"A big suppressive Howdy!
On a delightful warm spring Saturday, five to six veteran protesters and two new protesters descended on the Tottenham Crt Rd $cientology shop.
We timed our arrival to coincide with the police and set up in front of the shop. John started up on the microphone and we started handing out 'Thriving cult of greed and power' and the new 'Who is XENU' leaflet (a precis of the Wikipedia article on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu ).
The policepeople on the scene were approaching our demo with an open mind and not taking any hysterical whinging from the clams too seriously. We were requested to move the boombox across the road so as not to disturb classes which were rumoured to be ongoing on the upper floors of the shop (that would be upper levels training, I suppose :-) ). Since the request was reasonable on the face of it, we acquiesced and moves the boombox across the road, turning it up slightly. During the demo, the clams did have a boombox of their own in their doorway which was heard as loudly as our boombox on the clam side of the street. [shrug].
The two new protesters acquitted themselves well, handing out loads of leaflets and fending off the attempted handling of the woman who was probably the DSA. The father of one of the new protesters showed up and attempted to engage the DSA in iontelligent conversation but drew a kind of short straw. He had to tell her that 'what is true for you is true for you is an attitude very typical of teenagers. (He should know, he's a psychologist...)
The passers-by either assumed we were clams or supported our demo. One young guy who was waiting for his friend (inside to check out the org) did ask why we were doing it and why we weren't out in front of other religions, etc. A splendid occansion to reiterate what the differences between the criminal organisation known as the 'church' [spit] of $cientology and a religious organisation are. Another couple had their child just miss out on the cult experience and were pleased about that. A local resident reminisced about how the local authorities had had occasion to require the clams to curb their enthusiasm in trying to drag people off the street.
The police were friendly and coped well with having their ears bent by the clams. They read both our leaflets and never indicated to us that there might be an issue with either of them.
The 'personality test' handed out was the standard OCA, with small print beginning '(c) 2005 Church of Scientology Religious Education College Inc. A non-profit association incorporated in South Austrlia...' Funny that, I thought that the rights to the OCA were now owned by Tom Voltz :-)
At the end of our pre-arranged time, we had handed out something like 100 'Thriving cult of greed and power' and 300 'Who is XENU' leaflets. We thanked the police for turning up and looking after us, and repaired to the pub for some well earned refreshments.
All in all, a grand day out, pleasantly uneventful."
Message-ID: d3ek2c02nlp@news4.newsguy.com
"[from me to the person:]
Dear [----],
Thanks. I enjoyed this conversation very much, and please send me any idea/thoughts, as you think them.
I particularly appreciate new news you gather about events uplines, as the objectionable trends actually occuring in the upper ranks of the Scn movement, I think it is best for everyone to be kept abreast of any changes or the lack of changes at the top.
In my opinion Scn will only progress and be tolerated to the degree that it continues to retire and altogether ceases the objectionable practises exposed in the media for decades now. I really appreciate your emails. Thanks very much!
Chuck Beatty
In a message dated 4/--/2005 ..... , [----] writes:
Thanks very much for your reply, Chuck. Well, you can post any of this you want. I think you said it all rather succinctly. Funny you mention the NY Times. I recently started reading the Sunday NY Times and now get the NY Times online. Of course, LRH's handling of intellectuals was to label them all a farce, etc., etc. OK, you can find any number of them that are a joke -- as in any area. That doesn't negate them all by any means. What the Church of Scientology has to face is that it is CREATING its own enemies. Of course, anyone who 'becomes disaffected' is just acting from his/her own overts and withholds. A nice explanation to make it so those responsible at the Church for creating situations don't have to confront their own responsibility nor do they really have to LOOK as to what is behind the troubles and situations facing them. Do they really think they can continue ad infinitum with their self-imposed blinders? I remember reading William Burroughs' original pro-Scientology book. He was promoted by the Church as one of the great thinkers then. But when he broke ranks, he was made out to be a lowlife that NEVER did or thought anything good. That also becomes the pattern for ex-staff or even staff who are currently in the doghouse. They can go from being golden boys or girls who never did anything wrong, but if they land on the RPF then NOTHING they ever did was ACTUALLY correct. Read the Gulag Achipelago to get a good comparison as to how it's done. Interesting that you mention 'Tommy' -- yes, it's just a rock-opera, but I figure you saw the film as well -- did you also have that uncomfortable twinge of how what you were involved with compared? (And Tommy was literally the blind leading the blind, which the Church still is, despite its internal PR to the contrary.)
Some of those who never were in the Church or were in it for just a short time can easily vilify anyone who ever was in it for being stupid, etc.
Fact is, however, that there ARE a lot of intelligent people there. Duped yes, stupid no. Face it, you can be intelligent and still fall for some pretty big lies -- you see it every day out here. And the ego's make it hard for people to admit having bought into it when they do recognize it -- frankly, it seems that more intelligent people have an even harder time in many cases at admitting they were duped.
You are correct that one of the most abhorrent of the Church's practices is that of trying to silence former members. And because you have less intelligent minions there who cannot think for themselves and thus cannot foresee future consequences beyond getting stats or a commendation (which will be thought of as nothing the first time he does something wrong), they get into 'the end justifies the means' mindset. And let's face it Church execs, you know it happens and condone it and tell yourselves you didn't order it and so it's ok until the sh-- hits the fan -- then you loudly proclaim having had no knowledge of it and utterly toast the low-level guy.
(Or even a higher level one if that is deemed necessary to get the bad-PR diverted.) Simply disgusting and cowardly.
By the way, not to vilify any of the posters, but sometimes they do post some things that I am astounded aren't known to them -- and no one seems to answer them, so these missing points can 'dead agent' them to someone trying to convince any member or borderline member of the Church.
There are enough people out of the Church fold now that DO know these things, so it's sometimes surprising to me. Things like 'Where is Diana?' (She's Div 6 Exec Int -- has been for many years.) I saw a posting regarding the Snr C/S AOLA and that she was 'somehow' related to DM. Yes, her last name is Blythe. Sister of Bitty Blythe -- Bitty Miscavige, wife of Ronnie Miscavige (DM's brother, former Marketing Exec Int). Bitty and Ronnie got fed up, Bitty locked herself in her room at Int at one point (after she had done an RPF) and they finally both left. CO GOLD is Lisa Allen, who was Lisa Schroer until husband Paul Schroer got routed out, so she was obliged to divorce him, as happens at the drop of a hat at Int/Gold. Her mother is Elaine Allen who was listed on the 'RPF Insider' list. (No I don't think that person was really on the inside. Many that they listed were already long gone from the RPF by the time it was posted -- people like the Didcoates who live in the LA area.)
And yes, there appears to have been a large 'purge' starting several years ago -- I don't know that it's particularly done now. But the Church has lost many, many old-timers and I'm sure are promoting to those who are left how these were really the people holding down the stats and at briefings they will show those who are left some random stats that are going up. Frankly most stats for years have been flat or going down. Ther might be temporary spurts up that 'raise the trend' -- but these gains get lost and that part doesn't get promoted. And most of those staff being briefed no longer believe the BS anymore but are afraid to speak up, thinking they are alone.
(I again refer you to The Gulag Archipelago [two famous books by Alexander Solzinitzen, Nobel prize winning USSR dissident writer who eloquently wrote of the former Soviet extensive 'Gulag' prison system, so numerous the prisons formed a whole 'archipelago' {islands} in the former USSR])
Yes, a lot of what LRH says is good data -- and, as you say, you can find it elsewhere. But THE tech that is supposed to save us all has not done it."
[...]
Message-ID: 1113252998.565513.212810@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
[Scientology] Mental health bill gets star treatment [long link] A Church of Scientology group brought celebrity firepower to the Capitol Tuesday, recruiting actor Kelly Preston to lobby for a bill that aims to restrict mental health services in public schools.
[...]
The bill, backed by the Scientology offshoot Citizens Commission on Human Rights, has moved steadily through House committees. But it appears to have hit a snag in the Senate, partly because of its ties to the church."
---
Another post contained an opinion, "Scientology in schools," from the St. Petersburg Times
[long link]"
"Scientology in schools
Bills in the state Legislature that aim to keep students from receiving psychiatric treatment bear the familiar marks of Scientology.
A Times Editorial published April 12, 2005
L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer before he decided, more than a half-century ago, to publish his views on mental health. Now, apparently, his adherents are writing Florida law.
Two bills aimed at schoolchildren that are winding their way through the Legislature bear a familiar Hubbard trademark. They hold the practice of modern mental health medicine in contempt and, by extension, those who would dare to seek the help of a psychiatrist. The bills were written, at least in part, by a group called Citizens Commission on Human Rights, which was set up by the Church of Scientology in 1969 to attack health care professionals who don't subscribe to Hubbard's vision of 'Dianetics.' Hubbard, who died in 1986 and whose writings created the foundation of Scientology, saw mental illness as a spiritual problem that could be cured through such things as 'auditing' and 'introspection rundown.'
Tampa Republican Sen. Victor Crist and Miami Beach Republican Rep. Gustavo Barreiro now want to bring Scientology to a school near you.
The bills these men are sponsoring would try to keep students from ever getting psychiatric treatment, even those who might be contemplating suicide. The bills would require that any mental health treatment become part of the student's permanent record and that schools tell parents that mental illness cannot be diagnosed through a medical test.
Crist tries to discount the role of Scientology in his bill by suggesting he is concerned with psychiatrists who too often turn to medication. His bill, however, is directed not at improving mental health medicine but at belittling it."
[...]
Message-ID: klgo51pv2bpcfholuopi0g0mf2nk5fvf0v@4ax.com
Message-ID: 16647-425B928D-560@storefull-3331.bay.webtv.net
[...]
"VM Disaster Response Update 04/09/05
The Churches of Scientology Disaster Response Coordinating Committee for Los Angeles County is rapidly moving forward on its establishment program and activities.
The surveys we have been sending out have resulted in more than 60 new members, from people who want to continue receiving news and information about CSDR activities, to those taking a more active role to help the group achieve its goals.
[...]
CSDR Los Angeles is part of a national CSDR organization headed by Sue Taylor, Director of Special Affairs, Washington D.C.
[...]
Future plans for CSDR include a CSDR 'Instant Hat' that will provide members with important basics on disaster response and a specially designed membership card with new CSDR logo.
The LA area will be the first to see this...you don't want to miss it!
We are still looking for volunteers to help with surveys, training and PR.
[...]"
Message-ID: 98S01C3E38456.0654861111@anonymous.poster
"There has been a Press Release from the french Narconon association to-day; this association is called 'Non à la Drogue Oui à la Vie' here, and it is trying to 'inform' clients on its activities held at the same adress than scientology 'church' in Paris (Rue Jules César)."
Gonnet also posted the url of a Narconon critical website in France:
http://narconon.critique.free.fr
Message-ID: 425cba39$0$7517$626a14ce@news.free.fr
"If anybody suspected that the cult lawyers were put on hold I want to let you know that is not so. While we have managed to educate the wog world enough to render most of their legal attacks futile, they are still at it. They are spending big bucks in Norway hiring one of the biggest law firms in here to harass and investigate me (8 years and still nothing!!!). You feel the itch to tell them what you think this cult is worth?
Their Norwegian cult lawyer is:
Lawyer Thor Z. Beke
at the law company Simonsen Foeyen
His page is here:
If you feel the urge to let him know what you thing of the cult they represent, please do so in a polite and friendly manner. :)
The cult or the cult lawyers are not less aggressive today, they just have less opportunities to be so because of the valuable work you have done over the last 10-15 years!!!!!!!!!
He is a so-called 'responsible lawyer', you find all the partners here:
Please share if you do send them a polite note. :)
This is a criminal and abusive cult, let us stand together despite out wonderful differences to make the world a little better place to live in."
Message-ID: 4jil5157a48m2vjq9nbu9aobfavsr61vq8@4ax.com
"Scientology-related incident at
[long link]
Image:
[long link]
Policeman who beat clergyman fired.
The officer from the Chkalovsky district internal affairs department of Yekaterinburg who was in charge of the unfounded detention of renowned sectology professor Alexander Dvorkin and of Yekaterinburg diocese staff was dismissed from the organ of internal affairs. This was announced, as 'Novosti' information agency reported, in the press offices of the RF deputy general prosecutor of the Uralsky Federal District.
On the prosecutor's order the Sverdlovsky Region Internal Affairs is conducting an investigation into the incident. The detention of Alexander Dvorkin and of Yekaterinburg diocese staff was recognized as unfounded. Furthermore, during detention unbecoming conduct and excessive force were used. The Chkalovsky District Internal Affairs officer was dismissed for having conducted a false arrest.
Strict disciplinary measures have been meted out to a number of leading officials. The preliminary assessment with regards to the case indicates criminal culpability according to article 286 of the RF criminal code (exceeding authorized powers), and the investigation will be carried out by a special unit under the Sverdlovsky district prosecutor.
The head of Sverdlovsky regional internal affairs Vladimr Filippov offered apologies to the Yekaterinburg Diocese and also personally to Father V. Zaitsev for the confrontation.
It was the preceding Wednesday that the police officers broke up a lecture that was to be carried out in one of Yekaterinburg's Chkalovsky district school on the problems of totalitarian cults, which had been organized by the Yekaterinburg diocese. According to information from the diocesan press office, police arrived on the premises where people had gathered to listen to the lecture, grabbed the speakers and began to beat them.
Three participants - Alexander Dvorkin, priest Vladimir Zaitsev and the diocesan videographer - were taken away by the police to the Chkalovsky station, where they were detained several hours.
At the Chkalovsky station, they said police had been ordered to the site where the lecture was being conducted after having received a complaint of an unsanctioned assembly in the school building.
from: lenta.ru, April 8, 2005"
Message-ID: 4258c731$0$22174$626a14ce@news.free.fr
A.r.s. Week in Review is put together for your benefit.
This collection is organised for WWW by Andreas Heldal-Lund.
Only edits done by me is replacing word encapsuled in * or _ with bold and underscore, and made links into HTML.
