a clergyman looks at J. Gordon Melton on Scientology
Dave Touretzky
Melton's writings on Scientology. While everyone on this newsgroup
knows that Melton is a cult apologist, here we have the evidence
spelled out in detail, with specific citations. Nice piece of work.
Posted here with permission of the author.
The next time some gullible journalist quotes Melton on the subject of
Scientology, send them this as rebuttal.
-- Dave
================================================================
Gordon Melton on Scientology
I have before me a copy of "The Church of Scientology", written by
Dr. J. Gordon Melton in 2000 and published by Signature Books. The
Church of Scientology lists him as a resource in the defense of
Scientology as a religion. However, I am concerned about the
following issues:
His primary source, as listed in the notes, appears to be
Scientology's publishing house, Bridge Publications. And the
non-documented statements appear to come from Scientology's public
relations arm.
He makes a factual error on page 58. He states that Hubbard never
claimed the kind of formal academic credentials which the average
scientist or physician possesses, nor did he claim to have the formal
research which would typify standard scientific inquiry into physics
or chemistry. However, I have in my possession the publication "The
Problems of Work, Scientology Applied to the Work-a-Day World by
L. Ron Hubbard, C.E., Ph.D.," published by Scientology Consultants to
Industrial Efficiency, 1956. His degree was issued by Sequoia
University, a California diploma mill which no longer exists.
On page 6, in mentioning Hubbard's war record, he makes it sound as
though Hubbard was at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital recovering from war
wounds. That is the unsubstantiated view promoted by Scientology.
Medical records have indicated that he was there for depression and
mental problems.
On page 15 he mentions the first critical work about Scientology
called "The Scandal of Scientology" by Paulette Cooper. He states
that Church leaders were especially offended by Cooper's work and
favorably settled a major libel case against her. Sounds like
Scientology won. But they didnt. In fact, the FBI disclosed that
Scientology planted false information to frame Cooper. She was
indicted, and only when the FBI raided Scientology offices in 1977 did
they discover the plans to frame her. Melton says nothing about that.
The remainder of that story sounds like Scientology's public relations
releases.
Page 20: Because of the above mentioned actions, 10 Scientologists were
sentenced to long jail terms of four to five years in prison. Yet
Melton says of those sentences, "In the end, the actual crimes for which
they were convicted were relatively minor." I hardly think that five
years in jail is a minor sentence. Some Scientologist have been
alleged to have claimed that all they stole from the IRS offices was
mimeograph paper, which for a Scientologist would be an acceptable
truth. One must ask What was on that paper? Answer: negative
material about Scientology.
Page 20: Melton comments on reported abuses taking place in
Scientology and states that the charges of abuse have not been
substantiated when presented in courts of justice, and we are left
with a lack of verified evidence of any invasion of members' auditing
files or invasion of their privacy. No mention of the Wollerseheim
case which was working its way through the courts and which ended in
Scientology paying him over $8 million in damages for the abuse he
suffered at their hands. And I have had people state to me that they
were held against their will for months when they stated they wished
to leave. They were only allowed to do so after signing statements
which in effect silenced them from ever speaking about the church.
Page 34: Melton says, Generally, people would have little problem with
Scientology's ethics, and, in most situations, it promotes the same
virtues that more traditional ethical codes emphasize. Oh? Listen to
Hubbard's definition of ethics from Modern Management Technology
Defined. "All ethics is for in actual fact is simply that additional
tool necessary to make it possible to get technology {Hubbard's
teaching} in. That's the whole purpose of ethics, to get technology
in." And does this advice of Hubbard's sound like any other religion
you know? "Critics may be deprived of property or injured by any
means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the
Scientologist."
Page 37: Melton suggests that many of the legal cases which involve
Scientology were undertaken by critics. It doe not take much work to
prove the error of that statement. The last year for which records
were available indicated that Scientology spent over $30 million in
threatening and filing legal actions against critics and media and
Internet providers which carried that information
Page 44: He presents Scientology's promotion of Narconon, which has
never been accepted as a medical model and which was recently thrown
out of the California Public School System by State Superintendent of
Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell. The critical information about
Scientology has been available for years yet Melton avoids mentioning
it.
Page 52: He speaks favorably of the World Institute of Scientology
Enterprise (WISE), a major money maker for Scientology. No mention of
the fact that in the 1993 decision of the IRS, giving Scientology its
religious tax exemption, the IRS mandated that WISE be disbanded by
December 31, 1995. It is still in existence in 2006.
So you can see why many people believe that Melton is an apologist for
Scientology, sharing only its views with minor variations and few
comments from critics and former members.
thorazine shuffle
"Dave Touretzky" <d...@cs.cmu.edu> wrote in message
news:4526e448$1...@news2.lightlink.com...
That's a keeper. Thank you.
Warrior
In article <4526e448$1...@news2.lightlink.com>, Dave Touretzky says...
I own two different editions of Hubbard's _The Problems of Work_.
I've scanned the covers and copyright pages, and my good friend
Caroline Letkeman has made them available on her site:
http://www.carolineletkeman.org/refund/docs/pow-claims.html
http://www.carolineletkeman.org/images/pow-1956-title.jpg
http://www.carolineletkeman.org/images/pow-1956-copyright.jpg
http://www.carolineletkeman.org/images/pow-1956-uk-title.jpg
http://www.carolineletkeman.org/images/pow-1956-uk-copyright.jpg
More fraudulent claims are documented here:
http://www.carolineletkeman.org/refund/docs/hubbard-claims.html
Warrior - Sunshine disinfects
"Scientology: it's about deception."
http://warrior.xenu.ca
Patty Pieniadz
Nice work Dave, Warrior and Caroline.
Thanks very much.
Patty P
"Warrior" <war...@xenu.ca> wrote in message
news:170196910.000...@drn.newsguy.com...
Lermanet.com
Added to
http://www.lermanet.com/scientology/gordon-melton-apologist.htm
Arnaldo Lerma
Lermanet.com Exposing the CON
WE COME BACK FOR OUR FRIENDS and FAMILY
to get them out alive!
I'd prefer to die speaking my mind than live fearing to speake
If the Borg were to breed with the Ferengi you'd get Scientology!
29 November 1995 - Memorandum Opinion Judge Leonie Brinkema
"the Court is now convinced that the primary motivation of RTC in suing Lerma, DGS and The Post is to stifle criticism of Scientology in general and to harass its critics. "
The internet is the Liberty Tree
http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com
http://www.lermanet.com/scientific.htm
http://www.lermanet.com/scientology-and-occult/
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologyscandals/charlesmanson.htm
http://www.pac-c.org/Quotations.htm
"Scientologists believe that most human problems
can be traced to lingering spirits of an extraterrestrial
people massacred by their ruler, Xenu, over 75 million
years ago. These spirits attach themselves by "clusters"
to individuals in the contemporary world, causing
spiritual harm and negatively influencing the lives
of their hosts"
[Judge Leonie Brinkema 4 Oct 96 Memorandum Opinion]
What do we get from getting people out of scientology?
We create an individual who has become a Houdini of
all mind traps.. folks who won't be fooled again.
People who can DE-program, People who can spring mental
traps..
We create, by freeing someone of scientology, a being
who has the ability to break the strongest slave chains
of all.
Those forged of lies. (c) Arnaldo Lerma
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities
Voltaire (1694 - 1778)
Warrior
>
>Top posting.
>
>Nice work Dave, Warrior and Caroline.
>
>Thanks very much.
>
>Patty P
You're welcome. :)
Warrior - Sunshine disinfects
"Scientology: it's about deception."
http://warrior.xenu.ca
>>
> Warrior wrote in <170196910.000...@drn.newsguy.com>:
Out_Of_The_Dark
Warrior wrote:
> In article <4ope7dF...@individual.net>, Patty Pieniadz says...
> >
> >Top posting.
> >
> >Nice work Dave, Warrior and Caroline.
> >
> >Thanks very much.
> >
> >Patty P
>
> You're welcome. :)
>
> Warrior - Sunshine disinfects
> "Scientology: it's about deception."
> http://warrior.xenu.ca
>
> >>
> >> In article <4526e448$1...@news2.lightlink.com>, Dave Touretzky says... < < <
Thanks for reviving this thread Warrior
"Gordon Melton is oftimes quoted by media as a 'source' as an expert on
new religious movements. In my expert opinion, as a long time member of
Scientology, and then a veteran of 1,740,000 of Scientology's best
litigation, and then ten years publicizing the methods used by
scientology to decieve the public, I am not convinced that he has sold
out his academic qualifications for money. His characterizations of
Scientology are at best misleading, but then so is Scientology".. Arnie
Lerma
Gordon Melton - reference page
http://www.lermanet.com/scientology/gordon-melton-apologist.htm
REPOST Oct 2006
Gordon Melton on Scientology
I own two different editions of Hubbard's _The Problems of
30 year activist, Ida Camburn told this webmaster that Gordon Melton
sent the Citizens Freedom Foundation (which was the precursor of the
Cult Awareness Network, - and then the Cult Awareness Network was taken
over by Scientology ) a letter, asking for $5,000 for his professional
'help'. She recalls seeing this letter, but has been unable to locate
it.
Gordon Melton is oftimes quoted by media as a 'source' as an expert on
new religious movements. In my expert opinion, as a long time member of
Scientology, and then a veteran of 1,740,000 of Scientology's best
litigation, and then ten years publicizing the methods used by
scientology to decieve the public, I am not convinced that he has sold
out his academic qualifications for money. His characterizations of
Scientology are at best misleading, but then so is Scientology..
Survivors of the Children of God cult even found that Mr. Melton
accepted monies from the cult they used to belong to. See thier webpage
and Gordon melton's 990 tax return image form HERE.
Also see Dr Stephen Kent's "Reply to Cult Apologists"
Additional Information on Gordon Melton
Cults Collaboration against Russian Law". Presentation about the state
of cults in Russia given by A. L. Dvorkin on September 22, 1997 at a
Parliamentary hearing in the German Bundestag in Bonn, relating to
international aspects of the activities of so-called sects and
psycho-groups A Presentation on the Situation in Russia by Alexander
Dvorkin This paper should be seen as a case study. We often hear from
those who support cults that these organizations constantly change for
the better. According to this viewpoint, the new religious movements
(Nrms) have already outlived their initial, fanatical phase and have
now become respectable and "main-line."
Why is Gordon Melton Considered an Apologist?
Rick Ross on Apologists
Wikipedia
See GOOGLE results for Gordon Melton cult apologist
Human Rights Activist Bob Minton's speech, includes information on
Gordon Melton
http://www.lermanet.com/scientology/gordon-melton-apologist.htm
Feisty
> In article <4ope7dF...@individual.net>, Patty Pieniadz says...
>>
>>Top posting.
>>
>>Nice work Dave, Warrior and Caroline.
>>
>>Thanks very much.
>>
>>Patty P
>
> You're welcome. :)
>
> Warrior - Sunshine disinfects
> "Scientology: it's about deception."
> http://warrior.xenu.ca
>
>>>
>>> In article <4526e448$1...@news2.lightlink.com>, Dave Touretzky says...
>>>>
>>>>A clergyman of my acquaintance has taken a critical look at J. Gordon
>>>>Melton's writings on Scientology. While everyone on this newsgroup
>>>>knows that Melton is a cult apologist, here we have the evidence
>>>>spelled out in detail, with specific citations. Nice piece of work.
>>>>Posted here with permission of the author.
>>>>
>>>>The next time some gullible journalist quotes Melton on the subject of
>>>>Scientology, send them this as rebuttal.
>>>>
>>>>-- Dave
Finally read this rebuttal. A concise and useful piece, thanks.
I cannot understand why Gordon Melton can get so many things wrong. It not only has to
be a paid position; when you get so many facts wrong, the phrase cult tool comes to
mind; or disinformation campaign.
Gordon Melton also made the comment about Jonestown -
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/p21.html#melton
Dr Melton had said that the mass suicide had been transformed into a "definitive cult
horror story" by the media and anti-cult groups.
He was quoted as having said of the Peoples Temple: "This wasn't a cult. This was a
respectable, mainline Christian group."
And why would he defend Aum Shinrikyo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Gordon_Melton
In 1995,
Melton was part of an American delegation, funded by Aum Shinrikyo, that travelled to
Japan following the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway to investigate Aum's
activities and claims of persecution. He stated at two news conferences, that Aum
Shinrikyo could not have produced the sarin gas used in the attack and called on
Japanese police not to "crush a religion and deny freedom".[1]. Japanese police had
actually already located the laboratory at which the group had produced the sarin gas a
month earlier. Numerous leaders of the terrorist cult were later sentenced to death by
Japanese courts.
Maybe because it's worth lots of money, and he is not such a peaceful man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murai_Hideo
Hideo Murai
Died on April 23, 1995
was a member of Aum Shinrikyo and a scientist. Best known as head of Aum's Ministry of
Science, Murai was a talented physicist and reportedly had an IQ score higher that that
of Albert Einstein. As head of the team of scientists assembled by Aum Shinrikyo, he
was researching a diverse and unusual range of topics, such as electromagnetic pulse,
microwave weapons, artificially induced earthquakes and giant plasma weapons position
on the Earth orbit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murai_Hideo#the_Unresolved
Murai died in an ambulance.
the Unresolved
Immediately before the incident Murai lectured at a press conference at the facilities
of the Tokyo Foreign Press Club where he announced the results of his [claimed]
scientific activities at Aum. Some of the topics he spoke at length this day were as
follows:
'Plasma weapon' resembling a chain of sputniks
placed on the Earth's orbit emitting plasma rays that could be quickly focus to attack
any moving target with a wide radius of attack, able to penetrate deeply underground,
similar in design to Space Light Sail developed jointly by US and Russia later
(currently completed).
From: Soviet communism in the sixties: Some notes on its new dimensions
June, 1961
"The fields in which the potential for a chain of "sputniks" has become apparent are
not confined to the obvious areas of hardware...This theory has already produced a
heady intellectual intoxication among Soviet theorists."
http://tinyurl.com/ydpou7
or
http://www.foia.ucia.gov/search.asp?pageNumber=1&freqReqRecord=undefined&refinedText=undefined&freqSearchText=undefined&txtSearch=SOVIET+COMMUNISM+IN+THE+SIXI&exactPhrase=undefined&allWords=undefined&anyWords=undefined&withoutWords=undefined&documentNumber=undefined&startCreatedMonth=&startCreatedDay=&startCreatedYear=&endCreatedMonth=&endCreatedDay=&endCreatedYear=0&startReleasedMonth=&startReleasedDay=&startReleasedYear=&endReleasedMonth=&endReleasedDay=&endReleasedYear=0&sortOrder=ASC
Maybe the relationship between Pavlovian headgear that makes you salivate, e-meters and
body thetans in space, and brainwashing campaigns between apologists (glorified PR
positions) are useful to create disinformation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brainwashing_Manual
Brain-Washing (subtitle: A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics),
sometimes referred to as "The Brainwashing Manual", is a book published by the Church
of Scientology in 1955.
Feisty
Out_Of_The_Dark
Thanks for posting this Feisty. How Ironic.....it sounds like Melton
has, himself, been brainwashed . Or paid off. Why else woud he
minimize these cults.
Time for a wikipedian to update this guy's page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Gordon_Melton
JustCallMeMary
There is more than meets the eye with Melton's assessment of
Scientology
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