Bob Adams (American football)

After finishing his career with the National Football League, Adams took up multiple other professions.[4] He worked as a consultant for high tech companies, and as a teacher and author.[4] He was the owner of an exercise facility in Redwood City, California.[4] The Scientology publication Freewinds noted in 1990 that Adams had completed the highest Operating Thetan level of spiritual advancement, OT VIII.[8] In 2004, Adams served as senior vice president of the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), a nonprofit founded by Scientology members in 1988 to supervise the secular programs Narconon, Criminon, The Way to Happiness, and Applied Scholastics.[9] In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Adams objected to an assessment that international Scientology management ran the subdivisions of ABLE.[9] Adams stated, "ABLE does not report its statistics to the church."[9] He commented on the purpose of Narconon, "We feel we're on a mission, and it's for the good of all of us. It's part of the overall plan to collaborate with other groups and bring about a shift in the culture with regard to drug education, prevention and rehabilitation."[9]

Adams worked in 2006 as a media executive for the Scientology organization out of its offices in Hollywood, California;[4] he was a vice president of the Church of Scientology International in 2006.[10] He represented the Church of Scientology at the 2006 conference of the Religion Newswriters Association in Utah, and participated in a panel discussion called, "Faiths That Don't Fit: Classifying and Reporting on 'Other' Churches".[11] Adams discussed the Scientology policy of "fair game" in a 2008 interview with The Times: "That policy (of fair game) was yanked very quickly. As in any organisation made up of lots of people, some will be internal renegades, if you will. Those people paid the price. And those days are over now."[12][13]

In 2008, Adams served as vice president of the Church of Scientology International.[14][15] When asked in a January 2008 interview with The New Yorker about the Scientology story involving a galactic ruler named Xenu, Adams responded, "A small fraction of our scriptures are confidential, and I don't want to allude to something confidential."[14] He asserted that the controversial Scientology program the "Rehabilitation Project Force" (RPF) was a "volunteer program for self-improvement".[14] Adams commented about the RPF, "They get frequent breaks, eight hours of sleep, and three healthy meals. The principal part is auditing, but the physical activity is very extrovertive for the individual and is found to be very therapeutic in itself."[14] Adams was interviewed on the National Public Radio program Morning Edition in 2008 about the activism against Scientology by the Internet-based protest group Anonymous; he referred to the group as "cyber criminals", and commented: "It's very reminiscent of days gone by and current days with the KKK, wearing masks, hiding, having secret meetings on the Internet."[16]

He held the position of vice president of public affairs for the Church of Scientology International in 2009,[17] and was a Reverend within the organization.[18][19] Adams traveled to Melbourne, Australia in December 2009 for the World Religions Conference.[18][19] In an appearance on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio program hosted by Tony Eastley, AM, Adams stated, "From one church in 1954 to ... we're in 165 nations now; we have 8,000 churches, missions and groups right across this fair earth of ours."[19] Adams disputed assertions of abuse within Scientology publicized on the floor of the Australian Senate by Senator Nick Xenophon and commented, "It's not that the allegations aren't serious charges; the fact of the matter is that they are unsubstantiated rumours. Many of these so-called charges, so-called allegations are very old. I mean, 12 or 15 years ago, these incidents occurred, were thoroughly reviewed."[18][19] Regarding statements by Senator Xenophon that women within Scientology who became pregnant were pressured into having abortions, Adams said, "That's someone's statement of... it's totally false. There's no proof whatsoever; no one has ever made... no one has come forward and said here's the proof."[18][19] Adams asserted to The Age that all of the critical statements made by Senator Xenophon about Scientology in the Australian Senate were "meritless".[20] He commented, "One way to measure that is how law enforcement responds to any of these allegations. There has been no interest because there has been no evidence. Apostates are not credible witnesses, like former spouses or employees - they are trying to find a reason why they departed."[21]

In July 2010 the Church of Scientology International publicized a "Scientology Newsroom" website tailored for members of the media;[22] Adams was one of four international representatives for Scientology listed as "Spokespersons".[23] Adams served as vice president of the Church of Scientology International in 2010.[24] In his role as Scientology spokesman, he commented to The Seattle Times in August 2010 that critical articles including revelations from former members published in that year by the St. Petersburg Times of Florida were "based on lies by 'apostates' who want to see the church fail".[25] Adams asserted, "The history of all new religions is they go through a time of trial where the public is skeptical."[25] He stated that increased attention in the media to the organization could help to recruit more members, "It's a new religion. Whatever publicity we get, people are curious."[25][26]