Since lockdown started in South Africa and around the world, and even in some months prior to that, Scientology Volunteer Ministers worked with any religious groups to assist them in their ministerial tasks, by providing them with Tools For Life training which they needed to better understand and assist their parishioners in their day-to-day life. As a result, the sense and spirit of brotherhood amongst religious groups has heightened remarkably among religious groups and it shows throughout the pandemic.
In Gauteng, the Volunteer Ministers even pushed it further by sanitizing and teaching sanitizing to pastors who wanted to help too.
Pastor Simon Galada from the Wesleyan Church South Africa says he is more than satisfied with his experience in working with the Scientology Volunteer Ministry. ”The work of the Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers epitomizes the word “educational”. The 19 free online life skills courses are wonderful and an eye-opener. The training provided for youth totally changed our approach with them. We give them attention, we listen to them and as a result, we are more successful. With their technology, I have also been able to solve many conflicts between married couples and salvaged their marriages.”
But he states that this is not limited only to that. “When invited at the Castle Kyalami for the training, I found the atmosphere among religions completely different and so very friendly. There has been a lot of oppression against black people in this country and still to date. But with the Scientologists, there is nothing like that.” He adds, “You forget whether you are talking to a white person or a black person. Everybody is simply treated as a human being.”
Lastly, he stated, “At the Scientologists place, I can call a white person a brother.”
Sandile Hlayisi, Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology and its Volunteer Ministers said, “He is not the only pastor feeling that way. Many others have commented on that point as well. Since I am a volunteer of the Church myself, I have also not experienced anything else. But as a community of religious leaders, you can feel the difference. We are simply working closer, not being in competition with each other, but rather as a big team doing something together during the pandemic.”
Hlayisi reiterates once again that if it was not for the work of L. Ron Hubbard in the field of human rights, the situation might not be the same. “But we are proud that it is that way and that religious groups of many denominations can work together on a common cause, despite their seemingly differences.”
