Meet a Scientologist - Barbara Schneider's Happy Ending

Scientologist Barbara Schneider is a model, TV personality, paramedic, Scientology counselor and mother of four who didn’t anticipate how well things would turn out 18 years ago when things went wrong.  

Born and working as a paramedic in Lugano, Switzerland, in the early 1990s a failed relationship left her desperate to get away.

“I went to a travel agent and told him I needed a change,” she says. “I wanted to be someplace far away and on the sea.”

The next thing she knew, she was flying to Majorca with her 3-year-old son. Once there, she was paying a friend a visit at a hotel when a man directed her ‘right this way for the audition.’  She tried to tell him that was not why she was there, but he insisted, and she ended up being cast as co-host of a TV show.

Despite the change in scenery and an exciting new job, a year and a half later, Schneider was still suffering.

“My twin sister Elena could tell I was unhappy,” says Schneider. “She had been a Scientologist since we were 16 and she was convinced Scientology would help me.”

Agreeing to give it a try, she received some Scientology spiritual counseling and was amazed—the upset vanished.

Schneider relocated to Clearwater, Florida—the spiritual headquarters of the Scientology religion.  It was there that she met and married husband Roberto. 

A Scientology auditor (religious counselor), she credits the skills she has gained from her training for her success as a mother and in so many other aspects of her life.

“I don’t know how I would raise a family in the world today without what I’ve learned in Scientology,” she says.

She is tremendously proud of how self-reliant and responsible her children are.

“My kids have a very good life but they work hard for it,” she says.  “It’s not automatically—‘Oh, you’re 16 so here’s a car.’ They earn what they get by studying hard and doing well in school. Even with my little one who’s only four, she loves contributing to the family.  She helps me around the house.  We make it a game and she’s proud of what she does.”

Schneider’s commitment to helping others extends beyond the family.  A Scientology Volunteer Minister, she traveled to Port-au-Prince in January 2012 with her three sisters and several close friends to help in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. 

 “We are all mothers and the children there really touched our hearts,” she says. “We took on helping more than 100 children who were living on the streets, orphaned or separated from their parents. We built tents, turned an old school bus into a cafeteria, cooked and served their meals, arranged medical care, and tutored them.  Where possible, we helped them find their families.  My sisters stayed on for months and made sure the children would be cared for when they left.”

Involved with helping others since she was a child, Schneider finds being a Scientology auditor (counselor) enormously gratifying.

“What I like most is to touch someone’s life with a bit of magic—that’s what I really love to do,” she says, “to inspire them, bring out the best in them, so they can see solutions on their own and go ahead and resolve their problems and be happy.”

To meet more than 200 Scientologists and hear their stories, watch the “Meet a Scientologist” videos at www.Scientology.org. 

###

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, with videos now viewed more than 7 million times.

******************************************************* ^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It! Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

SCIENTOLOGY FOUNDER L. RON HUBBARD CENTENNIAL CELEBRATED WITH RELEASE OF COMPLETE BIOGRAPHICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Crowning a yearlong Centennial Celebration of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the Church of Scientology released the monumental, 16-volume complete biographical encyclopedia, The L. Ron Hubbard Series. The series was presented before an audience of 6,500 Scientologists gathered in Clearwater, Florida, for the annual celebration of Mr. Hubbard’s birthday.

The L. Ron Hubbard Series provides the first definitive, in-depth account of the man who founded the only new major religion to emerge in the modern age.

In total, the work stands at more than 3,600 pages and chronicles Mr. Hubbard’s extraordinary life and enduring legacy as drawn from his extensive personal archives, including never before published correspondence, journals and essays.

It has often been said Mr. Hubbard lived 20 lives in the span of one and this series bears out that fact in extraordinary detail. The first volume, L. Ron Hubbard: A Profile, serves as an all-encompassing introduction to the biographical series, presenting a complete and elucidating chronology of his life. Included are crucial details from his early years, wherein he distinguishes himself at age 13 as the nation’s youngest Eagle Scout and begins a lifelong study of the human condition under the tutelage of a student of Sigmund Freud. There is more as a young L. Ron Hubbard embarks on his famed travels through Asia, where be becomes one of the few Westerners to enter forbidden Tibetan lamaseries. The chronology further follows Mr. Hubbard as a leader of expeditions and member of the prestigious Explorers Club. With the same attention to detail, readers are further presented all pertinent facts from his trail of discovery in Dianetics and Scientology and his subsequent codification of an exact route along which individuals can ascend to higher states of awareness.

L. Ron Hubbard: A Profile additionally provides an overview of Mr. Hubbard’s humanitarian achievements: as an educator whose learning and literacy tools are presently utilized by hundreds of thousands of educators world over; as the architect of a drug rehabilitation program credited with saving tens of thousands; as the man who inspired a criminal reform program at work across 25 nations; and as the author of a moral code translated into 106 languages with upwards of 100 million copies in circulation.

Successive volumes in the series illuminate Mr. Hubbard’s accomplishments in well over a dozen professions. As but one example, Writer: The Shaping of Popular Fiction, traces Mr. Hubbard’s legendary 50-year literary career as a leading light of popular fiction and author of such landmark bestsellers as Battlefield Earth and the Mission Earth series. The companion volume, Literary Correspondence, provides insight into a celebrated career through his extensive collection of letters, including those addressed to legendary colleagues of the Great American Pulp Fiction movement.

The entire series is richly illustrated with more than 1,000 photographs from the L. Ron Hubbard archives—including both images of Mr. Hubbard and those taken by him.

Hundreds of photographs presented were never previously published for the fact that many date back a century and naturally deteriorated over time. Accordingly, the photographs throughout The L. Ron Hubbard Series are themselves the culmination of a massive restoration project. The process involved digitally scanning century-old photographs and negatives at resolutions even beyond those employed by the Library of Congress and the National Archives. Teams of specialists then meticulously restored every photograph pixel by pixel, removing dust, scratches, cracks and other imperfections. In all, the task demanded better than 10,000 man hours to complete. The resultant restored photographs, otherwise lost, are now presented for the first time in extraordinary clarity and detail.

Released along with The L. Ron Hubbard Series is an exclusive companion book entitledImages of a Lifetime. This 400-page, large format volume is a photographic biography, portraying the intimate story of Mr. Hubbard’s life through more than 500 images hand-picked from the archives and accompanying detailed anecdotal captions.

The L. Ron Hubbard Series and Images of a Lifetime are available in 15 translated languages.

Titles in The L. Ron Hubbard Series include:

• L. RON HUBBARD: A PROFILE
• HUMANITARIAN: EDUCATION, LITERACY & CIVILIZATION
• HUMANITARIAN: REHABILITATING A DRUGGED SOCIETY
• HUMANITARIAN: RESTORING HONOR & SELF-RESPECT
• FREEDOM FIGHTER: ARTICLES & ESSAYS
• PHILOSOPHER & FOUNDER: REDISCOVERY OF THE HUMAN SOUL
• DIANETICS: LETTERS & JOURNALS
• ADVENTURER/EXPLORER: DARING DEEDS & UNKNOWN REALMS
• EARLY YEARS OF ADVENTURE: LETTERS & JOURNALS
• WRITER: THE SHAPING OF POPULAR FICTION
• LITERARY CORRESPONDENCE: LETTERS & JOURNALS
• MUSIC MAKER: COMPOSER & PERFORMER
• POET/LYRICIST: THE AESTHETICS OF VERSE
• PHOTOGRAPHER: WRITING WITH LIGHT
• HORTICULTURE: FOR A GREENER WORLD
• MASTER MARINER: AT THE HELM ACROSS SEVEN SEAS

______________

The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in the United States in 1954 and has today expanded to more than 10,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 167 countries.

• For more information on L. Ron Hubbard, visitlronhubbard.org.

******************************************************* ^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It! Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

Human Rights Day 2011: Church of Scientology Spearheading Human Rights Education

On the 63rd anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Church of Scientology urges mandatory human rights education as the key to its full implementation of the Declaration.

Human rights are the rights that belong to everyone without exception—to people of any color, creed, age, ethnicity or gender. But as United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon pointed out in his Human Rights Day message this year, “…unless we know them, unless we demand they be respected, and unless we defend our rights — and the right of others — to exercise them, they will be just words in a decades-old document.”

To make the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights known to all, the Church of Scientology has undertaken a massive human rights education initiative, reaching more than 180 million people in 2011 with the information on human rights in 17 languages.

The United Nations estimates that 2.45 million people are trafficked each year, nearly a billion live in hunger, and almost half the world’s population subsists on less than $2.50 a day, making it clear any momentum generated this year must continue and that education and insistence on human rights has never been more vital.

In a global demonstration of support for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its 30 rights, Scientology Churches and Missions marked Human Rights Day with seminars, rallies, concerts, round tables, forums and festivals, and helped organize more than 80 human rights walks in 26 countries to raise awareness of the Declaration and the need for its full implementation.

In 1969, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The United Nations came up with the answer. An absence of human rights stained the hands of governments and threatened their rules. Very few governments have implemented any part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These governments have not grasped that their very survival depends utterly upon adopting such reforms and thus giving their peoples a cause, a civilization worth supporting, worth their patriotism.”

For more than four decades, the Church has worked to make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights broadly known. The Declaration appeared in the first edition of Freedom Magazine, the Church’s human rights journal, in 1968. In 1998, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration, the Church carried out the first of five annual cross-European marathons, reaching an estimated 33 million with its message in support of human rights.

Ten years ago, the Church began publishing materials that present the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in terms anyone can understand. These booklets, award-winning public service announcements and human rights documentary videos are available free of charge to any individual or group.

“There are many examples in history of what individuals can accomplish by demanding their rights and insisting on the rights of others,” says Rev. Robert Adams, Vice President of the Church of Scientology International. “But a knowledge of these rights comes first. The United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, yet in many ways, despite advances, the violations of its articles are as abhorrent today as they were six decades ago. We work with many dedicated groups, organizations, agencies and government bodies to make human rights a reality. To achieve this goal, education in human rights must be mandatory, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights must be given the force of law.”

Since Human Rights Day 2010, through direct action and sponsorship of activities and materials, the Church of Scientology has reached hundreds of millions of people with humans rights information, distributing more than 2 million publications and providing educational materials to more than 45,000 human rights organizations and 4,500 educators and educational institutions.

________

The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in the United States in 1954 and has grown to more than 9,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups and millions of members in 165 countries.

******************************************************* ^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

Scientology Books

I love reading Scientology books. I can always find something I can use. No matter what I run into, if I pick up a book by L. Ron Hubbard I invariably find something that will help me sort it out.

******************************************************* ^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

L. Ron Hubbard's Philosophy

L. Ron Hubbard Site: My Philosophy

When I tried to study philosophy in school I found it so hidden and esoteric. Then I realized it was largely because the philosophers themselves were confused, and were using their writings to asking questions rather than give answers.

Then when I read L. Ron Hubbard it was almost shocking. What he was saying was so simple, so logical and so easy to understand it was a spiritual double-take for me--realizing I'd actually finally found someone who had something to tell me.

When I read the essay L. Ron Hubbard wrote, called "My Philosophy" it made sense--he was applying his own philosophy in what he communicated.

That's why so much work has been done to preserve and restore all his books and lectures, and why it is so much a part of Scientology to study the original works.

But, if you know how to study (and he even covers that) it's all available to you.

Now they're even available in 15 languages (and the nine beginning books are in 50!).

Actually, Scientology and Dianetics has never been easier to learn.

"The first principle of my own philosophy is that wisdom is meant for anyone who wishes to reach for it. It is the servant of the commoner and king alike and should never be regarded with awe."

^{"Happiness and strength endure only in the absence of hate. To hate alone is the road to disaster. To love is the road to strength. To love in spite of all is the secret of greatness. And may very well be the greatest secret in this universe."} L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology Religion.

Communication -- the Magic Element

When I need a bit of magic in my life I look back over L. Ron Hubbard's tech on Communication. What's really interesting to me is how important communication is in human relations. Just by studying the chapter on Communication in the Scientology Handbook I figure about half the problems people are knocking themselves out over would resolve. (Of course it would ruin most soap operas and a lot of feature length movies whose plots revolve around communication breakdowns).

Couple of years back, David Miscavige announced that free courses on the chapters of this book would be available on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers website and they are. I often send people to that site to get help.

******************************************************* ^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

Funny thing about Scientologists

The funny thing about Scientology--if you're like me when I was first checking it out you keep running into people who are Scientologists. And it is really odd because they don't seem to have too much in common...I mean they're in different jobs, from different groups, ethnic backgrounds, interests--but they do have a couple things in common. They listen to you when you talk. They really seem to get it. And they really seem to care. That's what intrigued me enough to go into a Scientology church and look into it personally.

Here's a video that shows you what I mean.




******************************************************* ^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

Dianetics Day!

Tonight is the Dianetics event at my org. Tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of Dianetics!

Scientology Churches Celebrate Dianetics 60th Anniversary May 7, 2010 ShareThis Churches of Scientology around the world celebrate the original release of the religion’s first book this weekend. Published May 9, 1950, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health became an overnight success and has been a continuing bestseller for 60 years. The work is the anatomy and full description of a portion of the mind that is the source of nightmares, unreasonable fears, upsets and insecurities. More than 20 million copies have been sold. Based on author L. Ron Hubbard’s researches into the mind and human behavior prior to 1950, its release brought on the spontaneous formation of 750 Dianetics groups around the U.S. and establishment of the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Mr. Hubbard lectured, instructed and otherwise met a staggering demand, while continuing research into the fundamental nature of man culminating in the founding of the Scientology religion in 1952. Read more at the Scientology News site>>

^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

The Way to Happiness

(Freedom article)

The Way to Happiness is comprised of 21 precepts, each one predicated on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of all others—and that without the survival of others, no joy and no happiness are attainable.

In illustration of those precepts, the Church of Scientology sponsored the production and airing of a corresponding series of informational videos. They are presented in the spirit of the booklet itself, which is a roadmap to a happier life through values of compassion and caring that every member of a civilized society holds dear. Additionally distributed internationally and made available by request are the teacher’s guide and educator materials to supplement the use of the informational videos in a classroom environment.

An international network of volunteers and supporters of The Way to Happiness Foundation now spans 135 nations. Moreover, other groups dedicated to improving moral standards continue to adopt this booklet for their own use—groups as diverse as the National Honduras Police, Secretary General of the Philippine Red Cross, the California State Chairman of the Congress on Racial Equality have taken up and now distribute personalized copies of the booklet. As a further example of the far-reaching use of this booklet, the National Police of Colombia now utilize The Way to Happiness booklet in both training their entire force and broadly distributing it to Colombian citizens.

Further, the 21 The Way to Happiness PSAs air daily on a variety of media ranging from city buses in Chicago, Samoan rugby matches, Central American food courts and television stations on all seven continents.

Overview of results:

• The 21 Public Service Announcements illustrating each of the precepts from The Way to Happiness have been viewed by
• 725 million people in the last 12 months on 386 stations in 52 countries as well as at sporting events, concerts and in shopping malls.
• The Way to Happiness has been translated into 94 languages.
• Over 80 million copies of The Way to Happiness have been sold and distributed since it was first published in 1981.
• More than 430,000 The Way to Happiness information mailings have been sent out over the last two years to groups and organizations inviting them to order The Way to Happiness for distribution and to implement the education program based on the book.
• Over 360,000 people have visited The Way to Happiness Internet site (www.thewaytohappiness.org) in the last two years—270,000 in the last year alone.
• With the 2008 launch of The Way to Happiness Education Program more than 1,600 schools have ordered the booklets and materials, with 150,000 children learning the non-religious moral precepts from The Way to Happiness.
• The Way to Happiness is used in 2,097 prisons worldwide as part of the Criminon rehabilitation program.

*******************************************************
^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!
Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

Basic Scientology Information

On the Scientology web site is this statement: "Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime." It may be hard to conceive, but by study and application of Scientology principles you can actually accomplish just that. Isn't it worth reading a few books by L. Ron Hubbard and learning what this is all about?

*******************************************************
^{No matter how bad it is, Something CAN Be Done About It!
Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard}

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Cavalcade

When I'm out on a Scientology Volunteer Ministers cavalcade with my friends, all of us in our bright yellow t-shirts and windbreakers, people often come up and ask us who we are and what we're doing.

What starts out as a casual question, however, often becomes an important change in that person's life. Because it is very rare to find someone who couldn't use a hand with some aspect of their life. (As a matter of fact I'm sure I've never met a person who can't use some help, although not everyone can admit it or accept it, but that's another story.)

The information I've learned in Scientology is so empowering, as it permits me to actually do something for people, whether I'm just meeting them for the first time or I've known them all my life.



No matter the situation, Something CAN Be Done About It!
Learn how with the Scientology Handbook based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard