Michelle Stith
Encyclopedia
Michelle Stith, née Henderson, also known as Chel Stith, is as of August 6, 2005 President of the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles
branch of the Church of Scientology
in the U.S. state
of California
. Stith has been quoted in the press answering questions about Scientology and its practices. According to Scientology publications, Stith has attained the Operating Thetan
level of "OT III Expanded". In 2005, she stated that she had been a member of Scientology for thirty-four years.
Stith commented on the 2004 production of A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
, stating that Scientology did not want to protest the theatre production, and was quoted as saying "This is not litigation material."
In July 2005, Stith defended Scientology in media sources, after the Tom Cruise
incident with Matt Lauer
on The Today Show where Brooke Shields
' use of medication for postpartum depression
was discussed. Stith called criticism by the media "hogwash", and stated "This is a very practical religion." In August 2005, Stith was quoted as asserting that Scientology has 40,000 members in the Los Angeles area alone. In 2005, Stith has asserted that Scientology has grown more internationally in the past five years, than in all previous years combined, and that its current membership numbered 10 million.
Stith stated that her sister was a member of the Sea Org
, and has five children, when asked about rumors of coerced abortions within Scientology. She went on to note that she herself is a mother of four, works as an artist, and also works forty-hours per week for Scientology. In 2006, Stith's pregnancy and delivery was reported on in the Chicago Daily Herald, in a report analyzing the silent birth practices of Scientology
, and how this would apply to Katie Holmes
. The birth of Stith's fifth child, a boy, was described, in which Stith refused painkillers, and there was silence in the delivery room. All of the medical personnel were also quiet, and when the baby was born, the physician
whispered to Stith "It's a boy." When asked about L. Ron Hubbard
's own use of medications, and the presence of certain medications in the coroner's toxicology report after Hubbard's death, Stith stated: "He might have been taking some medicine for asthma, but he certainly was not under any medicine for psychiatric reasons."
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
branch of the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Stith has been quoted in the press answering questions about Scientology and its practices. According to Scientology publications, Stith has attained the Operating Thetan
Operating Thetan
In Scientology, the state of Operating Thetan is a spiritual state above Clear. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, defined it as "knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time ". According to religious scholar J...
level of "OT III Expanded". In 2005, she stated that she had been a member of Scientology for thirty-four years.
Stith commented on the 2004 production of A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant is a satirical musical about Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard, written by Kyle Jarrow from a concept by Alex Timbers, the show's original director. Jarrow based the story of the one-act, one-hour musical on Hubbard's writings and Church of...
, stating that Scientology did not want to protest the theatre production, and was quoted as saying "This is not litigation material."
In July 2005, Stith defended Scientology in media sources, after the Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
incident with Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
on The Today Show where Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
' use of medication for postpartum depression
Postpartum depression
Postpartum depression , also called postnatal depression, is a form of clinical depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, typically after childbirth. Studies report prevalence rates among women from 5% to 25%, but methodological differences among the studies make the actual...
was discussed. Stith called criticism by the media "hogwash", and stated "This is a very practical religion." In August 2005, Stith was quoted as asserting that Scientology has 40,000 members in the Los Angeles area alone. In 2005, Stith has asserted that Scientology has grown more internationally in the past five years, than in all previous years combined, and that its current membership numbered 10 million.
Stith stated that her sister was a member of the Sea Org
Sea Org
The Sea Organization or Sea Org is an association of Scientologists established in 1968 by L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer and founder of Scientology. Its members are found in the central management organizations of the Church of Scientology as well as in individual churches...
, and has five children, when asked about rumors of coerced abortions within Scientology. She went on to note that she herself is a mother of four, works as an artist, and also works forty-hours per week for Scientology. In 2006, Stith's pregnancy and delivery was reported on in the Chicago Daily Herald, in a report analyzing the silent birth practices of Scientology
Silent birth
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 ".....
, and how this would apply to Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes
Katherine Noelle "Katie" Holmes is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawson's Creek from 1998 to 2003. Her movie roles have included the blockbuster Batman Begins along with art house films such as The Ice Storm and thrillers...
. The birth of Stith's fifth child, a boy, was described, in which Stith refused painkillers, and there was silence in the delivery room. All of the medical personnel were also quiet, and when the baby was born, the physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
whispered to Stith "It's a boy." When asked about L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
's own use of medications, and the presence of certain medications in the coroner's toxicology report after Hubbard's death, Stith stated: "He might have been taking some medicine for asthma, but he certainly was not under any medicine for psychiatric reasons."