Today, May 17th, is my son's birthday! Please drop by his page here on Buzznet and wish him a happy day! And it looks like great day for a fun bike ride together...]]>
You've probably seen those signs for a "free stress tests" or "free personality test" on the street or in a shopping mall somewhere, and maybe you were even tempted to take one of them. For those who are unfamiliar with them, the Church of Scientology gives people free 'e-meter' tests to show that their personalities are ' broken' and can only be fixed by the Church. 
including the tabloid Verdens Gang, has reported that Kaja Bordevich Ballo, daughter of Norwegian Parliament member Olav Gunnar Ballo, reportedly took her own life (English translation here) after scoring poorly on a Scientology personality test. There is some uncertainty as to the validity of the report, but the results of the test were time-stamped just hours before Kaja’s death. The family blames the Church of Scientology (Co$) for her death. They waited two weeks and decided to go public with the story, after the test results and a suicide note were discovered.
"I believe Kaja would have been alive today if she had not gone to the Scientologists," says friend and fellow student Henrik Møinichen, 19, to Dagbladet.
"The information about the Scientology test has been made public through the priest's speech at the memorial service. I can confirm that. Due to the recency of her death, I don't wish to elaborate on or comment on other matters now," said Olav Ballo in a statement to the press.
The Church, which is located only meters from Kaja's dormitory, states that their test results had shown Ballo was "depressed, irresponsible, hyper-critical and lacking in harmony." They also state that it is "unfair to blame Scientology" for Ballo's death and that the test had nothing to do with it. Kaja left behind a note telling her family she was sorry for not "being good for anything."
The incident has generated criticism against the Co$ from friends, family members and politicians. Inga Marte Thorkildsen, one of the members of Norway's Parliament, told the 
Oslo newspaper Dagbladet that "All indications are that the Scientologist sect has played a direct role in Kaja's choice to take her own life."
Her uncle, Heljar Ballo, said, "We can only relate the facts, that she was doing well in France, was happy and had many good friends, and that she took this test." He confirmed that his niece had suffered a serious eating disorder when she was thirteen years old, and had received both professional help and help from family and friends.
Matthias Fosse, information chief for the Co$ in Norway, rejected any links connection between Scientology and Ballo's suicide, and denied that the personality test was "dangerous", saying "millions" of people have taken it. He claimed no one lured Ballo into taking the test, and that he was told she'd walked on her own into the Scientologists' locale in Nice. He also pointed to Ballo's earlier eating disorder and suggested that she had a history of psychiatric problems.
This is amazing in concept to this writer, since the Church of Scientology has been publicly, and often vehemently, opposed to both psychiatry and psychology since the foundation of Scientology in 1952. It offers itself as an alternative to psychiatry, which Scientologists believe to be a barbaric and corrupt profession.
Kaja's uncle claimed she had fully recovered from problems that she had as a young teen seven years ago. Her father (below) blasted Co$ information chief Fosse's remarks, telling newspaper VG that the Scientologists were tarnishing his daughter's memory and showing utter disregard for her private medical history.
Psychologist Rudy Myrvang said a test like the one administered by the Scientologists is not constructive, and rather aimed "at breaking you down, and then they'll offer to build you up again." It's a recruitment tool, he said, and a means of generating future income for the church.
A Co$ critic, Andreas Heldal-Lund agreed, claiming the Scientologists viewed people like Kaja as "'raw meat from the street.' You're told you're worth nothing."
The Co$ has removed the OCA test from it's website at www.scientology.org/ocanor.htm although main site is functioning normally.
Heljar Ballo said his family had opted to go public with Kaja's suicide in an effort to shed light on what happened. He said the family "had confidence" in the French police, and their investigation. Kaja's father, the Norwegian MP, has also hired a lawyer to pursue the matter.
Kaja was buried at Grefsen Church in Oslo on Friday, April 11th. A large group of nearly 500 friends followed her to the grave. Many were also in support during a memorial held in the Stortinget (Norway's Parliament) the same afternoon.
French police have asked Scientologists in Nice in for questioning.
How many more times are we going to see needless deaths that seem to be related to this cult? Remember Shawn Lonsdale, whose one-man crusade against Scientology made him an enemy of the church, and was found dead at his home an apparent suicide just a couple of months ago? Have we forgotten another vibrant young woman by the name of Lisa McPherson?
Sources:
Anonymous never forgives
Anonymous never forgets
The reports state that the Church in Belgium is being investigated for extortion and fraud for allegedly posting false job openings in newspapers and then attempting to get those who applied to join the Church. Several ex-members of the Church have also reportedly approached authorities with accusations of intimidation and extortion.Domestic Sources:
International Sources:
More info and updates as they become available.
Why We Fight - Part 1
On 10 February 10, 2008, Anonymous staged historic demonstrations against the Church of Scientology worldwide. The church called Anonymous "cyber-terrorists" and "bigots," and withdrew back into the shadows.
The voice of truth abides...
A for Astra Woodcraft, and the child she fled to save.
She faced the chill of disconnect, and others tithed their babes.
N for Noah Lottick, who was only 24.
With a slim fistful of dollars, he sailed from the tenth floor.
O for drowned Ophelias who perished in the deep:
Ostertag, The Pilot, Margaret Winkleman, and Pete.
N is for Not Drowning: Josephus in the bath,
his death a dark monstrosity of cruelty and wrath.
Y is what we ask aloud as we behold the sight
of your ostentatious monoliths, their windows shut to light.
M is for McPhearson, Moxon-Meyer, Meister, Mills.
And a Mom named Ellie Perkins, whose son could not take pills.
Mom-in-law Miscavige, Mack, Mooney, and McCann:
A dark march of mortality, morbidity, and scam.
O is for oblivion upon a hangman's noose,
or the deathcall from the window-ledge where many faced their truth.
U are who I ask to look upon this soul's dark night.
Why are they dead? There's not just one.
And this is why we fight.
S for Scientragedy: innocence betrayed.
CO$ beware the Ides of March:
We are Legion.
Be Afraid.
www.whyaretheydead.net
