Clearwater
The October 31st St. Petersburg Times reported that the lawsuit against
Clearwater by Scientology has been settled.
"The federal lawsuit was filed in 1994. It was preceded by another legal
battle that stretched from 1983 to 1995 over an ordinance that could have
allowed the city to examine the financial records of Scientology and other
churches. The ordinance was ruled unconstitutional in 1993, but a fight
lingered for two more years over legal fees. Meanwhile, Clearwater police
revealed in 1994 that they had been gathering intelligence on Scientology
for 13 years, and they released the records to the Times.
"Under the settlement, Clearwater police have agreed to conduct a 'good
faith review' of their intelligence files on Scientology and destroy any
they deem unnecessary, a routine exercise allowed under state law. City
commissioners rejected the settlement last month because it also contained
a paragraph that would have required police to notify the church's lawyers
immediately by phone or fax when anyone requests the remaining records."
Message-ID: 19981104171357.27592.00001316@ng84.aol.com
Factnet
Arnie Lerma posted the announcement that Factnet won a victory in federal
court this week.
"Judge Kane denied cult's motion for summary judgment, ordered Scientology
to prove ownership of every copyright claimed in FACTNet case. Motion by
scientology to strike Jesse Prince declaration DENIED. All cults motions
DENIED."
Message-ID: 71t7io$bl7@edrn.newsguy.com
Germany
News summary from Germany this week. German moslems this week announced
that are considering the ouster of the community that supported
Scientology in its public relations campaign against Germany.
"At the meeting of representatives of the ZMD on November 1, 1998, the
exclusion proceedings against the ZMD member 'Islamic Community of
German-speaking Moslems & Friends of Islam Berlin' will be voted upon. The
proceedings were initiated by the ZMD Board of Directors on September 13,
1998, after the ZMD member formed a coalition with the 'Scientology Church
Germany', for the following reason: Contact with this organization, which
is under observation for constitutionally hostile activities and the
application of humanly despicable methods in the acquisition of and
holding onto its members, adulterates the face of Islam, strengthens the
prejudice against its own teachings and puts the ZMD into proximity with
categories which are hostile to the state and to the constitution. That
does not serve the interest of Islam or of the Moslems in Germany, and is
contrary to our charter."
Die Welt reports that the Scientology org in Hamburg may be sold to a
developer for a new office and apartment complex.
"The sect center will give way to a new twelve to 14 story building with
10,000 square meters floor space. That is said to be the seller Dirk
Ohrendorf's plan, himself a former member of the sect organization. He
also said the construction plans have already been presented to the
appropriate offices: 'It's now in the works.' He envisions a combination
office and apartment building for his property, which could contain up to
1,000 work places. As soon as the sale has been clinched, the Scientology
Organization will be given notice. About nine years ago, Ohrendorf
himself got the sect in the building, which he had acquired the year
previous. For some time now the involvement of Scientology in the real
estate market - which they at one point had heavily influenced by using a
network of sect-related companies - has been ebbing strongly. 'The market
here has collapsed for them,' the magazine cited Wilfried Lehmpfuhl,
attorney at the Hamburg Renters Association. At the moment only one single
real estate deal which involves Scientologists in Hansestadt is known to
the Renters Association."
Saarbrucker Zeitung reports that interest was high in a recently held
Scientology awareness talk by former member Norbert Potthoff .
"Additional seating had to be hurriedly arranged in the town hall because
of the number of the people arriving at a lecture presentation which was
held by the Community Culture Office in conjunction with the public high
school of Illingen. The theme, which apparently was of interest to many
people, was 'In the Labyrinth of Scientology.' The author of the book by
the same name, Norbert Potthoff, reported very succinctly about his time
as a Scientologist. He departed in 1988. 'I was not just a paying member,
but a so-called 'officer,' that means that I was in the organization in a
leading position,' he explained. He needed time to get over his shame and
feelings of guilt. Now he considers warning his fellow man about this
organization to be his duty. They use quite subtle methods to get their
members. Various psychological tricks and even hypnosis is applied. The
structure of the organization is rigidly hierarchical. Absolute obedience
and discipline is expected of the Scientology disciples. They are
promised success, power and money. Ethical values fall completely by the
wayside. That means that no consideration is given to incapable, sick or
weak people.
"He told the audience to be critical when it came to attractive-sounding
offers for courses or any new product. For instance, Scientologists are
not averse to selling hand puppets in kindergarten along with their
ideologically flavored stories. 'Watch for changes in family members or
friends.' If somebody starts behaving in a regulated manner for no reason,
that should get your attention. If there are doubts, consult the Church
commissioners on Scientology, advised Potthoff."
Spiegel magazine reports that Scientology will continue to be under
surveillance in Germany.
"The Constitutional Protection authority of States and Nation will
continue the surveillance of the Scientology organization. This was the
conclusion reached in a 102 page report which the security agents
presented at the Interior Minister's Conference after a one year
surveillance of the psycho-sect. In the report the officials found that
the organization in Germany was far smaller and less dangerous than
previously supposed, however they still requested further surveillance
since far smaller extremist groups are also under observation. Moreover,
the security agency wants to clear up the issue of whether the
Scientologists have infiltrated the [political] parties. Findings to date
are thought to be 'still too vague.'"
Message-ID: 71lgo3$517$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com
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Keith Henson
Keith Henson reported that Scientology has opposed his filing of a Jesse
Prince affidavit with a release Jesse signed when he left the organization
five years ago.
"While a member of the Sea organization, I have freely participated in the
program of study and physical labor known as the Rehabilitation Project
Force ('RPF') in order to redeem myself as a productive, contributing
staff member and as a dedicated member of that religious order. I left the
Rehabilitation Project Force program on March 31, 1987, prior to my
completion of the program. I voluntarily left on my own decision, and no
attempt was made by any Church staff member to physically prevent my
departure or to was not in my best interest and decided voluntarily that I
should return, which I did. I completed this RPF program and personally
experienced spiritual gains and benefits from such voluntary
participation.
"I have never observed any staff member or parishioner to have been
required against their will to take any Church services or to undergo any
Church regime or program, including auditing programs and/or the
Rehabilitation Project Force Program. Further, I have never known or
observed any staff member or parishioner to have been physically or
emotionally harmed as a consequence of his or her involvement and
participation in any Church of Scientology program.
"In exchange for the valuable consideration set forth herein, I agree
never to create or publish or attempt to publish, and/or assist another to
create for publication by means of magazine, article, book or other
similar form, any writing, or to broadcast, or to assist another to
create, write, film or video tape or audio tape, any show, program or
movie, concerning my experiences with the Church of Scientology.
"I agree that I will not voluntarily assist or cooperate with any person
adverse to the religion of Scientology in any proceeding against any
Scientology organization. I agree not to testify or otherwise participate
in any judicial, administrative or legislative proceeding adverse to
Scientology unless compelled to do so by lawful subpoena or other lawful
process. Unless required to do so by such subpoena, I agree not to discuss
my experiences or personal or indirectly acquired knowledge or information
concerning the organizations, individuals or entities listed herein with
anyone other than members by my immediate family. I shall not make myself
amenable to service of any such subpoena in a manner which invalidates the
intent of this agreement. As provided hereinafter, the contents of this
Agreement may not be disclosed.
"I further agree that in the event that I breach this promise of
non-disclosure, I will pay Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) to the Church
of scientology International for each breach and I will pay Ten Thousand
Dollars ($10,000.00) to the individual whose privacy I breached. I
understand that this amount is not a penalty, but an agreed sum for each
breach of this Agreement.
"I agree to and do hereby release the Church of Scientology International,
Religious Technology Center, all other Churches and Missions of
Scientology, affiliated organizations, Author Services, Inc., and Author's
Family Trust as well as L. Ron Hubbard's heirs, executors, successors and
assigns (and for each organization or entity, its directors, officers,
trustees, agents, employees, staff, volunteers, successors, predecessors,
licensees, licensors, beneficiaries, representatives, members, assigns and
legal counsel; and for each individual, his or her heirs, agents,
representatives, successors, beneficiaries, executors, administrators,
trustees, assigns and legal counsel) (collectively referred to as
'Releasees') from any liability, claim or cause of action, known or
unknown, arising in any way whatsoever from my association to date with
any of said releasees."
Message-ID: hkhensonF1vuJG.Iy5@netcom.com
Celebrities
The Los Angeles Daily News published an article this week on Scientology
celebrity Nancy Cartwright.
"The longtime voice of Bart has a life-size statue of a black-and-white
cow on the lawn of her Northridge home. As you walk through the
multi-colored gates of her one-acre homestead, it doesn't take long to
realize that Cartwright has at least one thing in common with the
eternally 10-year old Bart - a sense of playfulness.
"Cartwright, a Scientologist for the past decade, has adopted L. Ron
Hubbard's administrative techniques, and points are accessed for any
forward motion. For instance, booking an on-camera acting job is worth
1,000 points. 'It is misunderstood like all new religions,' Cartwright
said of Scientology. 'Critics just need to read a book to find out what it
really is. I wanted something very practical to give me stability.
Certainly being an artist in Hollywood is an unstable profession,' she
said. 'Scientology gives me a basis for which to operate.'"
Redbook magazine published a cover story on John Travolta this week. An
excerpt:
"'What helped me to get that machine working is the organizational skills
of Hubbard,' referring to his adherence since 1974 to the teachings of L.
Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology. Over the years
Travolta has credited the controversial religion--which has been
criticized by skeptics for cultlike tendencies--for steering him clear of
drugs, keeping his career on track, and even mending an occasional broken
heart. 'I think Scientology is a lot of the foundation of what allows me
to produce so much.'"
The rumors of former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell joining Scientology seem to
have been a hoax, according to an interview in Allure magazine.
"And then there's the story of her handing over part of her estimated $25
million to the Church of Scientology. 'That was a joke,' she says. There
she was in L.A., the Spice bomb had just dropped, and she was being
followed everywhere. 'I really had nothing to say, so I got this idea.'
With reporters in hot pursuit, she pulled up to the Scientology
headquarters, went in, and came out clutching L. Ron Hubbard's
'Scientology Handbook.' 'I wanted to go to a synagogue next,' she says in
her low, scratchy voice, 'but I couldn't find one. I'm always coming up
with harebrained schemes.'"
Message-ID: 3640D765.DB8D32EB@earthlink.net
Message-ID: 36449422.771207@news.primenet.com
Message-ID: 364595c0.1185602@news.primenet.com
Picket Summary
Picket activity at Scientology orgs this week. First from a series of
reports by Keith Henson:
"5:00 to 5:30. 34 cars, but at least ten of them were poll workers or
voters. Scn's building is used as a polling place! Next time there is an
election, I suggest all day pickets."
"3:30-4:00 29 cars. Little interaction with the inmates, little traffic in
or out. One likely new guy drives a tractor. It seems that the org has
been recruiting from the shelter next door, because there is some traffic
between them. Seems unlikely that they will do all that well on homeless
women."
From Bruce Pettycrew in Mesa, Arizona:
"I picketed from 11:00 to 11:45 today. My estimate is that 90% of the
people driving by have an unfavorable opinion of Hubbard's spawn. The sign
is just a metal pole about 10 feet high, at this time. I will report back
this weekend, when it should be completed. There were just 4 cars in the
lot, and during the picket a UPS truck delivered about 8 boxes of lies."
From "Wulfen" in Toronto:
"1800 to 1830 hrs Wednesday November 4th. SP's: Wulfen and Artemis.
Sign: Only one, Wulfen's - 'WWW.XENU.NET' on one side and '$cientology
Costs A Mint' on the other side. Leaflets: About 15 of Gregg's
Xenu/Crimes leaflet, about the same number of my $CAM/Human Cost leaflet.
"Mario body routed by shouting 'Prozac and electroshock! These people
stand for prozac and electroshock!' Mario was saying that we get paid time
and a half for a Wednesday picket. To Mario: Yes, we do get time and a
half of our Saturday pay rate. We also get a percentage bonus of a day's
pay based on how many flyers we give out."
From Catarina Pamnell in Copenhagen:
"We got Danish PR spokeswoman Anette Refstrup keeping us company most of
the evening. After handing out all of our 360 Danish leaflets, we went for
dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant. It was lovely to get warm again
after several hours in the compulsory Danish picket rain and a temperature
of 4-5 degrees above freezing point. I, Ake, Ole and Karsten went back
out at 10 pm for a final round with some left-over fliers in English. Took
a few minutes to scramble the troups, but soon 8-10 people were out there
again, mostly public it seems. A couple of those who were told to go out
were not that enthusiastic. My man from Sardinia came out again with an
expressive pantomime of how ridiculous it was to be out in the cold Danish
night, instead of heading home for bed. Another of their brave warriors
had a very thin pair of shoes on, and asked Ake if he would consider to
take them in exchange for Ake's sturdier pair. I think they should have
just asked him to leave instead. That's what I did at 10.30 and he left."
Message-ID: hkhensonF1wpxE.Dox@netcom.com
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Message-ID: hkhensonF21Fz4.G0r@netcom.com
Gitte Mogensen
Catarina Pamnell posted the story of Gitte Mogensen this week. Gitte was
held in isolation by Scientology in 1996.
"Gitte was not doing well and fell behind, so she was sent to Ethics. This
was the last time the other Danish students saw her. At Ethics she broke
down Four people were assigned as 'nannies' to watch her, one of them was
Flag OSA staff Valerie. Gitte was put on a special diet: fruit, bread,
water, juice, Cal-Mag and vitamins. She was upset and out of control. She
grabbed a knife and slashed both her wrists. Luckily, the people watching
her were able to stop the blood flow. They had to wrestle with her to get
her under control, and during this her face got scratched. She got
checked up by a male medical doctor at Flag (Karsten did not know his
name, 'the one they usually go to'.)
"Then she was sent back to Denmark the day before the other Danes came
back. Valerie went with Gitte on the plane, maybe because she had
formerly worked in Copenhagen. She was very thin, just skin and bones,
had scratches in her face and bandages around both wrists. She asked to go
to the bathroom. Karsten went in there to first remove anything he thought
could possibly be dangerous, before letting her in. Then Gitte went back
to sleep. She was to have 2 slices of white bread, 1 glass of juice, 1
banana and vitamins. Karsten prepared this on a tray, which Valerie
brought to Gitte.
"Now Karsten wanted to catch some sleep, but Valerie told him her seniors
at AOSH (that would have been OSA though, she was Flag OSA staff) had told
her they needed to take Gitte to a doctor in Aarhus (in Jutland, about 350
kilometres from Copenhagen). The doctor wanted to make some tests: he had
taken some samples of Gitte's hair, skin and blood, and gave them
containers to take urine/stool samples. She was going to be put on a
vitamin treatment - this doctor did not work with drugs. They had to wait
another two hours before getting the ferry at 9 p.m., so they got
something to eat. Gitte had 2 potatoes, a very small piece of meat and a
few beans. She was quiet, waiting for orders from her watchers.
"Karsten was called into the org and told to go back to Birkeroed, so
Valerie could get some sleep. He went into her room with a tray and called
'Gitte, here's your breakfast'. There was no response. He went to Valerie
and asked her to wake Gitte up. Valerie yelled, but Gitte didn't move.
Valerie told Karsten to check if there were any reactions at all, while
she called the org. Karsten found that her heart was beating and that she
was still breathing, but when he shook her there was no reactions. He told
Valerie that Gitte was alive, but he still could not wake her up. Not even
when he poured water on her did she respond. Valerie said she had been
told by her senior to put food in Gitte's mouth, make sure she chewed and
swallowed it, and then leave her and they would send an auditor over to
handle her. Karsten held Gitte's head, while Valerie pushed food into her.
She was coughing, spit running from her mouth, but Valerie kept pushing
food in her. Then they stopped the feeding attempt and left her alone,
like they had been told.
"The auditor, a woman, arrived. She went in to work with Gitte, then came
out and said 'she's fine now, her eyes are open'. Karsten went to check
her - her eyes were open, but there was no response, nobody there - it was
like looking into the eyes of a dead person. The auditor told them to keep
her on the diet, and for Karsten to come into the org later, she had to
teach him something. Karsten went to the DK org later that night, and
learned how to do the body comm assist. This was to be done if that
situation ever happened again.
"Gitte's parents now knew that she was back in Denmark and wanted to see
her. Karsten said they could not see her in this condition, they had to
invent something to say to the parents. The org told them that Gitte was
on a top secret program preparing for the Dianetics Day event, and could
not talk to them for a few days. The parents were calmed for a moment, but
they must have sensed that something was wrong, and kept calling for her.
Gitte did come to talk to her sister. They were both crying. Gitte didn't
say much to her sister, Karsten and Valerie were standing beside her. Her
sister wanted to see her, but they said it was impossible. The parents
eventually convinced the org to let them go to see Gitte. The two nurses
were present to give a better impression. Gitte was crying. The parents
wanted to take her home, and after some discussion they finally were
allowed to take her for one night. She never came back. Karsten went to
the apartment to be there if she would show up, but she never did.
"The following week, Gitte's parents came to get her things from the org.
Karsten helped them to carry the stuff upstairs, and asked them how Gitte
was doing. They just said she was fine now. He has not heard anything more
about her since."
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-end-
A.r.s. Week in Review is put together by Rod Keller ©
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.
