Amiga Plus 1995 #2/Amiga Plus CD - 1995 - No. 2.iso/internet/faq/englisch/scientologist-non-access

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Archive-name: scientology/skeptic/access-faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: Thu 2 February 1995
Version: 2.8

Access to material about Scientology, Dianetics, the Church, or L.
Ron Hubbard. The bulk of the material reviewed was written by
non-Church-members or ex-Church-members, but some Church material is
covered. All opinions belong to the various reviewers.

This material was collected off the net and edited by Don Lindsay
([e-mail]). Short contributions, pro or con, are welcome.

Changes since version 2.7:
    Update to Jim Lippard's WWW page
Changes since version 2.5:
    Fixed email address of [e-mail]
    Note that the Factnet WWW page doesn't seem to work
    Changed FTP site for modemac
    Added FTP site of Jeff Jacobsen
    Added the tnx-l mailing list
    Added WWW pages of Skeptical Enquirer and some Skeptics
    Added the Magazines section
    Added another review of "Mind Game"
    Added a review of "Countercultures: a sociological analysis"
    Added a review of "Brainwashing", a Church publication

--------------------------------------
Usenet newsgroups:
    alt.religion.scientology
    alt.clearing.technology
--------------------------------------
BBS:
    WISENET, for WISE members only.
    FACTNet  "It has probably the largest publicly available library on
        Scientology anywhere, and word search capabilities.
        1-303-530-1942 (up to 28.8k)."     (as of 6 Jul 1994 post
        to a.r.s. by [e-mail] (Jeff Jacobsen))
        F.A.C.T.Net, 601 16th. St. #C-217, Golden, CO 80401,
        1-303-473-0111 (voice)
        Email to [e-mail].
--------------------------------------
World Wide Web:
    http://www.acmeweb.com/factnet - doesn't seem to work, but
        there is an FTP site for factnet.
    http://www.skeptic.com/
        -- the erudite Jim Lippard's doorway to all things skeptical
    ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ffunch/fhome.html - Free Zone
    http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~sloth/sci/sci_index.html -- "Da Sloth"
    http://iquest.com/~fitz/csicop/ (Skeptical Enquirer page)
    http://www.ifi.uio.no/~kjetikj/skepsis/skeptic.html (Norway)
    http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/aig/staff/toby/skeptic.html (UK Skeptic page)
    http://wheel.ucdavis.edu/~btcarrol/skeptic/dictcont.html (Skeptics'
        Dictionary: mentions Dianetics)
    http://www.thur.de/religio.html - about cults and sects.
        Note: this is in German, not English.

    Notice that WWW browsers can be used to access Anonymous FTP sites.
--------------------------------------
Anonymous FTP sites:
    ftp.earthlink.net   /pub/archives/brianw -- unofficial but sanctioned
        "currently off line" says Wenger's users/welcome faq 1.5
    ftp.pcnet.com /users/brianw replaces earthlink, says Wenger.
    theta.csh.rit.edu - wasn't up when I tried it. Questions to
        [e-mail] or [e-mail]
    ftp.rmii.com pub2/factnet -- FACTnet.
    ftp.netcom.com /pub/mo/modemac/factnet -- a factnet sampler.
    ftp.rahul.net  /pub/homer  -- Homer Smith
    ftp.primenet.com /users/c/cultxpt -- Jeff Jacobsen

   If you have "archie", then "archie scientology" will produce a
   list of sites, which typically are just "mirror" copies of the
   Usenet FAQ archive:
    rtfm.mit.edu, pub/usenet/news.answers/scientology
    src.doc.ic.ac.uk /usenet/usenet-by-group/alt.answers/scientology/users
    unix.hensa.ac.uk /pub/uunet/usenet/news.answers/scientology/users
   which is also on some archive CD's, some of which are mounted online:
    freebsd.cdrom.com  /.9/internet/rtfm/alt.religion/scientology
--------------------------------------
Electronic Mailing Lists:
    Email to [e-mail] to join a Church-sanctioned list, according
        to Wenger's FAQ.
    Alt.clearing.technology used to have a list called Theta-L, and
        perhaps still does.
    tnx-l the "Theta News eXchange" for Scientologists in good standing.
        Contact the list moderator (Steve Porter) at [e-mail]
--------------------------------------
Magazines:

15 Jan 1995 [e-mail]:

The name is International Viewpoints, and
it is _not_ concerned with quarrels or battles between the church and
others. The editor is 65 year old 'free' scientologist Antony Phillips,
who first contacted scientology (before it was a church) in 1954 in
England, worked for a total of ten years in various scientology
organisations, and was thrown out in 1983. Details can be obtained
by writing to him at:
Internet: [e-mail]
Postal: IVy, PO Box 78, DK-2800 Lyngby, Denmark
---
13 Jan 1995 ladyv <[e-mail]> (Enid Vien):

Free Spirit
Dept 1934
PO Box 6905
Terra Linda
Ca. 94903-0905

It costs $50.00 for non subscribers. If you wish to subscribe it is
$15.00 and then the book costs $40.00.
I am a subscriber and I highly recommend it.

--------------------------------------
Books and library material are the remainder of this FAQ.


"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, Fort Lee, New
Jersey, 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
London: Michael Joeseph Penguin Book Ltd, 1987.

Russell Miller is a British journalist who's done several biographies.

A Piece of Blue Sky -- by Jon Atack, 1990
A Lyle Stuart Book, Published by Carol Publishing Group
120 Enterprise Avenue, Secaucus, NJ, USA, 07094
ISBN 0-8184-0499-X
13 Nov 1994 Tommy the Tourist (Anon User) <[e-mail]> said:
    Or you can order direct from Jon's wife Noella Atack,
    "Avalon"
    Cranston Road
    East Grinstead
    West Sussex
    RH19 3HQ
    Price 15 pounds sterling. This includes p&p if to a UK
    address. Overseas orders will need to add extra....
    If you want the facts, this is the book to get.

Review by [e-mail] (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano), 1992:

        "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), 1992:

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), 1992:

"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).

Review in anonymous posting, 20feb93:

The newly-updated version of Bent Corydon's book, _L. Ron Hubbard
Messiah or Madman_ is now available in trade paperback. Hastings is
carrying it in their biography section for $15. At least one other
major chain has it on their shelves also.

Review by [e-mail] (Flemming Funch), a Free Zone ex-scientologist,
11 Apr 1994:

the only book of those that I like and recommend is Miller's book. The
other two people are very biased and more acting out of revenge and
self-interest. Miller was never a scientologist and is mainly trying to
tell the true story as he sees it.

Miller was incidentally mostly using Atack's data to write his book.

Even though Miller is also leaning towards present Hubbard in a negative
light I think his fairly neutral listing of facts leaves it more up to the
reader to decide.

For example, Miller sets out to prove how Hubbard's claims of having
traveled extensively in China was a lie. And he goes ahead to document
exactly that Hubbard DID travel in China as a teenager. Hub exaggerated a
bit, but what I got from it was that he did do a lot of interesting things
at an early age that could inspire him with some unusual wisdom.


Review of "A piece of Blue Sky"
by [e-mail] (Don Hutton) 12apr93:

- If you are going to read just one critical book on Scientology, read this.
  It's pretty comprehensive and pretty even-handed (which is unfortunately
  rare in this field).  When the evidence supports L. Ron's claims (eg. his
  hydrographics studies) it says so.  When Scientology's critics do something
  dumb (like the time it was banned in Australia) it says so.  The fusillades
  against other aspects of L. Ron and his creations are heavily annotated as
  to source (eg. Sentencing memorandum in U.S.A. vs. Jane Kember, District
  Court, DC, criminal case no., 78-401, p.25.)
  I've found this, and all other books and articles critical of Scientology
  very hard to find.  I had to order "Blue Sky" through the Cult Awareness
  Network (1-312-267-7777, 2421 W. Pratt Blvd., Suite 1173, Chicago, Ill,
  U.S.A. 60645) as I couldn't even order it directly from the Canadian
  publisher.  They're sort of your one-stop shopping place for stuff like
  this.  They've got some good stuff and some really bad stuff (for the
  latter, check out the "Cults - Just Say NO!" video - narrated by Charlton
  Heston! BWAAA-HA-HA!).

P.S. There was also an interesting article by Behnar (the editor of the
Time magazine article last year) in QUILL, the journal of the American Society
of Journalists and Authors, about the aftermath of the article.  He was
eventually given some kind of medal by President George Bush for the article.
The QUILL article was from one of the fall 1992 issues.
    [Editor's note: that's Behar, see below.]
---
"Scientology from the inside out"
"How to fool the press",
Robert Vaughn Young
Quill, v81n9, 38-41, nov93

A response was published:
"Another view of Scientology"
By: Linda Simmons-Hight, Media Relations Director, Church of Sci. International
The Quill
Jan, 1994
---
the Catholic Sentinal, March 17, 1978
"Scientology Leaders Convicted of Fraud"

PARIS- The Paris tribunal has found four leaders of the Church of
Scientology, including its Amercian founder, guilty of making fradulant
claims that physical cures and professional success can be acheived
through Scientology.
   Ron Lafayette Hubbard, the American found of the sect, was condemned
to four years imprisonment and a fine of 35,000 francs (a little over
$7,000).  Henry Laarhuis, Dutch former executive director of the French
branch of the organization, was condemned to three years and a find of
15,000 francs.
   The article goes on to say Hubbard was convicted in absentia.
---
"The Prisoners of Saint Hill" by Tim Kelsey and Mike Ricks,
the Independent [United Kingdom], Jan.31, 1994.
Reviewed in CAN newsletter April '94
---
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")
---
Mind Game -- by Norman Spinrad, Jove Books, copyright 1980.

Review by [e-mail], 1992:
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?

Review by [e-mail] Mon Jan 23 1995:

    Descriptions of Celebrity Center and infiltration of
    entertainment industry are accurate.  How the cult tore
    the marriage apart in the early part of the story
    was *too* real for me.  The pressures to disconnect from
    family who might say "go slow" were real.
    Spinrad's descriptions of the inside of the cult and the cult
    leader were phony.
    I'd say his discriptions of the outside of the cult were dead
    on.  He's never been in one, though.
    The guy had obviously been had by the Celebrity Center scam.

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

Review by [e-mail], 1992:
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.
---
EVANS, Dr. Christopher, _Cults of Unreason_, Harrap, London, 1973.
Evans, Christopher. Cults of Unreason. New York: Dell Publishing, 1975.

From: paj@mrcu (Paul Johnson), 1992
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
---
VOSPER, Cyril, _The Mindbenders_, Neville Spearman, London, 1971.

From: [e-mail] (Andrew Dunstan), 1992:
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), 1992
[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.

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. ISBN 0-231-0420000
Review by [e-mail] (Peter Lucey) 12 Jul 1994:
...excellent book.
Wallis did his homework.There's very little sociologese; and lots of facts.
Its fair, too. (Though critical; how could it not be?) He seemed to
have some support from the CoS when examining Scn; though not of
his conclusions:). Highly recommended
---
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.
---

WALLIS, Dr. Roy, _The Road to Total Freedom_, Heinmann, London,
Columbia University Press, New York, 1977, according to Atack. That's
slightly different from the above.

---
There was a cover article on Scientology in Time Magazine, 6may 1991:
"The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power", by Richard Behar. v137  p50-7

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

"Scientology: a dangerous cult goes mainstream"
Reader's Digest v139  p87-92 October '91


Also in Time:
"Mystery of the vanished ruler." Time v121 p64(4) 1983 Jan 31

lafayette ronald hubbard scientologist. 2/10/86. covers his death

---
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), 1992:

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.
---

"Dianetics: A Doctor's Report", J. A. Winter, M.D., ISBN 0-517-56421-1
Copyright 1951, The Julian Press (1987 Edition), Crown Publishing Group, NYNY

Review by [e-mail] 1993:

Dr. Winter met Hubbard through the science fiction community in
1949, and became the Medical Director of the Hubbard Dianetic
Research Foundation when it was formed.

A lot of this book discusses therapy, and how dianetics, as a body of
therapeutic techniques, has a lot to offer. Dr. Winter speaks quite
highly of it.

The rest of the book discusses his experiences, his disillusionment
with the Foundation, and his resignation in protest. Partly he
felt that the state of "clear" did not give the anticipated benefits:
but also, he was unhappy that the Foundation was becoming
authoritarian, and disparaging of anyone who actually did research.
---
GARRISON, Omar V., _The Hidden Story of Scientology_, Arlington, London,1974.
([e-mail] (Martin G. V. Hunt) listed this as 1957).

Review by a Scientologist, [e-mail] (John Holifield)
5Dec92
... 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.
---
MALKO, George, Scientology: The Now Religion, Delacourte Press, New York, 1970.
or     New York: Uell Publishing Company. 205 pages.

Review by [e-mail] (Bret Rudnick) 27 Dec 1993:
I would also recommend _Scientology: The NOW Religion_
by George Malko, which is rather less than complimentary.

Review by [e-mail] (Martin G. V. Hunt) 28 Aug 1994:

   An easy read by virtue of Malko's fluent, lucid, albeit dated style,
"The Now Religion" presents no problems to the reader, and flows by as a
river of insight and information.  Malko's book is an even presentation,
well balanced and thoughtfully written; but be prepared for an attack on
such loose-flung terms as "cult" and "brainwashing", as Malko will not
permit any direct derogation of what he obviously considers a religion
engaged in by its victims willingly.

   Chapters include a general overview of the cult, some biographical
material on L. Ron Hubbard, the beginnings of Dianetics, an exploration
into Scientology, an analysis into what lies behind these two, an
explication of techniques, drills, and processes, a look at the subject
"Ethics", and how it is often misapplied, and finally a summary of
conclusions.  What the book unfortunately lacks is both an index and a
bibliography, for Malko has quite obviously researched his sources quite
well, and references many, both textual and personal, in the body of the
book.

---
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), 1993:
   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), 1992:

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. Dover, New York, 1957.

---
Fads & Fallacies in the Name of Science.  Gardener, Martin.
  Dover, New York.  1952.

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)
Atack's bibliography lists this book as:  Dell, New York, 1979.
Wollersheim's lists it as: Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden
    Personality Change. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1978.
---
In posting by [e-mail] (Rogue Agent), 1993:

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.

Response to the above from [e-mail] (James J. Lippard):

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.

---
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, 1992]

For background,
Book of the Law.  Crowley, Aleister.  Thelema Publications,
  King-Beach, California.  1976.

---
"The Encyclopedia of American Religions" (J. Gordon Melton, Gale Research)
has a short section on Scientology, and also short sections on several
offshoots.
---
In posting from [e-mail] (Mark Robert Thorson), 1992:

...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).

----
Reviews from [e-mail] (Mary K. Kuhner) 30jan93

I went to the public library and read the two Scientology books they
happened to have.  Here are my capsule reviews.  They represent only my
own opinions.

_Introduction to Scientology Ethics_.
This book consists of several lists:  ethical principles as they apply
to people in general, to Scientologists, to auditors, and to
supervisors, and a long section on various types of "crimes" against
Scientology.  The various lists struck me as somewhat contradictory--
for example, freedom of speech was praised in general, but several of
the lists gave specific things which must not be said by Scientologists.

The list of crimes was very interesting reading.  It corroborated many
of the statements made by critics of the CoS.  Any kind of public
questioning or criticism of the CoS, justified or not, is a High Crime
(the most severe category).  Superiors are protected from criticism by
their underlings.  There is also a disturbing failure to distinguish
between "crimes" by Scientologists and non-Scientologists.  I have been
told on the Net that the High Crimes apply only to Scientologists, but
several of them (i.e. penalties for leaving the CoS) by their nature
must apply to non-Scientologists.

Recommended reading--as this book was apparently used as a practical
guideline within the CoS (though it may now be obsolete) I think it
provides a useful look at the way the organization operates.

_Scientology 8008:  the Book of Basics_
This is also mainly a collection of lists, presented with very little
explanatory text.  A major part of the book is taken up with a kind of
cosmology or creation story about the origin and nature of human beings.
I found this turgid and unreadable.  There are also lists which organize
emotional states into a linear order, list the components of
communication, etc.  Without discussion, I found these lists completely
useless.  What does it mean that enthusiasm is higher than contentment--
higher on what?  Why?

This books reminds me vividly of notes from some kind of pop-psych
seminar, without the seminar to give them any meaning.  Despite its
title, it is quite useless to an outsider.  Someone within the field
might possibly find it useful as a reference.

Not recommended.
---
[e-mail] (Homer Smith) responded to the above:

     There are 3 books by Hubbard with 8's in them.

     Scientology 0-8 The book of Basics
     Scientology 8-80
     Scientology 8-8008

     The first one is a compendium of scales.

     The second one is about dichotomies and how to produce
energy from them and use them in auditing.  This is the one
that mentions Beautiful Cruelties.

     The third one is a detailed discussion on the nature
of facsimilies and how to audit them.
---
Homer Smith later commented about 8-80:
>in 8-80, he gave the 'frequencies' of various emotions and things,

>     He also made the outrageous statement that the speed of light
>is NOT constant, but depends in fact on the frequency of the light,
>for which there is exactly zero physical evidence for and TONS against.

---
>From [e-mail] (Lenny Gray) 27 Nov 1993:

1) An entry-level book published in paperback by the church itself is:
   "Scientology -- The Fundamentals of Thought" the bulk of which, I
   believe, was written in 1956.  Though its goal is to present just
   the ideal, it does give a nice overview.

2) The book "Scientology -- 8-8008" is indeed the notes from a lecture,
   the lecture actually being their tape-series "The Philadelphia
   Doctorate Course Lectures", which was recorded in 1952-1953.  It
   represents a stage when LRH thought he had something that could
   even be used solo, and he even said so, in tape 54:

   "Auditors will ask you this question and so I'll answer it for you --
    _Can you audit yourself up to theta-clear?_  Well I don't know how
    long it would take you, and I don't know how fouled up you'd get, or
    how flat you'd spin, or anything -- but _it could be done_, with just
    using SOP issue 5.

---
[e-mail] (E. H. Welbon) 18may93:

I suggest that any one still convinced that there is a soul in the
human body (or any other species for that matter) pick up D.
Dennett's recent book "Consciousness Explained".  Dennett argues
that the evidence in favor of the existence of a soul is essentially
non-existent, while the argument for the non-existence of a soul is
very good.

Dennett also gives a method for evaluating "subjective" experiences
that he proposes tests for in an appendix (i.e.  he gives methods by
which his tests can be falsified).

---
Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology, Stewart Lamont.
Pub. Harrap U.K. ISBN 0 245-54334-1   1986

Apparently it describes Level III OT and the "Wall of Fire" (pp 50-52).

Review by Peter Lucey <[e-mail]>  Wed, 6 Oct 93:

An open-minded (to start) look at Scn. He has visited the US Orgs
in LA and Clearwater. He ends up puzzled and critical. Not much
new. You'd be better off with A Piece of Blue Sky, by Jon Atack.

Oh, he states that many Scientologists smoke, as LRH was a chain-
smoker so it must be OK.

Stewart's best insight is on Scn as a religion: if Scn postulates
that all human errors are engram-related, and can be erased
"scientifically" using auditing and an E-Meter, so Scn differs
fundamentally from all the major religions as they require
Grace, karma, or whatever to help the human through.

But Religion, Inc. has a priceless picture of LRH posing, in leathers
and stetson, astride a cine camera. I have'nt seen this before. It's
almost as good as the famous tomato/E-meter photo. And its in colour.

---
From: [e-mail]
Here are excepts from last Sunday's LA Times:
FILM CLIP / A look inside Hollywood and the movies
MEDIA WATCH
The Church and The Magazines
Los Angeles Times (LT) - SUNDAY October 17, 1993
By: JANE GALBRAITH
Edition: Home Edition   Section: Calendar   Page: 27
Word Count: 1,088

...Premiere, which in its September issue ran an
8,700-word piece by writer John Richardson that examined the growing
influence of Scientology in the entertainment industry. The piece zeroed in
on the activities at the church's Celebrity Centre, outlining some of the
members who've come and gone, others who've stayed--and why.

...Under threat of a libel suit, Premiere decided it would be prudent to
allow Scientology to respond to Richardson's article, resulting in a
2,000-word essay about Scientology by David Miscavige, chairman of the
board of the Religious Technology Center.

---
[e-mail] (Robert E. McGrath) posted on 5 Nov 1993:
    _Some Books and Articles by Susan Blackmore_

1.  _Beyond the Body_.   Heinemann, London, 1982.   American paperback
     edition, Academy Chicago Publications, Chicago, 1992.

2.  "A Psychological Theory of the Out-Of-Body Experience",  _Journal of
     Parapsychology_, Volume 48, 1984, pp. 201-218.

3.  "The Adventures of a Psi-Inhibitory Experimenter", in _A Skeptic's
     Handbook of Parapsychology_,  Paul Kurtz, ed., Prometheus Books,
     Buffalo, 1985.

4.  _The Adventures of a Parapsychologist_.   Prometheus Books, Buffalo,
     1986.

5.  "The Lure of the Paranormal", _New Scientist_, Volume 127, September
     22 1990, pp. 62-65.

6.  "Lucid Dreams",  _Skeptical Inquirer_, Volume 15, Number 4, 1991, pp.
     362-370.

7.   "Near Death Experiences: In or Out of the Body?",  _Skeptical Inquirer_,
     Volume 16, Number 1, 1991, pp. 34-45.

8.  "Psychic Experiences:  Psychic Illusions",  _Skeptical Inquirer_, Volume
     16, Number 4, 1992, pp. 367-380.

9. _Dying to Live: Near-Death Experiences, Prometheus Books, 1993.

McGrath also posted a long review, praising these highly.

---
"One Nation Under God", Barry A. Kosmin and Seymour P. Lachman of the
City University of NY, 312 pg, Harmony Books, $25

Based on a random sample of 113,000 Americans.
It estimates there are 45,000 Scientologists,
according to the 29nov93 Newsweek, P.81.
---

Author       Hershey, Robert D Jr
Title        SCIENTOLOGISTS report assets of $400 million
Source       New York Times,  Oct 22, 1993,  A, 12:1
Abstract     According to documents filed with the IRS, the Church of
             SCIENTOLOGY has assets of about $400 million and appears to
             take in nearly $300 million a year from counseling fees, book
             sales, investments and other sources.  The financial
             disclosures came after the church applied for tax exempt
             status.
---
Hartwig, Renate:
Scientology - ich klage an!/Renate Hartwig. - Augsburg: Pattloch, 1994
("Scientology - I accuse")
ISBN 3-629-00637-X
288 pages, all in german
Review by Volkmar Grote <[e-mail]>, 15 Jul 94:
Renate Hartwig is a member of "Robin Direkt", a consumer protection
organisation, which has kind of specialised in Scientology, and
she is an admirable fighter.
It is about her personal experiences with the CofS in Germany
and some well documented cases of the "churches" nasty sides.
This includes some people who felt ruined by the church and some
very interesting business practices. The way the CofS tried to
silence Renate Hartwig is revealing...
...nearly all evidence is backed up by sworn or original statements.

---
Liane v. Billerbeck, Frank Nordhausen
"Der Sekten-Konzern: Scientology auf dem Vormarsch"
Christoph Links Verlag, Berlin, Germany
ISBN 3-86153-051-1

Review 25 Dec 1994 by [e-mail](Tilman Hausherr):

The title means in englisch: "The cult conglomerate: Scientology goes
forward".
Der Book is written by two journalists in cooperation with the
"Berliner Zeitung", a leading Berlin daily newspaper.
Because both Authors are journalists and not ex-Scientologists, the
book is easy to read and without emotions. It mainly examines
the business practices of members of the "Church", especially the rise
in the former east, where much money can be made because of the
rebuilding there. Different business scams are examined, including
the scam of the "Chernobyl children".
The book has a person-, company-, and a location-index; contact
adresses and a quick Scientology acronym guide.

---
Atack's bibliography also gives:

FOSTER, Sir John, _Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology_,
     Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1971.
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, _Scientology -- An in depth profile of a new
    force in Clearwater_, Florida, 1980.
    "Pulitzer Prizer Winning Expose (34 pages.)"
---
[e-mail] (Jeff Jacobsen) 15 Apr 1994 posted material from
the FACT BBS by Larry Wollersheim:

Bromley, David G. and Shupe, Anson D. Strange Gods: The
Great American Cult Scare. Boston: Beacon Press, 1981.

Burrell, Maurice C. The Challenge of the Cults. Grand
Rapids, Michigan, 495~6: Baker House, 1982.

Larson, Bob. Larson's Book of Cults. Wheaton, Illinois:
Tyndale House Publishers, 19~2.

Petersen, William J. Those Curious New Cults. New Canaan,
Connect]cut: Keats, Publishing Company, 197~.

Rudin, James and Marcia. Prison or Paradise? The New
Religious Cults. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980.

Conway, Flo and Jim SieSelmon. The Information Disease.
Science Digest. January 1982.

Singer, Margaret. Coming out of the Cults. Psychology Today. January 1979.
Singer, Margaret. Cults What are They Why Now. Forecast for
    Home Economics. May/June 1979.
Ofsche and Singer. Attacks on Peripheral versus Central
    Elements of Self and the Efficacy of Thought Reform. (Available
    through American Family Foundation.)

Lifton, Robert Jay. The Future of Immorality. Chapters
Called: "Religious Totalism and Civil Liberties" and "Doubling
the Faustian Bargain". Bosie Books Inc.

Lifton Robert J.: Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A study of
  "Brainwashing" in China.  New York, WW Norton and Co, 1961
[e-mail] (Jeff Jacobsen) 1 Jan 1995 mentioned this book:
   "See chapter 22.  He discusses "loading the language" pretty well.
   To my mind it does a few things;
    1) is a good marker for who is and who is not a follower
    2) gives one the feeling of being an Insider
    3) clearly seperates Us from Them
    4) reinforces the idea that Scientology "tech" is unique and better."


Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry III. The Sections on Dissociation
    and Hypnotism.

Miller. The Utilization of Hypnotic Techniques in Religious
Conversion. (Available through Richard Ofshe PhD.)

Bainbridge and Stark. Scientology: On Being Perfectly
Clear. (Available through Richard Ofshe PhD.)

Schein, Edgar H. with Inge Schneier and Curtis H. Barker: Coercive
Persuasion. New York, W.W. Norton, 1961

Delgado. Gentle and Ungentle Persuassion Under the first
Amendment. (Available through American Family Foundation.) 51 So
Cal Law Rev 1, 1977.

California Appeal Court Decision Wollersheim vs. Church of
Scientology of California C.A. 2nd No. B023193 July 18, 1989 By
Johnson J. (57 pages.)

Also see reviews below by Charlie Rubin.
---
reviews by Charlie Rubin <[e-mail]> on alt.recovery.religion:
Best books on cults and mind control

...
Even if you're not interested in cults, you should still read #3.

(1)  _Combatting Cult Mind Control_ by Steven Hassan (Park Stree Press, 1988)
    (lSBN 0-89281-243-5)
    -- This is the best one. Clear, concise, and powerful. Author is a
       former top level Moonie who now does professional exit-couselling
       for cult members. He really understands what's going on.

(2)  _Cults in America: Programmed for Paradise_ by Willa Appel (Holt,
    Rinehart and Winston, 1983)
    -- Also a good overview of the phenomena, but by an outsider (an
       anthropologist). Very interesting discussion of the psychological
       needs fulfilled by fairy tales, and how cult doctrines are very
       similar to fairy tales (good vs. evil, very simplistic). Lots of
       other good stuff as well.

(3)  _Influence: How and Why People Agree to Things_ by Robert B. Cialdini,
    Ph.D. (Wm. Morrow & Co., 1984)
    -- An incredible book. I can't recommend it enough. The author is a
       social psychology professor who spent 15 years studying the
       tactics used by "compliance professionals," including salesmen,
       fundraisers, marketing pros, cult leaders, Chinese brainwashing
       camps, etc. He carefully details the underlying psychological
       mechanisms that make all these tactics work, and how everyone
       is vulnerable to them because they take advantage of instinctual
       responses. Very enlightening!

(4)  _The Wrong Way Home: Uncovering Patterns of Cult Behavior in American
    Society_ by Arthur J. Deikman, M.D. (Beacon Press, 1990)
    -- Also fascinating. The author is a clinical professor of psychiatry
       who started studying cults, and then realized that the methods of
       manipulation used in them are found throughout society, in many
       types of groups -- corporations, political parties, schools,
       and traditional religions. Cults simply take them to the n-th
       degree. This is a real eye-opener.

---
[e-mail] (Martin G. V. Hunt) reviewed:

about a 1934 book:
"Scientologie 34!" by A. Nordenholz, translated into the English by
W. R. McPheeters.
it provides insight into hubby's plagiarized coining of such terms as
"beingness", "havingness", etc., as well as the use and development of
his "axioms".

Inside Scientology: Or How I Found Scientology and Became Super
  Human.  Kaufman, Robert.  Olympia Press, New York. 1972.

Battle for the Mind: A Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing.
  Sargant, William.  Doubleday, Garden City, New York.  1957.


Dianetics in Limbo.  O'Brien, Barbara.  Whitmore Publishing Co.,
  Philadelphia.  1966.
[editor: Atack's bibliography lists the first name as Helen]

[for background]

Science and Sanity.  Korzybski, Count Alfred Habdank Skarbek.
  Institute of General Semantics, Lakeville, Connecticut.  1933.

Thought Reform of the Chinese Intellectuals.  Chen, Theodore H.
  E.  Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong.  1960.

The Search for the Manchurian Candidate: The CIA and Mind
  Control.  Marks, John.  Times Books, New York.  1979.

Youth, Brainwashing, and the Extremist Cults.  Enroth, Ronald.
  Zondervan Press, Kentwood, Michigan.  1977.

Rape of the Mind.  Meerloo, Joost A.  Grosset & Dunlap, New York.
  1961.

Radical Departures: Desperate Detours to Growing Up.  Levine, Saul
  V, M.D.  Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Orlando, Florida.  1984.

Destructive Cult Conversion: Theory, Research, and Treatment.
  Clark, John G., et al.  American Family Foundation, Weston,
  Massachusetts.  1981.

Cults and Consequences: The Definitive Handbook.  Andres, Rachel,
  and Lane, James R., eds.  Jewish Federation of Greater Los
  Angeles, Los Angeles.  1988.

Let Our Children Go!  Patrick, Ted, with Tom Dulack.  Thomas
  Congdon Books/E. P. Dutton, New York.  1976.

All God's Children: The Cult Experience; Salvation or Slavery?
  Stoner, C., and J. Parke.  Chilton Books, Radnor, Pennsylvania.
  1977.

Nineteen Eighty-Four.  Orwell, George.  Penguin, Middlesex, England. 1954.

[magazine articles]

"Scientology Plot Against State Official."  Henderson, Bruce.
  Los Angelel Herald-Examiner, 29 May 1980.

"Scientologists Plotted to Frame a Critic as a Criminal, Files
  Show."  Gordon, Gregory.  Boston Globe, 24 November 1979.

"Scientology: Anatomy of a Frightening Cult."  Methvin, Eugene H.
  Reader's Digest, May 1980.

"How Cults Bilk Us All."  Williams, Carson.  Reader's Digest,  November 1979.


---
[e-mail] (Tony McClelland) suggested, 17 Nov 1994:

For a better understanding of Scientology beliefs and techniques, see
Hubbard's Volunteer Minister's Handbook (lSBN 0-88404- 039-9).

For a better understanding of the manipulative nature of Scientology,
see [...]  Thomas and Jacqueline Keisers' The Anatomy of lllusion
(lSBN 0-39805295-6).

Margery Wakefield 's The Road to Xenu is an excellent first-hand
account of membership, and includes Bob Penny's thought
provoking Social Control in Scientology. The Road to Xenu is
available via P.0. Box 290402, Tampa, Florida 33687.
---
"Countercultures: a sociological analysis", Zellner, W. W.
    St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y. 1995  ISBN 0312080840

Review by [e-mail] (Ron Newman) Thu, 2 Feb 1995:

One of the six chapters, 32 pages long, is on Scientology.
(The other chapters are about skinheads, survivalists, Satanism, the
Ku Klux Klan, and the Unification Church of Rev. Moon.)

Anyone collecting books about Scientology should get this one too.

---

"BRAIN-WASHING; A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on Psychopolitics."
Review by [e-mail] (Jeff Jacobsen) 29 Jan 1995:

Kenneth Goff wrote the editorial note in front.  Goff says he was
formerly a communist in the US.  He also says the text in this manual
"contains the address of Beria [head of the KGB] to the American
students in the Lenin University prior to 1936."

   So, to expose the Communist/psychiatrist connection, in the public
service Scientology printed this manual.  My opinion, however, is that
Hubbard wrote this, and there are many tipoffs within the work to prove that.
   [List of reasons removed by editor]

-------------------------------< END >-----------------------------------
--
Don    D.C.Lindsay    University of Colorado-Boulder Computer Science