Melbourne 9/9: Leaflets (long)

David Gerard, Mon 11 Sep 1995

From: gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au (David Gerard)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Melbourne 9/9: Leaflets (long)
Date: 11 Sep 1995 16:52:41 +1000
Message-ID: <430mbp$t8j@cougar.vut.edu.au>


The report is off with other Melbourne conspirators^H^H^H^H^H individual
concerned citizens for a look-over (it's currently 3000 words), but I
thought you'd like to see our leaflets from the day.

The first leaflet was an A4 sheet folded to A5: "War on the Internet",
the CultAware material and the Web-sites list.

The second was an A4 sheet with "A Threat To Free Speech!" (an adaptation
of the UK leaflet) on one side and the Web sites on the other.

The third was for the people present, and is just notes to demonstrators.

* * * * *


          WAR
        ON THE
       INTERNET


 SCIENTOLOGY TERRORISM
 
    LEGAL THUGGERY

For years, the Church of Scientology has spied on, terrorised and
attempted to discredit critics of the Church, especially ex-Scientologists
or those who choose to follow their own version of the church's teachings.
Recently, they have tried to control the activities of respondents of the
Internet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology, by harrassing firstly the
individual respondents, then their system administrators, in an attempt to
have the critics removed from the Internet entirely. 

The harassment often consists of making unfounded accusations against
their critics ('dead agenting'), forcing them to defend themselves, and
even making threats to the person's safety. In one case, an anonymous
writer on the newsgroup had her real name, home address and phone number
published by the Church -- information that could only have been obtained
by spying on her activities. 

Other tactics include 'copyright terrorism' -- frivolous 'copyright'
lawsuits (unwinnable, but designed to ruin the respondent financially),
threats of such lawsuits and even raiding people's homes and seizing their
actual computers to obtain the information thereon. This is designed to
intimidate others from questioning or criticising the Church of
Scientology in any way. 

This is not an issue of the teachings of the Church of Scientology; but
rather, of a systematic attempt by a large and powerful organisation, with
considerable resources at hand, to eliminate criticism of itself through
any means possible, and to prevent members of the Church from discussing
the Church's teachings. If the Church of Scientology is permitted to get
away with this sort of harassment, it sets a precedent for any
organisation to prevent dissemination of publicly available information. 

For more information, contact David Gerard on (03) 9688 4856 or (03) 9688 4071;
Fax (03) 9688 4604; e-mail gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au 

or Tony McClelland (CultAware) at Locked Bag 1000, Granville NSW 2142;
e-mail tonym@jolt.mpx.com.au

  On the Internet, go to World Wide Web page
http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html
    or the centre of the action, newsgroup
          alt.religion.scientology
for a more detailed discussion of the above issues.


* * * * *



THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY is a dangerous, abusive and exploitative cult
that has declared war on the free speech available on the Internet. They
have tried unsuccessfully to remove the newsgroup
alt.religion.scientology. (Since then, readership levels have soared
through the roof.) They have also forged "cancel" messages to remove
messages which they allege contain copyright material. 

They are well known for their EXTRA-LEGAL HARASSMENT TECHNIQUES -- which
include framing an author for bomb threats., framing a mayor in a
hit-and-run accident and intimidating judges. New recruits, or 'raw meat'
as they are called, are promised spiritual enlightenment, superhuman
powers and 'total freedom' but find instead, as they move to the upper
levels, that their reality includes squalid living conditions in which
children and parents are separated. Abuses occur such as being locked in
basements, being punished by performing repetitive tasks such as running
around a pole until they drop from exhaustion, or being starved in
solitary confinement. All this happens while a premium is paid for
counselling offered by the Church of Scientology. A conservative estimate
to reach the top levels is $US300,000.00; many ruin themselves financially
trying to reach this goal. 

IF SOMEONE TRIES TO RECRUIT YOU TO SCIENTOLOGY, BE SURE YOU MAKE AN
INFORMED DECISION. 

Additional reading:

L Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman?  by Bent Corydon and L Ron Hubbard Jr 
(a.k.a. Ronald DeWolf) (Secaucus, NJ: Lyle Stuart, 1987) ISBN 0-8184-0444-2

Bare Faced Messiah, The True Story of L.Ron Hubbard. by Russell Miller.
(N.Y.: Henry Holt & Co. 1987) ISBN 0-8050-0654-0. 

A Piece of Blue Sky by Jon Atack, 1990 (A Lyle Stuart Book, Published by
Carol Publishing Group, 120 Enterprise Avenue, Secaucus, NJ, USA, 07094)
ISBN 0-8184-0499-X

Time Magazine. 6 May 1991: 'The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power' by
Richard Behar. (v137 p50-57)

Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan (Park Street Press) --
available Koorong Books (Aust)

Dangerous Persuaders by Louise Samways (Penguin Books)

Exit Counselling by Carol Giambalvo -- available Koorong Books (Aust)




CULTAWARE, Locked Bag 1000, Granville NSW 2142





A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE CHURCH OF
SCIENTOLOGY. 


The first introduction for many recruits is the free personality test.
This is the initial step in a process that can branch in two directions: 

1. The recruit can WORK FOR SCIENTOLOGY for as little as $40.00 per week.
This work commonly requires 12+ hours per day and six days per week. 

2. The recruit can remain as a member of the workforce and BUY COURSES.
The sum of the courses can run to $US380,000. 

We do not focus on the cost of the course but the element of deceptive
recruiting. We are also concerned about work conditions. 

Because all of the works produced by the Church of Scientology are
copyright, it is impossible for a recruit to gather enough information
about the Church of Scientology to make an informed decision from the
Church itself. 

WE DO NOT FOCUS ON THE COURSE CONTENT OR THE BELIEF SYSTEM, BUT THE HIDDEN
AGENDA. 

Mind control is a tool used by the Church of Scientology to make recruits
susceptible to their selling and controlling processes. We believe groups
that use hypnosis (the Dianetic auditing process) should be registered and
responsible for their actions. 

WE OPPOSE BEHAVIOUR THAT IS REPREHENSIBLE TO THE COMMUNITY. On 18 December
1994, Tony McClelland of CultAware received a phone call from a Brisbane
mother who had just received a distress phone call from her son: 'help,
help, call the Police!'

The mother called the Gosford Police, who drove to the site where the son
was detained and asked if he wanted to be released. He replied yes, and
the Police drove him to the Gosford Police Station. That evening the son
advised me that he had been incarcerated for three and a half months, two
weeks of this time being in solitary confinement. Neither the mother or
the son are prepared to speak publically. The son wishes to return to the
Church of Scientology, but the President of the Church of Scientology i n
Australia advised the parents that they would not accept him as a member
because he had been "unethical". The parents had previously written asking
for a guarantee that their son would not be accepted back to Scientology.
The Gosford Police have a record of the incident. 

WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE TACTICS USED BY THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY in a
copyright raid on the home of Dennis Erlich in California in February. The
CofS arrived with eight people and used tactics far beyond those
acceptable in a democracy. Similarly in three more recent raids. 

The purpose of the demonstration is to make people aware of the facts
surrounding Scientology and to encourage them to cease their actions
against anyone not agreeing with the Church. We have no desire to close
down the organisation, but we are concerned that the public is able to
make a fully informed decision. We are concerned that our legislators have
not passed laws that require such groups to disclose their full agenda. 


* * * * *



Resources available on the Internet via the World Wide Web
(e.g. Netscape, Mosaic or Lynx):



http://www.theta.com/goodman
   Semi-official Church of Scientology Web page.

http://www.cybercom.com/~rnewman/scientology/home.html
   The main CoS critic's page, compiled by Ron Newman of MIT. This page
links to fifteen other critics' pages and to the official Church page. It
contains the full story of the Church versus the Internet. This is the
best place to start. 




http://www.tiac.net/users/modemac/atack.html
   "The Total Freedom Trap: Scientology, Dianetics, and L.Ron Hubbard" by
Jon Atack
       History of the CoS and its founder; Origins and evolution of
doctrine and practice;  Organizational structure of CoS and subsidiaries

http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/media/time-5.6.91
   "Thriving Cult of Greed and Power"
       Time Magazine cover article, May 6, 1991

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/Xenu/
  "The Road To Xenu" by Margery Wakefield.
       First-person accounts of security checks, bullbaiting, living
conditions of Sea Org children, the OT3 "wall of fire", being put in an
Ethics condition, the RPF, having to disconnect from her father. 

http://www.demon.co.uk/castle/penny.html
  "Social Control Within Scientology" by FACTnet director Bob Penny
       Ever wonder how people get trapped by a cult like Scientology? A
companion to Wakefield's "Road to Xenu", this book by an ex-Scientologist
explains the mechanisms, explicit and subtle, by which Scientology
subverts the independence of its members. 

http://www.snafu.de/~tilman/mystory.html
   Anthology of stories by "ordinary" people
       In particular, read Kim Baker's detailed account of her induction
into, involvement with, and escape from a South African Org. 

http://gil.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au/~carterd/essaycos.html
  "An Essay on Scientology" by David Carter
       An overview of Scientology's doctrine and "ethical" worldview,
written for the outsider. 

ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/c/cultxpt/andredec
   Affidavit of Andre Tabayoyon, filed as part of the "Fishman" case
       Longtime high-ranking Scientologist, explains how the Church deals
with critics and apostates: humiliation, starvation, imprisonment, and
worse. 

http://nyx10.cs.du.edu:8001/~anon2c9e/scandal.txt
   "The Scandal of Scientology" by Paulette Cooper (1971; 315K).
       The Church of Scientology launched "Operation Freakout" against Ms.
Cooper after her book was published.  Among other "dead-agenting" tactics,
they forged a bomb threat on letterhead stolen from her office, which led
to her criminal indictment in 1973 (charges dismissed, 1975).  Her
reputation was not cleared, however, until an FBI raid in 1977 uncovered
CoS documents detailing the campaign against her. 




And read the Usenet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology for the news and
opinions as they happen! 


* * * * *


                     The Church of Scientology -- 
                      A Threat to Free Speech!

As an increasing number of ex-members denounce it as a ruthless cult,
Scientology is striking out against the freedom of speech available on the
global computer network the Internet. ex-members denounce it as a ruthless
cult, Scientology is striking out against the freedom of speech available
on the global computer network the Internet. 

RAIDS: The homes of Dennis Erlich (13th February), Arnaldo Lerma (12th
August), Larry Wollersheim (21st August) and Bob Penny (21st August) have
been raided by representatives of the Church using writs of seizure. 
Erlich had been warning the Internet about what he sees as a dangerous
cult. Lerma had posted a court document from a case involving the Church.
Wollersheim and Penny run an electronic library service for cult victims
and researchers. The raids were osten sibly to recover copyrighted
material, but in each case private material such as address books and
business records has been taken!  On February 8th, the Church used
Interpol to raid an anonymous remailer in Finland and obtain the true
identity of an individual. Their claim was that this person had stolen
files from a church computer, but no prosecution has occurred. 

LAWSUITS: The Church's lawyers have filed suits against the above
individuals using copyright law. They are also taking legal action against
critics' Internet Service Providers and the Washington Post newspaper.
Threats of legal action have also been made against more than forty
Internet users around the world. A legal battle against the Church is
rarely a level playing field; the church has millions of dollars to spend
on the best lawyers. So far this year, two major critics have been
bankrupted by the cost of defending themselves (Jon Atack in the UK and
Gerald Armstrong in the US). 

CANCELLED MESSAGES:  Hundreds of messages critical of the Church have been
erased by forged messages coming from an anonymous hacker. 

The 'cancel' messages sent out by "noman" instruct computer systems
around the world to delete the critical articles. Among the articles
cancelled are

*       internal documents which describe mind control techniques.

*       short quotations from Scientology scripture for critical purposes.

*       court documents from a trial in Spain in which the head of the Church
and fifteen other Scientologists face charges including inducement to
commit suicide. 

A group of Internet users has traced the cancels to a known Scientologist,
but it is not known whether this individual is acting on orders from the
organisation.

OTHER TACTICS used by the Church and its lawyers include sending private
investigators to critics' homes, attempting to remove the
alt.religion.scientology newsgroup, flooding this newsgroup with hundreds
of messages to swamp criticism and somehow obtaining and publishing the
home address of an anonymous female critic. 

The full story of Scientology's war on the Internet can be found on the
World Wide Web: http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html

Alternatively, come and join the debate yourself:

                Read alt.religion.scientology
             -the hottest group on the Internet!


* * * * *


TO THOSE HERE TO PROTEST AT THE CoS 9/9

This leaflet is about suitable behaviour for this demo. It's strictly
advisory, and won't tell you anything you don't know already; but I think
it's worth having on paper, and this leaflet is also suitable for public
consumption. 

THE PURPOSE of this world-wide demo is to politely and calmly inform
people (general public and Church staff) of our concern at the Church's
actions -- copyright terrorism -- on and off the Net. We are not here to: 

* harass any person for being a Scientologist -- they have the firm right
to believe whatever they wish to. The external and staff members are
generally decent folk who are not responsible for the actions of the upper
management who instituted the actions we are protesting. 

* get into religious arguments as such. It's easy to argue religious
teachings, but that's not the point here. 

* restrain any person from leaving or entering the Church buildings, or to
block entrances or exits at all. 

* generally cause trouble or breach public order. 

It is expected that Church representatives will pose as demonstrators and
attempt to make us look like troublemakers. The police are expected to be
present and will deal appropriately with anyone who does breach public
order. 

Church representatives are expected to: 

* photograph and possibly videotape all demonstrators.

* otherwise attempt to intimidate demonstrators.

* question demonstrators on why they are there and who they represent.
(Church policy is that all anti-CoS activity is centralised; they don't
understand the concept of the individual concerned citizen.)

* attempt to provoke and/or upset demonstrators so as to make the
demonstrators react and hence look like troublemakers. Stay calm! 

Violence from Church representatives is not expected.

We will be videoing as much of the demonstration as possible, for our own
security and safety. Should there be trouble, the troublemakers will be
identifiable. 

-- cheers, David Gerard. gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au





--
Reverend Doctor David Gerard, KoX, SP4.02
Prestige Elite(tm) Research Church of the SubGenius
"Servicing the Prestige Elite(tm) since 1985!"
OK, clams. You want war? You've got war.
--
Please email important followups (crappy and constipated newsfeed).
Personal visits from Scientologists will be greeted with extreme hostility
  and the vigilant attention of VUT Security, but personal physical violence
  *only* when appropriate, legal and called-for.
Rev Dr David Gerard, VUT SRC Footscray NoName.
gerdw@cougar.vut.edu.au (preferred); fun@suburbia.apana.org.au
July 5, 1998, 7 AM. Saucers. End of the world. Your US$30 is your trip ticket.