Scientology in the United Kingdom: Introduction
Chris Owen
story" of Scientology in the UK, using a combination of publicly
available Scientology materials, internal Scientology documents and
recently released British government files. It's a big task, simply
because of the sheer volume of material, but it's already turning up
some interesting results.
Scientology's claims that it was the target of a psychiatric
conspiracy is, not unexpectedly, readily disprovable. On the other
hand, its complaints that the government was secretly briefing the
press against it turn out to be accurate and justified. Also apparent
is how British officialdom, right from the start in 1952, regarded
Hubbard as "a Californian quack of the typical type and of dubious
character" and Scientology as a "racket", as one civil servant put it.
A particular surprise is the high level of political support which
Scientology appears to have received; Hugh Gaitskell, the leader of
the Labour Party, in the 1950s, and Margaret Thatcher in the 1960s -
then an obscure Tory backbencher but later to play a crucial role in
overturning, in as yet unexplained circumstances, long-standing
restrictions on Scientologist immigration. A consistent theme
throughout is how the government acted with considerable delicacy,
seeking to restrict Scientology's activities effectively with the
minimum possible level of coercion.
It will inevitably take some time - months, possibly even years - to
complete this research. In the meantime, I will be posting the
results here, divided up by decades. It will eventually be webbed,
although the webbed version will almost certainly be revised from what
is posted here. At some point in the future I intend to use the
fruits of the research to write a guide/case study to how government
have dealt, and can deal, with Scientology and the issues which it
raises. Any comments would, of course, be very welcome.
| Chris Owen - ronthe...@OISPAMNOyahoo.co.uk |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| THE TRUTH ABOUT L. RON HUBBARD AND THE UNITED STATES NAVY |
| http://www.ronthewarhero.org |
Zinj
ronthe...@yahoo.co.uk says...
Sounds like a cool book Chris, but we're waiting for 'Ron The Black
Magician'.
And I'm waiting for my signed first edition 'Ron The War Hero' too :)
Zinj
Peter
wrote:
>Over the past few months, I've been piecing together the "inside
>story" of Scientology in the UK, using a combination of publicly
>available Scientology materials, internal Scientology documents and
>recently released British government files. It's a big task, simply
>because of the sheer volume of material, but it's already turning up
>some interesting results.
>
>Scientology's claims that it was the target of a psychiatric
>conspiracy is, not unexpectedly, readily disprovable. On the other
>hand, its complaints that the government was secretly briefing the
>press against it turn out to be accurate and justified. Also apparent
>is how British officialdom, right from the start in 1952, regarded
>Hubbard as "a Californian quack of the typical type and of dubious
>character" and Scientology as a "racket", as one civil servant put it.
In 1968 Kenneth Robinson declared Hubbard and visiting Scienos
persona-non-grata and wouldn't allow them entry into the country. A
longterm operation known as "Snow White" eventually reversed the Home
Office ruling.
It seems that once bitten, twice shy, thus my government tends to opt
for a response by stealth.
I think that the UK government could usefully and at little effort
take a leaf out of Canada's book, use the abundant evidence that the
critics have produced which is available on web pages, and use this
evidence to solidly class the cult as no religion but as a business
showing aspects of organised crime.
They need not directly act, just make sure this classification is
made.
> A particular surprise is the high level of political support which
>Scientology appears to have received; Hugh Gaitskell, the leader of
>the Labour Party, in the 1950s, and Margaret Thatcher in the 1960s -
>then an obscure Tory backbencher but later to play a crucial role in
>overturning, in as yet unexplained circumstances, long-standing
>restrictions on Scientologist immigration.
In early 1983 I witnessed a steady stream of VIPs and peers of the
realm being entertained at Saint Hill Manor. Guests also included
foreign diplomats. The stated aim was to present Scientology as
innocuous, and efforts to that end went as far as staging fake
weddings complete with weepy mother-in-law and confetti.
I consider this to be political subversion of individual members of
government.
>A consistent theme
>throughout is how the government acted with considerable delicacy,
>seeking to restrict Scientology's activities effectively with the
>minimum possible level of coercion.
In other words not make a martyr out of them. I think that the
government can nowadays safely class this criminal cult as such, and
back it up with abundant evidence.
If the intelligence agencies monitor my posts (Hiii folks! Remember
me pulling up a fence picket at a CND demonstration in RAF Molesworth
last 1985?) Be advised to monitor how this cult is infiltrating the
justice system and systematically bending judges and other worthies.
No kidding this cult's subversion should be tracked. Ask Jon Atack
for details - he was put to some weird legal shenanigans..
Say What?!
SW