By Shelley Rossetter and Thomas C. Tobin, Times Staff Writers
Minister Louis Farrakhan has added Scientology teachings in the training of Nation of Islam members.
Theevent marked 15 years since the Million Man March was held inWashington, D.C., which Farrakhan, a polarizing figure whose remarks onJews and whites have been considered racist, helped organize.
Thatwas a chance for black men to show the world a vastly different picturefrom the one portrayed in the media, a Farrakhan assistant said.
Today,Farrakhan reminded the audience, the work is still not done. The samelessons apply now: atonement, reconciliation and responsibility.
Thechoice of holding the Nation of Islam's convention in the bay areaunderscores the organization's growing relationship with the Church ofScientology, based in Clearwater.
Connected by shared interestsin improving literacy and ending drug abuse, the organizations forged abond years ago in which members of the Chicago-based Nation of Islamwere trained to administer Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's studytechniques and drug-treatment programs.
During the four-dayconvention, Nation of Islam members had the chance to attend a "studytech" workshop and buy books from World Literacy Crusade, a tutoringprogram that uses the teachings of Hubbard.
The organizations'relationship became prominent in 2006 when Scientology honoredFarrakhan, who was unable to attend, during its annual Ebony Awakeningawards ceremony at the church's Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater.
InMarch, some Nation of Islam members including Farrakhan toured ananti-psychiatry museum in Los Angeles run by the Scientology group,Citizens Commission on Human Rights.
Farrakhan's reaction to the museum showed interest in what he saw.
"Whenthe minister went through and saw the evolution of psychiatry, and thenhe saw how they are using the law, and how they are using almost everyhuman emotion and making it into a disease, the minister said, 'I prayto my Allah that he blesses me to destroy all of them because thesepeople are impacting not just black people but all of humankind,' "said Tony Muhammad, a Nation of Islam representative.
The visit was reported on the Nation of Islam's website, FinalCall.com.
Ina taped Aug. 22 sermon also on the website, Farrakhan referred toScientologists as "our friends," sprinkled his talk with Scientologyterms and appeared to say he wants Nation of Islam members to studyScientology.
Earlier that month, the website reported, a Nationof Islam contingent visited Scientology's Clearwater campus and ravedabout its stay at the Fort Harrison Hotel. Group members also said theyreceived "nerve assists" in which fingers are moved across the frontand back of a person's torso. Scientologists say the procedure gets thebody in communication with the "thetan" or spirit, relaxing muscles andstraightening the spine.
In his speech Sunday, Farrakhan made no direct references to Scientology.
Hesaid the media and the white race were some of the causes of theoppression black people have suffered over the years. That can beovercome, he said, with knowledge.
Once you free a human being from ignorance, he can no longer be a slave, Farrakhan said.
"Ignorance is the enemy of God," he said.
Shelley Rossetter can be reached at srossetter@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3374.
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