Easy to laugh, but...

[Doc Samson]

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This ongoing public relations campaign is making me uneasy. Anyone else think that Scientology is going to be a major battle for our generation of psychiatrists?

Updated: June 7, 2006, 7:45 PM ET
Scientology publisher to sponsor teamAssociated Press


CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Race fans, let the couch-jumping begin.

The Church of Scientology, the religion for which actor Tom Cruise crusades, will attempt to spread its "Ignite Your Potential" message into auto racing through sponsorship of a race car in one of NASCAR's lowest levels.

Kenton Gray, a 35-year-old Californian, will attempt to make the field for a late model race Saturday night at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. His No. 27 Ford Taurus will be sponsored by Bridge Publications, which publishes Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's bestseller "Dianetics."

The hood of the car will say "Dianetics" on it, along with a volcano to mimic the book cover.

Details of the sponsorship agreement were sketchy Wednesday.

A woman who answered the phone at Freedom Motorsports, the team Gray founded, referred all calls to Bridge Publications. Danielle Methvin, spokeswoman for Bridge Publications, did not immediately return a call for comment. And there was no word if Cruise, who famously jumped on a couch during an Oprah Winfrey appearance last year, will be attending the race.

NASCAR, for now, has no issue with the sponsorship.

"The sponsorship at the weekly and regional touring level are made independent of NASCAR, unlike our three series on the national level," spokesman Jim Hunter said. "However, we would step in at any level if we deemed it to be in bad taste or bad for the sport. But in this case, we don't think it is."

According to Freedom Motorsports' web site, Gray announced the five-year sponsorship deal on May 6.

"Dianetics is a book that helped me in many ways since I first read it many years ago," Gray said in a statement. "It helped me get better control over the obstacles I had to get through to reach goals I was passionate about. Its a great honor to have a sponsor relationship that's so directly related to my making it this far."

Scientology is not the first religion to make its way into racing.

Morgan Shepherd has competed the past few years in the No. 89 Victory in Jesus Racing Ministries car. NASCAR had to sign off on his paint scheme, and refused to let his first offering onto the track before finally agreeing to allow the message "Racing With Jesus" onto the hood of the car.

And in 2004, Bobby Labonte drove the season-opening Daytona 500 in a car that advertised Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of The Christ."

Still, NASCAR keeps a close eye on what it allows on its tracks.

"When you get into philosophies and morals, that's a slippery slope," Hunter said. "But we do understand that NASCAR has broad national appeal, and we reach millions of people every week. Not all of our fans agree with some sponsorships, but they do understand that it is imperative for our cars to have sponsors in order to succeed.

"Obviously, philosophically, everyone has different opinions."

 

[Psyclops]

I was in a book store today, and loking for a book for a yoounger sibling, ran into much of L Ron's books in the fantasy section. Battle won. Enough said.

 

[Anasazi23]

I was in a book store today, and loking for a book for a yoounger sibling, ran into much of L Ron's books in the fantasy section. Battle won. Enough said.

Scientology was made fun of by Stewie on 'Family Guy.' Yup...they lost.

When Family Guy busts on you, it's officially over.

It'll blow over. Tom Cruise ruined their reputation singlehandedly.

 

[watto]

The concept of "Fair Gaming" that they espouse scares me a bit, as I read some memo from a year or two back that it was now acceptable for them to go after individual psychiatrists using their blackmail and public misinformation techniques.

I also weary of their habit of sending people to message boards like this with the same baiting schemes, pretending to loathe scientology but in fact seeking "wins" by starting impossible arguments with psychiatrists and posing as other forum members who agree with them. I've seen this on a couple of boards now, boring boring boring.

The best strategy is still, I think, for psychiatry as a profession to stand above the fray, and refuse to join into their debates. Their numbers are overblown and their belief system is pretty obviously bankrupt to most casual observers anyway.

 

[Anasazi23]

What better way to promote your 'religion' than to put it on the hood of a race car.

 

[Anasazi23]

http://www.themightymjd.com/2006/06/06/nascar-selling-crazy/

No word on whether they'll take blood tests for thetans

(I admit I stole that from a website).


The Dianetics Racing Motorcycle!
🙄

 

[HelloToday]

I dont think that Scientology is going to be a major battle for psychiatrist. I think there will be major battles for psychiatrists but not from scientology. Scinetology says they have an organization that is investigating psychiatrists and will be suing them but when you ask who their lawyer is they do not seem to know, nor do they seem to know the name of their alleged investigator. They want you to give them privileged information without evne knowing what person you are giving it to. They do not strike me as being a credible organization.

QUOTE=Doc Samson]This ongoing public relations campaign is making me uneasy. Anyone else think that Scientology is going to be a major battle for our generation of psychiatrists?[/QUOTE]