Monday, July 31, 2006

Drugs - an Index of Social Decay

In his speech at the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre, David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center made a very astute point about drugs and our culture:

"Today we live in a world increasingly obsessed with science. Yes — we can send man to the Moon, explore the surface of Mars, and even survey the galaxy with NASA probes. With advanced computer technology, and satellites circling the globe, we can communicate to anyone, anywhere on Earth, and in an instant.

"Yet with all of that — everything science has brought us — there is a void. In fact, it’s a chasm. And at the bottom of that chasm are the humanities. So, it shouldn’t surprise any of us that with all the high technology of this 21st century, science can’t yet prevent war.

"What about the terror alerts that are a part of everyday existence? The upsets at home that are so common it’s considered part of the daily grind called life? That’s a Code Orange taking place in millions of households every day. Or what about raising a child today? If it’s not the drugs, then it’s the all too common worry that they’ll actually get an education. That’s the real terror alert and it’s at Code Red.

"The answer to this planet’s problems will not be found in the 'material.' Of this there can be no question. For if those solutions can’t prevent war nation to nation, how then can it be expected to answer questions like 'love,' 'happiness' or 'peace of mind?' So, we can’t expect the answer to be found in chemicals. Not unless one buys into a synthesized utopia, or a 'Brave New World,' with a perfect pleasure drug.

"Yet that is precisely what we see in the world today, with multi-million dollar conglomerates providing a cornucopia of new pills as a panacea to all ills — making the pharmaceutical industry the most profitable business on the planet — more than banking, high finance, oil or computers. Common sense tells us it’s the wrong answer."

Mr. Miscavige's speech has been made into a DVD called This is Scientology.

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