Scientology making a new effort to get its clutches on your kids?

Five years ago, we were leaked a Scientology survey that suggested the church had plans for some new books aimed at children.

“If you were to buy a hardcover, illustrated book in full color, about 100-200 pages long, for children ages 6 and up, that teaches them specific Scientology technology and its application to life, in terms that can be understood at the ages of 6 and older…at what price do you begin to perceive the book as so expensive that you would not consider buying it?”

That’s one of the questions that was on the survey that was forwarded to us.

And just this week, we heard from Chris Shelton that he had heard something similar, that new books or some new effort aimed at children was coming from Scientology.

Then, from another reader, we received this flier yesterday for a special “first ever” graduation specifically for children that was held last night at the Fort Harrison Hotel, Scientology’s most holy site at its Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida.

We’d love to hear from someone who might have attended last night’s event. Was it as cringe-inducing as we suppose?

When we mentioned to Chris that we’d first heard about a possible new book series for kids five full years ago, he said that was not unusual for Scientology to have something in the works for so long, that a new initiative can take years to go through approvals and various stages.

Scientology has always pitched itself to vulnerable people. Finding someone’s “ruin” is literally how Scientologists describe it, as they lure in people who are struggling after losing a job or going through a break-up.

Scientology pounces on people when they are most unguarded. And talk about vulnerable, kids must make tempting targets for an organization that is struggling to find new marks.

At the same time as that new “first ever” graduation for kids was happening in Florida, at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre last night was another event aimed at children, the annual “Christmas Stories” show put on with some of Scientology’s remaining celebrities.

“Michelle Stafford, Marisol Nichols, Jenna Elfman, and Nancy Cartwright performed at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre’s 31st annual Christmas Stories to raise funds for activities to help underserved youth,” says Scientology’s press release.

Some things never change, right?

You might remember that Christmas Stories events in the past featured Danny Masterson and Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis and Wilmer Valderrama, to name a few. Hip, hip, hooray!

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Bonus items from our tipsters

Meanwhile, we received an indication of yet another Scientology initiative from one of our readers.

Here was the announcement:

And here were the rules, printed out on a single sheet…

THE WORD OF MOUTH CAMPAIGN

POINTS SYSTEM

Name:

HGC:

Date:

"Word of mouth is a superior form of advertising to newspaper, radio and TV ads. People tend to believe their friends...

"'It worked for Joe, it will probably work for me' is what people think. And in Scientology they are correct." — LRH, HCO PL 7 April 1983R GOODWILL

"Personal contact. This by far is the very best method of dissemination." — LRH, HCOB 15 Sept 1959 II, Dissemination Tips

Winning Instructions: Contact your friends, family and associates. Spread your wins and tell them what it is like to be moving on the Bridge at Flag. You have to get the person interested to come to Flag and preferably ticketed to arrive. Keep your points below and turn this form into your Board I/C each day as each HGC and course room is playing a game to see who gets the most points on disseminating the good news.

The public who makes the most points gets Commended for their great work!

Can you believe it? Commended? Whoa.

And one more thing from a reader, the New York Org holiday party is tonight!

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Source Code: Actual things founder L. Ron Hubbard said on this date in history

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