Celebrity Centre

Infobox Organization

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size = 200px
caption = Scientology Celebrity Centre on Franklin Avenue in Hollywood, California
name = Celebrity Centre
formation = 1955
type = Scientology recruitment
status =
purpose =
headquarters = Hemet, California, USA
leader_title = Chairman of Religious Technology Center
leader_name = David Miscavige
num_staff =
num_volunteers =
budget =
website = [http://www.Scientology.org/ Scientology.org/]
remarks =

Celebrity Centres are Church of Scientology facilities that are open to the public but serve mostly artists and celebrities and other "professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government", and "for those are the people who are sculpting the present into the future". [cite web | url = http://www.celebritycentre.org/ | title = Scientology Celebrity Centre International | publisher = Church of Scientology International] The Celebrity Centre International was established in Hollywood, California, in 1969 by Yvonne Gillham, a Sea Org member who worked with L. Ron Hubbard. Since then, other centres have been established in New York, London, Paris and a number of other cities across the world.

The Church often quotes L. Ron Hubbard as saying that "A culture is only as great as its dreams and its dreams are dreamed by artists", citing this as the reason that Celebrity Centres were established — to create a good environment for "artists". Critics of Scientology point to the fact that Hubbard launched "Project Celebrity" in 1955 to recruit celebrities into the church and say that the centres were established for this purpose, because celebrity members give Scientology the publicity it needs to recruit more members. [ [http://www.scientology-lies.com/faq/celebrities/scientology-celebrities.html Scientology and Celebrities | Scientology Lies ] ] According to former publicity officer Robert Vaughn Young, "One of my jobs was to get celebrities active, to convince them to hustle and promote Scientology". [cite web | first = Richard N. | last = Leiby | title = One Theory On Michael-Lisa: It's All A Plot | url = http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=1924408&date=19940809 | work = Washington Post | publisher = Seattle Times | date = 1994-08-09 | accessdate = 2008-01-24 ]

The head of the Los Angeles Celebrity Centre is Tom Davis, the son of actress and Scientologist Anne Archer.

Church's Position

Despite the existence of the dedicated celebrity centers and numerous witnesses of former scientologists, in the interview to MSNBC program Countdown, Mike Rinder who was a commanding officer of the Office of Special Affairs during that time, vigorously denied the existence of a policy to actively recruit high-ranking celebrities. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12800404/ Official transcript for Countdown show (May 12, 2006)] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgqKA3w6T2U YouTube video with part of the show related to Scientology] ]

ee also

*Rehabilitation Project Force

Notes

References

*cite web | first = Joel | last = Sappell | coauthors = Welkos, Robert W. | title = The Courting of Celebrities | url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-scientology062590b,0,3156079.story | work = | publisher = Los Angeles Times | date = 1990-06-25 | accessdate = 2008-01-24
*cite web | first = Douglas | last = Frantz | title = Scientology's Star Roster Enhances Image | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E4DF103CF930A25751C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all | work = | publisher = New York Times | date = 1998-02-13 | accessdate = 2008-01-24
*cite web | first = Enzo | last = Di Matteo | title = Ex-Scientology celebs recall swingin' 70s | url = http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/19/20/News/brief.html | work = | publisher = NOW Magazine | date = 2000-01-13 | accessdate = 2008-01-24
*cite web | first = Kari | last = Huus | title = Scientology courts the stars | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8333804/print/1/displaymode/1098/ | work = | publisher = MSNBC | date = 2005-07-05 | accessdate = 2008-01-24
*cite web | first = Dana | last = Goodyear | title = Château Scientology | url = http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/01/14/080114fa_fact_goodyear?printable=true | work = Letter from California | publisher = The New Yorker | date = 2008-01-14 | accessdate = 2008-01-24

External links

* cite web
title = Ecclesiastical Structure: "Celebrity Centre Churches"
work = A presentation of the Celebrity Centres churches
publisher = Church of Scientology
url = http://www.scientology.org/world/worldeng/corp/struc4.htm