Holding signs with messages such as “Scientology Kills,” more than 200 activists convened in Dupont Circle across the street from the Church of Scientology on Sunday to protest the church’s beliefs and tax-exempt status.The protest was one of many worldwide that met Sunday and was organized by the group Anonymous. The protesters began at Dupont Circle Park and marched to the Church of Scientology at 20th and R Streets, rallying outside the building.L. Ron Hubbard founded the Church of Scientology in 1953.”We seek only evolution to higher states of being for the individual and for society,” he said regarding his goal in founding the church, according to the church’s Web site.Rev. Susan Taylor, the president of the Founding Church of Scientology in D.C., said that Scientology is a religion based on a fundamental belief that in part has similarities to Buddhism and Hinduism.”We believe that, in God, man is basically good. What we are trying to find is what happened to this good through counseling,” she said. “We believe that a person consists of three parts: the body, the mind (distinguished from the brain which is part of the body) and the “thetan”- the equivalent of the soul. We also believe that every thetan goes through more than one life, in different bodies.”Anonymous is an Internet-based group that works to protest against the Church of Scientology. According to one anti-Church of Scientology Web site, xenu.net – named for an evil figure in Scientology’s teaching – the movement aims to raise public awareness of the dangers protesters feel the Church of Scientology poses to society. At the D.C. Church of Scientology Sunday, demonstrators set up a sound system and took turns taking the microphone to share personal stories with the crowd.”Kyle was 17 years old, and his parents were separated. His father was a Scientologist. Kyle died while he was spending the weekend with his father,” said one member of Anonymous with a covered face.”We do not know exactly what medication he was on, but when he died, he had not taken his medicine. His dad did not let him take his medicine and wasted 45 precious minutes before calling the ambulance while trying to address the situation with the help of a Scientologist.”Some protestors also objected to the Church of Scientology’s tax-exempt status.”Scientology is neither for profit, nor benevolent. Therefore, we should try and get their tax exemption status revoked,” another mask-clad protester said.Speakers encouraged protesters to contact representatives in government and ask them to take away the Church of Scientology’s tax exemption.Others protested the fact that Scientologists have to pay thousands of dollars for training to reach upper levels of belief.Andrew Quillen (COL ’11) is the Anonymous organizer for the D.C. region.”I became involved four years ago, when this online group/forum was started, but we started working against Scientology only three weeks ago. My motivation was anger after seeing all their actions, and a feeling that something has to be done,” Quillen said.Quillen also motivated his friend, Adrian Bien (SFS ’11), to join the group.”I wholeheartedly support [Anonymous] in their current efforts to combat the injustices that the Church of Scientology is responsible for,” he said.Taylor said she did not want to engage the protesters with fear it could result in violence.”We are not going to respond to them because what they want is confrontation. Confrontation brings violence, and we are peaceful people,” Taylor said. “[Anonymous] is just a contagion of aberration.”Taylor said she believes that anyone has the right to protest for anything but that protests can be taken too far.”Our concern is when the violent and illegal road is taken. Generally, there is a lot of harassment, but there have been incidents of violence and coercion against our church.”Taylor objected to the protestors’ claim that Scientology has resulted in an inordinate number of deaths, citing the case of Scientologist Lisa McPherson. Those against Scientology say McPherson’s death was due to dehydration and a lack of medication. Scientologists say the religion had no involvement in the death.”There are [a] proportionate number of deaths in all faiths. Lisa McPherson died from an embolism. Unhappy people are more likely to come forward and speak up.””