department of Corrections in this country has now made rehabilitation their core focus. This is a huge turnaround for a country where the murder rate is 5 times the International average and no real solutions were being looked at.

As part of the establishment of the Criminon® International headquarters in Los Angeles, Greg and Nancy will be personally establishing the following types of programs in the Los Angeles area:

Youth programs that act as gang prevention and crime prevention programs. They are currently busy working with a police officer from Pasadena who is setting up the OG (Old Gang Members) for Criminon delivery. They are additionally working with the Hollywood Division, LAPD on establishing programs there.

Reentry programs where inmates coming out of jails are made employable.

Probation and parolee programs that keep offenders from returning to prison or a life of crime, and make them into productive and employable citizens.

Through their work in forming up the above types of activities, and through their work in establishing a large and effective network of Criminon programs all around the world, Greg and Nancy will be making Criminon's purpose very live and very real:

To clean up crime on the planet by rehabilitating criminals so they are returned to society as productive and contributing individuals and by reforming the criminal justice system so real rehabilitation is delivered, not punishment.”

There is also a video of Greg on here.

Human Rights Initiative

The International Association of Scientologists is sponsoring a huge human rights initiative, aimed at making human rights known, understood to bring human rights fully into being for every person on Earth.

Here is just one example of what the Church of Scientology International and local churches are doing to make human rights a fact.

This is from a story that appeared today on the Scientology Press Office web site.

The Church of Scientology of Moscow joined the local chapter of Youth for Human Rights International and the Moscow government in organizing the 26th annual International Marathon for Peace.

And when 60 runners carrying the flags of 45 countries joined the race in a symbolic message of peace, the idea of a world without the insanity of war and hatred and where human rights are a fact had already begun the shift from "idealistic dream" to "everyday fact."

The several thousand marathon runners who participated followed a route that trailed along the Moscow River and the walls of the Kremlin before approaching the finish line, where the triumphant finishers were welcomed by an all-day human rights concert.

Here is a photo of the human rights marathoners:

Joan Lonstein

Joan Lonstein is an IAS Freedom Medal Winner for the work she has done to provide LRH's life-saving criminal rehabilitation technology to inmates through the Criminon program.

More recently Joan and her husband Avi have been extremely active in the Association for Peace and Understanding in the Middle East (APUME).

Their objective was to provide every Palestinian and Israeli family with a The Way to Happiness booklet.

Plans are Underway

The plans are underway for this year's IAS Anniversary tent.

I hear they have rented a tent that is the largest capacity tent available in Europe.

They are expecting 10,000 people to attend the main event.

There is more information about this year's IAS event on the Scientology Press Office web site.

Please permit me to take a moment to acknowledge the Volunteer Ministers and others who gave of themselves in the days, weeks, months and years following 911.

We will never forget.

Presenting the Medals

This year, the IAS Event will be on the 20th-22nd of October at Saint Hill Manor in the United Kingdom.

The IAS medals are traditionally given out by David Miscavige, Guillaume Lesevre and other well known and highly respected Scientologists.

IAS Freedom Medal Winners 2006

Watch for the announcement of the next Freedom medal winners!
They will be reported on at ScientologyToday.org!

Founding of the IAS

The What is Scientology web site has a good description of the founding of the IAS.

You can read it here:

To find out what the IAS membership is visit the IAS Members web site.

Freedom Medal Winners Rick Pendery and Joy Westrum operate a very successful criminal rehabilitation program called Second Chance.

These two people continue to give back to the community by helping people with a second chance for a productive, happy life.