14th August 1995 SCIENTOLOGY - I MUST TELL MY STORY I was absolutely amazed to read the letter written by the newly appointed Public Relations Officer of the Church of Scientology. I think I need to set the record straight as far as my personal situation is involved. I object to being called a hate campaigner. I am aware that the Scientology organisation is extremely litigious. However I cannot let this deter me - I have a story to tell and I shall tell it. Scientology has a policy, called 'Fair Game' which states that any person judged by Scientology to be a Suppressive Person "may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed." In further policies, L Ron Hubbard states "if anyone is trying to stop Scientology, I can make Captain Bligh look like a Sunday school teacher", and "the law can be used very easily to harass." Scientologists hold these to be scripture. TECHNIQUES During a 1980 trial, top Scientology officials admitted that Fair Game had never been withdrawn. Founder L Ron Hubbards wife and ten others were thereafter sentenced to prison terms for a conspiracy which included burglary, bugging, theft, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and coaching witnesses to lie. A report into Scientology for the state of Victoria, Australia said, "Scientology is evil; its techniques evil; its practice a serious threat to the community, medically, morally and socially". The letter from the Church of Scientology stated that, "when Richard Prices sister first became a member of the Church of Scientology they did not immediately seek help in order to get her out." My sister did not tell my family that she was a Scientologist until she had been in the organisation for two years. To allay my concerns she took my wife and I to the Scientology headquarters. This visit did not reassure me, so I decided to carry out some research into the organisation. I discovered that their leader L Ron Hubbard was an stage hypnotist and a science fiction writer who called non Scientologists "wogs" and "raw meat". After I had read a book called Religion Inc I tried to discuss it with her. I read an extract about a Scientology course that teaches that 75,000,000 years ago Earth was part of a Galactic Federation run by an evil ruler called Xenu. Xenu shipped billions of people to Earth, and gathered their spirits on electronic ribbons, and these were implanted with the images of the future. As I read this to my sister, she became very upset and tried to wrestle the book from me. STRAINED I later learned that Scientologists are taught that anyone hearing this material will become ill and die within days. My relationship with my sister was badly affected by the above and she was very distant for about two years. When I met Bonnie and Richard Woods my relationship with her improved. It also improved as a result of obtaining advice from FAIR, and the Cult Information Centre. However, our relationship continued to be very strained. I was not able to discuss Scientology openly and this was very difficult because I had come to believe that the practices of the organisation could harm my sister. She was even put on a course that cost about 400.00, to teach her how to "handle" me. Scientologists have to "handle" any opponents to Scientology (Potential Trouble Sources), or "disconnect" (cease all communication with them). I am appalled by the attack on Richard and Bonnie Woods in the letter. They stand for reasoned discussion rather then the haranguing invective of Scientology. Scientologists are told that the Woods are deprogrammers who kidnap members. This is totally untrue. They will not meet a Scientologist unless the Scientologist agrees to meet them first. They do not charge fees. They are normal, decent people who have detailed knowledge of the organisation and want to help families being torn apart by Scientology. In addition to contacting the above, I have undertaken extensive and independent research, studying books and other information, from many different sources. There is a mountain of information available by psychologists, sociologists, religious leaders, ex -members and families. Scientology was condemned by a 1971 Government Enquiry conducted by Sir John Foster QC, MP ( available from HMSO). The most damning information comes from internal documents and course materials published by the Scientology organisation itself. As a non-scientologist, I have the freedom to research and study a subject. Unfortunately, Scientologists are forbidden to read any material critical of Scientology so they are not in a position to make an assessment of the organisation with which they are involved. Mr Selfe defended the organisations actions against me by stating that the solicitors letter was a warning not to commit violations of the law. I think that it is most unusual for a solicitor to send a letter warning of action over incidents that have not, and are not likely to, happen. Sending private investigators round to my house and posting threatening legal letters through my door at 11.30 at night when I have done nothing unlawful, seems to me to be obvious intimidation. It is a human right to be able to express an opinion. I consider that Scientology violates this human right by trying to oppress me. It is also a human right to hold ones own beliefs and to practice ones chosen religion. LIP SERVICE Scientology pays lip service to these beliefs in its creed but I see my sister being prevented from free thinking and exploited for commercial gain by an organisation that pretends to be a church in order to deflect criticism as religious "persecution". Since my story appeared in the Courier, I have received another similar letter from Scientologys solicitor and my sister has indicated that she is going to have no more to do with me, so I must assume that she has been manipulated into "disconnecting" from me. If any Courier readers are concerned that their family members are in a cult, they should contact the Cult Information Centre on 0181 6513322. They also provide leaflets for schools and colleges that explain how to recognise a cult. Readers concerned with Scientology can contact FUSS (Families under Scientology Stress), BM Box 3506, London WC1N 3XX. Richard Price