Dear Lee, You are my son and there will always be a place for you in my heart. I will always love you and do anything I can to help you. Nearly four years ago, we lost your brother Adam. I am still not reconciled with my grief at this loss. Since you were recruited into Scientology, I have been losing you, too. For some months, I have been finding out about Scientology, I have diseovered that Scientology's founder was a pathological liar who made numerous spurious claims about his life. He was not in fact a war hero, an explorer, a student of Asian mystics or a nuclear physicist. Nor did he cure himself of war wounds with the discovery of Dianetics. Factually, Hubbard was a drug addict and a black magician with no concern for anyone but himself. I found that there are no published studies to back up Hubbard's supposedly "scientific"-discoveries. I also found that Hubbard had created an ultraloyal paramilitary organisation, members of which were willing to commit criminal acts on his behalf. I could write pages on the information I've seen, but the most worrying aspect of my investigation is the discovery that thousands of lives have been destroyed by Hubbard's monstrous organisation. Despite your belief that Scientology has helped you, the only evidence I see is of financial and social devastation. Since becoming involved in Scientology you have abandoned responsibilities and become callous towards your family and friends. You have be come fanatical and unwilling to even consider evidence that you have been misled. You seem to be under the control of Scientology. Letters from the Brisbane Scientology organisation show that before leaving Australia your life was already controlled. I arranged to come to England in December, believing that whatever grip Scientology had on you could be released by our love for one another. A few hours before I flew out, you phoned to say that I had been to a Cult Aware meeting in Brisbane, and had met Jon Atack. I was shocked to realise that I had been under Scientology surveillance, and even more shocked that you didn't care about this invasion of privacy. While I was on my way your Mum was subjected to an interrogation over the phone by a Scientologist, who asserted that your safety was at risk. I was outraged that a complete stranger should assert that I would hurt you in any way. Again, you seemed without feeling. Once I arrived, it was clear that you were checking in to Scientology, even to the point of a Scientologist arriving on the doorstep in Manchester. I spent two weeks talking with you, and visited Saint Hill several times and the Manchester organisation once. I was alarmed by what I saw, but most alarmed that you saw nothing wrong It was obvious that you were phobic about any information which showed Scientology in a bad light. You were determined to hang on to Scientology no matter what. This desperate reaction is frightening. As I had given two weeks to meeting Scientologists and considering the Scientology point of view, it seemed fair that you should spend some time considering documentary evidence of Hubbard's numerous lies and crimes, and meet with experts in a friendly environment. After considerable persuasion, you watched a 25-minute video. You were unconcerned that this video showed that we had been lied to at Saint Hill where we were told that Hubbard had only given one television interview. The harassment practices endorsed by Hubbard, and his obvious lies to camera made no impression on you. Having said that you would like to say something to Jon Atack, you went into a paranoid reaction when you were offered the opportunity. It was as if you believed Atack had some weird supernatural power which Scientology cannot resist. You promised not to call Scientology, but broke your word almost immediately. A squad from the Office of Special Affairs (OSA) arrived to take you from the hotel. The next day, you refused to even look at documents I had brought; even though these were largely documents written by Hubbard, and photocopies were offered to you. Later that day, you became extremely interested in seeing the documents, presumably with instructions from OSA. On Monday, I went through documents which prove without doubt that Hubbard lied about his war wounds, had Scientologists thrown overboard from his ship, initiated harassment campaigns year in, year out, against critics. I showed you that Scientology lies about membership figures, and Hubbard's admission that the techniques you have been subjected to are hypnotic. Hubbard's orders clearly state that opponents of Scientology can be murdered by Scientologists without penalty. None of this had any effect. You said that you are committed to Scientology no matter what -beyond reason and beyond hope. It is obvious that Scientology has manipulated your desperation. Since joining you have borrowed heavily and messed up your relationship with your girlfriend and your infant son. You have also antagonised friends and family alike with your unreasoning obsession. Scientology has given you a refuge in world-avoiding euphoria and placed you under hypnotic command. My request is that we take a week together, with no one else present and no contact with Scientology. During that.week we should review the evidence against Scientology. If having considered the evidence you decide to continue with Scientology I shall not interfere. While you remain impervious to evidence I will do everything posible to expose Scientology. If I do not have your written agreement to spend a week with me revieving the evidence, without contacting Scientology, within 24 hours, I shall send this letter to the media. I have already lost one beloved son: I understand that if I oppose Scientology, you will be forced to cease communicating with me (to "disconnect"), but I will never give up on you. I love you and will always be your friend. With love, Stuart Riley