Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review
Volume 3, Issue 30
11/01/98
by Rod Keller
rkeller@voicenet.com
copyright 1998
Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review summarizes the most significant postings from the Usenet group Alt.religion.scientology for the preceding week for the benefit of those who can't follow the group as closely as they'd like. Out of thousands of postings, I attempt to include news of significant events, new affidavits, court rulings, new contributors, whatever. I hope you find it useful. Like many readers of a.r.s, I have a kill file. So please take into consideration that I may not have seen some of the most significant postings.
The articles in A.r.s Week in Review are brief summaries of articles posted to the newsgroup. They include message IDs for the original articles, and many have a URL to get more information. You may be able to find the original article, depending on how long your site stores articles in the newsgroup before expiring them.
Free A.r.s Week in Review subscriptions are available, just email me at
#####
Clearwater
The St. Petersburg Times reported this week that Scientology has submitted
a plan for the Super Power Building to the city of Clearwater.
"The Church of Scientology is signaling that its plan for a major expansion in downtown is closer to reality. Church officials said Thursday that they will have a Nov. 21 groundbreaking. They also have taken the significant step of filing a site plan with the city, which lays out the project's scope and officially sets it in motion."
Message-ID: <363bae47.1345946@news.newsguy.com>
#####
Tom Cruise
The BBC reported that Tom Cruise has settled with a magazine over claims
of sexual dysfunction and homosexuality, which have been covered up by
Scientology.
"Cruise, 36, who was present in court, had sued over an article in the Express on Sunday Magazine which also alleged that the actor, who together with his wife has adopted two children, was impotent and sterile. In summary, it alleged that their marriage was a hypocritical sham, entered into as a mere business arrangement or on the orders of the Church of Scientology or as a cover-up for the homosexuality of one or both of them and that Tom Cruise was impotent and sterile and that his public denial of this was untrue."
Message-ID: <363878f2.17702364@news.intra.bt.com>
#####
Jesse Prince
FACTNet released transcripts of interviews conducted with Jesse Prince on
his experiences in Scientology.
"Jesse was a Scientologist from 1976 to 1992 and served in the highest ranks in Scientology's powerful Religious Technology Center (RTC), even serving on its Board of Directors."
Some excerpts:
"What I was hearing days prior to Charles actually getting beat up, and then days after, was, this like something between David Miscavige, Marty Rathbun and Gene Ingram. Because I was at ASI on other matters, I would hear some of this stuff. But Dave Miscavige made it very clear that this was on a need to know basis, what Gene Ingram and Marty were doing in relation to Charles O'Rielly going to this club that he liked to go to. Days prior to it they were talking, 'yeah, he really runs his mouth somebody's going to beat him up. He's really loud and boisterous, he's such an asshole and we had so and so in there and so and so.' 'Charlie got beat up, oh man it was so funny, if you could have seen see his face,' Marty's telling this to me and Vicky, Dave Miscavige was there, Norman Starkey was there. They were just hooting and hollering and thinking this was the greatest thing that happened since sliced bread. Gene Ingram was there and he wouldn't speak when I was there, but Marty would kind of come and tell the story."
"Twelve hours a day. They'd go around in a circle. Punishment, extreme punishment. There was a helper that came out and just got them to keep going around the pole. I know David Miscavige, when he came to David Mayo, when he put him on the running program, his punishment was that he had to run until you could just see his head going around the circle. In other words, until he'd run a rut into the sand."
Message-ID: <01be0379$1a8061e0$9f395da6@deb>
Message-ID: <715bp1$t0a@edrn.newsguy.com>
Message-ID: <716b7e$o3k@edrn.newsguy.com>
#####
Ursula Caberta
Graham Berry posted a description of an encounter between Ursula Caberta
of the German government and Kendrick Moxon, attorney for Scientology.
"I took Ursula Caberta down a floor to where Scientology lawyer Moxon and OSA employee were inspecting documents. I shook Moxon's hand. He then wiped his hands saying 'can't be too careful'. To Ursula he said, 'You didn't bring her down here just to show her boxes. Where is your uniform? She said it is casual day and uniforms are for the Sea Organization. Moxon then said 'I mean your Nazi uniform'. He then snapped to attention and gave her the Nazi salute repeatedly! 'Sieg heil'. When he did not cease his strutting, heel clicking and offensive saluting we left. Later, Ursula told the press that he could have been prosecuted for criminal conduct had he done this in Germany."
Message-ID: <19981030204455.07181.00001123@ng-cr1.aol.com>
#####
Picket/Revenge Picket Summary
Tom McCaskey reported a leafleting at the Fort Harrison Hotel in
Clearwater.
About one hour, from 10-ish to 11-ish. Dobe and I were equipped with flyers, tape recorders (rolling the whole time) and disposable still cameras. Dobe and I strolled up and down the sidewalk right across the street from the Fort Harrison for about an hour with *very* little traffic. I made it a practice to smile and greet passers-by with a cheery 'good morning,' but few of them even bothered to look at me. A sort of upstat, Yuppie-looking type. When Dobe offered him some literature, he loudly said 'WHAT?' and gave Dobe an OT 40 glare. Dobe said 'we just want you to know about some of the things they do,' and the guy stalked away without another word.
"As soon as we approached the Fort Harrison, we noticed sunglasses-wearing types eying us and talking into radios/cell phones. The whole hour we were there, we noticed Clam Security watching us, but they never approached us. I smiled and waved occasionally, especially when I saw Scns looking at me. I noticed someone videotaping us from the south end of the block. At first, we couldn't tell who it was, so I smiled, waved and approached them. It turned out to be a Clearwater police officer, so we introduced ourselves and told him we'd be gone in another half-hour or so."
Tom also reported Scientology's revenge for the leaflets.
"I have a wonderful female roommate, who is like a kid sister to me. I have learned that she had to deal with repeated harassing phone calls and knocks on the door overnight last night, and that she discovered that her car had been plastered 'with at least a dozen eggs' when she left for work this morning. My roommate is now the *newest* SP to join our ranks."
Keith Henson reported two pickets in San Jose this week.
"Two of us, 5:50 to 6:30. 24 cars in the lot when we got there, number grew by perhaps ten over the time we were there. What with the time of year and daylight saving time going away, it was nearly dark when we Darlene came out and took my most recent handouts, clkates's affidavit and the story from Jesse Prince about Miscavige ripping Mary Sue Hubbard off for $400 million. With the lights on inside and it being dark outside, it was obvious what a stir we were causing inside."
"2:30-2:45 26 cars in the lot. Saw the body router John M leaving, but he vanished entirely (and would not even look at me). Little else going on."
Bruce Pettycrew reported a Halloween picket in Mesa, Arizona.
"Xenu paid a Halloween visit to the Mesa Culthouse today. Big Gray picketed from 10-11 AM, accompanied by Jeff Jacobsen and KP. Xenu wore front and back signs that said: UFO CULT. The passing traffic was bemused, delighted, etc."
Message-ID: <3633b73e.28325055@news.mindspring.com>
Message-ID: <36374f1f.147660381@news.mindspring.com>
Message-ID: <hkhensonF1LInq.Eut@netcom.com>
Message-ID: <hkhensonF1o4n0.Jpo@netcom.com>
Message-ID: <71fo98$coq$1@nnrp02.primenet.com>
#####
U.K. TV
U.K. Channel 4 TV broadcast a program which featured interviews with
Scientologists this week.
"The participants were all apparently long standing 'public' CoS members. One, a doctor, had known Ron in his seagoing days, two were second generation. All were articulate and enthusiastic. There were occasional lapses into scienobabble, but I don't think a casual viewer would have been too confused. The moderator generally left them to it, only introducing another topic when they ran out of steam. Several 'big win' stories were told, and two women gave Testimonials of how they had been saved from descent into a life of drugs and debauchery by Scientology.
"Surprisingly the first topic was Assists, one of the less easily understood practises. The reactive mind and 'Clear' were covered, but the moderator's attempt to draw them into talking about past lives was rebuffed, and what lay beyond Clear was glossed over. The poor PR image of Scientology was put down by the GP to organised attacks by the psychs and drug companies."
Message-ID: <363A1CB1.3C42@vossnet.co.uk>