As I was walking downtown today, I noticed a group of people standing near City Hall. The thing that intrigued me about them was the fact that they were wearing masks and holding posters. I came closer, took a few pictures of them and soon enough I realized what it was all about.
They were protesters, gathering as a statement against the Church of Scientology. They were very friendly and allowed me to take pictures of them, even posed for me. I asked them about the purpose of their protest and their reply was that they were speaking against the fact that the Church of Scientology was infringing human rights and putting people and families in danger, as well as maliciously convincing people to sign contracts which make them legally obliged to pay large debts to the Church of Scientology, in money or in physical labour.
What they said the church of scientology does:
The protesters explained how the church of scientology recruits people on behalf of the religious beliefs that it proclaims, then in order for the person to join the religion, they are required to sign certain documents which require them to obey the rules of this organization.
The purpose one has, as a member of the church of scientology is, in short, “purification”. The way this is conducted is through “courses” which the church of scientology provides and teaches, at a cost. The cost can reach up to $128,000, roughly, and the member is obliged by law (since he/she signed the document to become a member of this church) to pay this debt, either in money or optionally in physical labour, at the construction sites of their churches (possibly other locations as well).
Some of the people endebted, I was told, who ended up paying their debt in physical labour, were children. Which is an infringement of human rights in Canada.
In the case of a church member’s intention to quit their membership in the church, I have been told that the Church of Scientology legally charges them a considerable cacellation fee, which is legally enforced by the document the member signs upon enrolling into membership.
Also the church of scientology obliges its members to quit contact with friends and even family members who question or deny belief in the teachings of the church of scientology. This, they told me, has already led to many people ending up unable to speak to half their family, since that half of their family was part of this church.
Who are these people who were protesting?
I asked them whether they were members from within the Church of Scientology who were revolting against its means or whether they are all part of an organization.
I received the answer that they were not part of an organization, instead they were people of different walks of life, some of them ex-members of the church of scientology, some just people who learned these things and are appaled by them, and thus would like to speak against the practices of the church of scientology and warn others about the danger they believe this church poses.
Why do they protest?
I asked them what moved them to protest. One of the protesters then explained how they do not protest because they have anything against the church of scientology as a religion. He expressed how he believes in a God who is invisible, who came to earth, impregnated a woman with himself, then lived among us and sacrificed himself to himself. The same way that this protester has the right to believe this, he said, so do the people of the church of scientology have the right to believe whatever they find worth believing in, be it an invisible God, or aliens. So neither he nor the other protesters have anything to bring against the religious beliefs, however, the protesters hold it as imperative to share their opinion with the world, which is that the Church of Scientology is using legal means to bind people to the payment of large debts. This being a fact that they hold as dangerous and people should be warned about.
My own thoughts:
I personally love doing photo-journalism and getting in contact with people like this who have something to say and are not afraid to say it. It is often not a little thing to do, to stand up against a strong economic and perhaps somewhat political power and openly express your discontent.
Up until this day I have not much come in contact with the issue of the Church of Scientology. I did not know many details about it, its beliefs, or its practices. I find that this has been a very educational experience to me which I value a lot. Whether these things that I was told are truly fact or not, I can not guarantee since I have not had direct contact with the church of scientology, but I find that no warning is too much of a warning. One can never be too careful and should always be as informed as can be.
To the protesters:
If you read this then I would like to thank you for letting me photograph and interview you. I find that what you people do is a great thing, you are exercising your right of freedom of speech, which is a thing that I give thumbs up to!
More photographs:
