A 16-YEAR-OLD boy who stabbed a Scientology employee outside the religion's Sydney HQ was allegedly trying to stop him mum undergoing a "purification process".

Police allege the boy fatally stabbed a 24-year-old church member on Thursday, as well as attacking a second man aged 30.

The accused was reportedly visiting the Chatswood centre on Greville Street where his mother was preparing to have the ceremony.

A source told The Daily Telegraph: "His mother was inside the building undergoing a purification process and was told not to go outside. The son was not a member of Scientology and wasn't happy about the cleansing course."

7 News Sydney reported that the son and mother had argued about the purification process the night before the stabbing, and that the son was being escorted off the groups after trying to intervene.

Police were struggling, the news outlet said, to find the family of the deceased man.

Detectives said the teenager was asked to leave due to a "domestic incident", after which he produced a sharp 25-centimetre-long kitchen knife.

The 24-year-old man, who police believe is of Taiwanese descent, had his throat cut as he was escorting the teen off the property.

He was rushed to Royal North Shore Hospital just after midday in a critical condition, but later died.

Paramedics said the victim was “bleeding heavily” from the neck when they arrived.

What is a purification process?

• Followers take courses in purification to rid them of “toxic residues” and attend “auditing” sessions costing thousands of dollars to help them overcome their past and ascend to a higher level of existence.
• The Purification Rundown is a detoxification programme in which individuals seek to rid himself of the harmful effects of drugs, toxins and other chemicals and create a biochemical barrier to spiritual well-being.
• The Purification Rundown is a tightly supervised regimen of exercise, sauna and nutrition
• It comes at a cost, which reportedly sat at around £3,300 in 2009

The second man was treated for minor cuts, and was also taken to Royal North Shore Hospital.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Jones said when officers arrived they asked the 16-year-old to drop the knife and produced their tasers.

“At this stage unfortunately the 24-year-old male has passed away and inquiries are being made to contact family,” he said.

“At this stage it’s very early. It would appear the altercation, or the reason the young person has been removed from the premises, was only and solely in relation to a domestic incident that occurred yesterday.”

Inspector Jones said did not have to discharge the taser and the teen dropped the knife.

The teen was taken to Chatswood Police Station where he is assisting police with inquiries.

NSW Ambulance acting deputy commissioner Tony Gately described the 24-year-old victim’s injury as “traumatic” and said paramedics had done everything they could to help him.

A young Scientologist, who asked not to be identified, said his mother was inside the facility and he couldn’t get in to see her. He was not aware two people had been stabbed.

“I came down when the first camera crew showed up but I was told it wasn’t a huge deal,” he told AAP.

“It’s a huge building, a lot of people come from around Asia to study here.

“It offers a lot of services other (Scientology properties) don’t.”

The $57 million headquarters for the church was officially opened in the leafy suburb of Chatswood in December 2016.

The day included a performance of Waltzing Matilda by Aussie singer and Scientology member Kate Ceberano.

The imposing building was described at the glitzy opening as “a cosmic alignment of universal factors” by the church’s global leader David Miscavige.

More than 100 Scientology members are reportedly bussed into the building daily to study “Dianetics” – the church’s key teachings on the science of the mind.

Followers also take courses in purification to rid them of “toxic residues” and attend “auditing” sessions costing thousands of dollars to help them overcome their past and ascend to a higher level of existence.

The centre is also known as Advanced Organisation Saint Hill Australia New Zealand Oceania, providing “advanced religious services” to Scientologists from across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region.

It is said to be its biggest spiritual centre outside the United States.

What is Scientology and why is it controversial?

Scientology is based on the teachings of American science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.

Followers believe in a form of reincarnation which is touched upon in the religion's fundamental principles – “Man is an immortal spiritual being”, “his experience extends well beyond a single lifetime” and “his capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realised”.

There are many famous Scientologists, including Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley and Lisa Marie Presley.

Critics of Scientologist, which includes former members, allege the group is a cult while claiming that followers are forced to "disconnect" from family members who do not belong to the church.

MOST READ IN NEWS

Do Scientologists believe in aliens?

It has been said that when members reach a certain level within the church, they are told about Xenu – an alien dictator who, according to sci-fi writer Hubbard, brought billions of people to Earth in a spacecraft 75 million years ago before killing them.

The essence of these people remains, causing spiritual harm to those in the modern day, it is claimed.

But the church officially denies this.

A statement quoted by the Telegraph in 2012 said: “Scientology holds no such belief.

“Any suggestion otherwise is as absurd as asserting that those of the Christian faith believe themselves descended from aliens because they believe there is a Heaven."

A version of this article originally appeared on News.com.au.

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