III. Assessment
1. Unalterable valid Ideology
The ideology of the SO is essentially based upon the writings of L. Ron Hubbard, which - as also presented in the Final Report and under section II. 2.1 ff of this report - according to the SO, retain their unalterable validity.
This coincides with the results of the observation.
The answer to the question of which actual indications of effort against liberal democratic basic order are evident in the SO depend only upon either the current public image of the SO establishments in Germany and their present functionaries or it has to be explained whether the SO has restrained the implementation of its goals for the time being in Germany because of the "Fabian" battle technology recommended by Hubbard on tactical grounds.
During the reporting period, the SO published magazines which regularly include Hubbard articles. Along with that it was determined that - even older - programmatic statements by Hubbard, such as found in the "Policy Letters" and other places, are given to staff of the SO establishments as actual operating instructions. More recent instructions by the International Management of the Church of Scientology International (CSI) to the SO establishments all have the character of commenting upon the writings of Hubbard. However, from the instructions of the CSI, there is no perceptible alteration of the ideological arrangement.
On the basis of the unalterable structure alone of the SO, actual indications worked out from the SO writings contained in the Final Report which show efforts against secure property in accordance with PP. 4, sect. 2, a-g of the BVerfSchG have also been determined in this reporting period.
Regardless of that, the SO has continued to publish writings in this reporting period in which real evidence in the above named sense is found. More space is dedicated to this under sections II. 1 and 2 ff of this report.
In regard to the actual conversion to the program for political "seizure of power," the Constitutional Security office has produced a different picture in this reporting period. The claims by the SO have not been as extensively realized as could be inferred from the promotional reports by the SO.
2. Size of the object of surveillance
The Constitutional Security offices have concluded that the SO, in contrast to its own statement of having 30,000 members nationwide, has only 5,000 to 6,000 members. A fluctuation of membership has been noted which can be ascribed to the individual Orgs. The basis of this change of membership needs further explanation.
For instance, it can be observed that members who want to leave find that their departure does not take place abruptly, as they expected. Instead, they encounter constant "calling up" by the Org with promises of having to see them just one more time, then to regularly appear or to be at a certain "event" without taking part in it. In this way, the Org avoids actions which can be considered as massive pressure. In this context, it is not clear whether and to what degree the separated member still feels bound by the SO ideology.
It could also be found in this regard that there are former members as well who "want nothing more to do with the SO," but also find Hubbard's writings "as good as they ever have been,", but can nevertheless not get along with the "Institution of the Scientology Church."
On the question of the size and importance of an object of observation in regard to the requirements of an observation, the Work Group on Scientology, in the Final Report to the IMC, had oriented itself toward membership figures in the amount of 30,000, as given by the SO. It had determined that the relative risks would not oppose observation, since it was not dealing with a negligible number
Now that the Constitutional Security office has found the number of members to be considerably less, that does not mean the above assumption applies in reverse. For one thing, the danger potential from an extremist organization does not absolutely depend upon the number of its members, which is why the Constitutional Security office also observes organizations which have far fewer members than the SO has.
For another thing, the central steering of the SO and its integration as part of an international structure with internal organizational leadership and control positions in the USA and Europe need to be taken into consideration. In the organization's structure the ideology of the SO is implemented similar to that of a cadre party, and is transported down to even the lowest levels of the organizational hierarchy. Therefore, even with the significantly reduced estimate of the membership figure of the SO by the Constitutional Security offices, surveillance of the SO is still not out of proportion. Neither is another assessment necessary in regards to how many establishments the SO has in Germany. Statements on the number of SO establishments vary according to whether they are based on statements by the SO, on entries in the association register or on actual observation of the Constitutional Security authorities.
There is no one clear explanation for these discrepancies. Neglecting to make a deletion in the association register could happen as a result of an oversight. SO establishments which no longer exist, yet are getting advertisement in SO publications, may also be due to a communications problem on the international plane with the distributors of these publications. Why these kind of problems do not extend to absence of advertisement for existing establishments cannot be explained without further information.
3. Finances and Financing
In deciding on the issue of whether the SO is in the position to put their program into action, the financial arrangements play an important role.
The division of financial responsibility is also of significance in the judgment of the financial arrangements of the SO. The SO establishments in Germany apparently have to finance themselves from the income resulting from the sale of courses, books, auditing, etc on the one hand, on the other hand they have to make payments to superior organizations out of the country. These international organizations regularly receive other income from events in the German establishments, e.g., the so-called IAS events. These are for the sole purpose of soliciting for four and five figure "donations" from members and SO staff which are then used to finance other campaigns by the IAS in Germany.
This reporting period's findings indicate that some SO establishments in Germany apparently aim for high income, but they have little leeway in their actions. The financial potential of these national establishments has previously been overestimated. Part of this may have been due to the image of the SO staff member, verified by observation, who is always under constant pressure to sell courses, books, auditing, etc. in order to raise the income. On the other hand, some smaller and less expensive locations have been rented and the staff pay has been cut because the establishments are forced to limit their expenses.
The amount and degree of compensation which is delivered to the superior SO establishments out of the country are completely unclear. No conclusions about the national or international financial situations of the SO are possible. It is not clear how much is left over after payments are made. A portion may have been used in the advertisement campaign in Germany during the past year, which was initiated, financed and steered by superior SO organizations outside the country.
In light of the fading public image of the SO in the media, e.g., in the USA, a not inconsiderable part of the contributions solicited in Germany may have also gone to projects over there.
In summary, it has been found that in the area of finances and of the financing of the SO, that there is a need for further information in order to be able to assess the danger potential from the SO to liberal democratic basic order.
4. Organization/internal affairs
The assumption that the SO is a strongly, hierarchically structured organization with strict inner management and central direction from the USA has been verified during this reporting period. The SO establishments in Germany appear, from the outside, to be legally self-sufficient, nevertheless they are subject to strict operational and disciplinary lines from the international management in the USA. This is also recognizable in that members of the Sea Org from the USA and from the Continental Liaison Office in Copenhagen are sent to German establishments to issue instructions and to see to the correct "handling" of the Scientology "tech."
The personnel in the central management and control positions of the SO overseas consist of select Sea Org members who are held to the party line by constant security checks on the so-called E-meter, members of the SO intelligence service, OSA, and top management functionaries who direct the SO according to strategic angles, conduct "black propaganda" against their opponents and fight them with the help of the intelligence service, OSA.
They make up the hard organizational core of the totalitarian system of Scientology which literally follows the program of L. Ron Hubbard in its goals of changing society and politics. The creation, training and application of the Sea Org and of the OSA as control instruments for the discipline of the organization one the one side and for the discipline and control of critics in society on the other side show that the intention of the SO is to bring about Hubbard's claim to power and that it is taking the steps necessary to do that. This type of "security organ" is not necessary in a constitutional state for either a service provider or for a so-called philosophical community, and certainly not for a religious community. Any action of this cadre organization, whether propaganda for attaining customers or for "enemy defense" and any operational action of the OSA and the Sea Org may serve as part of the overall strategic plan to take over power in society, and is thereby rated as political operation.
It has be concluded that the simple functionaries of the SO in Germany are manipulated by the cadre organization and are used to carry out the strategy of "black propaganda" and disinformation as to the real goals of the Scientology system. They may serve either as instruments of good faith or to repress insight into the true character of the system by means of absolute obedience and resocialization which is viewed by the SO as being successful. In every case, these simple functionaries try to exert the pressure inherent to the system of Scientology upon the customers in order to bind them as quickly as possible into the system.
On the basis of the findings on the activities of the OSA up until 1993, it must be concluded that OSA and its financing require detailed explanation and observation by the Constitutional Security offices.
5. Activities
5.1 Expansion goals of the SO
In the SO literature, especially in the internal HCOPL's, there are many instructions for the constant expansion of Orgs and Missions and for the acquisition of new customers and/or members.
Whether this pertains to the expansion of the ideology as such or to the increase of staff figures, course graduation statistics or merely sales returns is not something that requires a decision.
With every book or course sold, and with every new applicant to whom the LRH technology is made known, another step is completed in the continued expansion of the ideology. Besides that, it can be designated as income for the SO establishments. The SO comes that much closer to its goal of "producing" people who are susceptible to the Scientology concepts.
According to the present findings, in many places it primarily seems to be a matter of meeting the statistical guidelines and requirements from upper hierarchical levels from Copenhagen or Los Angeles, as the case may be. That is the only way the staff at the establishments, who are concerned with increasing the SO's capacity, can alleviate the pressure exerted upon them by hierarchically superior positions.
The numerous expansion efforts are manifested through various operations (poster campaigns, distribution operations in various urban areas, etc.). As far as the actual practical degree of expansion in the individual SO establishments in Germany is known, it continues to be less than it was before.
Generally speaking, it is not possible for the Orgs to be brought up to "Saint Hill size." SO establishments which have not had a considerable reduction in income are at least marked by a stagnant income situation.
This situation is certainly due, in a not inconsiderable degree, to the increased information campaign about the dangers of the SO. Because of the public's heightened awareness of the problem, it has become more difficult for the SO to attract a paying, naive public into the Orgs and missions. This image may be compromised worldwide, since a similarly intensive information campaign such as the one in Germany is not being waged.
5.2 Influence upon society
The SO undertakes many attempts, not only in Germany and from Germany, through widely diverse PR campaigns, to project the theme of alleged religious intolerance and violations of human rights in Germany into society. It often does not appear publicly as originator of this action, but uses one of its various sub-organizations such as the KVPM [CCHR in the US], or publishes supposedly independent opinions on different points of argument. It has also been observed that the SO searches for allies which - in their point of view - find themselves in a similar situation. Under this aspect of federal politics, which shows much promise of media attention by the SO, the cooperation of the SO with various religious groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses or Islamic groups can be seen in the organization of demonstrations during this reporting period. Once again, the interests of the SO is not in the foreground in the actual observation of alleged misuse of basic rights.
The SO is also trying to increase its perception as a religion by the public through its alliance with religious community. Naturally, it makes use of the occasion to continually propagate reports of alleged unequal treatment of minorities in the Federal Republic of Germany. Because of sparse or incomplete findings in this area, a conclusive evaluation as to the success of these contacts cannot be made.
As prescribed by its founder, SO members are obliged to win influence in political parties and in civil service. Internal organizational surveys poll for these type of connections. From the literature and the media, it is known that there has been evidence of SO activities in political areas in the past. During this reporting period, no conclusive actual findings were made. The reasons this important area have not been illuminated up to now are manifold. One - not very probable - explanation would be that the SO, contrary to its own program, is no longer present in the political area. However, there are indications that the SO has taken measures in response to the surveillance by the Constitutional Security authorities and have caused Scientologists in the parties to not reveal their SO membership in party connections which have already been made or were being introduced.
All told, the findings by the Constitutional Security offices in this reporting period are still too unclear to come to a sound judgment.
Besides that it has to be taken into account that as long as there are objections of a legal data protection nature against automated comparisons such at that between SO data and data of civil service representatives, no dependable statement as to the participation of SO members in public service can be made.
6. WISE- and ABLE areas
According to the SO program, strategies in both of these areas are predicted which would ultimately serve the expansion of the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.
In the WISE area, the emphasis is in attaining economic potency of the organizations overall through commercial expansion of the LRH technology.
Especially in this economic area, an expansion of the SO does not appear to be nearly as extensive as presumed earlier. The discrepancy between the claims of the Scientology program and their actual results is particularly obvious. A not unimportant reason for this is that many business enterprises which have a Scientology background are no longer existent. It has also been determined in the ABLE area that organizations connected with Scientology, such as Narconon, Criminon, KVPM, etc., are activated when it suits Scientology's needs to expose alleged social grievances in society. In doing this, Scientology emphasizes its ostentatious efforts to present itself in a positive manner as a humanitarian, charitable, and socially responsible organization.
However, the manufactured image does not basically correspond with the real image of these organizations which are accountable to the SO, which contains a far less degree of organization, size and effectiveness.
IV. Conclusions
On the basis of the lack of information, as repeatedly stated in this report, further surveillance of the organization is indicated from the technical perspective.
At the same time, because of the high, public interest, the observation results to date should be published.
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