What Pat forgets to tell all of you is that when you reach OT III level you will find out that all religions in the world are engrams implanted in our brains to confuse us into not being a Scientologist. Scientology lies about everything. They will tell you that you can be a Christian or Jew or Muslim and also be a Scientologist, but that is a big lie. You will pay a lot of money to find out you can't be anything but a Scientologist. Their Christmas decorations are a lie. Their Winter Wonderland is just another way for them to hand out their literature in the hopes that someone will be suckered into joining. The cross they put on their Super Power building is a lie. They lied about who they were when they came to Clearwater and they have continued to lie everyday since. Liars.

Whatever they say, whatever PR they give, the bottom line is to get more $$$ in. The organization is a Big business. "Merry Christmas" to them, even if Ron professes non-belief in Jesus Christ and his word is law to the members. Why they celebrate Christmas can only be viewed as simply another PR stunt.
Sorry Pat, but that's the way most of the public who know, see it.

This is all really interesting considering L Ron Hubbard said in Scientology scripture that you shouldn't believe in Jesus.

"The man on the cross...there was no Christ." -- LRH

Here's the audio clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk03n7rMJ1o

And the text of it.
From "Assists" lecture. 3 October 1968. #10 in the confidential Class VIII series of lectures:
"Anyway, Everyman is then shown to have been crucified so don't think that it's an accident that this crucifixion, they found out that this applied. Somebody somewhere on this planet, back about 600 BC, found some pieces of R6, and I don't know how they found it, either by watching madmen or something, but since that time they have used it and it became what is known as Christianity. The man on the Cross. There was no Christ. But the man on the cross is shown as Everyman. So of course each person seeing a crucified man, has an immediate feeling of sympathy for this man. Therefore you get many PCs who says they are Christ. Now, there's two reasons for that, one is the Roman Empire was prone to crucify people, so a person can have been crucified, but in R6 he is shown as crucified."

"Winter Wonderland" and "Christmas Stories" are just PR to them. They don't do anything without trying to get attention. Look at them running around Newtown, CT in their bright Yellow jackets. Any other "ministers" drawing attention to themselves that way?

See how many people attended, only to get dumped with a bunch of flyers trying to recruit visitors into the cult. Shameful.

Pat, from where in the Bible is LRH quoting, where Jesus talks about the goals he set for man: wisdom, good health, and immortality?!
Um, no.
Please cite which book of the Bible, with chapter and verse, and if possible, which edition of the Bible you're quoting.

It is time we start requiring this entity to pay taxes, and hotel tax as well. This is all merely propaganda to further their 'cause'.

"Scientology has been a part of the landscape of Clearwater for more than 30 years. As the religion grows so will the group's membership in and around the city.
What will the future of downtown look like? With Coachman Park, the Main Library and Harborview Center all looking at major changes as well as facelifts on Cleveland Street and condos filling up, will this usher in a downtown renaissance?" written by the editor of Patch, Jared Leone.
First off, I had no idea Patch was a Pro Scientology publication, and second, there will be no reall renaissance until Scientology leaves Clearwater. I remember it pre-Scientology, when it was a thriving area where people wanted to be. Now I won't even stop there, as many others, due to the Scientologists everywhere. And I am certainly not taking my family to their sponsored events trying to convert the rest of us. There is no Clearwater anymore, just Clearwater Beach.

Pat says:
"Scientology Churches and their parishioners also organize and support numerous charitable events during the holidays, such as toy drives, food and clothing collections, and parties for underprivileged children. Scientologists visit nursing homes, orphanages, hospitals and homeless shelters, bringing holiday cheer through gifts and entertainment."

Pat, thank-you for informing me of these activities of the Church of Scientology around the holidays as I was unaware of them. In fact, I never witnessed one of any of these activities even once, despite my 10 years involvement with Scientology.

Personally I am ashamed to have been involved with your organization which promotes that it is compatible with other religions just to get people in the door to spend money. It's an absolute lie. As another poster already pointed out - Hubbard during a lecture asserted "There is no Christ".