Free-use Scientology-related video project

The Free-use Scientology-related video project is intended to document and catalog free-use licensed videos relating to the subject matter of Scientology.

Goal of research
These videos are maintained on Wikiversity's sister project for images and media files, Wikimedia Commons. By virtue of the video files being on Wikimedia Commons, they must therefore be available under a free-use license, which allows them to be provided as an educational resource. Also in this manner, they can be used throughout multiple other Wikipedia sites - without needing to be locally uploaded to each site.

This project researches, catalogs, and documents the availability of free-use licensed videos relating to the subject matter of Scientology. Within this context, the project indexes what types of videos are available as free-use media, and provides a brief description of the videos.

As a form of multi-disciplinary analysis and lesson, the project also will delve into how to provide a thematic resource throughout Wikimedia projects. These may include Wikimedia Foundation sister projects, such as: Wikinews, Wikisource, Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia, Wikiquote, and Wikiversity.

Types of videos
Videos are organized topically at Wikimedia Commons, on sub-topics and themes relating to Scientology; these often are explained in greater detail through individual encyclopedia articles on Wikipedia. Topics include: Scientology and abortion, David Miscavige, Disconnection, Hollywood Guaranty Building, Sea Org, ''That is Scientology! Reports from the USA'' - This was a September 2008 conference held in Hamburg, Germany. Texts of some of the speeches from the conference are available on the sister website, Wikisource.
 * Videos by topic

Former members of the Church of Scientology have spoken out about their experiences inside the organization. These vary depending on their prior role in the organization's hierarchy itself, as well as on the nature of the individual's own personal experiences relating to their life in the group, and that of their friends and family members.
 * Videos of former Scientologists

The group called Anonymous has organized multiple protests outside of Scientology buildings through its movement Project Chanology. The first protest was held on February 10, 2008, to mark the birthday of a Scientologist who died under controversial circumstances - Lisa McPherson. The sister project Wikinews reported on the protest, in an article "Wikinews international report: "Anonymous" holds anti-Scientology protests worldwide".
 * Videos at protests

Armstrong, Gerry
Gerry Armstrong is a former Scientologist; when he was a member of the elite group the Sea Org, he was tasked with researching and cataloging papers for a biography on Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard.

Beghe, Jason
Jason Beghe is an actor and former Scientologist; while a member of the organization he participated in promotional videos for Scientology. Scientology leader David Miscavige called him "the poster boy for Scientology". Beghe left the organization in 2007.

Brennan, Lawrence H.
Lawrence H. Brennan (Larry Brennan) is a former Scientologist, he served in high-level management positions in the Scientology intelligence agency, the Guardian's Office, as well as its successor, the Office of Special Affairs.

Christman, Tory
Tory Christman is a former Scientologist, who served as a volunteer within the Scientology intelligence agency, the Office of Special Affairs. She left the organization in 2000.

Dubreuil, Jean-Paul
Jean-Paul Dubreuil is a French-Canadian critic of Scientology, who wrote a book about his experiences within the organization.

Headley, Marc
Marc Headley left Scientology and his wife left shortly thereafter. He wrote a book about his experiences, titled Blown for Good.

Henderson, Michael
Michael Henderson is a former Scientologist, who experienced the policy of Disconnection, and was separated from his family after leaving the organization.

Many, Nancy
Nancy Many is a former Scientologist, who wrote a book about her experiences, titled My Billion Year Contract. She was interviewed for Wikinews: "Author of My Billion Year Contract reflects on life in elite Scientology group". Many was a member of the elite Scientology group called the Sea Org.

Padgett, Tom
Tom Padgett is a former Scientologist, who experienced the policy of Disconnection. He became a critic of Scientology, and spoke at a conference critical of destructive cults. Padgett was an actor in the movie about Scientology, called The Bridge.

Pieniadz, Patty
Patty Pieniadz is a former Scientologist, who worked in the Scientology agency the Office of Special Affairs for many years.

Saxton, Aaron
Aaron Saxton is a former Scientologist, who served in a senior management position within the elite Scientology group, the Sea Org. He was also a member of the group, the Commodore's Messenger Organization, within Scientology. He contacted Senator Nick Xenophon of Australia, who quoted statements by Saxton about Scientology into the parliamentary record of the Australian Senate in November 2009.

David Miscavige
David Miscavige (born April 30, 1960) is the leader of the Church of Scientology and its many affiliated organizations, having assumed that role shortly after the death of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard in 1986. His formal title is Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center (RTC), a corporation that controls the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology.

Disconnection
Disconnection, when used in Scientology, is a term used to describe the severance of all ties between a Scientologist and a friend, colleague, or family member deemed to be antagonistic towards Scientology. The practice of disconnection is a form of religious shunning. Among Scientologists, disconnection is viewed as an important method of removing obstacles to one's spiritual growth. However, disconnection is controversial since it has ended marriages and separated children from their parents. Scientology spokesmen currently deny that such a policy exists.

Hollywood Guaranty Building
The Hollywood Guaranty Building is a Beaux Arts office building in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California built in 1923 and designed by John C. Austin. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Church of Scientology maintains operations of the upper middle management of the organization in the Hollywood Guaranty Building.

Mace-Kingsley Ranch School
Mace-Kingsley Ranch School (later called The Ranch School, Inc., and the New Mexico Ranch School) was a Church of Scientology-affiliated private school for teenagers in a rural ranch environment.

Project Chanology
Project Chanology (also called Operation Chanology) is a protest movement against the practices of the Church of Scientology by members of Anonymous, a leaderless Internet-based group that defines itself as ubiquitous. The project was started in response to the Church of Scientology's attempts to remove material from a highly publicized interview with Scientologist Tom Cruise from the Internet in January 2008.

Scientology and abortion
The intersection of Scientology and abortion has a controversial history which began with Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's discussion of abortion in his 1950 book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Hubbard wrote in Dianetics that abortion and attempts at abortion could cause trauma to the fetus and to the mother in both spiritual and physical ways. Scientologists came to believe that attempted abortions could cause traumatic experiences felt by the fetus, which would later be remembered as memories referred to in Scientology as "engrams". Multiple female Scientologists have come forward in later instances, stating that if members of Scientology's elite group the Sea Org become pregnant, they are told they must have an abortion.