Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Taking the Psychobabble Out of Keeping New Year's Resolutions

CLEARWATER, FL, January 05, 2012 (Press-News.org) Want to lose weight this New Year? How about give up smoking? Cut back on your drinking or learn a new language? Making New Year's resolutions is one thing, but keeping them can be tricky.

This is why the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Tampa Bay is promoting free on-line course to help take the guess work out of keeping New Year's Resolutions.

"It is estimated that 78% of those who make New Year's resolutions don't keep them," said Pat Harney, Public Affairs Director for the Church of Scientology in Clearwater, who coordinates the Volunteer Ministers' activities in the Tampa Bay area. "Most people want to get fit, spend more time with their families and generally be healthier, relying on self-denial and willpower to make it through. The Volunteer Ministers offer some very workable tools to give people another boost."

These tools consist of short, no-charge on-line courses that are found on-line at http://www.volunteerministers.org. The courses cover subjects including how to improve relationships, changing conditions in life and how to set targets and make your goals. The student studies the relevant materials, views short videos based on the new Scientology Handbook film and fills in assignments, which are graded and returned to the student.

Harney added that the courses are simple, very short and include exercises that ask for practical application. Those who finish the course are sent a certificate of completion.

"Anyone, regardless of religious belief, who wants to do something to improve conditions around them is welcome to learn the tools to become a Volunteer Minister," said Judy Fagerman, who is in charge of the Tampa Bay Chapter of the Volunteer Ministers. "I hope that a lot of people make use of this service and that they have a very happy 2012 as a result."

Fagerman is herself a long-time Volunteer Minister who stepped up her participation after she journeyed to her native New York to assist salvage efforts after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

"Since 9/11, I have never stopped helping," added Fagerman. She now works at the Church of Scientology of Tampa and continues to oversee Volunteer Minister activities.

The Volunteer Minister program began more than 30 years ago, with a call to action by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. There are now tens of thousands of Volunteer Ministers internationally, who assist at disaster sites from Japan to Haiti to the Czech Republic as well as helping their neighbors and friends.

In an essay entitled "Religious Influence in Society," Hubbard wrote: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

For more information about the Volunteer Ministers, the courses they offer or how you can become one yourself, please log on to http://www.volunteerministers.org or call Judy Fagerman at 813-720-0722.