Association for Better Living and Education

Infobox Organization


size = 200px
caption =
name = Association for Better Living and Education
formation = 1988
type = Promotes Scientologists
status = Non-profit
purpose = Legal affairs and public relations
headquarters = Hemet, California, USA
leader_title = Chairman of Religious Technology Center
leader_name = David Miscavige
num_staff =
num_volunteers =
budget =
website = [http://www.able.org able.org]
remarks =

The Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It states that it is "dedicated to creating a better future for children and communities." [ [http://www.able.org ABLE website] ] It promotes secular uses of L. Ron Hubbard's works, and has been classified as a "Scientology-related entity". Founded in 1988, their main office is located at 7065 Hollywood Boulevard, the former headquarters for the Screen Actors Guild. [ [http://www.laweekly.com/news/news/hollywood-ups-and-downs/6981/ LA Weekly - News - Hollywood Ups and Downs - Madelynn Amalfitano - The Essential Online Resource for Los Angeles ] ]

Programs

ABLE acts as an umbrella organization for four entities:
*Applied Scholastics, educational programs based on Hubbard's study technology.
*Criminon, a rehabilitation program that brings Hubbard's teachings to prisoners.
*Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program founded by William Benitez, which use Hubbard based works.
*The Way to Happiness Foundation, dedicated to disseminating Hubbard's "non-religious moral code", which consists of 21 precepts such as "Don't be promiscuous", "Do not harm a person of good will" and "Respect the religious beliefs of others".

Criticism

Although various Scientology groups are registered as legally separate corporations and entities, critics note this has no bearing on whether or not they are controlled by the Church of Scientology. Studytech.org, a Scientology watchdog site, notes: "Applied Scholastics is indeed a legally separate corporation. However, it has so many ties to the Church of Scientology and its corporate alter ego, the Church of Spiritual Technology, that it cannot be regarded as being anything other than a Scientology subsidiary. [ [http://studytech.org/asi.php Scientology's Education Fronts - Applied Scholastics International ] ]

Nanette Asimov, reporter for the "San Francisco Chronicle", in an article critical of ABLE and Narconon, summed it up this way:

A popular anti-drug program provided free to schools in San Francisco and elsewhere teaches concepts straight out of the Church of Scientology, including medical theories that some addiction experts described as "irresponsible" and "pseudoscience." As a result, students are being introduced to some beliefs and methods of Scientology without their knowledge.cite web | first = Nanette | last = Asimov | title = Scientology link to public schools | url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/06/09/MNGO572ISD1.DTL | work = San Francisco Chronicle | date = 2004-06-09 | accessdate = 2008-02-21 ]

ABLE and its groups were included in the 1993 closing agreement between the IRS and the Church of Scientology, and are classified as "Scientology-related entities". [citation | title = Scientology Settles With IRS | date = 1997-12-30 | newspaper = Wall Street Journal]

ee also

*Applied Scholastics
*Concerned Businessmen's Association of America (CBAA)
*Criminon
*Narconon
*The Way to Happiness

Notes

References

*cite web | title = How the Church of Scientology found its way into British politics | url = http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23381539-details/How%20the%20Church%20of%20Scientology%20found%20its%20way%20into%20British%20politics/article.do | work = Evening Standard | date = 2007-01-12 | accessdate = 2008-03-16
*cite web | first = Hunter | last = Clauss | title = Greatest place on earth | url = http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=3414&SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&S=1 | work = Chicago Journal | date = 2007-09-12 | accessdate = 2008-03-16 | quote=the church aims to provide tutoring, anti-drug and criminal rehabilitation programs

External links

* cite web
title = ABLE (Association for Better Living and Education)
work = Official site
publisher = ABLE International
url = http://www.able.org
* cite web
title = How to Apply to Open a Social Betterment Group or Activity
work = ABLE's guidelines for creating new groups (Archived March 18, 2005)
publisher = ABLE International
url = http://web.archive.org/web/20040715135637/www.able.org/pages/grp_forms/how_to_open.pdf
* cite web
title = Scientology FAQs: What is ABLE?
work = Answer to a commonly asked question
publisher = CSI
url = http://faq.scientology.org/able.htm
* cite web
title = What is Scientology - Social Betterment Activities: ABLE
publisher = CSI
work = A description of ABLE
url = http://www.whatisscientology.org/html/part10/chp31/pg0542.html
* cite web
title = Scientology FAQs: What is Applied Scholastics?
work = Answer to a commonly asked question
publisher = CSI
url = http://faq.scientology.org/as.htm
* cite web
title = Applied Scholastics and The Church of Scientology
work = A critical site of Scientology: Scientology's education fronts
publisher = Studytech.org
url = http://studytech.org/asi.php
* cite web
title = Applied Scientology In Public Schools?
work = A critical article that highlight Scientology's role in Education
publisher = The Watchman Expositor
url = http://www.watchman.org/sci/appliedscientology.htm
* cite web
title = Texts Highlight Scientology's Role in Education
work = An article from Education Week, September 17, 1997
publisher = Education Week; Solitarytrees.net
url = http://www.solitarytrees.net/pubs/scntexts.htm
* cite web
title = A Drug Abuse Expert’s Perspective
work = Article on the Narconon website.
url = http://www.narconon.org/narconon_results/narconon_studies03