Furious Seasons

April 16, 2008

Scientology Blamed For Suicide

I'll just pinch from the UPI's account:

"The daughter of a Norwegian politician killed herself after she received negative results on a personality test by the Church of Scientology, officials said.
"Kaja Ballo, daughter of Norwegian politician Olav Ballo, took a personality test administered by a Scientology center in Nice, France, Aftenposten said Wednesday.

"Family and friends described the 20-year-old in a generally good mood until Friday, March 28, when she "changed" after reading the results from the test.

"She took her own life hours later.

"A Scientology spokesman called the allegations "deeply unfair" and pointed to an eating disorder and other psychological issues she experienced in her early teens.

"Critics say the break-you-down-build-you-up recruitment tool of Scientologists is controversial."

Regardless of the cause, this is tragic. I'm sure Scientology and its "technology" works just fine for some people, but the reality is that this is one weird "Church."

Posted by Philip Dawdy at April 16, 2008 01:48 PM

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Comments

I'm no fan of Scientologists but I am a student of Religion and once spent a good 4 or 5 hours in their lair taking their IQ test and their personality test and even having the first levels of auditing done---all for free---they were trying to catch me---for me it was purely an experience for curiosities sake. I can confidently say that the personality test is harmless...she may have had a bad interaction with an individual in the church, but frankly it seems a stretch that one encounter would lead to suicide without other deep issues being part of the picture.

Posted by: Gianna at April 16, 2008 02:48 PM

I don't really want to comment on this with respect to Scientology but it does remind me of two other suicides I know of that took place shortly after someone was "diagnosed" (but before they supposedly took medication). I think these stories demonstrate the tremendous power that labeling can have on someone who may be vulnerable. Being evaluated psychologically on the basis of some questionnaire or test and then coming up short in some way can have a very debilitating effect.

Posted by: Sara at April 16, 2008 02:53 PM

i have a problem w the word 'church' here too.

Posted by: Stephany at April 16, 2008 07:59 PM

Don't know much about Scientology but the "break you down - build you up" philosophy sounds exactly like what the shrinks attempt to do.

Has anybody ever wondered: "Where did common sense go".

Posted by: Rosie at April 16, 2008 08:38 PM

Senate Bill 1375 (bill has passed the House) intends to screen all women who have given birth for post partum depression using a screening tool - federal money would be appropriated. Read about the bill on Thomas.loc.gov. Looks like another Teen Screen pharma scam, wherein the suggestivity of the questions themselves can cause dangerous reactions before the person screened ever even gets put on dangerous SSRIs. I say - write your Senator and stop the bill. A couple of senators are already prepared to do battle to block it.

Posted by: Sorrowful at April 18, 2008 08:18 AM

It's very strange to me that people here are so afraid to talk about Scientology.
Down here, below the Equator we have the right word to define it.
I will not say because I consider myself in American soil here.
But we are accused either being "antipsychiatrists" or "Scientologists" whenever we talk anything against SSRIs.
I have already seem it among Americans too.
Tom Cruise was of great help!

Posted by: Ana Lima at April 18, 2008 01:13 PM