Congratulations Gerry!

Berlin, Germany
December 20, 2001
de.soc.weltanschauung.scientology

From: Peter Widmer
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Re: An Gerry Armstrong
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2001

Joe, can you translate this defaming work? So that everybody may recognize her true character!

Peter

Renate Hartwig wrote: Subject:Re: An Gerry Armstrong Date: 20 Dec 2001 16:24:18 -0800

Peter Widmerwrote in message news:

Hello Gerry

12 December 2001: Gerry Armstrong has been out of the cult for 20 years.

Congratulations and best wishes for your future!

Peter

to which Renate Hartwig wrote in response:

Come on, don't be ridiculous now, what kind of future does he have? Do you call being a victim a future? You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Anybody who is still acting like a victim after 20 years is only proving that from within the padding of the critic-cult he has no clue as to what others think of him. Your congratulations are not even distressing. Because you would have to know this and do know it but cannot, will not or may not admit it. No matter, in any case it is more than just evidence of self-incapacity!

And on top of that, you're being dishonest because this is about your own position in this critic-cult. You are not interested in Armstrong the person. Otherwise you would just let him go and not keep him tied to his current ways so that he can't even think of acting like something else besides a sacrificial lamb.

Renate

Distinction for Ex-Minister Bluem

Berlin, Germany
May 31, 2001
Bild-Zeitung

For his commitment in dealing with the Scientology organization, former federal labor minister Norbert Bluem (CDU) is to be honored with the Leipzig Human Rights Award. The uncompensated award will be presented at a ceremony on June 10 to the 65 year old man. 

From: Peter Widmer
Newsgroups: de.soc.weltanschauung.scientology
Subject: Der kriminelle Kult
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001

Federal Minister Bluem described the Scientology Organization as a "criminal, money-laundering organization" and accused it of brainwashing. No leading politician has ever expressed himself more clearly. To be sure, the law suit which Scientology threatened in response to those words has never occurred.

"Scientology is the opposite of a church. The cult does not found belief on freedom, but on suppression: zounds, you can hardly call that belief. It is concerned only with satiating its lust for power. Money, money and money - that is Scientology's trinity."

[Peter from Switzerland]

On Wed, 25 Apr 2001 Peter Widmer wrote:

Federal Minister Bluem described the Scientology Organization as a "criminal, money-laundering organization" and accused it of brainwashing. No leading politician has ever expressed himself more clearly. To be sure, the law suit which Scientology threatened in response to those words has never occurred.

Yup :) Bluem told it like it is. Simply super.
http://cisar.org/960531a.htm

[Tilman from Germany]

Tilman Hausherr wrote:

Yup :) Bluem said it like it is. Simply super.
http://cisar.org/960531a.htm

  1. behind the cult is concealed a criminal money-laundering organization,
  2. it spreads a blinding ideology,
  3. it is a cynical cartel of suppression,
  4. it's ringleaders are criminal,
  5. its members are subjected to brainwashing,
  6. it is a giant octopus.

I'd say that was a very marvelous summary of the mission, goals and character of the Scientology business cult.

--
"How do you know that I">

m mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the cat, "or you wouldn't come here."
---
[Phillip from Austria]

"Philipp Funovits" wrote:

  1. behind the cult is concealed a criminal money-laundering organization,
  2. it spreads a blinding ideology,
  3. it is a cynical cartel of suppression,
  4. it's ringleaders are criminal,
  5. its members are subjected to brainwashing,
  6. it is a giant octopus.

I'd say that was a very marvelous summary of the mission, goals and character of the Scientology business cult.

*SP - definition look here:
http://wasist.scientology.de/Html/Part14/Chp50/pg1025.html#sp

Suppressive Person: someone who exhibits a certain series of characteristics and mental concepts which cause him to suppress other people in his environment. This is the person whose conduct is calculated to have overwhelming effects. Is also called "anti-social personality."

[Joerg the German Scientologist who posts from Los Angeles]

On Thu, 26 Apr 2001 Joerg Tippmann wrote:

*SP - definition look here:
http://wasist.scientology.de/Html/Part14/Chp50/pg1025.html#sp

And immediately following that up with a reminder that if 'one' has questions about the PDS they should ask the neo-Nazis...

The "Suppressive Person"

Critics in and out of Scientology and former members are declared "Suppressive Person" (SP). Scientologists are forbidden to have contact with them and they are regarded as "mentally ill" and as "fair game." The latter term is no longer officially used by the CoS, but the treatment remains the same nonetheless.

<"Suppressive groups are defined as those which try to destroy Scientology or who specialize in harming or killing Scientologists or in destroying their cases, or those who support suppression of mankind.">

Hubbard Policy of 29 June 1968
Enrollment in Suppressive Groups

<"[By a suppressive person] is meant a person who tries to suppress or do away with those activities or groups who strive for improvement. A suppressive person suppresses other people in his environment. That is a person whose conduct is calculated to have monstrous effects. "Suppressive Person" is another term for "anti-social personality.">

L. Ron Hubbard:
Introduction to Scientology Ethics

<"All characteristics by which a "suppressive person" is classified are actually those of a mentally ill person.">

Hubbard essay of 28 Nov. 1970, Psychosis

<"Suppressive persons" may be "harassed, harmed or destroyed with no consideration for truth, honesty or legal rights. [...] It is regarded as acceptable to lie, deceive and commit illegal acts when dealing with a "suppressive person.">

Sworn testimony of March 1994
by Mrs. Vicky Aznaran,
former RTC chairman

[Peter of Switzerland]

Note: <Text in these angled brackets are non-literal quotes. They have been translated from English to German back to English, so the wording is not the original.>

2001 Leipzig Award

PRESS RELEASE

Committee announces award decision:
European-American Committee's Human Rights Award
(initiated as the "Alternative Charlemagne Award" in 2000)
goes to German politician for 2001

European-American Citizens Committee
for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA
c/o Dialog Zentrum Berlin, Heimat 27, 14165 Berlin; e-mail: info@leipzig-award.de
February 24, 2001
Leipzig

2001 Award Winner: Norbert Bluem

This year in Leipzig, the home city of the East German civil rights movement, the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom will celebrate its second human rights award with Dr. Norbert Bluem. Dr. Norbert Bluem will receive the award for implementing and championing the causes of human rights and religious freedom in the discussion about the totalitarian Scientology Organization. The award this year will once again be crafted by Leipzig artist Ruediger Bartels, and will be presented to Dr. Norbert Bluem at an award ceremony in Leipzig early this summer. (A brief history of Dr. Norbert Bluem is attached.)

The international "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA" (http://www.alt-charlemagne-award.de) which selected the the award winner is concerned from a trans-Atlantic perspective about violations of human rights and of religious freedom by the Scientology Organization. The headquarters of the Scientology Organization (SO) is located in the USA. In recent years the totalitarian SO has been able to conduct its activities from there with ostensible government support, including tax exemption and diplomatically-sponsored activities.

In its approach to new totalitarian organizations, the Award Committee is led by the same spirit in which 17 million Americans, in the 1950 dedication of the Berlin Liberty Bell, signed their names to the words: "I believe in the inviolability and dignity of every individual person. I believe that God gave each human being the same right of freedom. I promise that I will combat tyranny and every attack on freedom, wherever on earth they appear."

SO violates human dignity

A statement by the Award Committee reads, "As Europeans and as U.S. citizens, we are concerned about the Scientology Organization's (SO) attacks on the human dignity and lives not only of its members, but also of its critics.

The SO, which is responsible for the last agonizing 17 days of Lisa McPherson's life (USA), for the financial ruin of the Aigner family (Germany) and for the tragic death of Patrick Vic (France), has been making an effort to damage the European-American friendship for which so many have worked so hard in recent decades. There are also many people in the USA who resist Scientology's claims to power."

In continuation of the "Alternate Charlemagne Award"

In 2000 US citizen Robert S. Minton, the founder of the Lisa McPherson Trust, was presented in Leipzig with this human rights award, formerly called the "Alternate Charlemagne Award 2000." Millionaire and philanthropist Minton was distinguished by the Award Committee for his deeds in the struggle for human rights and religious freedom in the USA, particularly for his financial aid to those stricken by Scientology in the courts (http://www.alt-charlemagne-award.de).

The Award Committee: Gerry Armstrong, artist; Ursula Caberta, director of the Task Force on Scientology, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg; Joe Cisar, Cleveland, Ohio, Vietnam veteran; Professor Dr. Alexander Dvorkin, Moscow, Russia, Director of the St. Irenaeus-of-Lyon Center; Rev. Thomas Gandow, Berlin, Germany, editor of the Berlin Dialog magazine; Mike Garde, Dublin, Ireland, Dialog Centre Eire; Roger Gonnet, Paris, France, author; Friedrich Griess, Vienna, Austria, engineer, press spokesman of the "Gesellschaft gegen Kultgefahren"; Tilman Hausherr, Berlin, Germany, software developer; Solveig Prass, Leipzig, Germany, EBI Leipzig; Professor Dr. Johannes Aagaard, Aarhus, Denmark, President of the Dialog Center International (DCI)

Contact and editors in chief per press law:
Solveig Prass c/o EBI Sachsen, Lessingstr. 7, 04109 Leipzig, phone & fax 0341-6891590, mail@ebi-sachsen.de, and Rev. Thomas Gandow of Dialog Zentrum Berlin, Heimat 27, 14165 Berlin, info@leipzig-award.de

Brief History

Dr. Norbert Bluem, (married, three children)

July 21, 1935 - born in Ruesselsheim on the Main
1941 - 1949   - primary school
1949 - 1957   - tool maker at Opel Inc. in Ruesselsheim
1950 - 1957   - member of the Ruesselsheim Opel Inc. Youth Delegation
from 1952     - chairman of the above delegation
1957 - 1961   - Mainz evening school; employed during this time in 
                construction and as a truck driver
1961          - qualifications for university entrance
1961 - 1967   - Studying philosophy, germanistics, history, theology
1967          - Doctorate of Philosophy
1965 - 1968   - editor of the "Soziale Ordnung" magazine
1968 - 1975   - chief business manager of the welfare committee of the
                Christian-Democrat employees union
since 1969    - member of the CDU federal committee 
1972 - 1981   - member of the German Parliament
1974 - 1977   - state chairman of the welfare committee of the 
                Christian-Democrat employees union of Rheinland-Pfalz
1977 - 1987   - federal chairman of the welfare committee of the 
                Christian-Democrat employees union
1980 - 1981   - vice chairman of the CDU/CSU faction of Parliament
1991 - 1999   - federal vice chairman of the German CDU
1981 - 1982   - member of Berlin's House of Representatives
1981 - 1982   - Senator for federal affairs and fully empowered
                representative of the State of Berlin at the federal 
                level
1982 - 1992   - Federal minister for labor and welfare system
since 
March 1983    - member of the German Parliament

Member        - Amnesty International
                Metal Industry Union
                Catholic Employees Movement Germany

Informational links

The current state of affairs of some of Dr. Bluem's efforts
001215d.htm
(December 15, 2000 from Ingo Heinemann)

In connection with the above synopsis, here is a good backgrounder
960531a.htm
(May 31, 1996 from unofficial translation of court decision)

The article on which the Big court decision was based
940918a.htm
(September 18, 1994 from Welt am Sonntag)

Dr. Bluem mentioned in R.V. Young's Spiegel article
g50925ae.htm
(September 25, 1995 from Der Spiegel) 

      From: Andrea 
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
   Subject: Seht, Hubbard hat uns lieb
      Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2001

Cited from OSA-"Freiheit" from some time (you can't tell when, they don't believe in putting the date on the cover)
Comments by me in parens.

Title:
Harm no one who has good intentions

by L. Ron Hubbard

Contrary to the assertion by evil people that all people are evil, there are many good people. Perhaps you have the good fortune to knew several such people.

In reality society is kept going by men and women with good intentions. The employees of the civil service (Hi Ellen :-)), opinion leaders, those employed by the private sector (Hi Tilman :-)), the greater majority of them are people with good intentions. If they were not, they would have long ago stopped doing their work. Such people are very vulnerable. Exactly because they are respectable, they have not undertaken extraordinary security measures. But on them depends the survival of most of the people in a society.

The violent criminal (...), the propagandist (...), sensation-seeking media (Hi OSA-Freiheit) - they all divert our attention from the irrefutable universal fact that society would generally not function if it were not for the people with good intentions. They guard the city (Hello again, Ellen :-)), help children, take temperatures (Hi, Ilse :-)), put out fires and and talk about intelligent things in calm voices (Hi various people :-)) - and all too easily one overlooks the fact that it is those people with good intentions that keep the world going and the people on the earth alive.

Nevertheless these people can be attacked, and therefore effective measures should be recommended and taken to defend them and keep them from harm, because your own survival and that of your friends and family depends on these people. The Way to Happiness is much easier to travel when one supports the people who have good intentions.

L. Ron Hubbard

Right on! :-)))))

pleasant greetings

Andrea

"Liberty" in French

Cults have a tough time with the law

Nevertheless the number of their adherents is growing

Berlin, Germany
January 10, 2001
Berliner Zeitung
http://www.berlinonline.de

by Johannes Wetzel

It is obvious to anyone who reads what's on a a one-frank piece that liberty is one of the fundamental values of the French Republic. But what does the word mean? "Are there two different definitions of liberty, one inspired by the American and one French?" the French Interministerial Commission to Combat Sects (MILS) is now asking, defiantly answering its own question with "yes." While the American legislature in 1791 left all doors wide open to sects, the French Declaration for Human and Citizens Rights of 1789 was more cautious: the practice of freedom of religion and of opinion may not upset public order.

Behind this limitation is not only France's familiar disinclination against any form of an Anglo-Saxon flavored sense of community, but mainly the informed and Jacobian resistance against presumed obscurism. The anti-clerical movement of the 18th and 19th century led in 1905 to the separation of Church and State. France recently dogmatically insisted again on the principle of "laicism" and had the reference to "religious legacy" deleted from the preamble of the European Charta of Basic Values. That was protested by Jacques Delors, former IMF President Michel Camdessus, EU Commissar Michel Barnier, Strassburg mayor Catherine Trautmann, philosopher Paul Ricoeur and political scientist René Rémond. They want to "open the spiritual and humanist contribution of religion" in the realm of laicism.

Unfortunately the defense of intelligence and free will is occasionally led with a crusade of intolerance. More than just factually dangerous sects are being combatted. This year's "sect report" also skewers the "galaxy of Anthroposophy." Apparently even psychotherapy is part of the commission's area of jurisdiction. It criticizes, in foreign politics, that more sects are disguising themselves as "non-governmental offices," that in the "World Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders" they received the approval of UN General Secretary Kofi Annan, and were so clumsy as to hold their meeting in the "luxurious New York Waldorf Hotel." Finally the sect commission did not tolerate criticism of the French "combatting sects" as exercised by the U.S. State Department's report on religious freedom around the world.

France recently improved its legal anti-sect arsenal. Since 1985, when an official report about "Sects in France" appeared for the first time, its quantity and range has grown considerably. About 170 sects today are said to include about 160,000 at least part-time adepts. Not least of all, the Scientologists have been making headlines as investigation files disappear from the Paris Palace of Justice without a trace. The adherents of Mandarom are said to have illegally put up a statue to honor the founder of their sect. Also in France several years ago adherents of the Order of the Solar Temple more or less committed suicide.

But the commission appears to have overestimated the dangerousness of the Anthroposophists. Because Anthroposophists operate hospitals, schools and banks, commission member fear a "global strategy" - possibly a world conspiracy. Besides that they have misgivings about Steiner's writings possibly containing "elitist" and even criminally relevant "racist" ideology. According to their material on Steiner's writings anyway, they are not surprised at the supposed complaints about the French Waldorf schools. As the French Education Ministry has found, the Waldorf school teachers being hired not for their intellectual or academic qualifications, but for their life-style, would be entirely what Steiner meant. And because Steiner did not get to promoting intellectual abilities until later, the students were said to suffer under insufficient knowledge. The Waldorf style of academics was said to be more important for creating provisions for a "new human being." Especially upsetting was the monitoring of eurythmics, a "simplistic imitation of music." Finally it was said that the schools want to escape state control and did not adequately meet the duty for school inoculations.

As concerns anthroposophic medicine, the French Health Ministry unequivocally stated in September of this year [sic] that it was "inspired by mystic and esoteric traditions of Eastern origin" and "not techniques acknowledged as medicine." "We are looking at a movement which 'presents itself as spiritual science and whose diverse enterprises are' supported by an autonomous or even independent bank entity," the commission summed up its journey through the "anthroposophic galaxy." So much independence is suspicious: "watchfulness" and "oversight" were said to be appropriate because at least "public opinion" ascribed them the "character of a sect." 

      From:  Norman Suchanek
   Subject:  scientologische Neo-Banditen
      Date:  Wed, 13 Dec 2000 13:10:08 +0100
Newsgroups:  de.soc.weltanschauung.scientology

Several weeks ago I was in Clearwater. Something had changed since the last time I was there. Hardly any more Scientologists running through the city - instead of that masses of busses which drove Scn-members from one building to the other, some only a few hundred yards off ...

Several Flag buildings were equipped with more cameras than buildings at high risk, such as the Israeli Embassy.

I made use of my visit to ask for return of my unused money from Flag. Unused money is, of course, my property, and it is cheap and right to give it back to me. One would think.

When I brought this situation to the attention of the security guard in Flag reception, I was immediately directed out of the building and had to wait on a bench outside right in front of the Fort Harrison building.

I was told that an appointment would be made with Peter Greenwood, the "chaplain" of Flag.

That afternoon I came back for the meeting with the "chaplain." I was not permitted into the Flag building that time, either, but was directed to the first door left of the garage entrance. Behind that was a small room in which I repeated my return payment situation and presented the appropriate Flag financial papers. But the "chaplain" was less worried about saving my soul than he was pumping me for information - he asked over and over where I was living in Clearwater, who I was staying with in Florida, whether I had children, etc. He didn't stop until I got fed up and stopped him.

We made an appointment for noon the next day.

Since Flag sales are in the millions each week, I had counted on an uneventful return of payment. Sort of an early Christmas present.

But the "chaplain" was very monosyllabic and didn't want to say anything more than things were being processed; I was supposed to come back the next day. When I asked him what was going on, he commented that he had no say-so in the situation; maybe it would take weeks. He didn't want to hazard a guess as to how many weeks....

I can only describe this method of operation as malevolent. If I would have wanted to give them money, they would have accepted it immediately. The Flag ED and the papers I had filled out completely should have gotten me my money back with 24 hours.

I wrote a couple of letters to the authorities and to the Better Business Bureau from the Lisa McPherson Trust - I don't have to let someone, even a "chaplain," try to make a fool out of me.

A couple of weeks after I got back to Germany, our local DSA (Director of the OSA department) got in touch with me. Since he stated he wanted to give me a check, I met with him. 2 percent of my money was to be deducted as a "processing fee." I did not agree to that and I wanted some time to think it over.

At another meeting with the DSA I was ready to let the 2 percent go. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Then I read the statement which I was supposed to sign to get my money back. It actually said that "in exchanged" for my money, I was supposed to agree to never sue Flag, its personnel or any registered legal church organizations.

Not that I would have wanted to sue. But to have to "pay ransom" to get my own money back, that was a bit much. Suddenly the words "duress" and "coercion" spontaneously came to mind (although perhaps they are not absolutely legally correct). So I didn't sign. And I didn't get the check.

Some time later I had a telephone conversation with the DSA. He believed the statement I was supposed to sign was completely all right. He believed that I would have to abide by the rules of the "church." He also believed that the exchange - my own money for signing a disclaimer - was absolutely OK. (The appropriate exchange for me getting my money back would have been a receipt saying that I got my money.) And finally, he also believed that the Scn "Church" had the right to break applicable laws in the fight against their alleged persecutors!

One can only hope our conversation was overheard by Constitutional Security ...

About Scientology neo-bandits

"Give me your money! In return you get your life" - that is classic banditry: that includes pirates and thieves, bank robbers and highwaymen.

"Give me your signature saying you won't sue. In return for that you'll get your money" - that is a new form of banditry. I call that neo-banditry. I see the perpetrators as neo-bandits.

Robert SL, are you really not part of these neo-bandits?

Norman

Scientology Specialist Renate Hartwig introduced her fifth book in the city book store - a youth novel

"Gefährliche Neugier" / "Dangerous Curiosity" is exciting

Heidenheim, Germany
November 30, 2000
Heidenheimer Presse

"Aren't you afraid that the Scientologists want to get rid of you?" a young student wanted to know of Renate Hartwig, who introduced her first youth novel at the city book store yesterday afternoon at an author's presentation: "Gefaehrliche Neugier." By Christmas 100,000 copies of this book will have been sold.

by Klaus-Dieter Kirschner

The answer to the student's question came as a surprise to the audience, "Fear is not a topic of discussion for me. If anything happens to me, then everybody will know who it was." The Scientologists have called her a female "demagogue." Renate Hartwig, however, sees herself more in the role of a source of information: she has long ago stopped counting how many people she has gotten out of the clutches of the cult.

Renate Hartwig told of a re-education camp in Denmark, a penitential camp in Great Britain and about the ways and means that Scientologists deal with people who are their declared enemies. The terrorism commences quite gradually with surveillance ... According to Renate Hartwig the Scientologists have a well-stocked armory at their disposal: "What they have can be read about on the internet!"

The founder of the protection association for sect victims "Robin Direckt e.V." places a great deal of value in the fact that "I am not a former Scientologist. I was never in it. But my husband lost his company to a colleague who was a Scientologist." The Scientologists would want to have a new society, she said, in which everybody who cooperates is welcome. Anyone who exercises criticism would be punished. In accordance with that they have developed an extermination strategy.

The youth novel "Gefaehrliche Neugier" is being sponsored by "Aktion Eule," a joint endeavor of businesses who would like for students and young people to be "informed about the dangerous psycho-cult." Entire classes are receiving this 167-page book, which is also being advertised. Aktion Eule promises to have a long-term effect.

Renate Hartwig made it clear in passages excerpted from her book yesterday how quickly young people can get involved in something which they cannot monitor and out of which they can find their way only with difficulty. The setting of the story is a ninth grade class and it depicts a number of people by name. Very mysterious things happen in the class which trigger an investigative sense in several classmates. And soon the reader is in the middle of secret plots, peculiar developments and gripping fear. He makes the acquaintance of people who suddenly shut themselves off.

The Scientologists would offer free passes for a movie which does not play in a movie theater and at which there are, at most, only a few people. After that comes the one-on-one talk "with very friendly people" or the famous questionnaire with 200 questions. Its evaluation - according to Renate Hartwig - generally turns out negative. How else could Scientology manage to succeed in selling its teachings? Friends had to be recruited by friends their own age. Finally, the "organization" even determines what the young people will do in their free time. Then those young people do not have to pay anything to be indoctrinated. Not the case for adults: some have had to shell out up to 150,000 marks and end up hopelessly in debt.

As Renate Hartwig stated in a quite suspenseful question and answer period, the organization deals with former members rigorously. But they're having a hard time with grown-ups as more people are learning about them. For Renate Hartwig this was a good chance to warn young people what they can get tangled up in if they find themselves being asked, "How many left shoes do you have on?" That is only a "line" used to start a conversation in some pedestrian zones: "I want you to be fit and I want to encourage cautious behavior." 

      From: Tilman Hausherr 
Newsgroups: de.soc.weltanschauung.scientology, bln.kultur
   Subject: FWD: Mann an Sekte verloren, Buch geschrieben
      Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000

Regarding 001107a.htm , a German-language book, "My Marriage to a Scientologist"

The reading took place in the library's front hall, and was sponsored by Kiepert Book distributors. The event was announced in the library and the room was packed. More chairs had to be brought in.

The actual reading was done by Natascha Kobitzsch (see http://home.snafu.de/tilman/mystory/natascha.html). Short segments of the book were read one at a time. Between the segments, Thomas Gandow asked questions which Ilse Hruby answered. Besides that, an Austrian ex-Scientologist who draws comics was at the podium (Gerhard Foerster). He had painted a giant poster which was stuck up on the wall. It consisted of a Hubbard-head, an octopus and phrases from KSW (that is the one with which every course starts.) Besides that there was a drawing of himself with a board in front of his head.

There were two, or possibly four Scientologists there. Ute Koch, in any case, and a gray-haired woman I didn't recognize. Sabine Weber was not there. Ute Koch diligently wrote everything down, and even sketched the drawing. However she drew the octopus without the Hubbard-head; she wrote only "LRH." She looked unhappy. There were no disruptions.

Ilse won the audience over quickly, there was some laughter as she described certain illogical, but scientological methods of behavior. All the while Gerhard Foerster and Natascha Kobitzsch were also making spontaneous comments on the theme. After the reading, Ilse answered questions from the audience. Later Thomas Gandow also got rolling and told what all Mrs. Koch was doing the day long to make things hard on him (TG). When he put on his Xenu baseball ca[ and told the Xenu story, which was a lot of fun. All in all an exciting and successful gathering. It was Ilse's first public appearance, in the capitol city to boot, and even the district's electoral representative was there (Renate Rennebach) :)

At the end of the event she signed books and spoke with individual members of the audience, and she thanks the sponsors Kiepert and the Gottfried Benn Library.

Tilman 

Tilman Hausherr  [SP5.55]  Entheta * Enturbulation * Entertainment
tilman@berlin.snafu.de     http://www.snafu.de/~tilman/scientology_ger.html

Fotos aus Clearwater: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/4497/clearwater1999

Press Release

On the press conference of 24 October 2000 at 12:20 p.m. in the Dom zu Berlin, at the Lustgarten in the community room

Berlin, Germany
October 24, 2000
Dialog Zentrum Berlin

Prof. Stephen Kent of the University of Alberta, Canada, presented his study on Scientology penitential and re-education camps (RPF: Rehabilitation Project Force) today in a press conference at the Dialog Center Berlin in conjunction with the European-American Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA. The totalitarian Scientology organization maintains this kind of private penitential camp, according to Kent's findings, in the USA, Great Britain and Denmark. Members who do not adhere to Scientology's standards are punished in these camps and, according to Prof. Kent's findings, are subjected to systematic "brainwashing."

The study by the Canadian religious sociologist about the human rights violations in the Scientology penitential camps are being printed as a booklet in German and in English by the Hamburg Senate administration; the German-language booklet as well as a proof copy of the English version are available at the Senate administration for the Interior of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

The American Stacey Brooks, who herself used to be a Scientology staff member and a prisoner in the RPF camp, reported from her own experience that the punitive measures included unacceptably heavy physical labor and Hubbard "study courses."

Robert S. Minton, distinguished with the Alternative Charlemagne Award 2000 for his involvement on behalf of the victims of Scientology, reported on the Lisa McPherson Trust, which he established, and his goal, together with Dell Liebreich, the aunt of the deceased, to take legal measures to explain the death of Lisa McPherson, an American who passed away while under Scientology's "care" five years ago. In addition to that, the Lisa McPherson Trust is concerned with ending continued human rights violations by the Scientology organization.

Ursula Caberta y Diaz, director of the Work Group on Scientology in the Interior Administration of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, pointed out Scientology activities which were meant to worsen European-American relations. She praised France's involvement in the European discussion with Scientology in connection with prohibiting a Scientology march through Paris.

The spokeswoman for the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA, Solveig Prass of the Parents and Concerned Initiative against Psychic Dependency of Sachsen, Inc., announced that competition was open for the Alternative Charlemagne Award in 2001. The Committee's human rights prize will be bestowed in 2001 upon a person who excels in the trans-Atlantic area in the discussion about human rights and religious freedom and the totalitarian Scientology organization.

for the organizers:

Rev. Thomas Gandow,
Chairman, Dialog Zentrum Berlin 

DIALOG ZENTRUM BERLIN
Heimat 27, D- 14165 Berlin 
 - Telefon +49 30/ 815 70 40 - Telefax +49 30/ 845 09 640 
Email: berliner.dialog@dialogzentrum.de   -  Internet:
http://www.dialogzentrum.de
Donations to the Dialog Center can be electronically
  transferred to account: 15 51 3900 51 
  at the Bank fuer Kirche und Diakonie (BKD)
    - BLZ 350 601 90 [this is the number of the financial
       instituion for electronic transfer

"Today's knowledge - tomorrow's profit"

Scientology opponent Renate Hartwig from Nersingen near Neu-Ulm writes exciting youth novel

Berlin, Germany
October, 2000
IHK Zeitung

Many businesses in all areas have recognized how important preventive information work is, mainly to avoid high political economic damages in the "gray continuing education market." That is because psycho-groups are trying to gain toeholds everywhere. Therefore big-name companies in the region have also supported the preventive information work by the successful Scientology critic, Renate Hartwig from Nersingen/Strass near Neu-Ulm. She would like for every ninth-grader in the Federal Republic to be able to read her exciting youth novel "Gefaehrliche Neugier" without having to pay money for it. The detective story for young people appeared in the third edition in July of this year. In a private initiative, the pragmatic woman has set a goal that by year's end, 10,000 copies of her book will be distributed in each German state by her "EULE" campaign ("Engagierte Unternehmen Liefern Einblicke"). Each copy is stamped with the company logo of the sponsor corporation. For the companies that means advertisement with a lasting effect. A good image and evidence of cooperation and social responsibility. Psycho-gurus fear nothing more than informed, involved businesses; from them come protection from sect member influence.

Therefore young people should be warned about psycho-groups, not with bone-dry technical information, but in the form of a gripping detective story which enables the student to identify with the material.

Interview with Ilse Hruby about her marriage with a Scientologist

Berlin, Germany
September 20, 2000
Interviewer: Tilman Hausherr

How did you get to know your husband?

Our getting together was arranged; I knew nothing about Margit Margreiter, the Scientology "minister," pairing us. He came to me as a handyman and wanted to renovate my bathroom.

So what was your first impression?

I knew my husband-to-be as a sympathetic and well-cared for person in several ways. He radiated an unusual, winning optimism; I didn't know at the time that was an artificially produced staged optimism which he put on for show. I'm sure he didn't know, either. At the time, I could see absolutely nothing strange about how this man thought or acted.

When and how did it turn out that anything was "different"?

By and by, in the early times of our relation everything, naturally, pointed to there being no more beautiful life than this, but in the course of us living together, it gradually came out that there was an X factor which I could not at first identify. I commented that I was not as important to him as he was to me. His "religion" was clearly more important to him than I was, and not only that, but his family wasn't really important to him either.

How and when did you come to find out about Scientology?

For one thing, his friends and his family told me after a while about what happened before I came along, and for another, I was getting increasingly curious and also suspicious; I bought RH's first book in a bookstore, and when Peter discovered it, there was a terrible fight; he thought that woman was a liar and that would be why she had successfully sued Scientology multiple times. I responded to him that if only 10 percent of what was in the book was true, then that was bad enough by itself. In addition to that I was totally appalled about what I had read about my husband's religion. My second attempt to obtain information about the Scientology "religion" brought me to (Mrs.) Dr. Valentin in the office of the Vienna Archdiocese. The information I got from Mrs. Valentin helped me put together another piece of the puzzle which was starting to form. At least from that time forward I knew what it was about and it became clear to me that I would have to take care that I didn't get pulled in myself. Up to that point in time, the Scientologists had covered me with "love-bombing" and I have to admit that it would not have been too hard to get me to be a member of Scientology in order to save my marriage and restore peace to the family.

Did he take the book away?

He wanted to when he found it, but I gave it to some friends, to our landlord, who read it anyway and then told me in a rather lively telephone conversation who he thought I was dealing with, that would be something like a Mafia who rationalized away your brain and looted your bank account. The first thing he would ask me regarding Peter's whereabouts was, "Is he (Peter) back with the Klingons again?"

Did you try out courses or Scientology technology for yourself?

Yes, I took three short courses (statistics course, money and its dynamics, and a course about the fair exchange of beans), more as a favor to my husband than anything else and concluded that they were pure nonsense.

When I finished with my courses, naturally I was encouraged by the course supervisor and told how great I was and how fast I was progressing, etc. (Feats at the level of the "course documents") - only would have to do some more then and there, since there were still deficits to be worked out; simply put, as usual they wanted to sell me the next course and the course after both at the same time.

I got suggestions, I was supposed to take courses like the "Ups and Downs in Life" and the "Communication Course."

On top of that, I didn't pay for any of the three courses myself, they were financed by my husband.

Then there came the suggestion that I could go to the Org and work as "staff" and have a lot of wins doing that. I just thought that not only am I not a member of Scientology, but I had not intention of becoming one.

The faces around me were getting longer and longer.

Did Scientology try to recruit you?

Yes. Amazingly they didn't give up and just tried and tried again, using various types of flattery and, naturally, the constant hymns of praise to Hubbard and how great the Scientology tech worked that it was the only real science of knowing how to know; they wanted to get me to be a member of this cult. I was told my husband was going to be clear and was already on his way up the Bridge, and that would be a disadvantage to me if I didn't also try to improve my personality and my life, too.

Were attempts made from the Scientology Org to influence your married life? What had preference?

Naturally our married life was controlled by Scientology, but figuring that out took a little time. Absolutely nothing was off limits, my husband's minutely precise reports easily enabled total supervision of our marriage. My husband's preference was clearly for the Scientology organization; when it came to deciding between me/family and the Org, 90 percent of the decisions were in favor of Scientology. I was troubled for nothing and got used to that, too, with time. What had priority was the rules, regulations and policies of Scientology, for instance he described the most intimate details of how our married life worked in painful detail and he prepared overt/withhold write-ups which were collected and delivered to the Org. I conclude from that that I have not found all my ex-husband's reports, and I would not like to imagine what all he documented and who all has read his reports. I was leading - without my knowledge for a long time, as I did not find his reports until later - a married life that was nearly completely transparent for a perfectly undemocratic organization.

You could say I had the feeling that I was married to 35 people at the same time.

It is known that Scientology is anti-scientific, especially anti-medicine. Were you, as a member of that branch, aware of that?

I always had to listen to how psychiatrists and psychologists, too, were major criminals who were destroying humanity. Interestingly enough, my husband could never explain to me what the difference between psychiatrists and psychologists were when I asked him about that. But when it came to chastising the two professional groups, he could do that to near perfection. Even the simplest medications were described as drugs which made people addicted. When I asked him about how that was supposed to happen, like how a diabetic could get by without insulin or someone with heart problems without their heart medicine, he told me those illnesses could be "handled" with "conditions." In a trip through California with Peter's boss, Urs U., he told me contemptuously that he knew exactly how AIDS came about, that he was the only person in the world who had thoroughly researched it, and, above that, that he knew logically about that illness; he said the doctors knew nothing about it and the doctors and scientists were arrogant riffraff in the matter.

How did Scientology affect your son, I mean, did your husband get along with him OK?

My son came to me rather quickly, back when I was not yet even ready to look into the things around Peter's "religion" and told me, "he's funny." The reason for that statement was an incident in which my son had very painfully hit his head against a bookshelf in his bed room. Here's what happened: I was not allowed to console my son or look to see if his wound was bleeding or not; my husband took our son to the place where he had hit himself on the bookshelf and then pressed the sore spot on his head up against the shelf. In doing so he told my son that the pain would now flow back into the bookshelf, which, of course, didn't happen. He did the same thing with my son when he scraped his knee playing, his knee was pressed up against the spot on the lawn and the little boy was told that the pain would then travel back into the grass. I was not allowed to console my son in that case, either, nobody was even supposed to speak to him.

What kind of effect did Scientology have financially?

Catastrophic, my husband was already deep in debt at the time we got married, then it constantly grew, partly because his company worked without any perceptible wages/success, and partly because the Scientology courses were very expensive. By the end of our marriage, my husband's debt was officially 2.2 million Austrian shillings; I had never known, with certainty, the true extent of his debt although I kept books for his company, because several amounts always stayed unclear.

How did the marriage finally break up?

On October 20, 1998, the separation order came from the Scientology Org in Vienna, the bookkeeping was quickly transferred over to "Z" company and he had to separate from me immediately. In typical Scientology fashion he never admitted that, of course, but contested everything.

What is your impression of the state of Austria providing counselling and of independent counselling centers?

Hard to say, as someone right out of it, of course you look for effective help and go through several self-help groups, including official counselling centers for sect problems. My first contact in the period in which I was getting separated and divorced was a staff worker at the GSK ("Gesellschaft gegen Sekten und Kultgefahren" in Vienna), and from there I got to know ex-members and former relatives of members who were deeply involved doing public information work about sect and cult dangers. I learned a little bit more each place I went. In that time frame I also bought many books without knowing exactly who the authors really were; I read one book after the next; much got cleared up and I was shocked to find out what kind of group I had spent my last almost 4 years with.

How is the media's reporting?

In Austria there is honestly very little. It seems as if people here are afraid to come to terms with the topic of Scientology in the media. About once a year there is a TV report, and critical newspaper articles, anyway, are an outright rarity. The German media are way ahead of us there, there people take up the things connected with Scientology and talk about them, too.

What would you advise people who want to get involved in a relationship with a Scientologist man or woman?

As bad as it may sound: Hands Off! Make copies of everything you have, don't keep your records at home; put them in a safety deposit box to which only you have access. If someone is already in a relationship with a Scientologist, they should seek timely help at a counseling center; get the information, you're going to need it.

When and where did you get the idea to write a book?

Well, that didn't happen all at once, the idea matured gradually. One day I began to write down everything about my marriage experiences and I showed it to a Viennese journalist who had been doing research in the field for years; she thought it was very good but that it would have to be re-written. She then became one of my two coauthors, and I am very grateful to both the ladies for their tireless encouragement. As to why I then finally wrote it, I wanted to describe in detail how Scientology established a family and how fast a non-Scientology spouse who didn't fit in landed in the waste basket if everything didn't function as the Scientology organization conceived it should.

How did you feel during and after the divorce?

During the divorce period, my husband and I were already living apart; it was a very sad time for me, I had to force myself everyday to look after and comfort my son and to go to work. I felt that I had been lied to and cheated about a relationship for which I had to constantly fight and still was fighting. Finally I had to realize that the winner of this fight had already been determined at the beginning of it all, namely the Scientology organization.

Were you able to start a new relationship after all those years?

Not right away, really I thought I'd stay alone and that I could no longer give or receive love. It was that way a long time, I thought I still loved my ex-husband, but that was surely part sympathy for him and for myself, because I could not understand that an organization could have more power over people than the love for one's partner in marriage.

Today, almost two years after the separation, I again have a very admirable, intelligent and handsome man by my side and with his help I have managed to close the chapter on "My Marriage to a Scientologist" - even though I will probably never be able to forget it.

Ilse Hruby's book is available in the German language as of September, 2000. "Meine Ehe mit einem Scientologen"

Press Release

"Prayer for Lisa McPherson"

Sect Commissioner holds memorial services for Scientology victim

Berlin, Germany
September 18, 2000
Rev. Thomas Gandow

This week's Sunday noon Focus services in the Charlottenburg Luisen Church, which are well-known outside the Berlin city limits, were held as a memorial service for Lisa McPherson, who died after 17 days in isolation with Scientology.

Rev. Thomas Gandow, the sect commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, who himself has been hard pressed by the Scientology Organization recently, addressed the Biblical story in his sermon of Cain murdering his brother:

"We have all heard of Scientology's penitential camps and enforced isolation. We know that people die there. We know that the Scientology Organization (SO) is trying to intimidate its critics into silence with slander, physical force and law suits." He also included, "Today, nobody can say they did not know. God gave us eyes to see, not to look away. Therefore we have to guard the human dignity and freedom of our fellow human beings as we would the apple of our own eye. To look away and ignore would mean that we, ourselves, would be accessory to the deed."

A "Prayer for Lisa McPherson" for the 5th anniversary of her death in Scientology reads:

Lord,
in this world of violence, confusion and false paths
You do not pronounce those guilty
who get lost and go down the false paths
in their search for the path of freedom,
but rather those who exploit and abuse,
seduce and ruin those people.

Information on the Internet about Lisa McPherson:
http://holysmoke.org/lm/lm.htm
http://www.lisamcpherson.org http://www.lisatrust.org/aboutlisa.htm

Official police records and investigation documents:
http://209.241.48.234/cpd-cd

The collection was taken up to aid the Lisa McPherson Trust help victims in the USA.

Among the approx. 150 participants of the memorial service were representatives of the German Parliament and of the Berlin House of Representatives, along with the Director of the Work Group on Scientology of the Interior Agency of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Mrs. Ursula Caberta y Diaz.

This service was the first in a new series of the Sunday Focus services in the Luisen Church. Rev. Gandow stepped in on short notice for Bishop Dr. Martin Kruse, who was indisposed. The next Sunday Focus service takes place October 15, 2000 with the art commissioner of the Evangelical Church, Rev. Neubert.

Text
"Prayer for Lisa McPherson", or inquire at gandow@dialogzentrum.de for original German-language text.

original German version

Prayer for Lisa McPherson

* 1959                      + 1995

Lord,
receive this young woman, Lisa McPherson,
who is now with You,
despite the many case supervisors and the OSA guards outside her door.

She stands before You
in the company of Patric Vic, Konrad Aigner and all the others
who, in the search for Total Freedom,
found Death
as the victims of a malevolent organization.

Lord,
You have known Lisa from the time she was born.
You know about her yearning for love and recognition,
her sorrow at her brother's murder and her father's suicide;
her joy at speaking with people,
her happiness in dancing,
her ambition to perform well,
and her readiness to devote herself fully.

Lord, You know that:
She wanted to be free from her tortured memories
of the death of her father and brother
and from the terrible "why."
She wanted to clear up all her problems.
She dreamt of being clear,
of shaping her own future,
free from the shadows of her past.
For that she worked hard,
for that she earned much money, and
for that she paid much money.

You know,
how seriously she took the Scientology technology;
but we also hear from friends who knew her
that she stayed human in an inhumane system,
and tried to help others,
even when her friendliness was to her own disadvantage.

You know,
For how much she had to sell her personal dignity
to move forward on the Bridge of self-salvation:
her life was organized down to the most intimate details
according to the absurd regulations
of a science fiction and horror story author;
she had to write knowledge reports
for the greedy eyes and folders of the OSA intelligence agency
about herself and her friend.
About every kiss and each tender touch:
when, where, how often, for how long.

Lord,
in this world of violence, confusion and false paths
You do not pronounce those guilty
who get lost and go down the false paths
in their search for the path of freedom,
but rather those who exploit and abuse,
seduce and ruin those people.

Therefore forgive them and also us:
for our attempts to handle others,
for our false superiority,
for both our and our Scientology betrayal of our fellow man,
for our and our Scientology knowledge reports,
for subjecting ourselves to structures and organizations,
for our attempt,
by total discipline and demands for obedience in advance,
to obtain a part of total control and power over our fellow man.
Forgive us for our pride and our sin of playing God.

Lord, you know,
how she collapsed in despair
when her super-human Scientology abilities
came tumbling down after a traffic accident like a house of cards
You know, that she stripped herself naked in confusion
only to display her helplessness
only to find help at last.

And after she had found the help of a friendly Samaritan
and was so close to professional assistance,
Scientology did not let go of her,
but fetched her from the life-saving station.

Like an abused wife who must return to her tormentor,
so the organization got back its victim
with false promises.
Instead of aides and protectors, she found guards and tormentors.
Instead of consolation - isolation.

But Lord,
Lisa sought only help and protection.
There were not enough protectors and Samaritans in the hospital
and too many personnel on watch in the Fort Harrison Hotel,
in room 174 and outside her door;
Sometimes there were more guards than were needed,
to hold Lisa down when she defended herself.
There was also a woman guard
who herself broke down and cried.

Lord, you know that:
While she was guarded and tormented,
and rendered powerless with drugs,
her Scientology friends plundered her bank account.

Only after 17 days in the Fort Harrison Hotel
tormented and defiled,
covered with bruises and abrasions,
already bitten by cockroaches,
was she brought
- dead -
to a hospital.

As her body, at the wish of the Scientology organization
was immediately cremated,
- they told Lisa's family that she had died of infectious meningitis -
Scientology looters went through her residence,
wrote checks from her account,
stole her clothes,
and plundered the estate.

Lord, hear us!
Now they are taunting their victim,
by describing their injections of drugs as
"spiritual sustenance" and religious treatment.

Lord,
her tormentors took down only a few sentences
of what Lisa said.
They did not understand them.
It was not important for them.
The words, indeed, came from inside Lisa.

But You know everything that she said.
Let us also understand what Lisa meant
when, on the third day of her captivity she spoke of light
- completely contrary to Hubbard's teachings -
- whereby light is a trap of deception -
- which leads only to an implant station -
Lord,
Let us understand what it means,
when she, contrary to all she had learned for 13 years, said:
"You have to follow the light, as light is life."

Lord,
Lisa only wanted someone
with whom she could speak
as one speaks with a friend.
Now speak with Lisa and all
who despair in their isolation,
Wipe their tears away.
Send them people as friendly protectors like angels.
Be a merciful Protector and Helper,
where people fail.
Answer Lisa's and our questions,
"For with thee is the fountain of life:
in thy light shall we see light." [Ps. 36,10].
Amen

Berlin, 17 Sept. 2000

original German version

Sermon Notes

for Sunday Focus Service

"Prayer for Lisa McPherson

Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany
September 17, 2000
Luisen-Kirche

by Rev. Thomas Gandow

(supplemented from recordings; hearty thanks to the church congregation and to all the people on the internet who helped me in the preparation of this sermon through their questions, pointers, assistance, explanations and, more than anything else, collecting the material and putting it on the net. In particular I thank Joe Cisar, Jeff Jacobsen, David Rice, Ilse Hruby, the staff of the Lisa McPherson Trust, Peter Widmer, Dave Bird, Arnie Lerma, Gerry Armstrong, Rod Keller, Jeffrey Liss, "Alec," Stephan Kleinert, "ptsc" and all others.)

Sunday Gospel : Luke 10, 25-37 (The Good Samaritan);
Prescribed text of sermon:
1st Book Moses (Genesis), Chapt 4, 1-16 (Cain and Abel)

Greetings from the pulpit: "May the grace and peace of God, our Father, and of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!"

Members of the congregation, dear guests and audience!
One thing must be said right at the start: Cain is a part of all of our pasts. And Cain also is a part of our present. Murdering one's own parents, murdering one's own children, fratricide, this has been a part of being human from the beginning. You can read about it again and again in the newspaper.

Isn't that terrible?
From the beginning, mankind has indeed found itself in mortal disagreement with God and His Commandments, with his own brothers and sisters. No, man is not inherently good.

Where is our brother Abel? Where did our sister Sarah get to? Where did our sister Lisa die?

Is it not the case that many saw how blacks were beaten in any one of the incidents in recent times, but looked away and walked past?

Is it not the case that many suspected where they were bringing the Jews when they were being assembled at the Grunewald train station, but they did not talk about it?

Is it not the case, too, that many of us now have heard of Scientology penitential camps, of Scientology slander operations and of crimes against critics in accordance with the SO Fair Game Law?

Can anyone at all now say he did not know?

There is no perfect murder. Crime can remain unatoned, but not unknown. At the very least, the spilled blood cries to heaven.

In the old story, the murderer first had a laugh about the call for responsibility, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

And us? Are we supposed to be keepers to our adult brothers and sisters who are not able to take care of themselves?

Yes, but how? Wouldn't watchfulness have been better? Wouldn't it be more comfortable to look away again?

We admit that we have always looked away, that we are still looking away today and walking past. Terrible failure.

Because looking too closely might mean:

But looking away and walking past could mean:

Today I have to relate yet another terrible story, the story of Lisa McPherson, and thereby the story of all the victims of the Scientology ideology. Because if we feel no sympathy, if we do not take pity, if we undertake nothing, if we do not get involved, if we tolerate cynicism, then we turn into accomplices ourselves.

Lisa McPherson came from a Christian Baptist family. In her 18th year of life, in her first job, she was recruited into Scientology. She was in Scientology since 1982.

Over time she turned into a model Scientologist. She handed over ever increasing amounts of money to satiate her organization's voracious appetite for it, about 200,000 US dollars in her last five years. After many difficulties and after over 12 years of membership and failed attempts, she finally reached the state of "Clear," today only a step in the lower middle portion of the Scientology scale of accomplishment, the "Bridge."

At a celebration five years ago on September 7, 1995, she was awarded the certificate for "clear" and she read from a piece of paper, which today is found among police documents, "Being clear is more exciting than anything I've ever experienced. I am so thrilled about life and living I can hardly stand it!"

Not three months later she was dead. A death seen to in room 174 of the Scientology headquarters, the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater.

What does that matter to us?

Couldn't that have been the free decision of an adult to join the Scientology organization? Are we really supposed to be a keeper to our grown brothers and sisters, including those who made a decision to join the Scientology organization?

Exactly 5 years ago:
The magnificent changes and improvements which Lisa thought she was going to get by obtaining her state of "Clear" in September had not materialized. Just the opposite, she had several failures, including on the job. She telephoned her mother and told her about them.

By mid-October, as can be seen from the documents, she was assigned a condition of "liability" by Scientology, one step below "non-existence," because of falling statistics. The official Scientology definition of this circumstance:

"The being has ceased being simply non-existent as a group member and has taken on the color of the enemy." It is a liability, as the groups documents say, to leave such a person unwatched.

Lisa again got counselling from the SO, part of which included an accusation that she had "taken her eyes off the object."

The accusation meant that she could not longer communicate with people in the Scientology manner, nor even with objects, it meant she was looking only inward. Confused, Lisa tried to defend herself from this verdict, because in plain language it meant nothing other than she was insane, that she had become introverted - and the cure she faced was called the "Introspection Rundown."

Lisa tried everything to avoid having to take the route to the Introspection Rundown. She had to obligate herself, through specific actions, to make up for the harm which she allegedly had caused. For Lisa, those actions included having to work from 7 in the morning to 10:30 at night; part of that was to earn money for a Scientology PR operation called "Winter Wonderland" - a sort of Christmas fair for children.

In the event that she held out and did the work, then she would have been able to get back into the group with full rights, after she fulfilled yet another condition: she had to get personal, written agreement from the majority of the Flag Land Scientologists in Clearwater - several thousand - in order to be accepted back into the group.

Was she overworked and overwhelmed in her actions of reconciliation? Was she exhausted? Would she have stepped on the brakes too late otherwise? She ran into a boat trailer towed by a vehicle which had stopped for another accident. Emergency medical personnel who were already at the site of the accident also looked at the people who were in the smaller car accident. Everything was taken down by the police. Everything was well monitored. Lisa was not injured. She could drive her car to the side of the road herself, behind the emergency rescue vehicle.

Lisa had already signed the piece of paper for the emergency medical technicians in the ambulance that she had not been injured and did not need First Aid. The medical technicians were getting ready to drive to their next call. Then Mark Fabyonic looked in his rear-view mirror to see Lisa running up to them, undress and tear the clothes off her body. Bonnie Portolano, a good technician, asked Lisa (I'm quoting from the public record in which the technician was questioned, "'Why did you take off all your clothes, what's wrong?' And she said, 'Well, I wanted for people to think I was crazy because I need help.' And from that point on we talked about help, what had gone wrong for her, and a whole lot of other questions. And her answer was basically, 'I am a bad person.' And I asked her, "Why do you think you're a bad person?" and She said, "Because I found out that I have bad thoughts. I do bad things in my thoughts.' ...."

The SO had found out that she had done something wrong, but she didn't know what it was herself. The medical technician then took Lisa into the ambulance, covered her with a blanket, and went on to sympathetically ask about her problems and continued talking with her.

She reported, "And Lisa said the main reason she had been acting wrongly was that her eyes had turned away from the object. That is a quote, 'I took my eyes off the object.' That appeared to be a really big thing for her."

This Good Samaritan gently kept up the conversation with Lisa. By and large, according to the record, Lisa said she wanted help. She knew she needed to recuperate. She knew that she could not continue as she had. "She said literally, 'I need someone to talk with.' I am a medical technician. I told her that I could not stay with her, but that I could bring her to another place where people would listen to her. 'You can speak with them there. Is that what you want?'" And Lisa said "yes."

Originally she had said something like, "'No, no, I am OK.' But I told her, 'Everything you're saying sounds like there's a lot wrong with you.' And 'It would be good for you to take some time and talk.' Because she said that she wanted to talk, but maybe not an this point in time. Lisa needed help and we brought her to a hospital where they could check out patients psychologically." When they got to emergency, Bonnie told everything to the nurse who was on duty there.

It appears that Lisa was well taken care of. And so this story could have ended up like the story of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel. But it didn't.

A Scientology search party quickly tracked Lisa down and retrieved her, against express medical advice, out of the hospital. That is because the SO claims that it has treatment much better and more effective for people suffering a nervous breakdown than does psychotherapy, specifically, the Introspection Rundown.

In the emergency room, however, the Scientologists said nothing about that treatment, only that Lisa would find rest and recuperation in the Fort Harrison Hotel, the headquarters of the SO in Clearwater, Florida.

When the medical technician Bonnie checked by the hospital a couple of days later to see how Lisa was doing and she found out that the hospital had released Lisa to the custody of the Scientologists, she said, "It seemed to me that she had been sent back to the source of her difficulty. That is just about the same thing as me bringing a battered wife to the hospital and her husband goes to the emergency room and said, 'Oh no, don't treat her, she is OK, I'll take good care of her and see to it that she is OK.'"

After her release from the hospital, Lisa was given an Introspection Rundown. That is a type of pseudo-therapeutical treatment Hubbard developed for nervous breakdowns. This Introspection RD includes isolating the subject, even if against her will. According to Hubbard, the Introspection RD borders on the miraculous; he said it was the biggest technical breakthrough of 1973.

The first step of the Rundown is "On a person in a psychotic break isolate the person wholly with all attendants completely muzzled (no speech). ...When it is obvious the person is out of his psychosis and up to the responsibility of living with others his isolation is ended."

"The supervisor in charge of the person being isolated tests the person's condition by writing a note, such as "'Dear Joe. What can you guarantee me if you are let out of isolation?'" If Joe does not answer in writing satisfactorily, the supervisor must write back "'Dear Joe. I'm sorry but no go on coming out of isolation yet.'"

Hubbard was very proud of the IR and said, "This means the last reason to have psychiatry around is gone. ... I have made a technical breakthrough which possibly ranks with the major discoveries of the Twentieth Century."

Seventeen days after this treatment was applied, on December 5, 1995, Lisa McPherson died at age 36.

For seventeen days she tried in vain to escape the isolation torture called the Introspection Rundown.

A guard stood outside her door; Lisa was constantly monitored in the room by at least one, but mostly several people. Lisa tried everything to get out of there.

She used self-criticism, "I dessimiated my mother, but she didn't get handled." and "I was 1.1."

She tried making gestures of submission, "I want to take the tooth brush and brush the floor until I have a cognition."

She asked for someone to speak to, "I need my auditor, Mr. Vatusinski."

Again and again she tried to escape, sometimes out the door, sometimes out the window.

The records that were kept on the isolation and the testimony of her guards are in agreement: Lisa was trying to break out of the isolation torture.

Her guards' records include the following:

11-19: "She also tries to push buttons on me (in English this means 'tired to gain my sympathy' - TG). She wanted to call her Minister. ... She wants to go to a party."

11-20: "She doesn't talk that much as we do not talk with her."

11-21: "... she was talking a lot and crying."

11-22: Lisa tore up her bed and hit an attendant.

11-25: "She was as cold as ice to the touch. She refused food. She became violent and hit me several times. Then I called for the guard to come in."

11-26: "... she is just talking ... questions and answers, like she would be asking her questions and she would ... answer."

11-29: "The 'watch' said she was quieter, but suspects its because she's weak, ..."

11-30: "Lisa has come uptone -- she was apathetic yesterday -- physically & in her comm -- just a couple spurts of anger & not very determined at that. This AM she is deliberate & nasty -- even evil."

12-2: Lisa "has scratches and abrasions all over her body & on elbows & knees has pressure sores. None of them are open & none of them look infected. ... [She is] talking & basicly immobile while awake. ... The finances for her protein drinks ran out last night. She has tried to stand several times but is not strong enough yet."

She desperately tried for 17 days to stop the drugs with which she was force-fed. Benadryl, a sedative, was used, along with Chloral Hydrate, a strong sedative.

Those and other SO medications were continually mixed in with her food or squirted into her mouth with a turkey-baster. She tried to defend herself by spitting out as much as she could.

For days she tried to break out - until she was finally tied to her bed. Once she even made it to the door; her hand was on the door knob. Then several guards grabbed her, threw her on the bed and held her down, one lay on her while others tied her legs - it was almost an hour until she "calmed down."

Lisa died in the evening of December 5, between 9:30 and 10 p.m. On the next day about 2 p.m., Lisa's employer called Lisa's mother and told her that she died. "She got sick at noon and got sicker and sicker, then the doctor brought her to the hospital. Fast-acting meningitis."

The mother thought that had happened at work. Then she learned that Lisa had not been on the job recently, but with the SO. She presumably was working there for Project Winter Wonderland, that was what the mother was told about the time when Lisa was in isolation.

The death certificate listed cause of death as a blood clot which had been dislodged by bed rest and severe dehydration. According to autopsy estimates, Lisa had had no water for 5-10 days, nor had she received liquid intravenously.

Scientology at first told the mother and her relatives that Lisa had died from a fast, infectious meningitis and saw to it that Lisa was quickly cremated. The SO members who brought Lisa to the hospital left the USA after the case became public.

With her mother and aunt on their way to Clearwater, Scientologists were clearing out Lisa's apartment. Jewelry, rings, everything was gone, even her clothes.

Lisa did not die as a martyr in the traditional sense. She did not die for her beliefs, she did not die as a result of religious persecution, she died through the delusion of an organization which thought that it does not need medical help and that it had developed an infallible method against nervous breakdowns.

Lisa asked for help. Her guards watched as she died. They also fed her Benadryl a dehydrating sedative - possibly without knowing what they were doing; after all, they were just following instructions.

They kept her drugged with the sedative chloral hydrate, which is also used elsewhere as knock-out drops. They tied her to her bed.

Lisa defended herself, but two weeks of this treatment was too much, even for the strong, young woman. She died from the apathy of her watchers who were not so much afraid of ending a life as they were of not using 100 percent Hubbard technology. Correct Hubbard tech instead of sympathy.

Although the records from the Introspection RD had been submitted from which it could be seen that the ban on speaking with Lisa had been enforced according to regulations, Elliot Abelson the SO attorney disputed that the Introspection RD had been used against Lisa.

From what he said, the death of the Scientologist was the result of a "self-destruction mode" into which she entered under the care of the SO. He said she had spent 17 days in a very beautiful hotel room without television, but with room service and the option to come and go freely.

Will insolence win?

Should I be my brother's keeper? Should I be Lisa's keeper? Should I interfere in his or her life?

Lisa had no keepers, she had guards. Like concentration camp guards or guards at the Berlin Wall, they were protecting a system, an idea, an organization. They watched a prisoner and wanted to bring the prisoner to behave in accordance with ideology and technology.

But we cannot look away!

We cannot look away because, by looking away, we would put our own humanity at risk. Not being keeper to the individual, our neighbor, means making murder possible and protecting a system of violence, maybe even becoming murderers ourselves.

No, we admit we have always looked away, that we are still looking away today and walking past. Looking too closely could mean:

But looking away and walking past could mean:

God gave us eyes to see and not to look away. And a heart with which we can feel the love of God and of our fellow human beings, our neighbors.
Amen.

Let us pray:

Father in heaven, spare us from the slave's yoke of sin and apathy against You and our neighbors.

Give us the courage to protect the human dignity and freedom of our fellow man as we do the apple of our own eye.

Grant that we love You and our neighbor with our whole heart, our whole soul and our whole mind as we do ourselves.

Amen.

May the peace of God, who is greater than all our understanding can grasp, keep our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ for life everlasting. Amen.

original German version

Sect Commissioner Gandow

considers legal steps against Scientology

Berlin, Germany
September 14, 2000
Die Welt

Thomas Gandow, the sect commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, is considering legal steps against the Scientology Organization. Glossy brochures from the Scientologists were distributed in the daily mail in Zehlendorf on the 18th of August, his birthday, of all days. In those brochures, Gandow was defamed as a "Chief Inquisitor" and "Anti-Sect Commissioner."

Despite the slanderous statements though, Thomas Gandow will not be intimidated: "I regard Scientology as a menace comparable to the Nazi movement when it was on the rise. Both had to be stopped." Scientology has reacted to Gandow's information work with a defamation campaign via mass mailings: at the end of August, Steglitz residents found the same Scientology brochures in their mail boxes. At the same time, Scientology Germany, with its offices in Munich, has also demanded the clergyman be dismissed in a letter to State Bishop Wolfgang Huber.

The cause of the smear operation was the bestowal in June of the first "Alternative Charlemagne Award" by the "European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA," of which Gandow, as a private person, is a member. The award was granted to U.S. American Robert Minton, a man who has publicly taken action against Scientology.

Scientology in the USA has been keeping its eye on the critic Minton for a long time, said Gandow, "They avoid factual discussion, the only thing they're worried about is putting people out of the picture." Minton supports the family of a former Scientologist in the USA, Lisa McPherson. "She was tormented for 17 days after she tried to leave and died as a result," said Thomas Gandow, who will be holding a service on Sunday in the Luisen Church in Charlottenburg for Lisa McPherson. Scientology denies any responsibility for Lisa McPherson's death. "She died in a car accident," said the spokeswoman of Scientology in Germany, Sabine Weber. She did go on to verify, however, that former members, "in exceptional cases, are not always dealt with lightly."

The Evangelical Church stands behind Gandow; as its spokesman stated, "Information about groups which appear making religious claim, but which in practice apply methods which exploit human rights, is an indispensable component of church work."

balt

Prayer and discussion about Scientology

Berlin, Germany
September 6, 2000
Berliner Morgenpost

felix

Charlottenburg - Reverend Thomas Gandow invites you to a worship service with the theme "Prayer for Lisa McPherson - Dying in Scientology." Sermon and intercession will be held on Sunday, September 17 at 11:30 a.m. in the Luise Church on Gierkeplatz. In conjunction with the service, there will be an opportunity to attend a discussion with Ursula Caberta y Diaz, Director of the Work Group on Scientology from Hamburg.

The Sworn Affirmation

Berlin, Germany
June 22, 2000
Jens Billerbeck

I, Jens Billerbeck, born 22 April 1960, [address], hereby state under oath, whereby I am aware of the liability of a false sworn affirmation, and submit that which follows to the court:

In Fall 1996, Antje E. Victore, who I, as a Scientologist, knew very well at the time, asked me to compose a letter from my own company. In it the impression was supposed to be given that she had put in an application with my company and that I was refusing her based on her membership in Scientology. In fact Antje E. Victore had never applied with my company.

Antje E. Victore stated to me that she needed such a letter so that her asylum application at an immigration court in Florida, USA, which had initially been refused would then be granted. She was very proud that this operation was being worked out personally with her by an OSA (Scientology intelligence service) attorney and Kurt Weiland, OSA chief at the time.

On 10 Oct. 1996 she faxed me a letter which a person I knew to be a Scientologist from Germany had sent her as a sample for the one I was to write. She told me not to use the same dates in my letter as the one she faxed me had so that it would not be conspicuous and would be credible. So as a favor to a fellow Scientologist, I authored a letter and sent it to her in Florida, USA.

When her asylum application was granted in February 1997, Antje E. Victore sent me a commendation letter typical for Scientologists in which she thanked me for my support.

A few days after the asylum court's decision we also talked to each other on the phone. Antje E. Victore reported to me that she had won. But she explicitly asked me not to tell this to a third person since it was not allowed to be known in any case. The victory in court was to be published later at a suitable opportunity by the (Scientology) Church itself. She said that had been the express wish of OSA. Until then it had to remain secret and I was not even allowed to know it.

[place] , 22 June 2000

HONORED

Alternative Charlemagne Award to U.S. American

Berlin, Germany
June 5, 2000
Berliner Zeitung

On Saturday, U.S. American Robert Minton received the Alternative Charlemagne Award, which was awarded for the first time in Leipzig. The European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA, by doing this, intended to publicly appreciate Minton's involvement on behalf of the victims of the Scientology Organization. Minton did not want to accept that it was possible for this organization to silence all its critics and victims in his home country of the USA. He recognized what dangers could arise for people and liberal democracy from Scientology, said Ursula Caberta, Director of the Hamburg Work Group on Scientology in her "Laudatio." The Committee intended that the unremunerated human rights award be an alternative to the presentation of the Aachen Charlemagne Award to U.S. Bill Clinton. The award is to be presented yearly from now on. (dpa)

Accusation: Scientology is conducting a hate campaign against award winner

Opponent of the organization Bob Minton gets Alternative Charlemagne Award

Berlin, Germany
May 31, 2000
IDEA Nr. 68/2000
(Ev. Nachrichtendienst "Informationsdienst der Ev. Allianz" Deutschland)

Berlin (idea) - The American Scientology organization is apparently ready to carry out a hate campaign against the award winner of this year's Alternative Charlemagne Award, Scientology critic and U.S. millionaire Bob Minton. That was told to "idea" on May 31 by the Sects and Weltanschauung Commissioner of the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg, Reverend Thomas Gandow. "With incriminating accusations associated with business dealings, the Scientologists are trying to make an anti-Minton campaign out of an anti-Scientology gathering " said Gandow, who is a member of the Award Committee. Minton, who openly opposes the Scientology Organization, is being placed in counter-point to U.S. President Bill Clinton, who receives the "real" Charlemagne Award in Aachen. For instance, Clinton authored an exclusive article for the "Freedom" Scientology magazine and was said to have expressed praise for Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's programs at a meeting with Scientologist John Travolta. In contrast, Minton, who receives the Alternative Charlemagne Award on June 3 in Leipzig, founded the "Lisa McPherson Trust," an organization which opposes Scientology.

in Brief

Alternative Charlemagne Award

Struggling with the sect

Berlin, Germany
May 27, 2000
taz

U.S. American Robert S. Minton is to be distinguished with the "Alternative Charlemagne Award" for his struggles with the Scientology sect. The 53-year-old man is the chairman of the "Lisa McPherson Trust." The presentation will take place on June 3 in Leipzig's old stock exchange. (epd)

[additional info from translating department: It is reported from a German source that OSA is already in Leipzig to tell local businesses not to do business with the award committee.]

Controversial Religions and Cults

Berlin, Germany
February 7, 2000
Berliner Kurier

Berlin - "Controversial religions" and cults are the center point of a conference which will open on Friday in Berlin.

The arrangers are the "Parents and People-Affected Initiative against Pyschic Dependency - for spiritual freedom," who are putting on the two-day event to commemorate their 20 year existence. The themes include "the Globalization of the Scientology Organization" and other diverse cult movements, as stated by the initiative's chairman, Reverend Thomas Gandow.

Besides those, issues of religious freedom and international cooperation between initiative for people affected will be discussed. Speakers from countries including Canada, Denmark and Poland are expected.

Synchronization:

German spoken here

Berlin, German
February 19, 2000
taz

by Nadine Lange

A Teletubbie synchronous speaker does not have much to say, but he must be able to babble well. Sascha Draeger, who provides the voice for Tubbie Dipsy, finds that more strenuous than any literary film-making: "We have to constantly take breaks in synchronous voiceovers," he said. But because the Teletubbies have mouths of an indistinct shape, at least there is no problem with lip synching.

That is normally the greatest hurdle in germanizing speech. Also the emotional expression has to be duplicated properly. In the DDR [former East Germany], that art was taught at special schools. There are no places that give that kind of education anymore. The career path today is called "learning by doing." Nevertheless, many synchronous speakers have acting training and are also employed on stage, in front of cameras or radio microphones. Other work in advertising, with radio drama production or speech at the stations on the Berlin subway - like Ingrid Metz, the German voice of Marilyn Monroe.

Germany's most renowned synchronous speaker, Christian Brueckner, can be also be heard in voices besides those of Robert de Niro, Harvey Keitel or Marlon Brando. His characteristically raw voice can also be heard on audio books and in television documentaries.

Over 80 percent of the films in German theaters and television come from out of the country. Since the 1950s, they have customarily been dubbed. Since that time, the audience has gotten used to German being spoken in both the Bronx and Hong Kong. It does not bother them that the flair, tone and puns of the originals escape them - reading sub-titles is regarded as too strenuous. In smaller countries however, like the Netherlands, it is normal to have foreign films sub-titled, even on television.

The largest German synchronous voice studios are in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. Movie films are done mainly in the capitol city, the other locations specialize in television series. Synchronization, including translation, sound effects and editing, occurs mostly under high pressure for a quick turnaround time: for one two-hour movie feature, a studio often only needs one week. Sometimes it happens that screen stars, like Samuel L. Jackson, have different voices from film to film. But sometimes old-time German voices also get "lost." For instance, Stephan Schwartz resigned as Tom Cruise's voice when Cruise let it be known that he was in the Scientology sect.

At the moment there is unrest in series synchronization; because soap opera broadcasters are producing more of their own films instead of importing them, the dubbing voices have less to do. Competition is getting more intense and fees are dropping. Actor and synchronous voice Rolf Becker predicts a "loss of quality" because the people doing the voices now often have twice as much to do on a daily basis as they did in the mid '90s.

Scientology

Healers keep their distance

Berlin, Germany
August 1, 1999
Esotera 8/99

According to a decision by the umbrella Association for Mental Healing (Dachverband Geistige Heilen, DGH), membership in the DGH is not compatible with membership in Scientology or the application of Scientology practices. All the board members distanced themselves from Scientology connections and practices in the same way in writing in order to counter any contrary imputations. Meanwhile, a corresponding statement has also been presented by all current association members.

Future members will sign it on the application contract. Several critics, however, doubt the effectiveness of such statements. In response to that, DGH chairman Dr. Bernhard Firgau stated that Scientologists who deny their membership have to undergo considerable sanctions from their own organization.

The DGH mentioned that a code of conduct had already been worked out in the founding phase of the association, which is supposed to protect those seeking help from dependency and exploitation. Prior to this, an ethics commission of the association had seen to these regulations. The removal from Scientology was said to be a consequence of the progress of this politic.

from: Renate Hartwig

REPORT - July/August 1999

Interview with a woman who was affected by Scientology

source of this interpretation as of August 30, 2000:
http://www.renatehartwig.de/ren-har/interview.html

Interview | Renate Hartwig conducted an interview with a woman whose family and private life was affected by Scientologists. The reason - increasing downplay of the risk of the situation. The woman, a non-Scientologist, got involved with a Scientologist and her marriage failed because of the Scientology organization.

Can a non-Scientologist quite normally enter into a relationship with a Scientologist?

Involved: No it is not possible to have a functioning relationship between a Scientologist and a non-Scientologist in the long run.
You communicate on two completely different planes thereby missing each other - the worlds are too different and there is no possible compromise for the two sides. The one cannot be just a little bit of a Scientologist and the other cannot be just a little bit of a non-Scientologist - the ideology does not permit that from two sides.

To what degree did the Scientology organization have a view into your marriage?

Involved: Up to the most intimate details. Based on the reports before me from my ex-husband I can only say they know absolutely everything that we discussed at home. It was also determined how often my former husband and I went to bed with each other and what all the variants were of our marital sex life. From that I can assume that I did not find all my ex-husband's reports and I would not at all like to picture which parts were documented and, most of all, who has read all of this.
I led - for a long time without my knowledge, because I did not find these reports until much later - a nearly completely transparent marriage life for a perfectly undemocratic organization.

You could say I had the feeling that I was married with 35 people. This marriage was nothing more than a farce.

What was more important to your husband, Scientology or you as his wife? Where were his priorities?

Involved: For my ex-husband, the organization was definitely more important than I. His priorities were quite clearly with Scientology, he began to spend four or five evening a week at the organization or in the "Charter Committee Vienna." When I told him that I did not want to constantly be alone it was all the same to him, he wasn't interested.

Do you think that he willingly separated from you?

Involved: Whether he willingly separated from me or not, I cannot exactly say, the less so since he was running around the entire year of 1998 with documents from the PTS course. I think whatever type of feelings he may have had for me, he was systematically talked out of. For him I was an SP with whom he was no longer permitted to have contact. During our marriage, he received the order to separate exactly three times.

What did you feel when you could actually prove that your relationship was betrayed?

Involved: I seriously asked myself whether I was really his wife. It was incomprehensible to me what he had been thinking of in betraying his marriage and his wife to an organization. I was very hurt. I was not ready to simply give up without a fight - it's just at the time, I had no way of assessing my opponent and, most of all, how much power was really behind this thing. This opponent was too powerful or too crude, as the case may be, and he did not operate using fair conditions.

How did you work out this experience in your life?

Involved: On one hand I would like nothing more than to scream to the world: look here at what the Scientologists did to us and we quite simply let it happen!
On the other hand I often think it would be better for me and my family if I would very quickly forget what I have lived and learned and if I would keep quiet for the sake of my family's health.

How far did the influence enter into you marriage and when did it begin?

Involved: From my husband's hand-written comments I also found proof that Scientology and its handymen were already considerably involved in the arrangement of this "marriage" without me knowing about it.
Just as this "marriage" was construed in the hope of obtaining me as a new member, upon the non-attainment of that goal, the marriage was also thrown into the big trash can where all non-"functioning" people and things land with Scientology.

The price of not becoming a Scientologist was high - it cost you your great love and led to divorce. What are you doing now after the divorce?

Involved: Since my divorce I am now trying to get my life and my feelings together again. I have undone everything that had some connection with my ex-husband - I gave him four years of my life.

Do you believe that a more aggressive and generally more open information politic would have helped you in not having to have gone through this experience?

Involved: Absolutely! Four years ago I had never heard the word "Scientology" before and never suspected what was really behind it.
There continue to be many people in Austria who don't know the first thing about this thing, and so there are a large number of potential victims for this fly-by-night business monster. Because of what I've seen, heard and experienced, I am in favor of a far-reaching, professional, aggressive information campaign using all available media.

Many thanks for speaking so openly.

(from: ROBIN DIREKT REPORT
July/August 1999)

Constitutional Enemies not Allowed

From: "Berliner Morgenpost"
Monday, January 18, 1999

Work Law for Volunteer Police

Von Joerg Meisser

After the planned restructuring and renaming of the Volunteer Police Reserves to the Volunteer Police Service [from "Freiwilligen Polizeireserve (FPR)" to "Freiwilligen Polizeidienst (FPD)"], stringent application criteria will prevent right extremists or other anti-constitutional powers from being able to infiltrate the organization. A proposal for a "voluntary police service law," which the CDU and SPD coalition factions will soon bring before Parliament, makes numerous provisions for denial of membership in contrast to the current FPR law,.

According to the proposed law, acceptance into the the police reserves is not permissible if

The police reserves have repeatedly bore the brunt of criticism because former convicts and right radical weapons dealers could [potentially] gain their ranks. Even a parliamentary investigation was concerned with the machinations, but did not come to an actual conclusion.

According to the new law, it would be easier to revoke FPD membership. A reservist's membership could be revoked if facts are found which would have prevented his membership in the first place.

In the future, attendance and continuation of training will be a factor in FPD membership. For instance, someone would not longer be viewed as fit "if he did not show up for service at least twice annually or repeatedly did not report for musters or training," it was said.

© Berliner Morgenpost 1999

Sects Seek new Disciples on Campus

From: "Berliner Morgenpost"
November 10, 1998

Even environmental issues are used as bait

by Roman Leskovar

In desperation a mother sought help from the counseling center at the Free University (FU) of Berlin. For weeks she had not heard from her daughter, who was a member of a sect. After her attempt to convert her parents failed, she had broken off contact. She had called up her parents and told them that she and her new husband would be living with the group.

It is mostly relatives that seek advice from Markus Wende when he holds his weekly meetings for sect victims. Those wanting to leave a sect are more the exception. "A large number of religious associations have been busy on campus for quite some time now," said Wende. Groups historically active, such as the adherents of Bagwhan or Hare Krishna, have been on the decline, as have the Scientologists. The latter prefer to target the professors themselves.

In lieu of that, psycho-groups have discovered colleges. With leaflets in the canteens or inconspicuous notices on the bulletin boards, they announce courses in meditation or Bible studies. Even such innocent-appearing flyers as "Solidarity help for Africa" or "Become a Teacher in Denmark" have been, according to what Wende says, used by sects. FU theologian Hartmut Zinser has discovered that many of these associations make special decoy offers at the Free University. "There has been a direct ban on advertisement by problematic organizations for several years at FU," stated the professor. "Since then the methods of operations have changed. Because of that, we formed a project group to investigate who has been behind the various notices. They included several associations which could be designated as psycho-groups."

It is characteristic of such groups to gradually obtain absolute control over the consciousness of their members. "Many people who are just beginning their studies are in Berlin for the first time and feel very lonesome and disoriented as a result. This is the optimal condition for the new religious associations," said Markus Wende. More experienced students are also open to victimization during periods of stress or when suffering a personal crisis.

Freshmen are often directly addressed as they stand in line at the canteen, where they are asked by recruiters about their friends and pastimes. After some trust has been established, the number of meetings increase, followed by the first step towards the group. "Then more and more time is spent together and the psycho-group finally tries to shut off all other contacts of the person. It ends up that people are prevented from even making the trip home on the weekend."

Wende estimates that there are at least 500 students actively working for sects in Berlin. However, the disguised operations have been identified. The number of legal proceedings combined with a bad reputation have slowed the direct recruitment efforts down to a trickle. In the past, entire dormitories were leafletted with [sect] information brochures, and one or another psycho-group member were even campaigning for student governments.

Sect awareness, however, has not yet made as much headway at the other Berlin universities. According to Wende, because of the difficulties they were having at FU, many groups re-doubled their efforts at the Technical and the Humboldt Universities. That still does not give FU a reason to let down their guard. New psycho-groups are always being formed or just show up under different names.

Thomas Gandow, Sect Commissioner of the Evangelical Church, hopes that FU is setting an example for others to follow. "The other colleges should also have a ban on advertisement as a matter of principle. Those who do business on campus should have to put their name and address on their notices. That is the best way of impeding the work of the [psycho-] groups."

On Wednesday, November 11, the FU begins a series of discussions which will address sects and psycho-groups. The series will begin with a podium discussion with members of the Enquete Commission, which has been involved with the theme in the past. (Institute for Religious Studies)

©Berliner Morgenpost 1998

Psycho-groups

April 3, 1997

"Sect" Advertisement and Recruitment Prohibited

A number of "sects" and psycho-groups may not recruit or rent space at FU anymore. That was decided on January 22 by the FU Academic Senate with only two votes abstaining. The groups affected are those documented in the booklet "Information about new religious and total world view movements and so-called psycho-groups", distributed by the Senate for Youth, Family and Sport. A total of 25 organizations includes Scientology and the Unification Church, as well as Christian "fundamentalists" and psycho-groups such as EST.

By this decision, FU is the first German college to take a clear position on the currently highly emotionally charged social discussion about religious freedom (Article 4 Basic Law).

Those studying the problem are coming out more in favor of a ban on totalitarian groups. They found that two phases of college life brought about ideal target conditions for destructive cults: the transition out of the community consisting of parents and school into the anonymity of a huge university, and at the half-way mark of their studies, when students are asking themselves what the professional chances are of finding a career after graduation. A study done in 1992 confirmed the hypothesis that there is a connection between the size of a college and the recruitment activity of destructive cult communities.

The milieu in which these groups operate has changed drastically. While the adherents of diverse gurus dressed in colorful costumes and recruited for their leaders 10 or 15 years ago, modern sects operate covertly and are led in a manner similar to an international business: not according to the more or less divine inspirations of a sacred master, but as a management team which is staffed with highly qualified experts. With tried and true recruitment and training concepts they seek to make people receptive of their goals. The ideological tendency of a few groups' teachings have also taken a sharp turn: the central theme is no longer the "salvation of mankind." Some of today's slogans include: "Our goal is political power over the entire world," "Obey the commands of your leader, even if you recognize that they are wrong," or "You must be ready to die for your beliefs at any time."

Where these kind of solutions can lead in combination with the psychological manipulation of members has been demonstrated in a horrible manner by examples such as Waco, the Solar Temple and Aum. Christian "Fundamentalism" also falls into this area of radical tendencies, and the "Community of Jesus Christ, Berlin" and the "Boston Church of Christ", which is also very active at FU, have been banned in numerous North American universities for their aggressive methods.

With the Senate decision, FU has taken an important step in the interests of education. It must also be kept in mind, however, that the destructive cults against whom these measures are directed form only a small minority of all the organizations which could be termed "sects," and that direct measures against individual groups are not to be taken as a wholesale instrument against all religious communities.

Markus Wende

The author works with the "Sekten-AG des AStA".

http://www.fu-berlin.de/fun/3-4-97/c8.htm

A US Millionaire as a Crusader against Scientology

From the "Berliner Morgenpost"
April 18, 1998

by Kirstin Wenk

BM Berlin - The man talks softly, he dresses modestly. It can hardly be imagined that Bob Minton would be "Enemy Number One" of Scientology. The father of two daughters has already invested 1.5 million dollars in the battle against the controversial sect, and perhaps he may lose his entire fortune. "But I'll take that in stride," said the 51 year old Banker, who lives in the US state of New Hampshire. "I want to defend freedom."

He read on the internet how the sect spied on and threatened its critics in order to shudder them into silence. He was alarmed by that; he became one of the most prominent Scientology opponents. Now Minton has also been persecuted - all the way to the Caribbean. As he was on vacation there, persons unknown distributed leaflets on the boardwalk that denounced him as an "Enemy of Religious Freedom." At home private detectives snooped around his neighborhood.

Despite this, Minton continues to inform the public about the sect on talk shows. He sees himself as one of the "crusaders" at the battle front which is now also active in the USA. Previously the organization was known there as only one of many obscure religious communities, and religious freedom in the USA has been regarded, by far, traditionally. The state recognized the sect as a church in 1993, when it became tax-exempt. Stars such as John Travolta and Tom Cruise are admitted Scientologists. In contrast, several states in Germany, such as Bavaria, have put the sect under surveillance by the Office of Constitutional Protection. As a business enterprise it must pay taxes in the Federal Republic.

Now, however, the mood is also shifting in the USA. Former members are more frequently reporting of the suppression of members inside of the sect. The media has not risked publishing this fact, because Scientology attorneys frequently are a source of irritation. The "New York Times" uncovered the plan of how the sect wanted to take over Clearwater, Florida, the "spiritual center" of the organization. Approximately 6,000 Scientologists live in the city of 100,000; the sect is said to possess real estate there worth 56 million marks ($40 million). The "Times" also wrote how the sect received its stamp of benefitting the welfare of the community in 1993. Presumably the chief of the finance authority [IRS] was blackmailed.

Finally the death of Lisa McPherson has brought many Americans to their senses. The 36 year old Scientologist lost her life two years ago under mysterious circumstances. After a minor car accident in Clearwater, fellow Scientologists brought the pretty blond into the Fort Harrison Hotel, which belongs to Scientology. 17 days later she was dead - probably died of thirst. Lisa's aunt said, "They murdered her." She sued the sect for 144 million marks ($100 million). Minton has assumed the legal fees for her. It will be decided in the upcoming days as to whether charges will be pressed.

Last but not least, the internet is keeping the sect busy. Websites ("SC Kills" or "ARS") show video clips which spoof the creation myth believed by Scientology. Little green men dress up as the god "Xenu." Information about Scientology is also distributed over the net, even secret FBI documents. The sect is in danger of losing the internet battle, because website creators are anonymous. There is nobody there to intimidate.

Sat1 broadcasts tomorrow on Sunday, 11:40 p.m.
"US Millionaire battles Sect - Crusade against Scientology"

CID Commissioner and Scientologist keeps police lawyers busy

From: "Berliner Morgenpost"
April 16, 1998

Despite dismissal of charges for releasing data to Scientology, the police administration wants to revive disciplinary procedures against a CID commissioner. The man is a member of the Scientology sect and has been suspended from service. The police legal department must now address the difficult question of determining to what degree the official can be disciplined independent of the dismissal.

In the first two cases the chief commissioner received fines of 16,000 and 12,000 marks, respectively (approx. $11,000 and 8,000). The fines were turned over on appeal by the appeals court (*Kammergericht), because he "inadvertently" did not delete the person's data, which is how it was passed to the sect. In a recruitment talk he had used the Scientologist software.

The police legal department must now determine if a "disciplinary overhang" exists. That means they have to determine if the official has inflicted any harm upon the police. Along with that, the question of the membership in Scientology will present substantial difficulty. The reason for that is the organization has never been declared to be constitutionally inimicable, and is therefore not prohibited.

The speaker of the Interior administration, Thomas Raabe, referred to the fact that the sect has been under surveillance since the summer of last year by most German states, including the Berlin office. Raabe further stated that, according to a decision made by the Interior Minister Conference of Summer, 1997, the surveillance report would be presented to the committee in November. Raabe had no comment about the initial results from Berlin. He could not answer how many members of the Berlin civil service were Scientology members. In the Berlin police department, only the cases of the CID commissioner and the dubious case of the police director are known.

The chief commissioner had gone over recruiting documents in 1993, with the help of computer software provided by the Scientology organization. He thought he had deleted all the data when he returned the software to Scientology, but, in fact, he did not delete the personnel data of a recruiter. The authorities pressed charge against him for [unauthorized] release of data.

eck

Note:

* "Kammergericht" is called "Oberlandesgericht" in other parts of Germany, which I have been translating as "State Superior Court." (Berlin in one of three "city-states" in Germany.)

Scientologists Ogle Khadafi's rancid war machines

Coaching the Turks

Scientologists and Islamic fundamentalists in Germany have been secretly working together for years. The mesalliance is shattering on differences in worldview.

Berlin, Germany
approx October 15, 1997 Der Spiegel, 45/1997

The rally in front of the Berlin Memorial Church looked like a combination of a communist peace demo and an American election campaign. Thousands of cheerful, smiling Scientologists released colored balloons into the air and carried banners which read, "End the Intolerance in Germany" and "Freedom makes Friends."

The sect had had its adherents fly in from all over the world to protest against their alleged persecution in Germany. Loud applause sounded as Sabine Weber, the Scientologist press speaker, welcomed a sympathetic group which, at first glance, would hardly have anything in common with a psycho-association from the USA: Moslems residing in the Federal Republic of Germany. These were, announced Weber, "people who feel as we do."

The unexpectedly cordial welcome had a very real-life feature: for years, German Scientologists have been forging close ties to Islamic fundamentalists - not, however, because of the mutual expression of pious souls, but because of strong self-interest.

In the early 1990s, Scientologists activated their front-line organization "Peace Movement Europe." Operating under this association, Scientology functionary Rosy Mundl established contact to the Milli Goerues, the German branch of the Turkish fundamentalist Refah party. Milli Goerues are categorized by Constitutional Security as "extremist." The leader of the Milli Goerues advocates an Islamic divine state.

Mundl was soon a regular visitor at the headquarters of the Islamists on Merheimer Street in Cologne-Nippes. She expressed that she was "very concerned" about the "suppression of the Moslems" in Germany, and enlisted the Milli Goerues in an alliance for battle against the Federal Republic. Password: "We are sitting in the same boat."

The feeling that they were persecuted by government, journalists and other powers of evil, and the predisposition for strict organizational discipline quickly brought the groups, who are not exactly related by worldview, closer together. They discovered that the main ground they had in common lay in the form of real estate: the Islamists were much interested in learning about the Scientologists' experiences in the real estate business.

Cologne Scientologist Beate Toepfer, whose husband works in the construction area, organized a seminar in the Milli Goerues center for fundamentalist, first-time entrepreneurs. "She instructed business people in issues of business," said former Milli Goerues General Secretary Hasan Oezdogan. The Islamists handled the Scientology contact as a "relationship on the internal level" (Oezdogan), which was kept secret from the outside world.

In 1994, both sides went in together on a joint venture. Oezdogan, along with Toepfer, founded the BAVG ["Beratungen, Anlagen, Verwaltungs- und Grundstücksverwertungs GmbH"] / Real Estate Consulting, Layout, Management and Appraisal, Inc.

The BAVG acquired the "Zum Forellenwirt" Hotel and Restaurant in Overath-Klef near Cologne. The inn (105 beds) was to be renovated into a common-use conference center. In January 1995, Toepfer and Oezdogan sent out invitations for the opening party in the idyll surrounded by farms and forest.

The investment project, however, turned into a fiasco: banks did not find that the BAVG merited credit. The installment payments which had been agreed upon stopped after a few months, and the original owner got his hotel back after a legal dispute.

Neither did the ideological approach work as Scientology had expected. At Mundl's request, Oezdogan accompanied a delegation from "Peace Movement Europe" into the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan. While Scientologists let themselves be welcomed into the poor mountain country as "humanitarian aids," Oezdogan saw himself listed on the agenda as an "interpreter."

The high point of the mesalliance was a trip together by Scientologists and Islamists to the Revolution Celebration in Libya in September 1994.

The "friends of peace" had to stand on the platform in the capitol city of Tripoli for hours while a parade of battle tanks rolled by. "These tanks," recalls Oezdogan, "stank horribly."

The military parade was followed with a reception by Khadafi outside of Tripoli, in the presence of several thousand Bedouins. The visitors from Germany were limited in their educational political lesson: the Libyans had forgotten to translate their Chief of State's speech for them.

The Scientology contact to the Libyan regime did not last long. The revolutionary leader, who is known for his frequently vacillating political exchanges with eccentrics and extremists from all over the world, soon lost interest in the sectarians.

And even the Islamists - on instructions from on high - took their leave. Milli Goerues General Secretary Mehmet Erbakan, nephew of the Turkish ex-Minister President, let his managing colleagues know last year that he was "little enthused" by the Scientology connection. Pragmatic Erbakan, tending to a moderate image for his association, came to the conclusion, "The whole thing was pointless, nothing came of it."

The formerly dogmatic Oezdogan finally found a philosophical excuse to break off contact with the sect, "They have nothing to do with religion and are purely worldly motivated." The worldview of Scientology which regards itself as a church, said Oezdogan in front of his association friends, was incompatible with Islam, which preached a "just order," rejected interest on loans, and demanded good works for the poor. Scientology in contrast, recognized the Islamist, advocated "only an American money-maker ideology."

How Scientology buys our houses and loses its investment

MieterEcho (Renter Echo)
Newspaper for the Rental Community of Berlin

Nr. 262 - May/June 1997

It began one beautiful Spring morning with unannounced construction. Shortly thereafter we learned that our old apartment building, in need of repair, had been bought by a front company from the ranks of the so-called "Scientology Church" in order to turn it into condominiums. Nobody had informed us of the change of ownership and that was presumably intentional, because right in the area there were already other buildings which defended themselves with placards against the questionable methods of the Scientology converters.

For a couple of years it has been relatively easy for speculators to convert apartment houses into condominiums. The piecemeal sale of a converted building can quickly bring in a couple of million, if one goes about it scrupulously and if the renters let themselves be intimidated. (See also MieterEcho 251/95)

Besides the anxiety about our residences we also needed to worry about an international organization as a landlord, an organization which presents itself as a religious society and which is described by those who know as greedy, totalitarian and criminal. Scientology has been known since its inception in the 50's for its worship, above anything else, of money, money, money. Therefore it is no wonder, according to the Hamburg Renters' Association, that already half of the conversion of old apartments buildings into condos has been dominated by the sect. In Berlin and Potsdam it is at least 70 buildings, possibly many more.

The followers of science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard are also known to try to gain influence and prestige for its various cover organizations. This is behind initiatives for Bosnians, against psychiatry, against drugs, but Scientology followers and their confused ideas are also behind other enterprises, e.g. several computer companies, business consultants and medical practitioners.

This is how the psycho-concern functions:

Scientologists recruit on the street with a free psycho-test. "We use only 10 percent of our mental potential" says the test. The evaluation takes place, according to statements of ex-members, without consideration for data security (according to statements of ex-members the sect's private secret service "Office of Special Affairs" collects all available information and misuses it, e.g. for the extortion of opponents.) The test results then show that one is at least disturbed or even suicidal and immediately needs a Scientology course. Whoever takes them up on that is in a situation where they do not leave Scientology for years, because just one course, as promised, is not enough to become "clear". After initial success and the promise that "total spiritual freedom" will be achieved, the ability to criticize and his relationship with reality will systematically be taken away from the follower through the use of constant pressure to succeed and through a unique pseudo-scientific vocabulary.

"Auditing", a primitive therapy with the help of a lie detector costs at least 400 marks (approx. $300) per hour. Along with that comes a frantic system of courses and instructional materials which can soon eat up 100,000 to 500,000 marks ($76,000 - $380,000). However, nobody has ever succeeded in taking all the courses, because new, mysterious-sounding intermediate steps are constantly being discovered. The newcomers are told that advanced Scientologists, the so-called "Operating Thetans" (The spell-checker prefers "teacups" to "thetans" - ed.) are able to read thoughts and walk through walls. Happily they have had no success with me, or have I simply not noticed it?

The Founder of Scientology

L. Ron Hubbard lived under the delusion that he was being persecuted by psychiatrists and communists. (Unfortunately) that was not the case, thus he was able to develop his crude 50's idealogy unhindered. After an interlude with the satanists of Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis, he brought his insights to public view under the name of "Dianetics." With that Hubbard had understood one thing above all: he set a gigantic money and suppression machine in operation, which he later cleverly disguised as a religion in order to avoid taxes and to be treated better by his critics. Critics and former members were pursued by his own secret service with telephone terrorism, smear campaigns and actions. In the early 90's this secret service has even managed, according to SPIEGEL magazine, to bring enough pressure to bear upon employees of the US American tax agency so that Scientology as a result received tax-exempt status.

In this organization, which has branched out world-wide and supposedly has many millions of followers, each member is supervised and forced to disconnect themselves from critical friends or family members. People are carted off to special penal camps if they express themselves critically or if they fail to meet their "statistic" (quota). For the rental professionals from Scientology, "meeting their statistic" means that they have to sell a minimum number of residential units per week, which then, according to an internal communication to the employees, is used to finance a new Scientology center of operations.

Those who have studied the sect estimate that the real estate conversion business is one of the chief sources of income for the German Scientologists, who have established a complex network of real estate companies for this purpose. Some of these companies are giving up to 15 percent of their income to the Scientology organization as donations, which means that the salespeople have to figure in the additional expense to support their Scientology activities.

The people whose companies are taken over or bought out by Scientologists fare poorly with this arrangement. The non-believers have to take management or communications courses; whoever the sect's idealogy does not appeal to can be laid off or driven off. Scientology had also gained key positions in the former Soviet Union in this manner, i.e. the arms industry and the media, and plans were discovered in Greece which were to be used to bring Albania, and from there the rest of the Balkan countries, under the sect's control, whereupon the local Scientology organization was banned from Greece.

It goes the same way with your house.

First the Scientologist "Rental Advisors" try to talk us into buying our own apartment. Although that was a bad idea when it came to the people in Neukoln and Kreuzberg. Where am I supposed to get 180,000 marks (about $135,000) for a crumbling apartment that only costs me a couple of hundred a month and which provides a very good protection against notice to vacate? We therefore hold tenant's meetings and find out about our rights. Many let no one in to view their apartments and hang provocative banners out their windows. Prospective buyers are enlightened as to Scientology in general and as to the poor construction materials in particular. Besides which we bring to their attention the overdue restorations which we will require. The real estate conversion company defends itself with the usual methods, e.g. by pressing charges for alleged slander, threatening to give notice, and the attempt to set renters one against the other. However this only shows us, the building residents, how important it is now to use any means we can to defend ourselves against the sect's conglomerate, which uses the profits from its speculation to constantly spread itself.

After a half a year not even half of the apartments in our building were sold; the prices fell, the loss of the speculators had to have slowly become painful. They have even temporarily moved out of the neighboring buildings. The renters there call the police whenever they see the sales people skulking about who cannot identify themselves. Now, two years after the conversion, the greater portion of the building is sold, but our goal is also to hinder Scientology from intimidating and driving out renters undisturbed elsewhere.

The Sect is not the Reason

We have noticed that the conversion problem itself was unfortunately publicly hushed up and furthermore was used by Scientology as a scapegoat. The municipal politicians need money and for this reason wish to privatize hundreds of thousands of buildings in former East Germany, they sing the same song as that of the real estate sharks: Learn how to buy your own home! Prosperity for everybody! The renters are supposed to indebt themselves for decades and bear all the risk themselves. If they are not able to pay their bills, the banks rub their hands together and seize their property. Conversion does not create any new buildings; it creates insecurity for renters, debt for buyers and profit for banks and speculators.

Positive Effects

We renters have learned how to be better informed of our rights and how to defend ourselves against conversion tricks. The earlier anonymity in the building and the neighborhood has been taken away, we renters are paying more attention to what is happening around us. A few have even taken money and let ourselves be pressured into moving out, the rest celebrate the summer by holding parties in the common courtyard and enjoy the fact that they have not let themselves be intimidated. In any case we will not be intimidated by Scientology in the upcoming years.

And we will continue to make noise. A group of concerned citizens got together three years ago and went public with information and action against Scientology and other speculators. Besides which we have established an information line for those affected and for prospective buyers who have questions about conversion and about Scientology.

tat

"My name is Arnie Lerma and
I am a victim of Scientology"

Berlin, Germany
March 20, 1997
From: "Berliner Morgenpost"

The former member says that only one out of ten are enslaved by the cult, and he knows why many former members do not raise the alarm about the sect

by Cornel Faltin

The Hamburg Parliamentary Representative Freimut Duve really had nothing planned except to give a press conference at the renowned "National Press Club" in the center of Washington, the U.S. capitol. The SPD politician wanted to explain to American journalists why the German Federal Republic did not see the U.S. association of Scientology as a religion, but as a dangerous sect and commercial enterprise, and why one battled it in "good old Germany."

Duve let the people in the packed Murrow Room know that Scientology can not be a church in the German sense of the word "because it sells products at exact prices" and "its members cannot leave the association if they would want to."

On this Friday morning, the representatives of the media also received information that the often misunderstood national position here at home is justified by Germany's problematic past.

Deluded Accusations and no Facts

The social democrat answered questions about religious discrimination autonomously and made it clear that in his home city of Hamburg alone there were 46 religious congregations, all of which had state recognition. Duve adroitly countered the question by one correspondent as to whether it was painful for Germany to be branded anew as "religiously discriminatory" in the US State Department's Human Rights Report by stating, "Our country does not publish a human rights report, but if we did, the USA would surely be mentioned for its death penalty, which we despise, and for the numerous cases of arson carried out upon black churches."

As if by a secret signal, a woman and a man suddenly grabbed both microphones in the hall. They explained to the puzzled journalists that they were victims of the German government and, due to being members of Scientology, had lost high-paying jobs in Germany. They said they had had to flee with their families to the USA practically under the cover of darkness.

Another Scientology pair followed them. The men, both German citizens, showed thick file folders which allegedly contained the truth about the persecution of Scientologists in Germany. This was followed by deluded accusations and no facts. "Fortunately there are democracies like the USA where one can practice his religion in peace and nobody has problems with Scientology," ended one of the Germans.

The attack was followed by a further surprise. Apparently out of nowhere, a slim, well-groomed man with his hair tied tightly back suddenly stepped up to the microphone and spoke in a trembling, staccato voice:

"My name is Arnie Lerma. I was a member of Scientology for a long time in the USA. After I left, the sect had my residence searched. They sued me in court and I have paid $1.3 million in court costs so far. They want to ruin me. I am a victim of Scientology. You can find out all about it on my internet pages. Thank you." Then the man was gone again.

Presumably Arnie Lerma was no longer listening when the German politician thanked him for his courage and promised to advocate to his American colleagues that the U.S. victims of Scientology be helped. That such help was urgently needed was later confirmed by the ex-Scientologist at a meeting at his home in Arlington, not far from Washington.

In Arnie Lerma's estimate, there are, presumably, tens of thousands of former members of the Hubbard sect in the United States who are persecuted today similar to the way he is.

The electronics technician first came into contact with the religious cult in 1966 through his mother, who was herself a Scientologist at that time. He ended up working in the Treasury Department, where he collected money from members and transmitted sums of six figures to secret accounts held by Scientology founder Ron Hubbard in Luxemburg.

Lerma told of his break with the sect, "When I found out the so-called facts about Hubbard were all lies, I secretly packed my bags at night in 1977 and disappeared from the New York office, where I had lived for years with 15 others in a hall."

The man was next found out about by Scientology in 1994, when he sought out and found former Scientology friends over the internet. When he heard their stories, Arnie Lerma decided to illuminate the criminal practices of Scientology by using the Information Highway.

It was not long before sheriffs with a search warrant stood at his door in Arlington, a dozen Scientologists in tow. Charge: possession of stolen goods.

The agents searched his house from top to bottom, and took his computer with four gigabytes of information, 400 diskettes and all his e-mail addresses. "I didn't even have telephone directory left so I could call my attorney," recalls Lerma.

Scientology illicitly copied, in a way which is not known, many of the diskettes. Lengthy proceedings followed which cost Scientology $1.7 million and its ex-member $1.3 million, and in which everything was decided in favor of the former member. Fortunately, Lerma had good liability insurance, otherwise he would be bankrupt today.

The most intimate secrets are taken down in writing

"That is precisely the goal which the organization wants to achieve," said the electronics technician, and added, "then they make you sign a paper that you will never say anything against Scientology, or else they will ruin you."

Lerma believes that of every ten members recruited, only one is really enslaved by the cult and does not make it out. The 46 year old can plausibly explain why this army of former members does not raise the alarm about Scientology, "Who would like to admit that he was so dumb as to have paid $20, 50 or 300 thousand for Ron Hubbard's nonsense?" Besides that, there are detailed records on all members which contain, in writing, their darkest secrets.

Of course, that makes them easy to blackmail. Lerma said, "Scientology could destroy the careers of stars like John Travolta and Tom Cruise within one week if they let their files be given to the "National Enquirer" (America's largest gossip magazine). It is precisely this capability of blackmail which makes it easy for the sect to control its members.

They ruthlessly exploit this, according to Arnie Lerma's information, and have an incredibly good information network in the USA. An FBI agent recently asserted that the Scientology secret service is much better organized than the federal police or even the CIA. "Every department of the U.S. government has been infiltrated by Scientology members. Scientology is the most subversive organization in the world," is how the former member very clearly wrapped up the extent of the danger.

If the USA were as rigorous as Germany, then the Scientologists could hardly run, unpunished, re-education camps for its members who doubt the peculiar instructions of Ron Hubbard, said Lerma. There are only two alternatives in the camps, he believes, "Either you go crazy or you die."

In 1993 the American IRS tax agency, in a surprise move, agreed to acknowledge Scientology as a religious association, thereby giving it tax-exemption, after it had vehemently opposed this idea for decades. The agreement between the IRS and Scientology was never published and remains under seal.

The "New York Times" just described, several days ago in a multi-page report, the peculiar conditions under which the U.S. revenue agency gave Scientology the stamp of tax-exemption in 1993.

The Scientologists are said to have employed private detectives on the tax officials. Further, they allegedly overwhelmed the agency with 50 lawsuits in accordance with the saying by sect founder Ron Hubbard, "The purpose of a lawsuit is to harass and discourage (opponents). Of course, you should ruin them utterly, if possible." This strategy produced success. As the New York Times revealed, the Washington revenue agency surrendered to Scientology on October 13, 1993.

(c) Berliner Morgenpost 1997

The following were scanned in. They supplement the above.

3 March 1997
TO: ARNIE LERMA

FROM: SYLVIA STANARD

Dear Arnie,

I've been trying to reach you all day but the phone's been busy. Guess you've been on-line.

I am finally getting time to follow up from the Germany press conference. want to get together and talk about Germany and what is happening there.

Despite our differences I think you should know what is really going on in Germany. There's a lot of undercover political issues and really scary sociological changes happening in Germany. I think you might think differently about the issue if you knew all the data.

Give me a call and let's talk. We could go out to lunch or coffee in Arlington sometime. Call me at 202-667-6404,

Sincerely, Sylvia Stanard 

Arnie Lerma     6 March,        1997

Dear Arnie,

Did you get my earlier fax???

I would like to get in com with you. You were quoted in some German press which urged further discrimination against Scientologists just because of their beliefs.

While you and I strongly disagree about Scientology -- I don't think you are a bigot and would support firing law abiding German citizens from jobs just because they are Scientologists. Maybe I'm wrong.

Let's talk. Call me at 202-667-6404.

Sincerely,
Sylvia stanard

Church of Scientology International
Office of Special Affairs

March 5, 1997

Arnaldo Lerma
6045 N, 26 Road
Arlington, Va, 22207

Re: Hamburger Abendblatt
Dear Mr, Lerma;

I a.m writing to you on behalf of the Church of Scientology International, the Mother Church of the Scientology religion, and the Church of Scientology in Hamburg, regarding statements published in the March 1-2, 1997 edition of the Hamburger Abendblatt attributed to you.

For example, the article quotes you as stating that the suit brought against you by the Religious Technology Center was decided in your favor, The statement is verifiably false as Judge Brinkema found for the plaintiff in issuing a permanent injunction prohibiting any further copyright violations and in assessing statutory. damages against you for the copyright violations,

According to the article, you claim that the Church is persecuting you, The fact is, as you well know, that no one from the Church, took any notice of you for 17 years, until you choose to post portions of the Church scriptures .- which you had vowed to keep confidential while a member of the Church, You were subsequently sued for copyright violation and lost. If any persecution has occurred, It has been by you.

March 5, 1997
Pall~ 2

The article also quotes you as stating that the Church blackmails its members through files of their personal experiences. If this were so, and you know it is not, you could have been blackmailed into silence. You clearly have not been, and you've (correctly) not even tried to allege that any attempt was made.

You are also quoted as alleging that each department of the U.S. Government has been infiltrated by members of the Church of Scientology. Furthermore, you claim that the Church has an information network used for the purpose of blackmailing Its own members, These statements are utterly false and defamatory on their face.

According to the article, you also claimed that the Church operated a gulag or concentration camp in California called "Gold," at that many members there have been driven into suicide. Golden Era Studios holds regular open houses and its conference facilities are available to members of the local public. Your statement is wholly without merit.

While the above are not the only statements attributed to you in the article, they illustrate the complete lack of truth or ability to substantiate any of your statements. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with an opportunity to publicly condemn the newspaper, if you were misquoted, or to publicly retract your statements and apologize if you did utter these false and defamatory statements.

The Church in Germany has a very strong record of prevailing in libel actions brought against the media and others who have publicized falsehoods about the Church, I have already Spoken with German counsel for the Church and they are prepared to extend their winning record by bringing action regarding your defamation if required.

You have until March 12, 1997, in which to respond. If you fail to do so, or if you refuse to correct or retract your statements, I will have no option but to advise the Church both in the United States and in Germany, where the statements were

Ran in Hamburg on 1st, In Berlin in 7th, (likely ran in newspapers all over)

[Snipped the German language article as it originally appeared in the Hamburger Abendblatt. It is translated above. -- translator]

For more information please see
Mr. Lerma's "Truth about $cientology Website" :

http://www.lermanet2.com/cos/

"secrets are the mortar, binding lies as bricks together, into prisons for the mind"

Background: Washington Post story of Christmas day 1994 -
about contact before the 'raid'.
http://www.lermanet2.com/cos/lerma.html
and August 1995 http://www.lermanet2.com/cos/wpost.html
also see http://www.lermanet2.com/cos/twobad.html
http://www.lermanet2.com/cos/trust.html

Concerning clauses used for protection against possible infiltration attempts by the Scientology sect

From: "TAZ"
December 9, 1995

by Severin Weiland

Copyright: contrapress media GmbH

The senate is striving to enact uniform regulations for the prevention of possible infiltration attempts by the Scientology sect. "We would like to have a protective clause which is binding on all districts," explained the State Secretary for the Senate Administration for Youth, Klaus Loehe. He wants to keep the sect from profiting from the award of large public contracts. Particular attention is being paid to the areas of PR and business consultancies, continuing and advanced training, as well as the real estate trade. Loehe has been assigned the leadership of a work group which includes the state secretaries for the Interior, Finance and Planning administrations. They are expected to work closely together with Hamburg, where similar regulations are being formulated. A general inspection of civil service staff was not approved by Loehe. However, any misuse of office for Scientology purposes will warrant disciplinary action, as was the case with former Interior administrations. Lately, the Interior administration has included clauses in contract decisions which obligate companies to neither belong to the Scientology sect nor to operate according to the teachings of the founder Ron L. Hubbard. While the management companies of KPMG, Arthur D. Little and Price- Water house signed, the inquiry upset about 70 publishing companies. Citing freedom of the press, the Tagesspiegel and Axel Springer Publishers refused to sign.