"One of the most remarkable legal hearings in Scientology's history" set to begin

[wfgodot]

The Village Voice has published a good many articles about Scientology and its conflicts with members or former members; they are linked with the article below. I can't pretend to understand all of the importances of the hearing which should begin tomorrow in San Antonio, in a Bexar County courtroom, but what we do know is covered in the story below:

Scientology's Gag Reflex: The Church's History of Enforcing a Vow of Silence

Tomorrow, one of the most remarkable legal hearings in the litigious history of Scientology should unfold in a Texas courtroom.

Two weeks after filing suit against Debbie Cook, the former executive who for 17 years ran its spiritual mecca in Florida, Scientology will be seeking to turn a 14-day restraining order into a temporary injunction that will keep a gag order in place as it sues Cook for a minimum of $300,000 in damages.
---

the whole lengthy story - plus many an article linked, nine of them - at Village Voice link above

 

[butwhatif?]

Thanks for posting this. While I'm not of any religious denomination, I have always been interested in learning about different belief systems. Scientology is the one that I find most intriguing.

While I have my own views on Scientology, I want to be respectful of anyone here who may be a member and I am hoping that I don't offend anyone.

Because of this email Debbie is 'fair game' now. Though they claim that they don't operate under the fair game policy anymore, this is a prime example that is is still in action.

She wasn't denouncing scientology. She wasn't sharing the 'secrets' of the the church and revealing information members should only get once they reach a certain level , which I understand was the basis for the non-disclosure contracts.

This extract from the email is a good example of why I'm am so intrigued by not the church as a whole, or the members, but the thought processes behind it all.

I am completely dedicated to the technology of Dianetics and Scientology and the works of LRH. I have seen some of the most stunning and miraculous results in the application of LRH technology and I absolutely know it is worth fighting to keep it pure and unadulterated.

http://www.xenutv.com/blog/?p=5428

Yet it was LRH himself that created the 'fair game' policy/doctrine, which has led to this suit.

[Suppressive Person] Order. Fair game. May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.

And while she doesn't view herself as a suppressive person, her decision to share her personal opinions about 'fundraising' in the email made her one in the eyes of Scientology and it's management.

From the many hours of research I have done into Scientology it's practises, members in good standing and the churches detractors make it perfectly clear that critical thinking is not an option.

In that respect , it really doesn't differ from many other religions IMO.
The key difference is that other religions don't force you to sign a confidentiality contract, and they don't sue if you decide to talk about anything that could be viewed as negative.

This will certainly be an interesting case to follow.

 

[butwhatif?]

BBM.Gotta love the irony here....

“It's simply about the defendants being required to live up to agreements they made back in 2007. They were made freely and knowingly. The agreements were that they would not disclose information about the church and would not disparage the church,” said George Spencer Jr., representing the church.

And, he told the judge, each of the two had accepted $50,000 from the church as part of the agreement. The church is seeking at least $300,000 in damages from the couple.

Jeffrey, however, told the judge that Cook's signature, and that of her husband on a similar 10-page agreement, were the result of “extreme duress and undue influence,” making the contract unenforceable on numerous grounds.

Ironically, in trying to silence Cook about fairly minor matters, the church inadvertently ungagged her by putting her on the witness stand. And on Thursday, she testified for four hours about bizarre and disturbing practices she claims she both witnessed and suffered.

Much more @ link
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/lo...in-Scientology-Suit-3199628.php#ixzz1m1dLFy54

 

[wfgodot]

Wow. Just wow.

Abuse, confinement alleged in Scientology suit (San Antonio Express-News)

---
At times tearful, Cook told of spending seven weeks in “The Hole,” at the church’s Los Angeles international headquarters in early 2007. She said she was sent there with about 100 other church officials who had displeased church leader David Miscavige.
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“You felt completely degraded, very terrified that you’d have to go through the confessions or be beaten. And because you hadn’t been sleeping, you were in a horrific mental state,” she said.

She named one man who she said was beaten and then forced to lick a bathroom floor clean after objecting to violence against others.
---

much more at link above (same article that butwhatif? just posted)

 

[shana]

Certainly not intended to offend, but I have a hard time considering Scientology as a religion. jmo, it is so declared for tax purposes.

I am following this current court case with great interest, as I have time. Thanks to all for the links and updates!

 

[Lanie]

Wonder if Tom Cruise or John Travolta ever have to spend time in "The Hole"?

My family is from Clearwater, and I've heard the stories and read the articles. Plus I saw the episode of South Park. :floorlaugh: I hope Debbie Cook wins this case.

 

[butwhatif?]

Certainly not intended to offend, but I have a hard time considering Scientology as a religion. jmo, it is so declared for tax purposes.

I am following this current court case with great interest, as I have time. Thanks to all for the links and updates!

BBM- Me too. Totally agree. But out of respect for any WS'ers who happen to also be scientologists, I have been choosing my words wisely. I chose to remove the parentheses from the word religion before I posted to avoid offending anyone.

 

[butwhatif?]

Wow. Just wow.

Abuse, confinement alleged in Scientology suit (San Antonio Express-News)

much more at link above (same article that butwhatif? just posted)

There are just so many similar stories, and others that are far worse.

I think the undercover investigations are most interesting.

There is a video on youtube of a guy who went undercover for months to see what the inside of scientology is all about. I think it was in Berlin.....I'll see if I can find the link.
It's interesting to see how they get pulled in, and how much pressure is put onto people to work for practically nothing and sign legal docs.

Here it is, with subtitles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndgbqHW0h0U

 

[essies]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwPMHM3qC9w
The Secrets of Scientology is a documentary which was broadcast on 28 September 2010 as part of the BBC's Panorama documentary strand. Presented by John Sweeney it is a follow up of his 2007 investigation into the Church of Scientology and features interviews with former high-ranking members of the organization

 

[Montjoy]

BBM- Me too. Totally agree. But out of respect for any WS'ers who happen to also be scientologists, I have been choosing my words wisely.

I don't consider Scientology to be benign, so I'm not convinced it is necessary or wise to show respect to those who follow it, promote it, or treat it as legitimate. Here's another good read on the subject:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright

 

[wfgodot]

Tool also treats with L. Ron Hubbard unkindly:

Tool - Ænema - YouTube

 

[Quiche]

Uh, yeah, they don't mess around.

 

[Gozgals]

They remind me of many other Cults yet this one appears very interested in money.
Years ago when I was in college in GA, I lived by a Chiropractic College (Life).
I think the owner of the school practiced Scientology and students used this program to
manage money and people. I knew quite a few of them. In my opinion, they appeared to be
rather cold and very self centered.

Goz

 

[Reader]

The old St. Petersburg Times in Fl. (now Tampa Bay Times) ran a good series about Scientology a few years ago called 'Inside Scientology':

http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/

The first section was 'The Money Machine':

PART 1: Religious workers in Clearwater bring in millions selling services and "closing" prospects.
PART 2: Church staffers hound Scientologists into buying expensive scripture sets and resort to deceit.
PART 3:
Ex-Scientologists cite extreme methods, eternal demands to fund church's 'save the Earth' mission
PART 4:
Giant 'Super Power' building in Clearwater takes a pause, yet millions keep flowing in

It includes a section about a woman that died in Clearwater under the care of Scientologists.


---------

The result of the Times' reporting is this multi-part special report, the latest in a long history of Scientology coverage by the Times. The newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for a 1979 report on Scientology. And in the years since, with the church's Clearwater headquarters in the Times' prime coverage area, the in-depth reporting has continued. This project, as you will see, features the three days of in-depth reports from the St. Petersburg Times, as well as additional content for this Web presentation. Those additional pieces include video; a photo gallery; and links to previous coverage in the Times, including the Pulitzer-winning coverage.

 

[Nova]

BBM- Me too. Totally agree. But out of respect for any WS'ers who happen to also be scientologists, I have been choosing my words wisely. I chose to remove the parentheses from the word religion before I posted to avoid offending anyone.

If there are Scientologists reading here, they are silent ones. Scientology threads are common and usually some of the rest of us have to play devil's advocate to keep the discussion from becoming one long string of condemnations.

I'm not in the mood to defend a Church I don't agree with today.

But I do have a question. I notice that a lot of our Australian members post when Scientology is the subject. Does the Church have a large presence in your country?

 

[Fairy1]

If there are Scientologists reading here, they are silent ones. Scientology threads are common and usually some of the rest of us have to play devil's advocate to keep the discussion from becoming one long string of condemnations.

Then again, I would personally have a difficult time defending a "church" that forces soon-to-be former leaders to sign documents insisting on vows of silence. I'm certain I've never heard of such practices from other churches.

I'm not in the mood to defend a Church I don't agree with today.

Are you ever, Nova?

But I do have a question. I notice that a lot of our Australian members post when Scientology is the subject. Does the Church have a large presence in your country?

I've not made this observation, but that's a great question.

 

[wfgodot]

Most if not all religions were at their genesis labeled as cults. The question is, when does an entity become established as a bona fide religion, with no intimations made that it is still, at its core, a cult? When, and why?

 

[Quiche]

The old St. Petersburg Times in Fl. (now Tampa Bay Times) ran a good series about Scientology a few years ago called 'Inside Scientology':

http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/

The first section was 'The Money Machine':

PART 1: Religious workers in Clearwater bring in millions selling services and "closing" prospects.
PART 2: Church staffers hound Scientologists into buying expensive scripture sets and resort to deceit.
PART 3:
Ex-Scientologists cite extreme methods, eternal demands to fund church's 'save the Earth' mission
PART 4:
Giant 'Super Power' building in Clearwater takes a pause, yet millions keep flowing in

It includes a section about a woman that died in Clearwater under the care of Scientologists.


---------

The result of the Times' reporting is this multi-part special report, the latest in a long history of Scientology coverage by the Times. The newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for a 1979 report on Scientology. And in the years since, with the church's Clearwater headquarters in the Times' prime coverage area, the in-depth reporting has continued. This project, as you will see, features the three days of in-depth reports from the St. Petersburg Times, as well as additional content for this Web presentation. Those additional pieces include video; a photo gallery; and links to previous coverage in the Times, including the Pulitzer-winning coverage.

I read this series a while back-- absolutely stunning. It gave me the perspective I have today and that is to steer clear! They just opened a huge facility in the heart of downtown Sacramento a couple of weeks ago... I'm sure the publicity from this trial will pique the curious to draw near. Not me!! :snooty:

 

[Quiche]

Most if not all religions were at their genesis labeled as cults. The question is, when does an entity become established as a bona fide religion, with no intimations made that it is still, at its core, a cult? When, and why?

I know that, for me, it's when an individuals civic freedoms are impinged upon by said belief system-- especially being held against their will. moo

 

[Reader]

I know that, for me, it's when an individuals civic freedoms are impinged upon by said belief system-- especially being held against their will. moo

Agree, Quiche....also, IMO, the constant demands for money and cheap labor, and the harsh punishments when members make a 'mistake' according to their rules....I don't think there is much forgiveness in this organization which is a big difference from most main stream churches.