Andreas Heldal-Lund

Andreas Heldal-Lund (born 10 December 1964) is a Norwegian anti-Scientology activist best known for operating the website Operation Clambake.

Andreas Heldal-Lund
Born (1964-12-10) 10 December 1964
Oslo, Norway
OccupationWebmaster
Known forInternet activism against the Church of Scientology
Websitexenu.net

Activist

Since 2009, Andreas Heldal-Lund has been a member of the board of the national secular humanist organisation Human-Etisk Forbund.[1][2] Heldal-Lund has also long been a member of the Norwegian Society of Heathens.[3][4] Since 1996 he has been noted for his criticism against the Church of Scientology, namely as the operator of the website 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 US, an organization which states it is composed of "Scientology opponents from all over the world."[5][6]

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

Operation Clambake[7] is a website about Scientology and the Church of Scientology that in 2007 appeared in the top three results on Google for the search term "Scientology".[8] 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.[9]

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.[10][11][12] He has stated many times that he does not 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.[13]

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".[14] Heldal-Lund and Bunker went to Beghe's house, where Beghe participated in an interview about his experiences as a Scientologist.[14] Bunker published a two-hour portion of the three-hour interview to YouTube on 4 June 2008.

In the aftermath of acts against Scientology taken online by the group Anonymous as part of the protest movement Project Chanology, Heldal-Lund released a statement criticizing the digital assault against Scientology.[15] Heldal-Lund commented, "People should be able to have easy access to both sides and make up their own opinions. Freedom of speech means we need to allow all to speak – including those we strongly disagree with. I am of the opinion that the Church of Scientology is a criminal organisation and a cult which is designed by its delusional founder to abuse people. I am still committed to fight for their right to speak their opinion."[16] He also stated that "Attacking Scientology like that will just make them play the religious persecution card ... They will use it to defend their own counter actions when they try to shatter criticism and crush critics without mercy."[17]

Awards

References
  1. "Åse Kleveland gjenvalgt" [Åse Kleveland re-elected]. Finnmarken (in Norwegian). ANB-NTB. 14 June 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 14 June 2009. [Deputy chairman Leonid Rødsten (57), from Nordland, was also re-elected. In addition, Scientology critic Andreas Heldal-Lund (44) from Rogaland was elected as a new member of the executive board. All are elected for two years.]
  2. He has previously been on the board of the organisation's county chapter in Rogaland. (Official homepage of the Human-Etisk Forbund – "Activities, photo credits Heldal-Lund". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. - "About Heldal-Lund". Archived from the original on 16 April 2007.
  3. "Official homepage of Hedningsamfunnet [The Norwegian Heathen Society]". Archived from the original on 5 May 2000.
  4. "10 Aug 1995, Press release by Heldal-Lund". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. [as head of the Heathen Association Rogaland, celebrating 1000 years of attacks against the misdeeds of Christian churches]
  5. "Frenchman honored with 2002 Leipzig Human Rights Award for his work against cults". Associated Press. 5 November 2002. Retrieved 29 December 2007.
  6. Bowman, Lisa M. (1 May 2003). "Anti-Scientology site spurs award". CNET. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2007.
  7. "Operation Clambake – Undressing the Church of Scientology since 1996". xenu.net.
  8. "Google web search on "scientology"".
  9. Heldal-Lund, Andreas (18 April 1997). "Comments from Scientologists". Retrieved 27 April 2006.
  10. Heldal-Lund, Andreas (18 May 2003). "Leipzig Award 2003 speech".
  11. "Cult Control". Time. 27 January 1997. Apart from rare criminal cases, European courts are also starting to take a consumer protection attitude towards people who put their money where their new belief is, then recant. In October, Norway's Court of Appeals ordered the Church of Scientology to pay about $95,000 to former member Magne Berge, who had taken out hefty loans to pay for courses during five years with the Church. The Scientologists are seeking leave to appeal to Norway's Supreme Court.
  12. Ryan, Nick (22 March 2000). "The gospel of the web". The Guardian. London.
  13. "Andreas Heldal-Lund in Hollywood". 25 September 2004. Archived from the original on 10 July 2006. Video part 1. Video part 2.
  14. Ortega, Tony (8 April 2008). "Scientology's First Celebrity Defector Reveals Church Secrets: 'I was Miscavige's favorite boy,' says veteran TV actor Jason Beghe". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008.
  15. George-Cosh, David (25 January 2008). "Online group declares war on Scientology". National Post. Canwest Publishing Inc. Archived from the original on 28 January 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2008.
  16. Heldal-Lund, Andreas (22 January 2008). "DDoS attacks on Scientology". Press Release. Operation Clambake. Retrieved 25 January 2008.
  17. McMillan, Robert; IDG News Service (25 January 2008). "Hackers Hit Scientology With Online Attack". PC World. IDG. Archived from the original on 29 January 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2008.
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