January 10, 2018

STATEMENT

The Church of Scientology believes in the right of every person to practice
his or her own religion and we unequivocally defend the rights of Calvary Baptist
Church and its members to practice their faith.
The Human Right to believe in and practice one’s own religion is even a part
of the moral code Scientologists abide by and practice. As L. Ron Hubbard states
in The Way to Happiness:
“Respect the Religious Beliefs of Others: Tolerance is a good cornerstone on
which to build human relationships. When one views the slaughter and suffering
caused by religious intolerance down all the history of Man and into modern times,
one can see that intolerance is a very non-survival activity.”
Every day we act to defend the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
including the right to practice one’s chosen religion. Since we opened our Human
Rights Office in Clearwater in July 2015, we have distributed educational materials
about fundamental human rights to over 440,000 people and have partnered with
over 700 organizations in Florida to enlighten others on their inalienable rights.
Pastor Rice’s uninformed tirade against the Church of Scientology is unChristian and un-American. Where Christianity teaches love, the only message of
his divisive and provocative rhetoric about Scientology and Scientologists is hate.
How can we forget that he incited his congregation to pick up a rock and slingshot
and use them against our Church? Why seek to provoke harm to your neighbors
just because you do not understand what they believe? The truth is Pastor Rice has
no interest in what we do or believe and refuses to take an honest look, readily
accessible on our website, Scientology.org.

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Pastor Rice’s prejudice is not limited to our religion; an examination of his
speeches shows he is also a homophobe and an Islamophobe. His congregation
and this community deserve better. Pastor Rice would better serve this community
by following his own Southern Baptist Declaration of Human Rights:
“And we believe with the framers of the United Nations’ Universal
Declaration of Human Rights that human rights include … freedom of thought,
speech, assembly, religion, movement, and participation in government.”
That is the very same Universal Declaration our Human Rights Office works
to make known and defend across this city, state, country and the world.
Just last month, Dr. Russell Moore, President of the Ethics & Religious
Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention invoked fellow
Christians:
“Let’s stand up for the religious liberty of all Americans. Let’s defend the
inalienable rights and human dignity of those whom we seek to evangelize. And
let’s work with others across religious and racial lines to advocate for our first
freedom, and the right of everyone made in God’s image to be citizens with
conscience.”
Many voices are crying out for unity and peace in our country and in our
own city. It is time for Pastor Rice to set aside his prejudice and help unify our
city through respect for others and support of freedom for all to believe as they
choose.
oOo