Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review
Volume 4, Issue 02
04/11/99
by Rod Keller
rkeller@voicenet.com
copyright 1999
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
Austria
Scientology has begun a publicity campaign in Vienna, Austria. Die Presse
reported on April 8th that a city council member warns children from
exposure to Scientology events.
"City council member Karin Landauer expressed outrage on Wednesday after a local inspection of the 'Sky High Travel' Scientology exhibition, which was taking place at the time in the Viennese Hotel Intercontinental. 'Unprotected children and young adults are being handed over to the aggressive sect recruiters.' Dangerous sect gurus from Scientology use subtle recruitment methods to lure children and young adults into their clutches, Landauer criticized. 'Entrance for people under the age of 18 years is to be prohibited effective immediately,' demanded the council member."
>From Wien-Journal on April 7th:
"Tuesday, 11 a.m., in one of the many grand salons in the Hotel Intercontinental: The 'What is Scientology?' exhibition, which will run until Friday, was opened. The 'Jive Faces' [sic] swing band plays, 'When you smile, the whole world smiles with you.' They wish 'not to indoctrinate,' said Klaus Buechele, of his designation as 'European Secretary of the Church of Scientology International.'
"[T]he majority are apparently Scientologists, the audience learns, for example, what the two metal grips on display with the meter have to mean. It is a device called an 'E-meter' (electrometer). It measures 'fluctuations of bodily resistance based on spiritual interaction.' It is used in 'auditing.' What is that? 'Individual spiritual advice in the Scientology Church.' An 'auditor' assists a person to 'higher planes.'
"You only hear the word 'church.' The ugly yet, according to Austrian law, appropriate word 'sect' is avoided if at all possible."
>From Kurier OnLine on April 11th:
"Scientology has started its offensive: with 'informational events' such as that which was held in Vienna this past week; the association, which is suspected of being a sect, wants to recruit new members. 'Yes, that is our pinch test,' said the friendly lady in the blue pants suit, and pressed two metal tubes which are connected to a device into our hands. Then she pinched us (hard) on the arm - and the needle on the device moved. A small break to recover and then, 'So, and now recall the moment when I pinched you.' Nothing happened. The needle of the E-meter (as Scientologists call the device) stayed where it was - although it really should have moved according to L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics teachings.
"She no longer gets headaches. What that means is that she now knows, through 'Dianetics,' that she is not suffering from whiplash injury (as her family doctor diagnosed), but that an accident she had when she was a child and another one in a past life were the cause for her pain. She found out other important things through Scientology, for instance, that she was really not all that interested in her studies (for which reason she dropped out). 'To earn a little money, I give surveys for an opinion research institution,' stated the friendly lady with the long hair, 'and otherwise I just work with Scientology.'
"We have to answer 200 questions a la 'Do you tend to hide your feelings?' At least the evaluation goes quickly. After two minutes the friendly man in the dark gray suit knows that we are susceptible to depression and that there must be things which bother us. It is 'quite normal' for us to not know what those things are because they are only there in our subconscious. But we can find out what they are if we acquaint ourselves with the teachings of Mr. Hubbard and if we take an 'Introductory Dianetics Course'. This would lay down the foundation for us, first, to be as happy as the friendly Scientology staff members, and later, to arrive in paradise."
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Battlefield Earth
Cinescape reports that casting has begun on the upcoming movie Battlefield
Earth, based on a book by L. Ron Hubbard.
"Reports that Saving Private Ryan standout Barry Pepper has signed on to John Travolta's upcoming sci-fi epic Battlefield Earth are premature. The Insider followed up on the buzz only to hear from Pepper's management that the actor has simply read for the part -- he's not signed. Whether he will end up starring in the movie's the lead role of Jonnie Goodboy Tyler remains still up in the air."
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Germany
Focus reported on April 5th on the activities of WISE companies in
Germany.
"Sibylle Kramer's career developed in promising way. When her company changed ownership and she had to transfer to Hamburg in the same working capacity, she was happy to move to her new location. Her enthusiasm disappeared on the first work day. The new management's customs seemed too peculiar to her. Every day at nine o'clock, the employees had to gather together for roll call to hear the slogan of the day shouted out as a battle cry, and the salespeople who had been recently successful were brought to the attention of the group and applauded.
"Laserplus, now incorporated under the same registered trade number as Eurozerty, is a member of the WISE (World Institute of Scientology Enterprises) business association, the most important money-making machine of the psycho-sect. The corporation (30 employees, 20 million marks in annual sales) also avails itself of an internet access which brings the visitor, after two mouseclicks, to Fort Harrison Avenue, Clearwater, Florida - the most important Scientology center in the USA next to Los Angeles.
"The Hamburg state Work Group on Scientology also had found that 'something is going on the the computer area.' The department director, Ursula Caberta, is concerned that Scientology companies could get into sensitive areas in other companies with their products. Scientologist Koenig has landed a big one with his acquisition of Eurozerty. 'Only a few providers,' he said to other trade representatives, 'share this market in Europe.'"
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Italy
La Nuova Sardegna reported on April 4th that Italian authorities have
raided and searched the homes of Scientology leaders in Cagliari.
"Cagliari Digos searched some executives' dwellings as well as the homes
of other people connected to the religious organization that follows the
'Dianetics' bestseller author Ron Hubbard's writings. The investigation is
related to the suicide committed by a Cagliari 20 years old boy on March
1997: Roberto D. put an end to his life jumping from the 8th floor of a
building. His relatives only knew that the boy attended the Scientology
Cagliari branch office in his latest times. According to the accusation
hypothesis on which Public Prosecutor Guido Pani is working, the boy would
have been prompted to suicide after having been reduced into a
psychological subjection by members of the Cagliari Scientology branch.
"The new home searchings follow the ones done in the Cagliari branch of the religious organization one week ago. The judicial investigation of the Cagliari Prosecutor's Office seemed to be bounded to files, but the boy's family asked an attorney - Mario Canessa - to investigate on his latest months of life. The investigation resulted in an extensive folder rich in documents and testimonies, and attorney Canessa handed it over to Prosecutor Pani a few weeks ago. The Public Prosecutor examined it, and decided to order a new set of controls, entrusting them to Digos.
"Digos is a special police corps created in the '80s to fight terrorism and subversion."
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Protest / Revenge Summary
David Alexander reported a protest held at the Dallas org this week.
"Today we had yet another volunteer Dallas area critic picketing with us. Besides Bobby, from last week, and myself, today Ron Himself (a pseudonym) joined us. The members filed out for lunch break right past the 'throng of picketeers' who were swaying in the strong wind blown up by the OT's trying to thwart us. Ron, the mystery guest, attracted the attention of clip-board-toting, camera-shooting note-takers who were compelled to identify this new guy. There was the usual encouragement from other tenants of the office park. A member of a local Church stopped to ask me to speak to their congregation on the foibles of Scientology, so I get to spread their fame next week."
Deana Holmes protested at the Salt Lake City org.
"I gave out three leaflets today, which is something of a record for me. I also talked to three different people, including a guy who went to Landmark, had found it beneficial, but didn't like the hard sell and so wasn't going back. While I was talking to this guy, Phil showed up. Phil was kinda miffed that I told this guy about OT 3 and Xenu, but as I pointed out, it's in the papers and on the boob tube now.
"Phil has a spiffy new sign. Unfortunately, it's pretty unreadable unless you really look at it, because it's in Old English font, and says: 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much!' which is from Macbeth. I stayed out there for an hour; that is, until my hands were thoroughly chilled to the bone."
>From "Wynot" on a picket at the Atlanta org:
"Shortly after noon Mad_Cow, Ethercat, and I arrived at the org, armed with picket signs, FlyerPaks(TM), bottled water, and a video camera. We picketed for a few minutes before Linda showed up, complaining to the mad one that we had forced her to interrupt her lunch. As usual, there was a constant stream of honks, waves, and thumbs up from the passing traffic. We responded to all with cheery waves and big smiles. After about 20 minutes or so a police officer arrived, called by the culties. It was the officer who had been so friendly to Mad_Cow and me the first time we picketed the new org. [He] reaffirmed that we had every right to be there, but we must not block their driveway.
"We returned to the cult storefront a little before 5:00. Within minutes the woman who had spoken with the policeman earlier came out, and said that she had a message for ethercat and me (except she made a point of calling us by our given names) - that there were a dozen people picketing our house at (our address). She then turned and ran - and I mean RAN - back into the building. EC immediately called a friend to go check. A while later the call came back - no picketers there. We picketed until 7:00, and then headed for home to check out our video tapes.
"When we got home, sure enough, there was a religious bigOT flyer in the mailbox across the street. Within 10 minutes Susan and 3 of her cronies showed up with their picket signs, and began picketing our home. We grabbed the vid-cam and I got some great pictures while ethercat called the police. It took the local police less than 10 minutes to respond, with 2 cars. Susan immediately came up to the officers, and started telling her story, that we were religious bigots who had been harassing her church, and that this was the only way they knew to handle us, and that what they were doing was legal, because she had asked a passing bicycle officer earlier, and been told that it was. Ethercat insisted that the officers check with their superiors, which they did. They then told Susan that she was in violation of City Ordinance 106-89, picketing in a residential neighborhood, and that she and the other picketers would have to leave."
Keith Henson protested at the San Jose and Campbell locations.
"San Jose org, half hour less a few minutes for a phone call, starting at 11:50. No confront, they didn't even come out to take a photograph. Only event of note was this guy who pulled in in a light gray Mercedes. He talked on a cell phone for a while after parking where he could look at me going back and forth with my sign 'Scientology: Expensive *And* Stupid' on one side and the OT 8 cog on the other. He finally finished his phone call and got out. I offered him a Xenu flyer and he declined, saying that he was having too much fun, and that he knew it was addictive when I mentioned the analogy. As I was talking to him, 'blue shirt' (wearing a white shirt today) came out and herded him inside.
"After San Jose I drove over to the Campbell location and put in about 15 minutes there. Honks, people took flyers, including one couple who was going inside. No photos, nobody even came outside."
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Lisa Marie Presley
Scientology celebrity Lisa Marie Presley has developed a relationship with
her Scientology-assigned bodyguard, according to the April 20th issue of
Star magazine.
"Lisa Marie Presley is involved in a wild love triangle--she's fallen in love with ex-husband Danny Keough's closest friend. Just three months ago she gushed to a pal: 'I love Danny. I want to remarry.' But at the same time she was falling for handsome Luke Watson, who went to work for the 31-year-old heiress last summer as her children's bodyguard. Watson is a 30-year-old musician who was assigned to the once-lonely Lisa Marie by the Church of Scientology--and sources tell STAR he's a perfect love match for Elvis' only child. 'It's amazing, and it's really neat to see,' says a source close to the couple. 'It started out as an employer-employee relationship, but it's blossomed into a full-blown love affair.'
"But STAR has learned that despite the relationship between Lisa Marie and her ex-husband's pal, there has been no tension--and the couple have the blessing of Danny, the father of her two children. 'Danny is totally cool with it--he and Luke used to play in a band together, and they've been friends for a long time,' says the source.
"'Lisa Marie sought guidance and help from the Church of Scientology and last summer they assigned her Luke. Luke moved in to look after the kids, but he's so charismatic, he quickly became her confidant--and by the new year they became lovers, although until now they've managed to keep it hush-hush.'"
>From the April 20th issue of Globe magazine:
"But her latest love, Luke Watson, does bear an amazing resemblance to first hubby Danny Keough. As these exclusive photos show, the new couple made a splash at the Vanity Fair Magazine post-Oscar party in L.A. last month. Soon after, Watson was looking like a family man as he shopped at a supermarket in Sherman Oaks, Calif., with Lisa Marie, 31, and her kids Danielle, 9, and Benjamin, 6. Luke, 25, has more in common with 34-year-old Danny than their looks. Both are musicians and devout followers of Scientology, like Lisa Marie. Luke's mom Susan is a leading member of the church, whose followers include John Travolta and Tom Cruise."
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Switzerland
Basler Zeitung reported on April 8th that the German agent arrested for
spying on Scientology in Switzerland will stand trial.
"The German Constitutional Security agent who was scouting for information on Scientology a year ago in Switzerland has to answer before the Basel criminal court on 1 July. The charges against the member of the Baden-Wuerttemberg Constitutional Security agency are illicit actions for a foreign country, political intelligence and counterfeit identification papers. He could receive up to six months confinement. The woman from Zurich who was cooperating with him has to answer on charges of political intelligence activity. In addition Scientology, pursuant to an appeal judgment, managed to see to it that the woman is also charged with violating data security."
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