Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review Volume 1, Issue 12 07/07/96 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:
http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
http://user1.i1.net/~mallen/scn/arswr/ars-summary.html
http://www.amazing.com/scientology/ars-summary.html
http://users.aimnet.com/~jdiver/scieno.htm
http://www.thur.de/religio/publik/arsfaq.html
"Australia's leading law body on media, the Communications Law Centre (CLC), has disagreed with the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) over a recent finding of religious vilification by Melbourne public broadcaster 3RRR-FM.
"In the first such ruling in Australian broadcast history, the ABA charged in February 1996 that Triple R had breached Radio Program Standards on The Liars' Club by gratuitously vilifying the Church of Scientology, after an ex-Scientologist, Cyril Vosper, appeared as a guest and told of his problems since leaving the organisation.
"The CLC states in their intensive review of the lengthy ABA report: 'We consider the ABA's interpretation of the meaning of 'gratuitous' is incorrect. At no point in the decision does the ABA consider any of the controversies that have surrounded the church and whether there was any validity in Vosper's allegations.
"'Discussion and criticism of religious institutions and the conduct of followers of a religion can be distinguished from criticism and abuse of a religion and its followers on the basis of beliefs.
"'It is true that the ABA is not in a position to pass judgment on the church or to make findings about the truth or otherwise of the allegations, but this does not prevent it from acknowledging that the church has been the subject of debate and controversy, and that therefore, the allegations, when situated within this context, and in the context of Vosper's ongoing public stance against the church, were not gratuitous.'
"It is believed that Triple R will now be approaching the ABA for a review of its ruling citing the points made by the CLC."
Message-ID: <4rdgqs$mha@news.mel.aone.net.au>
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Bank Records
Steve Fishman reported this week that the cult of Scientology made illegal
copies of his bank deposit statements. He discovered the fraud when his
account was charged $14 for the copies.
"Ms. Davis told me that I was being charged $14.00 because I had requested copies of two bank deposits. I never made such a request, and I asked her to look it up. She did so while I was on hold with her, and she told me that someone purporting to be me asked her to fax a copy of the deposits to an 800 number (purporting to be mine) which was (800) 406-3829. She also told me that there was a voice number left by the calling party impersonating me which was (800) 597-5860.
"I informed Ms. Davis that these two numbers have nothing to do with me, and I offered to call the voice line using three way calling. When I got the party on the line, I represented to the lady answering the phone that it was the First Union Bank was with me on the line. I then asked who owns this phone number and the lady was vague and said 'we answer for many people.' I then asked if I was on the phone with the Church of Scientology, and she immediately turned the phone over to a Mr. Roy Hopkins, who admitted to Ms. Davis and I that he worked in the Accounting Office of the Church of Scientology, and further admitted that he had left these numbers with the First Union Bank to get information on my account.
"I then asked him why he was impersonating me and representing to the bank that he was Steven Fishman, and he became very hostile and sarcastic, and finally belligerent to Ms. Davis and I and I thereafter hung up on him when he became insulting.
"When the F.B.I. of Miami was contacted, they said that $14.00 was not an amount they were willing to investigate, but that I should call my local police and make a report with them which I have now done. I contacted the Broward Sheriff's Office and they have assigned Case Number BS-96-07-401 to this matter."
Message-ID: <01bb679d.c0bda100$d1c720cc@xenu.ix.netcom.com>
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Mike Flynn and Deepak Chopra
The Weekly Standard published an expose in its June 24th issue on new age
guru Deepak Chopra, including statements from his attorney, Mike Flynn.
Flynn was formerly involved in Scientology litigation, in the cases of
Gerry Armstrong, Paulette Cooper and others.
"Last year, he was charged with plagiarizing a passage in Ageless Body, Timeless Mind. THE WEEKLY STANDARD has discovered another apparent act of plagiarism in the very same book, as well as strong evidence that the new guru to the stars has hired a prostitute on numerous occasions.
"His lawyer, Michael Flynn, vehemently denied the charges. 'Total horse--,' he called them. But it is hardly Bangert's word against Chopra's lawyer's. She has produced Chopra's American Express credit-card vouchers with the imprint of her escort service.... The credit card reads, 'Dr. Deepak Chopra Pres. MAPI Inc.' Chopra was the former president and a consultant to MAPI [Maharishi Ayurveda Products International] at the time.
"Flynn, whose in-your-face tactics a former New York magazine fact-checker described as 'one of the most unpleasant things I've ever endured,' spent nearly 30 highly combative minutes on the phone with me, bandying countercharges, offering a host of defenses, and providing no documentation for either.
"I asked Flynn to corroborate his assertions or offer evidence to discredit Judy Bangert 26 times in the course of our interview. Flynn threatened repeatedly to sue for libel. 'If [Chopra] wants me to tell you to go jump in the f--ing lake -- print whatever you want, and then we'll bring a lawsuit to expose the truth,' was one of his gentler admonitions.'
"In a startling coincidence, Mr. Flynn is associated with well-known cult-fighting lawyer, Ford Greene. Ford Greene, known for his cases against the Moonies and others, declined to represent Jonie Flint in her case against Chopra because of a conflict of interest through his working relationship with Flynn."
Message-ID: <rnewman-2606961105090001@mfd-dial1-29.cybercom.net>
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Earthlink IPO
Time Magazine published an article about Earthlink and its Scientologist
founder - Sky Dayton. Jeff Jacobsen provided a summary.
"The article is entitled 'The Cybersmear' about Sky Dayton being tagged as a Scientologist and this hurting his business. 'On the net, the Church of Scientology is the Antichrist' (another Big Win for the brilliant David Miscavige!!!).
"However, there is this sentence; 'There is no evidence that the church currently uses extralegal weapons against online critics.' I think those of us who have had extralegal weapons used against us by Scientology, such as the theft of my floppy disc at a deposition, should 1) post what happened to a.r.s. and 2) email an account to Time at letters@time.com"
Tom Klemesrud posted portions of Earthlink's SEC S-1 filing, in which Kevin O'Donnell and Reed Slatkin are mentioned. Both are contributors to Scientology in excess of $40,000. The filing includes a list of the largest shareholders in Earthlink.
"Kevin M. O'Donnell and Reed E. Slatkin are members of the Board of Directors of the Company, and each owns more than five percent of the Company's outstanding Common Stock. Messrs. O'Donnell and Slatkin have participated in the Company's financing since inception, as described below.
"In December 1994, Messrs. Slatkin and O'Donnell provided a $400,000 credit line to the Company for which each of them received warrants to purchase 150,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $.091 per share, the then fair market value of the Common Stock.
"In August 1995 and January 1996, Mr. Slatkin agreed to act as lessee together with the Company under equipment leases of $500,000 and $1.5 million, respectively. As consideration for this agreement, the Company issued Mr. Slatkin warrants to purchase 100,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.91 per share and 200,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $2.42 per share.
"Sky D. Dayton ................ 3,100,000 Kevin M. O'Donnell ........... 2,234,330 Reed E. Slatkin .............. 2,234,315 Sidney Azeez ................. 1,044,916 Charles G Betty .............. 89,098 Linwood A. Lacy, Jr .......... 59,620 Robert M. Kavner ............. 51,350 Robert E. Johnson ............ 20,000 Brinton O.C. Young ........... 11,250 Barry W. Hall ................ 12,500 David R. Tommela ............. 8,750 Storie Partners .............. 831,197 Robert London ................ 744,065 Gregory Abbott ............... 677,250 All directors and executive officers as a group (11 persons) ................ 8,866,129 Included (i) options and warrants to purchases 907,525 shares of Common Stock that are exercisable within 60 days of May 31, 1996 and (ii) 647,721 shares of Common Stock owned by family members or affiliates of certain members of the group."
Message-ID: <4rbp8h$l2m@nnrp1.news.primenet.com> Message-ID: <4rkatl$56n4@usenetz1.news.prodigy.com>
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FactNet
Joe Harrington posted an update to FactNet's progress since the
Scientology raid in August.
"FactNet is recovering from the Aug 95 raid which pretty much put a halt to the day to day operations. But the many FactNet documents from the various court cases have been circulated around the globe, including in Germany, Russia and Greece.
"FactNet Director Bob Penny has not been in good health recently because of his MS and Lawrence Wollersheim has been devoting a great deal of time preparing for the upcoming RTC vs FactNet case, which he is VERY upbeat about. No date has been set yet. Arnie Lerma has remained present and active on ARS and FactNet still carries on daily operations, outside of the limelight of ARS and the Internet."
Message-ID: <4rbmep$etd@mtinsc01-mgt.ops.worldnet.att.net>
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Dennis vs. Rosa
Dennis Erlich posted a filing he prepared in the case against him by his
ex-wife Rosa.
"I would call to the court's attention that Petitioner's counsel has made a number of other very serious, but totally unsubstantiated, accusations against me during these proceedings: that I am attempting to deceive this court in some way, that I caused my dismissal from employment in order to frustrate this court's orders and that I molested my daughter, HOLLY. Despite having spent thousands of dollars of someone's money deposing me and my former employer, and examining my personnel files, Petitioner's counsel has not produced a single shred of evidence of bad faith or wrongdoing on my part.
"In Spring of 1984, when my daughter, HOLLY, was four years old she visited me where I was then residing in Omaha, Nebraska. During that visit I reported to the Omaha police that HOLLY had described to me having participated in inappropriate sexual activity while under the care of the Petitioner. HOLLY was placed under the authority of the County Children's Services in Omaha, given a physical examination at Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital, and began therapy with a county appointed therapist, Karen Authier, MSW, ACSW, who specialized in abused children. The Omaha FBI agent in charge of the investigation, Barbara Hamner, flew two additional agents from Florida to Omaha, to investigate HOLLY's allegations. Taped transcripts of the interviews where HOLLY alleges inappropriate sexual contact while under the care of the Petitioner are on file with the Omaha Police Department and the Omaha FBI Office.
"When the Petitioner found out that the investigation was underway she filed in San Diego to have HOLLY placed under the jurisdiction of this court, brought back to California and put under her care. This petition was granted by Judge Anthony Joseph on June 28th, 1984.
"When HOLLY was back in San Diego county, I repeatedly requested that the San Diego County's Child Protective Services open a case regarding her allegations. The case was opened in the summer of 1984. HOLLY was interviewed numerous times. By then she could no longer identify exactly who (if anyone) molested her. During repeated questioning by Children's Services workers, HOLLY stated positively that I had never engaged in any inappropriate sexual activity with her. It is true that I did not and could not.
"In the intervening years, and because the Petitioner is consumed by enmity and animosity toward me, she continually thwarted, frustrated, and prevented my attempts to maintain a relationship with my daughter. I understand that HOLLY has had years of therapy. I believe that HOLLY could have been coached by her mother, step-father and/or therapists into believing that it was actually me who molested her and that she should fear me. If such allegations exist, they are, I believe, the product of false memories, encouraged or otherwise suggested to her by the Petitioner and others, and/or by HOLLY's therapists. I have been given no information as to who these therapists have been, what their qualifications were, or why they have not included me in the therapeutic process. I believe that I may need to request the assistance of the court to compel disclosure of the names of HOLLY's therapists so that they will explain their actions.
"In March of 1995, the Petitioner suddenly produced a declaration for the cult of scientology in a suit filed against me in Federal Court for criticizing the cult.
"Based in part on the Petitioner's declaration, I was served with a Federal Writ of Seizure and the scientology cult came into and searched my home, ransacked my computer, copied my entire hard disk and deleted evidence, among other things, of my previous child support payments to the Petitioner.
"I believe that the cult is paying for the Petitioner's legal fees simply to make this one legal point: that I have a history of violating court orders. This is most certainly not the case. I have no such history. For this reason, it is extremely important to me that inaccurate and unfounded statements be struck from this court's rulings."
Message-ID: <31d81362.1604029@204.245.3.50>
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Grady Ward
A filing from Grady Ward to Judge Whyte was posted this week, in which he
describes the wide availability of the secret Advanced Technology
materials on the Internet.
"I understand the court is considering a brief and survey arguing that RTC's so-called 'Advanced Technology' documents that are the subject of both that litigation and my litigation C 96-20207 inter alia has only been 'briefly' exposed on the internet.
"Despite that characterization by the plaintiff RTC, those documents have been continuously available over the internet since their initial releases in August 1, 1995 and May 6, 1996 respectively for the 'Fishman Affidavit' containing OTI-VIII and the NOTs series.
"These documents were not hidden and could be found by any individual using the commonly available search engines freely accessible over the web. In fact after describing to counsel for plaintiff Helena Kobrin the fundamentals of web search engines such as those freely available at http://www.search.com/ I averred during my second accelerated deposition on June 27, 1996 that anyone would find these materials within thirty minutes or so.
"Surely enough, following my deposition, on Saturday, June 29, 1996, an internet user in Germany, Bruce Scott was in fact sent a cease and desist e-mail from counsel Kobrin for plaintiff.
"To this day the so-called SCAMIZDAT has been generally known, continuously and publicly available through internet-wide search and retrieval services. Exhibit B contains a posting describing how simple it is to access this material.
"Moreover, according to the testimony of Keith Henson in a related litigation, the 'Fishman Affidavit' containing the OTI-VIII documents have been in fact disseminated from an internet site theta.com whose owner, David Elrod, was reported to have permission to post Scientology and Dianetics related materials."
Message-ID: <4reono$kjv@twizzler.callamer.com>
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Keith Henson
A filing was posted from Scientology defendant Keith Henson this week.
"Defendant now realizes that defendant's letter of March 26, 1996 to the Court quoting NOTs 34 and discussing its 'criminal on the face of it' nature was incorrectly addressed. Rather than the Court, the March 26 letter should have been addressed to the FDA, plaintiff in the case decided by Judge Gesell (333 FSup 357).
"However, at this point defendant is under an injunction which (defendant believes) forbids defendant from communicating even with law enforcement agents about criminal matters found in 'NOTs' or 'AT' materials. Defendant has not examined the rest of NOTs materials which were posted to the Internet by a person or persons unknown on or about May 6, 1996, but has been informed by a person who did examine them that at least three other NOTs issues contain instructions for the illegal practice of medicine.
"In addition to the motions in the above cited filing, Defendant respectfully seeks an additional modification to defendant's injunction to permit defendant to communicate with and discuss with law enforcement agents, particularly the Food and Drug Administration, 'AT,' 'NOTs,' or other documents the Church of Scientology, RTC or related organizations may consider to be copyrighted or trade secrets. Defendant will copy the Court with written communications to law enforcement agents."
Message-ID: <4r7ri7$4is@news1.shell>
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Ron Lawley
Martin Poulter reported that the case of Ron Lawley against the cult of
Scientology collapsed last week, due to his bankruptcy last year.
"More than a decade of litigation ended last week for Ron Lawley of East Grinstead in the UK. Ron, an ex-Sea Org'er, had been fighting for the return of a set of NOTS documents. It was decided in a hearing on Wednesday that, as a bankrupt (he was bankrupted last year by legal costs), he did not have locus standi to continue the case. The courts had ordered Scientology to return a NOTS pack to Ron, but they appealed this order. Scientology now gets to keep the material because Ron cannot fight the appeal.
"The case has cost Scientology many many times what it cost Ron. Ron has been appearing pro se while Scientology has probably spent a seven-figure sum on its legal costs. Ron has been helped in his case by kind donations from some 'netizens. The considerable legal knowledge he has built up has been useful to other litigants such as Bonnie Woods."
Message-ID: <Du0rLq.426@uns.bris.ac.uk>
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Mayo Settlement
Steve Fishman reported this week that David Mayo has settled his case
against Scientology.
"I was reading ARS Week In Review, and I saw nothing mentioned about David Mayo's settlement that occurred last Wednesday. I learned about it in California. Graham Berry mentioned it happened, but he did not know any of the details.
"[H]e signed one of those classic Scieno-gag orders. So apparently David Mayo will not be talking on a.r.s. anymore."
Message-ID: <01bb6718.3a407740$57c720cc@xenu.ix.netcom.com>
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Russian Purif Ban
More details on the Russian ban on the Purification Rundown were posted
this week from the June 21-27th issue of Metaphrasis.
"Alexander Tsaregorodtsev, the minister of health protection and medical industries of the RF, issued an order prohibiting the advertising and use in health protection of any methods following from the teaching of Ron Hubbard. Those who waged the long-drawn struggle against penetration of scientology into Russia have scored an important victory. The RF ministry of health protection has refused government support to Hubbardist narcotics and alcoholic drinking treatment centers. The minister has assumed personal control over the implementation of his order. Authoritative ministry officials told Metaphrasis that they had been alarmed over use of Hubbardist methods reading critical press publications, particularly, those in 'Tverskaya 13' newspaper. The growing cooperation between the ministry and the ROC has also played an important role.
"'Narconon' is the most notorious scientology organization. 'Narconon' calls itself a rehabilitation program for alcoholics and drug-addicts. It managed to receive short-lived state support in several countries. The support was withdrawn as soon as the close connection to scientology became known and the methods were proven as failed. The 'Narconon' technique is described by experts as non-medical since they use primarily methods of affecting human conscience, but a substantial part of the program includes use of large doses of vitamins and daily alterations of five-hour-long jogging and sauna therapy. Victims of scientological experiments suffer this effect daily for months on end, up to six months sometimes. A doctor who oversaw such 'rundowns' for several months, admitted they were 'potentially lethal.'
"The 'Church of Scientology' began to win Russia in 1990. Cosmonaut Pavel Popovich was the first to visit the London scientology headquarters. He was accompanied by narcotics specialist Vladimir Ivanov, Izvestia newspaper deputy editor-in-chief Igor Andreyev and general director Leonid Todorov of the 'Soyuz Theater.' They went to Britain at the invitation of 'Narconon.' Although medical experts in major countries of the world qualified 'Narconon' rehabilitation programs as not only ineffective, but also as harmful to health, the members of the Soviet delegation, overwhelmed by the hospitality of the scientologists, agreed to establish in Moscow a 'Narconon' center for 400 beds.
"The cosmonaut did not forget about his relatives and his daughter as employed by the Swedish 'Narconon' soon afterwards. The Fund for Saving Children and Teenagers from Narcotics, headed by Vladimir Ivanov, became the chief advertiser of the program in Russia. V. Ivanov created the All-Union Society for Saving Children and Teenagers From Alcoholism and Narcotic Addiction and in 1993 he gave an interview to Literaturnaya Gazeta as chairman of the Society for Protection of Children and Teenagers Against Narcotic Addiction.
"In 1991 the Russian academy of medical sciences financed the use of the 'rundown' in the treatment of Chernobyl victims. Three highly placed scientologists were sent to direct the experiment. Despite the absence of any sound results, the three scientologists - David and Sheila Gaiman and Dorothy West were given government awards. They were invited to come back to Russia for more experiments. The Gaiman couple held executive posts in the notorious 'Guardian's Office' (GO) of the 'Church of Scientology' whose eleven managing personnel (including Mrs.Hubbard) were arrested and imprisoned after which the GO was changed into 'Office for Special Affairs'.
"European experts are well aware of the scientologists' advance in Russia and have been warning from the very outset that 'there takes place an intervention of scientologists into Russian health protection organizations.' Said pastor Thomas Gandow: 'I take the ministry order as a definite success of the Russian government. But it would be a mistake to stop at that. Next the government of Russia should conduct a serious investigation of scientologist activities in the military and defense industries, particularly of the so-called Hubbard college.' 'Moskovsky Komsomolets' wrote June 24 that the order directs 'to introduce stringent control over the religious organizations employing psychological methods of influencing people.' The ministry of health protection does not control religious organizations, and the order does not limit worshiper rights or prohibit officiation in hospitals."
Message-ID: <31dbf67a.3692662@news.snafu.de>
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NOW Magazine
NOW magazine published an article recently on the cult's attacks on a.r.s.
"NOW magazine, a Toronto weekly, has published a long article on the Church of Scientology's recent spam attack on alt.religion.scientology. You can read it at http://www.now.com/issues/15/44/News/feature.html"
Message-ID: <4rj4ms$g60@orion.cybercom.net>
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Epoch Business Analysis
Tom Voltz posted concerning a Scientology test sometimes called Epoch
Business Analysis.
"The test is called 'Epoch Business Analysis'(tm). However be aware that some of the consultants using it may sell it under a different name! If e.g. U-Man Vancouver, #300-40 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1E7, uses it it certainly has a 'U-name'.
"[T]he test is actually sold, this is what the manual says about it:
"'We want to emphasize that the EBA is simply a promotional tool to help attract and close business. It is nothing more than a simple survey which helps reveal a point of entrance and to open up a communication line.'
"The manual speaks about using Chambers of Commerce, trade shows and other means to get into business, it gives detailed advice how to get company addresses in the U.S., etc.
"THE TEST:
The test consists of 100 questions covering ten areas of a company:
A. Solvency,
B. Orderliness of organization,
C. Stability of repeat sales (to existing customers)
D. Finance
E. Operations performance
F. Quality assurance
G. New sales
H. personal stress
I. existence of basic principles, and last but not least
J. whether the executive seeks help or resists help.
"The first eight questions of the test are as follows:
1. I am achieving my financial goals for my company.
2. I have very good success at finding and hiring capable employees.
3. Little competition exists in our market.
4. I give my credit collection staff a rating of 8 out of 10 or better.
5. In terms of what we deliver to our customers, we are technically
the best.
6. I have a regular check on the quality of my product/service.
7. We use surveys when going after new business.
8. I often feel guilty about not spending more time with my family.
"As you can see, this has very little to do with what you have heard about Co$-testing so far and indeed is not copyrighted by Co$. The test however is only licensed to WISE members. So anyone offering the test (usually for free as an entrance into the company) can be counted on being a WISE member."
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