The Freewinds is the location of a special Church of Scientology. It is a huge motor vessel cruising the Caribbean since 1988. Here is the official presentation of the ship (with sources from ScientologyToday.org and Freewinds.org) and some comments I added. by Louanne Lee
(centrist)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
The Freewinds is the location of a special Church of Scientology. It is a huge motor vessel cruising the Caribbean since 1988. Here is the official presentation of the ship (text from Scientology Today and Freewinds.org) and some comments I added:
"The Church of Scientology Flag Ship Service Organization ministers the highest levels of religious services, as well as other select services to help one on his route to Operating Thetan (OT).
The Flag Ship Service Organization (FSSO) is a unique church of Scientology which is located aboard the Motor Vessel Freewinds, a 440-foot ship based in the Caribbean, with the home port of Curaçao. The ship was acquired in the mid-1980s shortly before the release of the highest advanced auditing level currently available, New OT VIII.
Needing a safe, aesthetic, distraction-free environment appropriate for ministration of this profoundly spiritual level of auditing, this church of Scientology returned to the sea, far from the crossroads of the workaday world. And while the Flag Service Organization ministers the highest levels of training and auditing from the bottom of The Bridge up to New OT VII, the most advanced OT level—OT VIII—is entrusted exclusively to the FSSO.
To a Scientologist, coming to the Freewinds for New OT VIII is the pinnacle of a deeply spiritual journey. Years of training and auditing have brought him to this ultimate point. It is the most significant spiritual accomplishment of his lifetime and brings with it the full realization of his immortality.
Church of Scientology Flag Ship Service Organization The Freewinds is a very special place. It is the one place on this planet that a Scientologist can go and be certain that he will be able to devote all of his attention to his religious practice and, at the same time, share the company of people who share his religious commitment and outlook on life in general. A voyage on the Freewinds is nowhere close to a vacation. Rather, it is the perfect religious retreat dedicated to enabling one to devote his full attention to spiritual growth.
Religious services ministered aboard the Freewinds are not limited to Scientologists who have reached New OT VIII. Other religious programs conducted aboard the Freewinds include religious conventions and seminars for staff and parishioners of churches of Scientology from around the world as well as specially arranged gatherings also for Scientologists from a particular country or community for a particular program of religious services.
Each year the annual Maiden Voyage event has come to be one of the most important gatherings of dedicated Scientologists and an opportunity for senior Church officials to meet and work directly with these parishioners to advance their religion. Scientologists who attend this annual spiritual cruise become "OT Ambassadors" and initiate programs to help Scientologists all over the world advance the aims of Scientology and to reach the top of The Bridge at New OT VIII."
In May 2008 the Freewinds went into dry dock for scheduled repairs and structural changes to create more convention spaces. Those measures were completed and the ship went back in the water in time for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of its Maiden Voyage in June 2008. Several hundred dignitaries including the Premier Minister of Curacao from the Netherland Antilles participated in the christening of the new, refitted Freewinds. The event and following Maiden Voyage celebrations (over five days) have been videoed - as usual - and are shown in all Churches of Scientology in the world during July and August 2008.
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You left out some facts. Like the Freewinds was dry docked against the wishes of scientology.  It was full of asbetos and scientololgy had known this for over twenty years. Â
Here is the link to just one of the article's on this....
I read in more than one place that the freewinds was once fitted with hidden cameras and stocked with booze and women in an attempt to blackmail a judge. Anyone have a link?
nevermind, I found it! Patterson vs Scientology. Blackmail, prostitutes, false imprisonment- what an adventure from the most "ethical group on the planet!"
This one's not so bad, you remain factual and on point.
However the last paragraph is missing a crucial bit of information. I'm not going to go into the whole "asbestos" thing, they're renovating the ship and you mentioned it is in dry dock, that's fine. But I feel you left out something.Â
According to the Det Norske Verita aka the DNV, who are in charge of inspecting the sea worthiness of all merchant ships in Dutch controlled ports and dry docks, which includes Curacao and the Dutch Antillies, the Freewinds is past due on several key inspections, including it's hull inspection.Â
It's annual class inspection isn't until 10/31/08 so it is regarded as an Operational Vessel by the DNV.
Perhaps it's just an oversight, but I feel you may wish to research this further, maybe find the missing paperwork perhaps?
You left a little something out. Like all the blue asbestos that is on the ship. And the fact it is rotting was drydock on some island while workers had to remove the asbestos from the ship that was scattered through the ventilation systems when the cult tried to have the asbestos removed by unskilled volunteer labor instead of skilled professionals. Might want to know this before you sign up there.
If you have been on the boat before or were one of the poor saps trying to remove this under DM's orders without protective gear, I would highly suggest that you start getting tested for lung cancer regularly.
This is no rumor. This was confirmed. See the wikipedia article on the failboat for sources.
Wikipedia? Wikipedia reported that the ship was in drydock "rotting" when it did its re-christening and went off for another cruise after complete refit. In July. What you are talking about is wishful thinking by a few haters, not reality. Like most of Wikipedia on non-technical subjects.
They won't even discuss it Mark. They just talk in circles while pretending to make a point. That is what Scientology teaches you to do. Talk uselessly in circles until people either just give up the argument or accept your point of view just to shut you up.
They won't ever admit there was blue asbestos on the ship. I could brick them up in a wall inside the boat with the asbestos and they would swear it wasn't there until they choked to death on it. It's like Picard with the five lights on that star trek episode. There are only four lights but they actually think they can see five lights. Lou and Terryeo are like that crazy Iraqi spokesman who was on TV saying there were no Americans in Baghdad while bombs were landing on the city behind him and US tanks were rolling down the streets pulling down statues of Saddam.
 Anonymous is doing the same with David Miscaivage and Laffayette Ron Hubbard right now and these two clowns (three if you count Heleio) will stand up there and mouth off that there is nothing to see right up to the point where guys in masks line up behind them and pose for a lulzy photo op.
The Freewinds went into port. A question was raised about asbestos. The situation was handled. In addition, the ship's decor was improved. Port authorities (throughly alerted about the asbestos) cleared the ship and it left port.
We enjoy freedom of religion, we all operate under similar laws. You can walk out the door of any Church in America (and most of Europe) and walk into the Church next door, just as you like. For most people, this works just fine and everyone is happy with it. There still exists whole countries such as Iran and North Korea, for example, where such freedom of religion is but a smoke dream in the minds of old men and an inspiration in the minds of younger men.
Really, U critics are simply gathering a little pool of darkness to stare into while everyone else enjoys sunshine. Small difficulties and corrected mistakes, U carefully sweep their public remnants into a dark pile and attempt to breath life into them. Oh hum.
You are using a strawman argument, which is not a "fair" use of argument. We are not discussing the freedom of religion, which I support, but the Scientology uses of this boat.
I highly support the rights of any religion, and I've made it very clear that I'm not against "Scientology" as a whole. However, I do have issue with certain things that have yet to be resolved. Please tell me, would yo ube a religious bigot if you refused to tolerate child abuse within the Catholic Church? Or would that be a valid point to contend?
Now, back to the subject- did you watch the videos? Do you have an opinion?Â
Strawman argument? I pose little or no argument. I do state my opinion. For example, those links attempt to paint the Freewinds in a darker color. But a ship needs comply with the port it calls to. And those ports have a good, working relationship with the Freewinds, they welcome the ship. I don't think I offer any argument at all, but merely state simplicities which anyone can assimilate, or reject. I do find it amusing when simplicy it rejected in favor of plot and rumor. As I find it amusing when people prefer to stare at dirt when the sky is blue.
That, then, is the difference between you and I. For something as important as this, I look very critically and look for substantiation and proof. I as the same of my own beliefs.
I can agree that you're offering much opinion and little argument, but a strawman argument does not imply a formal argument- it's merely substituting a more extreme or simplier argument, and addressing that rather than the more difficult point that was made. It can be effetive, but doesn't actually contribute to the debate.
Now, regarding the ship. Of course they welcome the ship. Freewinds pays- what more can they want? My point is that the CoS knows that the company is dumping the waste water in an unsafe manner, but they continue doing business with that company. I'm sure you've seen the video?
Trust me on this one, friend, I can see the sky as easily as the ground.
Findings in Void tank (025 - 026), Void tank (036 - 058), Propeller shaft space enclosed (A - 036), Ballast/Heeling tank 15S(099 - 109), Ballast/Heeling tank 15P (099 - 109), Ballast double bottom tank 2 (135 - 153), and Ballast aft peak tank 21C (A - 010) to be dealt with.
Repairs to be made on 2008-07-26 postponed until 2008-9-30
 That and according to it's lists of certificates, the PSSC (Passenger Ship Safety Certificate) expired on 2008-9-30.Â
It still says the ship is operational, and still classed as a 1A1 passenger ship, but there's no way it left drydock for a maiden voyage in June with all those problems to the ballast tanks. It would of listed and possibly capsized if it did.
Now Louanne, I'm not calling you a liar, but I am calling your information bad from "Scientology Today" and Freewinds.org.Â
And if you don't believe me... From the same link again...
Further to CC 187. Pitting holes observed in the ship side of Fresh water storage double bottom tank 3P(121-135), aft part. To be repaired before leaving dry dock. Repairs Due 5-5, postponed until 9-30.
 Say what you want about asbestos, say what you want about repairs, say what you want about anything. There's still one thing that cannot be proven... that it left dry dock on a voyage in June of 2008.
If it did, it could of been impounded by any one of several naval safety organizations for having a bad water tank.
And look ma, no wikipedia. I actually can research things.
For my next trick, I'm going to contact the dignitaries listed in the article to see if they actually made an appearance or if once again, your source has bad information.
ISP (International Shipping Partners) www.isp-usa.com who manages the business, H/R and financess of the Freewinds along with other cruise ships puts out a news letter every quarter.
In their newsletter they state new acquisitions, updates on their ships, staff and everything else.
I find no information on The Freewinds in any of their newsletters. Either stating repairs, contamination problems, open sailing or anything like that. If they were going to have a ship cristened, and the PM of Curacao was there along with "hundreds of dignitaries." you'd think it would make the company newsletter.
oh and if you don't believe the company is involved in the Freewinds...
 http://www.isp-usa.com/fleet/freewinds/freewinds.html#
This is the UN summit all over again. I'm happy to admit that it probably happened, but I would bet my bottom dollar that it's been embellished by the CoS.
I've seen undated pictures, which could be accurate. However, I can't find any corroboration for the pomp and ceremony that the CoS implies. I can't find anything referencing the prime minister, hundreds of dignitaries, etc.
In fact a Google news search has only two references. One is this story, and the other is an article about pollution prevention seminars hosted by the CoS on the freewinds (expected- don't fix the problem, but make a big production and invite the local press to get the PR).
I don't see any reference to a large ceremony... Any help Louanne?
Well, unfortunatly of the hundreds of dignitaries hinted at, you only mentioned one. The Prime Minister of Curacao. So depending on how well my online english to dutch translator is, the government might actually get back to me. However being a Government I don't think my media request is going to garter that much attention from the high levels.
 Also... Fireworks? I thought you guys only used that air powered confetti cannons to simulate fireworks. At least, thats what it says when you click on the link in your story. Seemed kinda pointless using Indoor fireworks, outside, at night... but then again, I'm not part of the activities committee.
Posted By: Proof that the Co$ Can\\\'t \\\
Date: 2008-12-14 11:48:34
Celebrating 10 months of continual legal and peaceful grassroots protest against the abuses of the Scientology organization in 2008:
February: Happy Birthday Lisa - Preserving the memory of Lisa McPherson, who died of negligent abuse while under the 'care' of her Scientology colleagues.
March: Operation Party Hard - Drawing attention to the unfair tax exemptions granted to this fraudulent business scam via blackmail and intimidation of Federal officials.
April: Operation Reconnect - Protesting the cult's "Disconnection" policy, which separates members from families and loved ones deemed opposed to Scientology's interests.
May: Operation Fair Game:Stop - Highlighting the disavowed but never discontinued policy of Scientology agressively and illegally harrassing anyone who dares speak out against them.
June: Operation Sea Arrgh - This month's theme was the 'Sea Org', Scientology's pseudo-paramilitary enforcers and security arm.
July: Operation Spy vs. Sci - Shedding some light on Scientology's Office of Special Affairs (OSA), the successor to the legally-discontined Guardian's Office, which serves as their internal intelligence service, hiring private investigators and using other methods to spy on both critics and their own members.
August: Many local variations including Operation Cult Fiction, which exposed Scientology's deliberate policy of misinformation and the intentional training of it's members to lie effectively.
September: Operation School's Closed - protesting the stealthy recruiting that Scientology practices through it's dishonest front groups, including the targeting of children via the Delphi and Applied Scholastics schools.
October: Day of the Dead - Protesters dressed in zombie outfits to highlight how the cult's brainwashing indoctrination techniques stifle free thinking and program Scientology members not to question the organizations nonsensical dogma.
November: O /b/rother, Where Art Thou? Drawing attention to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), Scientology's illegal . degrading and harmful internal detention program.
December: Operation Snow White Christmas Casting light on the cult's perpetration of the largest infiltration of an American goverment agency (the IRS) in history. Oh, and singing carols.
Here's to another year of relentless pressure to expose this fraudulent business scam that disguises itself as a 'church' in 2009! Find out more at: http://www.whyweprotest.net or http://www.xenu.net
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