Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review Volume 0, Issue 41 02/04/96 by Rod Keller [rkeller@voicenet.com] copyright 1996
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 the articles. Many include an excerpt, and all include message IDs for the articles I cover. This may or may not be useful to you, 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 rkeller@voicenet.com It is archived at:
An update on the events in Petaluma, CA, where the cult front group Citizen Commission on Human Rights has been mailing anti-Psychiatry literature to the public school faculty.
"My source tells me that it was bad timing on the Scientologists part, mailing that out, because at the same time, they were to cosponsor a conference organized by folks that are focused on finding methods for helping education. The conference was held on Friday and Saturday, the 26th & 27th of January, in Santa Rosa. Originally, it was to be cosponsored. However, the Concerned Woman for America group withdrew sponsorship when it learned of the CCHR & Scientology sponsorship of Friday night.
"At the forum, the Scientologists tried to get everyone who attended to
pledge that they would help work against the evils of psychiatry,
attempting to co-opt the forum from it's original purpose, and use it for
their own purpose. I understand that was not very successful, and actually
ticked off a few folks who had never paid Scientology any mind before."
Message-ID: <pbxtalk-3101960829120001@h96-134.ccnet.com>
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A list of front organizations for the cult was posted this week. It contains several not included in previous lists.
"All Party Freedom of Information Committee Author Services Incorporated Bridge Publications Campaign against Psychiatric Atrocities Citizens Commission on Human Rights Concerned Businessmen's Association of the UK Criminon Dianetics Information Centre Dignity for the Aged Dr Pillpusher Campaign Effective Education Association Foundation of Advanced Abilities Institute of Applied Philosophy International Biographical Centre Narconon New Era Publications Rehab Religious Research Foundation Religious Technology Centre Saint Hill Foundation Set a Good Example Campaign Society for Safety in Mental Healing Task Force on Mental Retardation UK Conference of Social Betterment and Reform UK Police Reform Group Way to Happiness Campaign"
Message-ID: <4eg01k$c4d@newsource.ihug.co.nz>
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Tony Bosnakoudis posted an update to the situation with the cult in Greece.
'There was a trial of three Scientology members, just before Christmas.
"Greek Law gives a five year period to he authorities to charge someone of violating any law. After this time period (unless the crime falls into special categories) no charges can be raised against the criminal.
"The person who sued Scientology, did so after five years PLUS A FEW DAYS. Therefore, technically, Scientology (KEFE) could not go into trial. They were not tried and found guilty, they were simply not tried at all. This is what I would call 'chicken success' and it does not justify Scientology in any way. On the contrary, it proves that they have no arguments to decently and courageously face their victims, but hide themselves behind lawyer-ish tricks."
Message-ID: <4eir8j$4re@brigitte.forthnet.gr>
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Controversy this week concerning Tom Marcellus, prominent cult member and director of the Institute for Historical Review (IHR). IHR maintains that the holocaust never happened. Evidence of this link was posted by Tilman Hausherr. Cory Brennan, spokesperson for the cult, has denied that Tom Marcellus is a holocaust revisionist. Tilman quotes an IHR web page:
"http://www.kaiwan.com/~ihrgreg/jhr/v13n6p52_Raven.html 'From McCalden's departure in 1981 until 1982, Tom Marcellus served as editor. Marcellus started at the bottom at the IHR and worked his way up to become director, a position he assumed in 1981 and holds today.'
"I don't know what 'today' is. The HTML document is from 28.10.1995. On the other hand, I have read in the IHR FAQ that Marcellus left the IHR to pursue his scieno plans.
"The German edition of 'Freedom', scientology's propaganda paper, brings the bizarre theory that Marcellus 'discovered' that the IHR was denying the Holocaust and then ousted Carto. They even printed 2,000,000 copies of that lie.
"'On his own initiative scientologist Tom Marcellus organised a movement against Willis Carto and threw this extremist out of an organisation named Institute for Historical Review, after he had discovered that this institute, that claimed to have been founded to correct historical mistakes, was in fact being used by Carto to propagate the Auschwitz-lie. But Carto is still controlling the Liberty Lobby and The Spotlight.'
"We know of course that this is complete bullshit, but why not prove it with Marcellus own words? http://web.kaiwan.com/~ihrgreg/jhr/v14n1p25_Okeefe.html
"'2.The IHR did not accept or in any way agree with Judge Johnson's ridiculous 1981 'judicial notice' that Jews were 'in fact' exterminated in 'gas chambers' at Auschwitz.
"'3.The IHR has not retreated one inch from its well-known position that there is no credible evidence to support the theory that Germans allegedly used homicidal poison gas chambers to exterminate the Jews of Europe.'"
Message-ID: <koreenb-2901961405120001@marina-1.jovanet.com>
Message-ID: <31068cdd.8119178@news.snafu.de>
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Larry Wollersheim has won his case in the California Appellate Court, in which he charged the cult under the SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute. The cult posted an official comment on the decision.
"The decision by the Second Appellate District Court is an unfortunate example of what Dr. Bryan Wilson of Oxford University in England -- who has testified as an expert witness on religions before courts and governments all over the world -- described as the 'pervasive climate of punitive intolerance' which has impeded attempts by the Church of Scientology to win fair justice in certain courts."
Message-ID: <4evl39$c5d@crl4.crl.com>
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Tom Klemesrud posted this week that the cult has a new law firm in the case against Tom, Dennis Erlich and Netcom.
"Thomas R. Hogan Law Offices of Thomas R. Hogan 80 South Market St. Suite 1125 San Jose, CA. 95113-2332
"Let see if I can remember them all:
1) Helena Kobrin, North Hollywood, CA
2) Earle C. Cooley, Boston, MA
3) Andrew Wilson, San Francisco, CA
4) Eliot Abelson, Westwood, CA (Ingram's attorney)
5) Kendrick Moxon, Hollywood, CA
6) Thomas Small, Westwood, CA
7) Janet Kobrin, Westwood, CA
8) Thomas R. Hogan, San Jose, CA"
Message-ID: <9602010124.01ZK803@support.com>
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The cult has reinstated its suit against Dutch Internet suppliers and Karin Spaink. From the cult's press release:
"The Religious Technology Center (RTC), holders of certain copyrighted works of the Scientology religion, today refiled its copyright lawsuit against several Dutch Internet access providers including XS4ALL, DDS, Planet Internet and Euronet, and reporter Karin Spaink.
"Karin Spaink is included as a defendant because, according to the lawsuit, she personally violates RTC's copyright on the Internet, and has encouraged others to do the same.
Karin Spaink replied to the posting.
"I have told your folks time and time again that I am *not* a reporter. You are stubborn indeed.
"'Karin Spaink is included as a defendant because, according to the lawsuit, she personally violates RTC's copyright on the Internet, and has encouraged others to do the same.'
"Liar. It says nothing of the kind in the subpoena. It just states that I am a user.
"For everybody's information: the current subpoena is available on both my homepages. http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/indexcos.html http://www.pi.net/~kspaink/indexcos.html"
Message-ID: <4erecc$rc1@crl2.crl.com>
Message-ID: <31120ef6.10258891@news.xs4all.nl>
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Martin Poulter posted an update to a.r.s this week on three issues
"(1) Ron Lawley, who lives in East Grinstead, joined Scientology in 1974 and the Sea Org in 1978, leaving in 1983 after being RPF'ed. During the last twelve years he and other ex-scientologists have been running an advice and information helpline for those with problems of any sort with Scientology.
"He is seen by Scientology as one of their top three enemies in the UK and has been repeatedly dead-agented. He is currently engaged in an enormously significant court battle against them for control of some NOTS documents. If he has those documents returned to him, he will of course be able to use them in his helpline work.
"I am now the Internet contact point for this helpline. Any queries can be addressed to me, M.L.Poulter@bris.ac.uk, to be passed on to Ron. The people who would particularly benefit include those who want to talk about exit counselling, journalists or those who want to run the Scientology processes outside the confines of the organisation.
"(2) In the run up to the court case, I and a few others will be giving some financial assistance, but there is a particularly urgent need for money in this critical period. If anyone else would like to contribute, please get in touch with me.
"This fund will pay for Ron's living expenses (freeing him up to put all his effort into the court case) and some minor legal costs (Ron is undertaking his own defence):- we are not talking about large sums of money here. A donation of just a few pounds will be very very welcome.
"I can reassure contributors that information about contributions will be kept private and that all the money will be rigourously accounted for. Steve A, Chris Owen and Richard Price, three UK-based a.r.s critics, will be kept informed of the details of the money: it won't just be Ron and I who have all the information.
"(3) THE UPCOMING COURT CASE The OT levels 4 to 7 that appear in the Fishman Affidavit are *old* OT material. The OT levels currently used by CoS are the New Era Dianetics for OT's (NOTS) courses. The Court of Appeal in London will rule later this year (some time after March- probably the middle of the year) on the battle between Ron Lawley and the CoS solicitors for the control of a set of 53 original NOTS documents.
"An arguable point is that the documents are worth nothing once in the public's hands, ie if they pass to Ron Lawley, because he will hold them in trust for the public and no charge will be made for their legal use.
"BUT there is the PUBLIC AUCTION POSSIBILITY. Until in the public's hands the documents may be worth something and therefore at a public auction the documents could be bid for one at a time. It is then possible that after 3 or so documents have been brought in this way that the debts will be paid off and the surplus documents will have to pass to Ron Lawley and therefore be out of the C of S control."
Message-ID: <DLp4CK.4E2@uns.bris.ac.uk>
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A new Dead Agent page on Steve Fishman unveiled this week. Despite an anonymous message announcing the page, the creator was quickly identified by a.r.s posters. First, the announcement:
"It made it before February 1st. New Web Site. Check it out. www.westworld.com/~alan/fishman"
David Rogers and Tilman Hausherr on the web creator:
"From the finger info: Login: alan Name: Alan Rachins Directory: /home/alan Shell: /bin/bash Last login Mon Jan 29 21:50 (PST) on ttyp5 from steve.westworld. Mail last read Mon Jan 29 21:52 1996 (PST) No Plan.
"steve.westworld.com is an internal machine to the westworld.com domain. It looks like this guy logged in from the office. I'll go check if this guy works there (and if he does, if his views reflect the views of the rest of the staff/owners of Westworld)."
"It is yet another dead-agent page. Interesting is the foto - they have distorted it to make it look as if made by a fish-eye lens. That's as far as the humor gets. I think we will never get a non-altered foto from a critic in a scientology publication.
"As usual, no one is named responsible for the page. That suggests a lot on the truthfulness of the allegations made. This is 1.1 according to the scientology tone scale. There's even a song from LRH: 'there was a being who committed evil acts, he had to hide, hide, hide'."
Message-ID: <4ef3r9$jef@utopia.hacktic.nl>
Message-ID: <4eocpn$sjn@dewey.csun.edu>
Message-ID: <310b590b.8696330@news.snafu.de>