On the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia, a cruise ship belonging to the Church of Scientology has been quarantined after a case of measles turned up on board, according to the NYT.
Dr. Merlene Fredericks-James, the nation’s chief medical officer directed that all passengers and crew were not allowed to leave the ship on Tuesday. Meanwhile, measles is in the midst of its largest outbreak in 25 years with more than 700 cases reported.
Dr. Fredericks-James said:
“Because of the risk of potential infection, not just from the confirmed measles case but from other persons who may be on the boat at the time, we thought it prudent to make a decision not to allow anyone to disembark.”
The name of the ship was identified as the “Freewinds,” which is reportedly owned and operated by the Church of Scientology, according to Victor Theodore, a St. Lucia Coast Guard sergeant. “Freewinds” was moored in St. Lucia on Thursday morning, according to online records.
Several high profile Scientologists have spoken out against vaccines in the past, despite the church saying it “takes no position one way or the other on [the] issue”. The President of the Church of Scientology New York, John Carmichael, said in 2016 that “the church had not taken a stance on vaccinations as a religious principle.”
He continued:
“Scientologists are pretty independent people, though I will say this: they tend to do a little more research, perhaps, on the effect of various medical procedures or whatever. They make their own decisions, but those aren’t decisions that the church tries to influence in any way.”
Scientology has called the “Freewinds” a ship that is home to “a religious retreat ministering the most advanced level of spiritual counseling in the Scientology religion” and “the pinnacle of a deeply spiritual journey.” The Church says it is used to carry out “humanitarian missions” across the world. Meanwhile, in 2011, an Australian woman claimed she was held against her will on the ship.
Scientology’s website says: “The Freewinds is a very special place. It is the one place a Scientologist may go and be certain he will be able to devote himself entirely to his religious practice and in the company of people who share his religious commitment and outlook on life in general.”
via ZeroHedge News http://bit.ly/2VbTCv5 Tyler Durden