Alt.religion.scientology
Week in Review Volume 6, Issue 44
2/24/2002 by Rod Keller [rkeller@...]
copyright 2002

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. Subscriptions are
also available on Yahoo. Email weekinreview-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or
see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/weekinreview. PDA channel available at
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Week in Review is archived at:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/WIR/
http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs1dc/scientology/wir.html
http://www.religio.de/publik/arsfaq.html

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> Austria

OTS reported on February 21st that a meeting was held in Vienna to discuss
the Austrian government's position on cults.

"In today's session, the representatives of the families committee were
heavily engaged with the topic of cults. The cause of this had taken form
in the third report of activity from the Federal Center for Cult Issues,
which had recently been presented to the National Assembly by Welfare
Minister Haupt. In the session the representatives rated the Federal
Center's work as markedly positive, and the view was expressed that the
activity in this area needed to be stepped up. Representatives of the SPOe
and the Greens in particular supported the continuation of the cult center
under direction of the federal police, a desire that had also been
supported by Welfare Minister Haupt.

"Deliberations in the committee were introduced with a short report from
the operating manager of the Federal Center for Cult Issues, German
Mueller. According to him, there was no evidence to indicate that the
conflicts accompanying the appearances of cults and cult-like organization
were on the decline. He said the steadily increasing number of contacts
with the Federal Center for Cult Issues demonstrated just the opposite. He
said that, on the average, the center was confronted almost every day with
questions about another new group.

"German Mueller agreed with the representatives that the core prevention
work centered on critical discussions with children. He said that official
bans would be of little use, because the very act of banning could prove
an enticement to young people. As far as dealing with children born into
cults, he said that based on experience, he would recommend communicating
to these children that the 'normal world' was capable of sustaining life
and was not necessarily evil.

"The third annual activity report from the Federal Center for Cult Issues
was unanimously accepted by the families committee. It said that in 2000,
1,807 people had approached the federal center, whereby the information
and counseling services were used mainly by experts, private persons, and
government agencies. 55 cases were identified as inquiries made by the
cult-like organizations themselves. Questions related to 231 various
groups, most of which concerned Scientology, Satanism, Occultism and
Esoterica (divination)."

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#####

> CCHR

A Scientology press release on February 22nd promoted the work of
celebrity Ann Archer against Psychiatry.

"Actress Anne Archer joined the growing list of celebrity mothers who are
speaking out against the psychiatric labeling and drugging of school
children, by releasing a new Web site at the 33rd annual celebration of
the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International, a psychiatric
watchdog organization. The Web site, www.FightForKids.com, is designed to
educate parents about the labeling and drugging of children, and inform
them about the necessary reform of Congress's next major educational
project, Special Education.

"Helping to release the new Web site with Anne Archer, was CCHR 2002 Human
Rights Award winner, Sheila Matthews. Matthews, a Connecticut mother, was
awarded for her year long battle to get psychiatry out of the public
school systems."

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#####

> Clearwater

The St. Petersburg Times reported on February 23rd that a candidate for
Clearwater City Commissioner announced she will work to rejuvenate the
downtown area, and not let it be dominated by Scientology.

"In the race between incumbent Hoyt Hamilton and Patricia Bates-Smith,
Hamilton says the city needs another redevelopment plan. He reiterates
that the city needs to 'come up with a plan that works and then we have to
work that plan.'

"Bates-Smith said that the city should be aggressive and lease all of the
vacant space in downtown storefronts, then turn around and recruit new
businesses to rent the space at reduced rates. The effort would instill
confidence in downtown, because new businesses that were recruited
wouldn't be alone in opening here, she said. Bates-Smith added that she is
'not willing to give downtown up' to the Church of Scientology, which has
its spiritual headquarters there."

Source Magazine published a calendar of upcoming events in Clearwater and
for the Flag Tour.

"9 February: Annual Clear Expansion Committee Awards Banquet.
2 March: OT Hatting Dinner: 'Treasures of the Bahamas'
15 March: LRH Birthday Event. 7:00 at the Ruth Eckert Hall
15-17 March: Convention Weekend
Annual International OT Committee Convention
Flag Prosperity Conference
Flag OT Convention- Spearheading the Year of the OTs
23 March: IAS Patron Ball
19-22 April: International Wise Convention
11 May: Dianetics Anniversary Event.

"Upcoming Flag Tour Dates:

"26 January - Dusseldorf, San Diego, Detroit
2 February - Hamburg, Washington, D.C
9 February - CC Paris, San Francisco
16 February - Paris, Miami
23 February - Munich, Stevens Creek"

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> Penelope Cruz

The National Enquirer reported in its February 26th issue that celebrity
Penelope Cruz has called off her wedding to Tom Cruise, following her
taking the Purification Rundown vitamin and sauna regimen.

"'Penelope has put the brakes on,' revealed an insider. 'Penelope is
telling pals she feels she and Tom need time to resolve issues in their
yearlong relationship,' disclosed a source. One stumbling block is Tom's
attempt to quickly indoctrinate her into his religion. 'He's rushing her
into an orientation in Scientology,' said the source. 'She even
participated in a Scientology purification process - several days straight
of intense cardiovascular exercise, high doses of niacin and sweating to
drain toxins from the body.'"

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#####

> France

Xinhua News Agency reported on February 20th that a French government
report on cults warns against cults participating in health care and
charity work.

"Some sects have turned to new fields of activities such as health care
and humanitarian aid to prey on vulnerable victims, France's
Inter-Ministerial Mission of Fight against Cults (MILS) warned in its
annual report released Tuesday. They generally cover themselves under 'a
convenient mask of religion' and 80 percent of them are involved in
so-called 'training courses' or 'medical therapies,' said the report,
adding that laws must be adopted to regulate these activities.

"The Church of Scientology, the second largest but the more active one, is
'absolutely a dangerous cult,' said MILS, noting the group has developed a
strategy to destabilize the infrastructure in France by vigorously
applying lawsuits to escape public scrutiny. Last September, members of
the Church of Scientology were seen distributing aid and preaching to
victims around World Trade Center ruins in New York and AZF chemical
factory ruins in French southern city of Toulouse, said the report. 'But
as humanitarian organizations started distributing aid, the sect members
immediately limited access to their own aid. In fact, they took suffering
victims as potential clients and encouraged them to join the sect rather
than expect aid,' said MILS."

From Agence France Presse on February 19th:

"France's state anti-cult body warned Tuesday that sects are infiltrating
aid efforts in disaster zones like New York after September 11, drawing an
angry outburst from the Church of Scientology that it is the victim of a
'witch-hunt.' The Inter-Ministerial Mission for the Fight against Sects
(MILS) said in its annual report that groups on its blacklist - including
the Church of Scientology - are moving beyond their traditional activities
of offering 'training' courses and para-medical 'therapies' in a quest for
new recruits and respectability. They were now 'not hesitating to take
advantage of strife in the world' to peddle their dogma to vulnerable
individuals, warned the report, which has been handed to Prime Minister
Lionel Jospin.

"But a US lawyer engaged by the Church of Scientology, Aram Kevorkian,
held a news conference with French members of the group immediately after
the release of the report saying its allegations were unfounded. 'In good
old English, we call that bullshit,' he said, adding: 'I think Scientology
is the victim of a witch-hunt in this country.'"

The Guardian reported on February 21st that Scientology will be on trial
for civil liberties violations.

"The case, which could well decide the movement's future in France, is the
first since the adoption there last year of tough anti-cult legislation
that allows the dissolution of suspected sects found guilty of common
offences. Prosecutors will charge the Church's inner temple, the Spiritual
Association of the Church of Scientology in the Paris region, and its
president, Marc Walter, with abuse of civil liberties, misleading
publicity and attempted fraud.

"'It's a hugely important case, the first time the Church has been accused
as a legal entity in its own right,' said Olivier Morice, a lawyer for the
National Union for the Defence of Families and Individuals, which is
demanding that the organisation be outlawed. The case stems from the
complaints of three men, including two former Scientologists, who were
sent brochures, booklets and invitations from the Church two or three
times a week for several years despite having repeatedly demanded to be
removed from its mailing lists.

"'That is a clear-cut case of breach of civil liberties and data
protection legislation,' a spokesman at the public prosecutor's office
said yesterday. 'The judge also argues that the organisation was set up
specifically to commit these offences.'

"The Church, which has dismissed the case as 'a minor affair about the
complaint of a couple of individuals', will also be accused of attempted
fraud based on the 'false allegations and untrue promises' in its tracts."

From the Associated Press on February 21st:

"The two-day trial marks the first time the organization itself was being
taken to task in court, faced with charges of attempted fraud and false
advertising. Marc Walter, president of the Ile de France section that
includes Paris, faced the same charges. A civil party to the lawsuit, the
National Union of Associations for the Defense of Families and
Individuals, is calling for the Paris branch of the Church of Scientology
to be dissolved, according to Olivier Morice, a lawyer for the
associations.

"Jean Depuis, spokesman for the French division of the Church of
Scientology, has called the trial a 'witch hunt.' He said he hoped 'the
prosecutor realized that the Inquisition ended 600 years ago.'"

From Reuters on February 22nd:

"A French prosecutor asked a court on Friday to consider shutting down the
Church of Scientology in the greater Paris area, saying it engaged in
'mental manipulation.' 'This is about protecting potential victims,'
prosecutor Christine Forey told the court in Paris. 'I ask you to think
about the penalty of dissolution due to the methods used by Scientology,'
she said. Forey charged the church, whose U.S. branch counts Hollywood
stars including Tom Cruise among its members, with attempted fraud,
untruthful advertising, and violation of people's rights by holding
computerised files on them. Forey asked that the church be fined at least
300,000 euros ($263,200) if it were not ordered to close. She also
requested that the group's leader in Paris, Marc Walter, 60, be given a
one-year suspended prison sentence.

"'The methods of Scientology, its deceitful promises of results which call
for large donations of money, amount to a form of mental manipulation,'
Forey told the court. 'The aim of this organisation is purely commercial.'

"Walter's lawyers argued on Thursday that there was nothing stopping any
member from leaving the group. 'If someone doesn't want to belong to the
church anymore, we are not going to hold them back, there's no sense in
that,' said defence counsel Bernard Michel. The court is due to give its
verdict on May 17."

From the Associated Press on February 22nd:

"A prosecutor on Friday urged a Paris court to disband the Church of
Scientology in the French capital, where the organization is on trial for
attempted fraud and false advertising in its efforts to recruit and keep
its members. 'I ask you to consider dissolution,' Forey said.

"Civil parties to the government's case, including the National Union of
Associations for the Defense of Families and Individuals, support the call
for the Paris branch to be dissolved.

"Church of Scientology members have likened the trial to a witch hunt and
say their faith is a religion like any other. 'This is a setup - the
government is trying to destroy a religion,' said Marc Bromberg, a Church
of Scientology official. 'We are in an environment in France that's
against religion and spirituality.'"

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> Narconon

Die Welt published additional details on February 18th about a speech
given by a retired Scotland Yard detective in support of Scientology's
Narconon program.

"More than 100 representatives of Hamburg society assembled in the
venerable halls of the American consulate on the 'Aussenalster' to listen
to the words of guest speaker Christopher Brightmore. The retired police
officer unceasingly praised Scientology's Narconon program as the best
drug withdrawal concept in the world. His speech was cause for an
appearance by Ursula Caberta in the meantime. 'This was purely a sales
talk for Scientology,' the feisty director of the Task Force on
Scientology criticized the arrangement.

"The former narcotics agent reported to the assembled guests, police
president Udo Nagel and Ferdinand Prince of Bismarck among them, that he
had searched the entire world for the last ten years to find a drug
rehabilitation program that actually worked, 'And I am happy to
communicate to you that I am certain I've found it,' Brightmore continued.
'It is conducted by an organization called Narconon, which belongs to the
ABLE organization, the Association for Better Life and Education, a
charitable firm founded by the Church of Scientology.' The concept could
be regarded 'as the best drug rehabilitation program available,' the
retired agent proceeded to praise the method of operation and success of
the program with the appropriate details and rapture. Excerpt: 'I have
visited this program at three different sites and spoke with the students.
All were enthused with their experience.'

"As far as Ursula Caberta knows, the praise for this drug withdrawal
program contradicts all findings. She not only regards the Narconon
program as a menace to health, but also believe addicts are being
exploited. 'This is a case of one drug being replaced by another -
Scientology.' The basis of the Narconon program is said to be the
technology of L. Ron Hubbard. The Berlin narcotics authorities have been
urgently warning people about Narconon since 1978. It contains, for
instance, the 'danger of assimilating the irrational, internal hierarchy'
of the program.

"The director of the government task force also expressed an interest in
the role of Henry Randmark, who, as president of the German-American
Business Club, sent out invitations for the gathering in the general
consulate. The 65-year old American, who runs a cleaning company, has
apparently used his connections to advertise for a dubious drug program,
Caberta speculated. Randmark told WELT that he was outraged that anyone
suggested he had a connection with Scientology. He said he was not a
member of the controversial cult. 'There's nothing wrong with telling
sick people they should get treatment - no matter if it is from Jehovah's
Witnesses, the Mormons or the Scientologists,' said Randmark."

Rupa Chinai published an article on February 19th promoting Narconon for
patients in India.

"The ill-effects of years of narcotics, alcohol or pharmaceutical drugs
abuse cannot be wiped away by administering so-called wonder drugs to
addicts. These wonder drugs, or magic bullets as they are popularly known
as, only make the body a pharmaceutical dump, says Clark Carr, president
of non-governmental organisation Narconon International, which has worked
in the field of rehabilitation for three decades and has recently launched
a pilot project offering rehabilitation and prevention services in Mumbai.

"Q. How does your detoxification programme work?

"A. Our detoxification programme flushes out drugs or other toxic residues
from the body through sweating. It focusses on moderate exercise that
stimulates blood circulation, followed by dry saunas. The long-term
effect is extraordinary. Drug addicts who undergo this programme say, 'The
drugs are not talking to me any more.' The same procedure works for
environmental and occupational toxins. This approach needs to be
supplemented with fluids and natural food. Drug addicts also need capsule
supplements of vitamins and minerals as they suffer from an imbalance of
micro-nutrients.

"Q. Would such a detoxification programme work for India?

"A. Our detoxification approach is workable in every situation. In poor
countries, even in the absence of saunas, a programme of exercise, sweat
and vitamins enables rehabilitation without hospitals."

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#####

> MP3

"El Queso" reported this week that MP3.com has released information
concerning his identity to Scientology.

"I am in receipt of your correspondence dated February 11, 2002. As I
informed you, MP3.com removed the El Queso Allstars web page on February
11th, thus discontinuing public access to the artist page for the band
that infringed upon your client's intellectual property.

"The El Queso Allstars web page was posted to the Site on November 19,
2000. Contact information is Name and address, Glendale, Arizona XXXXX as
well as Name and address, Phoenix, AZ XXXXX, phone number (XXX) XXX-XXXX.
The Artist's Email address on file is the_cheese_23@....

"I trust that the matter of terminating access to this artist page from
our Site and providing you with payment and contact information is now
completed to your satisfaction."

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#####

> Meadow View

The Enterprise reported on February 19th that a center for former cult
members will be opening in Lakeville, Massachusetts, with former
Scientologist Tom Padgett on staff for the opening.

"Organizers of a planned halfway house for refugees of high-control
religious organizations say they hope to open the facility within a few
months at the former Meadow View Nursing Home on Crooked Lane. Tom
Padgett, who said he is a former member of the Church of Scientology, is
the Meadow Haven project coordinator. Once the facility opens, he said, he
will become the program's 'survival advocate.' He said the program could
open as early as six weeks.

"The Rev. Robert Pardon, the director of the new program's overseeing
group, the New England Institute of Religious research, said the institute
has received a large donation that has allowed it to hire an architect to
create the type of building changes the town wanted.

"Padgett said, 'It's a place for transition.' He said high-control
religious organizations differ from other organized religions because they
use mind control and terrorist tactics on their members. He said they take
their follows out of the mainstream and keep them there, with information
control, communication control and coercive tactics Some who enter a
program like Meadow Haven have led cloistered lives for many years within
these high-control religious organizations, he said. Some, he said,
haven't seen television in years, let alone thought of their lives
independently.

"Meadow Haven will include a kitchen and dining room, a residential area
for counselors, offices, a counseling room, eight bedrooms, a deck, a
separate storage building and a library with information on the history of
cults. It will hold up to 12 to 14 clients at a time, plus six staff
people that will include the director and his wife and professionally
trained counselors."

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> Protest / Revenge Summary

Keith Henson reported a protest in Toronto on February 23rd, and a visit
by Scientology PIs at the home of Ida Camburn before a protest at Gold
Base in Hemet, California.

"Toronto got a picket today. At the end of the picket, I got a cell phone
call from Arel that Edwin Richardson was at Ida's. Here is her report.

"Standing on the outside of the locked screen was this tall dark guy who
looked very familiar. 'Hello, you know me,' he said. I told Ida that 'Mr.
Richardson' was here. 'The sheriff is here to keep the peace,' Richardson
said. 'He's parked out front.'

"Richardson said, 'I just wanted you to know that we know about the post.'
He was looking at me more than at Ida. 'What post?' I asked. 'The post
about the pipe bomb and the cake,' he said. 'I just want you to know what
we know about the post about the pipe bomb and the cake,' he repeated
mechanically. Ida was telling him that we know that people post things on
a.r.s. or elsewhere that threaten themselves. He said again that the
sheriff was here to keep the peace, as if we two old ladies would rush out
and attack him with pipe bombs or possibly with cakes.

"We talked with the sheriff. The deputy was Deputy Gonzales, I discovered
when we both asked for cards from him. Deputy Gonzales told us that the
Hemet police would ordinarily have answered such a request, but that he
had been out at 'gold' as part of an investigation there. I told Deputy
Gonzales exactly what Richardson had said and that we didn't know what he
was talking about as far as any threat was concerned. I said that he was
probably trying to keep us from picketing 'gold' today. The deputy asked
if we intended to picket today. I said that we did."

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> Switzerland

Tages-Anzeiger reported on February 18th that a Scientology exhibit in
Zurich, Switzerland continues to bring protests from neighbors in the
area.

"The voices of the district merchants and residents resound in unison: the
Scientologists who have been advertising for over a week on the street for
an exhibition in the Spirgarten Hotel are obnoxious and aggressive. A
district resident said that he had filed a complaint with the police.

"The store owners and merchants on Lindenplatz are also fed up. 'What's
especially perfidious is that the Scientologists hint at solving drug
problems as a decoy to get people inside,' said one saleswoman. 'Many
customers did not realize until they were in the hotel that they were
involved in a Scientology operation.' Pedestrians also verified that the
street recruiters kept mum about their membership in Scientology. Parents,
moreover, were angered that Scientologists were even luring children into
the exhibition.

"District residents also complained about the Spirgarten Hotel. The
management did not wish to comment, but referred to a press release that
was to have been published this week. In any case it can be seen that they
will continue to let the exhibition operate in their spaces. One passerby
commented that the Scientologists had plenty of money to pay rent, and
they would always find someone to take it.

"One shop owner was annoyed because she was being approached several times
a day by the Scientologists. 'At first they wore yellow jackets. You could
recognize them and dodge them. Now they're wearing civilian clothes again.
Besides that they sometimes run after people.'

"The commercial police say their hands are tied. 'Without complaints we
can't do anything,' said a spokesman. One person after another has
complained to the police, but as a rule they are afraid to file charges.
'Once they realize their names have to be put on record, they get
discouraged.' City council tried to stop the Scientologists' missionary
work, but the cult appealed all cases and recently won in the federal
court. Since then the commercial police must occasionally grant
Scientology a permit."

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#####

> Ventura

The Ventura County Star reported on February 23rd that the Scientology org
in Ventura has events planned for the coming week.

"CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY 180 N. Ashwood Ave., 644-3993. Thursday: 9 a.m.
public breakfast seminar, 'How to Have a Game Instead of a Case.' Friday:
9 p.m. public seminar 'How Not to Feel Victimized' with the Rev. Jim Hamry
reading from the works of founder L. Ron Hubbard. Ongoing: 10 a.m. to 10
p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Life
Improvement educational services."

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> Volunteer Ministers

The San Diego Union this week publicized the billboards being used to
promote Scientology's new Volunteer Ministers campaign.

"The Church of Scientology has put up a dozen billboards in the San Diego
area, like this one at 30th Street near Adams Avenue, as part of a 14 city
outreach campaign. Callers are matched with volunteer ministers in their
area. A Scientology spokeswoman says the volunteer minister's goal is to
help people with everyday challenges of life-from strained marriages to
job loss."

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#####

> WISE

The World Institute of Scientology Enterprises this week publicized its
annual convention in Clearwater, Florida.

"13th Annual WISE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FLAG April 19-22, 2002 PURPOSE:
To create widespread interest and demand for LRH admin tech by continuing
the establishment of a crack team of WISE members who are shining examples
of LRH admin tech and who through their expanded dissemination activities
generate overwhelming popularity for Hubbard Management Technology
application across the planet. Gain certainty on LRH tech and how to apply
and disseminate it. Find out exactly what to do to be able to deliver LRH
admin tech standardly and get people winning. WISE has launched a new era
in the dissemination of LRH's admin tech. On the heels of the hugely
successful convention just held aboard the Freewinds, WISE is continuing
to unfold its Strategic Planning and bringing the Admin Scale of WISE to
its membership (all present will receive their own copies of these
issues).

"$350 WISE Convention Fee. $300 if paid by 28 February 2002."

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-end-