Scientology: Not your average "House of Worship"

By Ruth Lorenzen, February 2009 Recently, a Pennsylvania Scientologist tried to get permission to use his "house" in a non-conforming use in his town. He wanted to open a Church of Scientology mission there. He claims Scientology is just a religion and wants all the rights afforded other churches. Unfortunately, a lot of laws allowing where churches could operate were based off of traditional churches that had a few simple gatherings each week to worship. But Scientologists don't worship. Scientology organizations do other things that some other churches do besides worship services. Ok, so they offer classes and counseling. But not in the same manner as other churches. Some churches may offer a few classes to learn about the bible (bible study), or offer some classes in becoming a practitioner or minister in their religion. But these classes don't go on for 11 hours a day, 7 days a week like they do in Scientology. A Church of Scientology's courseroom is usually open from 9:00 in the morning until lunch, one hour lunch break, resume courses until 6:00 pm, one hour for a dinner break, and "back to the books" until 10:00 pm at night. That's 11 hours of course time per day. And this happens every day of the week. That is not the same as any other church. If a traditional monotheistic church offered an extensive curriculum of courses and had enough students to require that amount of open class hours, then they would call it a university and it would be run like a university is run. That is not a church. Such a university may be "church affiliated" and "run by church personnel" and even teach religious doctrine... but isn't a church. It is a school. Churches and Missions of Scientology hold these long hours for every organization, regardless of size. Some of these organizations are so small that they may have few staff and few students, so they might be open less than 11 hours per day, but they're still open for classes as many hours as some children's schools, and they are pressured by the Mother Church (of Scientology) to expand their operation sufficiently to be open the standard course time hours of 11 hours per day. These "Schools of Scientology" should be treated like any private school would be when it comes to zoning. So why can't some zoning boards see past the Scientologist cries of "religious discrimination"? Because they are so afraid to get involved in finding out exactly what use the new Scientology-in-town people are really planning for the use of their building. What's the problem? They're people like the rest of us. We have to conform to building planning and use regulations in our area. Why should Scientologists be given preferential treatment by "looking the other way" and not looking into the matter more closely? If Scientologists want to gather to worship something (L. Ron Hubbard, David Miscavige, or even Xenu) then go right ahead. But in reality, "worship" is not what Scientologists do. They operate schools and counseling centers. So it's high time the authorities figure that out and require the appropriate licensing and zoning for these operations. Ruth Lorenzen

From original article December 18, 2008 "A. Rhodes Wilson believes his plans to convert a home he owns in Plumstead into a Church of Scientology are being unfairly scrutinized and that officials are infringing on his religious freedom." "When Tuesday's second lengthy public hearing on the issue was continued until Jan. 20, Wilson's attorney, Robert Gundlach [Wilson's attorney], angrily objected. He told the board of supervisors his client is being held to a different standard and that his religious rights are being harmed." "In July, the Wilsons applied for approval to use the ranch-style home as a house of worship. In their zoning application, they stated they wanted to use the house as the Bucks County Mission for the Church of Scientology. Rhodes Wilson is the mission's director and would lease the property to the church." "Several neighbors have objected to the proposed church, saying Scientology is not a house of worship in the traditional sense." From update article February 20, 2009 "A number of neighbors questioned the legitimacy of the mission as a "place of worship," and the impact it would have on the primarily residential district. Some suggested the mission, of which Wilson is the director, would be more of a business." "Citing a federal law, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Gundlach [Wilson's attorney] said the municipality is prohibited from using a regulation that 'imposes a substantial burden on the religious exercise of a person including a religious assembly or institution.' " "[I]n the end, the board refused the use, saying its engineer, Tim Fulmer, had found the plan lacking. In a letter to the township's attorney, Fulmer said the proposal 'does not comply with minimum building setback and requirements, buffer yard requirements, lot area requirements, and parking design requirements.' "

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