From: jensting@imaginet.fr (Jens Tingleff) Subject: LYON TRIAL French Press report 3/10 Date: 1996/10/04 Message-ID: organization: ARSCC Operation Clean the Planet newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology [Summary/piecemeal translation of article of the day in connection with the trial in Lyon of 23 clams. From Liberation, liberal/leftish French daily French original in single quotes. Comments/unclear points in square brackets. Apologies for my French, gotta get a dictionary one of these days... For 'sect' you may want to read 'cult'. Copyrights stated as being Liberation, by default (i.e. there are n explicit copyright notices with the articles] Three artiles today. One full page and a fron-page teaser (yeah!) La Scientologie a coutee 1 million a Marie-Therese 'Scintology cost Marie-Theres 1 million' Bernard Fromentien Liberation, 3/10 -96, page 16 Copyright 1996 Liberation ======================================================================= It's written on the badge that the scientologists wear, the're "happy." Tuesday, 23 adherents (the accused, we assume..) told the court how happy they were. [..] Yesterday, former adherents, the civil parties in the case, told of the difficulties involved in leaving, and the dangers ['etre perilleux d'essayer d'en sortir']. Marie-Therese Mallard was grave at the stand. Today retired, she had been looking for work for a few years. She replied to an ad to become "professional auditor." After a personality test which indicated that she was "unstable", she continued - out of intellectual curiosity - with comms courses and professional training. "The harassement was constant," she said. "They had understood that I was weakened by my desire to find work[..]" After a few months of auditing, she was told that she was ready for a purification cure. She advanced 11500 FFR for this. In january -91, her account at scientology was at 42500 FFR. They made her go to the european headquarters in Copenhagen. While there, she learned that her father was dying. They refused to let her go back to him. "They started to look on me as non-conformant." She was then sent to "Flag" in Los Angeles. The costs here were 60000 FFR. The heritage from her father permitted her to pay this. In total, scientology cost her 1 million francs. In spite of the harassements, she decided to split from scientology on her return to France, "to tell the world about the sect behind the front of scientology." A conclusion confirmed yesterday by father ['le pere' - don't know] Louis-Michel Brolles who during 11 years invested 500000 FFR before renouncing [the church]. He left feeling "used". Like Mohamed Onis, who would "enter into a state of questioning ['entrer dans un etat de demande' ??] in order to be appreciated and recognised." He finished by having to chose "between his parents and the sect." After these testimonies, the case wil pursue testminoies from experts, like Jean-Marie Abgrall, psycatrist, on the sect phenomenen. And it will finally leave the "neolangauge" of scientology and enter into examination of facts. ======================================================================= Pendant les debats, la propaganda continue 'During the debates, the propaganda continues' Daniel Licht Liberation 3/10 -96, page 16 Copyright 1996 Liberation ======================================================================= The scientologists in Lyoin speak with only one voice, that of Marc Bromberg, highly placed responsible of the sect in Paris. [discussion of howtrhe clams find the media attention excessive, the trial is a witch-hunt, etc etc etc. In all religions there are "apostates" and so on and so forth.] The Sept 30 issue of 'Ethique et Liberte' [Freedom, we presume], they smear an expert witness in the case. They liken the testimony of Jean-Marie Abgrall with having Hitler testify on the nature of jews. Declaring themselves the victims of a new type of inquisition, they don't have a taste for martyrdom. "We'll not let them do that." The senior staff claims that the case has been good PR for them. They've had several curious visitors to teh Dianetics centre in Lyon. [Discussion of the Lyon org. One member organised weekly karaoke nights in a nearby cafe. The owner of the cafe didn't know about the scientology affiliation of the organiser before the trial publicity, but declared himself satisfied with the nights.] Numerous leaflets warning about the dangers of psychology has been ahnded out outside the entrance to a mental hospital. Marc Bromberg also explains the dead-agenting ['propaganda noire']. "When we learn that someone who sets themselves up as models of virtue have acted in a condemnable manner, we say, it's a good war." A few months ago, docteur Abgrall, their 'bete noire' [black beast] was trapped by a false television crew sent by scientology. ======================================================================= Un gros business 'A big business' Liberation 3/10 -96, page 16 Copyright 1996 Liberation ======================================================================= oScientology claims 6 to 7 millions members, thereof 40000 in France. [discussion f church history, of change from dianetics to church of scientology , or orgnisation structure. The old Paris org was liquidated after owing 48 millions FFR to various authorities.] In spite of all its legal troubles, the church remains a peerless business with an estimated turnover of 150 million dollars. ======================================================================= Comments; A bit low on details, AGAIN. Steadily increasing exposure in the paper, though. I'll be glad to hear a from the expert (perhaps on the dead-agenting and fair gaming of the expert witness...). Later Jens ------ No PGP signature, no authenticity. Vive La France!! ---------- Scientology[tm] ?? Check it out at http://www.scientology.org *and* http://www.cybercom.net/~rnewman/scientology/home.html Report interesting conclusions to alt.religion.scientology ;-)