Announcement

**aaglo** · May 23, 2002, 07:41

Wohoo. Seems to me they are fixed on ScienceFiction. Beware, Star Trek!

They seem to be a bunch of weirdo's... but hey, it's their right...

**Evil Knevil** · May 23, 2002, 07:46

They sound like a bunch of nutters, especially the whole 'stalking opponents' stuff.
I think the legal position of a Cult is slightly dubious, so I wouldn't say that it is their right.

Re: just found out that John Travolta's a member. Scary, eh?

The important question is: should I carry on my article?

**Kassiopeia** · May 23, 2002, 07:51

Originally posted by Evil Knevil
Re: just found out that John Travolta's a member. Scary, eh?

AFAIK Tom Cruise and a hoot of other Hollywood actors and whatnot are members too. They donate loads of money to the movement, and without them it wouldn't of probably ever made this far... (just unprofessional offsight speculation here)

The important question is: should I carry on my article?

Your call... do the risks outweigh the possible results? Have you been threatened yet, and how much have you dwelt to this matter thus far?

**aaglo** · May 23, 2002, 07:52

I think that Tom Cruise is/was also a member.
In high school we had some excursions on different 'religions' or 'cults', like Hare Krishna, Jehovans, Muslims, Mormons and Hindus... but we only had to settle for reading something about scientology - and that wasn't much.

**Eli** · May 23, 2002, 07:53

I like this summary :
"In a drunken stupor, L. Ron Hubbard bet Robert A. Heinlein that he could start his own religion. The result was scientology, an irrational cult that purposely recruits celebrities. Famous suckers include John Travolta, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Kidman. The whole fruity thing boils down to the belief that the evil alien Xenu has enslaved the human race, but that scientology can exorcise Xenu from you with a five-dollar lie detector and restore your god-like powers."

**Sarxis** · May 23, 2002, 08:15

Originally posted by Eli
...that scientology can exorcise Xenu from you with a five-dollar lie detector and restore your god-like powers."

Here's my five dollars

$$$$$

I'm ready.

**Evil Knevil** · May 23, 2002, 08:35

Sweet jesus, this is weird. I though they were an offbranch of Christian Scientists. I've looked at Xenu.net and it seems that all this insanity is deliberate, how on earth did Hubbard manage to convince so many people?

Your call... do the risks outweigh the possible results? Have you been threatened yet, and how much have you dwelt to this matter thus far

The story is quite negative so far, since I've found out that UK scientology membership has dropped by about 50% since 1986, the Saint-Hill organisation has tightened security, and such. Forcing members to spend several weeks there on courses(where they would just visit for the day previously).

The isolation treatment for the mentally ill has become quite popular. I've talked to neighbours and they can hear screams sometimes.

An insider says that they're and arms cache inside the manor, which is absolutely demented. Of course I have no evidence of this at the moment. I'm going to have to have a look, by whatever means neccesary.

The reason it's so negative is they refuse to answer my queries, wheras I've managed to get comments from neighbours, ex-members, critics and police. I also have a rich scepticism.

According to the feature editor the reason I'm to do this article is that "I'm a bastard, but a well-researched bas****".

A PR lady phones the editor every day to ask about the story, is this harrassment? She's demanded a copy before it goes to press, and says I'm not to use any copywrited material.

She also said shes going to do a background check on me so that she can investigate that I'm a real reporter.

I think I might have a scoop as far as the Saint-Hill goes nuts, and stores guns story. Still I could abandon the story, since I'll save a lot of aggro.
Theres something inside me that says I should try and find the truth, but then there's fear of lawsuits.

Eli, where did you get that quote? (Might use it!)

Any advice?

**Eli** · May 23, 2002, 08:43

Scientology - Everything2.com

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node=Scientology

Please feel free to contribute to this node by /msging a Content Editors|Content Editor or one of the e2gods|admins. Listing it here does not imply any...

Follow some of the links to find much more info on specific stuff.

**Evil Knevil** · May 23, 2002, 08:48

Thanks. I've sucked the web dry as far as Scientology's concerned now.

Any comments or advice would be really useful since I'm stuck on what to do now

**Sarxis** · May 23, 2002, 08:56

Originally posted by Evil Knevil

I also have a ...scepticism.

...Any advice?

You mean, you have an inkling that this may be true?

**Evil Knevil** · May 23, 2002, 08:58

The Xenu thing or the Saint Hill gone insane thing?

**Tolls** · May 23, 2002, 09:12

Look up Lawrence Wollersheim, who just got $8 million of them for harrassment, after 22 years.

http://www.factnet.org/ has some details I think.

...and Lisa McPherson, who died in their care while they were trying to cure her of a nervous breakdown...in other words she was going to leave.

They also have an anti-drug treatment whose name I can't quite recall, that is in all probability a fraud (they refuse to have it independently tested).

There's loads of stuff around about their dodgy dealings...their leader jumped bail in Spain recently.

**Evil Knevil** · May 23, 2002, 09:30

Lisa McPherson, who died in their care

I heard about that a minute ago. Nothing can be proved, especially since the coroner didn't do the autopsy herself, nor can the rumors of cockroach bites be substantiated. I can't blame Scientology in my article, since I'd get in deep deep shit. However the isolation treatment they used on her, is increasingly being doled out at Saint Hill, I hope nobody gets hurt.

I find the claim that Wollersheim 'got' bipolar disorder from the church slightly dubious, since one does not 'catch' bip d it develops regardless of the conditions (although bad conditions can be said to help heighten an already existing cycle).

Nasty, nasty cult. Do you think they'll harrass me if my story proves they're a bunch of crazies who are increasingly paranoid as their numbers shrink?

**Tolls** · May 23, 2002, 09:41

I suspect you might get some, they seem to specialise in in trying to scare off people looking into their practices...especially their finances.

It all depends what angle you're planning on taking I suppose.

Announcement

Me v. Scientology

Me v. Scientology

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment