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Silent birth, sometimes known as quiet birth, is a birthing procedure advised by L. Ron Hubbard and advocated by Scientologists in which "everyone attending the birth should refrain from spoken words as much as possible" and where "... chatty doctors and nurses, shouts to 'PUSH, PUSH' and loud or laughing remarks to 'encourage' are avoided".^[1] It entails that there be no music or talking during the birth. Scientology doctrine also bars poking or prodding of the newborn for medical tests; in 2004, Scientologists Ray and Louise Spiering went to federal court to argue that Nebraska's mandatory blood test for infants would violate their right to practice the "Silent Birth Method" of their religion. According to the lawsuit, "... every effort should be made to avoid subjecting the baby to loud sounds, talking, stress or pain during the first seven days of the baby's life ... Because a baby goes through so much pain during the birth process, Scientologists believe that a newborn baby should not be subjected to any further pain or significant sensory experiences."^[2] Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x1152, 199 KB) A blue e-meter, a ritual device used by the Church of Scientology. ... This is an incomplete bibliography of Scientology and Scientology-related books produced within the Church of Scientology and its related organizations. ... This is an incomplete filmography of Scientology and Scientology-related films, videos, and audiovisual materials produced within the Church of Scientology and its related organizations. ... This article is about the theory and practice termed Dianetics. ... In Dianetics and Scientology, an engram is defined as an unconscious, painful memory. ... In Dianetics and Scientology, Clear is defined as a state in which a person is free of unwanted influences of past memories, unwanted emotions, and mental and physical pain not existing in present time. ... This article examines the beliefs and practices of Scientology as taught by the Church of Scientology. ... In Scientology, the concept of thetan is similar to the concept of spirit or soul found in other belief systems. ... In Church of Scientology doctrine, the subjects of supernatural or superhuman powers and abilities are ones that recur often. ... In Scientology, space opera is a coined usage of the pre-existing term related to science fiction and was used by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard to describe extraterrestrial civilizations and alien interventions in past lives. ... In Scientology doctrine, Xenu (also Xemu) was the alien dictator of the Galactic Confederacy who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of aliens to Earth in DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. ... Reincarnation, literally to be made flesh again, is a doctrine or mystical belief that some essential part of a living being (in some variations only human beings) survives death to be reborn in a new body. ... In Church of Scientology doctrine, there have been a number of controversial medical claims made, usually centered around their auditing process, which uses a device called an E-meter to analyze and treat a persons so-called Reactive mind and Body Thetans. These claims range from the 1950 publication... In the Church of Scientology, It has long been considered essential that the word of founder L. Ron Hubbard is incontrovertible, and that his works, or Tech, must be preserved unaltered. ... This article examines the beliefs and practices of Scientology as taught by the Church of Scientology. ... There are many holidays, commemorations and observances in the Church of Scientology, including but not limited to: January 25: Criminon Day This commemorates the 1970 founding of Criminon, a program which seeks to rehabilitate prisoners by disseminating free copies of Scientology-related materials such as The Way to Happiness. ... Scientology weddings, as conducted within the Church of Scientology, are described in their book The Background, Ministry, Ceremonies & Sermons of the Scientology Religion. ... Study tech, or study technology, is a method of study, devised and spelled out by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Disconnection is a practice in Scientology, in which a Scientologist severs all ties between themselves and friends, colleagues, or family members who criticize Scientology practices. ... In Scientology, a rundown is a procedure set out as a series of steps to produce a particular end result, or phenomena. ... The Scientology Justice system is a means for a Scientology organization to take action against a member whose conduct or actions are viewed as highly desctructive or offensive by an executive within the organization. ... An E-Meter is a battery-powered electronic instrument manufactured by the Church of Scientologys Gold Base. ... In Scientology, the Assist is described as a process which is done to alleviate a present time discomfort. [1] Despite the use of assists to treat pain and injuries, the Scientology Handbook (1994 edition) states: An assist in no way intrudes upon the role of medicine. ... In the Scientology religion, MEST is an acronym for Matter, Energy, Space and Time, considered by Scientologists to be the four component parts of the physical universe. ... ARC is a fundamental concept in Scientology methodology, and is a term particular to Scientology coined by founder L. Ron Hubbard. ... In Scientology, the tone scale or emotional tone scale is a characterization of human behavior and bodily appearance. ... In Dianetics and Scientology, the reactive mind is a concept created by L. Ron Hubbard, referring to a hypothetical portion of the human mind which Hubbard blamed for most mental and physical ailments. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Mary Sue Hubbard (born Mary Sue Whipp) (17 June 1931–25 November 2002 [1]) was the third wife of science fiction writer and Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and often regarded as the first lady of Scientology. ... Heber Carl Jentzsch (born 1935 to Carl Jentzsch and his third wife Pauline), has served as president of the Church of Scientology International since 1982. ... David Miscavige (April 30, 1960 - ) is Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology, and controls the copyrighted teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. ... Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor, singer, entertainer and airplane pilot. ... The Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA), also known as the American Personality Analysis, is a personality test that is given for free by the Church of Scientology. ... The Volunteer Minister program is a worldwide effort founded by the Church of Scientology International. ... Recruitment and endorsements by Scientologist celebrities have always been very important to the Church of Scientology. ... The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR; also sometimes known as the Citizens Committee on Human Rights) is an advocacy group established in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Thomas Szasz. ... The Association for Better Living and Education (A.B.L.E.) is a secular branch of the Church of Scientology. ... Founded in 1983, the Concerned Businessmens Association of America (CBAA) is an element of the Scientology movement directed at promoting moral education and enhanced well-being through the use of Hubbards The Way to Happiness booklet in their Set A Good Example (SAGE) program, which holds childrens... World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) is an organization that educates and assists businesses in the use of Scientology management techniques. ... Narconon is not associated with Narcotics Anonymous, which is sometimes abbreviated Narcanon. Scientologys Narconon is an in-patient rehabilitation program for drug abusers in several dozen treatment centers worldwide, chiefly in the United States and western Europe. ... Downtown Medical is a controversial Scientology clinic on 139 Fulton Street in New York City, founded in 2003 with the purpose of treating people for toxins inhaled from the smoke of the 9/11 attacks. ... Criminon is a secular non proft 501 C3 working with government departments and inmates to reduce recidivism and restore self respect to the inmate. ... The Way to Happiness Foundation International is a Scientology-related non-profit corporation founded in 1984. ... This is a list of Scientology organizations operated by the Church of Scientology (CoS), including Church offices, missions, Celebrity Centres and publicized Scientology and Dianetics groups. ... The Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. ... It has been suggested that Rehabilitation Project Force be merged into this article or section. ... The Rehabilitation Project Force, or RPF, is a system of work camps[1] set up by the Church of Scientology Sea Organization, intended to rehabilitate members who have not lived up to the Church expectations or have violated certain policies. ... Celebrity Centres are Church of Scientology centers that are open to the public but serve mostly artists and celebrities and other professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government, and for those are the people who are sculpting the present into the... The Church of Scientology (CST) maintains a large base on the outskirts of Trementina, New Mexico. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Office of Special Affairs (OSA) is a department of the Church of Scientology responsible for directing legal affairs, publicizing the Churchs social betterment works, and oversee[ing its] social reform programs. Observers outside the Church have characterized the department as an intelligence agency, comparing it variously to the... The Gold Base is a 500 acre parcel and the headquarters of Golden Era Productions, the media division of the Church of Scientology, located at 19625 Highway 79, Gilman Hot Springs, California 92583, near Hemet. ... The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) was formed in October 1984 by a group of selected Scientologists, who assembled at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, England. ... The Religious Technology Center (RTC) is a non-profit corporation established in 1982 by the Church of Scientology to control and oversee the uses of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of Scientology and Dianetics, including the copyrighted works of the religions founder, L. Ron Hubbard. ... This article examines controversial issues involving Scientology and its affiliated organizations. ... In Scientology, a formally condemned and shunned heretic or wrongdoer is labelled a Suppressive Person, often abbreviated SP. L. Ron Hubbard coined the term to refer to enemies of the Church of Scientology, whose suppressive acts are said to impede the progress of Scientology. ... Fair Game is a status assigned to those whom the Church of Scientology has officially declared to be Suppressive Persons or Suppressive Persons are those whose actions are deemed to suppress or damage Scientology or a Scientologist. ... Operation Snow-White was the name given internally by the Church of Scientology to a program which included the largest incident of private domestic espionage in the history of the United States. ... Operation PC Freakout was the name given by the Church of Scientology to a covert plan undertaken by the Church in 1976, with the goal of harassing Paulette Cooper, author of a book critical of Scientology titled The Scandal of Scientology. The plan came to light when the FBI seized... Scientology versus the Internet is a colloquial term for a long-running online dispute between the Church of Scientology and a number of the Churchs online critics. ... Scientology is publicly, and often vehemently, opposed to psychiatry and psychology and offers itself as an alternative to psychiatry, which Scientologists believe to be a barbaric and corrupt profession. ... The Church of Scientology has been involved in a number of court disputes throughout the world. ... The Free Zone comprises a variety of groups and individuals who practice Scientology beliefs and techniques free from the control of the official Church of Scientology (CoS). ... Patter drills are a drilling method used in courses in the Church of Scientology which were added to many Church courses in mid-1995, by David Miscavige. ... The Fishman Affidavit is a set of court documents submitted by ex-Scientologist Steven Fishman in 1994 containing criticisms of the Church of Scientology and, controversially, substantial portions of the Operating Thetan course materials. ... Operation Clambake Operation Clambake (xenu. ... Trapped in the Closet is episode 912 (#137) of the Comedy Central series South Park. ... Scientology pays members commissions on new recruits they bring in, so Scientology members routinely try to sell Scientology to others. ... Lisa McPherson (born Lisa Skonetski, February 10, 1959–December 5, 1995) was a Scientologist who died while in the care of the Church of Scientology (CoS). ... Lawrence A. Wollersheim is an ex-Scientologist. ... Howard Keith Henson (b. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. ...

According to Scientology doctrine, this is because "any words spoken are recorded in the reactive mind and can have an aberrative effect on the mother and the child."^[1] In Dianetics and Scientology, the reactive mind is a concept created by L. Ron Hubbard, referring to a hypothetical portion of the human mind which Hubbard blamed for most mental and physical ailments. ...

Scientific opinion

The efficacy of silent birth has been questioned by a number of doctors and other health care professionals. Patricia Devine, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist who directs the Labor and Delivery Unit at Columbia University Medical Center, said, "There's absolutely no scientific evidence that taking [noise] away at the time of delivery will have any effect on outcome for the baby or mother."^[3] Columbia University Medical Center is name of the medical complex associated with Columbia University located in Washington Heights area of Manhattan. ...

When asked if there was any medical evidence that indicated that silent birth was beneficial, Damian Alagia, MD, associate clinical professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at George Washington University Medical Center, replied, "It may be in the Scientology literature, but it's not in the scientific literature. In my understanding, L. Ron Hubbard never spent any time in medical school, studying pediatrics or studying neonatal development. To think that a baby born in silence is going to do any better than a baby born, say, listening to Hank Williams is just foolhardy."^[3] This does not cite its references or sources. ... The shamefulness associated with the examination of female genitalia has long inhibited the science of gynaecology. ...   See Washington University (disambiguation) for institutions with similar names. ... Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents (from newborn to age 16-21, depending on the country). ... A human infant An infant or baby is an extremely young person. ... It has been suggested that Audrey Williams be merged into this article or section. ...

Other medical experts recommend against silent births as they are believed to hinder the bonding that normally occurs between mother and child in the first week of an infant's life.^[4]

Katie Holmes

The "silent birth" became a source of media interest when it was known that outspoken Scientologist actor Tom Cruise and recently-converted, new wife Katie Holmes were expecting a child; reports that the couple would follow the practice of silent birth were denied, until photos were taken of large placards being delivered to the couple's mansion bearing instructions for the silent birth, such as "Be silent and make all physical movements slow and understandable."^[5] Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV on July 3, 1962) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning American actor and film producer. ... Kate Noelle Katie Holmes (born December 18, 1978) is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB teen drama Dawsons Creek from 1998 to 2003. ...

It was often reported in the media during this time that speaking to the infant during the first week of its life was barred by Scientology doctrine as well.^[6] A Church spokesperson termed this "a total fabrication." The Church of Scientology International writes, "L. Ron Hubbard never wrote that parents should not speak to their child for seven days following birth".^[7] However, this same website admits, "The idea of silent birth is based on L. Ron Hubbard’s research into the mind and spirit. He found that words spoken during moments of pain and unconsciousness can have adverse effects on an individual later in life".^[7] It then says, "Mothers naturally want to give their baby the best possible start in life and thus keep the birth as quiet as possible".^[7]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Church of Scientology (2006). Scientology Newsroom. Retrieved on 2006-08-07.
2. ^ Cooper, Todd (Dec. 21, 2004). "Blood test for newborns faces religious challenge". Omaha World-Herald. Convenience link at http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/history/history41.html .
3. ^ ^{a b} Shaw, Gina (2006). Doctors Sound Off About TomKat 'Silent Birth' Plan. WebMD. Retrieved on 2006-05-01.
4. ^ Sheri & Bob Stritof. “Silent Birth”. Retrieved on 2006-05-01.
5. ^ Reuters (2006). Giddy romance leading Holmes to silent birth: Scientologists believe baby can remember traumatic experiences. Retrieved on 2006-05-01.
6. ^ MSNBC (2006). Silent Scientology birth for Tom and Katie?: Group's birth principles call for no music or talking during labor. Retrieved on 2006-05-07.
7. ^ ^{a b c} Church of Scientology International (2006). All About Silent Birth. Retrieved on 2006-05-01.

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External links

• 'Silent Birth.org'. Official site about silent birth. Church of Scientology.
• Church of Scientology (2006-04-20). 'Silent Birth': Separating Reality From Myth. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-09-26. Made available on the web by Medical News Today.
• Scientology Silent Birth: 'It's A Natural Thing'. An interview with Rev. John Carmichael from the Church of Scientology. Beliefnet.