Atack General report on scientology 2

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FACTNET REPORT

General Report on Scientology

By Jon Atack
(Part two of four parts)


The Hypnotic Nature of Scientology

35. An analysis of Hubbard's early publications on Dianetics
makes it clear that he had practised hypnosis since his teens. He
claimed vast experience as a hypnotist. Dianetics was a fusion of
Freudian technique and "light trance" hypnosis. Hubbard also made
it clear that aspects of his original Dianetic technique are
hypnotic. Although these practices were briefly suspended in the
1950s, they have been back in full use for more than a decade in
all of Scientology's many organizations. For example, in a 1950
lecture, Hubbard withdrew the system of counting people into a
state of "reverie" prior to a Dianetic session, "Sometimes people
go into a hypnotic trance by accident with this count system"
(JCA-76). In his 1951 book Science of Survival Hubbard said "When
an auditor finds his pre-clear unusually suggestive [sic], he
should be very careful what he says to the pre-clear. He may
notice that a pre-clear after he closes his eyes will begin to
flutter his eyelids. This is a symptom of the very lightest level
of hypnotic trance." (JCA-77) However, in the current "Book One"
Dianetic procedure, the auditor is to "Count slowly and
soothingly from 1 to 7" until "the preclear's eyes close and you
notice his eyelids flicker" JCA-78).


36. Hubbard said that Dianetics can be used to "play on another
individual like a good organist plays on a Wurlitzer ... Knowing
by observation, the push buttons of another person - or, as in
Political Dianetics, a society - the organist can play whatever
piece he likes at will." (JCA-79)

37. Recipients of Dianetic "processing" will tend to invent
"memories" (for example, believing that they are reliving birth
and conception or "past lives" in extra-terrestrial societies),
so causing False Memory Syndrome. The techniques of Scientology
exploit this collapse of distinction between memory and
imagination to induce euphoria and dependency. In "Training
Routine Zero", a fundamental practice of Scientology,
individuals are expected to spend "some hours" sitting immobile
and staring at another similarly immobile scientologist
(JCA-80). This leads to a hypnotic state in which the
Scientologist hallucinates and experiences spatial distortion.
In the Scientology "process" "Opening Procedure by Duplication",
the Scientology "auditor" commands the recipient to walk between
two tables, picking up the book on one and the bottle on the
other and guessing their weight and temperature. This procedure
is received in two hour sessions, and as many as 18 sessions can
be administered over a few days. The procedure leads to spatial
dissociation, which the Scientologist is told indicates that he
has left his human body although all of his perceptions are
still channelled through it (JCA-81).


The Sea Organization

38. The Sea Organization, or Sea Org, was created by Hubbard in
August 1967. According to promotional literature, "The Sea Org
is the only guarantee of the survival of Scientology technology
on this planet. Without the survival of Scientology technology,
there is no hope for the survival of Man." (JCA-82).

39. Speaking of Sea Org members, Hubbard said "the whole value
of a being is to his group and not to himself at all..."
(JCA-83).

40. Hubbard asserted that the Sea Org is "fabian", and redefined
that word to mean "using stratagem and delay to wear out an
opponent" (JCA-84). Hubbard wanted the Sea Org to be seen as "a
determined but elusive and sometimes frightening group". He also
asserted that the Sea Org has "tough discipline", and that "Only
those members who are not used heavily aboard [ship] or on
mission seem to go slack." (JCA-85).

41. The Sea Org is a paramilitary organization, in which members
wear pseudo-naval uniform and hold pseudo-naval ranks (JCA-86).
Members also wear the equivalent of campaign ribbons (JCA-87).
Scientology teaches reincarnation, and Sea Org members sign a
contract for a billion years (JCA-88). Elsewhere this is styled
"a pledge of eternal service". This text adds: "New Sea Org
members undergo rigorous basic training ... Sea Org members,
having devoted their lives to their religion, work long hours
for little pay and live a communal existence" (JCA-89). The
recruit gives away certain rights by signing the Sea Org
contract: "I ... fully and without reservation, subscribe to
the discipline, mores and conditions of this group and pledge to
abide by them" (JCA-88). The Sea Org member is also expected to
abide by the "Code of a Sea Org Member": "1. I promise to
uphold, forward and carry out Command Intention ... 5. I
promise to uphold the fact that duty is the Sea Org Member's
true motivation, which is the highest motivation there is ...
11. I promise to accept and fulfill to the utmost of my ability
the responsibilities entrusted to me whatever they may be and
wherever they may carry me in the line of duty ... 17. I
promise through my actions to increase the power of the Sea Org
and decrease the power of any enemy." (JCA-90).


"Ethics"

42. In the mid-1960s, Hubbard began to experiment on his
followers with "ethics penalties" - the use of humiliating and
degrading practices to enforce unthinking compliance with his
orders. In the "Policy Letter", "Awards and Penalties", Hubbard
outlined "penalties" that staff members must suffer, prefacing
his comments with this statement "Does not apply to Sea Org
which has its own, much worse." Under "Non-existence", Hubbard
wrote: "Must wear old clothes. May not bathe. Women must not
wear make-up or have hair-do's. Men may not shave. No lunch hour
is given and such persons are expected not to leave the
premises." (JCA-91). In the "Penalties for Lower Conditions",
Hubbard ordered that staff in a certain "ethics condition" should
be subjected to "day and night confinement to org premises."
(JCA-92). This was reiterated in a subsequent "Policy Letter"
(JCA-93). Speaking of his "ethics penalties", Hubbard asserted
"one ex-Naval person, reading them realized suddenly, 'you could
kill a man with the penalties of non-existence, by work and no
sleep.'" (JCA-94).

43. In 1968, Hubbard introduced the practice of "overboarding".
A photograph of this practice was published in Scientology's
magazine "The Auditor", issue 41, with the caption: "Students
are thrown overboard for gross out tech and bequeathed to the
deep!" (JCA-95). Overboarding was used as a punishment for
failure to comply exactly with Hubbard's orders. At about the
same time, the tank punishment - where individuals were put into
the bilge tanks and kept awake for 84 hours - and the
chainlocker punishment - where individuals were put in the dark,
cramped, waterlogged, rat-infested and filthy chainlocker.
Witnesses have said that even children were put in the
chainlocker at Hubbard's order.

The Rehabilitation Project Force

44. In 1973, Hubbard introduced the "Rehabilitation Project
Force" ("RPF") (JCA-96). Disobedient Sea Org members have been
assigned to the RPF from that time. The RPF replaced the
"Rehabilitation Unit" (JCA-96) of which Hubbard said "The unit
is worked hard during the day on a rigorous schedule...". This
unit had replaced the "Mud Box Brigade" - "persons appointed to
clean mud boxes, fuel lines, water lines, bilges, etc."
(JCA-97). Few of the internal memoranda which apply to the RPF
are publicly available. All are relevant to litigation, as they
show the true character of Scientology and the inhuman pressures
brought to bear upon Sea Org members. The designations for RPF
material are "Executive Directive 965 Flag 'RPF Reinstated'" and
all additions and "Flag Order 3434" and all additions (there are
at least 56 memoranda in this series, numbered FO 3434-1 to FO
3434-56).

45. The RPF is virtually a labour and thought reform camp. Members
are forbidden communication with any but their "bosun" (the head
of the RPF); they have to comply immediately with any order;
they sleep even shorter hours than other staff; they eat even
poorer food than other staff (often rice, beans and porridge for
weeks. For some time in Florida, "RPFers" were fed left-over
food) (JCA-98); they sleep in "pig's berthing", i.e. without
beds (JCA-99, JCA-100); they do hard labour and menial tasks,
including toilet and sewer cleaning; they are rarely permitted
time off; they receive one quarter of the already derisory pay
of other staff (JCA-101); and they have to write down detailed
"confessions", which may be published by the organization
(JCA-102, JCA-103). Finally, an RPF sentence is open-ended and
may last for as much as four years. Failure to comply leads to
posting to the "RPFers RPF", which according to witnesses has
consisted of false imprisonment. False imprisonment or
"isolation" is a part of the "technology" of Scientology
(JCA-104, JCA-105). There are hundreds of former members who
suffered the RPF.

Isolation Watches

46. While aboard ship during the early 1970s, Hubbard introduced
"isolation watches" where an individual is forcibly confined
after a "psychotic break" (a mental breakdown, usually caused by
Scientology's hypnotic procedures). Such people can be held for
weeks under 24-hour guard (JCA-104, JCA-105). The procedure is
referred to as "babywatching" or "babysitting" in Scientology.
In 1994, The Independent newspaper in Britain published an
account of "babywatching" (JCA-106). HCO Ethics Order 2543 of 28
September 1993, concerning Heidi Degro, makes it clear that the
practice is still in use (JCA-105). Indeed, the practice forms a
part of Scientology's incontrovertible "scripture" (JCA-104).


The Erosion of Critical Thinking

47. I have spent over ten years interviewing and counselling
former Scientologists, and have come to the firm conclusion that
Dianetics and Scientology tend to erode independent decision
making and critical thinking. Hubbard claimed that his
techniques were the only valid approach to mental and spiritual
well-being. He derided all psychotherapeutic practices
(JCA-107). Hubbard asserted with regard to psychology and
psychiatry that "the instigators, patrons and supporters of
these two subjects classify fully and demonstrably as
criminals." (JCA-108). Although Scientology claims to be "open
to people of all religions" (JCA-109), Hubbard asserted that
heaven has been deserted for at least 43 trillion years
(JCA-110), and that Christ is simply a fabrication (JCA-111).

48. The techniques of Dianetics and Scientology induce
uncritical euphoria and heighten suggestibility. Scientologists
are forbidden criticism of Hubbard, his organizations, his
techniques, and of other Scientologists except in written
reports to those organizations (JCA-112, JCA-113). Such "ethics
reports" are encouraged. To even attempt to discuss the
processing techniques is termed "verbal tech[nology]" and
forbidden (JCA-114). Offenders are subjected to a "Committee of
Evidence", a Scientology tribunal, for the commission of a
"Suppressive Act" or "High Crime". Such "High Crimes" are
considered the equivalent of murder (JCA-115).

49. During the first stages of involvement, a new recruit is often
flattered as an exceptional individual (JCA-52) and encouraged
by false claims of physical cure (e.g., JCA-21, JCA-23 to
JCA-30) and psychic abilities (e.g., JCA-69, JCA-70) made in
Hubbard's works and by euphoric Scientologists.

50. Scientologists are bombarded with promotional literature,
magazines such as Impact, Source, Advance!, The Auditor,
Communication, Certainty, Freedom, Freewinds, Good News,
Inroads, Celebrity, International Scientology News and Keeping
Scientology Working News. These all point to the supposedly
positive and beneficial effects of Dianetics and Scientology,
but avoid any mention of court decisions, medical reports,
government enquiries or media pieces critical of these
practices.

51. In its publications, Scientology incites hatred for anyone
critical of its ideas and techniques. For example, in "Ron's
Journal 34", which has frequently been reprinted, Hubbard said:

"Time and again since 1950, the vested interests which pretend
to run the world (for their own appetites and profit) have
mounted full-scale attacks. With a running dog press and slavish
government agencies the forces of evil have launched their lies
and sought, by whatever means, to check and destroy Scientology.
What is being decided in this arena is whether mankind has a
chance to go free or be smashed and tortured as an abject
subject of the power elite ... a review of these battles over
the past thirty-two years moves one to contemptuous laughter.
The enemy, perched in their trees or swinging by their tails,
have been about as effective as one of their psychologist's
monkeys peeling a policeman's club thinking it is a banana and
then throwing it only to hit the chief ape in the face ... The
AMA, pouring lies into the press through gnashing teeth
persevered for years - and then went bankrupt. The psychiatrist,
riding high in 1959, hoping to place one of his ilk in a
blackmail position behind every head of state, hoping to consign
any citizen at his whim to a psychiatric Siberia, trying to
preserve his right to kill and maim as a profession above the
law, is today a butt of comic strips. And what of the FDA that,
for fifteen years snarled and snapped at the E-Meter? One hardly
hears of them today. And what of the mighty Interpol, that tool
of the CIA? It was found to be a nest of war criminals hiding
out from the law itself ... You do not hear much about this from
the running dog press because, of course, they were the tool of
the enemy in the first place. They lose because they traffic in
lies ... They are mad monkeys ... just remember a maxim: if the
papers say it, it isn't true." (JCA-116).

52. Scientologists are discouraged from reading anything hostile
to Scientology ("entheta") (JCA-117), and ordered not to
communicate in any way with anyone critical of its teachings
(JCA-2). This is quite obviously a form of mental imprisonment
or psychological slavery.

53. Scientology advertising is based upon the principles of
motivational research, and seeks to recruit people by bypassing
their reasoning. This policy was clearly stated by Hubbard
(JCA-54). In 1988, the Church of Scientology hired leading
Public Relations firm Hill and Knowlton to make its advertising
more effective (JCA-118).

Processing

54. Hubbard termed the hypnotic counselling procedures of
Dianetics and Scientology "auditing" or "processing".
Scientologists undertake some 27 "levels" consisting of hundreds
of different processing procedures. Scientology practitioners
are rarely, if ever, trained in psychology or psychotherapy.

55. Most processing is done with the subject, or "preclear",
connected to a psychogalvanometer, described by Hubbard as a
"'lie detector' as used by police and in psychology
laboratories" (JCA-119). The subject is connected to the
galvanometer by two hand held soup cans, which function as
electrodes. The galvanometer measures variations in a small
electric current passed through the subject. Where an individual
is unwilling to be interrogated on the E-meter, the following
practice forms a part of the "scriptures" of Scientology: "When
the subject placed on a meter will not talk but can be made to
hold the cans (or can be held while the cans are strapped to the
soles or placed under the armpit, I am sorry if that sounds
brutal, it isn't [sic]), it is still possible to obtain full
information from the subject." (JCA-120).

56. During the course of auditing the individual is frequently
asked to disclose guilty secrets or "withholds". The auditor
writes these confessions down. According to the Bulletin
"Miscellaneous Reports": "When an Auditor finds an Ethics
Situation [in session reports] he should mark it and circle it
in red after the session. The pc [preclear - subject] is not
necessarily turned in ... but the Auditor should make mention of
it ... If it is a serious situation that affects others, then it
is the Auditor's responsibility to report it." (JCA-121). A copy
of the report is sent to a Scientology Ethics department.

57. Scientologists are periodically subjected to confessional
interrogations, where printed lists, sometimes numbering
hundreds of questions, are asked (JCA-122). Scientologists pay
#200 per hour for these "confessionals" (JCA-32). Confessional
lists are checked with the subject connected to the "E-meter"
(JCA-103). Such interrogations are now generally styled
"confessionals", "integrity processing" and "eligibility
confessionals" but were originally styled "security checks" or
"sec checks". In the early '60s LRH [Hubbard] developed the
technology known as Sec Checking. As issued it was used for two
purposes: as a general tool to clean up a pc's overts and
withholds and as a security tool to detect out-ethics persons
and security risks." (JCA-123). In "The Only Valid Security
Check", details are requested concerning potential past
misdeeds, including: shoplifting, theft, forgery, blackmail,
smuggling, drunkenness, burglary, embezzlement, cannibalism,
drug addiction, sexual practices and counterfeiting. There are
also 21 questions relating to Hubbard, his wife and Scientology
(JCA-122). A Scientology "Bulletin" says "The specific details
of each misdeed must be gotten." (JCA-124).

58. In the "Hubbard Communications Manual of Justice", Hubbard
said "Intelligence is mostly the collection of data on people
... It is basically a listening and filing action. It is done
all the time about everything and everybody." (JCA-125).
Hubbard also said "The main danger of Integrity Processing is
not probing a person's past but failing to do so thoroughly.
When you leave an Integrity Processing question 'live' and go
on to the next one, you set up a nasty situation" (JCA-126);
"Take up each reading question [i.e., each question which
causes a reaction on the 'E-meter'], getting the what, when,
where, all of every overt [transgression] ... Get specifics
... For security investigation purposes, get all the exact
names, dates, addresses, phone numbers, and any other
information that might be helpful..." (JCA-103).

59. Scientologists can also be subjected to "HCO Confessionals",
where they are told that the information they give will not
remain confidential: "The second use of Integrity Processing is
as an ethics or security measure ... [it] can be done as a
straight security action." (JCA-123). The same sets of questions
are used in both forms of confessional: "The term 'I am not
auditing you' only occurs when a Confessional is done for
justice reasons. Otherwise the procedure is the same (By
'justice reasons' is meant when a person is refusing to come
clean [sic]...) ... A Confessional done for justice reasons is
not auditing and the data uncovered is not withheld from the
proper authorities." (JCA-103).

60. In Church of Scientology of California v. Armstrong, Mary Sue
Hubbard, former "Controller" of Scientology, admitted that she
had issued Guardian's Order 161269 which orders that "processing
files" - the written records of confessionals - are to be
reviewed so that discreditable material in them can be used
against former members (JCA-127). This despite many
representations that such confessional files are confidential.
In July 1977, the FBI seized many examples of such "folder
culls". Former senior Scientology executives testified in the
Armstrong case that folder culling was a common practice in
Scientology (Laurel Sullivan, Nancy Dincalci, Kima Douglas - all
of whom had worked with Hubbard, and Edward Walters, a former
Guardian's Office intelligence operative) (JCA-128, JCA-129,
JCA-130, JCA-131).

61. Any critisicm of Hubbard or Scientology is attributed to the
critic's guilt and fear of being found out. Hubbard asserted:
"Now, get this as a technical fact, not just a hopeful idea.
Every time we have investigated the background of a critic of
Scientology, we have found crimes for which that person or group
could be imprisoned under existing law. We do not find critics
of Scientology who do not have criminal pasts. Over and over we
prove this." (JCA-73).

62. Should a Scientology student question any of the tenets of
Scientology, he is required to look up definitions of words in
the text: "The student says he does not understand something.
The Supervisor has him look earlier in the text for a
misunderstood word." (JCA-132); "Whenever a person has a
confused idea of something or believes there is some conflict of
ideas IT IS ALWAYS TRUE THAT A MISUNDERSTOOD WORD EXISTS AT THE
BOTTOM OF THAT CONFUSION." (Emphasis in original, JCA-133).


No-one who disagrees with Hubbard can continue in Scientology.
All practices have to be adhered to absolutely. To do otherwise
is regarded as a violation of "standard technology". In this
way, even factual errors in Hubbard's work remain unchanged. For
example, the phrase "The 14th century psychiatrist" used in the
"Policy Letter" "Sanity" (JCA-134). A "course supervisor" at the
Birmingham Scientology organization spent almost 30 minutes
trying to persuade me that this was not a typographical error
for "19th".

63. Hubbard's "Policy letter" "Suppressive Acts...",
(JCA-115), lists over 100 actions considered "High Crimes" or
"Suppressive Acts" by Scientology. The list begins with "murder",
making it clear how severely Scientology views the other listed
actions. These include: "Public statements against Scientology";
"Testifying hostilely before state or public inquiries";
"Continued membership in a divergent group"; "Continued adherence
to a person or group pronounced a suppressive person or group";
"Delivering up the person of a Scientologist without justifiable
defense or lawful protest to the demands of civil or criminal
law"; "Permitting students to talk to each other...during course
hours"; "to publicly depart Sceintology". For committing any of
these "high crimes", a Scientologist can be expelled and
"declared Suppressive" and his Scientologist friends forbidden
further communication with him (JCA-2).

64. In training, Scientologists are subjected to an elaborate
system of "checkouts" to ensure that they have exactly
"duplicated" Hubbard's teachings. These include "high crime
checkouts" (JCA 135). The purpose of such "checkouts" is to bring
about absolute agreement with Hubbard. Should a student fail to
agree with Hubbard, he will be sent first to the "Cramming"
section of the organization and then, if that fails, to the
"Ethics" section. No student is permitted to continue with a
course beyond a disagreement, and students who disagree are
separated from other students. Continued disagreement leads to
expulsion from Scientology.

65. HCO Policy Letter "Policies on Physical Healing..." explains
categories of people forbidden involvement with Scientology: "a.
Persons intimately connected with persons... of known antagonism
to .... Scientology"; "Persons who want to be processed to see if
Scientology works' .. News reporters fall into this category.";
"Persons who `have an open mind' " (JCA-136).

66. Scientologists are forbidden medical assistance without
consent from Scientology (JCA-137). All psychotherapies and
meditational practices are forbidden (JCA-138).

67. Any Scientology "Clear" can be questioned to determine
which of Hubbard's claimed criteria they have obtained - for
example, freedom from the common cold, a near perfect memory and
the ability to do a calculation in ten or fifteen seconds that
would take a "normal" person 30 minutes. The claims for
"Operating Thetan levels", which come after "Clear". are stranger
yet. Scientology "Operating Thetans" should be asked about their
ability to leave their bodies and remotely perceive events.
Demonstrations should be sought. Having failed to meet Hubbard's
criteria, the individual will still show absolute loyalty to
Hubbard.

(End of part two of four parts)

---Annoy a fool, ask him to back up his beliefs with facts---
"An enemy may be deprived of property, lied to, tricked, sued
or destroyed by any means" L Ron Hubbard--Fair Game Policy,
"If guns are outlawed, how can we shoot liberals?"
Mississippi State Senator Mike Gunn running for Congress