NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #3/NN_1993_3.iso/spool/alt/religion/scientol/3434

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From: [e-mail] (Donald Lindsay)
Subject: Re: alt.religion.scientology Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 04:21:16 GMT
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[e-mail] (Ka Chun Yu) writes:
>Have anyone thought about adding a bibliography of source material about
>this subject, a list of CoS publishings as well as critical books and
>articles.

--------------------< books.FAQ: Reading List >----------------------------

Material about Scientology, Dianetics, the Church, or Hubbard, but
written by non-Church-members or ex-Church-members.
Last modified: Sun3jan93

"L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman?" -- by Bent Corydon and L. Ron Hubbard Jr.
a.k.a. Ronald DeWolf.(Secaucus, NJ: Lyle Stuart, 1987) ISBN 0-8184-0444-2
In 1992, from Barricade Books, dist. by Publishers Group West, $12.95

"Bare-Faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard", by Russell Miller
(N.Y.: Henry Holt & Co., 1987) ISBN 0-8050-0654-0. $19.95
Russell Miller is a British journalist who's done several biographies.

A Piece of Blue Sky -- by Jon Atack

Review by [e-mail] (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano):

        "Messiah or Madman?" is a poorly organized, sloppy piece of work,
with little sense to its organization or even writing style. Passages that
skip between various events do so with little reason, and frequently without
even citing dates or times. There's no index, little sourcing, and much of it
seems gleaned from court records. Howeveer, it's the only one widely
available.

        "Bare-faced messiah" is better written, better documented, and is
perhaps the one indispensable biography of L. Ron Hubbard. The problem is, it
doesn't deal with much of the Church's history; but it does provide lots of
innarestin' details about life aboard the Sea Org, and it's the best written
of the three books available.

        "A Piece of Blue Sky" is a history of both the Church and Hubbard--
very well researched, lots of documentation, and well structured. It's too
bad Atack's not much of a stylist, because the book amounts to a series of
facts listed after each other for easy access. Still, Atack's book is the
single best overall guide to Scientology that I've ever read, and I recommend
it to everyone.

Review by [e-mail] (Tad Cook):

The book is called A PIECE OF BLUE SKY by Jon Atack,
and it is great!  I spent the last week totally absorbed in this
book, and I highly recommend it.  Atack is an ex-Scientologist,
and he has done a fine job of explaining their beliefs, and also
he presents a very interesting history of Hubbard and Dianetics.

Review by [e-mail] (/usr/spool/mail/djb) (Dan):

"Messiah or Madman" is largely a primary source. Meaning that the
material is recounted from actual events witnessed by the authors,
with little interpretation given (what interpretation there is is
negative, of course). Both the authors were heavily involved in
Scientology, particularly Corydon who was an important figure in the
movement. In addition to their own experiences in the movement and
with Hubbard himself, they provide page after page of quotes from
other former Scientologists, describing their own experiences and
events they witnessed.

Russell Miller's excellent book "Bare-Faced Messiah" is a secondary
source, thoroughly researched and well written, but definitely
complementary to "Messiah or Madman" rather than replacing it or being
"better" (whatever that means).

---
A magazine database search turned up
    People Weekly v19 p84(5) 1983 Jan 24 by John Saar
    "Ministry of fear; scandal rocks Scientology as the founder's wife
    goes to prison and his son turns prosecution witness"
also
    Penthouse feedback, Penthouse v15 p28(6) 1984 Jan
    The other side of L. Ron Hubbard, Jr :    Ron deWolf
also
    "Follow-ups: shamed in Spain. (Heber Jentzsch, head of Church of
            Scientology arrested in Spain)"
    Fortune v119 n2 p16(1) 1989 Jan 16
also
    "See You In Court", by Russell Miller, Punch, 19feb88 p.46
    (short bit about the Church suing to stop the publication
     of "Bare Faced Messiah")
---
Reviews by [e-mail]:

Mind Game -- by Norman Spinrad, Jove Books, copyright 1980.

This is a novel, a "roman a clef", about an author whose wife joins the
"Transformationalism" cult. Yes, the cult is led by a pulp-era
science-fiction writer.  He even says things like, "We're developing
the Atomic Age of the mind."  Gee, any guesses? One of the
revelations was that the cult ordered members to make various career
moves, and then gave them "life directives" to steer business to
enterprises that were secretly cult-owned.

Heads - by Greg Bear, Tor, 1990 ISBN 0-812-51996-5

This is good science fiction, set about a century from now. The
relevance is that the villain is obviously the Church of Scientology,
with just enough details changed so that the author can't be sued.
---
From: paj@mrcu (Paul Johnson)
Organization: GEC-Marconi Research Centre, Great Baddow, UK
I have just read "Cults of Unreason" by Christopher Evans.  Most of
the book is devoted to a history and discussion of Dianetics and
Scientology.  This is readable and at times very funny.  As Evans
says, "A rich vein of unconsious humor runs through the official
publications of the cult" (or words to that effect).  The book is old
and somewhat out of date, but it is detailed and impartial
---
From: [e-mail] (Andrew Dunstan)
See also "The Mind Benders" by Cyril Vosper. (I think this is right!)
The Scientologists went to a GREAT deal of trouble in the UK to try
to suppress this book.
---
"Bigger Secrets", by William Poundstone, 1986, Houghton Mifflin, ISBN
0-395-45397-6. PP 58-62 are titled "The Secret Teachings of L. Ron
Hubbard". Summarizes Zemu. Dirt on Hubbard's war hero status.
Claims they pull in $100M/yr and have dummy corporations in "no tell
countries like Leichtenstein, Luxembourg, and Liberia".
---
From: [e-mail] (James J. Lippard)
[quoting] The Arizona Skeptic, vol. 5
    no. 2 (September/October 1991), pp. 1-5.
"Parts of Dianetics, for
example, have striking resemblance to two articles found in
Volume 28 (1941) of the Psychoanalytic Review."

Dr. J. Sadger, "Preliminary Study of the Psychic Life of
    the Fetus and the Primary Germ."  Psychoanalytic Review
    July 1941  28:3. p.333
Grace W. Pailthorpe, M.D., "Deflection of Energy, as a
    Result of Birth Trauma, and It's Bearing Upon Character
    Formation."  Psychoanalytic Review  July 1941 28:3  pp.
    305-326, p.326.
Nathaniel Thornton, D.Sc., "What is the  Therapeutic Value
    of Abreaction?"  Psychoanalytic Review 1949 36:411-415. p.411.

Stewart Lamont, Religion, Inc.: The Church of Scientology
(London: Harrap, 1986)

Albert I. Berger, "Towards a Science of the Nuclear Mind:
Science-fiction Origins of Dianetics", Science Fiction Studies, 1989,
vol. 16:123-141 p.135

Jack Fox, Alvin E. Davis, and B. Lebovits, "An Experimental
Investigation of Hubbard's Engram Hypothesis (Dianetics),"
Psychological Newsletter 1959, 10, 131-134.

S.I. Hayakawa, "From Science-fiction to Fiction-science", Etc.: A
Review of General Semantics, 1951 Vol. 8 (4) 280- 293.  p. 293.

Roy Wallis, _The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis
      of Scientology_, 1977, Columbia University Press.

Wallis also had an article in the first issue of The Skeptical Inquirer
(then known as The Zetetic) titled "'Poor Man's Psychoanalysis?'
Observations on Dianetics."

The Jacobsen article may be obtained from Jacobsen (who also has other
stuff on Scientology) at P.O. Box 3541, Scottsdale, AZ 85271, or from
the Phoenix Skeptics, P.O. Box 62792, Phoenix, AZ 85282-2792.
---
There was a cover article on Scientology in Time Magazine, 6may 1991:
"The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power", by Richard Behar.

By the same author:
"The prophet and profits of Scientology"
Forbes v138 p314(6) 1986 Oct 27

Also in Time:
"Mystery of the vanished ruler." Time v121 p64(4) 1983 Jan 31
---
Los Angeles Times ran a 6-part series, June 1990, by
     Welkos, Robert W. and Sappell, Joel.
"The Scientology Story: A Special Report"
#1 24june: The Making of L. Ron Hubbard
       The man in control. (David Miscavige)
       Burglaries and lies paved a path to prison
       Defining the theology
#2 25june: Church markets its gospel with high-pressure sales
       Shoring up its religious profile
#3 26june: Defectors recount lives of hard work, punishment
#4 27june: Reaching Into Society
#5 28june: Costly strategy continues to turn out bestsellers
#6 29june: On the offensive against an array of suspected foes
       Suits, protests fuel a campaign against psychiatry
       (Scientology opposes anti-hyperactive drug Ritalin)
       A lawyer learns what it's like to fight the church
       (Joseph Yanny harassed by the Church of Scientology)
---
From: [e-mail] (Robert Sheaffer)

One excellent book written at a popular level is "Psychobabble" by
R.D. Rosen (Avon Books, 1979). It takes a skeptical look at EST,
Scientology, etc., as well as a number of odd practices in psychology
such as Rebirthing, Primal Scream, etc.
---
An encyclopedia's bibliography gave:

Malko, George, Scientology:  The New Religion (1970)
Winter, J.  A., Dianetics:  A Doctor's Report (1987)
Garrison, Omar V., The Hidden Story of Scientology (1974)

Review by a Scientologist, [e-mail] (John Holifield)
5 Dec 92
... for a non-scientology book to read, I suggest "The Hidden Story
of Scientology".  This is a true book by a non-scientologist that has
investigated many of the lies told about Scientology.  Its out of print,
so it may be hard to find.
---
Cooper, Paulette.  _The Scandal of Scientology_, New York: Tower
    Publications, 1971. (This is the lady who was harassed.)

Review by [e-mail] (Richard John Kwiatkowski):
   I would highly reccommend that anyone who is involved or thinking about
becoming involved with Dianetics or Scientology read Cooper's book.
---

Renunciation and Reformulation: a Study of Conversion in an American
Sect -- by Harriet Whitehead, 1987, Cornell University Press.

Review by [e-mail] (Andy Carvin):
Whitehead, who is a sociologist, actually joined a Church in order to
get firsthand knowledge of the members and practices.  Anyway, it's
interesting, informative, and non-biased.  I would think that it can
be obtained in a good research library.
---
Hubbard is mentioned in "Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science",
by Martin Gardner.
---
Have you read "The New Age: Notes of a Fringe Watcher" by Martin
Gardner(BTW it has a lovely photo of L Ron Hubbard measuring the
emotions of a tomato).  "Fads and Fallacies" is also a great book.
    [e-mail] (Richard Nistuk)
---
        Flo Conway and Jim Seigelman's "Snapping" is a good, though
pop-psych-influenced, account of the conversion experience that members of
so-called 'cults' report; it compares similar experiences among Moonies,
Scientologists, Krishnas, and many others, and also addresses the methods
used by such organizations to _manufacture_ religious experiences.
    -- [e-mail] (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano)
---
I'm reading 'Flim Flam!' by James Randi, and came upon a reference to
Scientology.  Apparently back in the 70's Scientology set out to discredit
CSICOP by painting it as a front organization for the CIA.
    -- [e-mail] (Rogue Agent)
Check out Kendrick Frazier, "A Scientology 'dirty tricks' campaign
against CSICOP," _Skeptical Inquirer_ vol. 4, no. 3, Spring 1980, pp.
8-10.  This news report indicates that Scientology documents outlining
proposals to portray CSICOP as a CIA front were discovered by John
Marshall, a reporter for the _Toronto Globe and Mail_, among thousands
of documents entered as evidence into U.S. District Court in Washington,
D.C.
    -- [e-mail] (James J. Lippard)
---
Francis King's RITUAL MAGIC IN ENGLAND (I think that's the right
title) gives extracts from several letters written by Aleister
Crowley dealing with L. Ron Hubbard.
    -- [private email]
---
"The Encyclopedia of American Religions" (J. Gordon Melton, Gale Research)
has a short section on Scientology, and also short sections on several
offshoots.
---
...Lashley coined the term "engram".
In his book _Studies_in_the_Dynamics_of_Behavior_
(University of Chicago Press, 1932), Lashley and his students
Stone, Darrow, Landis, and Heath report on their early work.
What caught my attention is how intensively they used one
particular analytical tool, namely galvanic skin response (GSR).
    -- [e-mail] (Mark Robert Thorson)

-------------------------------< END >-----------------------------------
--
Don        D.C.Lindsay    Carnegie Mellon Computer Science