The Church of Ultimate Peace.....and Prosperity

Alright, I'll be the first to admit that I think Scientology is on the very fringe of kooky religions but sometimes I gotta give props when props are due. Take this quote of Ute Kiessel, a spokesman for Scientology, during the recent opening of their big ass building...err, I mean Church...in downtown Berlin, Germany. Mr. Kiessel outlined the Church's "Big Picture" plan by saying:

"The aims of Scientology include a civilization without war, without criminality and without insanity, where honest people have rights."

By stating the Church's goals so plainly, Mr. Kiessel quite effectively distinguished Scientology from all of the pro-war, pro-criminal, pro-insanity, anti-honesty religions out there. I mean, its right there on the packaging now...unlike Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Muslim(ism?), and even Atheism; all of which get bogged down with these hard to grasp "afterlife" concepts (or non-concept when the Atheists are concerned). Usually I disregard anything that comes out of the mouth of the Church of Scientology but now they have my attention because, well, I'm a huge Star Trek fan. Sure, Scientologists have yet to make a battle plan to thwart the Romulans and Klingons but it sounds like they are gonna attack "insane" people pretty aggressively which is nice (just think, no more crazy hobo on a bike bugging you when you buy gas at the nearby gas station!). Still, I do have one major concern and that is why go after Germany so aggressively? I mean, doesn't the Church have a good thing in the heartland of super-rich people who skipped their SAT's in order to appear on an episode of General Hospital? The German government doesn't even recognize Scientology as a religion and yet the Church has spent untold millions of dollars actively trying to recruit...I mean enlighten...the country. Still, I don't remember a single German character on Star Trek....ever. Is there something in Germany's past which might lead The Church of Scientology to think that they would be excellent recruits...er, I mean, members?

Something.....something.....

"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it."

--Adolf Hitler