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13. Reports of former Scientologists
Comment: these are not the particularly drastic reports, but more of an average selection.
Report 1
In the first week of November, 1978 I was stopped on the street in (city) by a young man. "Do want to improve your life?" I hesitantly said yes. He then led me into the Scientology office. The name and the organization was not known to me at the time. There (name), a different young man, talked with me. During this discussion he very quickly sought out my problems with regard to school. He gave me hope that these problems could be solved with Scientology. Approximately one quarter hour later a young woman (name) talked with me. She also made Scientology sound appealing to me. My first impression of the people was very pleasant. I let myself be talked into taking the Scientology 1 Rundown (300 DM at the time). They also wanted to sell me the book "Dianetics" on the first day. When I spoke to them in the following days, I discovered, to my surprise, that I had become a member of this organization.
However, I did not think about it any more. Because at this point, and in the following weeks, I was very taken in by the apparently harmonious world. Seldom before had I had such attentive and patient listeners. I found the E-meter to be peculiar from the start. When I would ask how it worked, I would be pinched in the arm and then observe the reaction of the needle. About 2 weeks after the first encounter (name) told me that he absolutely needed new staff members. At that point I did not make a decision. I was also asked by somebody else when I was going to be on staff. (Name) asked me in the middle of December. He brought out a contract form which would have obligated me for 5 years to Scientology. Since I hesitated (name) brought me into his office and tried to show me, in an hour long speech, the wickedness of society as contrasted to the world of Scientology. I didn't sign. In December, 1978, I took the HQS course (Hubbard Qualified Scientologist, about 1,200 DM at the time). Since I had been granted an alleged scholarship, I only needed to pay 940 DM. Originally, it had been recommended that I take the Student Hat (5,400 DM). Because of the number of courses, the English expressions and strange terms, I did not at all have a clear understanding.
It was constantly suggested that I write letters to Ron.
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One evening, after a film presentation, somebody put pen and paper in my hand and told me that I should write. Several days later, I was told that I should be an FSM (independent Scientology staff member). Supposedly I would have been able to get a portion of my 940 DM back through work. To my objection that it was still possible that I leave Scientology, he stated that it didn't go that way. "When you no longer want to, you will be sat down and talked to until you want to again." This seemed very doubtful to me. In the last week of December, an overview on sects in Germany, including the Scientology Church, appeared in "STERN" magazine. I didn't believe my eyes. When I showed them the "STERN" article, I was very cleverly reassured. However, I was sad. I shared this with a classmate whom I had shortly before enthusiastically told about Scientology. Later I was forced by (name) on the E-meter to tell him his name.
Several times, unscheduled "sessions" took place. That is "spiritual counseling" on the E-meter. I had to answer questions during which time the reaction of the needle was observed. 2 questions which particularly stuck in my mind are:
1. Have you planned to bring a law suit against Scientology?
2. Is there someone among your friends or relatives who is hostile toward Scientology, or who doubts it?
I didn't like the course at all. It met neither my expectations nor the promises. It had nothing to do with my problems. I had the impression, - and when I look through this course pack today, the impression is confirmed - that Scientology was supposed to have been funneled into me by this means. Besides that, a strict discipline prevailed in the course room. Arriving 2 minutes late was cause for an ethics slip. Leaving early in the evening was refused, just as were speaking, eating or drinking. If someone just looked out the window, the course supervisor would come directly over to him. I noticed that they wanted to gain more and more possession over me. I was ordered around more and more. When I dared say that I thought I would come in a little bit later on my birthday, I was immediately asked where I was going, when was I coming back. I didn't show up a couple of days. When I came back (they had tried to get me at home, but I had not opened the door), I had to go to the Ethics Officer. Later I had to vacuum the offices, too.
In January, an article about Scientology appeared in the local section of the newspaper ["WAZ"]. At my next scheduled course time I was requested to write a letter to the editor. Since I refused every time I was asked, I had to, once again, go to the Ethics Officer. I told him that I didn't like the course at all. I was asked if I would like my money back. I said no, because I hoped for a change.
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At this point I would like to add that after these discussions with the Ethics Officer, I always had a feeling of calmness. These discussions, which often lasted several hours, were carried out in a peaceful atmosphere. He would try to explain to me how happy you could be with Scientology. I was just supposed to take a look at what the world really looked like. How many happy people there still were, with several atom bombs coming at each one of them.
The newspaper reporter was supposed to have been taken care of. Dozens of complaints had been filed in court. The newspaper also reported about a minister who had spies placed among his friends and acquaintances. Since I often asked questions and criticized, soon I was in "doubt," and then "enemy." Once I had to ask each one of the members why he was a Scientologist. I didn't sell any books or stop people on the street. As independent staff members, we were drilled in how to communicate with people and bring them in to Scientology. The description here is called the "Dissemination Drill": contact the individual, handle him, save him, and bring him to an understanding. In selling a book, if a buyer should ask about the money, he would be told that that could not be given out. The attention of the buyer was to be diverted as quickly as possible from the money.
"STERN" came out with the detailed article in the middle of January. After several days, I risked asking how it could be that a woman, after Scientology treatment, believed that she had been married to Bismarck in an earlier life. The answer was evasive. By the middle of January, it was assumed that I was a spy from a different organization. Instead of seeing that calmly, I was totally fed up. I had never had bad intentions. Sometime later I was photographed. From 16-18 February, 1979, a Scientologist from Munich was there. Everybody called him Ali. After he gave a presentation one evening, everybody got the opportunity to speak with him. I asked him about the young woman. The answer I received was that she had been in her reactive bank. (According to Scient. the negative influences of a person during the course of his life are stored in the reactive bank.) Although I repeatedly told him that I had no more money to spend, he continued to try to talk me into more courses and higher auditing. I let myself be talked into co-auditing (200 DM). However, I never enjoyed this and never paid for it. Things got continually worse with my course. It was finally decided that I should start over again from the beginning. Thursday, February 22, 1979, I was in to see the Ethics Officer again. Taken completely by surprise, I was put on the E-meter. Besides the usual questions, he wanted to know whether there was still something which they had to know. I said no. (I was very unsure of that, because I had written to "STERN." Therefore I said:
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 108
"there is nothing." Then I had to repeat this sentence over and over again, while (name) commanded in an increasingly louder and more excited tone of voice: "repeat, there is nothing, repeat, there is nothing..."
Each time he observed the needle of the E-meter very precisely. The evening ended with my being thrown out. I was rather fed up with the treatment and by the turn of events. The next day, Friday (date), when I went back in to get my money, as I had been told the previous day, I was then told that I had 2 options. The first was to quit school, go to work and get as much auditing as possible. The second option was that I should go to Munich. To my remark that I had been thrown out the day before and had been offered my money back, as had happened twice before, I was told that it was not so, that Scientology had not offered the return of my money or my departure. In case I departed, my name would be sent to all the Scient. offices in the world, and Scientology had use of a good, functioning, communications system. I chose Munich. I was to be driven there the very next day. That was too quick for me. I then agreed to the following Saturday. On the next day, Saturday, February 24, 1979, I went back there and finally wanted to get out. I was told that I should come back next week one more time. The papers for my departure would be ready by then. I wouldn't be able to get my money right away, either. At an agreed upon time, Tuesday or Wednesday, February 27th or 28th, 1979, I received a paper which offered me two options. One was my departure, and the other was an offer that my two month break which I had asked for several weeks earlier (because I hardly had any time for my private life) be granted. Although I had come to the firm decision to stop, I took the offer. We agreed that I would show back up again June 16, 1979.
In these two months I had the time to read the books which I had bought in the months of my membership. I'll have to admit that I had only partly read these books, and then lost interest. In my opinion, the book "Dianetics" is primarily a technical collection of stories of the gruesome formulae of L. Ron Hubbard which are very frightening to me. Since I no longer could be influenced by the other sect members, I could now soberly reflect upon my membership. It became clear to me how caught up I was, and that things would get worse if I extended my membership. On Friday I showed up again and said that I would like to get out. Since (name) told me that it would not be possible to give me my money back immediately, I agreed on an alternate date of July 1, 1979. I also told him that I would not be put on the E-meter any more. He then prepared a list of the people
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 109
whom I had to look up. (I've attached a photocopy.) The reason he gave was that Scientology had to legally insure itself. Besides that, I was now an enemy of the organization. I completed a portion of the exercises on Wednesday. I wanted to go through with my departure as smoothly as possible and then be left alone. (Name) was not there that day. Because of that I was supposed to come back the next day. He was there Thursday. However he told me that he had something else to do which was more important to him. I was to have a lot of time on Friday so that he could explain everything to me about my departure. On Friday his wife (name) had me go through a list of everyday words and terms from Scientology and explain them. She wanted to see whether I had understood all words and their meanings, so that (name) could ask me questions on the E-meter. When (name) wanted to put me on the E-meter, I refused. After a short consultation with another staff member he wanted to bring me into the room where he had consulted. I refused and wanted to go home. I was ordered:
"You are not going home." In spite of this, I put on my coat and waited to see what would happen. The two again spoke with each other. I was getting into a more and more horrible mood. After some time I was called into the office. The other member then asked me, in a comradely manner, whatever could be wrong? He tried to explain the E-meter to me once again. When he noticed that it wasn't doing any good, he said that I should be let go in peace and that I had gotten nothing from Scient. The entire time (name) sat off to the side behind me and observed me with a face that I can hardly describe. Anger, hate, everything seemed to be reflected in it. Then I was alone with him in the room. He tried to find out why I no longer wanted to sit on the E-meter. The reason, for me, was very simple,
1. I was no longer a member and didn't need the E-meter to find out potential spiritual stress points, as the function of the E-meter had been described to me, and
2. I continue to regard the E-meter as a thing unfit for humans.
From his point of view: since I had something to hide which I did not want Scient. or somebody else to find out, then Scientology had to find out what that could be. If I, myself, would not say what that was, i.e., why I was leaving and why I didn't want to be put on the E-meter, then Scientology would put people among my acquaintances in order to x-ray my life. However, I had already said everything there was to say about the reason for my departure. His statements did not capture the truth. The truth was that I just wanted to get away. He accused me of being a suppressive person because I was preventing him from giving me assistance. If I did not want to create clearness, then I had no possibility of finding my way back to Scient, and now a
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quote: "And I would like to lead you back there." He prophesied that the underworld would open up underneath me and that I would land in the gutter as soon as I had closed the door behind me. He presumed that I was homosexual, which is the same thing as a crime in Scientology. He made vague comments about the return of my money. That might happen in one month or in several months, they didn't want to miss paying the rent because of me. I was supposed to call or stop back again. Since I now had strong doubts as to whether I would ever get the money back at all, and in order to show them that I was not completely alone, a few days later I asked an attorney for help. After he had sent off a letter with a request for the transfer of the money, I received a letter from (name), in which he wrote me that I had agreed to an appointment with him on July 1, 1979. Since I had engaged an attorney, he had had to give the matter over to the legal department. That was in June, 1979. Since then I have heard nothing more from Scient., and neither have I seen one penny of my money.
When I think, today, about my membership in the Scientology Church, it is incomprehensible to me why I had delayed my departure for so long and continued to let myself be talked in to staying. A reason for that may have been that at the time I was in a poor mental state of mind and had the hope of finding a happier life through Scientology.
When I compare the sect members with others of their same age from my circle of acquaintances, they actually appear to be happier. I had also felt very good at first. Until I noticed that everything was only a make-believe world in which I did not have very much to say, in which others were ordering me around. I find it frightening that the members, most of whom are the same age as I, subject themselves uncritically to L. Ron Hubbard and his "discovery" of Scientology. An organization which is constructed very authoritarian and hierarchically, which I had already noted in the office of (place). In my eyes, Mr. Hubbard is a dictator. During my membership there were two people who were "clear", who belonged to the "highest and happiest being." In my experience they were the ones who were most threatening to me.
I have not mentioned the following in the report: the walls in the offices were "tapestried" with certificates and Scientology posters. When I had finished the Rundown, I was congratulated. Other individual members always shared with me how happy they were. Every evening the course supervisor asked who had had a win. After something had always occurred to me in the first few weeks, I nervously considered what I should say next.
I never heard one of the members say anything critical, outside of the new people who had come in about the same time I did. Whenever that happened, like with
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 111
me, that somebody would say something, he would be taken out of the room, so as not to disturb the atmosphere of harmony. It also happened, especially when I wanted to leave, that I was left alone for more than an hour. When I wanted to buy something quickly, I would be ordered to stay. In the office one time 4,000 DM was handed over. After I had let it be known that I had no more money for further courses, I was made to understand that I was being regarded with suspicion. One time, something must have happened. I heard a noise and a scream. Afterwards I had to write down what I had seen and heard. I think Scientology owns a music publishing company in Hamburg. Uwe and Karla Schniering got an LP album from there. It was an old dive they had leased, then converted to an "art center" and to a dormitory for the members. It was called "Clear Galaxy" and is "dedicated to Ron." Much enthusiasm is generated there to reach the goal of having the world clear by 1984.
Through the demonstrations of mistrust by the others, a kind of feeling of guilt was aroused in me. I wanted to finish the course in order to show them that I really did not have evil intentions. Unfortunately I had also written the so-called "success stories" which are now able to be used against me. Another member whom I met several weeks after my departure (he had entered somewhat later than I and also wanted to get away), had had to verify on the E-meter that he was going on vacation.
October, 1979, /signed/, 23 years old
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 112
Report II
"I was going to answer your letter earlier, but I wanted to wait until I got my money back from the Org in Munich that they still have on account there. Unfortunately, that has not yet happened, and now I don't want you to have to wait any longer.
For years I have suffered from vertigo, which surely is psychosomatic. Since the doctors could hardly help me, I sought help elsewhere.
In August, 1975, in the "ESOTERA" magazine, I found an advertisement for the book, "Dianetics - the Modern Science of Mental Health." I ordered the book and read it. However, since you got nothing from reading the book alone, I was advised to take the communications course in Stuttgart on Neuen Brücke (Street). I was told there that that was a prerequisite for auditing, which was then supposed to overcome my health problems. The course in Stuttgart seemed funny to me, but I continued it because everybody there was enthusiastic and praised the auditing to come later in Munich.
So I finished up the course and received auditing in Munich. I also found this auditing stupid from the start. However the other people there (mostly high school graduates, mostly young people) were zealous about the matter and I hoped for an improvement in my health condition (which was promised me when I gave them 7,200 DM) so I continued. This "healthfulness" didn't happen so fast, I had to keep on paying more, and was disappointed each time I left. However, the Scientologists continued to encourage me. I then began to learn something about Scientology from a different sheet of music, outside of which I exchanged addresses with people from (town name) who had also received auditing. We exchanged information. And look here, many had the same experience as I, they paid their money, were disappointed, and finally left. My comrades were asking themselves how they could have fallen for something like that, yet they always came to the same conclusion as I, myself, had: Most had started because of problems or illnesses of a psychological nature which could not be cured by doctors. With the Scientologists, everything was praised and "success stories" hung everywhere, which mostly sounded the same and could be taken very generally.
Anybody who did not feel this success stayed calm and did not want to be a spoilsport when the others were telling about their "wins." If you wanted to find out what these "wins" consisted of, you would not get a rational answer. I, myself, was often surprised when I had graduated a step and
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then was asked about my wins. I always had to stop and think first what my win could have been. Nevertheless, I said, each time, that my main complaints (dizziness, headaches, numbness) were not yet removed, although they were always being addressed in auditing.
It was then said that there was a suppressive person at work. Since one of those could not be found, I had to take the PTS/SP course (for 1,100 or 1,400 DM) last Christmas. Besides that, as a prerequisite for this course I needed to take the BSM and the mini tape recorder course. I wasn't told about that until after I had already paid for the PTS/SP course.
Every day, for over 10 days, I had to study for about 10-14 hours so that I would be ready for the course. Then, after taking the course, I was supposed to receive auditing again, which was what I wanted, since I couldn't wait to get rid of my ailment.
The Scientologists in the area believed in everything, and they encouraged me to continue. However, this was always associated with more costs, then, finally, the price for auditing became 5% more expensive per month.
It was then said that the big boom was coming, one had to get auditing quickly and pay money !, because otherwise, there eventually wouldn't be any more, because, supposedly, more and more people would want the "services" of the auditors.
In February I was told everything I would have to do in order to eventually get my health back. I thought it over and saw that I would have to pay at least 20,000 DM more. Right then they wanted me to bring in 5,000 DM over the Easter break, that way I would save money, since everything was getting more expensive. In the meantime, however, I had made some inquiries at the churches and at the ABI. So, in April I went back to Munich and wanted the money which had not yet been used returned to me. However, that was not so simple. There was endless waiting and repeated questioning at Ethics. Things got too stupid for me, I drove home and put my application for departure in writing, as well as my desire to have my money back. Forms were sent to me, and they were supposed to be notarized. I didn't do that. Instead I wrote them back and told them I wanted my money back without delay. I still have not received notice from my bank telling me the money has been deposited. I hope that they can learn something from this letter. Cordially yours."
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Report III
"This letter tells of my personal experiences which I have had at the Dianetic College on 126 Hauptstätter Str., Stuttgart, and in the Munich Scientology Church Germany.
I hereby request that this letter and any other communications from me be treated very confidentially (underlined by writer), and not be published in any form or used in any proceeding against Dianetics or Scientology without my express permission.
It will probably be the case that several details of my experiences will be new to you. My association with Dianetics began in early '76 with the 200 question personality test on König Street. I filled it out and received an appointment more quickly than I had expected. In the discussion I was shown my weaknesses and my strengths in the personality test, and then I was offered the course for elementary control and communication. Price: 450 DM. I took a couple of months to make the decision, if for nothing else, just to get information. Despite a critically reserved opinion, I began in (month) '76 with the above-named course. Between test consultation and course start I regularly received mail from the Dianetic College. Inside of 5 weeks I was done with the (for short) "comm course." The success of the comm course, which consists of several (inter-personal) drills, was monstrously good for me. Toward the end or after the end of the course we (that is the staff worker and the people taking the course) drove to Munich for what they call the "case analysis." The suggestion was made to me, and probably to most of the other participants, that 100 hours of auditing be taken in Munich, 50 hours for "Life Repair" and 50 hours for the "Drug Rundown." Price: not quite 6,000 DM. Further, the training package in Stuttgart was being offered for 3,000 DM. It consisted of the BSM, HQS and Dianetics. I first inquired of the other course participants who had already taken the upper courses whether that would be advisable, and the answers were always agreeable. I will speak more of the course participants later.
In Munich the staff worker asked whether she could call me up, and I clearly told her that a call from were would not be desired.
The next day I actually did get a call, but not from her - from a staff member in Stuttgart. We agreed to go to a loan institution the next day. The staff member convinced me to put my furniture up as collateral for the loan. Happily, they didn't loan me a cent, because I was in between jobs at the time. I withdrew 3,000 DM from my savings account
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in order to put a down payment on the training package. Soon after that I began to find out that the methods which rule in Dianetics and Scientology are, more or less, offensive. I believe that one could describe them as fascistic. Beginning with the BSM, I learned that you still needed several more things, which were not exactly cheap.
Course books for the BSM - 32 DM, for the HQS - 25 DM and for Dianetics - 100 DM, not to mention the E-meter at 700 DM. On top of that, if you want to co-audit Dianetics in Stuttgart, which had not been previously possible, there was still indefinite expenses for the case supervisor. I talked about this with staff member Gerd Böhm, whom I had been dealing with. He was amazed that I had not heard about that. To my question of whether he had told the others, he said "yes." He had a slight reservation that it "would have depended upon the course of the conversation." I was not satisfied with his answer and looked up the other people who were taking the course. Hardly a one of them who knew about the 3,000 DM deal also knew of further expenses of probably over 1,000 DM. Some thought that this would have to be "confronted." All of them were apathetic about this deceit.
At this point I'll talk about the mental condition of the course participants. Some of these, perhaps, were highly-educated, respectable people. Nevertheless, the people taking the courses were mainly those with temporary or lasting difficulties, often of the kind which occur shortly before suicide. Many who entered were enormously upset and were grasping for the straws of Scientology in order to be saved from the abyss, but ended up, instead, on the brink of a new disaster.
That, however, was not bad enough. You were not only deceived in terms of money, but also in terms of time. Before your decision to buy was made, the quoted time duration for the training package (BSM, HQS and Dianetics) was six months, or even less. I know nobody who has done that. I know people who have been on this package for 3 years. One course participant who had taken the first 2 steps of the package had been told that she could easily do that in two months time, because she had wanted to travel after that. Two months was exactly enough time to do the first course. As far as money and time was concerned, you were lied to. Just from that you can see that Scientologists do not take the truth very seriously. Of course that is not everything, but that would be enough.
Although, in conversation, staff members always asserted that they had nothing to do with politics, they were not at a loss for words when it came to having a view of the world. What was interesting to me were the books by Hubbard where socialism was being railed at or it was regretted that there was no more child labor. Also, there is a sentence in the HQS material:
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'Democracy has given us nothing other than income tax and inflation.'
In a short discussion, one course participant asked what an unemployed person could do about it if he had already applied at 19 employers and had still not found work. The prompt answer of the Scientologist believer was, "Sometime in a past life he has committed a misdeed, and now he is afraid, otherwise he would try it a 20th time." Another course participant thought one time that he had run somebody over and that the person would die. The staff member answered, "That is not so bad, his Thetan has been looking for a new body for some time." (comment from ABI: this remark is not an isolated case!) Now and then I got the impression that I was dealing with lunatics. Perhaps it is only a Scientology tactic for them to say that they are politically neutral, because otherwise they would be immediately banned.
A couple of times I was asked whether I would give out tests on the upcoming Saturday. The discussion went approximately as follows: "Are you giving out tests on Saturday?" "No." - "Why aren't you giving out tests?" - "Because I don't have time." - "Good, why don't you have time?" - "I have to sleep in on Saturday." - "Good, why do you have to sleep in on Saturday?" - "Because I don't sleep enough during the week." "Good, do you want Baden-Württemberg to be the first German state to become CLEAR?" - "Yes." - (would have liked to have said "no," but that would have led to further complications). "Good, are you now a Thetan or not?" - "Yes." - "Good, which would you like better, for Baden-Württemberg to become CLEAR, or to sleep in?" - "To sleep in." - "Yeah, Good, too much sleep is unhealthy, too much gets rusty inside. Look at me, I work til 2 o'clock in the morning and I look this fresh." - "That's fine with me." - "Good, do you have another reason?" - "No." That's how the conversation ended. The same staff member also told me that there were far too many hospitals and old folks homes.
It is probably true that most of the staff members get too little sleep. Presumably the chronic lack of sleep serves to extinguish the little critical ability the staff member has. It is certain that many Scientologists can no longer tell the difference between delusion and reality. Otherwise there would not be a sign in the back course room which reads, "Our Goal: 50 Class IV Auditors by March 13, 1977, Ron's Birthday." So far as I know, there is exactly one class IV auditor in Stuttgart, while several at the Academy are studying for Class IV auditor, there are not 50 by a long shot, and those, in all probability, are not going to be done by March 13. You would have to postpone Ron's birthday for a rather long time.
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Generally, the ARC triangle (affinity, reality, communication ARC) does not quite check out with the staff members, in any case, what lacks in affinity is probably made up for by the fact that the entire system is built upon lies, coercion and terrorism.
I would like to give a few more examples to demonstrate this:
Friday (date) 1976: Arrived 20 minutes too late, pretended to be drunk (that bothered me because I had been working) was marched out of there. The course supervisor said that the punishment was 1/2 hour MEST work (MEST: matter, energy, space, time). Had to polish tables for 1/2 hour.
Tuesday (date) 1979: Was out-course, had to go to the third floor and be put on an E-meter, was not allowed to refuse answering. Here are some of the questions that were asked me:
Do you intend or have you intended to pass on secret data to the Communists?
...the government? ...a political party? ...the military? ... the police? ...a journalist? ... the press? ... an attorney?
... a member of mental health (doctor or psychologist)?Do you have a criminal past?
Are you connected with people who are negatively disposed towards Dianetics or Scientology?
Have you planned or do you plan to bring Dianetics or Scientology to court?
Are you in Dianetics to find a weakness? Are you in Dianetics only to investigate its effectiveness? Some questions were repeated (about 6-8 times).
Thursday (6 days later) 1976
Was allowed to take part in the course again if I behaved respectably. If it happened again, Munich would handle it.
Sunday (3 days later)
Had to write an essay, how do I behave on course?
Thursday (4 days later)
The course supervisor asked a course participant why he was laughing. The participant said that we (he and I) had been talking about something. I had to
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go outside with the course supervisor. She asked me for the reason, asked me until I answered. The answer was that I had seen that I was going to get a pink sheet (You get one of these when you have a misunderstanding on material you've already been over. It is often also used for punishment work.)
The course supervisor said, "If that happens again, you're outa here."
Saturday (about 3 weeks later)
Course Supervisor: You have to do an hour "MEST work" (punishment work). Reason:
Was not on course for 14 days with no excuse. I had not applied because application slips were not hanging on the wall at this time.
Sunday (next day)
Performed the "MEST work" starting at 10 a.m. Had to clean the toilet and clean a room and clean the clay table. Actual time 1.25 hours.
Friday (three weeks later)
The course supervisor asked me why I had not been there for a week. Told her the reasons (work, vacation, too few check-outs). In the usual manner, she put the blame on me, I was to take responsibility for this. Told her that I had done the TR 0 drill alone. She pointed out that that was squirreling (squirreling is yielding to strange practices. Received a pink sheet (punishment work).
So you are not even allowed to do what you want in your free time (underlined by author) without being punished for it!
I remember a course participant, a Scientologist believer who was on the Dianetics course at the time, now continuing her studies in Munich, who was feeling really sick. After the course supervisor had forbidden her from going home because of that, she went home anyway. She was punished for that with a pink sheet. Today she can probably "confront" better than she could at that time. The sentence from the HQS course becomes understandable: when we are training someone to be an auditor, then we would rather have him dead than incapable. One time during the break I went into a shop with two course students I had befriended. She asked me whether one of us had drunk alcohol. At that point I had to lie to her by giving her a negative answer. She believed me. This kind of questioning, with or without an E-meter, usually happened without witnesses, and is therefore difficult to prove. Without a doubt I saved the one course participant from a trip to the "Ethics Officer" or even a worse punishment.
In regards to the progress or wins on the individual courses, those could be painfully slow. As a rule, they worry about getting people through the first course quickly, that is the communication course (450 DM)
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 119
but that was in no way guaranteed for the upper courses. In that respect the communications would have to be regarded as a decoy (comment by the ABI: several thousand DM are always paid in advance). After that it is just a matter of seeing how much money you can rip people off for. In the month of December it was especially crass. At that time the staff was undermanned. At least one staff member, if it wasn't two or three, left, and one was in Munich at this time. In order to do check-outs (tests) I had to look up the course supervisor many times (about 10-20), and she didn't have time. When I told her that I was not making any progress, she stupidly asked me, "why is that?" I answered her, "because there is no staff." She cynically retorted, "You, yourself, are to blame, you have the responsibility for that."
So you pay a whole pile of money, get harsh punishment for the slightest reason; the course supervisor, because of her slipshod organization, has no time; and then you, yourself, are to blame if you don't make any progress (Scientology's mental acrobatics!!)
I got a clue as to the absurd orders of the "church" in Munich in the beginning of 1977. I had ordered "Life Repair" for 2 intensives, that means 25 hours. The staff worker asked me whether I would be able to pay for two more intensives. I brought it to her attention that she, herself, had told me the week before that I would not need 4 intensives in any case. So I had to fill out the 200 question personality test again, as I had before my comm course. Then came the interviews. In those, one of the questions asked was whether I was taking part in some other therapy. I said, positive suggestion therapy, whereupon the staff worker became startled and did a double-take. She asked who the author of this therapy was. I told her his name: Tony Gaschler. I was then told, that without having submitted an application for permission to be audited, I could not be audited since Tony Gaschler was supposed to be a "suppressive person." To my further questions the staff member explained to me that Tony Gaschler was a blown staff member, one who has left on his own to pervert Scientology data for the purpose of suppressing others. I asked for the Policy Letters, which supposedly were only in English. With the help of a dictionary I translated the text. In there it said that anybody who had contact with a "suppressive group" could not take part in the clearing course, that means the steps where you become "clear." The reason given for this was to make it difficult for "suppressive groups" to get data. The danger was that you could remember such groups.
If a CLEAR was supposed to be such a rational being as described in "Dianetics - the Modern Science of Mental Health," then that was not a danger at all, or else something didn't add up in Scientology. I applied for permission to be audited. They kept putting me off
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 120
to later times until I learned Sunday afternoon that the person who was supposed to process the application was supposedly not there.
I needed to leave again, the train ticket had cost me 58 DM, and I was told that I would receive news in a couple of days, which, of course, never happened. I called them up three times, each time I was put off to a different time or day. At the moment there is no predicting when my auditing will take place. I know that course participants who miss time with no excuse often receive calls at home, or, as it happened recently with one student, who was not entirely done with the comm course, but had not been able to decide on the 3,000 DM training package, he was continually worked at until he weakened. This certainly shows that the staff members are all over students when it comes to money, a real psycho-terror on the loose, which they mostly win - thanks to their stamina. The Scientologists are tireless, they are always distributing personality tests on König Street in the vicinity of the main train station.
To wrap up I would like to say that it is good and proper that lawsuits against Scientology continue to be won, but that justice is less served as long as Scientology still exists. Something to think about is whether a general ban of Dianetics and Scientology wouldn't be the only right thing to do. As you, yourself, see from my letter, what happens goes far beyond fraud. This also violates human rights. That would be a very desirable effect of a ban of the "church," before it is too late. Otherwise, one day there really could be an "auditing with bullets." With or without "Life Repair," I'll be leaving this fascistic organization in the next few weeks.
Sincerely yours,
At the beginning of 1977, the author of that letter demanded the return of a portion of the money which he had paid. In August, 1977, he received, with a check, the following letter, dated February, 1977:
Scientology Church German MSO Munich HCO Ethics Order
To whom it may concern from HCO Munich
Re: Letter of Expulsion
(Name), member from (address) is no longer in agreement with the fixed goals of Scientology or ready to support them. This is proven by his request for repayment of a donation which he had made to the Church. Accordingly, he is now expelled from the Scientology Church.
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 121
He may receive no spiritual counseling or training from any of the Scientology Churches until he has performed an act of repentance and has sought recourse from the Church.
The first step to this recourse is:
Find out who you really are!
Walter Sak H.A.S.
for the Directorate of the Scientology Church Germany
ABI comments on the "letter of expulsion":
The Scientologists misleadingly describe the payments for the courses as "donations." Normally you don't expect a return from a donation. For example, on their receipt is marked, "Membership contribution for spiritual training (BSM + HQS + HSDC) 3,000 DM". The term "Membership contribution," in this context, is just as misleading.
After receiving the above letter, the excommunicated person wrote to the ABI:
Dear Sirs!
As you see from the attached Scientology letter, I've now received a check for the return of my money. 150 DM was deducted from it. This concludes the matter, as far as I'm concerned.
If you are able to obscure the data which can lead back to me, then of course you can publish the report or parts of it, if my name is not known (the same goes for this page).
Also at that time in Munich, because of my departure, I had to go from auditor to auditor, from E-meter to E-meter, for two afternoons. None of these auditors noted that I was often, rather clearly, pressing the cans with my hands. (ABI comment: that is how a needle read is faked, according to the Scientologists a quasi spiritual movement). I told this to a Scientologist I knew who tried this out next time in Stuttgart on the course supervisor, who also didn't notice anything. He had the courage to point this out to her, whereupon she began to tremble.
In Munich I was labelled a suppressive person (reason: anybody who leaves is a suppressive person.) In case I wanted to go back into Scientology I would have to count on doing restitution work which would last between 50 and 500 hours, unpaid, naturally.
Cordially yours,
The "letter of expulsion" given on the previous page is by no means the exception, but serves only as the usual form of sect founder
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 122
Hubbard. The only thing conspicuous about the following letter is that the copyright notice is missing:
College for Applied Philosophy, Franken, reg.
MISSION OF THE SCIENTOLOGY CHURCH
Ethics Order of (day, month) 1976
To whom it may concern
From the Hubbard Communications Office, Mission Franken
(Name), student and member of the Scientology Mission Franken, has left the Mission on (day, month) 1976 and has not continued with spiritual counseling since then. It was tried multiple times to cause him to come to the Mission in order to explain the situation. However, he refused to do that each time. On (day, month) 1976, he communicated that he wanted to leave the Mission.
According to HCO Policy Letter 19 April 1965, "Ethics, Training and Processing Regulations," it is a suppressive act to leave a course without permission. His condition is ENEMY.
Before he may continue with his training, he must get the situation straightened out with the Ethics Officer of the Mission Franken and perform the necessary steps for restitution. The first step is:
Find out who you REALLY are.
Bruce Hines
Hubbard Communications Officer
Area Secretary
Scientology Mission Franken
ABI comment:
The "condition" of enemy is the second to last step of the "sliding scale of success and failure" (Evans, "Kulte des Irrationalen," Rowohlt, p. 114). Even conditions which are not as bad as this one are harshly punished. Prescribed for "enemy":
One may deprive him of property, injure him in any way without being punished by a Scientologist. He may be "sued, lied to, tricked or destroyed" (quoted from: Kaufman: "Übermenschen unter uns." Other sources available).
Today the Scientologists claim that all that is solely of a symbolic nature. However, the person who gave the report did not symbolically clean the toilet. The Scientologists themselves seem to value the fact that the application of the punishment will be believed, presumably to keep the mouths of the ex-Scientologists shut. On July 11, 1977, in the "Stuttgarter Nachrichten" newspaper, "FBI Raid on the 'Church of Scientology - Informant fears murder -
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 123
Member allegedly burglarized Internal Revenue Service" - that's according to the headlines of a newspaper from the USA. One should not underplay this science fiction sect: committing burglary and proven counterfeit documents on their account: not for private use, but for the alleged advantage of the sect.
Report IV
Re: Scientology Sect - see also ABI leaflets 53, 54, 59
After I had suffered in earlier years from bashfulness, inhibitions, and difficulties in speaking with people, I became interested, in 1974, in a course with Dianetics. At that time, however, I still lived in Tübingen, so I did not take a course for logistical reasons at that time. I found out about Dianetics through a newspaper advertisement.
In December, 1974, I moved to (place). However, it was not until 1976, in early September, that I came upon Dianetics again. Two times on König Street I took a personality test, then a third one which I later found in my mail box, filled out, and sent back in. The conversation about the test took place with Mr. Böhm in 10a König Street one day in September, 1976, from 4:45 to 6 p.m. In regards to the ability courses, he showed me what all would have to improved. There was even a special price at that time. I brought up my problems to him (concentration difficulties, difficulties in speaking in a group, a lack of persistence), and he told me that I would be able to basically improve myself with this course. Besides that I had a service trip to (place) on (date) scheduled, where I could have my blood pressure measured with an electronic blood pressure measuring device. That was really the main reason that I signed the contract on the same day, for 450 DM for the course on elementary communication and elementary control. In (month) 1976 I began the course and was there every Tuesday until Friday from 7 - 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 2 - 9 p.m. Since the study material was not included in the course price, I bought it on (day, month) 1976 at the price of 20 DM, and hoped to be able to progress faster by doing that. Yes now, I drove to (place) and actually, I was the picture of serenity. I could detect no anxiety or any kind of upset; it didn't make any difference to me that a crowd of people (up to 20 people at the time)
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 124
were standing around me. Also I made myself wonderfully understandable to the individual people who measured my blood pressure. I was genuinely surprised. I hadn't thought that this would come off so easily without the Dianetics exercises. Therefore I had no objections to the Dian. course.
What I didn't like at the Dianetics College though, was this Miss Graf, Renate - repeatedly called the course participants in and tried to unconditionally sell them - as she did me - the next course or auditing. I told her each time that I first wanted to graduate from this course. Besides that I did not have the time, nor the money at the moment, to continue. She couldn't or wouldn't understand that somebody could have hobbies outside of work - such as swimming or exercising. She had the view that one could get much more from life from the next course than one could from other hobbies. You could train the spirit there, and that was very much more important. And if one had physical complaints, then Scientology had special exercises (e.g. touch assists) for that. The most important thing was that one be able to help other people by taking courses and auditing. And as far as the payment was concerned, I constantly got to hear about how the fees, starting next month, were again going up 5% more and I was supposed to try to get the money somehow. I would work and earn and I had a savings account which I could make withdrawals from, or I could take out a loan, or borrow money from friends. She went on about how I would not have to start the course right away, she was only bringing it to my attention that I could now pay for this 5% cheaper. (This monthly 5% increase is, of course, an excellent means of putting people under pressure!)
On (day, month) 1976, I graduated the course. I had hardly finished the last exercise, then I had to write a "success story." When I was done with that, I had to go on the E-meter at the examiners (Mrs. Reindl). It didn't go right. I was told that the needle didn't float. This process had to be repeated on Saturday, November 27, 1976. Then everything was alright. Various questions were asked of me (unfortunately I can no longer remember what they were!). Then I had to fill out the second personality test. For its evaluation, I received an appointment for Monday, (day, month) 1976 at 4:30 p.m. with Miss Renate Graf.
Once again, an ability curve had been produced, and it was compared to the first one. Besides that I was to receive an appointment for the case analysis, which could only be done in Munich, for Sunday, the (day, month) 1976.
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 125
(Day, month) 1976/Munich: In the Scientology Org. Arrived 10:45 a.m., then was put on the E-meter about 11:30 a.m. by a staff member. 50 or 100 questions were asked me (e.g., How is your relationship with your mother, father, boss - Are you here on your own determination - Do you know somebody who is against Scientology - What sicknesses to you have - What hobby do you have - Have you done illegal drugs - Have you had an operation, if so, what kind and what year - What kind of medication have you taken - Do you have a friend - Do you have many friends and acquaintances - Do you drink alcohol - Have you had psychotherapeutic treatment, treatment with electroshock or hypnosis - Do you ever think about murder or suicide). At the moment I can not recall any more; it was simply too many questions. Break was from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. From about 2 to 3:30 p.m., Miss Simone Wyss discussed the evaluation of the questions and answers with me. I made it clear to her what I wanted to achieve, and even that I wanted to be quite free in regard to communications to the group, simply, that I quite completely be able to get rid of these inhibitions. She told me that this problem certainly could be solved in Life Repair. These difficulties would be appropriately handled by the auditor. For that I would need 4 intensives at 12 1/2 hours apiece = 50 hours. She even prepared the contract. Besides that she told me the contributions if I were to pay in December, and then in January, 1977, it would be 5% more. To me the amount of 3,184.40 seemed very high and I told her that this money would have to be earned first. I didn't have so much money that I could tell her: yes, I'll pay it tomorrow. She also mentioned that money was somewhere to be gotten (loan or from friends); I didn't like that, but since I had heard only positive judgments about this Life Repair from different people in Stuttgart (of course these were people who were still taking Scientology courses and auditing!), I decided to take this auditing. At this point in time I still had the hope that I would actually achieve my goal (of being freed from all my inhibitions and fears). On (day, month), Simone Wyss was here in Stuttgart at the Dianetic College for a visit, and she called me from there. She inquired as to when I would now start with Life Repair, and whether I already had the money. I replied in the negative and told her that, at the moment, I was not able to say when that would happen. 6 days later, this Simone Wyss called me up again to ask how it was going with me and when I would be coming to Munich. Again, at that point in time I was not able to give her a firm answer. I suddenly had a doubt as to whether I perhaps should cancel this contract because it wasn't going to be easy for me to simply transfer this huge amount. I thought about it back and forth, whether I should transfer the money or not. Then I met a Scientologist (name) in the city,
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 126
we chatted and he had also taken the Life Repair, and was then doing the Drug Rundown in Munich. I heard from him again, what a fantastic effect this Life Repair had. - Finally, 7 days later, I paid the above mentioned amount by check, which I sent to Simone Wyss, as we had agreed. Then I received a letter from Munich - if I correctly recall - from Günter Münzloher - as to which weekend or day he should put me down for. Besides this, in his short letter, he recommended the "Self-Analysis" book, which I should work through in preparation for auditing. On January 1, 1977 I bought the book at the Info Center from Mr. Böhm = 23 DM. I decided on a weekend in the beginning of 1977 to start Life Repair. Then I received another letter - I believe from Peter Vogel, in which he wrote that I should take a look at the "Axioms," and also the Dianetics and Scientology picture book, since those would be very useful for auditing. Before 1977 began I had bought "The Axioms of Scientology" = 6 DM at Hauptstätter Str. from Miss Renate Graf. She tried to talk me into taking an auditing preparatory course here in Stuttgart at the Dianetics College (price between 300 and 400 DM!). She thought that preclears who had done this course before auditing had more success and progressed faster. Nevertheless I refused, because they didn't have this introduction course in Munich. Did she ever get mad!
Summary of Scientology, Munich:
The amount asked for this Life Repair is definitely too high. At least 70 - 80% of the time was used for word clearing. If German words would have been used, it would have made a lot more sense, although these are Scientology terms and abbreviations which are not to be found in any normal dictionary. If you couldn't exactly explain the word in question, that means if the auditor didn't like the way you said it, then you would have to demonstrate the word or concept with demo material (pencils, bottle caps, rubber bands, etc.). You couldn't go on to the next word until the auditor was happy with what you showed.
This process was repeated umpteen times, and each time new words were added.
The auditing lists primarily consisted of these Scientology words. The auditor read this list and fished for a word which allegedly made the needle move. (Example: Listing error, PTS Item, repairing a tone arm which is not high, repairing a tone arm which is not low, overlisted). Then you had to demonstrate, or explain, this concept. This was
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 127
repeated until the needle allegedly "floated." Then the next list was read. Terms were introduced, such as "mother," "father," "boss," etc. If the needle reacted to "mother," then you had to tell about your mother, from the present point in time back as far as you could remember. This routine of questions and answers gave you the feeling that you were being interrogated. Besides that you couldn't see whether the needle of the E-meter was moving like the auditor said it was. I even got the feeling that at times this was not the case. Before each session you had to rub lanolin lotion into your hands, then you were asked, "how many hours of sleep have you had, are you tired? Are you hungry?", then "This is the session" then later, "This is the list." You couldn't wear certain items of apparel, you had to take off shoes that were tight, open your skirt or waistband, and take off your rings. It was also checked that you were holding the cans properly in your hands as well as whether your hands were warm enough. After the session you were asked whether you would like to ask anything before you took a break. Then you were brought to the examiner, who put you on the E-meter again. His mission is to find out whether the needle is floating, that means whether everything is alright. If he said, "Your needle is floating," then you could go.
Since waiting time is associated with auditing, it was pointed out to me that I should sign up for a small course during this time, then I could use the waiting time better and not have to just sit around. When I then said - I think it was to [Miss] Mechthild or [Mr.] Peter - that I didn't have enough money for that, I was told that this was good for auditing, though, I would get through it faster and better. I was getting the feeling, though, that this had only to do with selling another course. Once I was asked by a staff member, who was walking through the entire building with a plastic bag, whether I needed vitamins. I answered in the negative. Other course participants, the Scientologists who were also in this PC waiting room, bought some for over 100 DM. Every vitamin there is was for sale in either pill or liquid form. One lady who sat next to me thought that I would have to take them too, since you get through auditing much better with them, you don't get so tired, and besides that you could concentrate better, and you would somehow feel really happy. Everybody I knew who were swallowing these vitamins somehow appeared peculiar to me, as if they were not living in reality at all. And you could really only talk about Scientology with them; nothing else seemed to exist for these people. At the time it looked to me as if some of them were in a hypnotic trance.
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 128
Those are what kind of perceptions I had after sitting in the waiting room for a long time. Even today I still have the suspicion that the vitamins being sold were not just pure vitamins, but that they contained some kind of other substance. Unfortunately I have no proof of that. That kind of behavior is not symptomatic of the intake of normal vitamin preparations. Neither could I imagine that one could become so peculiar just from the drills and auditing. I also found out that there were hordes of staff workers in this building. So it is not surprising that they have to charge so much for their services. It looked like a bee hive in there; different faces were constantly "buzzing" by with some kind of file folders under their arms. What function these people could have been serving is still a puzzle to me today.
Now back to my personal case: over time I received the impression that it only mattered that as many courses and as much auditing as possible be sold to the curious. And I found the business practices being conducted, or should I say, urged upon people, of putting them into debt, very unprofessional and dangerous. I can imagine that if someone is spiritually unstable, he would use extraordinary means to get this money just to be able to pay and continue.
For Life Repair, for which I had no use at all, and which did not give me a lasting "win" in any manner, (only that detailed above, that was on February 18, 1977, in the course of a process I could suddenly see better; however this condition was of very short duration. Besides that I have to add that I was in a very relaxed condition at the time), I had the following expenses:
Contribution for Life Repair DM 3,184.40
"Self-Analysis" Book DM 23.00
"The Axioms of Scientology" book DM 6.00
Travel costs DM 290.00
Total cost DM 3,503.40
Now, unfortunately, I cannot coax more from my powers of recollection. Possibly the auditing practice is built to forget all these things again as soon as possible!?! Or rather that the questions are so nonsensical that they register OK, but are then immediately forgotten again.
- The End!(Signature)
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