Good that the Standard Savings and Loan building is being renovated but negative trade-off is that its by a shady organization. What are people's thoughts on this?
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ate-its-vacant
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Good that the Standard Savings and Loan building is being renovated but negative trade-off is that its by a shady organization. What are people's thoughts on this?
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...ate-its-vacant
Happy that a building will be renovated, but skeptical about the organization and what it will look like when it's finished.
^^ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?
Prevent the infestation before it begins.
"...the church has expanded more in the last decade than it had in the previous 50 years combined."
"Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath".... will dwindle those numbers, I'm sure... season 2 is set to play later this year. I like her dedication.
Interestingly enough Scientology is forbidden in Germany, because it is considered a cult there. Tom Cruise may not even go there to visit.
City Council has already nixed a Scientology sign to replace the Raymond James sign.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zads07
They've been talking about this for years...
https://detroit.curbed.com/2015/5/14...anned-downtown
Maybe Tom Cruise will stop by
The joke went something like.......
Q: What's holding up the publication of "The Last Dangerous Visions"?
A: Harlen is waiting on a story re-write from L. Ron Hubbard.
The rant in the comments section from "Diamonddille" tells you all you need to know about Scientologists. Please get a real tenant in this prime property.Quote:
Originally Posted by hybridy
From that article:Quote:
Originally Posted by hybridy
Is the bolded an unintentional typo or some kind of religious pun? :confused: Sincerely.Quote:
Between the signage, the tall stack of air conditioners roof deck railing, the design could end up looking [[at least from some angels) like an ugly new haircut.
Religion is bunk. With apologies to Henry Ford.
Why is it that I know next to nothing about Scientology but already I know it's a load of rubbish? Anyway, I've never seen Scientology do anything by way of community social care that other religions do, assuming Scientology is a 'religion', which it isn't.
Hubbard should have stuck with being a science fiction writer, which he did before starting his church, but obviously the church paid better.
There are some good documentary videos on YouTube from film-makers who've examined this oddball cult.
Tom Cruise has been in some fabulous films and always seems like a nice guy, but that all goes out the window on every occasion where he has spoken about Scientology. A big zero.
A recent Scientology documentary called 'Prison of Belief' made many waves. You can find snippets and clips on YouTube.
He would have been a kid back when that giant Dianetics sign [[L Ron Hubbards manifesto ala ideas and practices of Scientology) once flanked in boldface marquee style on one of the southeast buildings downtown back in the late 70's.
Anyone recall that building? Seems like it was near the Kern block as I recall............
Quote:
Originally Posted by clubboss
From what I've gleaned from various documentaries:
For the church to maintain it's nonprofit status with the IRS [[and prevent a 10s to 100s of millions of dollars tax bill) they need to show they are spending money on "church operations" and not just funding really nice lifestyles for it's CEOs. So every few years they renovate some office space into a new "org" which is what they call a church. There's a big grand opening party, some people show up for it, then the office is left mostly empty as there aren't that many people in the church itself. At least they are pretty good at maintaining their properties.
Taxpayers lose and vulnerable people subject to getting sucked in by this ridiculous organization in which the government does little about even though there is all kinds of evidence. Don't need this in Downtown Detroit. Booooo!
This was inevitable. With the dramatic resurgence of this thin slice of the city, scientology was sure to follow.
They move to where the money is, then thrive on that money, tax free.
They simply waited for the right time.
I think they have owned the building for quite a while.
On top of that, you have a city full of defeated, depressed and downtrodden people who could easily be influenced by their crap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobl
Ima gonna found a religion and call it Scientography.
Perhaps they meant 'ork' or 'egg', or maybe 'org' is a morph of the two?Quote:
Originally Posted by JBMcB
Attachment 33783
They spend a whole lot of time thinking about stuff like that. Remember that for them, it is crucial that people believe in a system that seems logical. They resort to the rational side of the brain and use every possible angle to lure potential members. In that view, they put forth believable elements like the fiction you evoke where the character Mork is dressed in a red jumpsuit and silver gloves and boots breaking out of a giant egg. It is hard for any reasonable human to resist this kind of strong visual content.Quote:
Originally Posted by Meddle
Yes, rather like the christians did with the slaves, in this country.Quote:
Originally Posted by 313WX
Illogical, but it works.
Give them hell when they stop you on the street and try to recruit you or lure you into their building for the 'personality test' on the quack-o-meter. Then direct them to this D-Yes thread so they can get some community feedback.Quote:
Originally Posted by MizMotown
They've been here for years. There was a "church" on the corner of Kercheval and Ashland on the east side in when I lived there in the early sixties; I think that it is still there.
You're thinking of the Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist. A bit more mainstream though still pretty out there. Not exactly a cult, but outside of Christian orthodoxy.Quote:
Originally Posted by ct_alum
Quote:
Originally Posted by night-timer
I was thinking of recruiting the Hare Krishnas to chant and dance outside their lobby/entrance.
I am surprised that the ones that lean towards the socialist aspect do not join up with them,they pretty much control every movement or thought one might have,but they take care of you.
When they first came to Clearwater they sent investigators in advance to gather all of the dirt on local politicians and used it to thier benefit in order to get deep rooted established.
The local city council are finialy standing up to them and recently shot down a real estate deal that was not in the best interest of the residents,go downtown there on a Sunday and it is a sea of white shirts and black pants,thousands.
I like and would contribute to Meddle's cause + 100.
They do have a good history of keeping historic buildings historic looking,I have to give them that.
Here's an example of Scientology's "character assasination" methodology against those who are against them. This was their website against Leah Remini.... who is doing the A&E series against Scientology....
http://www.leahreminiaftermath.com/?...RoCYmkQAvD_BwE
I give Leah Remini credit for exposing them in the A&E series... and to her credit, the show garnered an Emmy nomination last week.
In the 1980s, the $cientologists had an outpost on 3rd and Main in downtown Royal Oak. [[The same building where Starbucks's is now.) They'd go up to people on the street-- including kids-- and ask them if they want to take a free personality test. I was in high school at the time and you could not walk down Main Street without being bothered by these nutjobs. [[And no, it's not a case where they mistook me for an adult. When I was 16, I looked about twelve.)
When I was in junior high school back in the 70s, a classmate & I rode the bus downtown to go shopping. I don't remember what building it was on Woodward but someone stopped us on the sidewalk & asked us to come up to take a test which turned out to be a personality test.
Us being silly teenagers went on up to take the test, then I seem to remember talking to someone in a room, I guess about the test results. I really don't remember much else but after reading the comments here, it had to be the Scientologists although that name never came up that I recall.
I don't recall being contacted by them through mailings or by phone, but I do remember feeling uncomfortable when I talked to whoever it was after taking the test. I don't know if they were trying to get me to join up or not but I sat there thinking I'm not interested.
Here is a worthwhile expose' [['Prison of Belief' by Vice Magazine) on Scientology featuring the second in command, Marty Rathbun and what he revealed about the organization after he left... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cBvqG9uIjc and here is the full movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYan7pv_Jb0
They still have a building on the corner of 12 Mile and Middlebelt in Farmington/Southfield....right across the street from Ginopolis Restaurant. I used to drive by there all the time. Usually very few cars in the lot, but all the lights were on.
After watching Leah Remini's shows and reading more about Scientology, I am very surprised that so many people are so gullible and spend so much money trying to get "clear".
Yup, the Church of Scientology is still working on its downtown building
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/sites/d...oster-10_i.jpg
Quote:
"The picture you enclosed was a promotional piece sent to Church members inviting them to join staff at the Church of Scientology of Michigan in anticipation of the opening of the new Church in downtown Detroit," a church spokeswoman wrote me Monday. "There is a tremendous amount of enthusiasm from Scientologists in Detroit who are looking forward to moving into the new beautiful premises and expanding the services they deliver to the community."
Are they tax exempt?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SammyS
https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/09/u...ax-exempt.htmlQuote:
In October 1993, the church and the IRS reached an agreement under which the church discontinued all of its litigation against the IRS and paid $12.5 million to settle a tax debt said to be around a billion dollars, and the IRS granted 153 Scientology-related corporate entities tax exemption and the right to declare their own subordinate organizations tax-exempt in future.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_st..._United_States
This is the only time i would rather see a building in downtown detroit rot and burn rather than be renovated. this is terrible for our downtowns image. get this SICK CULT out of our city
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpartanDawg
I bet they'll do really well in that area.
At least they openly display themselves as a cult, unlike the one Bezos is running.
That Times article you link is pretty long, but very revealing. Scientology used its usual tactic of harassment, personal threats, threats of character assassination, and a blizzard of lawsuits to intimidate the IRS into backing down. I wonder what dirt they had on IRS Director Fred Goldberg that they used in that secret meeting to get him to fold?Quote:
Originally Posted by hybridy
Hold up -- you might jinx the delivery of my package. Hah!Quote:
Originally Posted by Meddle
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meddle
Nice......
The positive aspect is that they are blowing their own money fixing up and maintaining the building [[most of their money comes from a few wealthy investors and celebrities.) The city of Detroit won't get property taxes, but they have so few members there won't be that much of a strain on city services.
When the church inevitably implodes, there will be a nice building available for someone to use.
^ whoever stocks up on black pants,white button down dress shirts and ties will make bank.
They're into every scam. I find their entire operation cynical and exploitative. Dirty tricks of every type.Quote:
Originally Posted by SammyS
Pound them baby, make them pay
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ployees-670362