Andreas Heldal-Lund

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Andreas Heldal-Lund

Andreas Heldal-Lund
Born December 10, 1964 (1964-12-10) (age 43)
Oslo, Norway
Nationality Norwegian
Occupation webmaster
Known for Internet activism against the Church of Scientology
Website
Operation Clambake

Andreas Heldal-Lund (born December 10, 1964 in Oslo) is the operator of Operation Clambake.

Contents

[edit] Activist

Andreas Heldal-Lund is a member of The Norwegian Society of Heathens[1][2] and on the board of Human-Etisk Forbund[3][4] in Stavanger (national secular humanist organisation).[5] Since 1996 he has been noted by his criticism against the Church of Scientology, namely as the operator of Operation Clambake. In 2003, he received the Leipzig Human Rights Award from the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA, an organization which states it is composed of "Scientology opponents from all over the world."[6][7]

[edit] Operation Clambake

Actor Jason Beghe, Tory Christman, Mark Bunker, and Andreas Heldal-Lund (2008)
Actor Jason Beghe, Tory Christman, Mark Bunker, and Andreas Heldal-Lund (2008)
Main article: Operation Clambake

Operation Clambake[8] is a website about Scientology and the Church of Scientology that over the years appeared in the top ten results on Google for the search term "Scientology"[9]. Most of the information presented by Operation Clambake is critical of the Church of Scientology and its leadership, although dissenters are given prominent space to air their differences.[10]

Heldal-Lund said that he began criticizing the Church of Scientology in 1996 after reading about a Norwegian ex-Scientologist who successfully sued the Church of Scientology.[11][12] [13] He has stated many times that he doesn't object to people practicing the religion of Scientology itself, but he objects to the abuse-ridden management of that religion by what he has called the "criminal and corrupt" Church of Scientology.[14]

When actor Jason Beghe decided to leave Scientology in 2008, he contacted Heldal-Lund, who convinced him to meet with Mark Bunker, a critic of Scientology known to the Anonymous group as "wise beard man".[15] Heldal-Lund and Bunker went to Beghe's house, where Beghe participated in an interview about his experiences as a Scientologist.[15] Bunker published a 3-minute portion of the 3-hour interview to YouTube on April 7, 2008.[15]

[edit] Awards

2003 Leipzig Human Rights Award
2003 Leipzig Human Rights Award

[edit] References

  1. ^ Official homepage of Hedningsamfunnet
  2. ^ 10 Aug 1995, Press release by Heldal-Lund as head of the Heathen Association Rogaland, celebrating 1000 years of attacks against the misdeeds of Christian churches
  3. ^ Official homepage of the Human-Etisk Forbund
  4. ^ Activities, photo credits Heldal-Lund
  5. ^ Heldal-Lund about Heldal-Lund
  6. ^ Staff. "Frenchman honored with 2002 Leipzig Human Rights Award for his work against cults", Associated Press, November 5, 2002. Retrieved on 2007-12-29. 
  7. ^ Bowman, Lisa M. (2003-05-01). Anti-Scientology site spurs award. CNET. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  8. ^ Operation Clambake - The Inner Secrets Of Scientology
  9. ^ Google web search on "scientology"
  10. ^ Heldal-Lund, Andreas Comments from Scientologists (website accessed 4/27/06)
  11. ^ Leipzig Award 2003 speech
  12. ^ Cult Control, TIME, January 27, 1997
  13. ^ "The gospel of the web", The Guardian, 20003-03-23. 
  14. ^ Andreas Heldal-Lund in Hollywood Sept. 25, 2004
  15. ^ a b c Ortega, Tony (April 8, 2008). Scientology's First Celebrity Defector Reveals Church Secrets: 'I was Miscavige's favorite boy,' says veteran TV actor Jason Beghe. Village Voice. www.villagevoice.com. Retrieved on 2008-04-16.

[edit] External links

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Internet Portal
Scientology Portal