Presenting Rod Keller's
Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review

Volume 5, Issue 30 - November 5 2000


American Technologies Group

Scientology-affiliated American Technologies Group is suing a former scientist for the company, according to Business Wire on October 30th. "American Technologies Group Inc. announced that it has filed a lawsuit against Bio-Friendly Corp., Robert Carroll, Noel Carroll, William Carroll and Shui-Yin Lo for breach of contract, fraud, intentional interference with business relationship, unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secret and conversion, among others. "The action includes an application for a temporary restraining order to prohibit the defendants from misrepresenting to the public that they developed and own the catalyst technology used in The Force and Might-Tron." Message-ID: 4h8uvskfu0ibf0jb465o9e0isd4mpr6lkr@4ax.com

Clearwater

Source magazine reports that the new Super Power building is being built quickly, but a source reports that Scientologists are being urged to help with the construction. "Source says that the super Power Building is going up at a 'rapid rate.' The most recent edition of International Scientology News says that from now on the building 'will rise at the rate of one floor a month.' There was an emergency fund raiser at flag a month ago. The 'cornerstones' that were sold at the bidding for $26,000 are up to $35,000 right now; if you didn't ante up another $9,000 you lost your spot! There are about 25-30 workers employed on this project every day, none at night and darn few on weekends. Word has gone out in the cult asking for their members who are contractors, masons, electricians, etc. to come to flag to help out, at reduced wages." Message-ID: 200011011653.eA1Grsp77129@newsguy.com

Executive Software

Reuters reported on November 3rd that instructions have been prepared to allow users to remove the Diskeeper software, which was developed by the Scientology-affiliated Executive Software company. "Microsoft has developed complex instructions to remove part of Windows 2000 that had generated bad publicity in Germany because it was written by a firm headed by a Scientologist, a spokesman said on Friday. 'The problem exists only because people and the media in Germany became aware that the author of the tool is an American company called Executive Software Incorporated, whose CEO is a member of the Scientology Church,' said Thomas Baumgaertner, a spokesman for U.S. software giant Microsoft in Germany. "'There were public voices, amongst others in some of the German states and also from the churches in Germany which said this part of the software could have a security problem,' said a German Interior Ministry information security expert who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Microsoft asked us to conduct this security check so that they could say that the software tool had been checked.' "A spokesman for Executive Software at its European offices in Britain said company chairman Craig Jensen, who lives in California, is a believer in Scientology. But, the spokesman said, his beliefs had no relevance to the firm's products. 'Just like a company owner might be a Christian. It's a religion and that's his beliefs and it has nothing to do with developing software and selling software,' said Chris Cavanagh. From The Register on November 3rd: "A bizarre storm over Windows 2000 and Scientology in Germany has resulted in Microsoft conceding defeat. Microsoft Deutschland has posted instructions for removing the defrag program from all Win2k products. The fact that the defrag program was written by Executive Software of California, whose CEO is a member of the Church of Scientology, became a major issue in Germany. The killer that made Microsoft run up the white flag was the involvement of the Bundesamt fur Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI), which is the German Federal Office for Security in Information Technology. German government departments and states declined to buy Win2k without BSI approval, and the BSI wasn't impressed by defrag's Scientology connections." From Agence France Presse: "Germany's interior ministry had asked for an investigation into the Church of Scientology's involvement in the writing of a Windows sub-programme called Diskeeper. The Church of Scientology is classed as a sect in Germany. The head of the firm which developed Diskeeper, Craig Jensen, is a Scientologist. Following talks between a top ministry official and the head of Microsoft's German office, the software giant agreed to include in the package a programme which allows users to remove Diskeeper if they want to." Message-ID: 8tuu3l$7ae@netaxs.com Message-ID: 8u0ag8$pin$1@nnrp1.deja.com Message-ID: 8u16r4$ciq$1@nnrp1.deja.com

Germany

A set of questions was put to the government of Germany this week by representatives of the CDU/CSU party. "Does the federal government share the position of the French Executive Agency to Combat Sects in its current report to the French Prime Minister, according to which the Scientology Organization threatens human rights and social balance, is an organization with a totalitarian structure, disregards human dignity and presents a detriment to public order, can be counted as a group that attempts gradually and with a certain degree of success to infiltrate democratic institutions and official, international and private organizations, and in doing so consistently disregards the law of the land in which it is active, including lying to and coercing Scientology customers? "Would the federal government consider a strengthening of the so-called security clause against the Scientology Organization in award of contracts? "How does the federal government plan to regulate the security aspects on the German market of software products which might include covert, illegal data collection from customers (so-called 'Trojan horses')? "How many commercial corporations are controlled by the SO and its sub-organizations in the Federal Republic of Germany directly through capital partnership and contracts or indirectly through management personnel who belong to the Scientology Organization or its sub-organizations? "What legal alternatives does the federal government see to prevent infiltration of the German economy by SO members, especially in inter-branch cartel formation? "Is it true that the U.S. government, without having tried to make use of the usual diplomatic routes, exerted influence in Germany to the good of the SO, and how does the federal government react to that? "It is true that that the SO has created illicit, competitive advantages over professional providers in the sector of therapy, continuing education, franchise/organizational technology and management training and what legal business, trade and association alternatives is the federal government looking at to prevent use of the label of 'church' by and for the Scientology Organization? "Is it true that the findings of the federal government include that members of the OSA and of the Sea Org have been trained in methods of chicanery, destruction and psychological torture, and what conclusions does it draw from that for the treatment of the Scientology Organization in Germany? "Does the federal government think it should follow the recommendation of the Enquete Commission and include religious communities in the area of jurisdiction covered by association law, which would thereby open improved alternatives in law to prohibit sects, psychogroups and 'religious' communities from systematically violating laws?" http://cisar.org/001010a.htm Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103122901.115Y-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103122726.115X-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103123009.115Z-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103123132.115a-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103115849.115A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120020.115B-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103123816.167A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120236.115D-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120341.115E-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120515.115F-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120741.115H-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120621.115G-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120853.115I-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103120958.115J-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103121135.115K-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001103121251.115L-100000@darkstar.zippy

Ebay

The Standard published an article this week on the efforts of Scientology to forbid auctions of E-meters on the Ebay auction site. "The auction of primitive electronic devices used by the Church of Scientology to measure the spiritual health of its members has been blocked by eBay, to the dismay of critics of the church and supporters of the Internet auction system. "Several of these were being auctioned off on eBay before lawyers representing the Church of Scientology complained, saying that only licensed Scientology ministers were allowed to own e-meters. EBay discontinued the auctions of the devices. "Helen Kobrin, a lawyer for the church, said that e-meters are protected under US federal law, which states they may only be owned by authorised members of the Church of Scientology. But she couldn't recall what case or federal ruling established this legal protection. "According to eBay, the e-meter auction was discontinued under its intellectual property owners protection programme. 'EBay removed the item because of the VeRO guidelines; we are not determining the legality or illegality of the item,' said eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove." Message-ID: 8tm1og$1dd$1@news2.isdnet.net

Germany

Frankfurter Neue Presse reported on October 31st that Ursula Caberta has called for Hamburg to move against Scientology infiltration and recruitment in private companies and the government. "Hamburg sect expert Ursula Caberta has called for the Hessian state administration to more earnestly fight infiltration by Scientology adherents into government. According to a presentation by the department director in the Hamburg Interior Agency, Scientologists are gaining more new members from private companies and government agencies through institutions of continuing education and training. "According to the Giessen's executive presidium, it has tried to prevent this form of infiltration for about one and a half years in its contracts. Any corporation which trains members of Giessen's executive presidium has to sign a contract clause. This clause prohibits instruction according to the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard." Mittelbayerische Zeitung reported on October 27th that the United Parcel Service has denied any connection with Scientology. "A Stuttgart consumer protection organization, Aktion Bildungsinformation (ABI), which observes sects and the psycho-market in Germany, made a connection between the controversial Scientology organization and United Parcel Service. It was said in a statement from ABI chief Eberhard Kleinmann that, thanks to documents it had at its disposal, 'conspicuous similarities' could be deduced between UPS management techniques and Scientology founder Ron Hubbard's totalitarian management technology. The documents reported, among other things, on chicanery and illicit work hours. UPS spokesman Hans-Peter Teufers dismissed the accusations as 'stupid stuff.' He said a connection definitely did not exist. He said UPS would file suit for a cease-and-desist order." Nuernberger Nachrichten reported on October 31st that a labor court in Munich has sided with an employee who refused to complete a survey on Scientology involvement. "For the celebrating Scientology center the court decision is of fundamental importance, for the Bavarian Interior Ministry 'not more than one individual case decision': the Munich Labor Court sided with an employee of the City of Munich who refused to fill out for his employer a questionnaire in which he was supposed to make statements about his relationship with the controversial Scientology Organization. "The complainant has been employed with the community since 1990 - 'in a non-sensitive area,' assured Munich personnel spokesman Thomas Boehle. But when information was received that the employee maintained contact with the Hubbard sect, the man was presented with a questionnaire approved by the state administration. The employee refused to make any response, saying that this was solely a matter of personal business and he filed suit in the labor court against the City of Munich. "His opinion was validated in court. It said in the basis of the judgment that an employer absolutely may be interested in whether its employees are members of a counter-constitutional organization. 'But without tangible evidence of counter-constitutional actions' the employee may not be questioned about 'business or miscellaneous contacts' with such organizations. "A spokesman for the Bavarian Interior Ministry, Michael Ziegler, does not think the integrity of the questionnaire developed by his department has been put into question by the court decision. For exactly four years, the Free State [of Bavaria] has been asking civil service applicants about any contacts with Scientology and has recommended Bavarian cities do the same." Freie Presse Lokales reported on November 1st that a new Scientology Information Office in Zwickau is planning to open with volunteer help. "Executive Mayor Rainer Eichhorn 'means to use threadbare arguments to deter information on Scientology,' claims Frieder Badstuebner of the national Greens party, referring to a letter from the mayor to the city council factions. Since the state church office vetoed that sort of help center for the Christophorus community of Eckersbach, Rainer Eichhorn says the need for an official position should be reconsidered and that possibly it could be filled on a volunteer basis instead. 'There is no perceptible need to counsel citizens in the problems of Scientology,' the Mayor wrote to the factions. He said that while there had been civil disputes between construction companies and contractors, that was not something the city government could interfere with. At the same time the lead city official pointed out that 'the legislature has not created or permitted any kind of instrument for research or other administrative activities.' Therefore, he continued, there was no specific method of procedure for dealing with the psycho-sect. "In Frieder Badstuebner's eyes these arguments are putting the cart in front of the horse. 'How can it be decided there is an inadequate need for an office when there never has been anyone for people to talk to?' Since such an information bureau only be established by the city government or, alternatively, on the basis of the council decision, the mayor has added a personnel position in the proposed personnel plan for next year as a precautionary measure. In the meantime, the Zwickau city administration has already submitted an advertisement for the office post. Construction businessman and Scientologist Kurt Fliegerbauer expressed his interest in the position after the council decision, thereby attempting to make the decision into the ludicrous." Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001031160545.124A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001031160710.124E-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001101120946.114A-100000@darkstar.zippy Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001102211046.116C-100000@darkstar.zippy

Gregg Hagglund

Gregg Hagglund reported meeting Scientologists at a Psychic Fair in Toronto this week. "The booksellers, sold less than a dozen books. I saw the boxes come in and I saw them go out. We booked booth H3 months ago. And we didn't really care who was around us. Not even after we found ourselves opposite Canada's only Criminally Convicted Corporation which calls itself a 'Church'. The Co$ was mostly doing Body Routing all weekend. Using E-meters of various design from Wooden Boxes to Hubbard Tech, they offered 'Free Stress Tests' all weekend. "Mario showed up on Saturday morning and was stunned to recognize me. I approached him and told him, in my opinion, we were both present proselytizing for our points of view in a diverse and open marketplace of ideas. I told him I would neither protest, nor comment upon any of the Co$ activities at the Fair, as long as he and his associates left us alone. Mario agreed. My wife does Spiritual/Psychic readings using a small TV tray sized bed of Sand. "Paulette was there on Sunday afternoon and she took some flash photos of Jennifer, without permission. This disturbed and upset Jennifer forcing her to take a break from readings and postponing bookings. Paulette's' flash photo actions also disturbed other readers. I was forced to go to the event managers and explain the situation. The management of the Expo spoke to the Scientologist running the booth, Peter Stevenson, and apparently told him to tell Paulette to leave, which Paulette, sour-faced and in a huff, quietly did." Message-ID: 9uosvs0fb32ucabnnvb0e309kmaf4vkvmd@4ax.com

Keith Henson

The trial of Keith Henson for allegedly making terroristic threats against Scientology's Gold Base was postponed this week when the judge decided to decide First Amendment issues without the jury present. "Abelson walked right over to me and offered me a blue toothbrush with a narrow black ribbon or yarn tied to it with words 'Here is a gift from me, you're going to need it.' I didn't take it. This was an obvious threat, an attempt to intimidate me. "It seems that the judge was aware of the First Amendment/constitutional aspects of the case, and rather than have a constitutional motion hit after a jury had been sworn in and the state's case presented, he wanted the constitutional aspects fully briefed in motions first. The result was that the DA and my lawyers have to work out an agreement on the facts of the case by Dec. 8, the picketing restrictions remain on me. "Graham, Arel, JS and a foreign reporter went out to gold base and gave them a solid 2-hour picket. The place looked close to deserted." From the Riverside Press-Enterprise on November 5th: "The trial of a man accused of making terrorist threats against the Church of Scientology's film studio near San Jacinto has been delayed as both sides debate the constitutionality of the law he's accused of breaking and its application to Internet postings. And both sides have different opinions on whether the misdemeanor case is unique and could have wide-reaching affects on free speech. "Keith Henson of Palo Alto is charged with two misdemeanor counts of making terrorist threats and one count of attempting to make terrorist threats. Henson is charged with making the alleged threats on an anti-Scientologist news group Web site and while outside the church's Golden Era Productions complex while he was picketing. "'You need to keep in mind that the culture on the Internet is one that statements are strongly stated. Beliefs are strongly held and expressed. Some leeway needs to be given,' said Robert C. Lind, professor of law at Southwestern University School of Law and associate director of the National Institute of Entertainment and Media Law. "'I don't think this is a novel application of the law,' said Gage, head of the Riverside County District Attorney's Hemet office. 'I think it is kind of unusual. It deals with First Amendment rights. We don't deal with a lot of cases like that. It is like writing something on the sidewalk that threatens someone. They make a statement and it is written down somewhere. It is designed to have an affect on the other party.' "Judge Rodney L. Walker delayed the proceedings. Walker said he was concerned about starting the trial, going through evidence, then asking the jury to wait as attorneys argued over the constitutionality of the law 'given the facts of the case.' Walker said part of the case involves free-speech issues and there were some questions over whether Henson's rights would be violated. Walker indicated the case could drag on into the new year and released the jury pool that had been gathered to possibly hear the case. "Lind said it is possible that powerful institutions could use the law to pressure authorities to file criminal charges against critics. He said there has been a subtle shift in society to stifle speech that is not politically correct. 'The law, as it is applied, seems to be increasingly concerned with political correctness,' he said. 'Communications does not require self-censorship.'" Message-ID: 8tlr1m$3qp$1@nnrp1.deja.com Message-ID: 8FE3A442Amirelexmissioncom@205.232.34.12

Wildlife Waystation

The Los Angeles Times reported on November 3rd that Scientology donated items to a local wildlife sanctuary. "The Women's Auxiliary of The Church of Scientology donated items to The Wildlife Waystation to aid in the treatment of abandoned, injured and abused animals. The Wildlife Waystation is a nonprofit, charitable facility that cares for abused native and exotic wildlife. The Women's Auxiliary of The Church of Scientology donated heaters, tools, furniture, hoses, bedding materials and a refrigerator." Message-ID: 8tukk5$cdp$1@nnrp1.deja.com

Lisa McPherson

A new judge has been assigned in the Lisa McPherson civil case in St. Petersburg. "He is Judge Frank Quesada. He's a former Assistant State Attorney and Criminal and Juvenile Judge. He is in St. Petersburg, which is in Pinellas County like Clearwater is, and the jury pool would be from the whole county. There is still a motion to return the case to Hillsborough County because the motion to move to Pinellas was not made by Scientology in time for Florida rules." Message-ID: 8tpnmq$5t@netaxs.com

Lisa McPherson Trust

The benefit concert for the Lisa McPherson Trust is still planned for Clearwater on November 11th. "Taz, the vocalist for Tampa Bay area band Trocar received an anonymous death threat by telephone at his work last Thursday, saying that if he performed at the Lisa McPherson Trust benefit concert, he 'wouldn't walk out alive.' He said he did not recognize the voice, and they called him by his 'stage name' rather than his real name, so he felt that this threat was not some personal issue. Taz says he will not be swayed from performing at the benefit due to this attempt at intimidation. In fact, he has been galvanized to push even harder, and picked up a stack of a couple hundred more fliers to distribute as he relayed the news of this threat." "Appearances on Tampa Bay area radio stations are being lined up for event MC Jamie Kennedy, the latest being the morning show on 98 Rock WXTB. This is the 'Bubba the Love Sponge' show, possibly the biggest morning radio show in the Tampa Bay area. He will be on the show Thursday, November 9th." "A Scientologist has directly contacted Tranceboy, one of the musicians appearing at this event, pressuring him to back out, telling him that he is misinformed, telling him that he is being lied to. This particular musician is very well aware as to the true nature of cults in general, and has a background that includes a significant religious education. Tranceboy said that he will still appear at the event, and much like the other artists that have been approached by Scientologists, he is more convinced than ever that this is the right thing to do. He even told this Scientologist that the Lisa McPherson Trust would be there for him when he decided to get out!" http://lmtbenefit.tripod.com/LMT.html Message-ID: 39FCCC20.C01D8738@tampamail.com Message-ID: 3A00C5AC.1E467B76@tampamail.com Message-ID: 3A00DEDA.116E24CE@tampamail.com Message-ID: 3A043159.A563A74D@tampamail.com

Protest Summary

Kristi Wachter and "Realpch" reported on a protest at the San Francisco org this week. "Picketers: Peaches, Kristi Wachter, Murdoch, Marcab. Handlers: Jeff, Josh, 'Betty'. Number of Handouts given away: 191. For the second month in a row, Peaches and I got to the org right on time - just a minute or two after we started, we heard church bells tolling the noon hour. "We saw and greeted Josh and Mr. Get-Your-Facts-Straight. One gentleman approached and asked what my hourly rate was. I told him I don't get paid for picketing, and we had a little back-and-forth about whether I knew anyone who was being paid to picket. He claimed that my sandwich-board sign, 'Scientologists Convicted Again,' would make people think that all Scientologists were convicted. I asked him if he thought, when CCHR said 'Psychiatrist Kills,' if that made him think that every single individual psychiatrist had killed, and he admitted that it did not. "We saw Jeff Quiros again at this picket. Peaches and I had been a bit worried about Jeff, as we hadn't seen him for two or three months. Jeff took some pictures of us; I posed obligingly Josh kept a camcorder trained on us, and a young lady I don't recall seeing before handed out DA fliers on Peaches and me. Some time later, Jeff re-emerged from the org carrying a tape recorder with a big microphone. He said he had some questions for me. He began by asking about my web site. He said that it doesn't state that Florida is not prosecuting the charges in the Lisa McPherson case, and that it's misleading for me to say that the criminal case is pending. I regrettably don't manage to update my web site as often as I'd like. "Next he said that I've stated that I don't ridicule Scientology's beliefs, but said he thought the inflatable alien I carry was ridiculing Scientology's beliefs. I said that what bothered me about the space alien stuff was that Scientology didn't tell people about it up front and in some cases actually lied about it to newer members. He said that people can read about past lives right in History of Man, and I said, 'Wait a minute - you asked me about space alien stuff, not about past lives. Those are two different things.' He continued trying to mix the two issues as we discussed this. I pointed out that Scientology clearly considered Xenu to be a secret since they had sued critics over the Xenu story on charges of trade secret violations. "He then asked about my committing hate crimes and inciting violence. First, I was not committing hate crimes; in the US, as I understand the law, if it isn't a crime, it isn't a hate crime, and picketing is a constitutionally protected form of expression, not a crime. I told him that if his understanding of the First Amendment was so inadequate as to think that he had the right to avoid expressions of speech in a public place, I was sorry he didn't know better. As to the ludicrous charge that I was inciting violence, I paused again, then said, 'I emphatically, categorically, absolutely deny the claim that I'm inciting violence, especially since I have long been a proponent of non-violent protest.'" "Soon after we arrived, we encountered a fellow I'd never seen before holding a couple of binders, the top one said something about 'Hubbard Seminars'. I glanced at them right after he started questioning Jour about being paid to picket. He asked us what our hourly rates were! He said he knew of some 'old man' who got paid to picket the SF Scientology Org. Then he asked if we had ever heard of Bob Minton. "The cameraman and the teenaged girl with the 'Religious Flyers' stayed out for quite a while. She did her best to hand one to everyone who accepted a flyer from Jour or I. The video camera continually tracked Jour and did not follow me. Into this unpleasant atmosphere bounded Murdoch. We were glad to see him and his usual energy. And a bit later, a newbie picketer, one Marcab, also arrived. I think that four makes a nice number for picketing, for safety's sake. A number of people thanked us for our work. We got honks and thumbs up from people driving by in cars. One black man who accepted a flyer told me that he'd talked with the Org some 20 years earlier and was told that black people should 'get off their asses and earn enough money' to pay for Scientology courses. He observed that the people who gave him this information were apparently earning about 40 cents an hour." Message-ID: 3a0513f7.0@news2.lightlink.com Message-ID: 3A04F0C6.8E7C338E@aol.com

Bob Minton

The Sunday Express published a story on October 29th on Scientology critic Bob Minton, alleging financial fraud in business dealings with Nigeria. "Banker Patricia Cousins, 62, handles at least one account which is suspected of being used in a multi-billion-pound fraud which could bring down the Nigerian government and plunge the country into economic chaos. Miss Cousins will be quizzed by the Financial Services Authority about possible links to a labyrinth of foreign bank accounts and offshore trusts in which the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha stashed 4 billion pounds of state funds. The FSA wants to know what steps, if any, the London banks took to identify the source of the vast funds they were asked to handle. "American banker Robert Minton has been identified as the financial architect behind the complex investment programme. He opened the Karosa Foundation account and always dealt directly with Miss Cousins. The financial genius behind the entire fraud has been identified as Abdulkadir Ahmed, governor of Nigeria's Central Bank. He presided over a complex scam in which Nigeria's debt was 'bought back' illegally by means of banking his country's stolen cash in foreign financial institutions. Nigeria's President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has personally pleaded with Clare Short, the Secretary of State for International Development to help him retrieve his country's missing billions. The Serious Fraud Office is contemplating launching its own probe into the affair which is also being investigated by the CIA. A spokesman for the Nigerian Government said: 'Our credibility is at stake with our own people, the entire world. Nigeria has plenty to steal and no shortage of people to steal it.'" Message-ID: 3A02F682.B72072DA@sheffield.ac.uk

The Profit

Peter Alexander posted an update on the making of a film titled The Profit, which Scientology has attacked during its production. "'The Profit,' directed by myself and produced by Patricia Greenway, was filmed in the Tampa Bay area this summer. I can't tell you a lot about the film just yet except to say that some of the raw footage is amongst the most powerful and beautiful ever filmed. I should also point out that it is a work of art produced and directed by two people, who in their spare time, are board members of the Lisa McPherson Trust, a watchdog group over the Scientologists. Needless to say, the Scientologist hate Patricia and I and so, without ever actually knowing what the film we were making was about, the Scientologists attacked us. "They began on August 31, appearing at our filming location, passing out fliers to cast, crew members which intimated that Patricia and I were neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members. Within a few days the Scientologists sent no less than seven private investigators to spy upon us at another location. Some succeeded in video taping our cast while we filmed a scene on a dock. Our crew mooned them in response. "The Scientologists then began to take down the license numbers of our cast and crew, and followed several single women to their homes, attempting to intimidate them. One such young lady testified in court that she considered the Scientologists visit to be a threat, and that she was frightened by them, but that since she knew about the evil of this group she was well prepared to deal with them. Several days later the Scientologists showed up at our soundstage and gave a video tape to our crew members. The tape was labeled 'seeing this tape could cost you your job!' It included scenes of Patricia and I picketing the cult. The general consensus amongst the crew was that Patricia and I were much too kind to the Scientologists, and that we should step up the action! "Out of town agitators for the IATSE (stage hands) union showed up and threw up an illegal 'organizing' picket line. This is against the National Labor Relations Board rules. Without ever once asking for a meeting with us, they struck our non-Union film and refused to let their twelve union members cross the picket line. Nine of the twelve union members were heartbroken, because they had all checked with their union prior to the start of filming, and had been given permission to work on our non-Union film. We wondered if there was a connection between the sudden union attack and the withdrawal of the Scientologists. We spoke to one reporter who believed that there might be such a connection. He indicated that he had evidence that a top union leader was connected to the Cleveland Mafia. He also said that he had evidence that one of the Scientology law firms had also represented a Mafia family, and that this might be the connection. The strike failed to stop the film, and we quickly resumed shooting after replacing the union crew members. "Towards the end of the filming, a local news reporter, Kelly Swope did a TV news piece on the strange doings of the Scientologists and the union. After airing the news piece, Kelly reported to us that she was continually followed by Scientology PI's and that the cult had bombarded her news editor with propaganda to no effect. An anonymous party sent our insurance carrier a letter, indicating that they were part of a 'religion' which would create trouble for the insurance company. This letter was anonymous because it is both a violation of Florida insurance regulations and a tort to interfere with or threaten a carrier to drop a client. The cult then followed up this anonymous letter with a package of public record court information - again targeted at the insurance company and designed to induce our carrier to drop us. Neither the anonymous letter nor the information packet succeeded in it's goal. "The 'Foundation for Religious Tolerance' - a Scientology front group - continued to contact our former crew members, attempting to get someone to gripe about their treatment during their employment with us. The Scientologists also visited the owners of several locations at which we had filmed, trying to develop bad blood between us and the property owners. Again, they failed totally, as several property owners reported their actions to us." Message-ID: 20001030194651.24257.00001273@ng-bk1.aol.com

Switzerland

Der Landbote published an article on October 27th on Hugo Stamm, an activist against cults and Scientology in Switzerland. "He considers today's situation in Switzerland as practically scandalous because the city is undertaking nothing against the rise of sects, stated Hugo Stamm. Even though there are 1,000 groups, prevention is practically unheard of. He said the InfoSekta counseling center in Zurich is funded primarily by private funds. Also that 40,000 franks a year for preventive work was too little, just compare that to the fight against drug addiction. "Stamm began his research 25 years ago, during which time he has written seven books, about Scientology and the VPM (Verein zur Foerderung psychologischer Menschenkenntnisse) in particular. His first book on the dangers of esoteric groups appeared in August. Just for his first book alone (1982) he was sued 13 times. 'But the more the sect organizations want to get rid of me, the more stubborn I get.' Not even murder threats have kept the writer from his work. However he also says that in writing for the 'Tages-Anzeiger,' he has a good employer who supports him professionally as well as financially and who is able to withstand the organized structure of the sect well. "He gave advice to relatives of sect members, 'You can only intervene by kidnapping the person in the group; but I cannot and will not recommend that because that is regarded as deprivation of liberty, which is an action prohibited by law.' The single most sensible thing to do, he said, was to maintain contact with the person. 'That way when the sect member doubts the message of his guru, leaving will be easier for him if he knows somebody outside of his group. After he leaves, the member of a sect has to re-build his entire social life.'" Message-ID: Pine.LNX.3.96.1001031160607.124B-100000@darkstar.zippy


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