THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT L. RON HUBBARD AND RACISM
coach dan
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Scientology: A Religion in South Africa
David Chidester
University of Cape Town
South Africa
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SCIENTOLOGY IN SOUTH AFRICA
In South Africa, the apartheid government did try to deny the
religious status of the Church of Scientology in the early 1970s. The
government's Commission of Inquiry argued that Scientology should not
be recognized as a "true church" because it allegedly did not
preach the Bible as the Word of God; it did not promote a "sound
doctrine" of sin and redemption; and it did not proclaim Christ as
the only redeemer of humanity. Although this Commission of Inquiry
decided not to recommend banning Scientology, it nevertheless found
that the Church of Scientology lacked the "holiness" that was
necessary for it to count as a church or a religion in South Africa.
Ironically, this official commission refused to recognize the
legitimacy of a religious movement that had offered its support to
South Africa. As the Church of Scientology noted in its reply to the
commission, the church and its founder had been "active in
championing the cause of South Africa." While the Church of
Scientology was in principle a non-political religion, a church open to
people of any political persuasion or commitment, L. Ron Hubbard had
explicitly declared his support for South Africa in its battle against
international communism. "Probably the only nation on earth with the
will to fight subversion," Hubbard had written in 1961, "is South
Africa." Instead of a military solution, however, Hubbard offered the
religious technology of the Church of Scientology. "To turn this
tide," he exhorted, "use E-meters, not guns."
Having toured South Africa at the beginning of the 1960s, L. Ron
Hubbard developed a definite interest in the country and its people. As
the standard reference work for the Church of Scientology observes,
"When Mr. Hubbard visited South Africa in the early 1960s, he
predicted a series of massive social upheavals and a severe rift
between Black and White communities there. To avert disaster, he
advised measures and provided the technology that would enable the
country's large Black population to become literate." Coinciding
with Scientology's legal recognition in 1975, the church created an
affiliate of its Applied Scholastics programme, which was introduced as
"Education Alive," to make its study techniques available in South
Africa. According to the Church of Scientology, "In South Africa,
these programs helped well over 2 million underprivileged black
Africans improve their ability to study, well before the walls of
apartheid came down or the world had even noticed."
Throughout the apartheid era, the church was actively involved in
campaigning against the human rights abuses of separate development,
Bantu education, and the mental health profession. As the church
argued, psychiatry served the interests of apartheid in justifying
racial separation and reinforcing the racist oppression of black South
Africans. The church struggled to identify and expose the inhumane
treatment of black patients in psychiatric hospitals. Although this
campaign brought the church into conflict with the apartheid
government, its concerns about racism in the South African mental
health profession were echoed by the World Health Organisation, which
observed in 1977 that "in no other medical field in South Africa is
the contempt of the person, cultivated by racism, more concisely
portrayed than in psychiatry." The church's opposition to
psychiatry arises from its creed that affirms the religious basis of
mental health and healing. However, in the South African context, this
opposition was directed explicitly against the endemic racism that
seemed to pervade the practice of psychiatry under apartheid.
____________
Coach Dan
SO, Barb Graham, David, et.al. Your lies just don't make it in the
real world. By the way Barb, why do you always end your blabber with
the same mindless quote? You know very well, the only reason
Scientoloty has people sign release forms before they receive any
service is because of cretins like you, who are already psychotic, then
they go for help at a Dianetics or Scientology center, and then sue the
church.
Android Cat
> According to the Church of Scientology, "In South Africa,
> these programs helped well over 2 million underprivileged black
> Africans improve their ability to study, well before the walls of
> apartheid came down or the world had even noticed."
Too bad no one outside of Scientology has ever noticed those 2 million kids.
It's almost like they never existed or something.
Why don't you move on to shore-stories that haven't been debunked yet?
--
Ron of that ilk.
Dave Touretzky
coach dan <coac...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
>
>SO, Barb Graham, David, et.al. Your lies just don't make it in the
>real world. By the way Barb, why do you always end your blabber with
>the same mindless quote? You know very well, the only reason
>Scientoloty has people sign release forms before they receive any
>service is because of cretins like you, who are already psychotic, then
>they go for help at a Dianetics or Scientology center, and then sue the
>church.
Who has sued the church as you describe? Lisa McPherson never sued.
The suit was filed by her estate, after Scientology killed her.
Do you believe that Scientology should never be sued, under any
circumstances, for what it does to its parishioners? What if FLAG
fails to deliver the promised "100% standard tech"?
Or do you think Lisa was handled standardly? Do people being handled
"standardly" often die of dehydration?
-- Dave Touretzky: "And what about the cockroach bites?"
http://LisaClause.org http://PerkinsTragedy.org
Ball of Fluff
"coach dan" <coac...@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:1111337565....@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
<snip>
The account is one that the church wrote up. They can hardly be considered
objective.
> SO, Barb Graham, David, et.al. Your lies just don't make it in the
> real world. By the way Barb, why do you always end your blabber with
> the same mindless quote? You know very well, the only reason
> Scientoloty has people sign release forms before they receive any
> service is because of cretins like you, who are already psychotic, then
> they go for help at a Dianetics or Scientology center, and then sue the
> church.
That is part of the reason. However, you also have to look at the actual
cases, no pun intended.
Some of the people who sued CofS sued it because of unsavory regging
practices where promises were made that could not possibly be delivered, and
also for harassment.
If you really looked at those objectively, you would find that a lot of
policies were broken, civil rights violated,and illegal actions were taken
by CofS.
C
coach dan
coach dan
I can see you picked an appropriate pen name.
Coach Dan
_________
Zinj
coac...@yahoo.ca says...
> Dear Ball of Fluff,
>
> I can see you picked an appropriate pen name.
>
> Coach Dan
Tch Coachie Poo. Fiberglass is 'fluffy' too; and she seems to have
gotten under your skin.
Zinj
--
Scientology is brilliant in not only sneaking in pavlovian conditioning
(along with the hypnotic elements), but also demanding that Polly
provide his *own* cracker! Unique! Brilliant! Efficient! Thank you Ron!
Hartley Patterson
> Scientology: A Religion in South Africa
> David Chidester
An interesting piece in that it tries to explain away some of the
following, compiled by Chris Owen:
----------------
In HCO Executive Letter of 16 August 1966, Hubbard circulated a report from
John McMaster (a white South African who was supposedly the first "clear")
re progress in South Africa. It praised the activities of one Mr. Du
Plessis on behalf of Scientology, referring to alleged interviews by Du
Plessis with Dr. H.F. Verwoerd (then Prime Minister) and also the Admiral
of the South African Navy. It concluded:
"You asked for strong Orgs in South Africa. You will get them and there
will be a friendly reciprocity of flow with the Government."
[HCO Executive Letter, 16 August 1966]
A few years earlier, in November 1960, Hubbard wrote a letter to Verwoerd
praising the implementation of forced resettlement:
"Having viewed slum clearance projects in most major cities of the world
may I state that you have conceived and created in the Johannesburg
townships what is probably the most impressive and adequate resettlement
activity in existence.
Any criticism of it could only be engaged upon by scoundrels or madmen and
I know now your enemies to be both."
[dated 7th November 1960, Jo'burg]
This was not the first time he had expressed his active support for
Verwoerd and the policies of "grand apartheid". Three weeks previously, he
wrote the following to Verwoerd:
"Those who understand are never swayed by vicious writings in the English
press. [The English-language press was frequently anti-apartheid; think of
Donald Woods in "Cry Freedom", for instance.]
To cope with those who could be swayed we work ceaselessly to secure
communication lines to create an image closer to the fact.
We are doing everything we can to change the complexion of the English
language press and in a very few months we hope to have the means of
completely altering this public image.
Peace with strength can yet save, with your undaunted leadership, South
Africa.
Meanwhile we sincerely hope that vileness such as that in last week's
Sunday Times does nothing to dismay your dedication.
I apologise that we were not yet able to prevent such a travesty, but can
promise a better future in such things."
[dated 17th October 1960, Jo'burg]
In other words, the CoS would endeavour to take over or otherwise influence
the press so that it could no longer criticise Verwoerd or his policies.
Hubbard was not the only Scientologist to write to the South African
Government. When it was announced in 1960 that Liberia and Ethiopia were to
take legal action against South Africa to bring the Government to book for
its implementation of apartheid, a Mr. S.J. Parkhouse wrote as follows to
Dr. Verwoerd:
"On bringing to Dr. [sic] Hubbard's attention the fact that Liberia and
Ethiopia intend to institute an action against the Union [of South Africa]
in the World Court Dr. Hubbard suggested that the Union itself would be
well within its rights in bringing suit against any and all countries
seeking to promote internal trouble in the Union through the use of
boycotts etcetera.
Consequent to our discussion Dr. Hubbard prepared a form of suit which
could be used by the Union in the World Court. I enclose a copy for your
perusal.
Apart from the blow that this would strike for the Union on the
International front it would appear that such an action would establish the
World Court as a place where civil matters between Nations could be settled
without warfare and thus would be of service to humanity as a whole.
In closing I would assure you of our continued willing assistance at all
times."
[dated 7th November 1960, Jo'burg]
This makes it clear that the CoS was willing, and attempting, to take an
active role in the South African Government's struggle against the growing
anti-apartheid movement. Of course, the CoS was not the only foreign
organisation to oppose boycotts and sanctions against South Africa - in the
1980s the British government was prominent in its refusal to impose
economic sanctions on South Africa. However, the basis for that stance was
that this would hurt the black population far more than it would help them
- a mistaken opinion, as subsequent events have shown, but an honest one.
As the above letter makes clear, the CoS was opposed to boycotts and
sanctions because it supported the policy of the South African government.
The letter shows that the CoS sought to actively defend apartheid.
The support for the South African Government expressed in the previous
extracts was not simply a matter of supporting the state. Take the
following letter from L. Ron Hubbard:
"I wish to extend my appreciation to South African Scientologists for their
splendid activities and alertness. And I wish to thank the South African
Government for its forbearance and ex-Minister of Health Herzog for his
sense of justice and fair play in his 1968 pro-Scientology decision [not to
appoint a Commission of Enquiry into Scientology] ...
Note, please, that the press in Southern Africa call Dr. Radford and Dr.
Fischer when it wants adverse comments on Scientology. Those two are United
Party members. The United Party supports psychiatry in South Africa.
Therefore, unwittingly the Government is led to pay for opposition and
subversion."
[HCO Information letter, 16th February 1969]
This letter clearly reveals Hubbard's determination to enter the South
African political arena. His support is not only for the Government, it is
for the ruling Nationalist party, which he perceives as being friendly to
Scientology and hostile to psychiatry. It is apparent that he regarded
supporting apartheid as being worthwhile if it meant that Scientology was
helped and psychiatry damaged. At the very least, Hubbard was neutral
towards official South African racism; the balance of evidence (including
the extracts below) show that he was prepared to actively support apartheid
if it meant that the CoS got "wins" in South Africa.
It is also clear that Hubbard wished to have Scientology adopted as an
official tool against the anti-apartheid movement. What, for instance, is
the purpose of Hubbard's assertion made at this time that during auditing
"In South Africa, a Bantu's withholds read not on the needle alone but on
the Tone Arm as well"
[L. Ron Hubbard, "E-Meter Essentials", page 23]
if it is not an attempt to emphasize and validate the supposed fundamental
racial differences which underlay apartheid? I have not come across any
references in Scientology literature regarding racial differences
encountered anywhere other than in South Africa during auditing. And why
the reference to "in South Africa" in particular? Are black South Africans
physically different from other black Africans?
A little further on, one comes to the rather incredible claim that
"In South Africa terrorism and its attendant dangers can be fought more
effectively by E-Meters than by guns, since only Scientologists with meters
could detect subversives."
[L. Ron Hubbard, "E-Meters Replace Guns", HCO information letter, 16 Oct
1968]
--
"I just might be the angel at your door"
A medieval spreadsheet and enturbulating entheta.
http://www.newsfrombree.co.uk
Hartley Patterson
> Throughout the apartheid era, the church was actively involved in
> campaigning against the human rights abuses of separate development,
> Bantu education, and the mental health profession.
The CoS was indeed claiming to be campaigning on issues in South Africa:
In 1988, Rena Weinberg reported in IMPACT magazine (issue 16) on the
wonderful things Church of Scientology "tech" had accomplished in South
Africa:
"On June 16th 1976, riots erupted in the black townships in South Africa.
Violence, unrest and enturbulation affected the whole country, majorly in
black areas and the worst area was Soweto near Johannesburg which houses 3
million people. Every year, on June 16, the people who are sowing
suppression and revolution get the majority of the township populations to
commemorate the anniversary of the 1976 riots. Every year, since 1976,
there have been major riots and unbridled violence during June.
"With the help of a second Association grant we were able to implement a
campaign that completely destimulated the Soweto Riots Anniversary scene.
There were literally no incidents of violence and very little enturbulation
in the country over that period of time."
"This was done by the distribution of a quarter of a million 'The Way To
Happiness' booklets, a quarter of a million fliers introducing the
Happiness Club and a half a million information fliers picturing LRH with
his Zulu name (URONI), to a third of the homes in the area. (LRH was made
an honorary member of the Zulu tribe by their Chief - he has been assigned
the Zulu name meaning 'Great Teacher').
"Thus the Association grant really prevented major civil unrest and
introduced LRH and his technology to more than one million people. The
response from the promotion was excellent. Tens of thousands of people are
interested in joining the Happiness Club and membership fees have started
coming in."
more at
http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/kay/soweto.htm
Oh, forgot to say Chris Owen's Essay on Scientology and apartheid is at
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/essays/owen_apartheid.html
Keshet
in <1111337565....@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>, coach dan wrote:
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Scientology: A Religion in South Africa
> David Chidester
>
>
> University of Cape Town
>
> South Africa
L. Ron Hubbard and racism, in his own words:
<http://solitarytrees.net/racism/deny.htm>
Chris Owen's essays about L. Ron Hubbard in South Africa:
Africa, Clear Continent
How the Church of Scientology has tried to "win" South Africa
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/clearcon.htm>
Making Things Go Right?
Scientology's involvement in South African social affairs
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/goright.htm>
By Their Deeds Shall You Know Them
The motives of South African Scientology
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/deeds.htm>
Scientology's Fight /for/ Apartheid
The secret history of racism in Scientology
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/aparth.htm>
Proof of Scientology's Racism in South Africa
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/proof.htm>
South Africa: Scientology's Armageddon Bolthole
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/bolthole.htm>
Scientology's Dirty Past in South Africa
<http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/dirty.htm>
> Having toured South Africa at the beginning of the 1960s, L. Ron
> Hubbard developed a definite interest in the country and its people. As
> the standard reference work for the Church of Scientology observes,
> "When Mr. Hubbard visited South Africa in the early 1960s, he
> predicted a series of massive social upheavals and a severe rift
> between Black and White communities there. To avert disaster, he
> advised measures and provided the technology that would enable the
> country's large Black population to become literate." Coinciding
> with Scientology's legal recognition in 1975, the church created an
> affiliate of its Applied Scholastics programme, which was introduced as
> "Education Alive," to make its study techniques available in South
> Africa. According to the Church of Scientology, "In South Africa,
> these programs helped well over 2 million underprivileged black
> Africans improve their ability to study, well before the walls of
> apartheid came down or the world had even noticed."
<snip>
One of many Scientology's Big Lies: this assertion was debunked years
ago.
<http://solitarytrees.net/racism/intro.htm>
<http://solitarytrees.net/racism/confirm.htm>
<http://solitarytrees.net/racism/twomill.htm>
> Throughout the apartheid era, the church was actively involved in
> campaigning against the human rights abuses of separate development,
> Bantu education,
"Bantu education"? "Bantu" was a term used pejoratively by the
apartheid government to describe all black South Africans, regardless
of cultural identity. Bantu is not an ethnic identification but a
linguistic classification. To illustrate: the ethnic groups Xhosa
(Nelson Mandela, e.g.,) and Zulu (Mangosuthu Buthelezi, e.g.) are both
Bantu-speaking peoples with distinctly different cultural histories.
Over 100 million people in central, east, and southern Africa speak a
Bantu language.
>and the mental health profession. As the church
> argued, psychiatry served the interests of apartheid in justifying
> racial separation and reinforcing the racist oppression of black South
> Africans. The church struggled to identify and expose the inhumane
> treatment of black patients in psychiatric hospitals. Although this
> campaign brought the church into conflict with the apartheid
> government, its concerns about racism in the South African mental
> health profession were echoed by the World Health Organisation, which
> observed in 1977 that "in no other medical field in South Africa is
> the contempt of the person, cultivated by racism, more concisely
> portrayed than in psychiatry." The church's opposition to
> psychiatry arises from its creed that affirms the religious basis of
> mental health and healing. However, in the South African context, this
> opposition was directed explicitly against the endemic racism that
> seemed to pervade the practice of psychiatry under apartheid.
I left this part in because it is probably the only Scientology
claim regarding South Africa that is at least partially true. It is
my opinion, though, that the Church was not opposing *racism* but
psychiatry. It is convenient now to claim their anti-psychiatry
activities were really anti-apartheid. However, Hubbard did not seem
to consider apartheid particularly troubling. In fact, he said:
"It is considered in England and the United States that the
Government of South Africa is altogether too harsh with its native
peoples. It is sadly humorous to notice that the native in South
Africa, however, holds an exactly reverse opinion and the fault he
finds with the South African Government is that it is far too
lenient in its administration of laws throughout the native
populace." (PAB No. 96, "Justice", 15 September 1956)
"The problem of South Africa is different than the world thinks.
There is no native problem. The native worker gets more than white
workers do in England! ... The South African government is not a
police state. It's easier on people than the United States
government!" (HCOB 10 October 1960)
"Having viewed slum clearance projects in most major cities of
the world may I state that you have conceived and created in the
Johannesburg townships what is probably the most impressive and
adequate resettlement activity in existence." (Letter to South
African Apartheid Government, 7 November 1960, Johannesburg)
> ____________
>
> Coach Dan
>
> SO, Barb Graham, David, et.al. Your lies just don't make it in the
> real world.
<snip>
The Church engages in corporate, institutional lying. Frequent and
fluent lying. Why? To Keep Scientology Working. To gain favourable
public opinion. To legitimize and validate itself. To prove the
superiority of its "technology". To clear the planet and rule the
world according to Scientology principles (except for those who will
not accept such rule and will then be "dispose[d] of...quietly and
without sorrow").
Keshet
--
Keshet(at)despammed.com * http://thingy.apana.org.au/~fun/scn/racism/
Where prejudice exists it always discolors our thoughts. -Mark Twain