I am sorry to come here to a.r.s. today with bad news. Bob Kaufman, author of "Inside Scientology " died. He was 63 years old.
 
 Bob was the first person courageous enough to reveal the upper level materials. For this, he was terribly harassed and his dreams of a concert piano career shattered.

In the late '60s I was involved in Scientology, for about one year on the fringes of the group, then for several months in Great Britain at two Scientology headquarters to receive the "secret processes." My account of the involvement was published in 1972 under the title Inside Scientology (Olympia Press). I wrote the first drafts to cure myself of the sickness and confusion I suffered from the experience, in effect deprogramming myself before "deprogramming" became part of the language of defection from cults, or new religions. The present volume is essentially the same story, what I believe to be the first disclosure of the secret Scientology processes, including "clearing" and the "Upper Levels."

There was a muted note of sexual excitement in the prospect of being audited by Felicia. I was to take the passive role in a game of "doctor-and-patient" -- in this case an attractive female doctor -- the feeling of childlike conspiracy heightened by my anticipation of unusual happenings during the sessions. It would be a piquant, novel form of intimacy, with Felicia acting as ringleader. I had no naive hopes of working out my life, solving problems and gaining abilities through auditing, no intention of going beyond the one initial "release." Primarily, I wanted to be a good sport. It would be a lark.

It was April, 1967, perhaps two years after I had first heard of Scientology on a subway platform, that I agreed to let Felicia audit me privately, a harmless little pact that set me apart, I imagined, from those whose involvement with Scientology had been swift and total.

"Look, Ann," I said, "Scientology has always gotten a rotten press in England. These stories are based on rumors. I can probably piece together what really happened and give you a very good explanation for it. Now, this girl who `disappeared' probably left her parents to join what's known as the Sea Org, the crew on Ron Hubbard's yacht. During her training, her parents were found to be `suppressive' to her -- that is, they held her back from her own goals -- and she disconnected from them. They haven't heard from her since, and they're naturally worried. Simple enough, isn't it?"

"I don't know," Ann replied. "I think it's awful -- taking children away from their parents. There's something sinister going on. This Scientology sounds dreadfully like brainwashing. Bob, I think they're trying to snatch your brain. I'm very frightened about what's happening to you."

I awoke the next morning with the thought that I would have to kill myself. Dim light outside the window told me it was dawn in Edinburgh. I pondered the matter of my death carefully as Nash lay snoring a few feet away. Where had the thought come from? I'd never had it before. But I had damaged myself beyond repair on OT III, and even the Sea Org with their Search and Discoveries couldn't help me. The next step was suicide. I could jump off the bridge into the Edinburgh railroad yards. But by so doing I would invalidate Scientology. My name would go up on the bulletin board. I couldn't bear the shame of knowing what would happen after my death.

Once the raw meat makes his initial mistake of trying a beginning stage, the gradual impingement on his mind of Scientology concepts, terminology, auditing control methods and group pressure draw him as far into Hubbard's world as his finances will permit.

The total cost of these 25 items is $172,342, averaging $6,893.68 per item.

The Church of Scientology of Canada has advised some libraries that they may be cited as party defendants in a libel suit unless they remove certain books from their shelves, Steven Horn, council member of the Canadian Library Association said Wednesday. [...]

Mr. Horn said the church has told members of the association that actions for libel have been begun by the church against the authors, publishers and distributors of three books before the Supreme Court of Ontario.

The libraries were advised that if they did not remove the works from circulation until the courts had settled the actions, they could be cited as party defendants and be liable for damages.

The books are: Scientology: the now religion, by George Malko; Inside Scientology by Robert Kaufman and The Mind Benders by Cyril Vosper. [...]