Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review Volume 2, Issue 10 06/15/97 by Rod Keller [rkeller@voicenet.com] copyright 1997
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 informtion. 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
rkeller@voicenet.com
It is archived at:
http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
http://www.thur.de/religio/publik/arsfaq.html
http://home.sol.no/heldal/CoS/archive/WIR/
http://user1.i1.net/~mallen/scn/arswr/ars-summary.html
#####
Operation Clambake
A report was posted by Andreas Heldal-Lund that Operation Clambake is now
available on CD-ROM.
"I just got a CD in the mail. It's a CD that they sell in shops for off-line browsing. On the CD is my homepage. The CD got a price tag saying 7-ELEVEN on the colorful cover. I will not say what country it is, but it is not in this part of the world and they had about 20 million inhabitants in the 80's (I got old figures)."
Message-ID: <339c5db5.96802354@news.telepost.no>
#####
Lisa McPherson
A progress report was posted this week on the Lisa McPherson civil case.
"In depositions with (aunt) Dell Liebrich and (friend) Kelly Davis, Scientology is preparing the case that Lisa had a terrible childhood and abusive family. They also demanded to know who was paying for the lawsuit, perhaps to set up the theory that this is being financed by enemies of Scientology.
"In a deposition of Robert Davis, the Associate Medical Examiner who conducted the autopsy of Lisa, he at first claimed that he used the terms 'insect bite' 'abrasion' and 'contusion' interchangeably. But when confronted with the autopsy photos, was able to point out the clearly visible insect bites on her knuckles, and said the marks on her wrists are consistent with restraint. They may have come from any number of circumstances, but that restraint would make marks like that. The ME's office continues to disagree, saying that there are no 'edge' features that would be typical of restraint. There are apparently other portions of the deposition in which he contradicts the ME's office in the 300 page deposition. Although he claimed that Scientology did not approach him beforehand, sources say that he was approached, perhaps in an attempt to influence his testimony.
"There will be a hearing in Tampa on July 1st, in which Ken Dandar will ask the judge to release Scientology's records of Lisa's treatment at the Fort Harrison from the confidentiality provision. Apparently Scientology took extensive notes while she died."
Message-ID: <5nsi48$dj3@netaxs.com>
#####
German magazine Stern published an article on Gottfried Helnwein, a Scientologist who has denied being a member to further his artistic career.
"One German scientologist, Gottfried Helnwein, has for years disputed that he is a scientologist ('I shit on scientology'), and has sued all sort of people. Until he lost against an anti-cult organisation. He then called the judge a 'Nazi', and has been indicted for this (libel is a criminal offense). It just got worse: now there's a whole book by his former manager which details his history of lying."
http://www.stern.de/97/25/mag/deutschland/scientology.html
Message-ID: <33af39cb.3744574@news.snafu.de>
#####
Odhran Fortune
More details have become available in the case of Odhran Fortune, whose
family is attempting to have him returned from Scientology.
"Some Irish Scientologists spent a lot of time hanging around in December/January trying to contact him and harassing his family. This appeared to stop after the police became involved. Odhran was almost back to normal, and was beginning to enjoy life. I last met him in the Pub a couple of weeks ago, and he was nearly back to his old self.
"He got a job in a local bar and seemed to be enjoying himself. Last Sunday he told a fellow worker he was taking his break, and when he didn't come back the family and police were informed. He was taken out of Ireland by boat that night by two Irish Scientologists. According to one of those (on radio), they were met met by four other English Scientologists at Holyhead and was taken to St. Hill.
"Odhran spoke on the Pat Kenny show earlier today. He seemed quite confused and not quite like his usual self. He said that he requested that Gerard Ryan help him return to Scientology, but there were quite a few inconsistencies and obvious lies in his story."
The Irish Times published two articles on demonstrations led by his family in Dublin and Saint Hill.
"The Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd was granted a temporary injunction in the High Court yesterday to prevent protesting within 10 yards of the door of its premises at Middle Abbey Street, Dublin. The order, which runs until next Monday, was granted against Mr Damian Fortune and Mr Dermot Fortune, Main Street, Gorey, Co Wexford, their servants or agents and any person having notice of the order.
"The temporary injunction was granted by Mr Justice O'Sullivan on the application of Mr James Macken SC, for the Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd. Mr Kieran Ryan, who is also a plaintiff in the case, said in an affidavit that the application concerned a controversy which had arisen in respect of a member of the Danish organisation of the Church of Scientology, based in Copenhagen."
"The Church of Scientology has obtained a British High Court injunction against members of the Fortune family from Co Wexford to stop them entering any of the sect's properties in Britain. The family, which says its son Odhran (24), has been brainwashed by the Scientologists, yesterday mounted a picket on the sect's Dublin office with about 25 friends and neighbours. In a telephone interview on RTE's Pat Kenny Show, Mr Odhran Fortune said he had left the family home in Gorey without warning nine days ago because he felt detained by his family, who 'were threatening to sue the church and that they would go to the media'.
"He said he left so suddenly, in the company of two Scientologists from Dublin, because he was 'desperate to get back to the life I wanted to lead'. He is believed to be staying at a property owned by the sect in south-east England.
"Mr Diarmuid Fortune said the family wanted their brother to know they loved him and were 'always here for him'. Noting that at their meetings in London Odhran kept asking them to 'call off the media', he went on: 'My brother needs the media to expose the truth about Scientology and keep the pressure up until he is sent back.'
"The High Court injunction forbids five named members of the Fortune family, including his mother and father, from entering the sect's Sussex headquarters, coming within 200 metres of it, or entering any other premises owned by the Scientologists. In a press statement, the Church of Scientology said members of the Fortune family had 'pushed their way' into the Scientology church at East Grinstead, and disrupted religious services before being escorted off the premises by the police."
http://www.irish-times.com/irish%2Dtimes/paper/1997/0611/hom11.html
http://www.irish-times.com/irish%2Dtimes/paper/1997/0610/hom10.html
Message-ID: <5njl7u$rp@basement.replay.com>
Message-ID: <5nm2um$fjf@netaxs.com>
Message-ID: <339e9f5c.1061535@news.xmission.com>
#####
Keith Henson
Judge Whyte has upheld the summary judgment against Keith Henson. Keith
posted several pieces of legal correspondence this week, including this
Motion for Sanctions from Scientology. Judge Infante denied the motion.
"RTC is again called upon to respond to a thoroughly senseless motion, filed in violation of Local Rule 37-1(d) (requiring motions for sanctions to be regularly noticed rather than expedited), and pursued for the sake of harassment by a pro se litigant who regards litigation as amusing, jokes about bombs and Scientologists at an airport ticket counter, and calls counsel's office on numerous occasions threatening a 'Waco' occurring at Mr. Miscavige's deposition. Mere denials of his pointless motions have no effect. Henson should be sanctioned for bringing this motion - the fourth he has filed since May 2, 1997 - informed this case is over and he lost, ordered to stop harassing Mr. Miscavige, and admonished against bringing any more frivolous motions.
"Henson had an extra day for preparation after his portion of the deposition was bifurcated as a result of the order granting RTC's May 19 emergency motion based upon Ward's and Henson's ominous remarks at the Southwest Airlines ticket counter at San Jose Airport about 'bombs' and 'Scientologists.'. As a result, Henson's date for questioning Mr. Miscavige was moved from May 20 to May 21.
"Instead of calling the Court to ascertain the status of his motion or obtaining assistance from counsel during his extra time to prepare for the deposition, Henson - after announcing expressly that his intention was to harass the leaders of the Scientology religion - spent the day picketing the entrance of a Church facility in Riverside County, where he told the security guard he was there to harass the leaders of the religion. Thereafter, carrying picket signs demeaning Mr. Miscavige, he set about taunting Church staff members, making allusions to the Waco tragedy, threatening to reveal unpublished scriptural materials to Church staff members, and otherwise forwarding the cause of harassment to which he is singularly devoted.
"The photos of Henson's picketing reveal that harassment and a juvenile proclivity to demean the Scientology religion and Mr. Miscavige. The term 'wog,' used on one of Henson's signs, is a Scientology colloquialism for 'non-Scientologist.' Thus, Henson spent his extra day prior to the deposition not preparing, but rather demeaning Mr. Miscavige and picketing a church.
"Henson devoted significant attention to a line of questions about what he characterized as a folk tale about selling immigrants the Brooklyn Bridge, and inquiring whether Mr. Miscavige thought L. Ron Hubbard was playing an 'inside joke' on his followers. Henson earlier sought documents from Mr. Miscavige, among them documents relating to Lisa McPherson, a Scientologist who died in Florida in 1995. This Court rejected Henson's efforts in that regard, and denied him any discovery into Ms. McPherson's death as irrelevant. Nevertheless, Henson devoted significant attention to Ms. McPherson in the deposition
"Henson's motion is beyond frivolous - it is cynical. It typifies Henson's determination to regard litigation as his toy, the Court as his arcade, and harassment of David Miscavige as entertainment. His motion reflects neither a legitimate litigation purpose nor a shred of sincerity in the remedy it seeks or the grounds it urges."
>From a police report of Keith's picket of the Hemet compound:
"On Tuesday May 20, 1997 I arrived at the Golden Era Studios 19625 Highway 79, San Jacinto regarding a report of a disturbance of the peace. I met with Golden Era public relations representative Murial Dufresne. Ms. Dufresne told me there had been a man harassing security personnel near the entrance to their property.
"Ms. Dufresne. identified this man as Howard Henson. Dufresne said Henson had also been in the area yesterday doing the same thing. Apparently Henson is involved in civil court litigation with the Church of Scientology. I met with other Golden Era representatives and I was advised that Hanson was considered a threat based upon information they received that Henson likes to make 'homemade bombs.'
"I spoke to security officer Michael Norton. Norton told me he spoke to Henson on the Northside of the highway near the gate to the studios. Norton said he went up to Henson to find out if everything was okay because Henson was standing in the roadway. Norton said Henson became hostile and made the following statements. You are a 'cult' I came to harass you guys. Specifically to piss off the leaders of the church.
"I was informed by Golden Era Studios attorney that Mr. Henson was staying in Pali Desert Ca. at the Embassy Suites Hotel. At 10:00 pm Tuesday night O5/2O/97 I spoke to Mr. Henson on the telephone. I told his that I had been dispatched earlier in the day to Golden Era Studios in San Jacinto Ca. regarding a disturbance of the peace.
"Henson told me he was protesting peacefully taking care not to be on church property. He said several security guards from the church approached him and asked him to leave. He said they were armed with a video camera which would prove that he was not on their property and well within his rights to protest. Henson denied that he was standing in the roadway causing a hazard. He said he planned to return at a later date to continue his protest.
"Status: Unfounded"
Message-ID: <hkhensonEBJCFo.FwG@netcom.com>
Message-ID: <hkhensonEBJEnA.It6@netcom.com>
Message-ID: <5nr9sj$au7$1@news2.voicenet.com>
#####
Cynthia Kisser
Dick Cleek reported that he will be testifying in the case of Cynthia
Kisser vs. Coalition for Religious Freedom.
"Jury trial in Judge Zaqel's court (Chicago) begins next week. Scheduled testimony: Monday - Thomas Whittle (editor of Freedom Mag) Tuesday - Eugene Ingram (I don't know when Gene's brother Tom will be testifying?) Wednesday - Margaret Singer David Butterworth (Freedom Mag) Thursday - Butterworth (cont.), Mike Farrel (MASH) Later witnesses will include: Dr. Louis J. West, Heber Jentzsch, Kurt Weiland, Thomas Ingram, Dick Cleek."
Message-ID: <33A1525D.59C479D1@uwc.edu>
#####
Good Neighbors
The St. Petersburg Times published a letter from Scientologist Pat Jones,
denying that Scientology is a bad neighbor for Clearwater, Florida.
"Through a series of free concerts in our beautifully restored Clearwater building, dances for the general public in the Fort Harrison's Crystal Ballroom, or through the snowy Winter Wonderland, our Dianetics Road Races or our many other events, we have brought life to downtown. Crime downtown has been noticeably lowered due to our presence here, a fact that has been told to us many times by elderly residents who now consider the downtown safe.
"Due to the church's presence in Clearwater, the area receives more than $60-million in direct spending each year. That includes spending by the church, its staff, the more than 1,500 visiting Scientologists who are here at any given time who are active tourists, and the other 3,500 to 4,000 permanent residents of Clearwater who are members of the church. These people contribute a great deal to both the economy of Clearwater and its way of life. Scientologists volunteer in local drug and criminal rehabilitation programs, they serve as Boy and Girl Scout troop leaders, and they work on the church's annual events such as its Easter Egg Hunt and Summer Crafts Festival, as well as many other non-Scientology programs.
"The residents of Clearwater, who are in the know and who really care about this town and the state of its downtown, remark constantly on the fact that the church fixes up its buildings to a standard far beyond what is expected of this area, that church staff, parishioners and visiting Scientologists are clean, drug-free and ethical, and that you couldn't ask for better citizens."
Message-ID: <5nh5r8$2j9@netaxs.com>
#####
Lisa Marie Presley
Scientologist Lisa Marine Presley has been reported extremely ill by two
tabloid newspapers from a possibly Scientology-related cleansing routine.
>From the Star:
"Lisa was rushed to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater and treated for stomach, liver and bronchial infections. (There is a report that Lisa McPherson had yellow skin. That is an indication of jaundice, eg. a liver problem.) The Star reports that Lisa had just finished a 'grueling Scientology ritual known as 'cleansing' during which she had to take mega doses of vitamins and stay in oven-hot saunas for long periods of time.' Star contacted Dr. Victor Herbert, a professor at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine and author of the books Total Nutrition and The Vitamin Pushers. Dr. Herbert warns of the dangers of niacin overdoses leading to liver damage, blood sugar disorders, etc. Hot saunas he says adds to niacin increases in the body and the dehydration from all this can bring on fevers."
And from the National Enquirer:
"Lisa Marie Presley was found crumpled on a bathroom floor at her home, sobbing hysterically after scrawling 'Nobody loves me - I'm ugly' all over her arms. It was the bizarre start of a shocking spiral into self-loathing and self-destructive behavior that landed Elvis daughter in a hospital - and in the midst of a suicide drama.
"A spokesman for Lisa announced she was 'diagnosed with a bronchial infection, a stomach infection and a liver infection.' In fact, Lisa's condition was far more serious. She also was suffering heart palpitations and a high fever.
"Lisa began a strange process of self-medication she calls 'Cleanse Thyself.' It involves swallowing as many as 60 different kinds of herbs while eating decreased amounts of vegetables and fruit, followed by complete fasting. Lisa also resorted to 'purifying' her body with wheat grass - a type of grass that's harvested and squeezed to yield a green liquid, said the close source. 'The liquid is used in enemas. To cleanse the eyes, you wash them with the juice - which burns terribly. And the hemp-like residue is inserted into the nostrils and mouth to cleanse them.' Lisa added her own twists to the 'Cleanse Thyself' ritual - including megadoses of vitamins, algae pills, and strenuous exercise, say insiders. Finally, in late May, the abuse of her body came crashing down on her and she wound up in a hospital bed."
Message-ID: <19970612165601.MAA16509@ladder02.news.aol.com>
Message-ID: <33b23ab3.3976217@news.snafu.de>
#####
Robert Young
Robert Young reported questioning from Scientology in a deposition in the
FACTNet case related to several people, possibly all Scientologists.
"On June 6, I was deposed again by plaintiffs in the above cited case. (This time I was deposed as an expert.) In the course of the deposition, plaintiff named several people and asked if I had spoken with them.This is the second time they have asked me about these people, indicating plaintiff has a concern. I am therefore seeking to contact those people. They are: Paul Klopper, David Cooper, Pat Brice, Guy White.
"If anyone has any information as to their whereabouts, please contact me or tell them that I would like to reach them. My phone number is (206) 933-0935 and is in the Seattle phone book but I do not accept collect calls."
Message-ID: <EBKtL0.Gp2@eskimo.com>
#####
Reuters reported this week that Switzerland will not be following Germany's example by placing Scientology under surveillance.
"Switzerland does not need to follow Germany's example and put the Church of Scientology under surveillance by federal police, a Swiss Justice Ministry advisory panel said on Tuesday. It said in a statement that Scientology 'does not pose a direct and urgent danger to Swiss domestic security,' a criterion that the group would have to meet to warrant observation by federal police.
"'But the working group found that the activity of Scientology appears questionable in many circles and can be connected with risks and high financial expenditures for the (Scientology) members,' the committee said. 'There are indications that Scientology operates a comprehensive intelligence service,' it said, added that this was aimed mainly at collecting information about members and critics rather than about the state."
Message-ID: <5nm18v$fjf@netaxs.com>
#####
Gregg Hagglund and anonymous poster "Artemis" reported on a second picket at Scientology's Toronto org this week.
"Staged a *total surprise* Demonstration at the Toronto Org of Co$. Police *NOT* required to forward Notice and DO NOT. Buttnor throws bird at Police. (Bird ok, Buttnor Enturbulated)
"Highlights: Demo runs from 2pm to 5pm. Demo at full cause over org and backed by on site presence of Toronto's Finest for most of the show. Rev. Buttnor furious. Complains to Police who politely rebuff the Rev. All CoS opposition are men. Mr. Yukka123 goes bananas an tries to control sidewalk, but gets TONE 40'd back in to Org Doorway by Demonstrator. Demo participants number 6 including our own live Bouvier known as 'The Duke of Gloucester'.
"300 RX specials given out to universally appreciative public. 240 DYIN'ETHICS 12 page Pamphlet also given out. Body routers routed."
"For those of you who haven't seen it, the org is a 8 floor building, and all except the middle 1/3 of the ground floor is Scientology. The building is rather decrepit looking, probably built in the sixties some time, and it has air-conditioners hanging out of windows, rather tatty looking blinds hanging from some of them and plastic bags of something up against many windows.
"The Metro Toronto Police park a crime prevention unit van conspicuously on the corner nearest the org, and Gregg goes to introduce himself, apparently the police have heard of the violence in Poole, and wish to ensure there isn't anything similar here. Note we did not tell them about Roland, they must have done their own research.
"On site, our first encounter was with the Reverent Al Buttnor, our favorite OSA clam. Rev. Buttnor immediately grabbed the phone, presumably phoning for reinforcements. Today, we had one sole photographer, no anti-picket leaflets and only a total of three body routers active in the whole three hours.
"The Sea Org who was photographing the critics realized that he was behind, and tried to capture the two late arriving protesters, and he photographed Slippery Jim, and tried to photograph Miss U and Duke the dog. Now Miss U is shy, she doesn't want anyone photographing her, regardless of their Orgness, and she covers her face with the orange leaflet, and generally tries to prevent photography. Gregg is running a full commentary at the top of his voice and attracting a huge crowd, most of who take a leaflet to find out what it's all about. Gregg estimates that he gave out 50 leaflets in that short spell.
"Our SO type doesn't give up, and even though we try covering her up with our picket signs as moving her around as required, the sea org type might have gotten a picture of her. This frightens Miss U and she feels that she has to leave now. I escort her away from the org, well out of camera range.
"We head off in the direction of the car park, and we have a tail, our Sea Orger wants to see where we parked. Sheesh! If you're going to tail someone, make yourself inconspicuous, wearing an ugly uniform and with a camera around your neck doesn't qualify."
Message-ID: <elrond-0706972217000001@cgowave-7-50.cgocable.net>
Message-ID: <86gAvOjQ2w5ZQ@arscc.com>
#####
Boston Books
An anonymous report was posted this week of Scientologists approaching a
bookstore owner with a business proposition.
"The Avenue Victor Hugo bookstore on Newbury Street is one of the best used-book stores in the Boston area. Yesterday, two representatives of Scientology came into the store and attempted to convince the store proprietor to sign up for a new 'business venture' that would supposedly allow him to promote the store over the Internet, paying for it with a system that would apparently involve swapping books for credit.
"The two persons mentioned how the represented a nationwide organization, but did not mention Scientology. After they left, I made a point of letting the proprietor know that he had been approached by representatives of Scientology."
Message-ID: <5nra9v$h1e@basement.replay.com>