Angle's Scientology Problem

So the good news is that Sharron Angle, winner of the Nevada GOP Senate primary race, is not personally a member of the notorious Church of Scientology. The bad news: She seems to be a gullible person, easily deceived by persons with sinister agendas.

It's early days yet, but it does seem we can acquit Sharron Angle herself of belonging to the Church of Scientology. But she did forcefully advocate introducing Scientology backed programs into Nevada prisons. Why?

A group of Scientology critics offer this explanation:

In the early years of [the 2000s], there were efforts in the Four Corners states to place Scientology front group programs into prisons at taxpayer's expense. Sharron Angle, a Nevada legislator, worked very hard to convince her fellows on the legislature that a Scientology front group called Second Chance would be a good program for Nevada prisons. Second Chance is another Scientology entity which sells the dangerous Purification Rundown. After an email campaign to inform the legislators of the truth behind Second Chance, it was nearly unanimously decided that public money could be better spend [sic] elsewhere. Only Sharron Angle was still supporting it, expressing her bewielderment [sic] at the Legislature's refusal to adopt it into their state prisons. Had Ms. Angle done any research outside of listening to Scientology representatives, her confusion would have been easily cleared up.

Interestingly enough, Ms. Angle is a member of the National Foundation of Women Legislators, an organization which has been around since the 1930s. However, the NFWL's current treasurer is Bruce Wiseman, a Scientologist and president of the Citizen's Commission on Human Rights, a Scientology front group aimed at discrediting and destroying psychiatry and mental health programs. Also on a NFWL board is Joy Westrum, Scientologist, and president of Second Chance.

It is no coincidence that Scientologists are on the board of the NFWL. It gives them an opportunity to connect with legislators from all over the country. The NFWL claims to have several thousand members nationwide, and some of them wind up supporting and endorsing Scientology's fraudulent programs.

So the good news for Nevada Republicans is that Angle is not personally a member of the notorious Church.

The bad news: She seems to be a gullible person, easily deceived by persons with sinister agendas. Thanks, Tea Party!