Top Ten Posts of 2011

I have a couple of new posts in the works, but for now, I thought I’d steal an idea from Marty and list the ten posts you visited most in 2011. (This excludes the Censored by Marty section.) Here they are, starting with the most popular:

1. How Scientology works: Re-stating the obvious
2. Omitted by Marty: Heber is alive and well
3. The Big Lie
4. Why Mark Bunker is wrong
5. The rift is open
6. Aaron Saxton: More on Tory and Marty
7. Mosey: Let’s talk about KSW
8. Dark Ride
9. Marty vs. Mayo
10. All aboard the hypocrisy express!

Enjoy, and I’ll talk to you in the New Year.

ML,
Caliwog

Scientology and government: Who is the real hypocrite?

In his blog post Scientology Inc’s Secular Invasion of Washington, D.C., Marty rightfully calls out the Church of Scientology for trying to push Scientology initiatives on the government:

“The hypocrisy of David Miscavige and his Scientology Inc arms knows no bounds. The following church of Scientology Office of Special Affairs (OSA, dirty tricks, propaganda, and bribery unit) documents it. The document outlines a plan to buy a ‘secular tech invasion in D.C.’, through yet another commission based lobbyist.” — Marty Rathbun

Whoa, easy there, Marty. Hypocrisy? You should know better than anyone that getting involved in the government was one of the goals of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Proof, numerous examples of it, exist in Hubbard’s own policies. What say we take an in-depth look at the history of $cientology’s government involvement?

Early on, LRH realized that governments would make lucrative customers. His first speculation about getting involved in government came in August 1951, when he published An Essay on Management:

“Certainly it is true that ruling, as Group Dianetics concerns itself with government, is a specialized art and craft not less technical than the running of complex machinery, and certainly, until Dianetics, more complex.. .In Group Dianetics, should its results continue to bear out its tenets, one is looking at the general form of the government of the world. That government will not extend, as administrator, out from the Dianetic Foundation. But the Foundation will probably train the personnel that governments send to it and will probably be the advisor to all governments.”

— L. Ron Hubbard, An Essay on Management, The Dianetic Auditor’s Bulletin Vol. 2 #2, Aug. 1951

Although it may have been tongue in cheek, Hubbard did refer to a Scientology-controlled government as early as 1954:

“Seeing that Scientology can embrace a science, a religion, a psychotherapy, one of the wittier DScns* recently invented Scientocracy, which is ‘Government of the people, by the thetans**.'”

— L. Ron Hubbard, Basic Procedures, Professional Auditor’s Bulletin #25, April 30, 1954

* DScn: Doctor of Scientology, a made-up degree awarded by Scientology.
** Thetan: Scientology word for the self-aware spirit.

A year later, in P.A.B. #48, Ron’s wife, Mary Sue, talked about “Ron’s Project” to hound influential citizens, including members of government, until they “submit” to Scientology training, all while avoiding public scrutiny:

“Maybe someday we can realize Ron’s Project. Very few know about it, but someday he hopes to have every auditor in the field ‘who is worth his stuff as an auditor’ on the HASI* payroll. They would be given some person — someone in high government position, someone in the arts, someone in religion—people who are in the public eye and who supply thousands morale in the forms of good public works, books, paintings, humor, spiritual aid, to bird-dog until they submitted to [Scientology] processing. These auditors could then simply process and promote without depending upon public approval or financial support which is dependent upon public approval. Maybe someday we can accomplish this. It is a goal worth working toward.”

— Mary Sue Hubbard, The Way Ron Works, Professionl Auditor’s Bulletin #48, Marty 18, 1955

* HASI: Hubbard Association of Scientologists International, forerunner of today’s International Association of Scientologists (IAS), the organization that all Scientologists must join in order to take services from the Church. (More about IAS and HASI)

And in 1956, Hubbard first proposed that they go to governments (by opening a Church in D.C.), and then that the governments would come to him:

“…we are in Washington [D.C.] to get ourselves sorted out to make sure that we get in good with the government….”

— L. Ron Hubbard, “Scientology U.S.,” Operational Bulletin #16, Feb. 7, 1956

“We should add to this the Washington Foundation and train free classes. We should offer these free classes various leaflets, having to do with what good civilized government is, and we hope eventually to open up something like the Washington School of Government and, who knows, make it mandatory to go to that school before taking office.”

— LRH memo “Test Results,” May 8, 1956

By 1957, Hubbard was definitely seeing potential dollar signs. In HCOB 20 March 1957, INCOME SOURCES, Hubbard’s list of potential moneymakers includes “Possible government contracts.”

And what would a Scientology government be like? Hubbard gave us a hint in a 1960 bulletin entitled “Interrogation”:

“…the answer to passive resistance is for the government to passive strike against any district from which it occurs. No water, lights, pay, government or service. Simply use the same tactic back. Don’t use guns, cordon the area off and shut off power and water.”

— LRH, HCOB 30 March 1960, INTERROGATION

As we know, Hubbard’s attempts to get the U.S. government to buy into Scientology were never taken seriously. The Fed quickly saw Hubbard for what he was: An ignorant, power-hungry con man. And just as he did when he was rejected by the psychotherapy community, Hubbard grew bitter. Though he was no friend of government to begin with, Hubbard’s tone began to change. A few of many, many examples:

“I audited an official of a government after a dinner party for two hopeless hours one night… I shamefully and vividly recall now that, not touched by me, his idea of help was to kill off the whole human race!”

— LRH, HCOB 21 April 1960, PRESESSION PROCESSES

“Politics died with Victoria. Government is no longer done that way. It’s done not by appeals to men but appeals to their bellies and their fears. The world is now controlled by economic groups who debase laws and rewrite texts and so make slaves.”

— LRH, HCOB 19 Sept. 1960, CAPTIVE BRAINS

“If the crimes committed by a government in one single day were committed by an individual, that individual would be promptly put in a cell and probably even a padded cell.”

— LRH, HCOB 19 July 1980, CRIMINALS AND PSYCHIATRY

Still, hope sprang eternal in L. Ron’s ample Thetan breast. When he reorganized the marketing arm of his corporate structure, called the Public Division, he mentioned the role of the leader (called the Public Executive Secretary, or PES) in caps, and it included getting involved in government:

“The full functions of the new departments are expressed in the purpose of the Public Executive Secretary. TO HELP LRH CONTACT AND PROCESS THE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC BODIES AND TO MAKE AND GUIDE THE GOVERNMENT OF A CIVILIZATION.”

— LRH, HCO Policy Letter of 16 Oct 1967, THE PUBLIC DIVISIONS

Two years later, in HCO PL 29 January 1969, he refined his organization and spread this duty out over three positions. Again, he used the same verbiage: “To make and guide the government of a civilization.”

Then, in 1970, Hubbard established the famous Guardian’s Office, predecessor of today’s Office of Special Affairs (remember Marty’s description of OSA as Scientology’s “dirty tricks, propaganda, and bribery unit”*). Per HCO PL 20 May 1970, the GO was charged with “Press relations, Government relations, Opposition group relations, Troublesome relations.”

(* It always amuses me how rarely Marty mentions that his right-hand-man Mike Rinder used to run OSA. Back in Mike’s days, OSA wasn’t the clown-college it is today — it was a ruthlessly efficient spying and harassment organization. Just ask Mike’s former victims.)

The GO later ran the famous Operation Snow White, an attempt to steal government records in an attempt to remove unsavory references to Hubbard and Scientology. Eleven Scientologists (including Hubbard’s wife Mary Sue) went to jail as a result. Hubbard was named as an unindicted co-conspirator; rather than stand up for his (supposedly) beloved wife, the cowardly tub of shit went into hiding and let her take the fall. He never saw her or spoke to her again – something those who are considering Scientology marriage counseling ought to know (WARNING: Co$ link).

Incidentally, despite no shortage of verifiable evidence, the Church continues to deny Operation Snow White, instead offering their own version of history (WARNING: Co$ link).

But we’re getting away from our story. Despite his growing realization that most governments recognized Scientology as a scam, he encouraged the gentle intrusion into government that Marty is blaming on Miscavige.

In HCO PL March 13, 1961, Hubbard established the Department of Official Affairs, its purpose being “The bettering of the public representation, legal position and government acceptance of Scientology.” Among its proposed actions:

“Bringing continuous pressure to bear on governments to create pro-Scientology legislation and to discourage anti-Scientology legislation of groups opposing Scientology.” — LRH

Hubbard continued:

“The action of bringing about a pro-Scientology government consists of making a friend of the most highly placed government person one can reach, even placing Scientologists in domestic and clerical posts close to him and seeing to it that Scientology resolves his troubles and case.” — LRH

And in HCO PL 6 February 1966, HOW TO INCREASE AND EXPAND AN ORGANIZATION, Hubbard includes in the duties for a “Class VI” organization:

“Overcome any local objections to your expansion or Scientology. Work on cowing dissident government authorities who seek to prevent expansion – don’t compromise.” — LRH

And then there is this more famous (and more ominous) quote:

“Somebody some day will say “this is illegal”. By then be sure the [Scientology] org[anization]s say what is legal or not.”

— LRH, HCO PL 4 January 1966, LRH RELATIONSHIP TO ORGS

So as you can see, attempting to influence government members and policies has a long history, stretching almost as far back as the first publication of Dianetics.

It is right for Mark Rathbun to denounce this sort of behavior – but it’s wrong for him to imply that the “secular tech invasion” originated with David Miscavige. Hubbard’s own writings prove that government infiltration was his idea. Miscavige and his goons are simply following LRH policy, like any good Scientologist

Marty has made it clear that he is a Scientologist, and believes in the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard. And yet he’s denouncing the teachings that are bound to be unpopular with his customer base, those Scientologists who are disillusioned with the Church. Once again (and just like the Church), Marty is attempting to re-write history for financial gain.

So tell me: Who is the real hypocrite?

ML,
Caliwog

Five questions I’d like Marty Rathbun and/or Mike Rinder to answer

[Caliwog note: This is a post I started about a year ago and never quite got polished. But I’m going to post it as-is, because the questions are still valid. Feel free to add your own questions – and Marty, Mike or other Scios, feel free to answer.]

1) If you were able to clear the planet, what would you do with the 2.5% of the population who is suppressive, the insane, and people who are not eligible for Scientology services?

2) Is the Introspective Rundown a valid treatment for a psychotic break?

3) Should Scientology be tax-exempt?

4) Since the RPF was invented by LRH, do you think that Scientology organizations should have an RPF, and if so, what should life in the RPF be like?

5) Are psychiatrists evil?

Remember, comments on this blog are not censored. Any and all answers, from either Marty, Mike or other Scientologists, are welcome.

ML,
Caliwog

Hubbard, Miscavige and Rathbun: “Always attack”

“[David Miscavige] has one impulse that substitutes for strategy, and one impulse alone that he follows: attempt to overwhelm by force.”

So sayeth Marty Rathbun in his recent blog post, Corporate Scientology Aggression. And he’s right. What he is leaving out, though, is that the strategy of overwhelm comes from L. Ron Hubbard. It can be found in dozens of policies; here are a couple of examples:

“[M]ake enough threat or clamor to cause the enemy to quail… find or manufacture enough threat against them to cause them to sue for peace… Don’t ever defend. Always attack. Don’t ever do nothing.”

— L. Ron Hubbard, HCO PL 15 August 1960

“The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing that he is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.”

— L. Ron Hubbard, “The Scientologist: A manual on the dissemination of material,” 1955

One reason I started this blog was to shed the light of truth on the lies of those who would blame the evils of Scientology on David Miscavige while white-washing Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

If you learn one thing and one thing only from this blog, it should be this: Scientologists do not think for themselves. They think the way L. Ron Hubbard told them to think.

Any practicing Scientologist, independent or Church-going, will tell you this is false.

Any ex-Scientologist will tell you it is 100% true.

It applies to the rank-and-file of the Church. It applies to Marty’s customer base. It applies to Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, and David Miscavige.

Think of David Miscavige and Marty Rathbun as political candidates. They both believe in the same set of laws (those written by L. Ron Hubbard). They simply believe in different ways of interpreting and implementing them. They are deeply embroiled in a dirty-tricks campaign, and Miscavige has better funding.

But at the end of the day, they both believe in the same thing: Hubbard’s teachings. And for all the Squirrel Buster antics, for all Miscavige’s use of the law to harass Rathbun, Hubbard’s policies are the real evil in Scientology.

Hubbard’s policies are what hurt people. Hubbard’s policies are what ruin lives.

And nothing Marty Rathbun or David Miscavige says is going to change that.

ML,
Caliwog

In memoriam: Lisa McPherson (one day late)

In my zeal to get back on the air yesterday, I missed something very important: The fifteenth anniversary of Lisa McPherson’s death. Lisa died, alone and away from her family, on December 5th, 1996, after being locked in a hotel room as part of L. Ron Hubbard’s “Introspection Rundown.”

Lisa McPherson wasn’t the only person killed by L. Ron Hubbard’s ass-backwards “technology,” which many (most? all?) dedicated Scientologists use in place of proper medical and mental health care. But her death was one of the most visible, and one that brought international attention to the crimes of Scientology.

One of the things that makes me most angry about ex-Churchie Marty Rathbun is his apparent lack of remorse over Lisa McPherson’s death. He’s expressed regret about shredding documents that could have helped the family’s lawsuit against the Church, but I believe that’s because he missed a good opportunity to hurt David Miscavige. Never mind any opportunities he may have had to SAVE LISA MCPHERSON’S LIFE.

To this day, Marty insists that Lisa McPherson died because Church leader David Miscavige “mishandled her case” — not because a bunch of brainwashed Scientologists followed Hubbard’s instructions for handling a psychotic break instead of getting her proper medical care.

And to this day, the Introspection Rundown is still part of Scientology.

You’ll note, as an Anon pointed out yesterday, that Marty hasn’t said anything about Lisa McPherson’s death. I’m assuming that, unlike me, he didn’t accidentally overlook it. No, it’s business as usual for Marty: In today’s blog entry, he’s shilling for business by opining that payment for his services should be tax-deductible. (Oh, and speaking of overlooking Lisa’s death, I’m a little surprised Mark Bunker didn’t post anything about it on his site.)

It’s difficult to say that someone hasn’t died in vain; I’m sure Lisa’s family would love nothing more than to have her back (and out of Scientology). Still, Lisa’s death was a pivotal event in the movement to expose the true crimes of Scientology — not the petty stuff like the physical abuse of upper management or the relentless haranguing of members for money, but the life-destroying “technology” authored by that narcissistic, self-aggrandizing con man, L. Ron Hubbard.

The perfect storm created by Lisa’s death and the growing popularity of the Internet has no doubt kept thousands of people from emptying their wallets into Scientology’s coffers, and probably saved several from dying as a result of Hubbard’s gigantic con.

As protesters, it is our duty to remember why Lisa McPherson, Herbiert Pffaf, Ed Brewer, and countless others died.

Not because David Miscavige changed a few words so that he could sell more books…

…but because L. Ron Hubbard is a con man, and Scientology – in all of its forms – is nothing but a dangerous cult.

Rest in peace, Lisa.

ML,
Caliwog

Related:
Read for yourself: The technology that killed Lisa McPherson
Marty, have you no shame?

Disconnection is okay. Except when it isn’t. Except when it is.

Hi again, everyone!

Sooo, today Marty Rathbun posted a copy of actor and independent Scientologist Michael Fairman’s lawsuit against his chiropractor. As you probably know, the Fairmans quit the Church and were declared Supressive Persons, so in keeping with L. Ron Hubbard’s instructions, his Scientologist chiropractor disconnected from him, his wife and their daughter. The Fairmans are suing for a number of reasons, among them religious discrimination and failure to turn over medical records when requested.

Now, I imagine the reason Marty considers this news is that it would appear that the chiropractors violated their doctor-client privilege by somehow letting the Church of Scientology know that the Fairmans were clients.

I’m just a lay-wog, but near as I can see, this argument holds about as much water as L. Ron Hubbard’s Fruit of the Looms. First, if you can spell “Wikipedia,” you can find out for yourself that the Fairmans were declared SPs. And second, the Church believes in public executions, and ethics orders such as SP Declares are posted for the public to see. Bottom line, much as Marty’s crowd loves conspiracies, it won’t be hard for the defendants’ lawyer(s) to show that the Fairmans’ departure from the Church and subsequent SP declare was broad public knowledge.

But let’s get to the bigger issue: Is it wrong to refuse to treat someone because of their religious beliefs?

Answer: OF COURSE IT IS. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if the courts ruled that Scientologists cannot refuse to do business with other Scientologists who have left the Church?

Of course, that’s going to put Marty in a hell of a spot. He’s trying to preserve LRH’s true tech. So let’s take a look at what LRH says about disconnection:

“The term ‘disconnection’ is defined as a self-determined decision made by an individual that he is not going to be connected to another. It is a severing of a communication line.

“A Scientologist can become PTS [Potential Trouble Source] by reason of being connected to someone that is antagonistic to Scientology or its tenets… he either HANDLES the other person’s antagonism… or, as a last resort when all attempts to handle have failed, he disconnects from the person. He is simply exercising his right to communicate or not to communicate with a particular person.”

— L. Ron Hubbard, HCOB 10 September 1983, PTSness AND DISCONNECTION

Wow, that’s going to be awkward. Especially since Marty has defended the practice of voluntary disconnection — you remember when he turned his back on a prostitute who was getting the shit beaten out of her by a man, rather than call the WOG police. (Read his version and mine.) Marty’s defense of disconnection parrots LRHs:

“I happen to agree with LRH’s observation that with the First Amendment freedom to speak comes the corollary right not to receive communication one is not interested in receiving… I wholeheartedly advise someone disconnect from a genuine source of suppression, who despite efforts to handle, continues to suppress.”

— Marty Rathbun, Pimps, Prostitutes and Disconnection

Let’s look at this logically. One can understand that, from a Church-going Scientologist’s perspective, an independent Scientologist is “a genuine source of suppression.” Therefore, according to both LRH’s and Marty’s logic, it’s perfectly okay to disconnect from them.

Except it’s not okay to disconnect from them, because in some cases, such as this one, “disconnection” – even, as Marty terms, it “voluntary disconnection” – is illegal.

If this case succeeds, it could be a huge blow for the tech. We’ll have case law showing yet another bit of LRH’s policy that is discriminatory and illegal.

Oh, wait… isn’t Marty dedicated to upholding and protecting LRH’s tech?

Well, that’s okay. If the case loses, Marty and his sheep will point to this as proof that the Church of Scientology has paid off a corrupt judiciary. If it wins, and results in further inquiry into the illegal practices inherent in Scientology, Marty can cite it as proof that the government is corrupt and opposed to religious freedom. Y’know, just like the Obama Administration.

Either way, Marty wins. And either way, Scientology loses.

ML,
Caliwog

Related: LRH on Disconnection