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3. L. Ron and the Beast
Science fiction editor and author Sam Moscowitz tells of the occasion when Hubbard spoke before the Eastern Science Fiction Association in Newark, New Jersey in 1947:
Hubbard spoke...I don't recall his exact words; but, in effect, he
told us that writing science fiction for about a penny a word was no way
to make a living. If you really want to make a million, he said, the
quickest way is to start your own religion.
It sure worked for him. Being the commodore of one's own private
navy is not exactly the normal, run-of-the-mill hobby of aging science
fiction writers.
Decent, often intelligent but somewhat naive people, whose
dreams for a better world sometimes blinded them, were the income
producers for this new religion.
Hubbard found such people useful. Having good intentions them-
selves, they assumed he had the same.
Thousands paid the outrageous prices for the Scientology courses
and auditing. To give an idea of how much people are willing to pay in
today's money, here is an example of a price charged for auditing
taken from a recent official magazine from one of Hubbard's top organizations: Twelve and a half hour sections of a type of auditing
called "Lists 10, 11, and 12" are priced at $13,000.00 per section. In
other words, this auditing costs over $1000.00 per hour! And one
must buy a minimum of 25 hours!
One organization, the Flag Land Base - which became the senior
organization when the ships were sold in 197-was recently (late1985) reputedly taking in up to two million dollars a week, and
averaging a million. "Flag," operated on 10 percent of its income,
with the remainder going to accounts controlled by "upper manage-
ment."
According to accounts by Hubbard's former personal aides,
money - tens of millions originating from Europe for Flag services
were channelled into Hubbard's personal accounts.
And according to the findings of a Federal Court judge, the ships
were owned by a Panamanian corporation called Operation Transport
Corp. (OTC), a "for profit corporation." Some 82 percent of the
shares were owned by L. Ron Hubbard and his wife Mary Sue.
"Non-profit" Scientology organizations around the world were told
by the OTC that they owed untold millions for consulting services
and training of their executives. They attempted to pay these "bills"
as best they could, coming up with as much as 90 percent of their
weekly gross income in payments to OTC.
This was quite a setup.
The Panamanian corporation was in a position of having multi-millions in payments "owed" to it, while the
"non-profit" churches could never fully pay these bills, which just
kept mounting. They therefore had absolutely no profits to show the
IRS. On the contrary, they were awash in paper "debts" to OTC.
Hubbard had a lot going for him. He had a formula that enabled
him to run his own church for huge profits accruing to him. He could
write "scriptures" with a guaranteed market, getting for example
$20,000.00 for one "Technical Bulletin."
He had money rolling in from his special book publishing and dis-
tribution system, a system which netted him much more than mere
royalties.
And by 1977 he had an international intelligence operation of pro-
portions comparable to that of some fairly sizeable countries. This
kept him informed of the most intimate details of any and all organiza-
tions, governments and individuals who might try to spoil his game.
****
It is very easy for a person exposed to this information to jump to
the conclusion that all he was interested in was making lots of monthly.
Not so. Hubbard wanted much more than just money; he intended to
have personal power on a scale that only a few in history have ever
credibly aspired to.
In pursuit of this objective he was a man obsessed, generating an
energy that was, at times, seemingly superhuman.
MAGIC
One definition of magic is, "Total commitment to get, to achieve,
to win - with such totality that one's life itself becomes the ritual of
that commitment." (It has been noted that, when that commitment
"is malevolent, the magic is black.")
For Hubbard, morality was a straitjacket worn by fools. Morality
was utilized only when it aided him in reaching his objective. (He
gave lip service to all sorts of noble humanitarian sentiments, but he
also visibly, especially from the mid-sixties on, gave vent to base
motives expressed in vindictive policies and writings.)
His WILL was the supreme consideration.
This philosophy has been described as "the ends justify the
means." This vaguely says it all, but it describes neither the intensity
nor the total commitment which appears to have driven him.
His life was indeed a ritual of total commitment to the achievement
of power. Power concentrated exclusively under his control.
Hubbard may have had this drive for power - this obsession - all
his life. But the point at which it burst into a raging passion was, ac-
cording to Ron Jr. sometime in his teens when Ron Hubbard and his
mother visited the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. From
that time on he was, more and more, able to support his obsession
with a detailed, well-developed philosophy.
His mother was at the Library tracing back her family's genealogy,
while he was poking around trying to find something that interested
him. He did.
It was a tiny volume called The Book of the Law.
According to its
writer, Aleister Crowley, The Book was "dictated" to him in Cairo,
between noon and one P.M., on three successive days: April 8th, 9th,
and 10th, in the year 1904.
The "author" called himself Aiwas, and claimed to be "a messenger
from the forces ruling this Earth at present." Aiwas, a spirit "pos-
sessing fantastic knowledge and powers," delivered the alleged dicta-
tion telepathically. This was Crowley's Bible, and perhaps the most
important book in the life of L. Ron Hubbard.
The Book proclaims "The Law of Thelema."* This law consists of a
"simple code of conduct":
"DO WHAT THOU WILT."
Of *The Book* Crowley, towards the end of his life, wrote:
*Thelema is the Greek for "will."
...it is a sublime synthesis of all science and all ethics. It is 1,y
virtue of this Book that Man may attain a degree of freedom hitherto
never suspected to be possible, a spiritual development altogether be-
yond anything hitherto known.
Crowley's writings are impressively prolific. In his Magick in
Theory and Practice he states:
THE WHOLE AND SOLE OBJECT OF ALL TRUE MAGICKAL THAININ
IS TO BECOME FREE FROM EVERY KIND OF LIMITATION.
(Crowley added a "k" to the word magic to differentiate his subject
from that which had attracted "weaklings" and "dilettantes.")
Adopting the same stated purpose for Scientology, as Crowley had
for his Magick, Hubbard says, in a 1952 taped Scientology lecture:
OUR WHOLE ACTIVITY TENDS TO MAKE AN INDIVIDUAL COMPLETELY
INDEPENDENT OF ANY LIMITATION.... Old Aleister Crowley had
some interesting things to say about this. He wrote the Book of the
Law.
In the same lecture series, Hubbard also states:
The magical cults of the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th centuries in
the Middle East were fascinating. The only modern work that has any-
thing to do with them is a trifle wild in spots, but is a fascinating work
in itself, and that's the work of Aleister Crowley - the late Aleister
Crowley - my very good friend....He signs himself "the Beast,"
mark of the Beast 666....
Hubbard only mentioned the Crowley connection to his followers
during the loose-lipped days of the Philadelphia Doctorate Course
lectures in December of 1952. To my knowledge he never said a word
about it to anyone, other than his eldest son, after that time
****
Francois Rabelais (c. 1495 - 1553) is not mentioned in The Book, but
the "Law of Thelema" actually derives from a book penned by him.
Rabelais, a priest and graduate of the Sorbonne Seminary, in Paris,
wrote a book called Gargantua. It was written in the style of a farcical
adult fairy tale, since it contained ideas that were greatly at variance
to those of the Catholic Church of his day, ideas that could well have
been officially labelled heresy (with the resulting death penalty) had
they been seriously presented.
Rabelais tells of "how the Thelemites were governed, and of their
manner of living":
All their life was not spent in laws, statutes or rules, but according to
their own free will and pleasure. They rose out of their beds when they
thought good: They did eat, drink, lael, sleep when they had a mind
to it and were disposed for it. Nollc did awake them, nolle did over to
constrain them to eat, drink, nor any other thing; for so had Gargantuan
established it. In all their rule, and strictest tie of their order, there
was but this one clause to be observed.
DO WHAT THOU WILT.
Because men that are free, well born, well bred, and conver-
sant in honest companies have naturally an instinct and spur
that prompteth them unto virtuous actions, and withdraws them
from vice, which is called honor...(Emphasis added)
So wrote Rabelais.
Of course there is room for abuse of this injunction. What if "the
instinct and spur that prompteth to virtuous actions" is lacking? What
if one decides that one's "proper course" involves enslaving or over-
whelming others? What if the application of one's "will" results in the
denial of another's freedom?
Such action would, by definition, be
"black. "
When viewing the Commodore's ship Apollo, the law to be ad-
hered to was more like, "Do What Ron Wilt," the officers and crew
being subjected to the strictest of rigors, while Ron did as he pleased.
His will was supreme.
Robert Heinlein, a one-time friend of' Hubbard's, suggested this
well in a recent novel. He referred to his followers as "L. Ronners"
and "Hubbardites." Some ex-Scientologists use the term "Rondroids." The stable dictum for his followers is his written or spoken
intention: "Do WHAT HON SAYS."
****
Crowley's The Book of the Law adds a new and fiery twist to the
Law of Thelema as described by Rabelais.
In the words of The Book":
We have nothing with the outcast and the unfit: let them die in their
misery. For they feel not. Compassion is the vice of Kings: stamp down
the wretched and the weak: this is the law of the strong: this is our law
and the joy of the world.
...I am of the snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight, and stir the
hearts of men with drunkenness. To worship me take wine and strange
drugs...They shall not harm ye at all. It is a lie, this folly against self
...Be strong oh maIl! lust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture...
...the kings of the earth shall be kings forever: the slaves shall
serve.
Them that seek to entrap thee, to over throw the.e, them attack
without pity or quarter; and destroy them utterly.
I am unique and conucror. I am not of the slaves that perish.
Be
they damned and dead! Amen.
Pity not the fallen! I never knew them. I am not for them. I console
not: I hate the consoled and the consoler!
(According to Ron Jr., his father never sincerely felt remorse or
sympathy.)
Did the young L. Ron Hubbard take special quote, when he read: ...in these runes ords and letters of The Book] are mysteries
that no Beast [Crowley] shall devine [understand]. Let him not seek to
try: But one coth after him...who shall discover the key to it all?
(Emphasis and bracketed words added)
According to Ron Jr. his father considered himself to be the one
"who came after"; that he was Crowley's successor; that he had taken
on the mantle of the "Great Beast. " He told him that Scientology ac-
tually began on December the 1st, 1947. This was the day Aleister
Crowley died.*
****
Who was the "Great Beast" Who was Aleister rYasthe''C,reatBe Crowley?
"THE WICKEDEST MAN IN THE WORLD..." was how the contem-
porary press described him. Raised by parents who belonged to a fun-
damentalist Christian sect, and who believed that everyone outside of
their particular group would be damned eternally in hell fire, he was
*Many people interpret The Book of the Lnlu and Crowley's overall
work in many ways. Here I am only attempting to illustrate what
appears to have been Hubbard's interpretation of The Book.
forbidden to read any book other the Bible until about the age of
twelve. And read it he did.
In his teens he decided that he was none other than THE BEAST of
Revelations, and proclaimed himself as such. A shocking declaration,
especially in the Victorian Age.
But Crowley was also an accomplished poet, chess master, painter,
master mountaineer and explorer.
He also claimed to have mastered
Buddhism, Taoism, Yoga, and, most of all, magick.
Yet he was also a regular user of cocaine, opium, peyote, and hash-
ish.
At the age of forty-five he proclaimed himself a saint of the Gnostic
Church, becoming a "god" in his own temple, by which time he was
infamous in a number of countries, banned from some and forced to
leave others.
His reputation for wild sex and drug orgies, which he combined
with the religious rites of his self-instituted order, was a major factor
in his difficulties with various governments.
He established "The Abbey of Do What Thou Wilt" on the island of
Cefalu, Sicily, where he lived with a collection of mistresses, per-
forming sexual, narcotic, and occult experiments.
It is perhaps co-incidental that Hubbard, in the late fifties, set up
his headquarters at Saint Hill Manor in England, less than half an
hour's drive from what had been Aleister Crowley's house in
Tunbridge Wells. (The house is now owned and occupied by the lead
drummer of Led Zeppelin's band - another reputed admirer of
Crowley. Certainly Crowley seems to have been popular with the
Beatles, who presented his image among a group of"people we like"
on their "Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album.)
MAGICK AND DRUGS
Was Hubbard's WILL reinforced by the Magick, in which drugs
played a major part2
Could it be that Scientology's founder - publicly vehemently anti-
drug since the mid-1960s, and having written extensively since that
time on the harmful effects of drug use - was himself a heavy drug
user Was Ron Jr. telling the truth when he said that his father began
using drugs beginning in his teens, and continued at least until he
(Ron Jr.) left the organization in December, 1959?
Comparing the harmful effects of alcohol with various drugs,
Hubbard wrote in the revered "first book" Dianetics, the Modern
Science of Mental Health):
Opium is less harmful [than alcohol], marijuana is not only less phys-
ically harmful but also better in the action of keeping a neurotic
producing phenobarbital does not dull the senses nearly as much and
produces less after effect...
While few of his followers seem to be aware of the fact, in the same
book he recommends the use of Benzedrine in certain cases to over-
come the "reactive mind."
Amusingly enough, he states in a policy letter, "Keeping
Scientology Working": "We will not speculate here on...how I
came to rise above the bank."'
Ron JR.:
I need not speculate, I know!
I remember in 1952 in Philadelphia, while he, was taking a needle in
the arm, containing cocaine. He grinned at me, winked wryly and said,
"Shades of Sherlock Holmes"!
Dad gave a lot of his lectures on cocaine or stimulants of one kind or
another. He could really get brilliant on the stuff.
Hubbard's friend and "magick partner" of the late forties was a
chemist named Jack Parsons. Parsons was the head of Crowley's Organization, the "Ordo Templi Orientis" in California. He scribed this
verse which was printed in the February 21st, 1943 issue of the
Oriflumuze, Journal of the O.T.O.:
I hight Don Quixote, I live on peyote, Marijuana,
morphine and cocaine,
I never know sadness, but only a madness,
That burns in the heart and the brain.
I see. each charwoman, ecstatic, illhurnan, angelic, demonic, divine.
Each wagon a dragon, each beer mug a flagon
That brims with ambrosial wine.
Hubbard mentions Jack Parsons in the "Professional Auditor's Bul-
letin" of 15 April 1957:
*"Bank" = "reactive mind." It is similar to the "unconscious mind" that so
fascinated Freud.
Now I have been very fortunate in my life to know (llite a few real
genillsc.s-fellows that really wrote their name tilly large in the world
of literature and science....
One chap by the way, who gave us solid
fuel rockets and assist take-off for airplanes too heavily loaded on air-
craft carriers, and all the rest of this rocketry parlorulna, and who
formed Aerojet in California and so on. The late Jack Parsons...
According to Ron Jr. his father used drugs and self-hypnosis in or-
der to beef up his WILL:
For years he used ev(tn in the thirties-sound scribers. I think you
would call it that....The original dictaphones, and IBM had one tot,
..., And he would read these what he called the "Affirmations"
into, the dictaphone. This is when they were non-erasable. You know,
the old Edison with the wax cylinder.
He would write 'these up, or he'd take quotes from the Book of the
Law, and other places; then he'd take whatever he had in the way of
drugs and play 'em back. Usually he used headphones.
Hardly anyone believed Ron Jr. when he told this story; but the
"Affirmations," in their original hand-written version, were brought
into evidence in open court in Los Angeles in mid-1984, and are part
of the court record.
One of these "Amrmations" is: "All men shall be my slaves
! All
women shall succumb to my charms! All mankind shall grovel at my
feet and not know why!"
Ron Jr. states in a sworn affidavit:
I have personal knowledge that my father regularly used illegal
drugs including amphetamines, barbiturates and hallucinogens. He
regularly used cocaine, peyote, and mescaline.*
According to statements made by attorney Michael Flynn,
Hubbard, until at least February of 1980, filled out fraudulent "doc-
tor's" prescriptions for a large array of medical drugs for himself.
And while the Church has sued attorney Michael Flynn more than
a dozen times based on various accusations including libel (all of
which suits have been dismissed to date), they have never mentioned
*Hubbard recommends as a "good book" Aldous Huxley's Doors of Perception in his
"Operational Bulletin no. 17" of Feb '56. This work of Huxley's deals with his
experiences while experimenting with mescaline.
Flynn's allegations regarding Hubbard's "illegal self-medication" in
any of these suits.
Other statements to the effect of massive self-medication are by
Gerry Armstrong (who was a witness to Hubbard's diary and other
documents), Sara Northrup Hubbard, and John McMaster, all of.
whom I interviewed.
Sara Hubbard explained that Hubbard was "self-medicated," but
that during the five years they were married, she knew of no in-
stances when he used "street drugs."
Armstrong, told me, among other things, of a letter from Hubbard
to his third wife Mary Sue when Hubbard was in Las Palmas during
1967 at the inception of the Sea Org.
This letter is now in the custody
of the court. In it Hubbard tells his wife: "I'm drinking lots of rum
and popping pinks and greys."h
John McMasters told me that on the flagship Apollo in the late six-
ties, he witnessed Hubbard's drug supply. "It was the largest drug
chest I had ever seen. He had everything!"
It was shown in the Armstrong trial in Los Angeles in 1984 that
Hubbard even had blank prescription slips from the U.S. Navy, one of
which had a prescription for phenobarbital (a barbiturate and hyp-
notic) written in Hubbard's handwriting.
Also, in the Armstrong trial where the "Affirmations" were intro-
duced, a letter by Hubbard to his first wife was revealed, the last sen-
tence of which declared: "I do love you, even if I used to be an opium
addict. "
****
If Hubbard was indeed a "druggie," his followers are not. While
many Scientologists appear to be nicotine and caffeine addicts, that is
as far as it goes.
Scientologists do not use drugs. And there is even a Scientology
anti-drug program-Narconon7 - originally established by an inmate
of Arizona State Prison named William Benitez. It has been quite suc-
cessful at times in getting people off drugs.
*I'm told that "uppers and downers" are sometimes referred to as "pinks and
greys."
In this context, Ron Jr.'s statement that his father "was not a
Scientologist," as startling as it may seem to some, begins to make
some sense:
He was not a Scientologist, and even said so publicly on several oc-
casions, but people would just slide over it.
For example, the wise and humanitarian sentiments expressed in his
writings and lectures had nothing to (to with him or how he conducted
his affairs.
His private life was the antithesis of what he wanted his
public image to be. He hardly ever took his own advice.
It is possible, however, that Hubbard did follow the advice he gave
during a Philadelphia Doctorate Course lecture in December of
1952,** when he said:
You should be able to drink as much as you want, abuse the body in
any way you want.
In the same lecture series Hubbard said:
Just because I did something like Scientology people think I'm sup-
posed to he perfectly controlled, and a perfect gentleman. That's a
non-sequitur.
Hubbard had a habit of describing himself while pretending to be
describing another. This, perhaps, was the case in the following dis-
sertation excerpted from one of his taped lectures. If so, it is re-
vealing:
Looking down the line at the spirit of men of great and murderous
deeds...and you'll find out they're strange boys; very strange boys.
They just never, never kind of nailed down in there right place, and did
just exactly the right things. You look in vain for the old school tie.
*Of course, from the mid-sixties onward what may have been the "real Hubbard"
began to show up, to some extent, in such things as the "Fair Game Law" and
sadistic "ethics." But such vindictive or destructive sentiments were kept very
"low profile."
**"My father was high during most of these lectures," claims Ron Jr. "and he
was, on occasion, very frank, revealing his true feelings." Not spotting this
material in time to edit it out before it became widely circulated was a major
blunder by
the Church.
56
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
There was a great old fellow in China named Wang the Innovator.
And Wang the Innovator practically turned China upside down and
right side up again, and upside down, and left it that way. Rut he organized a lot of systems...he laid down the laws that are going to be
this way and that way. He laid them all down very nicely and he had
them all patterned out very beautifully. But he himself didn't kind of
follow this. He was a wild man. Nobody could ride up along side of
him. He had more women than he could count.
It is of particular interest to note that he equates men of great
deeds with men of murderous deeds: "...men of great and murder-
ous deeds..."
4. "Mankind's Only Hope"
"Your next endless trillions of years and the whole agonized future
of every man, woman, and child on this planet depend on what you do
here and now, with and in Scientology."
- L. RON HUBBARD
The following story, which occurred during the first year of the
Apollo's voyage, is one of adventure and exploited idealism. This is a
brief glimpse of the story of Hana (Eltringham) Whitfield, a young
woman who had worked with Hubbard closely and loyally for many
years.
Her story is representative of thousands of others, during the his-
tory of Scientology. She became a zealot for Hubbard's cause: a stoic
true believer. Long-time friendships, and even deep love, were dis-
carded when these conflicted with Command Intention..
****
In Rhodesia in the late fifties, Hana (tall, with f:dir skin, dark hair
and soft features) was in her late teens when she read one of` her
mother's books by Madame Blavatsky. The author, somewhere in its
pages, prophesied that in 1950 a fair-complexioned man in the West
would begin a movement that would lead the planet to enlightenment.
This story appealed greatly to Hana's sense of romance. She
dreamed of playing a part in making a world where peace and happi-
ness was a reality. And where awareness of spiritual phenomena was
the rule rather than the exception.
When she came across Scientology in March of 1965, she felt that
she had discovered the man of whom Madame Blavatsky had spoken.
After studying to become an auditor in Johannesburg, she decided
she would give this man her full devotion, and travelled to England to
attend the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, which was then conducted personally by Hubbard.
She was very impressed by Hubbard when she first saw him. He
appeared serene, confident, beneficent, and very, very wise.
For many months she studied under him and his wife Mary Sue;
she spent long days immersed in his teachings.
She drilled, for example, the exact series of questions that consti-
tuted certain "processes," while facing a large plastic doll.
The doll served as a substitute for an actual person being there to
receive the questions. The questions used were considered very pow-
erful and, if directed at a live person, would stir up subconscious
emotions and "forces" or "charge" that could cause considerable dis-
comfort, unless "audited" expertly.
She aimed her questions right at the center of the doll's head. Each
word was clearly enunciated, and delivered with just the right
amount of intention.
Hana was assisted by a "coach" who would answer for the doll and
assist her through the drill. In this case it was a "problems process. "
She would soon be running this process on a real "preclear," having
first enquired as to the people, past and present, in the person's life.
She would be looking for "charged terminals," i.e., people the person
was upset about (or had "charge" on); the idea being to free up the
person from any worry, fixation, or compulsive "figure-figure" on any
person or thing.
Based on the reaction of the preclear, and the E-meter, she would
select the most "charged" terminal and run the process on it.
While drilling the process, fruits instead of real people are used,
however.
Hana: "Invent a problem that is of comparable magnitude to an ap-
ple."
Coach: "Ah....having a banana on my desk."
Hana: "Good. How could that be a problem to you?"
Coach: "It might be too ripe and attracting a lot of fruit flies."
Hana: "O.K. Can you conceive of yourself figuring on that?"
Coach: "Mmmm....yes."
Hana: "Fine. Invent a problem that is of comparable magnitude to
an apple....
The same question is asked over and over, usually until the
preclear has a "cognition" or realization regarding the area of address.
Hana was fascinated by the hundreds of processes and impressed
by their effectiveness.
Listening to Ron's lectures, and reading his many books, was
stimulating. Ron had a great sense of humour and he answered com-
plex questions on life and human behaviour in a clear, easy-to-
understand manner. She also appreciated the obligatory constant ref-
erence to dictionaries, to ensure she understood the exact meanings
of the words used.
After graduating from the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, Hana
joined staff: Then in August of 1967 she was on a mission to assist the
Los Angeles Organization when she received a special confidential in-
vitation, on behalf of Hubbard, inviting her to join the newly formed
Sea Project.
HANA ELTRINGHAM:
I joined the ship in Las Palmas, in the Canary Islands in the Atlantic
Ocean off the coast of North Africa.
The Avon River was already there up on these stilts, being reno-
vated.
LRH had a villa on the island about six or seven miles from the har-
bor and he would come to the ship every afternoon and stay, sometimes until quite late, supervising the refit and talking to the crew.
There was a side to him that, around, this time, I was just becoming
aware of: the furious screaming - just an amazing outrage that would
pour out of him at something that was going wrong.
There was one time when he came walking down from outside
through the great big wooden fence that blocked off the beach from the
street. It was quite a stretch of beach, maybe a 340 yard stretch
down to the water. And the ship was up on this great big wooden trellis
work.
Even as he was halfway down the beach, I was standing with my
clipboard up, because I was the Master at Arms at the time, and I was
responsible for making sure everything was going right. And I'd be in
absolute fear by the time he was due to come on board, in case he
found something that I had missed.
So I was there and I was watching him, and halfway down that beach
he knew something was wrong, and I could see his face start to contort
and get red.
And I'd start to go, "Oh my God! What have I missed now!"
He started bellowing. His face got this cherry red; all screwed up,
and he was just bellowing at the top of his lungs.
He was screaming and shouting at full volume. You could hear that
voice everywhere.
And he came marching down towards the gangplank. Still scream-
ing and now pointing up to the side of the ship where the Spanish
workmen were painting the white paint over the red anti-rust coat.
The top coat was being applied over the entire hull of the ship, from
the deck all the way down to the bottom of the ship.
He was screaming and gesticulating and pointing up at us. I didn't
know what was wrong. I mean the painters had been doing it most of
the afternoon before he appeared on the scene. And when I looked
down at the side of the ship I could see nothing wrong.
By this time people were stopping their work and looking; fearful,
wondering what all this was about - even the workmen.
Then, through his screaming, I heard him say, "Look at the paint!
Look at the paint!"
I put my head over the side of the ship and looked along the hull at
the paint. And then I saw it! It looked like the paint was growing hun-
dreds and hundreds of hairs! The white coat of paint was actually furry.
I later discovered that the rollers the workmen were using were of
an inferior quality. As they were rolling, some fibers were coming off
the rollers and sticking to the paint, making the ship look like it was
growing hair.
Halfway down the beach he knew something was wrong. Now I
have never forgotten that, and I have never gotten over the fact that
from that distance - 25 or 30 yards away, he could see what was going
on.
At times he could be extremely perceptive - astonishingly she
could also be totally irrational: quite out of it and crazy.
The negatives and abuses that seem so outrageous to me now, were
then less than dim shadows. It was just justified away....
In these early days of the Sea Project I felt emotions that you only
find in fiction. It was one of those things: here we are braving the seas
with this amazing man, you know. It had a kind of mystique that you
just don't get in everyday life - the romance and adventure - it was all
unbelievably exciting!
John O'Keefe, another dedicated Sea Org member, and Hana
Eltringham were deeply in love and had been so for some time.
As she tells it:
The whole thing just built up so much more through all this adven-
ture. We were very close.
Hubbard sent John O'Keefe off to pick up the Avon River (soon to
be renamed the Athena), and to captain her to an appointed destina-
tion.
HANA:
Now LRH said that John's orders were to leave Gibraltar and sail
due East and join us in Cagliari, on the Italian island of Sardinia.
John swore that those orders were not what he received from LRH.
John said that his orders were to sail northeast and to join the ship up
in Monaco.
So John took the ship out of Gibraltar and sailed northeast. Aboard
the Avon River, with John there was only a skeleton crew: a dozen to
15 or so, at most.
They all noticed the huge black clouds on the horizon uld a storm
building as they were approaching the Balearic islands.
None of the crew, however (having never before been in the Medi-
terranean), would have been aware that this area, North of the Balearic
islands, is a storm center in the Med. That's where a lot of the hurricanes in this area are actually born.
They rode straight into a hurricane. It was one of the worst this area
had had for some 15 years. There were something like 17 ships lost.
And this little tub called the Avon River sailed slap bang into it.
They were caught in that storm for about three days. They were barely
making headway.
There were forty-foot waves and this little ship just staggering up
through all this. They couldn't see through the screaming of the wind
and all the foam and spray that was being thrown by the wind across the
tops of the waves.
There is nothing you can see when you are out there in that kind of'
storm. I mean you are blind. All you know is that the ship is going up
the next wave and you know its going down into the trough and you've
got to keep the ship headed right into the waves, otherwise it will turn
over.
Now, throughout that, at one point the hydraulic steering on the
bridge broke! (meaning essentially that the power steering broke). The
wheel on the bridge was connected with lines down into the motors
and the pumps and those lines were filled with oil so that they could
maneuver the rudder. And those were the lines that broke.
There was steering oil all over the place; on the bridge and elsewhere.
So they had to connect up the emergency steering in the aft in order
to keep the ship headed into the waves. They had some people back aft
steering and some on the bridge, connected by walkie-talkies.
The crew didn't sleep for two and a half` to three days. They couldn't
eat.
There was no way they could cook in the galley with this motion
going on. People were being sick all over the place.
It is absolutely a wonder that that ship came through that!
Now, John saw, at one point, that they must have been getting
somehow close to Ibiza. He happened to see that they were close to an
island on the radar. They would come up the crest of a wave and he
could "see" the island by a brief blip on the radar. He would "see" the
blip of it on the radar and as they went down into the trough they
would of course not be able to see anything.
Rut John was very very clever. He managed somehow to get the
ship out.
He said the waves had lengthened in distance so they must
have been getting out towards the edge of the storm. And he managed
to get the ship close enough between the waves to the islands so that,
at one strategic point, they were able to veer sharply to starboard and
get into the lee of the land, before the next wave hit.
So some two to three days after the Apollo got down to Cagliari we
got the message from John that he was in Ibiza and that the ship was
safe:
"We're all OK, managed to get to port safely, the ship is safe, the
crew are safe, we have lost two lifeboats and external refrigerator, the
windows up on the bridge are badly damaged, one of the antennas is
damaged."
He had, I think, sent a wire to Monaco to ask if the Apollo was there
and received a reply that she had sailed to Cagliari, so he sent his
message there to the Port Captain's office.
LRH got the message and went berserk!
The ship was not supposed to be anywhere near Ibiza, according to
LRH, it was supposed to be on its way directly to Cagliari.
He sent a communication back, and a few other communications en-
sued and then John had orders to sail for Cagliari.
About a day and a half later they arrived in Cagliari. And by this
time the Old Man* had postmortemed the situation sufficiently to
arrive at his own conclusions.
By the time John arrived with the ship in Cagliari, I had already
heard LRH say that John must have been on drugs when he left the
ship in Ibiza to go to Gibraltar because he "had consistently
misduplicated the orders."
I asked Hana how she felt about the idea that Hubbard, not John
O'Keefe, may have been the one on drugs. She answered, "Now in
retrospect, I think that's a very good possibility."
*At this time Hubbard still allowed the affectionate title "Old Man" to be
used.
"*Mankind's Only Hope*"
63
****
HANA
The Avon River "limped" into Cagliari. It looked filthy. It looked
like it had been through a storm.
LRH had messengers running backwards and forwards between the
two ships.
In Cagliari LRH demoted John from captain to third engineer and
put somebody else in charge of the ship. When she arrived in the mid-
dle of the day or in the early afternoon, messenger runs were going
back and forth between LRH and John, getting whatever LRH wanted
to know.
The Avon River's new captain was given orders to sail immediately
to Valencia, Spain.
LRH was' unwilling to accept somebody's suggestion that they at
least be allowed to rest overnight. He said, "No, they don't deserve it.
That ship is in disgrace. They are all equally responsible." And he or-
dered them to turn right around and go straight back.
Those people were exhausted and you could see it. They had come
through a major hurricane, sailed all the way to Cagliari. Just arrived,
they barely had time to take on a few provisions and fuel up and here
come the orders to sail again, for some three days, to Valencia!
I barely had time to see John. I was very shook up about the whole
deal and about how he looked. Those black rings under his eyes
haunted me. He'd lost weight - it looked like some 10 to 15 pounds.
They all looked that way.
And then the next day we on the Apollo ended our cycles in Cagliari
and sailed for Valencia.
By the time we got there the Avon River was already in Valencia.
That was when LRH convened a Committee of Evidence on John.
Without my being aware of it he appointed me as the chairman.
He was aware that we were lovers and when the messenger. brought
him the printed page announcing the Committee of Evidence I was
standing next to him.
He turned around with this half smile on his face and he said,
"Poetic justice, isn't it!"
And I took a look at the Committee announcement and saw my
name on it as the chairman. It had all the charges there against John:
"Dereliction of duty, non-compliance with orders," etc., one after the
other...every charge in the book.
It grabbed me in the gut. I was to sit in judgment on the man I
loved.
I would no more have thought of questioning LRH...
I didn't
dream of questioning him! He had a way about him. He would get mad
and he'd be furious, and he'd vent that fury in all directions. And as
that phase passed - it would take half an hour to an hour - and as he
started to get "answers" (either his own answers or answers that were
brought to him by messengers or whatever) he would come out of that
anger and get into this enthusiastic vengefulness.
He would be smiling and, by God, he would be out to get someone.
He would be so proud of himself for having gotten as far with this thing
as he had gotten. And then, gradually over the next day or so, he
would calm down.
I knew I had to find John guilty. Absolutely!
There was no way out, even though he had not taken drugs as LRH
had accused him.
So since LRH said it was so, it was true! Also, since this was already
in the bill of particulars of the Committee of Evidence, put there by
Ron, it didn't even occur to any of us to question it.
LRH was the guy who had the answers to save Mankind. John was
merely the man I loved. I looked at it from the standpoint of "the
greatest good for the greatest number." That's how I looked.at it, even
though I cared for him deeply.
We wrote up our findings saying, "guilty," even though he said he
wasn't guilty.
Deep down I knew it was very unfair because 1 knew the worth of
the man. I knew that John had pulled off something pretty damned
fantastic. My God, with 17 ships that went down in one of the worst
hurricanes that they'd had in the area for 15 years. And the little Avon
River had come through it with a little amateur crew on board!
And the captain, the person directing the others in this emergency,
and saving the ship, was a guy on drugs?
Can you imagine if those people had all been lost! And since they
were so untrained, what the hell was LRH even doing sending them
out to sea?
We found John guilty and upheld his assignment to a condition of'
treason.
I now firmly believe that I was selected as chairman of the
committee because LRH wanted me to break up with John.
This fact
completely escaped me at that time.
John claimed he had received verbal orders from LRH to sail past
Itiza to Monaco.
LRH said that, in effect, this was all a delusion of John's. After all,
"He was on drugs."
So John finally left the Sea Org.
There were moments where I wondered if I had made the right de-
cision, to let John go and not go with him, but they were so brief, even
though coming from the heart. Because the greater glory of the Sea
Org and the greater mission that we were on just swept those little
doubts away so quickly - so quickly.
Almost anything was excusable as far as we were concerned, be-
cause of what we had to achieve. The mission that we were on was so
huge that a bit of violence here, a bit of injustice here and a
"crucifiction" or two there, was taken for granted.
The breakup of our relationship was taken for granted. These things
had to happen - because we had to move so fast, so rapidly, over such a
great distance that you might have to bend or break someone and
something in order to get there. Above all, we had to get there! Anything else was swept away to make room for that greater purpose. This
was the over-riding consideration.
****
Bob Ross, who introduced Dianetics into Israel in 1951, was per-
haps very much on the mark when, after reading this account, he
stated: "It reminds me of S.S. Nazi training where boys are given two
dogs to train and live with for a year; at which point they ate ordered
to kill their dogs."
5. The Liability Cruise and Other Adventures
Throughout the 1950's Hubbard talked a great deal about the
"spirit of play," the importance of having a "light heart," of how pun-
ishment did not work. He spoke of how groups were composed of in-
dividuals, and of the importance of individual freedom. Scientologists
to this day read these words and sigh at the wisdom of it all. At the
same time they nod their heads agreeably over sentiments by
Hubbard - originated mainly from the mid - sixties on - which reflect
the opposite viewpoint. Making one's peace with blatant contradictions in the writings of one's beloved Founder is just one small aspect
of what it takes to be a happy, well-adjusted Scientologist.
Hubbard Communications office Bulletin of 7 February 1965,
"Keeping Scientology Working":
If they're going to quit let them quit fast. If they're enrolled, they're
aboard, they're here on the same terms as the rest of us - win or die in
the attempt. Never let them be half minded about being
Scientologists. The finest organizations in history have been tough,
dedicated organizations. Not one namby-pamby bunch of panty-waist
dilettantes have ever made any thing. It's a tough universe. The social
veneer makes it seem mild. But only the tigers survive - and even they
have a hard time.
This is a deadly serious activity. And if we miss getting out of the
trap now, we may never again have another chance.
When Miss Pattycake comes to us to be taught, turn that wandering
doubt in her eye into a fixed, dedicated glare and she'll win and we'll
all win. Humor her and we all die a little.
Also in a serious vein, Hubbard claimed to have isolated the enemy
of Scientology in 1967. The enemy, he declared, consisted of one
small group that had "hammered at Scientology since 1950." He
claimed to have isolated a "dozen men at the top," and the organiza-
tion they used, and all its connections around the world. "They're as
red as paint," he said. "Psychiatry" and "mental health" was chosen as
a vehicle to undermine the West! And we stood in their way."
****
In the months that followed the departure of her lover, John
O'Keefe, Hana found herself becoming a favorite of Hubbard's, who
promoted her to high positions of responsibility. And she was falling
even more under his spell.
HANA ELTRINGHAM:
We were en route from La Ghoulette (the outer Tunis harbor) back
to Valencia, Spain, having ended the "Mission Into Time" project.
R [as Hubbard was sometimes called, mainly for "security reasons"]
called me into his office and told me I was henceforth the Captain. Joe
Van Staden would be vacating that position, as he was being sent on a
mission.
I said "O.K." or something, left the office...and freaked !
This lifetime I had not had any sea experience, even with small
boats. And my sole experience was on the Avon River (Athena about
five months, with none of that in a command position.
I must have sat down at my desk in the 'tween decks, as the next
thing I recall is H beckoning me from the door leading into his office.
R had his E-meter in his hand and with the other hand gave me the
two cans and told me to hold them.
With no preamble he set up the meter, the two of us standing in the
doorway leading from the 'tween decks into his office.
"When were you last a Captain" he asked me.
I gave him one experience (from a past life) and he acknowledged
me.
He asked me to go earlier and find another similar incident. I did so.
I got a pretty major incident and related it to him, while he was nod-
ding his head enthusiastically and encouraging me on and on.
That must have been what he was looking for, I guess....
"Are you a Loyal Officer?"* he then asked me.
That question threw me. I exhilarated on it, and at the same time I
felt confused.
R let that go and just sent me on my way.
About fifteen minutes later he came out of his cabin to where I was
on the deck.
He peered closely at me - into my eyes.
I smiled at him and told him that all was O.K.
"That last question really indicated," I told him, "although I really
haven't put all the pieces of the puzzle together."
He patted me on the back really affectionately.
"That's my girl!" he said, beaming. "You'll be finding out more
about that quite soon."
At that,.he turned and walked back into his office
THE LIABILITY CRUISE
Valencia, on the south coast of Spain, 1968.
ELENA LORREL:
While we were off on the "Mission Into Time" project, the Apollo
was left in Port in Valencia, Spain. Among the officers, who included
Mary Sue [Hubbard's wife there were none who knew enough navigation to move the ship.
Even the person who was the captain at the time didn't know how to
move it, so it had been moored at a single berth for about two months.
One day the Port Captain's office asked them to move it.
So the captain, in order to cover his ass, went ashore and exploded
at the Port Captain. He pulled a real Krushchev type incident, almost
like beating his shoe on the table, and they ended up getting kicked
out. And we "lost Spain"** as a result of that.
This entire mess caused us to have to end our "Mission Into Time"
early. We were in the middle of some digs in Carthage and we were
not able to complete them as a result of this situation.
So we went
storming back to Valencia, to salvage the Apollo's crew!
*Not having done the level of Operating Thetan III yet, Hana would not have
been
aware of what Hubbard was talking about. The full significance of Hubbard's
question will become apparent to the reader in Chapter 13 of the second part of
this book, entitled "The Wall of Fire."
**Hubbard "wanted a country," a place where he was safe and could "pull all the
strings." "Taking" a single country was to be the first step to "taking" the
planet; thus the talk of "losing" countries.
Once we got back, the Old Man [Hubbard] had all of us from the
Athena put in charge of moving the Apollo. (We had by that time been
out to sea for three months and had lived in the hardest of weather.
The heavy storm season in the Mediterranean, during which we had
been at sea constantly, between treasure digs, had made us seasoned
sailors.)
Just before we moved it, we were moored right next to the Apollo
and the Old Man had this incredible shouting match with Mary Sue in
his office.
You could hear through the wall like it was cardboard.
He really blooped her through the universe saying that he had
never really wanted her and the kids to be there, and she should just
pack up, take the kids and ship out!
It went on and on: She had let him down by not moving the ship,
letting this big port flap happen.
He was just screaming at her at the top of his lungs.
And she begged him to allow her to stay.
Then after a time, responding to her pleas, he said, "Well what are
you going to do about this ship of fools?"
She proposed that she be allowed to prove herself.
So we moved the ship out to anchor and the Commodore took away
their flag. They only had a gray rag that was flown at half mast and they
went on what was called the liability cruise.
****
They were gone for two and a half months and they had a very rigor-
ous schedule. We, the Athena crew (it was the flagship at the time be-
cause the Commodore was on it) stayed in port for part of this time.
The Apollo was on this cruise with the stated reason to train its
crew, with Mary Sue as the captain.
You can imagine some 120 crew all having to do their able-bodied-
seaman training, and all sorts of other nautical courses and ethics con-
ditions, in order for the ship to be upgraded from liability.
They had to be radarmen, conning officers, and so on.
So it took them two and a half months, and it was during that period
that they violated a couple of major international conventions and re-
ally got us messed up in a couple of countries.
First of all, they were sent off on the liability cruise with no flag. So
they couldn't go into any port. They had no flag to fly (and you can't go
into port without flying a flag to identify yourself). Secondly, the fact
that they had a female captain in Spanish waters pretty much identified
them with Soviet or iron curtain country ships.
They were sent off with charts that were old and not up-dated and
they did not know the military zones they started cruising in. And they
started cruising in top secret military zones that were categorically forbidden, such as where there were nuclear submarines training.
They went aground a couple of times, and it was just a comedy of
errors.
So they were finally stopped at gun point and the ship was taken
over and the Spanish navy came aboard and arrested them under cover
of machine guns. They interviewed Mary Sue and couldn't believe that
it wasn't a spy ship.
They were released from arrest but it was after that that the rumors
started about the "spy ship," and it became compared with the Ameri-
can spy ship Pueblo.
Reports went up to the ministry of the interior and they thought we
were connected to the CIA or KGB, and the Apollo was banned from
Spain.
****
All three vessels (Apollo, Athena and yacht Diana) had joined up in
Corfu, Greece, during the last months of 1968.
The ships were berthed in Corfu when people were first being
tossed into the harbor. The Old Man was just really rabid and yelling
and screaming a lot.
For some time throwing violators of Hubbard's rules over the side
of the ship ("overboarding" them) became a Sea Org tradition. Usu-
ally they were thrown off the 'tween (second) deck, but there were a
couple of occasions when they went off the promenade deck (some 25
feet above the water).
There were rules written by Hubbard in a "Flag Order" which
listed orders of severity of overboarding, such as: from which deck,
should the person be blindfolded, and should his hands or feet be
tied.
Every morning a solemn ceremony was performed at dawn, when
offenders of the previous day were listed by the Master at Arms.
Then the order was picked up by two of the MAA's assistants and
was heaved out over the sea.
There was "tech" written by Hubbard at the time giving the theory
behind this kind of discipline. He wrote about how the reactive mind
(subconscious mind) actually exerts a "force" against an individual
which propels him towards wrongdoing. It is therefore necessary, he
asserted, to apply an even greater force on the individual towards
"right doing.
Within a system of due process, that is essentially how penal systems could be said to work.
Due process was not usually available,
however, as the following example illustrates.
Homer Shomer, a businessman who was aboard the Apollo told
me:
I remember being on the bridge of the flagship. A 19-year old-girl
named Marrianne Wicher was the radar plotter. We were on a watch.
LRH came up on the bridge and looked in the radar screen and saw
two ships that he considered fairly close. They were about five miles
away. And he just really ripped into her.
He called her the foulest names and instantly assigned her to the
Rehabilitation Project Force:*
"You mother fuckin' cock suckin' cunt! You're endangering the ship!
You're assigned to the RPF!" and he kicked her off the bridge.
****
While the early Sea Org adventures were occurring, my wife and I
were working long hours at Saint Hill in England. We were studying
and auditing for barely enough money to live on. We had signed con-
tracts for two and a half years, in exchange for cut rates on courses and
auditing.
Furnace Woods, which surrounded our little rented cottage, was
very beautiful in the spring and we went for walks on the rare occa-
sion when we had a little time off.
We heard occasional stories of life at sea on the Apollo and Athena.
We were told there was some fairly severe discipline. But generally
we knew little of what was going on. Had I known about the children
in the chain locker, for example, I would have been extremely upset
and confused.
After all I planned to have a family, and I dreamed of
applying Hubbard's "tech" on raising children to my own kids.
I had read most of Hubbard's writings on "how to live with chil-
dren" such as:
You want to raise your child in such a way that you don't have to
control him, so that he will be in full possession of himself at all times.
Upon that depends his good behavior, his health, his sanity.
Children are not dogs. They can't be trained as dogs are trained.
They are not controllable items. They are, and let's not overlook the
point, men and women. A child is not a special species of animal dis-
*
Essentially a Scientology slave labor force.
tinct from Man. A child is a man or a woman who has not attained full
growth.
How would you like to be pulled and hauled and ordered about and
restrained from doing whatever you wanted to do? You'd resent it. The
only reason a child "doesn't" resent it is because he's small. You'd half
murder somebody who treated you, an adult, with the orders, contra-
diction and disrespect given the average child. The child doesn't strike
back because he isn't big enough. He gets your floor muddy, inter-
rupts your nap, destroys the peace of your home instead. If he had
equality with you in the matter of rights, he'd not ask this "revenge."
This "revenge" is standard child behavior....
The sweetness and love of a child is preserved only so long as he can
exert his own self-determinism. You interrupt that and, to a degree,
you interrupt his life.
There ale only two reasons why a child's right to decide for himself
has to be interrupted - the fragility and danger of his environment and
you, for you work out on him the things that were done to you, regard-
less of what you think....
The idea of some discipline was not repugnant to me. After all,
rather some discipline for the sailors on a ship, than that they all
should lose their lives when the badly run ship sinks.
But wanton punishment2 That wouldn't have made any sense.
After all, it was Hubbard who wrote:
Blackmail and punishment are keynotes of all dark opera-
tions...punishment doesn't cure anything.... Man is basically good
and is damaged by punishment....Harsh discipline may produce in-
stant compliance but it smothers initiative.
These sentiments very much applied in counseling (auditing). I au-
dited someone with the datum in mind that the force and punishment
and trauma experienced by this person was part of what was wrong
with him, and needed to be gradiently faced up to, so he or she be-
came free from the negative effects of these things.
The other side of this was the "overt" side. The person also needed
to gradiently confront the force, punishment and trauma he had
inflicted on others, as these things were a major source of his current
problems and irresponsibilities.
As I saw it, the idea in auditing, was to increase one's ability to confront and communicate, to become more alive, more oneself. For me
auditing was a wonderfully effective way of unhypnotizing people.
There was an "Auditor's Code," of which the two most important
*The Liability Cruise*
points were: "Do not evaluate for the preclear" (this meant that in no
way should the auditor tell the "preclear" what he should or should
not think), and "Do not invalidate or correct the preclears data."
Also very important was the rule: "Always remain in good two-way
communication with the preclear during the session." This denotes
always letting the preclear know what procedure is being run, always
being alert to anything he wishes to say and being willing to hear it
fully and with interest, and acknowledging that one has heard what he
has said and that one has understood it.
Following these rules appeared to work for me in the most amazing
way.
Mary and I quickly gained a reputation as very effective audi-
tors. We became highly sought after, and we were very proud indeed
of the constant flood of praise and stories of changed lives. The affec-
tion showered upon us by those we had helped was a source of enor-
mous gratification.
Auditing was very much the essence of civilized communication.
For me, and many others at the time, this was what Scientology was
all about.
One of the most publicized of all of Hubbard's writings' is a piece
called "What is Greatness":
...The hardest task one can have is to continue to love one's fel-
lows despite all reasons he should not.
And the true sign of sanity and greatness is to so continue.
For the one who can achieve this, there is abundant hope....
True greatness merely refuses to change in the face of bad actions
against one - and a truly great person loves his fellows because he un-
derstands them....
When cruelty in the name of discipline dominates a race, that race
has been taught to hate. And that race is doomed.
The real lesson is to learn to love.
It would have been inconceivable that L. Ron Hubbard, who had
"discovered" all this wisdom, would himself act in complete violation
of it.
Possibly there were those around him - people he had not yet
detected - who were violating these truths; but he himself? The
thought just did not occur.
It would be some time before I'd realize that the civilized commu-
nication and counseling I so valued served mainly as the "bait on the
hook. "
6. Wogs vs. Operating Thetans
"We're in this for blood." - L. RON HUBBARD
In the fall of 1974 the Apollo sailed to Lisbon in Portugal, following
its most recent sojourn in Tenerife and other Canary islands. (These
islands, located off the southern coast of Morocco in the East Atlantic,
had taken turn playing host to the Apollo throughout most of 1974.)
In Portugal she was allowed access to Lisbon's harbor. Here, prior
to their leaving, the crew were witnesses to the leftist coup (dubbed
"the flower revolution" by the press).
They could see the tanks rolling
in the streets.
There was a quiet tension among the crew as the ship steamed
away from Lisbon, heading for the Portuguese island of Madeira.
Having been repeatedly expelled from ports throughout the Mediterranean and the Eastern Atlantic, along with observing the hostilities
in Lisbon, had given them an odd feeling of being cut adrift.
They entered the harbor of Funchal, Madeira, and were granted
berthing rights by the harbor authorities. The feeling of relief was pal-
pable.
As was their custom, the crew unloaded their motorcycles and
parked them on the dock alongside the Apollo. Hubbard had always
been a motorcycle buff.
At this point in time he owned two, his favor-
ite being a big American-made Harley-Davidson.
Captain Bill Robertson, a man with a personality perhaps every bit
as colorful as Hubbard's, and whose loyalty to him bordered on the
fanatical, saw to it that Hubbard's personally ensured that his
machines were well cared for. They were taken off the ship first, and
*Wogs vs. Operating Thetans*
given the best location on the dock. Kept in top running condition,
they were washed and polished daily.
Following Hubbard's lead, Captain Bill owned his own motorbike,
and so did many others of the higher ranking crew members. Mary
Sue Hubbard owned a small car.
None of the crew had much in the way of personal possessions, and
those who owned a motorcycle generally showered the same attention on their machine as a doting parent would on an only child.
Besides the pride of possession, the bikes gave their owners a precious taste of independence from the disciplines and confines of the
ship.
They could go riding off for an hour or so a day. And on their day
off, once every two weeks, they could actually forget that the ship ex-
isted for an entire 12 hours! (This day off was conditional on their hav-
ing their "statistics up," meaning that they had produced adequately,
according to rigorous and sometimes ridiculous standards which re-
quired that every week's production be better than the previous.
If
this was not so they forfeited their "holiday.")
At Funchal, the routine of unloading the bikes was adhered to in
the same manner as at previous ports, and the buying of supplies and
the unloading of trash went on with the normal, high energy, hustle
and bustle.
Buyers were sent into the township to get fresh produce at the
lowest possible prices, and the Apollo began its refueling procedure.
There were hundreds of locals crowding around the wharf - an
unusually large number.
"Hey Americanos!" Portuguese abuses. Something exploded on
the main deck.
There was the sound of glass shattering, a melee at the
head of the gangplank, and the quartermaster was screaming for help.
Cobblestones (ripped from the pavement of the wharf) and bottles
were landing on the deck. "There's someone injured on the poop
deck!" yelled the bosun, "Get some guys up there to help."
"There are soldiers over there, why the hell don't they fucking give
us a hand?" muttered a ship's officer.
Louise Botika (not real name), who was in charge of taking care of
the Commodore's safety, says:
I was awakened by someone yelling that the ship was being at-
tacked. I ran up to his room and he was in a cocky mood. He first of all
gave orders that the crew were to mimic everything the crowd was
yelling.
They followed his instruction to no avail. Then, in an attempt to
drive back the crowd, the sea hoses (those used to pump sea water)
were pulled to the front line in order to spray them.
There was inadequate pressure, and the result was only to infuriate
the crowd even further.
Kima Douglas' jaw had been broken. Another girl was sobbing
from pain and being blinded by the blood flowing into her eyes from a
head injury.
Louise continues:
LRH grabbed a bullhorn and ran out onto the deck, yelling
"Communista! Communista!" Just why I'll never know. It certainly
didn't work.
Then he ran back in and grabbed a camera with a flash and began
photographing the mob.
This did have some value later.
"Dammit, they're dumping the bikes into the bloody ocean!" some-
one yelled. "There's not a thing we can do about it. We'd get bloody
killed down there. Oh shit! there goes the Commodore's bike. Jesus,
I just don't believe this!"
There were a couple of attempts to loosen the ship from her moor-
ings by the mob. The crew of the Apollo fought with bravado, disguis-
ing their fear which bordered on terror at times Some even went
down the gangplank in a foolhardy attempt to fight off the attackers
who were loosening the ropes.
MIKE GOLDSTEIN :
I was Captain Bill's yeoman when the thing happened. Initially I
was put in charge of putting together and arming a bunch of guys with
steel pipes and grouped them at the gangplank to repel any boarders.
They never managed to make a real attempt at boarding, however, so
we were never tested.
The crowd was yelling "CIA! CIA! CIA!" It's really funny when
you come to think about it, here we were with our clever shore story,
that we were Operation Transport Corporation, managing businesses
around the world. The idea was never to tell them that we were
Scientologists because it might bring on an attack. So they didn't know
we were Scientologists - something we could have proved. They sure
knew that we weren't business management, however. That they were
certain of!
*Wogs vs. Operating Thetans*
So they decided we were CIA and here we were being stoned. We
were in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong shore story.
Pat Broeker had this whole idea, during the height of the attack,
that he was going to pull a dirty dozen caper. He had some idea of
jumping off the side of the ship and sailing a nearby barge ashore and
doing some stunt that would save the ship. It never came off.
It's funny that he's the guy who is now the king of Scientology. He
had the nickname "007."
He loved spy capers and his favorite movie was The Dirty Dozen.
He would sit for hours telling his juniors the entire movie from begin-
ning to end.
Louise continues her story:
The riot lasted a couple of hours and we were finally able to get the
militia to move in and help us, partly by offering to give them what
they thought was the film from LRH's camera which had the exposures
of the riot on it. Madeira is one of Portugal's prime tourist spots and
they didn't want the bad publicity. So LRH made a great gesture of
exposing the film to the light in front of them. In fact he had previously
taken out the roll containing the shots of the rioters and replaced it
with another.
The militia had virtually cleared the wharf and everything had
calmed down, when the Commodore suddenly yelled "Duck!" and ev-
eryone jumped for cover.
There was no apparent threat to anyone at the time. "That guy can't
be trusted with that gun!" he said, without indicating who he meant.
This apparently paranoid reaction contrasted sharply with his prior
reckless behavior of exposing himself to possible blows by rocks and
bottles as he strutted on the open deck shouting into a bullhorn and
taking photographs.
The ship was taken out into the harbor a way, where she dropped
anchor.
The next day divers were sent down who dredged up some motor-
cycles and Mary Sue Hubbard's little mini-car. Meanwhile other
crew members took on supplies while the militia were still there to
protect them.
****
James Hare, an auditor on the Apollo, had managed to get away
from the ship for a time to ride his bike into the township for a visit to
a bar.
He was a little bit drunk as he rode back towards the ship. As he
approached the wharf he saw the riot in progress and sensed that his
life was in extreme danger. Realizing that he would be recognized as
"one of them," he swung his bike inland and sped away.
Four locals spotted him, jumped on motorcycles and followed in
hot pursuit. The chase lasted for several minutes until Hare took a
bend too fast. "My bike ate it, and I ate it," he says. "The lights went
out."
Four days later the lights came back on. He was in a hotel. There
was dried blood all over his pillow and "a fair sized hole" in the back
of his head. He was relieved to see his guitar (James is a highly regarded Aamenco musician). It was in good shape and had apparently
been thrown clear when he and his bike had hit the pavement.
Someone had taken mercy on him, delivering him to the hotel and
taking money from his pocket to pay for his keep.
His bike was totaled, he discovered, but he caught a taxi to the
wharf only to discover the ship was no longer there.
He returned to the States and his only subsequent contact with
Scientology was when he was visited by Scientology agents warning
him to shut up about his experiences. One of the experiences they
had in mind was his being party to a rescue of Quentin Hubbard
(Hubbard's oldest son by his third wife Mary Sue) from a hillside in
Madeira. He was unconscious from an overdose of drugs when they
found him. According to James Hare, it was an apparent attempt-
ed suicide.
(Hubbard's response to Quentin's behavior was to have him thrown
into the Rehabilitation Project Force. See Chapter 8, "Crucifying the
Evil Out. ")
Quentin was a gentle caring young man in his late teens, who told
his close friend Cathy Cariatakis repeatedly, "I don't want to be a
Hubbard!" He wanted go off somewhere and become an airline pilot.
Instead, he was being trained and apprenticed as a Case Supervisor.
The ship had left Funchal for an offshore location to drop anchor
and prepare for a long voyage.
It was ostensibly due to head for Buenos Aires. (Actually, under
cover of darkness the blacked-out ship changed direction towards the
southern part of North America.)
After the ship left Portugal, the liaison office in Lisbon was raided
by the local police, but Scientology agents there had shredded and
burned all evidence of their activities.
*Wogs vs. Operating Thetans*
The events of that day became known among the crew members as
the "rock concert."
****
WHY WAS THE APOLLO TURNED AWAY FROM ALMOST
ALL MEDITERRANEAN AND EASTERN ATLANTIC PORTS
AND THEN ATTACKED IN MADEIRA, PORTUGAL?
The official Scientology story was that there was an international
conspiracy by the World Federation of Mental Health being orches-
trated against the ship throughout the area using such agencies as the
CIA, British Intelligence, Interpol and British consulates.
There is, however, a consistent viewpoint expressed by the ex-Sea
Org members interviewed for this book. They share a conviction that
the ship's troubles had something to do with how Hubbard and the
crew conducted themselves.
ELENA LORREL:
There are some missing chapters in the story of this period that are
completely unknown even to many veteran Sea Org members. These
missing chapters have enabled lots of myths to develop. They have to
do with what the ships were really doing as opposed to what we pro-
claimed to Scientologists we were doing.
What we were doing was James Bond stuff in all these different
countries.
Some of the missions that we undertook were real intelligence mis-
sions: to the U.N., and to the World Federation of Mental Health, for
example, as well as to almost every government of the countries we
visited.
We were infiltrating these groups....I mean we were finding the
people trying to assassinate a king; we were trying to settle between
one tribe fighting another tribe; trying to covertly back one political
candidate versus another. All kinds of political manipulations like
you'd never imagine were going on, and it was all being pulled off by a
very few people.
Most Sea Org members were robotic, rigidly following Scientology
think. Put under pressure and duress, they would just blab every-
thing So there was only a very small group of us that had to do it all
over a period of 10 or 12 years. We'd been out on scenes where we had
to break into presidential palace grounds, con our way past guards, and
so on.
What really caused the Rock Festival was typical of what got us in
trouble in most ports:
The fact is that we just didn't add up !
The Apollo would arrive in their quiet harbor and suddenly there
were 47 motorcycles and three different bands playing! Here we were
at the same time, supposedly, a business management operation...
Also a shore unit was set up in their town by us that was working on a
project we had contracted with the Lisbon government (in an attempt
by us to gain influence).
I think the people in Madeira may also have thought we were spying
on them (the locals) for the government in Lisbon.
Another reason for our troubles was that we wouldn't observe cus-
toms and regulations because we were so damned arrogant.
LRH was creating the problem, more than not. He was getting so
excited. Cathy Cariatakis or I would go into some country and ally it
and he would be so excited. He was like a child with this whole new
playground. He just couldn't contain himself. He would want to get
into everything.What LRH wanted to do would almost invariably involve some vio-
lation of an agreement we had made.
INFILTRATING "THE ENEMY"
Elena continues:
LRH sent off a "SMERSH" mission to Switzerland. We were caught
red-handed by the Swiss Minister of Health and received a summons
to a meeting with him and the Attorney General, surrounded by security police.We were just caught, hung tied and quartered, until I somehow
managed to convince the minister that I truly was a member of the
World Federation of Mental Health. I told him that what we were trying to do really was the result of an internal squabble within that organization.
He finally bought this line, dropped the idea that we were impostors, and asked the law enforcement guys to leave.
We had been trying to incorporate as the World Federation of Mental Health. The WFMH had never been incorporated in Switzerland.
It was incorporated and started in the U.S. Margaret Mead and Brock
Chisholm and some of the old-time shrinks were some of the founding
members.We were going to incorporate in Switzerland and were planning,
thereafter, to sabotage the entire mental health movement.
In order to register in Switzerland, they had to have been incorpora-
ted first. We discovered they had registered with no prior incorpora-
*Wogs us. Operating Thetans*
tion, making them illegitimate. So we seized on this situation and decided to incorporate in their place.
We wanted to get member mental health groups all over the world
to join us. We were planning to achieve that by bad mouthing the ex-
isting heads of the WFMH. One of our key weapons was the fact that
we had discovered that the heads of the WFMH were creaming and
skimming a lot of money off the top. We had documents to prove this.
We had gotten these documents from two missions prior to mine,
sent to Switzerland to ransack a couple of offices and loot the files.
Among the files they brought back to the ship were documents which
revealed the tracking of money which came in. It showed how it had
been skimmed off the top by some of these WFMH executives.
So we went to incorporate and they said, "You can't do that. There is
already a corporation of that name." And we said, "No, you'd better
check your records, and you'll find they aren't incorporated." And they
said, "Well they're registered here," and we said, "Well they're not
incorporated." And they said, "Well, they are in Delaware." And we
said, "Yes but they're only registered there, they're not incorporated
there."
So when it came down to the wire (that they weren't properly incor-
porated), the Swiss authorities turned it over to the Ministry of Health.
This was because, while they knew we were right, they didn't want to
stab the WFMH in the back.
So the referred it to the Minister of Health for a ruling.
While we were waiting for the decision, we prepared a letter-head
with WFMH markings on it. We established an office and put up large
posters and plastered the Federation of Mental Health name all over
it. We got the program going. We sent mailings out to all the major
drug companies around the world, saying that we really were in favor
of euthanasia (in this case "mercy" killing on a broad scale, a euphe-
mism for ridding society of"undesirables") and that we wanted endowments from them to push it through in the United Nations.
We figured that if the drug companies were sleazy enough to back it
they would send us money, and if they were pretty cool they would
realize that the WFMH were evil SOBs because they were pushing
euthanasia.
Either way we came out O.K. We would either make the WFMH
look like a bunch of sleazebags, or we would end up with a good
amount of money for operating capital.
This project was one of several forerunners of the later "Operation
Snow White" conducted by Scientology against agencies in the U.S.
and England.
82
A GREEK TRAGEDY
ELENA:
...
In 1968, in Corfu, Greece, LRH moved onto the Royal Scots-
man (soon to be named Apollo), making that the flagship.
The ship was in fact getting on very well with the military junta.
Cathy Cariatakis, whose native language is Greek, had helped forge
friendly relations with the head Colonel of the junta. This relationship
was so warm that one of the junta attended the naming service of the
Apollo, Athena and Diana.
Things went along splendidly and LRH was having an absolutely
marvelous time dreaming up ideas for creating a base there on the is-
land of Corfu. There were plans to establish a Saint Hill Organization
and an Advanced Organization to be called the University of Philosophy.
Then LRH had the idea to write an article on Democracy, Greece
being the originator of Western Democracy.
He was very proud of the piece and ordered Cathy Cariatakis to
have it translated and published in the major Greek newspapers. She
did so.
There are many versions as to why things went sour with the Greek
government and resulted in Hubbard, the ship and its crew, being
ordered to leave. One version, which seems the most credible, was
that the military junta (depending for its very survival upon keeping
the sentiments for a return to democracy at bay) did not appreciate
the ideas expressed in Hubbard's article.'
Being ordered out of Greece in March of 1969, was the second
formal expulsion, eventually leading up to the "rock concert" in Madeira.
PLOTS TO KILL THE KING OF MOROCCO
ELENA:
The next major country we lost was Morocco....
The ship's having been kicked out of Corfu, Greece was the last
straw for the Old Man. He had already been kicked out of Hull in
*It would appear that Hubbard also, in fact, had little appreciation for the
idea of democracy. He had written in 1965:
"And I don't see that popular measures, self-abnegation and democracy have
done
anything for Man but push him further into the mud...democracy has given us
inflation and income tax."
England, and when they tried to pull into Gibraltar they were denied
entry there, and then later there was the Royal Scotsman mess in
Spain.
So the Old man decided for us to disconnect from land and go out
and float for as long as our emergency stores would last and just get our
scene together. And we did that for about two months off the coast of
Morocco.
It was during this "disconnection cruise" that LRH had a heart attack on the bridge....
On this cruise we did a lot of ship's work and eventually we were
forced to call into the port of Safi, there in Morocco, to get emergency
stores.
Richard Wrigley was the ship's PH man and he went ashore in Safi
and met the Pasha (the Mayor) of Safi. The Pasha invited him back and
he brought me along as his escort. And I made great friends with the
Pasha and his wife.
LRH and MSH had bought a Villa on a beautiful estate in Morocco
near Tangiers. During that following year they lived there relatively
peacefully, while the ship sailed mainly in the East Atlantic between
the ports of Morocco and Portugal and Spain, passing through such
ports as Lisbon, Tangiers, Madeira and the ports of the Canary Islands.
In 1972, they were still living in the villa while the ship was in
drydock in Lisbon for repairs.
Sometime after they had established themselves in the villa, LRH
received a written proposal from Richard Wrigley. He suggested that
he be given approval to find some way to get an audience with King
Hassan II and win him over, so that LRH and his crew would have a
safe haven in Morocco without further fear of expulsion.
It was an offer LRH couldn't refuse, and Richard and Liz
Gablehouse were sent off to carry the day. Specifically, they were to
make contacts within the palace of Hassan II, preferably with the king
himself.
In reply to his proposal LRH had written not only his approval, but
also a note stating that Richard would have "unlimited backing" (any
amount of money) and the missionaire of his choice to join him.
Liz and Richard spent a lot of time around bars and meeting people,
and did make friends with a French girl named Bidea who had married
into the royal family.
Despite this connection, nothing developed until Richard was with-
drawn from that project to go hob-nob with Black African diplomats on
the Ivory Coast, (undoubtedly another country to win over).
Bidea at that point confided in Liz that she had been uncooperative
because she didn't trust Richard.
From that time onwards progress began to be made. Liz was intro-
duced to the king's top people and later invited for dinner by a palace
representative.
LRH was very excited and said, "Bidea is the key to Morocco," and
we formed the Rabat office and recruited Bidea and her husband to
work for it.
Subsequently at a party, Colonel Allam, (who was a personal friend
of Bidea's) began to become very friendly with me and another missionaire from the Apollo. Bidea told us not to pursue anything with
him because he was military.
This overture by Colonel Allam was reported to LRH, who was
keeping very close tabs on the project. He directed that they pursue
the Allam connection.
Liz protested that this would be violating the guidelines about med-
dling with the military, but to no avail. LRH was very excited about
the turn of events and would hear of nothing but compliance with his
orders.
Colonel Allam was encouraged to invite a few crew members to a
party. At that party he told them about General Oufkir, who was a Ber-
ber. He said that the King kept Oufkir close to him because this was
useful in keeping peace between the Berbers and the Arabs. (The King
is an Arab, while a large proportion of the population is Berber. The
Berbers are a group of non-Arab tribes who have their own native language.)
A later party by Colonel Allam was also attended by Liz and an es-
cort from the ship.
Ceneral Oufkir had come back from America and arrived for the
party accompanied by this dumb blonde who had worked in the consu-
late's office in New York. They couriered a baby horse for the king's
son, which had been given them by the U.S. government.
Calhoun (my escort) and I played dumb American tourists and this
blonde spilled the beans after she had had a few drinks. The beans
were that General Oufkir had been at Port Holibert, which I knew was
a CIA training center because I had lived near there when I was in my
teens, and that he had been there secretly seeing the CIA. This was
kept secret from the king.
Basically, I decided that Oufkir must have been taken over by the
CIA to operate for them.
Next Liz and some of the crew were personal guests for the war
games, an annual display of all the latest weaponry attended by the
chiefs of staff and heads of government.
During the performance a jet plane swooped down and collapsed
some of the tents.
The whole object, it turned out, was to kill the king.
The generals, who had been seated near the Scientologists, were interviewed on TV at gunpoint, where they admitted to conspiracy
against the king. They were then shot and killed right there in front of
the cameras.
Later LRH sent Peter Warren and Amos Jessup to Rabat to see if
they could get a proposed security checking* project approved that
would aid the loyalists in finding out who were the leaders of those
plotting against him.
This was intended by LRH to be a back-up for the king.
LRH decided to use this security checking project as a way to get
close to the king - because, of course, by now the king feared for his
life and would presumably be grateful for the help with security.
The proposal was to security check all the officers in the Moroccan
Army to find out who was involved in the coup.
Amos Jessup and Peter Warren were actually able to approach Gen-
eral Oufkir (the king's friend and most trusted adviser and head of the
military) with a project designed by LRH to train the military officers
to use the E-meter to security check. Oufkir said, "Very interesting.
I'll get back with you."
The King flew off to safe ground (France) while his loyal staff
claimed to be organizing a clean-up operation to root out the remaining
rebel conspirators.
Meanwhile the sec checking project did get approved by the officer
below the general.
A team from Hubbard's headquarters were sent to train the se-
lected members of the military on the techniques of Security
checking on the E-meter.
****
The King was flying back from France a week or two after the sec
checking project started.
As the return flight from his visit to Paris was descending to begin
the approach to Rabat airport, three American-made F-5 Freedom
Fighters of the Moroccan Air Force came out to meet Hassan's
Boeing 727. Suddenly, the aerial escort opened fire on the royal
plane. After two passes they had damaged the cockpit, cut hydraulic
lines, smashed instruments and blown out the rear door.
Hassan ran to the cockpit and held the pilot at gun-point while he
called the attacking pilots on the airliner's radio and, disguising his
voice, told them he was the flight engineer. "Ce Majest est mort.
Cesez la fusillade!" (The king is dead," he said. "Cease fire." He also
*Essentially interrogation done on an E-meter.
told them that the airliner's hyo pilots were dead.) The plane landed
safely.
Shortly before the crippled plane had landed, General Oufkir had
been summoned to the telephone at the airport control tower.
What
was said over the phone was not revealed. But shortly after the king,
with three of his four children, had sped away to his summer palace in
a small black Renault-16, a Moroccan Airforce jet made four passes at
the field, shooting up cars, scattering the honor guard, killing eight
people and wounding 47. The king got away unscathed.
The next morning it was announced that, eight hours after the at-
tack on the king's plane, Oufkir had shot himself in the head at the
king's palace. The word from the palace was that Oufkir was the mas-
termind behind the coup. The king's plane was to have been shot
down over water, thus appearing to be an accident.
The phone call from the tower made by Oufkir was presumably to
order the jets to strafe the king on the ground, after he had realized
that he had not been killed in the air.
Subsequent to these events Hubbard pushed the sec checking pro-
ject even more heavily. Now, surely, the Moroccan government
would realize the high necessity to utilize any and all methods to root
out the remaining plotters against the King.
The students in the course were taught to sec check each other and
the work sheets were turned over to the supervisor of the course.
One day, among these worksheets, evidence turned up that the very
people who had approved the security checking were involved with
the coup attempt.
ELENA LORREL:
It's a puzzle as to why they had approved the sec checking project,
except to say that they feared that someone loyal to the king might be
approached by us, and decide sec checking was a good idea. It would
then have been out of his [Oufkir's] hands.
At least this way it was under his control. But I don't think he really
expected anything to come of it. He didn't expect the real dirt to be
dug up. Boy was he wrong!
Well, needless to say, the sec checking was terminated, and we
were given twelve hours to vacate Morocco.
All the people who connected to General Oufkir were later put on a
boat that was sunk, as a result of the fact they "somehow" were in the
area during the seven day war between Israel and Egypt. They all
died, including Colonel Allam, whom we had gotten to know so well.
7. Fear in the Master's Eye
One of the maxims which Hubbard often cited in one form or an-
other, and which he actually lived by, was: "Knowledge is power."
He saw in this maxim, however, something quite different from what
is seen by most people.
Collecting data about groups and individuals was one of his most
cherished passions. He worked incessantly to find out the secrets of
his followers and enemies alike. He built up detailed dossiers on
them. This was one of his key techniques for maintaining power.
In order to gain first-rate intelligence information, he not only utilized the full theory he had gained from what courses in naval intelli-
gence he attended during the early part of the Second World War,
but also implemented much from readings of Nazi spymasters. He
also developed creative techniques of his own.
All this constituted
what he called "intel tech" and was part and parcel of his constant
efforts to gain and maintain power.
An example of this tech:
"When you move off a point of power," he wrote in 1967, "pay all
your obligations on the nail, empower your friends completely and
move off with your pockets full of artillery, potential blackmail on eu-
ery erstwhile rival [emphasis added], unlimited funds in your private
account and the addresses of experienced assassins and go live in
Bulgravia and bribe the police."
While he absolutely denied anyone the right to have any secrets
from him, any person who discovered too much about the real L. Ron
Hubbard was on his or her way out!
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE RON JR.:
Dad's business was his business. Very few even got a hint of his
steel-lined, soundproof, compartmented mind.
Occasionally there would seem to be a threat to this state of affairs.
Someone would probe. Someone would appear to have the ability to
break through this fortress of secrecy. Dad would at such times go on
full alert, mobilizing all his resources to ensure he preserved the status
quo ....
Hubbard organized a secret service over the years and mobilized it
effectively. This was his answer to investigations by various
establishments - the American Medical Association in the 1950s, the
Food and Drug Administration, and the Australian Government in
the mid- and early sixties, the British Government beginning in 1967,
and Interpol and the French and U.S. governments during the 1970s
(along with an assortment of Mediterranean and North African Gov-
ernments).
****
In 1971 the French initiated legal action against Hubbard and his
Paris organization for fraud and customs violations. He was advised
by one of his agents that he was in danger of being extradited to
France.
In December of 1972, he flew from northern Africa to New York
with a bodyguard and a "medical officer. " Besides his legal problems,
he was also having health problems.
The three moved into an apartment in Queens, New York. Hub-
bard disguised himself with a wig whenever venturing outside. Dur-
ing this time he conceived the project to retrieve confidential infor-
mation from the U.S. government. He wanted desperately to know
what the government had in their files on him and Scientology.
He called this project "Operation Snow White" (the seizing of
confidential government files containing "false" reports in the U.S.
Government's files on Hubbard, Scientology and Scientology's per-
ceived enemies).
Hubbard's claim was that Scientology's troubles stemmed from lies
being distributed to agencies all over the world by the World Federa-
tion of Mental Health. The WFMH had "been isolated" by the intel-
ligence arm of Hubbard's church as being Scientology's prime enemy
on the planet.
*Fear in the Master's Eye*
89
This operation (see Chapter 13) was destined to have a profound
effect on his life, his family and the Scientology movement.
****
Having achieved some success in alleviating his physical travails,
using the nutritional writings of Adelle Davis along with some innova-
tions of his own, Hubbard returned to the Apollo after almost a year's
stay in the Big Apple.
His concerns regarding extradition had been quieted, and he looked
forward to the smell of the ocean, the feel of the warm tropical sun and
balmy breezes of the Canary Islands.
Back in the Canary Islands in early 1974, Hubbard was confronted
with a skyrocketing price of oil. As a result, the price of operating the
Apollo also soared.
He decided to offset the extra expense by opening up the ship for
visits from wealthy Scientologists. They were to receive auditing
aboard, paying rates much higher than those charged ashore.
Among those drawn by this offer, were some of the more successful
Scientology "franchise holders."
I was by this time one of those franchise holders, and the events
that followed constitute only a small drama when compared with
Hubbard's undercover battles with governments. However, it illus-
trates the fact that Hubbard was concerned with even the smallest
potential threat to his fortress of secrecy.
The story also introduces a major source of Hubbard's income and
flow of new converts (the "franchise" program). Being separated from
the tightly cloistered environment of the Sea Org and being exposed
to regular public, these franchise holders were, however, a source of
irritation as well as funds and people for Hubbard.
Hubbard, since the beginnings of Scientology, had granted fran-
chise rights to various people, enabling them to set up shop as a fran-
chise of the Church of Scientology. The franchise holder would pay
10 percent of the franchise's income to the Church.
In return for this "tithe," the franchise holder was promised finan-
cial independence, and freedom from interference in the form of
heavy disciplinary actions By the Church. Scientology franchises were
a sort of religious non-profit McDonald's, where the franchise holder
and his staff were able to pursue their ideals while having the oppor-
tunity to reach a middle-class standard of living, as opposed to the
abject poverty and virtual slavery of most Sea Org members.
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
This system was a hangover from days when Hubbard had not en-
joyed the financial clout which he now wielded; days when he wasn't
able to get away with being militaristic and dictatorial.
The franchise program had borne fruit for him, being the vehicle
that supplied him with over 90 percent of the new converts (or "cus-
tomers" as he sometimes called them).
Franchises brought in "raw meat" (people new to Scientology), and
delivered basic courses and lower-level auditing to them. They then
sent these people on to official Scientology organizations for the
higher and much more costly services.
Franchises also sold Hubbard's books. He had written many
science-fiction stories, adventure stories, and numerous magazine ar-
ticles under various pen names, prior to the advent of Scientology.
Since the enormous success of his first book on the mind, Dianetics,
the Modern Science of Mental Health in 1950, he had written over 20
books on the subjects of Dianetics and Scientology. He set up his own
publishing company to produce these books and constantly exhorted
all Scientologists to sell, sell, sell them. Churches and franchises set
aside large numbers of staff, and healthy advertising budgets, for this
purpose. All orgs and franchises were ordered to maintain large
stocks of all titles.
In 1970 I was twenty-eight and, with my wife Mary, had taken out
a franchise in Riverside, California. By late 1974, the franchise was
booming.
Having missed a few key chances to meet with Ron, since entering
Scientology in 1961, and having read the promotion enticing me to
come to the Apollo, I decided my time had finally come - to meet the
Old Mall face-to-face.
The location of the Apollo had been kept secret from the time she
had left England back in 1967; thus, while leaving on my pilgrimage
to the sacred ship, I had little idea where I was headed. I was given
the name of an agent who would meet me in New York and put me on
a plane.
In New York I was found by the agent, and was told that my next
destination would be Lisbon, where another Church representative
would meet me. This rendezvous also occurred and, after a short trip
through the streets of Lisbon, I was taken to an apartment where I
was greeted by the agent's wife. I did a double-take when I saw three
telex machines clattering away. "These machines receive and send
messages to and from the ship," the agent explained. "This location,
and these machines are to be kept strictly confidential."
I showered, ate some particularly sweet-sauced shrimp, and then
continued my journey via Madrid, to the Island of Tenerife, one of
the Canary Islands owned by Spain, off the Northwest coast of Africa.
There, I climbed into a taxi and requested, "Apollo, por favor."
The driver's face lit up in recognition and, 20 minutes later (at 3:00
in the morning) I was dropped off on the opposite side of the island.
The ship was a hive of activity. On deck, Israeli singer Tsura and a
band were practicing. Her husky voice and foreign-language song
were spellbinding. The waters of the harbor provided perfect acous-
tics.
After a routine check for any contagious disease, I was cleared for
boarding.
Cabin space on the Apollo was at a premium. Only the highest
ranking officers, and now the high paying visitors, were assigned
shared cabins. I would be sharing one with an officer. "Great news!"
exclaimed a young steward, who had introduced himself as "the
host." "An officer, who says he knows you, Barry Watson, happens to
have the bunk above him vacated by a fellow officer, who has just
been sent on mission. He'll let you use that bunk. You'll love this
cabin. It's really luxurious!"
It turned out to be a tiny, two-bunk cabin which, admittedly, did
have a beautifully varnished door. I pushed my way through the nar-
row doorway, squeezing my luggage under the bottom bunk, and
slurped some bad-tasting water from a tap atop the tiny sink. "Per-
haps that sink could have other uses?" I wondered, having searched
in vain for facilities one takes for granted in the U.S. I climbed into
the narrow, upper bunk, carefully, so as not to bang my head.
Sleep was quick to come, bordering on coma. It had been a long
and tiring trip.
The following day, the standard briefing was delivered to me by a
public relations officer - a very pretty, smartly uniformed woman, in
her early twenties. The sounds of seagulls fighting for food blended
with the balmy breezes and workaday sounds and sights of Tenerife's
busy harbor as she invited me to come sit on the promenade deck and
began the briefing:
"You never mention the word 'Scientology' when you're off the
ship," she explained. "You tell anyone who asks that you are an exec-
utive who has come for training on how to improve your business.
Now, just as general information, should it come up, the Apollo is a
Panamanian-registered vessel and she is owned by Operation Trans-
port Corporation. Operation Transport Corporation consults large
corporations all over the world by telex and correspondence, and
sometimes executives fly in to receive briefings and training. This is
our shore story.
"The British consulates have been especially bad in telling all sorts
of terrible lies to the locals wherever we go. In Corfu, Greece, for
instance, they told the locals that we had poisoned their water wells.
So, it's important that we have an acceptable story as to who we are
and what we are doing...."
As she continued her canned speech, my attention was drawn to a
barrel-chested man with red hair, dressed in a freshly laundered,
fashionable, tropical outfit. He had walked onto the deck and was
conversing, in an easy, friendly manner with a teenage girl. As I
looked over towards them, both Hubbard and the girl smiled and
"Is this the first time you've ever met Ron?" asked the PR girl.
"Yes," I answered. "I've been close a few times and I've met Mary
Sue on a few occasions, and I did a course at Saint Hill with the older
children, Quentin and Diane."
"Ron is really very impressive, isn't he?" she said. "He has tremen-
dous presence. I sure wish I could be as thoroughly in present time,
the way he is. He is really there, isn't he?"
Ron had passed the presence test in my mind. Very impressive in-
deed!
"Boy, what I'11 be able to tell my group when I get home!" I en-
thused.
The course hours were liberal, and I had plenty of time to explore the
island and enjoy long conversations with another franchise holder, a
friend of mine, J.C. Hughes.
I was talking to J.C. on the poop deck when Hubbard, surrounded
by an entourage of messengers, walked up and struck up a conversa-
tion. "I'm having a hell of a time getting that drummer of mine to get
the rhythm the way I want it," he said, referring to the drummer of
the "Apollo All Stars." He was on his way to an all-night recording
session in the island's township.
As J.C. and Hubbard kidded each other and exchanged anecdotes,
I noticed that Ron was nursing his right arm. The arm was in a sling
inside his coat, while the sleeve hung loose. But other than this,
everything I saw and heard harmonized with the preconceived image
of my hero. This was obviously one of the high points of my life, and I
took it all in with great zest.
*Fear in the Masters Eye*
93
It was explained to me later that Hubbard had come off his motor-
cycle at high speed and had broken his arm. There seemed to be no
good reason to disbelieve this, although I found myself ill at ease that
Hubbard could be vulnerable enough to have an accident. To my
mind, that kind of travail was generally reserved for lesser beings.
During the days that followed, I busied myself with the course I
was taking, and it wasn't until a couple of days before I was due to
leave the ship that I saw him again.
Before dinner, I had noticed that Hubbard's Ford Cortina rental
car was being meticulously prepared on the dock. I decided to forego
the meal in the hope of catching one last glimpse of The Founder be-
fore returning to the States. I placed myself on a section of the deck
where he would have to pass by.
There was only myself and one of Mary Sue Hubbard's aides on the
deck when Hubbard descended the stairs, alone, towards us. He
passed the aide who bade him, "Good evening, sir." He nodded,
without saying anything, and proceeded to walk in my direction.
Hubbard studiously avoided looking at me and there was a distinct
air of tension. As he came up to me and began to pass, I ventured a
"Good evening, sir." I felt I could say this with some sense of secu-
rity, since the other guy just got away with it. Hubbard didn't answer,
but instead looked at me, for a brief instant, with an unmistakable
mixture of fear and antagonism in his eyes. He then sped up his pace
so that he virtually scuttled off.
I felt stunned, and had considerable difficulty sleeping that night as
I kept asking myself: "What did that look in his eyes mean? How
come he was frightened of me?"
Interviewed at great length the following day, with the tin can elec-
trodes of the E-Meter clutched in my hands, I was asked: "What were
your intentions in coming to the ship? How do you feel about L. Ron
Hubbard? Why have you taken photographs? Do you have any evil
intentions towards L. Ron Hubbard? Mary Sue Hubbard? Any Scien-
tologist in good standing? Are you a member of the FBI? The CIA?
The KGB?", and many more questions in a similar vein.
I was then escorted to another interview with a security guard, who
demanded my camera and removed the film. I was told I would be
given my camera back (minus the film), along with my passport, just
prior to leaving the ship, when returning to the States.
It wasn't until four years later that I came across a note written in
Hubbard's hand, over his distinctive signature that read:
"Re. Bent Corydon: Check this guy out thoroughly! I am informed
that he has been a reporter."
It was dated coincident with my visit to the Apollo.
I had been a reporter for an 18-month period, working for a weekly
newspaper in Auckland, New Zealand, where one of my most notable
stories was about a pig who had escaped and was running through a
grocery store. I was a teenager during that time. I was now 32.
Hubbard had apparently been alerted to my background by the intel-
ligence section of his "Guardian office."
I told no one, except for my wife and my auditor, about this last
meeting with Hubbard. But it left a deep impression, along with the
same, haunting, unanswered question:
What had that look in Ron's eyes meant?
The answer to that question took years to appear.
At the time, I dared not consider the idea that perhaps Hubbard
had something to hide.
My mood was sober as I flew back to California. "Why," I asked
myself, "do I feel that I have been put under a microscope? Why this
foreboding of danger? The feeling that from now on my life is some-
how going to be fundamentally meddled with?" I tried hard to shrug
off these thoughts and take a nap. Failing to sleep, I tried to read. The
thoughts and feelings kept coming back.
It was a few months after I returned to the States that the "Rock
Concert" occurred and the Apollo sailed across the Atlantic.
8. Crucifying the Evil Out!
THE INCEPTION OF THE REHABILITATION PROJECT FORCE
"Offenders against us get ill because they can never truly justify it.
It is mercy to put a padlock on such a person's activities. Every word
he says or writes against us, every plot he enters into, alike push him
further and further down....
"It's a relief to a bad case to be punished...Axe him - but rehabili-
tate him too." - L. RON HUBBARD
It was not until early 1974 that blatant breaking of another person's
will - "break 'em down, build 'em back up" - became full blown and
implemented as official dogma: The Rehabilitation Project Force.
The RPF was essentially a slave labor prison project, where in-
mates ate scraps from the table after other crew had finished, and
where they were not allowed to speak to any non-RPFers unless spo-
ken to. Even then they were only to briefly answer, while addressing
their betters always as "sir." RPFers were dressed in blue overalls
and had to run wherever they went. (I shouldn't be describing this in
the past tense. The RPF continues to this day, very much a part of the
Church of Scientology.)
At its inception in 1974, the RPF, aboard the Apollo, was located in
lower hold number 1. "Meals" - consisting of plate scrapings - would
be lowered in a large bucket down into the hold. The RPFers were
not permitted any eating utensils and had to scoop this "food" by
hand.
E
While the flagship was at sea, escape, of course, was impossible.
According to Scientology "think," putting someone on the RPF is
actually a benevolent act. RPFers are considered to be, for all practi-
cal purposes, insane, loaded with "evil purposes" which have caused
them to commit many harmful actions (overts). This, in turn, caused
them to have many secrets (withholds).
The RPF is their last shot at "redemption."
****
Some who have been on the RPF, but have since managed to leave
Scientology, tell of fabricating "overts," which they then wrote up in
long lists. This was to appease the "ethics" officer, and prove that they
were, indeed, becoming rehabilitated, since it was firmly believed
that they must have lots of overts.
A common reason for putting someone on the RPF was the decision
to leave.
According to Hubbard:
People leave because of their own overts and withholds..
The only reason anyone has ever left Scientology is because people
failed to find out about them.
This became one of the basic doctrines, firmly believed by Scien-
tology staff and crew. That there might be some other factor such as
"choice" or "preference" was overlooked. (After all, it would be
pretty ridiculous to claim the Jews were escaping Nazi Germany be-
cause of their offenses against Hitler, and there's no doubt that Hub-
bard was aware of that.)
****
Laurel Sullivan testified in 1985 at the Cristofferson trial, and was
questioned about the RPF:
I had several discussions. L. Ron Hubbard was increasingly upset
with some of the personnel that were on the ship and he thought that
their actions were deliberately against him...and he was frustrated.
Also, he had suffered an accident. had got in a motorcycle accident,
so he was recovering and in some pain, and he was increasingly upset
with his own household staff, saying they had not cared for him and so
on. And he said this kind of thing was manifest amongst the staff and
the crew and that they had evil or unworthy intentions towards him or
Scientology...
There was a period of probably a week where discussions went on on
this in his office, and he said he wanted certain people segregated....
And he asked that these people be detected. And so I had one of my
staff, Barry Watson and a few other part-time staff members in the PR
bureau, go over various lists of people. Some of the lists were made up
of people's reads in their PC folders where they had had certain meter
reads during their private counselling sessions.
Q: You would look at PC folders on auditing?
A: Yes. There was what was called the "Rock slam read," which was
an agitated movement of the needle, indicating discomfort or bad or
evil intention - that's how it's supposed to be - against the subject be-
ing discussed, which would be weeded out of their folders. And these
names were put on lists.
Hubbard had decided that this particular movement of the needle
of the E-meter was proof of psychosis. (Oddly enough "rock slams"
were found liberally scattered throughout his own auditing folders
when, in 1972, while he was very ill, a review of all his past auditing
was done. Enraged, he had the folders confiscated. The person in
charge of the project was declared a "Suppressive Person.*' See Part
II, Chapter 14.)
****
John Ausley, one of Hubbard's top executives for 10 years, who left
in 1978, says this on the origins of the RPF:
Hubbard went out one morning in the Portuguese island of Madeira
in early '74, shortly after his return from New York. He had sort of a
rowdy physical side to him that he liked to bring out from time to time.
It was sort of like, "I'm old but I'm still zesty!"
I don't remember which bike it was. It was either his Harley
Electroglyde or his Triumph 750. But cobblestone streets don't offer a
lot of traction, and there's a lot of bump.
He went out one morning and decided to challenge the universe. A
zesty 63-year-old biker: Mr. Harley Bad Ass!
Anyway, when you start going around corners on cobblestones you
better start paying real attention to what your bike can and cannot do.
Now you add a lot of zest - or what they used to call lunacy - on top
of that. And add some morning dew so that it's all super slippery. And
crank your bike up to about seventy or eighty and start cookin' through
turns.
And just challenge the Whole Universe to take you out.
And the Universe goes, "Crunch!!! Got ya!"
And he had strawberries all over his body. He went down at seventy
or eighty! It didn't have to break him up. It just skinned his ass alive!
When you do that you're gonna be a hurtin' little puppy. You got
skin your knee trips as big as pancakes all over your body, and bone
chips.
Well, he wouldn't get off international lines when he was in that
shape. He still wanted to run the group, day to day.
That was when he invented the RPF.
While he was healin' up he was being Jimbo bad ass: "I can run the
group and be unbalanced, defile the group, but still be momentarily
brilliant while I'm in pain."
He began to really go out of his way to scream at people at the top of
his lungs for ten or fifteen minutes.
He used to blow up at his wife. He would scream at her in front of
his little nubile messengers. I mean that's seriously rude.
There are two old boys I know who hunt. And they hunt bear and
wild boar back in the swamps. One of em's named Eugene and one's
named Booger. And Booger said, "That's something you'd sic your
dogs on."
In a technical bulletin dated 1 November 1974, Hubbard wrote of
what was to be expected of "Rock Slammers" who were "finished
products" or "successful completions" of the RPF:
A handled RSer [rockslammer] can be expected to eventually wind
up in the same category as a cleared cannibal. His experiential track is
too educated in evil and too uneducated in anything else. So even
when cleaned up will need lots of living.
The degree of degradation experienced by someone on the RPF is
difficult to describe. To Scientologists, Hubbard is the ultimate au-
thority on affairs of the mind and spirit, and he tells RPFers that they
are sub-human, incredibly degraded, evil, and wretched beyond be-
lief.
It was the ultimate evaluation; the ultimate invalidation.
GERRY ARMSTRONG :
There is no way to really describe the RPF experience, the hope-
lessness, the humiliation, the horror. It seemed to go on forever, the
days all identical, no time to oneself, the same blue boiler suits like
prison garb, day after day, the same questions in the same endless se-
curity checks.
Hubbard's purpose in creating the RPF, and running it as a prison
with assignees considered criminals, was the breaking of people's wills,
the total subjugation of anyone he considered exhibited "counter in-
tention" to his goals.
He achieved his purpose with me so well that I thanked him for the
opportunity of doing the RPF, much like prisoners of war, who are
broken emotionally and spiritually, through deprivation and mind con-
trol techniques, thank their captors.
Graduates of the RPF routinely wrote (and to this day write) "Suc-
cess Stories," where they thank Hubbard for "giving them their san-
ity." That "sanity" being the "product" of having successfully com-
pleted the RPF - very much a "gift" from L. Ron Hubbard.
Los Angeles Church President Ken Hoden is a graduate of the
RPF. When questioned on the subject by the L.A. Weekly, he re-
sponded, "I was RPFed for nine months in 1982....I liked the
RPF."
"Who wants to scrub floors and cart trash for a year?" responded
one former Church staffer after hearing of Hoden's comments. "The
idea is to make you think twice before doing or saying anything that
church officials will RPF you for."
****
Hubbard had begun the Rehabilitation Project Force shortly be-
fore I had arrived on the Flagship in mid-1974. I saw crew members
in dark boiler suits working on separate decks and eating food in small
groups at irregular times.
They looked to me like they were in some state of shock, and when
once I spoke to one of them he seemed not to know how to react. He
apparently wondered what a "paying public" was doing talking to an
RPFer? He had the look of a pursued animal. The pain in his eyes
told of very long hours, heavy work, bad food, and emotional trauma.
I felt odd about the RPF. It nagged at me. What in hell was going
on?
At the time I put such thoughts into the background for the same
reason I had ignored the previous abuses I had come across in
Scientology: People were obviously excited about the dreams that
100
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Hubbard had outlined, and there were such good feelings that usu-
ally blossomed during and following auditing sessions; a warm glow;
hope and positive expectation of a better world.
I still believed that the survival of the human race, a sane planet,
and the glorious freedom of"Operating Thetan," were possible "only
through Scientology"!
And a fellow can do a lot of selective forgetting and "unlooking"
when he believes that such things are at stake.
9
The Brainwashing Manual
In my opinion psychiatry has been guilty of abusive practices - for
example, brain mutilation and pre-frontal lobotomy, and also electro-
convulsive shock "therapy."
In the Soviet Union, where human rights are for all practical pur-
poses nonexistent - or, more exactly, existent to the extent they serve
the well-being of the State - opportunity for psychiatric abuse is vir-
tually unlimited.
It's well known that the policy "disagree with the State and you're
mentally ill" is often used to quiet dissidents.
The Church of Scientology has an identical policy. To be a critic of
the Church or its Founder is to be insane. Simple as that.
To be unswervingly delighted with every word that L. Ron Hub-
bard ever uttered or wrote, and to be pleased as can be with the ac-
tions and policies of the Church hierarchy-well, this means you
must be quite sane indeed!
ELENA LORRELL :
The Church of Scientology is truly a fulfillment of Orwell's 1984.
That it has gained such support among Americans is testimony to the
unawareness of so many who don't want to hear about the accounts of
Soviet dissidents such as Soltzhenitzin and others.
Life in the Sea Organization is parallel to living behind the iron cur-
tain. The types of censorship that are imposed on Sea Org members,
the selective truth, the priorities and the emphasis on "the group
above all" under the guise of"the greatest good for the greatest num-
ber" so closely parallel Communism.
101
102
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
In 1976 I was ordered to go to Paris to receive an honor on behalf of
LRH as a writer.
At the same place there was a showing of some paintings by a Soviet
dissident, who had recently come over to the West. I had a series of
meetings with him and some other dissidents. That was the first time I
realized the degree to which I was intellectually dissaffected with the
Sea Org, yet for various reasons I stayed on for some time.
I began to understand this man's life and why he was exiled to
Siberia. It all sounded so similar to LRH's Rehabilitation Project
Force. And I really realized the degree to which my lifestyle was paral-
lel to what theirs had been in Russia.
After hearing Elena's story, I began searching through Hubbard's
writings and other Church (and Church-sponsored)publications with
the purpose of gaining a greater understanding of what he was really
doing on the flagship (and, to a slightly lesser extent, in his land based
organizations).
I came across a little known but very revealing text: "The
Brainwashing Manual."
A little research brought to light that it had first appeared in 1955.
The propaganda line on it (originating from Hubbard) was that it was
found on the doorstep. Some concerned somebody had "slipped it
under the door of a Scientology org."
It consisted, according to the manual's foreword, of a transcribed lec-
ture by the dreaded Beria, head of Stalin's Secret Police, given to stu-
dents of psychopolitics at Leningrad University around 1950. Thereaf-
ter it was used as a textbook on how to wage psychological warfare on
Western democracies. This psychological assault was to be followed by
an eventual takeover of the West. This takeover would be achieved by
first taking over the psychiatric professions, and the psychiatric and
mental health organizations. Supposedly, this step was already well un-
der way.
The message was that psychiatry is solely a commie operation.
Hubbard had long wanted control of the field of"mental health,"
and anything he could do to spoil the image of a competitor (in this
case psychiatry) was a worthwhile action. (The manual was later actu-
ally being distributed by such groups as the John Birch Society - who
believed wrongly that it was indeed a transcribed lecture by Beria.)
Ron Jr.:
Dad wrote every word of it. Barbara Bryan and my wife typed the
manuscript off his dictation. And then we took it up to New York and
*The Brainwashing Manual*
103
tried to get them to do a program on it with Charles Collingwood at
CBS. Dad also tried to sell it to the FBI.
Years later they snuck it into the Library of Congress, and some - i'
body else came by and said, "Oh lookee, it was found in the Library of
Congress!" which is a lot of baloney.
Of course, in the book Hubbard plugs Dianetics by having "Beria"
mention Dianetics as a key target of "Russian psychopolitics."
"Beria" calls Dianetics a threat to "his" program of implementing
"Russian" psychopolitical brainwashing techniques to undermine the
West.
HUBBARD/"BERIA":
The psychopolitical operative should also spare no expense in smash-
ing out of existence, by whatever means, any actual healing group, such
as that of acupuncture in China, such as Christian Science and Dianetics
in the United States; such as Catholicism in Italy and Spain; and the prac-
tical psychology groups of England.
RON JR.:
If you want to see how LRH really worked things org-wise, espe-
cially from the mid-sixties on, you just have to read the brainwashing
manual.
John Sanborne, who had been the editor of Hubbard's books since i
the early fifties, was there in 1955 at the manual's inception:
I suggested it. Just kidding around on his front porch. Slygo Avenue
in Silver Springs, Maryland. Talking about how are we going to get
these psychiatrists. I said, "What we need to do is take over their sub-
ject. What we need to put out is a manual of psych-military something
or other...as coming from the communists and then put a lot of psy-
chiatry in it."
And we're sitting there, with our chairs tipped back on the front
porch, tipped against the house, with our feet up on the railing, and all
of a sudden he came down on his chair and he grabs me.
And I thought, "I've had it!"
And he said, "That's it!"
Then he disappeared into the little front room which was sort of a
bedroom and study, and you could hear him in there dictating this i
book.
The brainwashing techniques revealed in the manual reflect a start-
ling similarity with the control mechanisms so apparent on the flag-
104
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
ship and in Scientology orgs. However, having been out of print for
well over twenty years, its existence is unknown to most Scien-
tologists.
From Brian Ambry's critique on Scientology:
While "white Scientology" (techniques and data which have the po-
tential to assist an individual to become more independent and self-
determined) is promoted by the Church as the Entirety of the subject,
there is also a dark side to Scientology. A dark side which makes indi-
viduals permanently dependent upon the Church, and, instead of self-
determined, "Ron-determined...."
The marriage of potentially liberating methodologies with enslaving
ones, the mixing of truth with lies, and love with hate: that is the
strange story of L. Ron Hubbard and his Church.*
Hubbard was a "user." He used freedom He used goodness. Help-
ing others feel better, understand mqre, communicate better - this
was all fine, so long as he considered that it increased his power.
He helped others so as to own them; to create gratitude and trust
and give himself authority or "altitude." He set up people to be ma-
nipulated by first assisting them to feel better to have "wins" and so
forth.
There are those who insist that all "gains" and "wins" in Scientology
are delusory - that all the counseling is brainwashing. That's nonsense.
The trap is much more sophisticated than that.
He was a man of many methods.
****
The following material, written by Hubbard, was presented as from
a speech by the murderous Beria.
All bracketed words in the following quotes have been inserted by
me as an illustration of how the techniques described can be applied
exactly to what was occurring aboard the ship under Hubbard's com-
mand, and emulated in his many organizations.
From the Brainwashing Manual (Hubbard/"Beria"):
The populace [Scientologists] must be brought into the belief that
every individual within it who rebels in any way, shape, or form
against efforts or activities to enslave [Scientologize] the whole, must
be considered to be a deranged person whose eccentricities are neu-
rotic or insane....
*For a more detailed look at this bizarre state of affairs, see Chapters 12,
Part I, "Souls Turned Inside Out," and Chapter 10, Part II, "Clay in the
Master's
Hands."
*The Brainwashing Manual*
105
Labelling any dissident "psychotic" is commonplace in Scientol-
ogy This is mandated by Hubbard's written policies. For instance in
his Introduction to Scientology Ethics, written in 1966, Hubbard
states under the category of "suppressive acts" (i.e., "high crimes"
against Scientology):
DISAVOWAL, SPLINTERING, DIVERGENCE
1. Public disavowal of Scientology or Scientologists in good standing
with Scientology Organizations.
2. Announcing departure from Scientology ...
3. Seeking to resign or leave courses or sessions and refusing to re-
turn despite normal ebrts ...
8. Dependency on mental or philosophic procedures other than
Scientology ...
To commit any of the above (or dozens of other similar) "high
crimes" is to be, per Scientology "ethics," a"suppressive person,
and to officially be announced in a"declare" as such. To a Scientolo-
gist any one "declared S.P." is immediately and unquestioningly con-
sidered insane.
Of these "suppressive persons" Hubbard wrote in the book Science
of Survival: "Such people should be taken from society as rapidly as
possible and uniformly institutionalized...."
HUBBARD/"BERIA":
Entirely by bringing about public conviction that the sanity of a per- j
son is in question, it is possible to discount and eradicate all the goals
and activities of that person.
It is important to know that the entire subject of loyalty is thus as
easily handled as it is. One of the first and foremost missions of the
psychopolitician ["Ethics" Officer, Church of Scientology] is to make
an attack upon communism [Scientology] and insanity synonymous.
On a radio show in Portland, Oregon, I was described in 1985 by
Los Angeles Church of Scientology president Ken Hoden as "a lone
psychotic screaming into the wind"*
*My wife and I and my closest associates were initially declared suppressive persons,
or "S.P.s" (psychotic) in late 1982 after we announced our departure from the Church
of Scientology. Some 600 others, mostly experienced, long-time Scientologists,
had also been declared "insane" by the Church during the previous 18 months or so.
106
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
HUBBARD/"BERIA" :
No laymen [Scientologists] would dare adventure to place judgment
upon the state of sanity of an individual whom the psychiatrist [Church
of Scientology] has already declared insane [S.P.].
Should any whisper, or pamphlets, against psychopolitical activities
[Scientology] be published, it should be laughed into scorn, branded
an immediate hoax, and its perpetrator or publisher should be, at the
first opportunity, branded as insane....
(See Paulette Cooper story in Chapter 13. After she wrote an anti-
Scientology book Hubbard's Guardian's Office initiated a near suc-
cessful frame-up to have her institutionalized.)
The idea that anyone who doesn't see eye to eye with Hubbard is
insane goes back, really, to the very earliest days of Dianetics and
Scientology. However, it wasn't made official written policy and the
"standard ethics action" until one day in 1965.
John Sanborn, recalls the first "S.P. Declare":
Hubbard had Marilyn Routsong, who was the World Wide Ethics
Officer at St. Hill Manor, deliver the first Suppressive Person Declare.
He had written this system up and now he was going to use it.
Hubbard said declare so and so. And she put out the order. Boy, in
those days being declared was like a death sentence. [It still is consid-
ered so for those still inside Scientology.*]
He said, "As soon as you give him the order come back." And when
she did he said, "How did he act? What did he say? Did he say any-
thing?" And so forth. He was thrilled like a kid to see how his new
dictatorial system was going to work!
THE "BRAINWASHING MANUAL":
Particularly in Capitalistic countries, an insane person has no rights
under law. No person who is insane may hold property. No person
who is insane may testify. Thus we have an excellent road along which
we can travel toward our certain goal and destiny.
Wrote Hubbard in the book Science of Survival:
In any event, any person from 2.0 down on the tone scale should not
*Scientologists believe that their survival as spiritual beings is totally
dependent upon remaining in good graces with the Church.
*The Brainwashing Manual*
107
have, in any thinking society, any civil rights of any kind....(Em-
phasis added)
(The Tone Scale is a scale of emotional states. See Part II, Chapter
2: those chronically below "2.0" are regarded as insane.)
According to Hubbard a person's reaction to Scientology is a direct
indicator of where they are on the "Tone Scale" - a negative reaction
indicating LOU'.
If this were the "Scientology Planet," so yearned for by the rank
and file of the movement, all critics of Hubbard and his Church
would, by this standard, be without rights of any kind.
Perhaps, if we were not exterminated, the Church, in its benevo-
lence, might offer us a chance to make a "reality adjustment" in some
rehabilitation camp.
HUBBARD/"BERIA" :
It is not enough for the State [Sea Org/Scientology] to have goals.
These goals, once put forward, depend for their completion upon
the loyalty and obedience of the workers [Sea Org crew and staff mem-
bers]. These engaged for the most part in hard labors, have little time
for idle speculation, which is good."
...Hypnosis is induced by acute fear. They discovered it could also
be induced by shock of an emotional nature, and also by extreme priva-
tion, as well as by blows...."
Belief is engendered by a certain amount of fear and terror from an
authoritative level, and this will be followed by obedience.
The body is less able to resist a stimulus if it has insufficient food and
is weary....Refusal to let them sleep over many days, denying them
adequate food, then brings about an optimum state for the receipt of a
stimulus.
Degradation and conquest are companions.
By lowering the endurance of a person...and by constant degra-
dation and defamation, it is possible to induce, thus, a state of shock
which will receive adequately any command given.
Any organization which has the spirit and courage to display inhu-
manity, savageness, brutality, and uncompromising lack of humanity,
will be obeyed. Such a use of force is, itself, the essential ingredient of
greatness....
As an example of this, we find an individual refusing to obey and
being struck. His refusal to obey is now less vociferous. He is struck
again and his resistance is lessened once more. He is hammered and
pounded again and again until, at length, his only thought is direct and
108
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
implicit obedience to that person from whom the force has emanated.
This is a proven principle....For it is to our benefit that an individual
who is struck again and again from a certain source will, at length, hyp-
notically believe anything he is told by the source of the blows....
Only when a person has been beaten, punished, and mercilessly ham-
mered can hypnotism on him be guaranteed in its effectiveness.
The psychopolitical dupe [ideal Scientologist] is a well-trained indi-
vidual who serves in complete obedience to the psychopolitical opera-
tive [L. Ron Hubbard or the Church hierarchy]....
The cleverness of our attack in the field of psychopolitics [the human
mind and spirit] is adequate to avoid the understanding of the layman
and the usual stupid official [Scientologist and Scientology staff mem-
ber], and by operating entirely under the banner of authority, with the
oft-repeated statement that the principles of psychotherapy [the ever-
present next mysterious upper level of auditing] are too devious for
common understanding an entire revolution can be affected [the crea-
tion of obedient converts]....
In rearranging loyalties we must have command of their values. In
the animal the first loyalty is to himself. This is destroyed by demon-
strating errors in him....The second loyalty is to his family unit....
This is destroyed...by lessening the value of marriage, by making an
easiness of divorce and by raising the children whenever possible by
the State. The next loyalty is to his friends and local environment. This
is destroyed by lowering his trust and bringing about reportings upon
him allegedly by his fellows or the town or village authorities.* The
next is to the State [the Church of Scientology] and this, for the pur-
poses of Communism** [Scientology] is the only loyalty [sic] which
should exist...
In Scientology Organizations "Parent time" is a short period of an
hour or so per day for the parents to visit with their children, of their
"statistics are up." Children are otherwise watched as a group by full-
time sitters. The child-care conditions in the past have been de-
scribed as scandalous.
*To not report a fellow Scientologist who is seen violating one of Hubbard's
numerous rules is a major crime.
This policy gives a strong incentive to report even on close friends and
family. Stories of husbands or wives "writing their partners up" regarding.
intimate conversations are not uncommon. (Laurell Sullivan, Hubbard's personal
public relations officer who left in 1980, burst into tears in court upon
recounting such an incident.)
**Please keep in mind that I am not implying that the Church of Scientology is
a communist operation. The IRS case against the Church would appear to indicate
that it has been a "capitalistic" money making operation, while at the same time
utilizing practices with which any late 1960s fanatical Chinese Head Guard would feel
quite at home.
*The Brainwashing Manual*
109
Marriages among staff in Scientology, especially in the Sea Org,
have a very high incidence of failure. Strong sexual and family loyal-
ties, such as that developing between Hana Eltringham and John
O'Keefe, were routinely undermined, in one way or another.
HUBBARD/"BERIA" :
The field of the mind must be sufficiently dominated by the psycho-
political operative [Scientology], so that wherever tenets of the mind
are taught they will be hypnotically received.
From "Hubbard Communications office Policy" Letter of 14 Janu-
ary 1969 :
Thus in the case of Scientology Orgs one should attack with the end
in view of taking over the whole field of mental health.
Could it be that Hubbard wanted to become the authority on the
mind and spirit so that whole populations would hypnotically follow
what he said?
Certainly for the membership, he is the final authority; speaking
from on high; his infallibility never doubted.
According to Ron Jr., his father "believed he would achieve enor-
mous personal power from taking over the field of mental health."
HUBBARD/"BERIA" :
The tenets of rugged individualism, personal determinism, self-will,
imagination, and personal creativeness are alike in the masses antipa-
thetic to the good of the Greater State [the Church of Scientology].
These willful and unaligned are no more than illnesses which will bring
about disaffection, disunity, and at length the collapse of the group to
which the individual is attached.
The constitution of man lends itself easily and thoroughly to certain
and positive regulation from without of all of its functions, including
those of thinkingness [sic],* obedience, and loyalty, and these things
must be controlled if the greater State [Church of Scientology] is to
ensue.
The end thoroughly justifies the means.
*Hubbard often added "ness" to the ends of verbs, transforming them to nouns.
For example: "beingness," "doingness," "havingness," "eatingness," "sexingness,"
etc.
110
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENTOLOGY
Some of the nomenclature of Scientology is innovative and, in a
positive sense, useful. In fact, probably the best method for someone
to get an overview understanding of the subject is to scan through a
Scientology Dictionary. There is also, however, a negative side.
Much of the nomenclature is "loaded language."
Says Robert J. Lifton in Thought Reform and the Psychology of
Totalism:
The language of the totalist environment is characterized by the
thought-terminating cliche. The most far-reaching and complex of hu-
man problems are compressed into brief, highly reductive, definitive-
sounding phrases, easily memorized and easily expressed. These be-
come the start and finish of any ideological analysis. In thought reform,
for instance, the phrase "bourgeois mentality" is used to encompass
and critically dismiss ordinarily troublesome concerns like the quest
for individual expression, the exploration of alternative ideas, and the
search of perspective and balance...[loaded language is] the "lan-
guage of non-thought."
By using loaded language such as "the open-minded case" as a term
of abuse, and "other practices" as a term of utmost scorn, Hubbard
shut off (for his followers) all competitive ideas and practices in the
fields of the mind and spirit.
In one of the numerous examples of this in Scientology, Hubbard
declared "middle-class mentality" suppressive, period!
Lifton continues:
Also involved is an underlying assumption that language - like all
other human products - can be owned and operated by the movement
...the effect of the language...can be summed up in one word:
constriction. The individual is, so to speak, linguistically deprived; and
since language is so central to all human experience his capacities for
thinking and feeling are immensely narrowed.
****
There have been a lot of studies done in medical journals on what
were the breaking points of Korean prisoners of war.
During the Sea Org era, especially, Hubbard was able to test each
crew member for breaking points. He honed this to where he had it
down to a fine art.
*The Brainwashing Manual*
111
I have come to the conclusion that L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. was used
as one of Hubbard's guinea pigs to test this premise of blows and obe-
dience; that many of the lessons Hubbard learned from his experi-
ments on his son were further implemented on the ship.
Ron Jr. was, in essence, a life-long "prisoner of war"; a prisoner of
Hubbard and his organization's machinations. Hubbard trained his
troops to find a person's breaking point, in order to bend him or her
to his will. He had done this with his own son, early and continu-
ously.
While Ron Jr. was not physically struck by his father, his weak-
nesses were exploited.
When he virtually fled the organization in 1959, according to his
account, he was hounded. Although he was out of the organization,
his father retained the ability to manipulate him, even into changing
his name.
It is obvious to anyone who knows Ron Jr. that he spent his whole
life attempting to escape from the mental "prison" that his father had
created for him.
The pressures of being a "number one son" of the "Savior of
Mankind," were perhaps reflected in what appears to have been the
suicide - by an overdose of drugs - of Quentin, Hubbard's oldest son
by Mary Sue (Ron Jr.'s half brother). Quentin's body was found in a
car near McCurran Airport in Las Vegas in early 1977. He went into a
coma and died in a hospital after 14 days. He was 22 years of age.
Some 18 months prior to that time, my wife-while taking a
Scientology course in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1975 - observed
Quentin running away from his father, who was coming down on an
elevator. She describes his reaction upon discovering that Hubbard
was on the elevator: "He paled dramatically and exclaimed, 'Oh shit,
it's Dad, I've got to get out of here!'" He sprinted up several flights of
stairs.
He had previously confided in her that he desperately needed help
regarding his problems with his father. She says his emotion was
"terror. "
She observed him again in early 1977, in Florida at the "Flag Land
Base," not long before his death, looking devastated, having again
been placed in a "lowered ethics condition."
It does not appear to have been a wonderful gift of fate to have
been born the oldest son of L. Ron Hubbard.
10
The Sea Org Goes Ashore
The "rock concert" and the numerous UNWELCOME mats had left
Hubbard frustrated with the Eastern Atlantic. So on October 10,
1974, he steamed towards the Americas.
Elena Lorrel tells the story of the final stages of the crossing of the
Atlantic :
The night we were coming in to America (South Carolina) from Ma-
deira, somebody picked up the frantic call from Jane, [Jane Kember-
head of the Guardian's Office] on the pier saying, "Don't come in,
there are 140 IRS agents waiting on the dock."
So we took off for the Bahamas.
We berthed at several ports during what was to be almost a year's
cruise around the Caribbean. The intention had been to land in
America, but since those plans had been foiled, we had to make the
best of a difficult situation.
In late 1974, in the Caribbean, LRH went ashore and we went to a
movie with him. It was a real landmark because it was one of the first
times he had been ashore for well over a year.
He would get reports from his intelligence people that it was unsafe
to go places. He didn't like to hear that, and, when he did, he could get
really nasty to be around ....
Cathy Cariataki and I knew that the only way to get him in a good
humour was to get him off the ship. So we mocked up these dumb
photo shoots. And he went ashore and he loved it. He wanted more
and more and more.
Well, after the Dominican Republic (where we had done a lot of
photo shooting) we went to Jamaica. He told me he wanted to shoot
stuff to do with the buccaneers. So I had to go off and do research on
*The Sea Org Goes Ashore*
113
Henry Morgan the pirate. And one of the pictures that are peddled, of
LRH sitting in the open Pontiac with the messengers, is the one we
shot at the fort there in Jamaica.
Well, I tell you, I almost got knifed trying to get that
wouldn't go anywhere unless he had a convertible.
I had to go into the ghetto section and play footsie with Kingfish,
who was the local head of the organized crime there. The only convert-
ible on the island was also the fanciest car on the island. It also hap-
pened to be his car!
None of the taxi drivers would take me there. They told me that this
guy would kill me for sport. That's how motivated I was. I "made it go
right" just so I wouldn't get in horrible trouble with the Old Man.
And I don.t know how I kept from getting knifed but we came back
with the big red convertible.
Anyway we did a ghetto photo shoot where, I swear to God: he was
sitting up snapping pictures of these destitute children; and there were
hungry angry people with broken bottles and knives coming at us.
He'd yell at Liz Gablehouse, "You're the PR, handle them." And he
wouldn't even bat an eye, he'd just keep shooting and expect her to
handle these huge guys who were coming at us, trying to knife us.
There we were in a convertible, in all our glory, sitting on top of this
thing like it was a parade. And there were three or four messengers
sitting there in their little white tooty fruit outfits handing him equip-
ment back and forth lenses and camera backs - and Liz was the PR,
and he'd yell at her to handle this guy who'd be there running along
the side of the car with a rusty machette trying to whack at us. All she
could try to do is say things to them in Spanish or their local lingo, of
which she'd learned a few words, in order to try and buy us a few sec-
onds while I got Cathy to speed up the car.
After that there were more photo shoots and he was going to publish
this whole journal. Then Cathy and I sat down and reviewed our situa-
tion and said, "God we're really on a roll. The man hasn't been in a
sour mood in two weeks and he's constantly asking, "What's the next
thing planned ashore?" So now we were at sea headed to Curacao and
decided that we would have to mock up as many shoots and get him off
the ship.
And the people on international management lines realized what a
successful action this was because he was being kind to them and the
orders of the day were real cheerful and he was not meddling with
them and so on.
Then we went to this synagogue where, for some reason known only
to the Devil, he was just being a spoiled brat. He so alienated the or-
thodox Rabbi there that he tried to throw LRH out of the sanctuary
surrounding the synagogue. Here was LRH cursing the Rabbi and
114
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
using God's name in vain to such an extent that the Rabbi was holding
his ears and just screaming!
We placated the poor man after LRH left.
The photographs he took there really were spectacular, however.
He got some extraordinary shots and we put together a brochure that
they still use at that synagogue to this day, as a souvenir.
****
The pleasure Hubbard was deriving from these photo shoots did
not prevent him from having another heart attack. Since he refused to
go to a hospital, X-ray equipment and other medical gear had to be
located and brought aboard.
Finally the condition got very serious and Kima Douglas, who was
medical officer at the time, with the assistance of others took him, off
the ship, driving him to a hospital on the island of Curacao where he
received treatment.
For three months following his treatment, Hubbard stayed at a
Cabana-type bungalow, which is part of the Hilton Hotel there, re-
covering.
As he began to regain mobility and strength, more photo shoot mis-
sions were undertaken on the island. As it had been in the Mediterra-
nean, however, so it was to be in the Caribbean: the ship was being
expelled from the various ports where it sought refuge. Finally the
decision was made to attempt to relocate on the mainland.
Homer Shomer, a successful businessman attracted to the lofty
stated ideals of the Sea Org, says:
The actual moving to Florida was the best kept secret that I knew of.
One of the last places we were in was Curacao and we were there for a
number of months. The shore story was that we were refitting the for-
ward lower hold for berthing. We'd actually spent 20 to 25 thousand
dollars getting it refitted and painting it and chipping it, and welding
the air shafts. And we really had no intention of ever using it!
In October of 1975, the ship sailed to Freeport in the Bahamas and
the crew was divided into three groups: The management group was
flown to New York City, where they established a management unit
called RONY (Relay office New York). It was located on the fifth floor
of the N.Y. org. A second group went to Miami, and a third to
Washington, D.C. The remaining crew travelled by bus from wher-
ever they landed to Daytona. Here they gathered in a motel on the
beach.
*The Sea Org Goes Ashore*
115
Hubbard flew in from the Bahamas to Miami airport with three
aides. One carried a million dollars in cash. They all carried passports
giving false names.
He took up residence in another hotel on the beach, next door to
the one his crew were occupying. Mary Sue Hubbard and her entou-
rage arrived a short while later.
Wrote Tonja Burden:
The boat was sold sometime in October 1975. Approximately 500 peo-
ple moved to Daytona Beach. We rented several hotels in Daytona.
After several months we moved to the hotel in Clearwater. At first,
LRH called it the United Churches. I heard LRH scheme this cover. He
said it would be called United Churches, although no other churches
were involved.
At Fort Harrison, I remained LRH's personal messenger. I observed
LRH control the operation of Scientology throughout the various "orgs"
worldwide from Fort Harrison. I coded and decoded messages to, and di-
rectly from, Hubbard. He used approximately 15 codes at this time to
conceal his operations, programs and policies, which he disseminated
worldwide. I personally delivered messages concerning Operation Snow
White, and Operation Freakout, Operation Goldmine, and other Scien-
tology secret and illegal operations to frame people, steal, infiltrate pri-
vate and government offices, and break into buildings. At this time I was
only 15 years old and did what I was told, and although I knew the names
of the operations I did not know the exact nature of those operations. I
also filed these operations in Hubbard's personal filing cabinets.
"Operation Goldmine" was a local Clearwater operation. She de-
scribes it as a "conspiracy to use Scientology funds to, in effect, take
over the city of Clearwater."
TONJA :
All telex communications were processed through his messengers.
Telexes were sent to all Guardian offices Worldwide. One telex from
LRH questioned Mayor Cazares' background. He discovered this in-
formation through a private investigator.
In just one of the operations conducted against the mayor, the
Guardian's office faked a hit-and-run accident implicating Cazares.
Then they leaked the incident to his political opponents.
Following this "hit and run accident" a church memo gleefully
crowed: "I should think the mayor's political days are at an end." The
116
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
operation did in fact cause considerable havoc for the mayor, but was
eventually resolved as part of a subsequent F.B.I. investigation.
****
About this same time, Hubbard was being fitted for several suits of
clothes when the tailor, who happened to be a science fiction fan, rec-
ognized him and asked him if he was in fact the L. Ron Hubbard. He
fessed up. The man was ecstatic and very proud to have shaken his
hand.
The tailor then went back to Tarpon Springs and told everyone he
knew about his exciting afternoon.
This story was soon picked up by the St. Petersburg Times, and
staff reporter Betty Orsini discovered that Hubbard was indeed living
in Dunedin. She blew the Scientology cover and exposed the fact that
they were the real group behind the "United Churches" purchase of
the Fort Harrison and various other buildings in Clearwater.
The deception was not appreciated by Mayor Cazares, who initi-
ated hearings regarding the Church's activities.
Hubbard took off in the middle of the night. Jim Dincali and Mike
Douglas accompanied him on a trip to Washington, D.C., by car.
They took out an apartment and occupied it for the next five or six
months.
****
Being located on land, as opposed to the ship, posed certain prob-
lems. Actions had to be taken to maintain the kind of control over the
crew that a ship's environment had previously provided.
The Rehabilitation Project Force was reinstated with some novel
adaptations to the new environment. One such adaptation was the
"RPF's RPF."
This was for those who would not "comply" or do the RPF.
Those on the RPF's RPF in Fort Harrison in Clearwater report be-
ing locked in the lower boiler rooms to live among the piping, to have
to clean the filthiest areas of the property, and to being guarded
against "blowing" (trying to escape).
According to eyewitness reports, the RPF's RPF in the lower boiler
rooms was a nightmare. Dimly lit, with hot steam pipes running every-
where, the subject slept on the floor on a blanket. The boilers ran day
and night, clanking and rumbling.
After a few days, one looked like an animal, depraved and de-
graded. Soot, dirt, grease and grime were everywhere. Inmates were
*The Sea Org Goes Ashore*
117
instilled with a deep fear of violating a senior's orders. These staff
were programmed to be machine-like producers whose function is
not to think, only to comply...to carry out orders.
Tonja Burden wrote:
At the Fort Harrison, security guards were stationed outside to pre-
vent people from "blowing." To "blow" meant to leave Scientology.
People were not allowed to just leave Scientology. Approximately 30
or 40 people tried to escape. These people were caught and placed in
the RPF (Rehabilitation Project Force). The RPF was a Scientology
"concentration camp," where people who were "security threats" were
kept under guard. The RPF at Fort Harrison was in a storage area.
LRH declared the people suppressive persons if they escaped from
Scientology. He sent telexes to the Guardian's office listing the SPs. I
have seen the names of people declared by LRH. I continued to de-
code and code messages from Hubbard to the Guardian's office seven
days a week until August of 1977.
In August of 1977, I refused to perform a certain order and was sent
to the galley, where I performed menial labor until I broke apart emo-
tionally and was sent to the RPF on direct orders of Hubbard.
Finally, in November 1977, I decided I had to escape. At approxi-
mately 4:30 A.M., I stole the keys from a guard who was sleeping at the
door to the storage area where we slept. I crawled through an air duct
on my stomach, where I observed the telephone in the lobby. I saw no
one, ran to the telephone, and called my father and told him about my
situation. He told me he would send my uncle to come and get me and
take me to Fort Lauderdale. I convinced the officers in the RPF that
my uncle was a VIP for the Miami Dolphins (which was not true), and
that if they refused his request to visit, that might cause bad public
relations. Finally, with my uncle's assistance, I escaped and flew back
to Vegas.
Approximately two weeks after I returned to Vegas, two of Hub-
bard's agents came to my house and told me that Hubbard wanted to
see me. I told them that I would never return. They then asked if I
would go for a cup of coffee with them, which after a short while I
agreed to do. I got into the car in the front seat and sat between the
two agents. After driving a few minutes, I noticed we were driving to
the highway, and I asked where we were going. They told me I was
being taken to Los Angeles to see Hubbard.
In Los Angeles, I was locked in a room and forced to undergo a "se-
curity check" on the E-meter. I was very scared and crying, and told
them that I had a family reunion to go to during the holidays. I told
them I had relatives in the police department in Las Vegas, and that I
would come back after the holidays. I convinced them to release me,
118
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
and I returned home by bus. For weeks after I returned home, they
constantly called me to find out when I'd return. I said never!
****
Tonja tells of how she got involved with Hubbard and of the events
leading up to her sentence to the RPF:
I was in Scientology from the age of 13 to age of 18 and was paid
between $2.50 a week and $17.50 a week. I received no education, and
in fact phony classrooms were set up in Florida to demonstrate to edu-
cational officials that education was taking place. I have been sent a bill
for the amount of $58,000.00 for auditing given me while I was working
for them.
I [had] signed my billion-year contract on or about March 3, 1973.
My parents joined the "American Saint Hill Organization" while I
was placed in the "Cadet Organization."
The Cadet Organization consisted of two three story buildings that
housed approximately 400 children. It was designed to teach children
about Scientology.
I was assigned to care, clean and feed the children, since I and an-
other girl my age were the oldest there.
The living conditions were squalid. Glass from broken windows lay
strewn over the floors and, in some places where children played, live
electrical wires were exposed.
We received little food. On several occasions spoiled milk with mag-
gots were served to the children. (The maggots were removed by hand
before the milk was served.) In addition to caring for the children, I
cleaned the toilets daily.
I wrote to L. Ron Hubbard explaining the conditions. Nothing im-
proved.
The children were not allowed to live with their parents. Scientol-
ogy permitted one visit every other week, and only for 45 minutes dur-
ing mealtimes.
One day after about three months, a man arrived at the Cadet Or-
ganization from the flagship Apollo. He spoke of the "Source," L. Ron
Hubbard. He told us that Ron needed "messengers" to work for him
aboard his ship.
After much security checking, Tonja was eventually placed on a
plane which took her to the island of Madiera, off the coast of
Portugal.
Once aboard, I was assigned a "buddy" and given two days to learn
*The Sea Org Goes Ashore*
119
about the ship. I was given a berth in the women's dorm and placed in
the EPF (The Estates Project Force).
I was told the EPF was going to transform me into an "able bodied
seaman.
In the EPF, my day began at six A.M., I scrubbed clothes from six
A.M. until noon without breakfast or any breaks. The clothes were
scrubbed by hand in a bucket, and I was directed to rinse each article
in 13 separate buckets. Then I hung the clothes on the deck to dry.
After a half-hour lunch, I was assigned to clean six cabins. These had
to meet white-glove inspection. This meant a white glove or Q-tip was
used to check corners and shelves of each cabin for dust. If the cabins
were not cleaned to white-glove perfection, I had to run a lap around
the boat before recleaning the rooms (the equivalent of 1/5 of a mile).
My day ended about midnight.
On rainy days I ironed the clothes dry. This required ironing during
the evening hours and into the morning hours. On many occasions I
ironed through the night and finished at six A.M. I then started washing
the next morning's clothing. On occasion, I worked three or four days
without sleep. I sometimes fell asleep at the ironing board with a hot
iron in my hand. My senior, "Doreen" Gillam, "caught" me sleeping
and yanked my head off the board. She ordered me to run laps and
assigned me a condition of "Doubt." A condition of "Doubt" required
15 hours of"amends" work. This additional work had to be performed
during my sleep or meal time.
Until I completed my amends work I was ordered not to communi-
cate with anyone. I ate lunch alone. I finally spoke up, telling them I
had enough. I was sent to the Commanding Messenger, and she as-
signed me one month in the galley, washing pots and pans. I washed
pots and pans for a month and went back into the EPF. EPF was like
prison. I had to say "sir" to everyone and was generally allowed 15
minutes for meals. They would not let me out of the EPF until I
proved myself. I was totally brainwashed to receive and take orders. I
was paid $2.90 a week for this work.
While in the EPF, I never heard from my parents. No phone calls or
letters. Aboard the ship, I received a telex from Peter Albert who was
the Continental Justice Chief at FOLO at the Flag Liaison office. The
telex informed me that my father had been declared an SP. They said
he was a "plant"; a spy within Scientology. I began crying and asked to
leave, telling them I could convince my father to return to Scientology.
I was not allowed to leave. I then explained that I wanted to leave and
reunite with my mom and dad but this was not permitted. Instead I
was told to disconnect from my parents because they were SPs. This
meant no more communication with them.
Tony Armstrong, the Commanding officer, assigned me a condition
120
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
of Doubt and ordered me back to the EPF. So I returned to the six
A.M. to midnight schedule again, occasionally working 24 hours a day.
Approximately one month after this, I was put on training routines.
During the training routines, myself and others practiced carrying
messages to LRH. We had to listen to a message, repeat it in the same
tone, and practice salutes.
"Ghosting" was on-the-job training where I learned how to serve
LRH. I followed another messenger around and observed her carry his
hat, light his cigarettes, carry his ashtray, and prepare his toiletries. I
eventually performed those duties.
As his servant, I would sit outside his room and help him out of bed
when he called "messenger." I responded by assisting him out of bed,
lighting his cigarette, running his shower, preparing his toiletries and
helping him dress.
After that I ran to his office to check it, hoping it would pass white-
glove inspection. He frequently exploded if he found dust or dirt or
smelled soap in his clothes.
****
Gerald Armstrong and Tonja were both "insignificant" people as far
as Hubbard was concerned. But they were to play very significant
roles in his life.
Gerry Armstrong joined Scientology in 1969 in British Columbia,
Canada, and in 1971 joined the Sea Organization.
He met up with the Apollo in Tangiers, Morocco, a week after he
joined the Sea Org. In late 1974 he became the ship's intelligence
officer, a position he held until he left the Apollo.
When the crew moved to Daytona Beach he worked there in the
intelligence unit of the Guardian's office.
At the end of May of 1976 he was sent to Culver City, California, to
set up a communications office for Hubbard.
In Culver City he got into an argument with Mary Sue Hubbard's
communicator (secretary) after which Hubbard deemed him a "secu-
rity risk" and had him removed from the property and locked up and
guarded for three weeks in the Scientology intelligence office in Los
Angeles.
Gerry Armstrong wrote in a legal affidavit:
After that, he ordered me and my wife Terri back to Florida, to the
Clearwater base.
There a telex from him awaited us ordering us to the RPF. I spent a
total of 17 months on the RPF and was put in charge of it for some 12
months. Tonja Burden was also assigned there.
*The Sea Org Goes Ashore*
121
An RPF assignment was an unbelievably traumatic experience.
When it happened to me - and I was a grown man - I was so devas-
tated that I went into shock that lasted several days, during which time
I could eat hardly anything....I was in such heavy grief, my body
convulsed uncontrollably....
Shortly after "graduating" I was transferred to the Commodore's
Messenger Organization unit in Los Angeles.
There I was ordered to retrieve Tonja from her parent's home in Las
Vegas after she escaped from the RPF in Clearwater....
On December 14, 1977, my wife and I went to get Tonja back.
She was shocked that we had tracked her down so quickly and she
was terrified by us. Terri had been her senior for some years in the
CMO, and I bad been her senior in the RPF, and we both intimidated
her.
She said over and over that she did not want to go back. Tears
welled up in her eyes. But Terri and I would not be swayed from our
purpose. We talked to her mother and father, and intimidated them
with veiled threats of what might happen, how it would be better for
all if Tonja came back. We also insisted that Tonja coming back and
"routing out properly" was the most ethical thing to do.
The truth was that our purpose was to get Tonja back, have her sec-
checked and get her to sign waivers, releases and promissory notes, so
she would be rendered harmless to Hubbard and the organization.
Tonja was, in fact, considered a significant threat because she had
worked so closely with Hubbard and potentially knew a great deal
about his control of the organization and G.O. intelligence operations.
After several hours, and still against her will, Tonja succumbed to
our tactics, and we drove with her to Los Angeles. There we turned
her over to the Los Angeles RPF where she would be sec checked and
made to sign the required documents.
What I did to Tonja, coercing her back to Los Angeles to subject her
to sec checks and forcing her to sign documents and signing myself a
false statement against her, was cruel and shameful and only shows the
desensitization I had gone through.
Tonja was herself brutalized by Hubbard and his organization, yet I
perceived her as a "suppressive person" and "fair game," [and so] any
act against her, any trick, anything to destroy her, [was] inaudible.
****
To the reader of Tonja's story and of the horrors of the RPF, it
might seem inconceivable that there was a luxury hotel being ser-
viced by the RPF and crew of the Flag Land Base.
The occupants of the hotel, mostly well-to-do Scientologists, saw
little of the RPFers, and were usually completely unaware of the de-
122
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
grading conditions to which the staff and their children were being
subjected.
The "public pcs" would fly in from Los Angeles, Zurich, Frankfurt
or Mexico City. They would pay the huge fees, play backgammon,
swim, sunbathe, listen to tapes by Hubbard, and be given special PR
briefings by a smartly uniformed host or attractive PR girls.
Diners in the Hour Glass Restaurant, which is part of the Fort
Harrison Hotel, were, and are to this day, served by waiters with
black suits, bow ties, and crisp white shirts. The talk would usually
drift to the great wins each was having in his auditing.
The Fort Harrison "Land Base" was a roaring success as the
"Mecca for Technical Perfection."
Celebrities and well-to-do Scientologists (and those who sold houses,
blew their life savings or inheritance, or who borrowed the necessary
dollars) began arriving in large numbers.
11
"I Let Him Undress Me Without Resisting"
In 1975, while Hubbard was staying in Washington, D.C., another
location was found for him in California and he moved there. It was
known as ASTRA, and was located in Culver City, California, which is
part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area near the Airport.
This location of Hubbard's was part of a three-part telex network
designed to disguise the fact that Hubbard was very much in commu-
nication with the Church.
It was during this time that he possibly made visits to the seventh
floor of the Fifield Manor in Los Angeles, also called the "Chateau
Elise." This building was constructed in accordance with the architec-
tural style preferred by French royalty when building castles for their
stays in the country. It was in its day a favorite hotel of many of Holly-
wood's great personalities.
The seventh floor was cordoned off and secured as private premises
to which only L. Ron Hubbard and his wife had access.
According to a sworn affidavit the following events occurred during
this period.
Heidi Forrester (not her real name) joined The Church of Scientol-
ogy in July of 1974, just after having completed her senior year of
college. She had read a science fiction book by L. Ron Hubbard, and
had become curious about a book called Dianetics, the Modern Sci-
ence of Mental Health advertised in the back of the book. She wrote
for the book and received it shortly afterwards.
123
124
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Fascinated by the claims made by Hubbard about enhancing crea-
tive and perceptive talents, she responded positively to a call by a Sea
Org recruiter who mentioned he had received the card she had sent
in for more information.
As she tells it:
The next day, July 16, 1974, I went to the Columbus Airport and
caught a flight to L.A. I arrived at seven r.M. I took a taxi to the Hilton
Hotel and waited in the lobby. Ron Noe, the recruiter, arrived shortly
thereafter. Dressed in a non-formal Sea Org uniform, he appeared to
me to be extremely organized and high powered.
We got into his car and drove to ASHO (American Saint Hill Organi-
zation) on West Temple Street.
Upon arrival, Ron Noe showed me to his desk and I noticed that on
every desk was an identical color photograph of Hubbard taken on the
bridge of a ship. There were also enormous posters on all the walls of
Hubbard in full, formal Sea Org uniform and enormous Sea Org sym-
bols painted in gold on many of the walls. The symbol of the Sea Org is
a star surrounded by a laurel wreath. In the years ahead I would be
given enormous power as a representative of that symbol, and in the
end all the power would be taken away from me without explanation.
At his desk, Ron Noe handed me a Sea Org contract. I had no
trouble with the one million year bit, as most new recruits did, since I
had already read that Scientologists believed in past lives. I signed it.
It was witnessed by Ron Noe and Gerry Larson [not his real name]. I
swore in while Ron Noe stood and saluted me, and I saluted him.
He read a twenty-item covenant which I repeated after him. The
items consisted of promises all Sea Org members make to the group. I
was basically to adhere to all orders given by Hubbard. I was to apply
the technology strictly according to his standards.
After the swearing in I was taken to the center of the room:
"Now hear this: Heidi Forrester has just become a Sea Org mem-
ber!"
In seconds the entire lobby was jammed with people in uniform,
cheering clapping, yelling - it was pandemonium!
The ovation lasted a full ten minutes.
I was escorted to the registrar, a girl named Dawn Praeger, and
signed a check for all the money I had, which was $lj500.00.
I was taken to the Hollywood Inn that night by Ron Noe. It was a
large red brick building located in the middle of Hollywood. It was not
in good shape. I was put into a room with f`our other Sea Org members,
none of whom I had met before.
After four hours' sleep I had to go back to ASHO. I was told by Ron
Noe that I would be going to the ship that night, the Excalibur, a fairly
"*I Let Him Undress Me*"
125
large vessel in my estimation, though much smaller than the Apollo I
was told. It was used for training Sea Org members in the basics of
seamanship.
I spent some time on the ship and over the next year became fairly
highly trained and audited (at my own expense). Word spread that I
was on a fairly high auditing level. This fact, it appears, resulted in my
being chosen for some very horrible experiences:
I was ruped on orders that had "come down lines"...by a person
who fits the description of Hubbard....
It became apparent to me that as a Sea Org member at ASHO, there
was a very strong law concerning relationships. Sea Org members did
not have any sexual contact with public students or preclears. At
ASHO anyway, this law was observed rigidly among the staff. An inter-
pretation of the S.O.'s feeling about sex with public persons was that
the S.O. was "above" such activities. We were so "elite," that sex with
the public would "spoil" our control over the public. However, there
was no law preventing S.O. members from having sexual contact with
other S.O. members. In fact, this was expected if one had been with
the S.O. for an appreciable length of time. Marriages in the S.O. were
common....
I could never understand the amount and frequency of "swapping
partners" in the S.O. This went on constantly.
One week two staff would be married (in a Scientology marriage cer-
emony) and then the woman would become pregnant. A few weeks
later she would marry another Sea Org member, have the baby and
then marry another S.O. member and so on. When a couple married
they would obtain a marriage certificate from city hall, but it meant
nothing. It was all done as part of a "shore story" to keep legal prob-
lems relating to marriage from reaching the S.O.
If a couple wanted to divorce, they just broke up. There were never
formal divorces in the S.O., they didn't have to get permission from
anyone to end their relationship. There was never much property to
divide between them anyway.
The offspring of these "marriages" went to Pumpkin School, Apple
School, and the Cadet Org to be indoctrinated with Hubbard's tech-
niques so they didn't become problems to the Organization.
I observed all this during my first year in the S.O. It bothered me.
Here were all the staff, supposedly ethical people, who were all-
knowing about humanity, busting up relationships all the time.
I independently decided that I would have no sexual contact with
anyone in the S.O. I totally suppressed my own sexuality. and decided
I would not play that game.
****
126
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
In late 1975, I was told to report to the Hubbard Communications
office. The senior officer there at the time, informed me that I was to
report to the Fifield Manor and go to the seventh floor. She gave me
no other information. I did this without knowing why I was going.
At the Manor, I was directed to the elevator and went to the seventh
floor. The entire floor was elaborately furnished to the point of suffoca-
tion. An S.O. member appeared and showed me to a door that was
partly open.
I went into a very large living room with heavy curtains, pile carpet,
overstuffed chairs and clean to the point of obsession.
Sitting on one of the chairs, drinking what looked like sherry, was a
heavy-set older man. He had reddish grey hair, slightly long in the
back. He was wearing a white shirt, black pants, black tie, and black
shoes, highly polished.
He didn't say a word and slowly got up, motioned me to allow him
into the next room.
I didn't know if it was Hubbard, and wondered if I was to have ei-
ther an auditing session or an interview. I followed him.
I found myself in a lavish bedroom. This still didn't worry me as
sometimes interviews and sessions were held in bedrooms at the Hol-
Iywood Inn for staff.
There was small table set up with an E-meter on it and again I
thought about a session.
Without a word he suddenly began to undress me.
I was repelled by him.
I did not want to sleep with him. Yet, I felt really chilled and cold to
the bone at that moment.
I acutely sensed real fear and danger in the room. In an instant I
realized the calculated power coming from this person. If I resisted I
knew that my punishment would be extreme.
His eyes were so blank, no emotion, no interaction, nothing was
there.
I made the decision to not resist no matter what happened. I real-
ized it would be a bad mistake for me to do so. He seemed to be com-
pletely divorced from reality. He was so strange that I realized that if I
provoked him he could be extremely dangerous.
I let him undress me without resisting.
I was totally unprepared for what happened next.
He lay on top of me.
As far as I can tell he had no erection. However, using his hand in
some way he managed to get his penis inside me.
Then for the next hour he did absolutely nothing at all. I mean noth-
ing!
After the first twenty-five minutes I became about as frightened as I
"*I Let Him Undress Me*"
127
have ever been in my life. I felt as if in some perverse way he was tell-
ing me that he hated me as a female. I then began to feel that my mind
was being ripped away from me by force.
That was the worst of all. I really felt he "coveted" an aspect of my
personality and he wanted it. This was weird, total control on a level I
could not fathom at that time. I had no idea what was happening.*
After half an hour I really thought I was going crazy. I couldn't move
my body from underneath him, and I could feel he still had no erec-
tion.
He wouldn't look at me, but instead kept his head averted to the
side and just gazed into space.
I had to discipline myself to keep from screaming because I felt I
was having a nervous breakdown.
Then I got the terrible thought that he was dead. He was hardly
breathing. Then I thought he would kill me too. My thoughts became
very morbid.
After an hour he got up and walked out.
I just lay there for ten minutes. Then mechanically I got dressed.
Instantly after that I began crying hysterically. I cried and cried and
cried.
I wasn't afraid of becoming pregnant. I was so afraid of whatever had
been going on in this man's head.
Finally when I couldn't cry anymore, I went downstairs and took a
bus back to ASHO. [American St. Hill Organization]
I didn't say a word to anyone.
****
Months went by after this. I got my period on schedule which made
me feel a little gratified at least.
One night I was working late. Gerry Larson, who was now the dep-
uty C.O., came into my area and asked if I wanted a ride back to the
Inn. This seemed a little strange as he was a senior officer, OT7, Native
State, class 7 auditor; but I accepted.
On the way in the car he asked me if I had ever fallen in love sexu-
ally in the S.O. I said "No."
"I think that's true," he said, "because you are much too powerful
theta-wise to be controlled."
When we got to the Inn we went up in the elevator together and as I
was about to get off at my floor he said he needed to talk to me.
I said "O. K." as he was an officer and I thought a friend. Also he was
married....
We went to the eighth floor of the Inn into a little bedroom. He sat
*This sounds like a form of "spiritual vampirism," a kind of "Black Sex-Magic."
128
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
on the bed and started talking about eight being the symbol for infinity
and the highest level of OTness.
I thought that was interesting, but couldn't figure out why he was
telling me this.
"Ron works in eight-year cycles," he said. "You were born in the
eighth month of the year (August). Orders had come down lines that
you are to conceive a child." he said.
This really shocked me.
"I can't tell you who sent the order," he said. "Your abilities are
such that the Sea Org needs you to have a baby."
Without another word he pulled me up, hurriedly undressed me
and threw me on the bed.
Again I felt the same feeling that I mustn't fight him.
He got undressed and for the next hour the exact same performance
that had happened to me at the Manor was repeated....
Afterwards I felt ripped apart mentally. As he was getting undressed
I couldn't stand it anymore. I was in tears again. I said:
"Sir, I can't understand what you are doing to me."'
He looked at me and said:
"Heidi, you haven't seen the OT materials for OT7 yet, but you
know what you are. You are an invisible spirit operating your body.
You and I actually live in a totally different universe, far away from this
one. This Earth, this galaxy, our bodies are just pictures we are mock-
ing up to play and have a game. Sex for a thetan is nothing. It's the
postulates and control of mind and body that is the prize.
"If I postulate you will have a baby from the viewpoint of my home
universe, then you will. You are under my command coming from far
away. I can make your body do what I want."
Then he left.
I was so mixed up. I had been trained to believe everything he said,
yet I couldn't believe he had just told me what he had.
I felt really defenseless. I cried all night.
A month later I got my period. A month after that my senior called
me into his room.
"Go to ethics!" he said.
The "ethics officer" assigned me a condition of treason because I had
disobeyed command intention and was not pregnant.
I had to do amends for this "crime."
After this I never had any other sexual relations in the Sea Org up to
the point where I left. It was made apparent that I was a failure in this
area.
Heidi did her amends. She was put on a special program. She was
to eat by herself. The diet consisted of coffee for breakfast, liquid pro-
"*I Let Him Undress Me*"
129
tein for lunch, and one piece of fruit for dinner. (She was at the same
time put on a running program - three hours a day). This was all she
got to eat for several months before finally leaving the Sea Org in
1978, yet she was an officer in uniform - granted more privileges than
most.
Events that led her to finally leave the Sea Org were described by
her as follows (the setting being the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los An-
geles shortly after the Scientologists had moved into it in 1978):
..the ASHO Ethics officer came up to me. He said there was no
door on the room where all the OT folders were and that I would have
to guard the door for four hours. Silently I followed him to the very
bowels of Cedars, the morgue where the folders were. I felt as if I was
now dreaming. I couldn't believe what was happening. I wasn't even
an OT, yet I had to guard all the OT folders.
Let me describe the morgue. It had not been cleaned out. There
was the scale for weighing the bodies, the huge stone tables where the
autopsies were done. Drains for blood, etc. There were no lights. I was
left to sit on a milk crate in the dark, with racks and racks of OT folders
all around me.
The floor was covered with trash and there was no fresh air. It
smelled of death, really stank of death and chemicals and dissection.
For the first hour I just sat. Then I realized that it was very cold
down here. So I walked back and forth for the second hour. My mind
was blank.
I knew I could look at all the folders but I didn't care. I couldn't have
cared less what was in them.
Suddenly, during the third hour I was aware of shadows in the corri-
dor beyond me; they were people.
Slowly I realized that an entire group of people lived and worked
down here. I was so tired it took me a long time to realize who they
were.
Then it hit me. The Cedars RPF. They lived and worked down here
in this stinkhole; this was their org.
Then I really found out what had happened to them. Filthy, tired,
skeletons appeared before me and started begging to see the OT fold-
ers.
I thought I had looked bad, but I looked beautiful compared to
them.
They crowded around me, pushing and shoving, then the mood
turned ugly. They started hitting each other to get into the room be-
hind me.
I realized then what had happened. They had been totally broken.
130
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
They were animals, not humans. I saw four of my friends...fighting
to get by me. They were punching each other in the face, pulling hair,
kicking. And way down in this cellar no one could hear them, no one
cared.
Someone suddenly hit me hard. I realized they were turning their
anger on me; they would beat me up to get to the folders. I guess in
periods of deep stress we all go a little insane. Survival of the fittest.
From somewhere inside my brain, strength came....
"Friends," I said, "believe me, I am your friend. By some strange
fate I am not with you on the RPF. But believe me if you don't get out
of here right now, I know you will be punished. Go now before it is too
late."
And they ran away into the dark.
When I sat down I was trembling all over. Because the real intent of
my message had been for them to get out of the hospital. Leave Ce-
dars. But I don't think any of them got the message.
****
My last week in the Sea Org a dream. One night I was told
to go to the basement and stuff letters. I did this in a little room with no
ventilation and moisture dripping down the walls.
There was never anyone around. I was left alone most of the time at
night now. That was their mistake. It gave me time to think.
This night I started stuffing my 2,000 letters. The old innocent days
of the Sea Org seemed very far away. The idealistic little girl who had
come here in '74 with dreams of new-found powers and increased un-
derstanding had died....
Far above me the org hummed with activity. Every day someone
else like me, gullible and hungry for answers, was being drawn into
Scientology. Every day someone joined the Sea Org looking for secu-
rity within the group, not knowing the total control of their personality
they were handing over. Every day someone was sent to the RPF.
These were my thoughts as I stood there.
Suddenly I flung the letters down. I needed to walk. Underneath
the nine buildings were long tunnels that connected each building.
Great steam pipes ran along the sides of the tunnels. It was like being
in the engine room of a ship. The public didn't even know these tun-
nels existed.
I walked for miles, thinking.
I knew now that I was going to die: My body was completely emaci-
ated, my mind had developed frightening blank periods when I could
remember nothing at all. I had very few emotions I could feel any
more. Things were breaking down.
"*I Let Him Undress Me*"
131
I walked through tunnels I had never been in. Then I heard it.
Inhuman screaming and ranting It was coming from my right.
There were four doors and someone was pounding on one of them. I
ran over and tried to open the door. It was locked. I yelled, "Are you
all right?" I got more screams. Suddenly someone touched my shoul-
der.
I turned and looked at a man in clean overalls. "Hello," he said. "I'm
the Ethics officer for the RPF."
"What are you doing to her?" I said.
"Oh, she's just blowing off some charge. When someone flips out on
the RPF, we lock them up for a couple of hours. They calm down after
a while." He smiled.
I was stunned. "You lock them up in here?"
"Sure, you know the tech. The tech always works."*
I looked at him. Totally triumphant, with Scientology tech on his
side. I felt sick to my stomach; the corridor started spinning around
me. So this was it. The final answer. Cold, calculated, step by step
progression to stamp out anyone who questioned, rebelled, criticized,
disliked Scientology. Break them, all of us. You don't agree, you make
a mistake, you are a staff member and you flip out. No mercy - just
Scientology tech. Pure Ron Hubbard, turned insane.
He was still looking at me.
"Sure," I said "maybe she'll drop her body and pick up a new one.
She'll get regged again and come back for another try. Death doesn't
exist, does it? Suffering doesn't exist either. Only the tech sent from
another galaxy."
"Wow," he said. "What OT level are you?"
"None you'd want to know about," I said. I turned and left him
standing by the locked door.
*In 1974 Hubbard formulated "tech" dealing with incarceration of "psychotics."
12
Souls Turned Inside Out
Quoting from Brian Ambry's critique on Scientology, The Bridge to
Total Freedom:
"Few of today's membership have met L. Ron Hubbard. To the
rank and file he is a huge photograph to be applauded, cheered, and
saluted; a god made of ink, paper, and magnetic tape.
"They are the denizens of L. Ron Hubbard's official monogrammed
universe, who day by day, year by year, strive to be the epitome of
perfect mono-mindedness; content, indeed exulted to exist in an in-
tellectual flatland, where Ron is Rightness, is Source, is Truth, is The
Way.
"A place where ministers dress in military uniforms and scream
profanities. A place where so much as thinking a critical thought
about RON, or doubting the wisdom of the church hierarchy, is an
`ethics' offense.
"Where a dear and close friend may, at the flick of an `ethics order,'
become an evil being never to be communicated with again.
"A place of ultimate revisionist history - where forgetting those
pieces of the past which conflict with today's official reality, is a key to
survival.
"A `good Scientologist' is a well-adapted cell living with enforced
harmony in the body of his beloved (and feared) Church.
"He exists under conditions resembling a kind of `spiritual marshal
law.' Restrictions on thought and communication are justified, as the
Church of RON works against time to free Mankind, and ultimately
the universe, from the forces of evil.
"A `good Scientologist' has little or no mind of his own, having
*Souls Turned Inside Out*
133
abandoned his own vastly inferior collection of ideas, information,
and conclusions for the encyclopoedic MIND that manifests as the
books, bulletins, policy letters, and taped lectures of L. Ron Hub-
bard.
"He knows that RON has `wrapped up' the subjects of philosophy,
education, organizational administration, logic, ethics, and spiritual
development; it's all been figured out. Thus there is no need to look
any further.
"People who continue to experiment and originate in these areas,
after knowing about Scientology, are called squirrels. A `good Scien-
tologist' believes that squirrels are evil beings [suppressive persons]
and does everything he can to stop them.*
"He knows that any doubts he may have about the rightness of Ron
or his Church are caused by his own scandalous mis-deeds of this or
an earlier lifetime. He learns to police his thoughts, which are always
accessible to the Church authorities via the E-meter.
"A `good Scientologist' does not question Church authority, for to
be a citizen of the `World of the Totally Free' is to obey.
"And even though he is completely subservient to the organization,
he regards himself as the elite of Mankind, viewing non-Scientolo-
gists as inferior beings:'raw meat,''wogs' and `homo sap.'
"How does one become a `good Scientologist' or, as I prefer to call
it, a RONDROID?
"Usually it starts out innocently enough....
"The overriding message of the early Scientology writings and lec-
tures is that Scientology's mission is to bring about increased awareness
and ability. `All I am trying to get you to do is look,' said Hubbard. `The
solution to any unwanted condition is to view it thoroughly.'
"The message is simple: Truth frees.
"`Scientology is knowledge,' he said. `That's all Scientology is. The
word SCIENTOLOGY means KNOWLEDGE. That's all it means.
SCIO means KNOWING IN THE FULLEST SENSE OF THE
WORD...But this is the same word as DHARMA, which means
KNOWLEDGE, TAO, which means THE WAY TO KNOWLEDGE
BUDDHISM, which means THE WAY TO KNOWLEDGE.'
"In his writings he stresses that communication is the key to knowl-
edge and, thus, is the essence of Scientology: `When in doubt com-
*A common sight in Scientology organizations are posters that exclaim "Stamp
out Squirrels" and "Wanted Squirrels Dead or Alive!"
134
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
municate; more communication not less is the answer'; and, `Commu-
nication, and the simplicity of communication alone will take man
from the bottom to the top...'
"To someone newly involved in Scientology this may seem a very
enlightened message indeed. If he then reads a few of the `basic
books,' he will, among other things, come across some innovative
rewordings of certain Eastern and various Western and Middle East-
ern magical and mystical doctrines and practices, and rewordings of
the writings of the founder of General Semantics, Count Alfred
Korzybski.*
"If he reads Dianetics he may be impressed by a reworking of abre-
action therapy*' and - again, and mostly - General Semantics.
"(Whatever Hubbard's character flaws, however unbecoming his
actual motives were, and regardless of the monstrosity his Church has
become, he did act as a clearing house and relay point for beneficial
information originated by others - which of course he claimed to have
originated himself. But also he did, himself, originate or develop pos-
itive material in the fields of psychotherapy, parapsychology, and `hu-
man potential; material that needs to be sorted out from his nega-
tives, falsehoods, tricks, science fiction, and hyperbole.)
"Being unfamiliar with Korzybski's work, and in most cases know-
ing little of Eastern disciplines or the Western and Middle Eastern
mystical and magical tradition, a new student of Scientology may be-
gin to view with awe the man who is proclaimed the sole SOURCE of
ALL this fascinating material.
AUDITING
"If you've ever sat down with someone and let him tell you his
problems - get it off his chest - to a point where he felt better and,
perhaps, even realized something about the situation which resulted
in improved ability or willingess to deal with it, then you've been an
`auditor.'
"Auditing basically means `to listen.' It can also involve assisting an-
*Probably better known than Korzybski is former California Senator S.I.
Hayakawa, who initially gained public attention while a Dean at San
Francisco State during the student uprisings during the sixties.
Hayakawa, a student of Korzybski, has written a number of books on
the subject. General semantics and Korzybski's brief biography are
covered later in Part II, Chapters 2 and 10.
**Abreaction is essentially the process of bringing to the surface, or becoming
conscious of, that which had been buried or "unconscious." See Chapter 2, Part II.
*Souls Turned Inside Out*
135
other to look at the external environment of the world at large, and
the internal environment of his thoughts and feelings, so as to im-
prove his communication with these things, in the direction of greater
mastery and freedom.
"According to Scientology theory there are in the mind a great
many outdated `answers.' A person goes through life largely unaware
of these old `answers' while, unconsciously, being the effect of them.
These `answers' or `solutions' might be described as `old program-
ming' operating not unlike hypnotic commands, imposing upon the
individual undesired conditions, including pressures, fears, obses-
sions, and psychosomatic ills.
"In most Scientology auditing one is asked a question and invited to
look for these outmoded, undesirable `answers.' The idea being to
bring to the surface and analytically examine already existing `an-
swers,' consisting of fixed, and uninspected, decisions, agreements,
or computations.
"This is done, usually, until there is a new realization regarding the
particular area being addressed at that time.
"In auditing an individual may find himself recalling incidents from
early childhood long forgotten, putting past upsets into a new per-
spective and laughing about them, feeling brighter and lighter and
more himself. In short, he may be very impressed with his newly dis-
covered space-age religion.
"While this is happening he will be receiving approval, validation,
and acceptance by the membership.
"Inevitably he'll read about Scientology's aim of `a world without
crime, insanity, or war...where Man is free to rise to greater
heights.' He'll be told that Scientology makes available, for the first
time, unimaginable spiritual power, and that the Church is the only
route to immortality. It is explained to him that he is on `The Bridge
to Total Freedom.'
"He will also come to understand that without Scientology a being
is doomed to what amounts to eternal damnation.
"He will, somewhere in the course of these events, make a LEAP
OF FAITH: `If what I experienced (in auditing or by reading books)
was good then it all must be good...'THIS MUST BE THE
BRIDGE TO TOTAL FREEDOM!' (Of course there are those whose
conversion is based mainly on the fear of, the threat of, Scientology's
Hell.)
"Once the `leap of faith' is made the person goes from being inter-
ested in Scientology to being IN Scientology."
136
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
A quote from Language in Thought and Action, by S.I. Hayakawa,
describes part of this phenomenon well:
VERBAL HYPNOTISM
First, it should be pointed out again that fine sounding speeches,
long words, and the general AIR of saying something important are af-
fective in result, regardless of what is being said. Often when we are
hearing or reading impressively worded sermons, speeches, political
addresses, essays, or "fine writing," we stop being critical altogether,
and simply allow ourselves to feel as excited, sad, joyous, or angry as
the author wishes us to feel. Like snakes under the in influence of a snake
charmer's flute, we are swayed by the musical phrases of the verbal
hypnotist. If the author is a man to be trusted, there is no reason why
we should not enjoy ourselves in this way now and then. But to listen
or read like this all the time is a debilitating habit
Brian Ambry continues:
"THE HIDDEN BRIDGE"
"Even pampered celebrities and wealthy "paying public," while
being spared the crude methods designed to degrade and dominate -
such as the Rehabilitation Project Force - are yet subject to the more
subtle `Hidden Bridge.'
"Most Scientology auditing is aimed at and does, if applied cor-
rectly, remove stale `programming.' This is undesirable unconscious
programming. The idea, it would seem, is to free the person to do his
own Programming, to be the boss of his own mind.
"What isn't realized is that, while the old programs are being de-
leted, a new Rondroid Program is being inserted. This is a gradual
affair. One agrees, then agrees to a little bit more, then a little more,
and so on.
"(Fortunately this `program' doesn't permanently `take' on every-
one, and that is one reason why there are former Scientologists. But it
often requires many years to realize what is going on, and so snap out
of it. Of course, many never do snap out of it.)
"For example:
"Joe realizes through auditing that he has been in his father's `va-
lence' (identity) all these years. Now he is free of it and can be him-
self. What a relief! He had unconsciously adopted his father's man-
nerisms, habits, prejudices, and general outlook on life. And since his
dad happened to be an anti-semitic hypochondriac who never knew
*Souls Turned Inside Out*137
what to do with his hands and was certain that all women were no
good, it's hard to argue that freeing himself of these traits is somehow
bad.
"What Joe doesn't realize is that the Church of Scientology has a
new `valence,' a new identity, new habits, prejudices, and outlook
waiting for him. And they are those which, for all practical purposes,
will be adopted by him just as unwittingly as were his father's charac-
teristics.
"So he gradually loses his old enforcements and inhibitions, only to
have them gradually replaced by a collection of official Church of Sci-
entology enforcements and inhibitions.
"He was told, initially, that he could become the master of his own
universe; but as it ends up, he finds himself swallowed up by the uni-
verse of the Church of Scientology. Typically, and this is the great
tragedy, by the time the process is complete, he doesn't know the
difference.
"This is the other Bridge, the Hidden Bridge, the hypnotic Bridge.
The one that sneaks up on you bit by bit. It is the Bridge leading to
Total Agreement and Total Compliance." Ambry concludes.
SOULS TURNED INSIDE OUT
While auditing is presented as the only road to total freedom for
the individual, having "withholds" from an auditor or Church officials
is presented as the primary barrier on that road.
Withholds are, broadly, anything one is not willing to tell someone
else. The practice of withholding during auditing is seen as anti-
communication and thus a barrier to "case gain."
Confiding one's withholds to a close friend or other trusted individ-
ual, such as a counselor, rabbi, minister, priest, or even the local bar-
tender, is a time-honored tradition in society at large.
There's a flip side to this coin, however:
The disclosure of withholds under duress, to further the aims of un-
scrupulous individuals, can be very damaging indeed.
In his book Thought Reform and The Psychology of Totalism Dr.
Robert J. Lifton describes how the Communist Chinese used certain
psychological tactics to establish their control over populations and
prisoners.
Three key methods were described, a: "Milieu Control" (which are
environmental mechanisms for control similar to those so graphically
138
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
described in the "Brainwashing Manual," Chapter 8), b: "Mandatory
Confession" (dealt with in this chapter) and, c: "Loaded Language"
(which was Hubbard's specialty - also covered in the "Brainwashing
Manual" chapter).
Withholds extracted under physical torture is an extreme example of
damaging "confessional techniques.
A less dramatic example of this is confessions elicited under threat of
physical pain or other harm, i.e., coercion or blackmail. The threat can
be direct or very subtle.
Hubbard preferred the subtle kind of coercion, but would get openly
rough at times. One example of the subtle kind: he wrote that a person
who has withholds cannot achieve the state of clear. A Scientologist
hearing this - with "clear" being the prerequisite to the god-like state of
Operating Thetan - realizes he must tell all, whether it's anybody's
business or not.
Beginning in the early sixties Hubbard put great emphasis on
"pulling withholds" (getting a person to tell all).
Getting off one's withholds became an obsession among Scientolo-
gists. "He/she's got overts and withholds," is still the most common ac-
cusation heard.
While actual auditing relies for its benefits on the human communica-
tion skills and the caring of individual auditors, Hubbard was not averse
to advising coercion if things got sticky.
In a 1965 bulletin, Hubbard says of the "unchanging preclear":
We've cracked them for years and years now but not by being patty-
cake or "slap my wrist."
Takes an AUDITOR, not a lady finger.
Mister, you've been wasting my time for three sessions. You have
withholds. Give!...Mister, you refuse once more to answer my
question and you're in for it. I've checked this meter...you've got
withholds. Give!...Mister, that's it. I am asking.. for a Comm Ev
on you...
A "Comm Ev" (Committee of Evidence) is a Scientology "Court"
which was originally presented as a fact-finding body in the tradition
of British and American jurisprudence. In fact it became perverted
into being mostly a rubber stamp for arbitrary executive decisions to
kick staff off their posts or to declare Scientologists "Suppressive" and
expel them. These committees are greatly feared.
Hubbard goes on to say:
*Souls Turned Inside Out*139
If skill couldn't do it, demand may. If demand couldn't
Comm Ev sure will.
(An extreme in the area of forced confession is the "gang bang
security check," where as many as five angry and accusative individuals
interrogate someone who is attached to an E-meter.)
Hubbard knew exactly what he was doing by enforcing confessions.
He firmly believed that confession which is not absolutely voli-
tional is damaging to an individual; that when a person's ability to
hold back communication, selectivity at his own choice, is impaired,
his IQ is lowered.
He understood that, when a person is coerced into confession, his
ability to maintain his own viewpoint is weakened. Consequently he
gradiently loses his sense of individual identity.
Yet, while being fully aware of this, he created an organization ded-
icated to enforcing full disclosure of all withholds; withholds to which
he and his closest intelligence agents had full access.
(Kima Douglass, Hubbard's closest assistant for five years during
the seventies, told of how Hubbard would often angrily order pre-
clear folders of those he suspected were against him to be culled for
overts and withholds, to be used against them.)
The fact that Hubbard was aware that coercion to "get withholds
off" is damaging to people is revealed in a bulletin, dated 15 January,
1958. Here he asserts that the selective "ability to withhold" is a posi-
tive ability.
He wrote:
Now the first question the minister would ask would be, "Think of
something you could withhold from _______ (person)." Now one of the
discoveries that led to that question is that divulgence and confession
had nothing to do with raising anybody's IQ or improving his case.
[Emphasis added] It wasn't the fact that he confessed it or divulged it
but the fact that he erased it [that gave the benefit].
"Erasure" is a word used by Hubbard to denote the complete erad-
ication of the negative influences (or "charge"*) of some traumatic
event. This is achieved by viewing that event exactly and by having
the person re-live it over and over in his mind, until he sees the event
"as-is" and recognizes how and why the event had badly influenced
his thinking and behavior.
*The harmful energy or force accumulated in the reactive (subconscious) mind.
140
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
So what he is saying here in 1958 is that it is the fact that the person
confronts for himself exactly what happened that is of benefit to him,
not the fact that he confesses.
He goes on to say,
It is the ability to withhold communication which advances IQ and
makes a person feel better, not the ability to divulge it. We;e been
told all our lives that all we had to do was go to somebody and confess.
If we were to confess to our mothers and fathers that we did those
dirty, nasty little things we would feel much better. It isn't true. You
probably only felt better to the end of getting your pants spanked. This
is an enforced communication...It interrupted your self-determi-
nism on the subject of your communication.
He clearly expresses the idea that one should be able to withhold
communications and actions responsibly, at one's own choosing. On
the other hand, at one's own choosing, one should also be free to com-
municate freely the full truth of something.
This advice echoes his earlier dictum, "Do not give or receive com-
munication unless you yourself desire it."
Yet only two years after saying all this, he went on a campaign of
"security checking" everyone in sight. It became a crime of some
magnitude to not divulge all one's withholds to an auditor. Very much
enforced communication.
Security checking involved using the E-meter as a police tool to
check whether staff, students or pre-clears were "security risks."
Such questions were asked as: "Have you ever accepted money for
sex? Have you ever been unfaithful to your spouse? Have you ever
stolen anything? Have you ever had anything to do with pornogra-
phy? Have you ever been a drug addict? Have you ever been in-
volved in an abortion? Have you ever had intercourse under the
influence of drugs? Have you ever done anything you are afraid the
police may find out? Have you ever done anything your mother
would be ashamed to find out?" and many more such questions.
Oh, yes, he knew what he was doing! The purpose was to intimi-
date people, and discourage any critical examination of himself, his
writings and organization.
Extensive micro-fiche files of withholds (in this case, past disrepu-
table deeds) of Scientologists all over the world were kept at Saint
Hill Manor in England.
It is probably true, as Hubbard said, that when a person feels he
cannot withhold from a certain person, his IQ lowers with regard to
*Souls Turned Inside Out*
141
that person. That, perhaps, explains why so many of his follo
seem so unbelievably dense on the subjects of Scientology and L. Ron
Hubbard.
THOUGHT CONTROL
A Scientologist is heavily indoctrinated into the idea that if he finds
himself being critical of Hubbard or the Church or its executives,
then the very fact of his being critical is proof positive of the fact that
he himself is harboring undisclosed dirty deeds.
This is a highly effective tool to "introvert them like a bullet," as
Hubbard phrased it. In other words, a person notices, for instance,
something actually wrong with Hubbard and he immediately has his
attention boomeranged right back at himself. So instead of pursuing
his examination of Hubbard he finds himself introverting into him-
self, and often paying (400 dollars an hour or more) to have his with-
holds pulled!
Meanwhile Hubbard's errors and crimes are safe and sound, his
image of infallibility intact.
THOUGHT CRIME
In George Orwell's 1984, Big Brother watched people's facial fea-
tures by means of closed circuit TV cameras and, if anyone didn't
seem genuinely pleased with the propaganda announcements being
made, actions were taken to brainwash them. The lack of appropriate
expressions betrayed "thought crime."
In Scientology the probe for dissension goes deeper: Hubbard and
his agents are able to probe the actual thoughts of their followers - via
the E-meter - during confessionals. "Souls turned inside out," he
told Ron Jr. in Philadelphia in 1952. He meant it.
It is noteworthy that when somebody can look into your thoughts,
giving you no option for privacy of consideration and opinion, some
devastating things occur. This is especially so if you are (or consider
that you are) dependent upon the approval of that somebody or group
for your continued well-being and very survival as a spiritual being.:
It is one of the inalienable rights that one be free to think whatever
one wishes. It is also one's right to choose for oneself what is true for
oneself. Also, while there are exceptions (the IRS for instance, has its
own ideas on this), it is generally left up to the individual in a free
society to select what he or she decides to communicate to others.
142
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
When one loses these rights, the only remaining defense becomes
to actually change one's thoughts to conform with the acceptable
"think" of the individual or group which has violated the sovereign
territory of one's mind. One gets into the habit of thinking "right"
thoughts and self censoring "wrong" thoughts.
When some group, with the power to harm an individual, has full
access to his thoughts, overriding his power of choice, that individual
no longer has the option of rejecting any of the actions, mores, or con-
siderations of the group.
In Scientology one can no longer have a critical thought about
Hubbard. For example: "Have you had a critical thought about L.
Ron Hubbard?" is a question commonly used in security checking.
If a Scientologist persists in having any critical thoughts about
Hubbard, he will be penalized. As a consequence he learns to think
only good thoughts about Hubbard and his Church; to never think
critical thoughts about him or his Church and to censor out or "write
up" (report to Church policing authorities) any criticisms he hears.
This inability to select the thoughts one chooses without fear of re-
taliation causes a person to become stupid on a given subject, there
no longer being any option of safe objective analysis, based on a de-
tached personal appraisal of the facts involved.
This situation is similar to that existing in other dictatorships which
have large spy systems and use torture and duress to get people to
confess their own and other's "crimes." In these countries it is also
imposed on people that they should squeal, even on their family and
friends. And, like other dictatorships, the "custom" of writing re-
ports, even on one's own spouse or parents, has long been enshrined
in Scientology policy.
In contrast, it is one of the fundamentals of the legal systems of civ-
ilized societies that thoughts, by themselves, cannot be held against
an individual. A person is sovereign in his own mind. One has the
right to think freely and no civilized court has jurisdiction to interfere
with that right.
It is only when thoughts are translated into actions (or when they
are communicated in the form of witnessed or documented plans to
commit criminal actions, as in conspiracy), that legal penalties are re-
sorted to.
Investigation into alleged crimes must be conducted within a cer-
tain set of guidelines according to the Bill of Rights in the U. S., which
proscribes "unreasonable searches and seizures.'' In other words, the
*Souls Turned Inside Out*
143
rights of the individual are carefully balanced against the rights of so-
ciety for protection against any individual's crimes against it. Evi-
dence from lie detectors is inadmissible in court in most cases, and
police have to gather their evidence within a severe set of guidelines.
These principles are blatantly violated by the Scientology "confes-
sional," as practiced by Hubbard's Church.
In the Church's confessional an individual's mind is opened up with
the aid of the E-meter and with false representations that his revela-
tions will be kept strictly confidential. (To be fair, the auditors usually
believe that it is confidential and are usually oblivious to the fact that
their written notes may be perused by the intelligence arm of the
Church.)
****
The kind of thought control described in this chapter is greatly aided
by the fact that the E-meter does appear to expose to the practitioner
those things which the person holding the cans (electrodes) finds
difficulty facing up to. The needle of the device does appear to react
when the mind's eye scans near those things. And as this occurs a com-
petent auditor gently prompts "that," "there," "that": coaxing the sub-
merged mental picture or idea into full view in one's mind. The same
E-meter needle reaction will continue until the person fully faces up to
whatever he is repressing.
It is very impressive to most people, when they first get auditing,
that the auditor can apparently discover what they are thinking. They
find it sheer magic that they can dredge up considerations that they
have had in the distant past, but have long since forgotten.
Most who have experienced auditing will tell you that the meter
assisted them in the process of bringing to light, and discarding, old
false and fixed ideas which had been affecting their lives negatively.
The meter, they will say, helped them bring these ideas to the sur-
face, thus allowing re-inspection of them, enabling them to realign
their thinking in a more optimum fashion. There was, they will claim,
an increase in self-confidence and newfound abilities.
The E-meter is a tool, as are the actions of basic auditing. They can
be used as tools to help others. This is the positive side.
Or they can be used as bait, to lure another into a trap.
And, violating the essence of what auditing' was proclaimed to be
*Auditing is also known as "processing" as one "runs processes," that is, asks
questions, applies a procedure.
144
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
all about, these tools can be used, in an authoritarian environment, as
weapons to harm, intimidate, and subjugate.
All this was well known to Hubbard. And he used or abused these
things as he saw fit, choosing to use "black" or "white" Scientology
entirely at his discretion as to whether or not either aided his objec-
tives.
"Black Scientology," whether used on individual Scientologists or
an outside "enemy," is to be kept hidden. "White Scientology" is to
be promoted like crazy.
This principle is similar to Hubbard's more openly stated policy
about keeping intelligence and PH separated.
"PR is overt," he wrote. "Intelligence is covert.
"Threat and mystery are a lot of the power of intelligence. Publicity
blows it."
Hopefully with this book, the "threat and mystery" of black Scien-
tology will be blown.
****
Shortly after Ron Jr. left the organization in late 1959 "because of
his overts and withholds," his father made an appeal to all Scientolo-
gists in an official technical bulletin. He urged them all to assist in a
new project designed to bring about a "greater group" than has ever
before existed.
All Scientologists were to....
"1. Get off your own overts and withholds, and
"2. Urge other people to get off theirs."
He asks that each make "a full list of present lifetime overts and
withholds...signed and sent to HCOWW [Hubbard Communica-
tions office World Wide]."
He continues reassuringly:
That these files exist in my personal possession should make it effec-
tively impossible for anyone to try to use this information. (Emphasis
added)
(Ron Jr. was spilling the beans all over the place and Hubbard, it
seems, had to know what others knew about his dark secrets. But that
was only a small part of it....)
Some time after Hubbard set up the Guardian office in the mid-
sixties, the practice of keeping extensive dossiers on people, includ-
ing records of withholds from their pre-clear folders, was expanded.
*Souls Turned Inside Out*
145
On December 15, 1969, Mary Sue Hubbard put this practice into
official - albeit secret - policy, addressed to "all Deputy Guardians
for Intelligence." The "Guardian Order" sanctioning this practice was
numbered GO 121669 MSH, and dealt with "Internal Security."
It contained a "Major Target" as follows:
To use any and all means to detect an infiltration, double agent or
disaffected staff member, Scientologist or relatives of Scientologists,
and by any and all means to render null any potential harm or harm
such have rendered or might render to Scientology and Scientologists.
Under the heading "Vital Targets" it states:
To establish intelligence files on all such persons found to be infiltra-
tors, double agents, and dissaffected staff members, Scientologists and
relatives of ScientologiSts.
Under the heading "Operating Targets":
To make full use of all files of the organization to affect your major
target. These include personnel files, Ethics files, Dead files, central
files, training files, processing files (emphasis added), and requests for
refunds.
To assemble full data by investigation of each person located for pos-
sible use in case of attack or for use in preventing any attack and to
keep files of such.
There is a note in the text of this order which advises that those
following the order "be effective and imaginative in your collection of
data and in your actions to nullify any attack or threat of attack."
Mary Sue also notes that the program is a "continuing one regard-
ing which projects will be issued from time to time."
This order was followed, over the years, to the letter.
****
L. Ron Hubbard had some major problems with government and
various mental health groups and other private institutions during the
late sixties, especially in the U.K.
Apparently his inclination was, at that time, to "pull their with-
holds," to find out what they knew but weren't telling.
During the latter part of the 1960s he had achieved some success
146
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
with Guardian's office intelligence agent infiltration of some of these
organizations.
With these wins fresh in his mind, he wrote up his "Snow White"
program in 1973, while living secretly in Queens, New York. This
program was designed to handle certain U.S. Government Depart-
ments and Interpol (perceived at the time as the biggest thorns in his
side), once and for all.
The title "Snow White" signified the concept that these agencies
would be snow-white clean of all withholds once Scientology intelli-
gence was done pulling them.
13
Snow Whitemand the Scientology 11
(or Hubbard's Watergate)
The first I heard of it, there was a shrill call from a friend who was
on staff in Los Angeles. It was July 8, 1977.
A raid by some 134 FBI agents, armed with sledge hammers and
crowbars, had been launched early that morning on the Sunset Bou-
levard "complex" in Los Angeles (formerly Cedars of Lebanon Hospi-
tal). Other raids were conducted simultaneously at the Manor (Cha-
teau Elise) nearby, and at the Washington, D.C., organization.
They had carted away thousand of boxes of confidential materials,
"including pre-clear folders," I was told.
We were called that night into the Fifield Manor (Chateau Elise)
for a special briefing by the PR people, Heber Jentzsch and Vaughn
Young The mood was feverish when we arrived despite Heber
Jentzsch's inevitable jokes equating the FBI with the Nazis.
The FBI's search warrant was going to be challenged in court and
those seized documents would never be made public. They would see
to that.
The press quickly responded to the raids, and were generally sym-
pathetic to the Scientologists.
Columnist James J. Kilpatric blasted the FBI, calling the agents
"klutzes": "What troubles me is the sheer crushing power that our Gov-
ernment can bring to bear when it chooses. Even if the Scientologist
prevail in the end, they will have been put to stunning legal expenses.
147
148
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Their normal operations will have been disrupted for months. And all
for what? Is the FBI's purpose prosecution or persecution?"
I couldn't understand why the FBI would raid a church. This was es-
pecially so later, when it was explained to us by Church representatives
that all that the Church could in any way be held guilty of would be steal-
ing Xerox paper from certain government offices.
I never doubted the sincerity of Scientology's intentions behind the
outpouring of anti-FBI literature, much of which was legitimately criti-
cal of abuses within that organization, which subsequently poured out
of the Church Guardian's office.
This was just another example of the abuses by this FBI gestapo
organization against a church.
It took me a few years to get a fuller story of the events and person-
alities that had culminated in this raid, a watershed event in the his-
tory of Hubbard's adventures.
It took me even longer to learn that when the news hit, Hubbard
was holed up in La Quinta, near Palm Springs, along with Mary Sue
Hubbard and the top brass of his secret service elite of the Guardian's
office.
Operation Snow White had backfired.
What did Operation Snow White consist of, and why had it gone so
wrong?
Interestingly enough I first learned some of the key facts from read-
ing a book by Omar Garrison, commissioned by the Guardian's
office.
This book glorified the adventures of the "intrepid" G.O. "freedom
fighters," despite the fact that it essentially admitted the illegal na-
ture of the acts concerned.
This was after all a Church which had been subjected to extreme
government attack and dirty tricks. The book was in fact titled Playing
Dirty.
Wrote Garrison about operation Snow White:
It was a super-secret operation that would be unimaginable to most
people.
A government official remarked in awe that it would have done
credit to the intelligence service of a major country.
Hubbard's G.O. agents had pulled off an amazingly successful cam-
paign of infiltration of numerous government and private agencies.
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*149
Besides accessing and copying voluminous government files about
Hubbard and his church, they had also placed disinformation into
various files. (Oddly enough, among the files stolen were those on
then California governor Edmond Brown Jr., Los Angeles mayor
Tom Bradley, singer Frank Sinatra, John Wayne and others.)
It was not till 1980 that I actually read the account of Michael
Meisner, a key player in Operation Snow White.
I read a document prepared by the FBI. This was a thick legally
worded account of events that had led to the raid. The information
had obviously been compiled mainly from the testimony of Michael
Meisner.
By that time Mary Sue Hubbard, and other top Guardian office
officials, had stipulated that the information in it was true.
This stipulation was part of a guilty plea, which ended the trial pro-
cedure, a procedure which could have embroiled Hubbard in the le-
gal maelstrom. Protecting him was the prime consideration, even if it
meant certain jail for the others.
Years later when Hubbard was asked in writing, by a Rocky Moun-
tain High reporter, what his part had been in the Snow White Affair,
he replied:
I learned about it like everyone else, after the fact and could only
shake my head in dismay. I was never involved in any of the incidents
to which you refer and even governments and courts recognize the fact
and actually my name has never come up in connection with it beyond
the passing mention that I founded the Church.
Quite the contrary. The FBI had in fact labelled Hubbard an
"Unindicted Co-conspirator."
****
Project Snow White began to be implemented in early 1974 when
Jane Kember, Mary Sue Hubbard's immediate junior, titled "Guard-
ian for Life," issued a written order (Guardian Order 1361) declaring
full-scale war on the IRS in the United States.
The overt "weapons" in the war were to be litigation in the courts
and a public relations campaign.
The covert "weapons" were to be the penetration of the IRS Intelli-
gence Division, the IRS Special Services Staff, and the Chief Coun-
cil's office, by "covert G.O. operatives" (Scientology spies).
150
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
The targets of all this spy activity by the Scientologists were, ini-
tially, the IRS offices in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles and also
London, England.
MIKE MEISNER'S STORY
Mike Meisner was a 20-year-old student at the University of Illinois
at Urbana in November of 1970 when he was introduced to Scientol-
ogy by a friend.
During the next two months, he took several courses at the Urbana
Church of Scientology franchise. In January the following year, he left
the University to become a full-time course supervisor at the fran-
chise.
In May he was sent to the Church of Scientology in St. Louis where
for the next eight months he was trained to become an auditor. After
returning to the franchise and continuing his duties as a supervisor for
a time, he assumed the position of Executive Director of the fran-
chise.
In mid-May of 1973 he was recruited for the Guardian's office and
moved to Washington, D.C., with his wife Patricia, who also joined
the G.O.
He was taught that the intelligence bureau, which he was now a
part of, deals with safeguarding the environment within which Scien-
tology exists, by removing and rendering harmless all those perceived
to be enemies of Scientology. (In other words, implementation of the
Fair Game Law had been entrusted to this group.)
This was accomplished, he was taught, by infiltration, theft of docu-
ments and covert operation.
Wrote Gerry Armstrong:
B1 [the intelligence Bureau] was created by L. Ron Hubbard who
patterned it after the intelligence system developed by Nazi spymaster
Reinhart Ghelen.
Following weeks of training in G.O. procedures and policies in
D.C., Meisner was sent to Los Angeles for intensive on-the-job train-
ing in the "Intelligence" Bureau there.
He was taught that strict adherence to the chain of command
within the organization was of paramount importance.
He was taught how to place agents in organizations targeted for
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*
151
infiltration, how to steal documents, and other overt and covert intel-
ligence gathering techniques.
In November of 1973 he returned to D.C. as head of intelligence,
where his duties included obtaining personal information about and
"handling" Scientologists who were dissident or disaffected.
In January of 1974, Mike Meisner was promoted by Jane Kember
(Guardian World Wide) to head Bureau 1 in Washington, D.C., mak-
ing him responsible for all intelligence operations in the area.
On November 21, Jane Kember wrote a letter to Henning Heldt
headed: "Re Interpol Washington." In it, she informed him that the
Guardian's Office had "some documents illegally obtained, that indi-
cate Interpol Washington was in touch with Interpol Paris, London.
..." (Emphasis added by the FBI) She added: "We know that Wash-
ington, D.C., has police files on LRH...and Interpol Washington
has a file on LRH as well."
Hubbard had apparently become convinced that Interpol was be-
ing used to disseminate negative materials about him to various coun-
tries, resulting in the difficulties the ship and various Scientology Or-
ganizations were running into.
Later in the letter Jane Kember directed, "It is important that we
get cracking and obtain these files and I leave you to work out how."
In late summer of 1974 Meisner was instructed to recruit a covert
operative to infiltrate the IRS in D.C. Gerald Wolfe was selected. He
eventually got a job at the IRS as a clerk-typist. He was code named
"Silver. "
While he was settling into this job, other agents were infiltrating
IRS offices in Los Angeles and London.
All documents relating to Hubbard, Scientology, etc., were or-
dered to be photocopied.
Mike Meisner met with his superior, Don Alvarazo, who showed
Mike the bugging devise he had brought with him from L.A.
The same day Mike and another G.O. operative entered the main
IRS building seeking to find out where a meeting was to be held a few
days later. They subsequently placed the bugging device in a wall
socket of the targeted room.
Don Alvarazo and two other agents waited in a car nearby and over-
heard and taped the "big pow wow about what to do about us."
Duke Snider (Meisner's superior) wrote a letter shortly afterwards
saying "We must be careful with this transcript [of the meeting] as
even in the distant future in the hands of the enemy the repercussions
152
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
would be great. There are new laws on this federally, and a strong
post-Watergate judicial climate."
Meanwhile Gerry Wolfe, as a plant in the IRS, was not an instant
success. He let his superiors know that he was unable to obtain the
documents he had been ordered to find and copy.
So Mike Meisner and his co-agent, Mitchell Herman, entered
Gerry's workplace to demonstrate that it was possible to get the docu-
ments. They went to the seventh floor of the building and took a Sci-
entology file from the filing cabinet there. It was taken from the
building photocopied and returned the next day without detection.
Following that "achievement" there were many others.
By December 4, 1974, Wolfe had sent off two shipments of docu-
ments to G.O. headquarters in England, each about "ten inches
thick. "
Gerry Wolfe continued searching the files of various offices on his
own while Mike Meisner oversaw the operation and organized the
Xeroxed materials mailing to his superiors.
During the first five months of 1975 alone, the documents located
by Gerry Wolfe and photocopied totalled some ten feet in height.
After it was discovered that many of the files they were looking for
were in the offices of Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Dodell, plans
were made to gain entry there also.
It was deemed necessary that Meisner also obtain an IRS I.D. card
such as the one Wolfe had obtained as part of his job.
In order to obtain one, Meisner and Wolfe entered the main IRS
building after hours, using Wolfe's legitimate I. D. Then, using one of
the tools of the burglary trade, they forced open the door to the room
where the I.D. equipment was located. Using a flashlight, Wolfe
picked up four blank I.D. cards (two each) and typed in fictitious
names. They then took turns photographing each other's images onto
the cards. Badge numbers were taken from a log they found in the
room near the equipment.
Subsequently, five other Scientologists followed their example,
making similar counterfeit cards.
On May 25, 1975, Mary Sue wrote a letter to Jane Kember. It
states:
Our overall strategy with the IRS shall be as follows: 1. To use any
method at our disposal to win the battle and gain our non-profit status.
...(Emphasis added)
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*
153
Hundreds of Scientology agents were placed in a variety of govern-
ment and private organizations during this period.
****
It was well known to the Scientologist C.O. hierarchy that what
they were doing constituted breaking and entering and was therefore
a felony. It was also known that to use the government equipment
and paper constituted theft, and was a felony. A letter from a legal
researcher to top executives in the G.O., which was later found dur-
ing the FBI raid, spelled out the law on these matters. Meisner and
Wolfe regularly briefed their seniors on their activities.
AN ORDER TO PROTECT HUBBARD AT ALL COSTS
LEADS TO COMPLICATIONS
Events leading up to these complications were as follows:
On April 4, 1976, a Scientology case, in which the Church was
suing for documents regarding the Church withheld from them by
the government, was in progress. An apparently insignificant discus-
sion occurred between the judge and the government attorney.
This exchange was destined to create major consequences....
The judge asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Dodell if he had
considered taking Hubbard's deposition (i.e., had he demanded Hub-
bard be present to testify)?
"It is an interesting thought Judge Hart...." responded Dodell.
"Why don't you take his deposition?" asked Judge Hart.
"I will certainly relay that suggestion..." responded Dodell.
Alarm bells were set off by this exchange. Hubbard's safety was
paramount, and he would have been notified immediately of the dan-
ger. Hubbard would then have immediately alerted his G.O. execu-
tives to handle "terminatedly" any threat to him!
(This panic reaction was, I believe, most likely what eventually led
to the FBI's uncovering of Operation "Snow White.")
In response to this brief colloquy in court, a project was precipi-
tated by G.O. executives: a complete investigation was to he done re-
garding Judge Hart, and Dodell's office toas to he penetrated to moni-
tor his intentions regarding deposing Hubbard.
So Mike and Gerry entered the U.S. Courthouse in Washington,
D.C., at around four P.M. and went to the third floor to locate
154
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Dodell's office. It was located in a highly secured area. Finding the
door locked they unsuccessfully tried to break in.
A few days later Gerry phoned Mike from Dodell's office. "Dodell's
secretary left her keys on her desk!" he enthused. He had used them
to get into Dodell's office.
They met and then located a locksmith where they got duplicates of
some of the keys.
At about seven P.M. on May 21, Mike and Gerry returned to the
Courthouse.
They entered in the usual manner with Mike using his "John M.
Forster" I.D. "We're going to the library section to do legal re-
search," they told the security guard.
Apparently approval was given and they were issued an elevator
key and proceeded to the third floor where they signed the library
log using the fake names on their I.D. cards.
At the first opportunity they left the library and went to Dodell's
office where they gained entry using one of their keys. They copied
all the documents they found.
A week later, Mike and Gerry again went to the Courthouse and
went through the same procedure to gain entry.
This time, however, they entered the library through the back door
without signing in.
They used their duplicated key and this time collected more docu-
ments relating to Scientology and also some relating to the FDA and
D.C. police Department, and photocopied them nearby the office on
government equipment.
As they were returning through the library to Dodell's office with
originals, they were stopped by the librarian.
"Did you sign in?" he enquired.
When they said "No," he had them do so.
"You are not to return to this library unless you have specific au-
thorization from the regular librarian," they were told.
Then they returned the originals to Dodell's office and left the
building.
A few days later, the night librarian Charles Johnson and a Security
Guard got around to notifying the United States Attorney's office that
two individuals who had in their possession IRS I. D. cards had been
seen using the photocopying machines in the U.S. Attorney's office
on the previous Friday evening.
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*
155
Both Johnson and the guard were instructed to immediately con-
tact the FBI if the two returned to the Courthouse.
Meanwhile another G.O. project was begun called "Project: Target
Dodell." Its purpose was stated to be to "render Dodell harmless."
Hubbard wanted any threat to him stopped.
So, in line with this project, Mike Meisner was directed to return
to Dodell's office to steal personal files in order to devise and formu-
late a court operation to remove him as Assistant United States At-
torney for the District of Columbia.
So, in furtherance of that operation, Mike and Gerry again went to
the Courthouse on June 11, 1976.
Entering at about seven P.M., Meisner signed in and they pro-
ceeded to the library and showed the night librarian the written per-
mission which they had earlier received from the head librarian.
When they went to Dodell's office there were cleaning ladies doing
their chores there, so they returned to the library and acted like re-
searchers while they waited for the cleaning crew to vacate.
Meanwhile the night librarian contacted the FBI.
Two FBI agents arrived while the two were still waiting in the li-
brary. They demanded to see their I.D. cards
Mike presented his card and told them that he had since resigned
from the IRS.
While one FBI agent continued to question the two, the other
went off to contact a U.S. Attorney.
"We're here to do legal research," Meisner told Agent Hansen.
"We used the photocopying equipment to photocopy legal books and
cases."
He gave her, as his home address, an address a few doors away
from his actual residence.
After fifteen minutes of questioning Mike Meisner asked, "Are we
under arrest?"
No, they were not under arrest, was the response.
"Ok, let's go!" he said to Gerry.
Agent Hodges saw them leaving, and called to them.
"Agent Hansen told us we could go," Mike replied.
After leaving the Courthouse they walked a couple of blocks to
make sure that they were not being followed, then caught a cab to
Martin's Tavern Restaurant. From a nearby public phone they called
their superior in L.A. and told him the details of their misadventure.
156
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
After another couple of calls, Mike was told to leave the next morn-
ing on a flight to Los Angeles.
THE COVER-UP
On the plane Mike wrote up a detailed report of the previous day's
Courthouse incident.
When he arrived in Los Angeles, his report was turned over to
Henning Heldt (Jane's junior and head of the G.O. in the U.S.), and a
full description of all the events was, shortly thereafter, sent to Mary
Sue Hubbard.
The crisis was analyzed and a tentative plan was adopted to contain
or stop the investigation. A shore story was devised for Gerry Wolfe
should he be arrested. Another story was worked out for Mike. One
which would support Gerry's.
The highest priority, recognized by all parties, was to prevent the
FBI from making the connection between the two and the Church of
Scientology.
It was argued that if Wolfe allowed himself to be arrested, and gave
the proper cover story, then the investigation could, be contained.
Then following Wolfe's plea of guilty, Meisner would surrender, give
the same story as Wolfe and also enter a guilty plea. This plan had a
good chance, he proposed, of terminating all FBI investigation with
little or no connection to Scientology being made.
Heldt approved this plan.
A cover story was devised: the whole thing was "a prank that had
gone sour."
****
Gerry Wolfe, who by now had also arrived in Los Angeles, was
drilled on the story and assigned an attorney to aid him through his
arrest.
On June 30, 1976 Gerry Wolfe was arrested in the main IRS build-
ing by FBI agent Christine Hansen. He was charged with the use and
possession of a forged official pass of the United States. He was re-
leased on his own recognizance, pending a preliminary hearing.
In a letter dated July 1, Mary Sue wrote:
He: Mike and the FSM" [FSM = Field Staff Member: Gerry Wolfe]
From an investigative point of view it was really too easy for the op-
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*1
57
position. All they had to do was to trace back the common entry [sic]
points of the log back for both Mike and the FSM [Wolfe] until they
arrived at the point where the FSM used his correct I.D. card.
She urged that she be kept informed as to what happened to Wolfe.
In response to that request, she received two letters. In one she
was told that the prosecutor had been informed that Gerry's I.D. was
all a lark gone sour, and that Wolfe had been instructed not to go any-
where near the Church of Scientology; the writer felt it was still possi-
ble that there would be a minimal punishment for Wolfe and no con-
nection made to the Church.
When the case came up for preliminary hearing, a U.S. Magistrate
found that probable cause existed and ordered the case "bound over
the action to the Grand Jury." A few days later a warrant for the arrest
of Michael Meisner was issued for use of a forged official pass.
Mary Sue responded to the discovery that the FBI was onto
Meisner:
Wonder how they got onto him?
On getting him abroad, unless you have good ID for him different
from his own, it might be dangerous. He would better be "lost" in
some large city where it would be difficult [sic] to find him.
What a shame.
Meisner was moved to a series of different motels.
Meanwhile there was a lot of communication going back and forth
to and from Mary Sue regarding how best to proceed.
In late September, FBI Agent Hansen requested the Church of
Scientology to provide her with examples of Meisner$ handwriting.
Meisner was told that it had been decided that false examples would
be given.
THE FRUSTRATIONS OF MICHAEL MEISNER
A few weeks later Meisner expressed concern for his wife and par-
ents and complained that he was being kept almost totally unin-
formed of G.O. actions in the ongoing cover-up.
He was assured that he would be kept informed in the future and
that Mary Sue Hubbard was concerned about the situation; anything
he wanted to express to her would be sent directly to her.
He wrote a letter to Mary Sue in which he said:
158
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
In my opinion, no matter what story we use, the longer we wait to
implement it, the less believable it will be and the more...the gov-
ernment will be inclined to believe that the Church is behind it.
Meisner was audited three times a week after this, but despite this,
towards mid-March, he began to become upset at the lengthy delays.
By late March he wrote Henning Heldt demanding that he take a
more active role because the delays were "becoming intolerable."
By April 27 (almost six months after he first hid out), Mike was
again upset about the slowness of events and Weigand was notified
that Meisner now intended to "leave for either Canada or D.C. Satur-
day."
The next day Mike's auditor Jim Fiducia and two G.O. executives
visited him to persuade him against leaving for Canada or D.C. on his
own. Mike, however, was adamant that he would leave unless the
Wolfe situation was handled promptly.
"HERB" GETS ROUGHED UP
Heldt informed Mary Sue of the situation with "Herb" (Meisner)
and that he was ordering the Information Bureau to "arrange to re-
strain Herb and prevent him from leaving, and to guard him so that
he does not do so."
When Meisner was told that from that day on he would be placed
under guard, he hotly responded that there was no way he would ac-
cept any guards. He also complained bitterly that the whole situation
had been mishandled by the G.O. and that this fact had resulted in
his becoming a fugitive.
The guards were placed there anyway.
He was next visited by a top G.O. executive who warned:
You will no longer be permitted to make demands and threats on
the Church. You are to become a decent, co-operative, contributing
part of the venture and nothing else will be tolerated!
He and the guard searched Meisner's apartment and removed any
evidence that might have connected Meisner to the Church. The meet-
ing concluded, according to a report, "with the guards in charge. "
At six r.M. on May 1, three Info Bureau Agents and two body-
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*
159
guards visited Meisner and told him he was to be moved to another
apartment. He refused, and threatened to cause a commotion if
forced to do so.
The two guards handcuffed him behind his back, gagged him and
dragged him out of the building.
Outside they forced him onto the back floor of a waiting car. Dur-
ing the trip in the car one of the guards used his feet to hold him
down.
At the new apartment, still in Los Angeles, three guards remained
to secure him. He was prevented from leaving for the next three
weeks. During this time he determined that it was best to co-operate
with his captors, and he corresponded with Heldt to ask his help in
having the guards removed. He also accepted auditing.
On May 13, Wolfe entered a plea of guilty to a one-count indict-
ment charging him with the wrongful use of a Government seal.
Mike was informed of this and by the third week of May, partly due
to his co-operation, his watch was relaxed and his guards began to
take him out of the apartment, for short periods.
It was at that time that he was shown a written G.O. program: It
had been decided that Meisner could not surrender to the FBI until
the IRS had granted the Church of Scientology of California its re-
quest for tax-exempt status. This contradicted previous assurances
made to him, and so alienated him further from the Church. He
didn't complain, however.
By the end of May he was guarded by just one person.
One day when he was out with his guard he escaped by jumping
into a taxi. He went to the bus station and caught a bus to Las Vegas.
He knew of a motel there that even he could afford. He needed time
to think about his predicament. He was still committed to Scientology
and didn't want to leave the organization precipitately.
After a night in Las Vegas, he called Los Angeles and asked to
speak to Heldt. Heldt pleaded with him to return to L.A. and the
G.O.
He initially refused but agreed to meet with Info Agent Douglas
the next day in Las Vegas. He was eventually persuaded to return to
L.A. to speak with Henning Heldt, and they met at Canter's Restau-
rant. Heldt assured him that both L. Ron Hubbard and Mary Sue
were working on his case and would do everything to help him.
"You will have to continue to be under guard" he was told. But he
should consider the guards his friends not his enemies. He agreed to
160
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
remain in the G.O.; but later described the situation as an "armed
truce."
THE SENTENCING AND PERJURY OF "SILVER"
Almost exactly a year to the day after their fateful confrontation
with the FBI in the Courthouse library, on June 10, Wolfe ("Silver")
was sentenced to a term of probation and was required to perform
one hundred hours of community service.
This was a major victory for the Scientologists.
The relief was to be brief, however: Immediately following his
sentencing Wolfe was served with a subpoena to appear that same
afternoon before the U.S. Grand Jury which had been investigating
the entries into the U.S. Courthouse.
It was one P.M. and the Grand Jury was attempting to identify the
person or persons who had caused and conspired to perpetrate the
violations. They wanted the real reasons why Mike and Gerry had
penetrated the security system on June 11, 1976.
A Grand Jury member asked the question:
When did you first come to know that the D.C. Bar Association had
a library on the third floor of this building2
A: I don't remember the exact date.
Q: Why did you want to come to the library?
A: To study.
Q: To study what?
A: To learn to do legal research.
A: Why did you want to learn to do legal research?
A: Well, I was planning on going back to Minneapolis to complete or
further my studies in music and I thought that in addition to clerical
skills that I had that if I could learn to do legal research that I could
perhaps get a better paying, more interesting job to help pay for my
school.
Q: How did you propose to learn to do legal research in the I).C.
Bar library?
A: Someone was going to teach me.
Q: Who was that someone
A: John Foster.
A: You only knew him by John Foster?
A: Right.
There were other questions, and all of Wolfe's perjured answers
forwarded the shore story that had been pre-arranged.
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*
161
****
After his appearance before the Grand Jury, Gerry went straight to
the Church of Scientology where he was debriefed by G.O. officials.
Excerptions of that debriefing entitled "Silver Hearing and Grand
Jury," went, according to the routing marked at the top left-hand cor-
ner of the document, at least as high as Mary Sue Hubbard.
On June 13, Meisner was visited by Heldt who had him read a
handwritten letter from Mary Sue. In the letter she warned him that
if he escaped again he would be on his own.
MIKE ON HIS OWN
The fact is that by this time Mike had decided that if the watch over
him were ever relaxed he would immediately leave the Guardian
office, surrender to federal authorities, and co-operate in the ongoing
investigation.
He was feigning co-operation in the hope that the guards might be
removed.
This tactic worked. By the evening, after the agent left with the
positive report about Mike's state of mind, he was no longer guarded
at night.
The following Monday at six A.M. he took a few clothes and left the
apartment, took a couple of different buses to elude any potential tail
the G.O. might have placed on him, got off the bus randomly and
placed a call to United States Attorney Gary Stark in Washington,
D.C., and told him that he was ready to surrender.
He was told to stay where he was and wait for the FBI agents to
arrive.
After his surrender, he was sent to Washington, D.C., to meet
Stark. He agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge which carried
a five-year prison penalty, without any condition except that he co-
operate with the Grand Jury investigation. He was placed in the pro-
tective custody of the Marshal Service.
Meanwhile Heldt was informed: "Herbert was found missing to-
day. "A note had been found from him stating that he would call in a
week and that he was not going anywhere he could be located, and
that there was no further purpose in discussing his motivations.
It was speculated that he was hiding, probably somewhere in Los
Angeles, doing legal research regarding possible defenses in his case.
All documents that could connect him with Scientology were re-
moved from his apartment and fingerprints were carefully wiped out.
162
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Mary Sue was alerted.
All libraries in Los Angeles were ordered to be checked to find if
Mike was in any of them, and all incriminating documents in the
Guardian's office were placed in the "Red Box."*
The G.O. received a letter on June 29th from "Herb" postmarked
San Francisco:
I know you don't understand what's going on, but I still need time to
myself. I'm making enough money to get by on so there's no problems.
I'11 be in touch in a couple of weeks. Herb.
Unknown to them, the letter had been prepared by the FBI, to
allay G.O. suspicions while they readied their raids on Washington
and Los Angeles G.O. headquarters.
Mary Sue did sense something wrong, however. She wrote to
Heldt:
I frankly wld [would] not waste Bur1 [intelligence] resources looking
for him but wld instead utilize resources to figure out a way to defuse
him shld [should] he turn traitor.
On July 4th a warrant was signed by Judge Henry Kennedy. It al-
lowed the FBI to conduct a search of the Church buildings in D.C.
Another warrant was issued in Los Angeles.
So at six A. M. on the morning of July 8, 1957, FBI agents arrived at
the Scientology G.O. establishment to conduct what was, according
to Omar Garrison's book, the largest such raid ever in U.S. history.
Another raid was conducted, almost simultaneously, in D.C.
Mike Meisner qualified for the Witness protection program.
*"Red Box", is explained in a document (seized during the FBI raid of the
Church, precipitated by Meisner's testimony).
This document orders:
"All the Red Box material from your areas must be centrally located together
in a removable container (ideally a briefcase), locked and marked."
Appended to that document is the "Red Box Data Information Sheet." This sheet
answers the question, "What is Red Box Data?":
"a) Proof that a Scnist [Scientologist] is involved in criminal activities.
b) Anything illegal that implicates MSH, LRH.
c) Large amount of non-FOI docs [Non Freedom of Information Documents ille-
gally obtained].
d) Operations against any government group or persons.
e) All operations that contain illegal activities.
f) Evidence of incriminating activities.
g) Names and details of confidential financial accounts."
*Snow White and the Scientology 11*
163
****
While they fought it off in the courts for almost five years, the fate
of the 11 was sealed. They were headed for jail.
This scene, exposed by Michael Meisner, would also have enor-
mous ramifications in Hubbard's life.
His moves to protect himself from becoming embroiled in criminal
proceedings were destined to open up a Pandora's box of new prob-
lems for him.
14
Freaking out Paulette
Among the materials that the FBI seized from the Church of Scien-
tology was a sheet of paper headed "P.C. Freakout." It detailed a pro-
gram to have Paulette Cooper, a New York journalist who had written
a book entitled The Scandal of Scientology, incarcerated in prison or a
mental institution.
Her book included an interview with L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., and re-
vealed Hubbard's connection to "Black Magic" and Aleister Crowley.
This was the first time these subjects had been broached in a book.
Hubbard determined - evidence indicates - to stop the book and to
intimidate other writers and publishers.
Paulette Cooper had, prior to the raid, been facing charges by the
FBI that she was guilty of felonies. She had been framed by Hub-
bard's Guardian's office. The documents, seized by the FBI, finally
proved this conclusively.
In regard to the government infiltrations of the previous chapter,
Hubbard's agents might be seen by some to have been a Scientology
David taking a sling shot to a government Goliath; but in this project
they could be seen as a Goliath gleefully crushing a David underfoot:
A sadistic bully.
Paulette Cooper testified `about these events in 1981, to a hearing
on Scientology by the City Council in Clearwater:
My basic interest is as a writer; I like investigative things....
I went in and took their weekend course.
During the time, I wandered away from the group where they were
teaching the particular, well, TRs, as they call them, and I came upon a
list of people, who - I don't remember for sure if it was a Fair Game
164
*Freaking Out Paulette*
165
order, but I think it was because these people were being declared en-
emies of mankind.
I remember one woman's name was on there.and it declared her an
enemy of mankind for pushing five men down a flight of stairs. And
how could she do that? It just didn't ring true.
And I decided to contact some of these people when I came home.
And I think I took about five names, the five top people, and every one
of them had an unlisted number, disconnected phone.
Well this was in 1968, and the people Scientology was attracting
were twenty-two, twenty-three years old.
And just by chance, a whole group of people are not going to have
five unlisted numbers unless there's a reason for people to unlist their
number.
So, it began to bother me that, you know, was this so-called respect-
able Church perhaps harassing people? And in that one weekend, I
had noted that they had lied about certain things, and I wondered
about a church lying to people. And I decided to look in the library and
see if I could get any information, any book. And I discovered that all
the stories had been clipped out of every single magazine pertaining to
Scientology and I wondered whether this Church was, perhaps, possi-
bly stealing things.
Well, I spent the next couple of years doing research into Scientol-
ogy.
And my first article came out in December of 1969. That's also the
month that I received my first death threat.
And then a number of mysterious events occurred, both then `
during the time within the next year and a half until my book came (ana
I was followed on several occasions; we found a phone tap on ,ut.
phone; I was being multiply sued already at that time. Oh, people kept
calling me and trying to take me out, and it seemed like people wept
trying to get to me.
And this went on for four unpleasant years, including four lawsuits,
one of which was for somebody else's book. And when that happened,
I got really annoyed. And I became the first person to sue them for
harassment.
It was actually shocking to them because Hubbard had written that
an enemy of - that no one would ever sue, that they had too much to
hide and that people were criminals (whoever attacked the Church),
and, therefore, we were going to just wither away and die....
Well, about October of 1972, they started a big campaign to finally
silence me or attempt to stop me. That month I received the second of
what was ultimately to be five anonymous, absolutely disgusting smear
letters about me. This particular one called me a part-time prosti-
tute ....
166
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
During this same period of time, there were a large number of at-
tempts to get into my apartment, which was on the ground floor of the
building that I lived in at the time; it was not well guarded, and I was
quite concerned. I received a tremendous number of really disgusting
calls, and I remember one day counting eleven calls....
I finally decided that I was going to move to a higher security apart-
ment, even though I really could not afford to do so at the time. I
moved on December 15th. The person who took over the apartment
was my second cousin. We bore a physical resemblance because we're
about the same age and she was very petite, and we both had short
brown hair at the time.
And a series of mysterious circumstances occurred. The important
thing was that she opened up the door to someone who had flowers and
rang my bell. And I was no longer living there, although my name was
still on the door.
When Joy opened the door to get these flowers, he unwrapped the
flowers and there was a gun in it.
And he took out the gun and he put it at Joy's temple and he cocked
the gun, and we don't know whether it misfired, whether it was empty
and it was a scare technique, what happened, but somehow, the gun
did not go off.
And he started choking her, and she was able to break away and she
started to scream. And the person ran away.
And so she called a detective and he said, "It's a very wild attack
because there doesn't seem to be any motive for it." There was no at-
tempted rape, there was no attempted robbery, and why should some-
body just suddenly try to kill her....
About a week or two later at my apartment, I received a visit from
the FBI. And they informed me that the public relations person from
Scientology had claimed that she had received a couple of bomb
threats and asked - and had named me as somebody likely to send
bomb threats.
I didn't take the whole thing very seriously, and the FBI asked me if
I would mind being fingerprinted. And I said that I would not, and I
was fingerprinted.
[Later] I was called for a grand jury....I didn't think this was any-
thing very serious and did not bother to retain a lawyer, had very little
money because I had used all my money to move to this more expen-
sive, higher-security apartment.
And when I got there, they told me that I was the target of an inves-
tigation into the bomb threats. And I went and had to hire a lawyer,
and every lawyer wanted - the least we could get was five-thousand
dollar retainer, which, in those years, was like paying ten thousand
dollars, you know, today. And to suddenly have to pay this sum of
money and find out that you're in serious trouble....
*Freaking Out Paulette*
167
Finally, I went before the grand jury, and I tried to answer every
question as truthfully as 1 could....
They kept asking me again and again, "Did you ever see this letter?
Did you ever touch it? Do you know who might have? And I said, inci-
dentally, "Yes," that I suspect they might have confrontations in the
press.
And they asked me to step outside the room. And when I came
knew I was in very serious trouble, and they asked me what my social
security number was, whether I was on drugs, and did I realize what I
had said so far. And again, they asked me the same series of questions.
And they said, "Well, Miss Cooper, if you've never touched this let-
ter before, could you tell us how your fingerprints got on it?"
I felt like a grand piano had just hit me on the head. I - I fainted
sitting up; the whole room just turned upside down and I didn't know
what to do. And then, of course, the lawyers wanted more money.
And on May - let's see, May 19th, 1973 - I was indicted on the
three counts of sending bomb threats through the mail; two counts
were for two letters. One was for perjury for saying before the grand
jury that I hadn't done it and that I thought this public relations person
might have done it. On May 29th, ten days later, I was arrested and
arraigned.
The next eight months were a terrible, terrible nightmare in my life
that I still feel sometimes that I suffer from to this day. I had fifteen
years in jail over my head and fifteen thousand dollars in fines. I was
petrified about going to jail, more so, perhaps, because of my small
frame and the fact that I heard that women's federal prisons were
rough places.
I risked having my career totally destroyed because - and I had
been successful. And as a freelance writer, what editor is ever going to
give an assignment to someone who's been indicted or convicted for
sending bomb threats to someone they opposed?
I was very concerned about the indictment and the trial coming out
in the newspapers. The public does not know the difference between
indict and convict, and they think that if you're on trial for something,
you must have done it or where there's smoke there's fire. I was left
with the terrible public humiliation that every person I ever knew in
New York would read the details of the trial and these accusations.
I was most concerned about my parents, who had adopted me when
I was six years old, and how humiliating it would be for them and their
friends to have to explain and to go through a trial like this.
During this period of time, I went through a terrible, terrible de-
pression and a number of my friends, which I can't blame them for, did
not stick by me. I was depressing to be with. I had been seeing a man
for five years and had intended to marry him, and he left as a result of
my depression.
168
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
I was released on my own recognizance.
I went through a period of very, very acute anxiety....I couldn't
sleep till about four in the morning and I'd wake up about six with my
stomach just in my throat and worrying about what the next day would
bring and what was going to happen at the hearing. And this went on
for eight months, and I was just totally exhausted, sleeping two to four
hours a day....
All the money I had had gone to the lawyers, and I went into debt to
try to continue to pay for them. The - in the end, just the main lawyers
cost nineteen thousand dollars....
I developed, for the first time in my life, acute agoraphobia; I
couldn't leave the house. I think that this really started with this at-
tempted murder that I felt had been intended for me....
And meanwhile, during this period of time, there was a friend, a
new friend, who I met under somewhat mysterious circumstances, but
he was very, very helpful. And I obtained an apartment for him in my
building, and he did some of the food shopping that I could not get out
and do. And his name was Jerry Levin....
The worst period of time was approximately two weeks before the
trial. My lawyers informed me that, with a federal case, it was a
ninety-five percent chance of conviction. They gave me the good news
that, for the trial, they wanted my parents to be seated in the front row
and watch the entire proceedings. And I kept saying, "You can't do
that to them. It's going to be awful enough for them to read it in the
paper."...
They felt that one circumstance that might get me acquitted was the
mutually close relationship with my parents.
On top of that, going through some Scientology material I had ob-
tained, there was the name of Jerry Levin. Now, I felt horribly be-
trayed, but at the same time I simply did not want to believe it. I was
very naive, and his name was a very common name, especially in a city
like New York.
Meanwhile, we had tried every single move possible to get the trial
stopped. And - but I was in a very very nervous state and it was impos-
sible for me to be tested correctly. And we went to some doctors who
said that they felt the only thing that might work would be...sodium
pentathol or "truth serum "
So, the problem was we couldn't find a doctor who would give me a
sodium pentothal test because, by this time, I weighed eighty-three
pounds; I had started at about ninety-eight. And it became very, very
dangerous to go and put somebody under, as if for an operation, and do
that.
And I just said I didn't care if the...sodium pentathol killed me
because, if I had to stand trial for what I didn't do and humiliate every-
*Freaking Out Paulette*
169
one and go through this humiliation, that I would just as soon be dead
anyway.
And we finally did find a doctor two weeks before trial who gave me
a sodium pentathol test. I was unconscious for seven hours.
I don't know what was said during that [time].
I do know that, when I came to, my mother was standing there and I
said, "What happened? What did I say?"
And she just said, "It's O.K. It's a11 over. There won't be a trial."
The government wanted to save face because they don't like to ad-
mit that they've made a mistake. So, they said that they...would
postpone the trial, but they would not actually drop the charges at that
time.
The government did not drop the charges and, for two years after all
this, I still had to worry on a daily basis whether one day there was
going to be a trial and all of these things that I was afraid of, the prison
and so on, was going to happen.
Paulette Cooper goes on to tell about the harassment she received
over the next couple of years. She began to receive copies of a letter
she had sent out in her late teens and a copy of psychiatrist's report
(that had been stolen from her psychiatrist's office by a Mr. Dardano,
while he was an agent for the G.O. He also testified at the Clearwater
hearings, having left Scientology by that time).
By 1975, the charges had been dropped.
In the summer of 1977, the FBI raided the Scientology organiza-
tions, based on Michael Meisner's testimony.
Paulette continues:
On October 12, 1977, the FBI called me. Now, remember, this was
a five-year period that I had never been able to prove my innocence;
the government considered me a criminal. I had a, quote, record, end
quote.
And the FBI called out of the blue and said, "We have just received
evidence that you were innocent of those original charges."
I put down the phone and cried..
****
Paulette Cooper learned from the FBI that the Scientologists had
broken into her New York lawyer's office.
She finally saw the seized documents at the end of 1979, when a
judge ruled 23,000 of them available to the public. Among them were
two that made it absolutely clear that she had been criminally framed.
170THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
One document was found that indicated that there had been some
consideration of using the mafia against her, but they decided instead
to frame her "so that Scientology would not look bad."
Another document proved that Jerry Levin, the fellow who had
been "helping" her during her worst months, had been "calling a di-
ary into Scientology.
This included reports as to how close she was to suicide: "She can't
sleep again...she's talking suicide. Wouldn't this be great for Scien-
tology!"
15
"I Resigned in 1966" - Hubbard,
From Secret Desert Command Post
Perhaps it could be described as locking the stable door after the
horse has bolted, but since there was probably a real threat of a subse-
quent FBI raid at La Quinta (a high-class area near Palm Springs),
that description might not be fair.
Besides later being the location for the production of"educational"
or instructional Scientology films, there was, initially, at La Quinta a
major project to shred, "vet" (cut out signatures with a razor blade)
and burn all documents that could in any way tie Hubbard, his wife
Mary Sue, or Jane Kember to the Guardian's office activities, and
Hubbard to control of the Church.
"Hubbard had resigned in 19GFi," was the "shore story" that had
now taken on tremendous importance in the wake of the FBI raids.
He was now said to be just a writer in seclusion, who sometimes
consulted top Church officials. All evidence to the contrary had to be
eliminated.
"If it isn't written it isn't true" was his commandment, and it was
followed exactly over the years. So all his orders were in written
form, as were all communications of importance between his execu-
tives and staff around the world. A great deal of this demonstrated his
total dictatorial control of his Churches and the Guardian's office.
171
172
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
There was a lot of paper to destroy.
"LAND BASES" IN THE DESERT
In early 1977, there were some 400 people in La Quinta, posing as
the "friends of Norton Karno."
Much of the following dialogue describing that era is edited from a
taped briefing by John Zegel, who is the step-father of Mark Yeager, a
member of the current top "elite" rulers of the Church. John Zegel
and Mark's mother resigned from the Church four years ago. Mark
disconnected from them, calling them "Squirrels" and "Suppres-
sives." His mother had proudly given him permission to"join Ron" in
1973, when he was twelve years of age.
John Zegel was in a position of knowing many of Mark's friends,
who left the Sea Org concurrently with John's resigning. They related
these events to him. His taped briefings became a sort of under-
ground "news media" among ex-Scientologists in 1983-1984:
On the 15th of July, 1977, a week after the FBI raids, having spent a
week conferring with Mary Sue about the matter, Hubbard made a de-
cision to leave La Quinta. With him he took Dede Reisdorf, Claire
Rousseau and Pat Broeker.
They left in a station wagon named "Beauty," in the middle of the
night with their lights off. Once they were an adequate distance away
they turned their lights on and made their way to Sparks, Nevada.
Hubbard was ill during the trip. He was having stomach trouble and
this is not a happy time for anybody.
Pat Broeker and Claire Rousseau, under assumed names, went out
and set up an apartment.
The cover story was that Pat and Claire were a young married cou-
ple, Hubbard was their elderly uncle and Dede was their cousin.
This "family" was almost completely incommunicado for nearly six
months. Hubbard was spending time working on his health. He took
long walks every morning and worked on the script of Revolt in the
Stars, which he envisioned would be made into a major film. It would
deal with a "catastrophic interplanetary incident that occurred 75 mil-
lion years ago."
After they had been in Sparks for a short time, cash was becoming a
problem, so Pat Broeker contacted Annie, his soon-to-be wife, in
Clearwater.
"*I Resigned in 1966*"
173
They arranged for one million dollars in cash to be taken from the
Church by Annie. Subsequently, she met Pat in the L.A. Airport
where they exchanged suitcases. Each had a matching suitcase, and
were disguised in some fashion.
The money arrived at Sparks, but they were still uncertain that the
money had been sufficiently laundered. So they took the hundred dol-
lar bills, which was how the bulk of the money arrived, to the various
casinos and broke the money down as it was needed.
They remained in Sparks until the last day of December 1977. They
then headed back to the Rifle hacienda in La Quinta.
Since the filming was now to begin, more property was needed.
Two large ranches were located in Indio, California. One was 140
acres of grapefruit and date palms called "Silver," and another 10-acre
plot of grapefruit and date palm, with a hacienda called "Monroe."
The film crew would eventually live at Monroe, and in the middle of
Silver's grapefruit orchards, a huge barn was built, which was actually
a film studio.
In September of 1978 Hubbard had another major incident with his
health. It is unclear as to whether he had a heart attack or a stroke, but
it is known that David Mayo, who at that time was senior case supervi-
sor Flag was summoned from Flag to La Quinta to audit him.
Dr. Gene Denk was in attendance when Hubbard arrived. He pro-
nounced him "very seriously ill" with vital signs very, very low. He
said that Hubbard's heart was arrhythmic, and he prepared the neces-
sary facilities for revitalizing the heart.
Hubbard eventually recovered, but remained on heavy medication
thereafter, especially blood-thinning drugs.
John Ausley tells of some of the events of the period:
Hubbard would suddenly, overnight, turn someone of his choosing
into Dracula, when in fact they had been an instrumental force in
building the entire group. How do you do this? You insult them to the
core. And what it engenders is fear in the others.
"No matter how big you are, I can wipe you out just like that!"
There was this California surfer type. He was a Class Twelve. And
he was the type of Scientologist who always wanted to work it out with
two-way comm. (He wanted to discuss any disputes in order to resolve
them.)
He was like one of the inner sanctum. And he was quite a good
counselor. Hubbard had this rule that you weren't supposed to mess
with the locals sexually, or "public on lines" (customers).
Anyway, this guy had decided to get laid. And there was some girl
174THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
he was getting along with. And this was not so esoteric. This girl was in
the Sea Org. It wasn't as though he was messing around with a public
person or local. She was a tech groupie: she wanted to go to bed with a
Class Twelve.
So he sleeps with her. Then Hubbard writes this issue and says he's
been messing around with public. And makes him the garbage col-
lector. It's like Hubbard sat down and figured out what would be the
most degrading thing he could possibly do to this guy to defile him in
front of his peers.
So he collected garbage for a week or two, and he'd occasionally go,
rather meekly, "I don't think this is right..."
Hubbard had decided to degrade him. He just kind of went for him!
He had to prove to everyone that he would sacrifice a Class Twelve for
no reason.
****
An interesting description of the La Quinta era was one covered in
the Riverside Press Enterprise by reporter Dick Lyneis:
A Las Vegas woman, who spent a secretive six months in the River-
side County desert in 1978 helping Scientology founder L. Ron Hub-
bard make movies, said she worked as "slave labor" while Hubbard
lived like a king.
Mrs. Adell Hartwell said Hubbard had his own home which was sur-
rounded by an electric fence and protected by guards. "He had his
own valet," she said, "and was always in the company of his `messen-
gers' who were teenage girls and he had a motor home, a boat, two
Cadillacs, and a Jeep and two girls who drove him everyplace."
Mrs. Hartwell, on the other hand, said she often worked long
stretches without eating and - along with her husband, Ernest - lived
in a "shack" which they said they had to share with a variety of desert
vermin. She said they didn't get the promised Scientology counseling
and were forced to work 12-hour days, with one day off every two
weeks....
Mrs. Hartwell was there from May until October of 1978, while her
husband spent only two months there. The entire group, which au-
thorities think arrived early in 197f), was gone by last March ['79].
Movie making was the principal activity. Location shooting was
done in nearby cities, and Hubbard, who Mrs. Hartwell said was the
"producer, writer, director and everything" for the movies, used his
Scientology followers as actors, musicians, costume persons, set work-
ers, and other movie jobs.
An amateur dance team, the Hartwells had been promised that once
they got to the production area, which they were told would be in
"*I Resigned in 1966*"
175
Florida, they would be trained to act, and their dance talents would be
used.
Instead she ended up sewing costumes and her husband worked on
movie soundtracks.
Mrs. Hartwell described Hubbard as being about six feet two inches,
and 275 pounds. She said he "dressed very sloppily. He always had one
suspender, a cowboy hat, and had a bandana around his neck. He cussed
and swore all the time. He used the filthiest language I ever heard in my
life."
"No one could call him by his name, Ron," she said, "because that
was a breach of security. Everyone always referred to him as The
Boss." She said members of the group were instructed to notify a Sci-
entology attorney in Encino if anyone approached the property and
asked questions about their identity and affiliation.
Mr. Harhyell said Hubbard got the maximum out of the group, "by
controlling everyone by fear and threats of discipline."
Discipline, the Hartwells said, took strange forms.
"He (Hubbard) got mad at a messenger once," Mrs. Harhyell said,
"because she overspent some money on an errand, so they took away
everyone's supply of toilet paper for 10 days."
Hubbard, who is 69, was looked upon as god-like by the persons
there, said Mrs. Hartwell, who admitted he had a "strong influence"
on her.
"One day he touched me," she said, "and I could just feel a force
there that was hard to describe."
"His messengers," she said, "were there to cater to Hubbard's every
need. The girls would stick cigarettes in his mouth and light them.
They had to catch his cigarette ashes. If a drop of sweat was on his fore-
head, they had to wipe it off. Every word he said had to be written
down by the girls. You can't believe anything if it's not written down.
Whenever he appeared people would clap. If it was four in the morn-
ing and nobody could see straight, people would clap."
The sense of worship that persons within the Sea Org feel for
Hubbard, Mrs. Hartwell said, is "almost fanatical."
"The feeling among most people there," she said, "was that when
Ron Hubbard goes (dies), we are going to go with him."
In March of 1979, with Hubbard still staying at La Quinta, a "secu-
rity flap" occurred.
Eddy WALTERS :
One of the major points that put him into deep hiding was when
Ernest Hartwell and I went to La Quinta to see him and he panicked.
Ernest Hartwell had left La Quinta and returned to Las Vegas
176
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
where he talked to Eddy Walters, who was a counselor at the org
there. He described the conditions at La Quinta and his observations
and opinions of Hubbard. Eddy was a G.O. staff member who was as
hard and dedicated as most of those chosen for intelligence work. But
Hartwell's story, since it was messing with his illusions about the
founder himself, was disturbing.
He wrote up a report of his interview with Hartwell and was almost
immediately confronted with a visit from Artie Maren, a very senior
G.O. official who had come all the way from Los Angeles to "handle"
him.
Eddy, who was inclined not to believe Hartwell, now couldn't un-
derstand why the fuss. If what Hartwell was saying was indeed the
ravings of a crazy man, what was the big deal?
Artie was obviously in a huge sweat about this report and begged
Eddy not to talk about it or pursue it further.
All this made Eddy very curious and, during a subsequent conver-
sation with Hartwell, he decided that he and Hartwell should go out
and face the Old Man. "Right up to the point where I went out to La
Quinta I still believed in him. I still believed that he'd somehow
straighten it out. That's why I went out there," Eddy told me.
When they arrived, they were "confronted with armed guards and
the paranoia was intense."
"What he did, instead of confront me, was to run," says Eddy.
Eddy couldn't figure out why Hubbard should run from him. "I'd
expected that he'd stand up to me. I'd been living in Las Vegas and
my motivating idea was that this man, who had so much to give the
world, was headed in a certain direction. Now I was faced with the
dilemma: if that was the case, why would he run from me?"
Eddy Walters was expelled and declared suppressive and the mim-
eographed issue, making it official, was already being handed out by
the time he and Ernest Hartwell had made the five-hour return trip
to Las Vegas.
Hubbard fled to a small community about 2O miles south of River-
side called Lake Elsinore. There he and his assistants lived in a motor
home for approximately a month.
The next location Hubbard lived in was a place called "X." "X" was
an apartment block in a small town called Hemet. Hemet is the town
closest to Gilman Hot Springs. Two apartments were taken there,
one in which Hubbard lived, and one for the messengers and the
other people who accompanied him.
"*I Resigned in 1966*"
177
In October of 1978, another facility had been purchased. It was
known as Gilman Hot Springs and included that resort and a motel
known as the Massacre Canyon Inn, about 20 miles west of Palm
Springs. Gilman Hot Springs included a 27-hole golf course and a va-
riety of other facilities.
The total purchase price for the properties was 2.7 million dollars
and the Church paid for them in cash. Hubbard had huge offices that
were renovated and constructed for him at Gilman. He also had a
house that was renovated for his use, called "Bonnie View." How-
ever, neither of these was ever put to use.
****
Dick Lyneis wrote in the Press Enterprise:
Church of Scientology activity in Riverside County may be more ex-
tensive than its officials acknowledge.
Besides its Riverside Mission, the controversial church until early
this year maintained a secret mission near Indio where its elusive
founder, L. Ron Hubbard, led a group engaged in making church
training and indoctrination movies.
Additionally, there are strong indications that a group now occu-
pying the former Gilman Hot Springs resort, near San Jacinto, may be
a Scientology project.
Although spokesmen for an individual who says he owns the old re-
sort, and officials of the Church of Scientology deny they are con-
nected, there are significant links between the desert mission and the
Gilman Hot Springs activities.
Rev. Heber Jentzsch, of Los Angeles, a Scientology spokesman, said
he "has no information" that his Church has any involvement with
Gilman Hot Springs.
Persons at both locations have been linked to Scientology....
Why the group insisted on so much secrecy, while shooting Hub-
bard's movies, could not be determined. But the Church has a record
of cloaking much of its activity, including property ownership. In addi-
tion, church members, court documents filed recently in Washington
reveal, go to great lengths to keep authorities from finding Hubbard
because they fear he is being sought by law enforcement authori-
ties.
Security was so tight at the desert location the Hartwells said they
didn't know where they were going until they got there. And when
they arrived in the desert, they were instructed to tell friends and
178
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
members of their family they were in Florida for advanced Scientology
training....
While the Hartwells were in the desert, they were not allowed to
make telephone calls or to send mail directly. If they had permission to
make telephone calls, they were instructed to tell the other party they
were calling from Clearwater, Florida. If someone called them in
Clearwater, the person answering took the name and telephone num-
ber of the caller, and forwarded the message to the Hartwells for a re-
turn call ....
Early this year spokesmen for the trust said the new occupants of the
property were members of something they called the "Scottish High-
land Quietude Club." At various times the spokesman said owners of
the trust were "wealthy Eastern investors" or wealthy investors from
the Palm Springs area....
Riverside County sheriffs authorities became suspicious about the
occupants of the two ranches at La Quinta when they learned the
group was filming movies. A department source said it was feared
someone was making pornography movies, but the properties were va-
cated before an official investigation could begin.
Captain Reid said his investigators have been trying to learn the
identity of the Gilman resort owner because of inquiries made to the
department by residents of the area. "We heard rumors like organized
crime was taking it over," he said. "and we felt we had to look into
these rumors."
A raid by the Riverside Sheriffs office on the Riverside Mission in
July of 1979 and the above article's appearance in the Press Enter-
prise did nothing to make Hubbard's hiding place in Hemet more se-
cure. Along with this unwelcome publicity there were increasing IRS
legal and investigative activities into Hubbard's financial affairs.
All this, combined with Tonja Burden's going to see the FBI and
anti-Scientology attorney Michael Flynn (Tonja could tie Hubbard
into G.O. activities), had to have had quite an effect on Hubbard.
Hubbard's response to these events was "Operation Bulldozer
Leak," the biggest of a series of shredding and vetting operations to hide
his control of the Church. This was conducted mainly at Gilman Hot
Springs, which was the administrative control center of Scientology In-
ternational.
By February or March of 1980, Hubbard took off from Hemet with
Pat and Annie Broeker, traveling to San Louis Obisbo, some four
hours drive up the coast of California. Here he lived secretly in a his
Bluebird motor home until his death on the 24th of January 1986.
"*I Resigned in 1966*"
179
Since the raids by the FBI, all attempts to cover up the full story
seem to have created further problems.
During his reign at his desert hideout, first in La Quinta and on
through his stay at the Hemet apartment block, he had initiated some
major changes.
In November of 1976 he had issued an LRH Directive stating that
prices around the world had not been raised for over a decade and
that they needed to "catch up with inflation," so they would begin be-
ing raised at a rate of 10 percent a month until they were "caught up
with inflation."
This reAected his panic reaction to the FBI raids.
The only real priority, communicated by his actions, appeared now
to be his personal safety. Money became even more important.
Lawyers and private investigators, for both defense and attack pur-
poses, are expensive.
16
The Saviour Lives Just Down the Road!
Until the first press about Hubbard's presence in La Quinta ap-
peared in early 1980, I was unaware that Hubbard was living just
down the road, some 25 minutes by car from my home. By that time
my life was in a shambles, my family kept alive by a mortgage on our
house.
My troubles had begun after "Source" moved into Riverside county.
...In late 1977 the FBI raids had just happened. These raids - the re-
sult of illegal acts inspired by Hubbard - made it apparent he'd
committed a major blunder, and left his ego bruised. So subsequent to
the raids he was thrashing around trying to find scapegoats. Anyone and
any pretext would do, so long as attention shifted from him. Franchise
holders were seen to fit the bill.
The fact that he was living so close by put me high on the list of
targets for attack. Most other major franchise holders in California
(and subsequently the U.S. and Europe) were later subjected to simi-
lar treatment.
****
When we arrived in the U.S. eight years previously in late 1969,
my wife was seven months pregnant with our first child. We were
both Class VIII auditors, the highest class of auditor in Scientology at
the time, and we had been hired to work for a franchise in Tustin,
180
*The Saviour Just Down the Road*
181
California, near Disneyland. Except for our house back in New
Zealand, which we had mortgaged in order to fly to England in 1967,
we were poverty stricken. Two and a half years in England on Scien-
tology staff pay does that to people.
Despite the poverty and some disillusioning experiences with high
Church officials, we were - at the time - still full of enthusiasm for
Hubbard and "his tech." This was partly because he and "the tech"
had been so well presented by the words and example of Hubbard's
key representative: John McMaster.
McMaster was the most prominent person (other than Hubbard, of
course) in Scientology while we were in England (1967-1969). His
work at Saint Hill Manor in England probably contributed more to
the financial success of Scientology - during the mid- to late sixties -
than any other individual.
When we arrived there the place was a hum of enthusiastic activ-
ity. Lectures by John McMaster were given in the chapel to overflow-
ing crowds of enthusiastic students.
McMaster's talks were evidence to me that he had attained and ex-
perienced something paranormal, existential, or whatever words peo-
ple use in a vain attempt to convey whatever is considered a true "re-
ligious experience."
John's glow of affection, and his other spiritual qualities, seemed
evidence of the achievability of the most cherished dreams of Scien-
tologists. The fact that he was Hubbard's representative and "the
world's first real Clear" gave credence to Hubbard's many written
claims. John's talks and "presence" reminded each listener of their
own brushes with this "reality of our true godlike nature."
Besides the realm of individual spiritual abilities and the like,
McMaster spoke of world peace, of creating a new civilization based
on love and understanding.
He told me in a recent interview:
I was so excited about the function of auditing and its potential for
assisting individuals to become more able and aware, that I was willing
to overlook Hubbard's faults, as they gradually became known to me.
That was up to a point of course, the final point being my realization
that his intentions were entirely self serving I saw that he was in it for
money and personal power, and his actual intentions were not as
stated.
The basic function of auditing is a wonderful thing, but Hubbard
182
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
perverted it. The idea of counseling has been around for an awfully
long lime. What is the Socratic method but a form of auditing?*
He asked me if I would go and promote the subject, and I did. I
didn't know at the time what he really intended to do with it.
He got the technology to a point where he had a sort of assembly
line as he called it. And he told me he was putting all these "square ball
bearings" on the beginning of the assembly line, and then turning
them into "round ball bearings" at the other end. That was his idea of
"standard tech."
But there is magic in auditing. Good magic.
The important thing is not that the magic was abused - that needs to
be pointed out - but that the magic should be brought to life....
For a period of time, Hubbard trusted me implicitly with the tech-
nology and so on, and relied on me for the information because, al-
though he did a lot of talking, he couldn't audit
He could not audit.
He had to resort to a sort of black magic hypnosis. This was to try
and convince the person that he was making gains. Then, of course,
after about three weeks the person collapsed. And this was explained
by Hubbard as being because there was a suppressive person around
the corner, causing him to lose his "gains "
He couldn't audit, so he had to use somebody for auditing research.
At this point in time, I was the one he used.
I would give him the information and then he would write the bulle-
tins. He couldn't tell me what to do, because he didn't know himself. I
had to do all the difficult cases; to go and review them, and this is
where we found out so many things.
I had a wonderful sort of learning ground, if you like. This was partly
because I had to learn to leave behind in Saint Hill Manor all the ne-
gative things he said about the people who I had to go out and handle.
I had hundreds of students and pre-clears, and I had to be absolutely
free from his ideas when I closed the door of that manor.
It was the "good magic" which my wife and I had observed and ex-
perienced, and the example of John and a few others that motivated
us as we crossed the Atlantic in late 1969.
Upon our arrival in the U.S. we worked in Raymond Kemp's
Orange County franchise for a year, during which we managed to ac-
cumulate enough money to buy a house and put a down payment on a
*Perhaps with this in mind, Hubbard had once referred to Socrates as a
insisting that he had merely "squirreled Buddhism." Of course Hubbard claimed
to be Buddha.
*The Saviour Just Down the Road*183
car. We then commuted to nearby Riverside to set up our own fran-
chise.
It wasn't easy. We spent the next three years struggling to stay
alive. We finally sold the Tustin house and the one in New Zealand.
We invested all the money into the franchise, and began to do quite
well. Then we searched for new quarters and eventually came up
with a 40,000-square-foot brick building (originally built in 1909 as a
YMCA) and we moved there during the latter part of 1974.
It is still amazing to me how much we were able to achieve. It was
accomplished as a result of a combination of our youthful idealism,
hard work, and service; along with slogans, and hard sell, and the im-
age of a god on a far-off yacht researching "the upper bands of OT." I
had been to the Apollo by this time, and some of the Sea Org zealous-
ness had rubbed off on me.
Franchises were extremely permissive in their operation when
compared to the totalitarian Sea Org (and were tolerated by Hubbard
as a necessary "PR" activity for attracting "wogs" into Scientology).
Franchises delivered the "lower" part of"the grade chart." These
"lower grades" more resemble a form of psycho-therapy, as con-
trasted to much of what is called the "upper levels," which some have
referred to as "bad science fiction."
The lower grades deal with resolving unwanted habits, fears, inhi-
bitions and psychosomatic ills, and - generally - are aimed at helping
a person straighten out his everyday life. Even some of Scientology's
severest critics (such as attorney Michael Flynn) admit that these
lower levels can be beneficial when they are done without the per-
verting control mechanisms of the Church of Scientology.
By late 1977 we had over a hundred staff and we were doing some
400 hours of auditing a week. We were sending lots of people to the
Flag land base, where we ended up spending almost half a million
dollars on "staff enhancement" by mid-1978.
I pushed hard for statistics, while remaining aloof from the day-to-
day hustling to make it all happen.
We were the number-one single franchise in the world at this time.
That crown was held tenuously, with Martin Samuels's Sacramento
franchise neck and neck. It was a friendly rivalry.
We had, at Riverside by late 1977, accumulated some $840,000.00
in reserves projected to cover our future highly idealistic expansion
plans. But, as was the case in most Scientology orgs and franchises,
we had also put a lot of staff and public into debt.
184
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
While not approaching the severity of"discipline" that was occur-
ring on the flagship, we nevertheless pushed the staff intensely, with
a similar message of self-abnegation for the greater cause. The group's
achievements was a collective source of enormous pride. We cer-
tainly had no doubts that we were helping mankind.
It was around this time, unbeknownst to me, that Hubbard had
moved into Riverside County. I began to feel the heat.
****
It was difficult for me to understand the hysteria that was being
generated, since I had no idea that Hubbard was endangered by the
evidence uncovered by the FBI during their raids. Nor did I know
that he was fearful of the potential testimony of a pretty young
teenager (Tonja Burden).
Hubbard had become increasingly obsessed with the idea that the
franchises were a threat to him. This belief began to override in im-
portance even the enormous resources in people and dollars that they
were generating. His paranoia probably stemmed from the fact that
he couldn't control the franchises entirely: they were separate corpo-
rations, legally autonomous.
While this separation had been designed to protect him from legal
liability (generated by the fact that franchises directly contacted suit-
happy "raw" public), it also meant that the franchise holders had con-
siderable independence of choice as to what to do with their own fol-
lowers and financial resources. Those resources, he now feared, could
be targeted at him. While it had never occurred to me that the fran-
chise's bank accounts enabled me to afford lawyers and so to sue
Hubbard, it obviously had occurred to him.
****
John Woodruff was one of the "guns" Diana Hubbard used to
"shoot down" Mike Davidson, who had been the head of the franchise
network for ten years. Davidson, a well-educated and intelligent
Englishman, had demonstrated a sense of fair play, protecting us well
from what I now know to have been Hubbard's crazed Management.
On the other hand Hubbard's daughter Diana was renowned among
franchise holders for mindlessly sticking to her own narrow interpre-
tation of "Daddy's orders."
Now Woodruff was assigned to "investigate" me. In an early con-
versation with me he stressed that he was a company man who would
*The Saviour Just Down the Road*
185
ruthlessly follow orders. He had dark, dead, unfeeling eyes: blank
disks.
He was very much into "finding dirt" on me, so as to discredit me
in the eyes of my staff and "public." Hubbard had already decided to
take my franchise, but they wanted to do so with a minimum of up-
heaval among the Riverside staff and "public."
In mid May of 1978, I got a call from an aide telling me that Diana
wanted me to come to Florida to tell her about how I kept my statis-
tics so high.
When I arrived at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Florida I was greeted
by hugs and kisses from Diana Hubbard's aide Nancy Foster, and a
pleasant smile and greeting from Diana (a beautiful woman in her
twenties, with thick red hair cascading to well below her waist). I was
escorted to the fourth floor and entered a room where another aide
was seated with a severe-faced G.O. agent.
I sensed danger.
I was handed resignation papers. They wanted me to resign from
the board of directors of my franchise, and also from its bank ac-
counts. I wanted to know why.
"It is merely a temporary state of affairs to ensure that you are loyal
and, given that you do the retraining steps and auditing that has been
decided on, you will be put back on the board in two months," I was
told.
They continued to assure me that I would get a full fair hearing,
and that I was not in any danger as long as I did their program. If I did
not cooperate they would know I was an S.P. and the appropriate
penalties would be applied. Under this pressure, I signed.
There was no hearing and, after the three worst months of`my life,
I finally completed all the exhaustive requirements and asked to be
reinstated in my franchise per the agreement. I was subsequently
ushered into a meeting with Woodruff and one of Diana's aides.
"You cheated on all your courses!" lied Woodruff, obviously getting
a sadistic pleasure out of my apparent pain. "You are an S.P. and you
will never run another franchise."
Upon returning to my home in Riverside, I wrote up petitions; but
by now I knew that Mary Sue had approved the move against me and
I began to believe that Hubbard was inaccessible.
****
During the previous five years I had experienced what it was like to
186
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
be a cult leader, to be Hubbard's agent. There was a seductive aspect
to this which was very powerful indeed! As Hubbard's representative
I had begun to be seen, in the eyes of his followers at Riverside, as
similarly superhuman.
It snuck up on me by easy gradients. Anyone who has succumbed
to Hattery or ego-stroking has experienced the same thing, if possibly
on a smaller scale.
It is somehow hard to realize that there is something seriously
amiss when one is the beneficiary of this kind of adoration.
The power I was able to wield created a persona that was not me. I
knew it even then, but could not - and probably did not want to -
shake it off. It was like booze to an alcoholic.
Up until this removal in 1978, I had experienced a modicum of the
same disease that had consumed Hubbard. Yet because of the subse-
quent period of absence from the madness of Hubbard and his agents,
leaving me to quietly contemplate at home, I had been cured. Well, not
quite completely - some powerful symptoms lingered still....
In spite of everything, I still saw Scientology as the way to a better
world. It had been a major part of my life for seventeen years, and in
some ways I was still a zealot.
In October of 197Y I had for the second time been to England
unsuccessfully appealing for the return of my franchise. There was a
knock on the door of my house. I answered and the man flashed a
badge. It was Sheriff Jensen and he wanted to know if I was Bent
Corydon.
These guys were "the enemy," was the message that had been in-
stilled in me by Hubbard over the years. Their presence was all "part
of a plot to destroy Scientology." So I shut the door in his face and
went straight to the phone to report the incident to the G.O. The
agent I spoke with praised me for the way I had handled things.
I began to get very concerned because I had a series of reports and
documents that I had been gathering, which were part of my attempt
to have myself vindicated. I felt these documents were what the sher-
in may have been looking for. After all they showed actions which
might be illegal on the part of Church officials who had been discipli-
ning me. So a few days later, I took them downtown to Xerox them,
planning to send the copies off to Mary Sue Hubbard and hide the
others at my brother's place.
Returning home, I drove down my driveway, which is restricted on
both sides by a low brick wall. Once one has entered, there is no ra-
tional place to go except to back up onto the road.
*The Saviour Just Down the Road*
187
Halfway down the driveway I looked up and noticed Sheriff Jensen
and two plainclothes officers. It flashed in my mind that they must
have had me under surveillance, in order to get the documents which
were now lying on the seat beside me. I could be in the position of
blowing it for the Church!
So I slapped the gears of my little Ford Capri into reverse and
headed back up the driveway.
Jensen yelled and as he ran for his car, another officer jumped back
into his and roared down the road to effectively block my exit.
As I went back down the driveway, Jensen ran right in front of me
yelling. I was oblivious to what was being said; my only concern being
how to get away and protect the documents. He jumped onto the
flower-bed and pulled his gun. Apparently my car was aiming in his
direction as I went down the driveway giving him legal rights to shoot
me.
"Stop or I'11 blow your fucking brains out!" He had a gun some 18
inches away from my head, but his warning meant nothing. I was ob-
sessed with finding a way to escape, and kept telling myself I couldn't
let them have the documents.
I decided to try backing over the flower bed. So, slamming the car
into reverse and revving up the engine, I sped backwards and hit the
small mound causing the car to leave the ground and land at the bot-
tom of the hillock.
In the rear view mirror I could see three officers with guns drawn
and pointed at the back of my head. However, they didn't fire as I
roared across the lawn and onto the street.
Escaping, I stored the papers at my brother's house.
I then called the Guardian's office, and they provided me with a
lawyer who went with me to the Riverside jail, where I spent one of'
the worst nights of my life. There was a later investigation into the
inhumane conditions in the Riverside County jail, which did not sur-
prise me.
My brother finally bailed me out and we walked outside into a clear
sunny California day.
There were two charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a police
officer, plus seven counts of conspiracy and grand theft in connection
with loan applications made by public and staff at my franchise. These
loans were for services taken there. The Sheriffs officers had not
been at my house to get my documents, they had been there to arrest
me on what amounted to an invalid warrant regarding the loan fraud
charges. Had I not resisted I would have had no problem.
188
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
It turned out that the original visit to my house, where I refused to
identify myself, was an attempt to get me to turn State's evidence. It
appears that the Sheriffs office believed that the Gilman Hot Springs
property had been bought by the Mafia. After all the name "Scottish
Highland Quietude Club," and the two-and-a-half-million cash pur-
chase, were somewhat unusual. They did want a pretext to raid the
place, as Hubbard had feared. Since they had no pretext to do so,
they were looking for another way of gaining some leads. Loan fraud
charges were seen to fit the bill.
In late 1979 (a year after I had been removed from the franchise),
the Sheriffs office had raided the Riverside Mission of the Church of
Scientology Their charges had to do with loan applications and their
key witness was Riverside staff member Todd Carter. They had
hoped to add me as another witness against the Church. Failing to get
my co-operation and, regardless of the fact that they had not the
slightest evidence, they added me to the indictments.
Sheriff Jensen later confided in me that they were really not inter-
ested in the staff at Riverside, but wanted to get some leads that went
higher up.
****
There is considerable evidence that I was to be the meat Hubbard
wanted thrown to the dogs, in order to prevent the investigation from
going higher (to Gilman, near where Hubbard was living, and where
there were plenty of real shenanigans).
My lawyer at the time was convinced that this was the case. She
called me one morning on the phone, screaming, "What the fuck is
going on!" (She is very much a lady and it would take something out-
rageous to cause her to use that kind of language.)
It turned out that Terry Colvin of the Press Enterprise had called
her and asked if her client Bent Corydon was going to change his plea
to guilty. He had been paid a visit by Church president Heber
Jentzsch, he told my attorney. Jentzsch had told him that I was guilty
of all the charges against me and that the Church would co-operate
with the D.A. and the press to put me away.
Despite all this, the original charges of Conspiracy and Grand
Theft were dismissed in preliminary hearing. The Judge berated
the deputy D.A. for having no case.
*The Saviour Just Down the Road*
189
Prior to my removal from the franchise in 197tl, I had been assured
by my attorney that all was legal with the loan applications. I had not
known of the extent of the loan application "fluffing."
"Fluffing" means to exaggerate figures such as income and leave
out or lessen debts owed, in order to qualify for a loan (a practice
which I'm told is common in the U.S.). In the Riverside situation,
loan officers were telling our sales people ("registrars") which figures
were needed for loan approval. They did this knowing fully that the
information would be used to falsify a specific application. Since our
people had gained an excellent reputation for loan repayment, the
loan agents were anxious to make loans and collect their commissions.
The judge decided that, since the banks had not relied on the false
information, there had been no fraud.
But I had pushed hard for statistics. An activity, which is amoral at
best.
However, no laws had been broken.
So, while I was cleared of the conspiracy and loan fraud charges, I
did have a problem with the my outrageous cult inspired behavior in
my driveway. I ended up pleading no contest to one misdemeanor
charge of assault with a deadly weapon. I got a thousand-dollar fine
and two years' probation, which was reduced later to one year. My
record was then expunged.
Though it may seem hard to believe, I gained something positive
from all this. During the legal proceedings I read a lot of law, giving
me a greater understanding of what Hubbard had contemptuously
labelled "wog justice." This was a major factor in my being able to
free myself from Hubbard's manipulations.
I got to be good friends with Sheriff Jensen (he jokingly calls me
"Killer Bent"). I appreciate the fact that he didn't shoot me that day.
My attorney had told me that, had these events occurred in Los
Angeles County, I would have had a nice neat hole through my fore-
head. So I asked Jensen why he hadn't shot me. I get curious about
things like that.
He said, "Because of the look in your eyes."
I asked, "What did you see in my eyes?" I needed to know.
He said, "You were scared shitless!"
Thank God for the look in my eyes!
17
Hubbard Derails a Reform Movement
During my legal battles over the loan situation and driveway of-
fense, I followed the news as Mary Sue Hubbard and the other ten
raised large amounts of funds for their legal defense against the fed-
eral indictments resulting from the FBI raids of 1977. When later
Mary Sue's defense was seen to be futile, and the legal heat was be-
coming directed increasingly at Hubbard himself, Hubbard ordered a
"palace coup" by his "kids" (his youthful messengers) and the Execu-
tive Director International Bill Franks against Mary Sue Hubbard
and other top G.O. executives.
David Miscavage "handled" Mary Sue Hubbard and Bill Franks
was assigned to "handle" the head of the Guardian's office, Jane
Kember.
With the entire old G.O. top hierarchy headed for jail, Hubbard
ordered his messengers to set up a "Watchdog Committee."
In early 1981 Hubbard also created a new post of Executive Di-
rector International. This was announced to be a resumption of the
post''vacated by L. Ron Hubbard in 1966." The new appointment to
Executive Director International was Bill Franks. By appointing him
to these posts Hubbard had ostensibly made him "Ecclesiastical
Head" of the entire Church. He was said to be the equivalent of the
Pope in the Catholic Church.
It was presented to Franks that he would be assuming all of
Hubbard's administrative functions. However, Bill told me years
later, after leaving the Church, that he had since concluded that
191
192
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Hubbard set him up in order to help him rid himself of Mary Sue and
Jane Kember (making them scapegoats for the break-ins).
To pull this off was tricky for Hubbard, since there was the possibil-
ity of triggering an emotional reaction from the two women. They
were capable of exposing his part in the Snow White operation. Mary
Sue and Jane, knowing Bill was their enemy, but not knowing Hub-
bard was behind their ouster, would be prone to blame him rather
than Hubbard.
I knew Bill Franks well. He had helped me out of scrapes in the
past and we had a common dislike for the Guardian's office top exec-
utives. I met him by chance on the street in Los Angeles shortly after
the coup against Mary Sue and Jane Kember.
"How are your attempts to get your franchise back going?" he
asked. (It had been over three years since I had been defrauded of my
position at the Riverside Mission.)
"I have essentially given up trying, since I keep winning appeals
just to have the findings cancelled," I told him.
On his advice, I subsequently called someone in England and got a
Board of Review; I was called there to appear.
By November of 1981 I was informed that the findings were posi-
tive. But I still did not have the details, when Bill Franks called a
"Mission Holders' Conference" in Florida.
****
The Florida mission holders' meetings might have turned out to be
a turning point for Scientology, had Hubbard been able to consider
actual reform along the lines of the proposals of Bill Franks and the
mission holders. That was, of course, not to be....
Hubbard had never been considered to be the villain by mission
holders. We mostly assigned that role to Jane Kember and her dep-
uty, Herbie Parkhouse. These were the real bad guys, and they were
gone. So now there appeared to be some hope for the first time in
four years.
Even Raymond Kemp, a veteran mission holder who had been
suing the Church for return of property coerced from him, was in-
vited. Including such an "enemy" at an official meeting was unprece-
dented. He and his wife Pamela brought with them documents seized
by the FBI during their raids. Among these were a special Training
Routine called "TR L." The "L" was for "Lie." It was a secret training
routine for G.O. personnel, to drill them in the art of lying!
*Hubbard Derails Reform*
93
The Kemps were in fact the first to speak. Theirs were highly emo-
tional speeches which were followed by others by myself, Martin
Samuels, Dean Stokes and Allan Walters.
We told our stories. I, for one, was pretty choked up. The crowd of
over a hundred were supportive and our speeches were punctuated
by applause. We were at last among friends. We could say anything;
they understood. It was safe.
Many others took turns telling their stories and a revival time at-
mosphere pervaded the room.
Then the subject turned to Bill Franks. He was absent. A "manage-
ment representative" (Jens Bogvard) was brought on stage and ex-
plained that Bill had been guilty of promiscuity and was being hand-
led "over the rainbow" (Gilman Hot Springs, near my franchise).
So we became painfully aware that (despite his proclaimed Pope-
like status) Bill was answerable to somebody. Who?
"The Watchdog Committee," was the answer.
"Who are they?" someone asked, voicing the question that was in
all our minds. Nobody understood what these alphabet people were:
"WDC," "CMO." Bill was one of the few people who knew and (un-
beknownst to us) Hubbard had directly ordered him not to reveal
their identities.
The next question for Jens was about how they had discovered
about Bill's "promiscuity."
Jens, who is a genuinely likable fellow, answered candidly: "His
phone was tapped."
Someone in the audience exclaimed that tapping telephones was a
felony in Florida. Since this tapping had obviously occurred after
Jane Kember and the others had been kicked out, this put a whole
new complexion on things: Others besides the jailed top G.O. execu-
tives were apparently involved in violating the law.
It was decided to adjourn until a representative of the "Commo-
dore's Messenger Org" could get to Flag to face our questions, and
when Bill could also be there to give his views.
Some ten days later the meetings resumed.
Bill Franks was back, as was Annie Tasket, a representative for the
Commodore's Messenger Org (C. M.O.) and a member of the Watch-
dog Committee.
In response to questions she explained (as Bill entered and sat near
her on the podium) that Bill had not been locked up-imprisoned -
while he was "over the rainbow." She could not see Bill's face and
194
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
kept chirping out the official line. The rest of us saw his face go taut
and redden.
"Don't lie to my friends!" he finally blurted out and he told us what
had happened while Annie looked crushed.
Bill Franks explained under oath in 1985:
I thought I was doing what Ron wanted me to do. No way did he
want a bunch of little kids directing criminal actions to continue within
the Church. So for me, I didn't even have a second thought about
that....
I called them [the Watchdog Committee members] up and said,
"Look, the game's up. You have to come down. If you are giving or-
ders, you are going to have to be accountable for them."
Bill's action, and our support of it, so it turned out, was considered
high treason so far as Hubbard was concerned. There was no turning
back.
BILL FRANKS :
It [the management of Scientology] was totally out of control....
And that's what I tried to change. [It was] not only myself, but...
other people in that room really caring about the corruption in the
Church and wanting to change it. And that's what was considered to be
so offensive to the CMO, that we should try to change the corruption
in the Church.
The incredible thing is that the Watchdog Committee eventually
turned up.
Meanwhile, outside of the meeting hall while we all waited for the
WDC, negotiations were going on between myself and my wife and
the people who had been running my mission during the three years I
had been gone.
Amazingly, during these meetings things resolved. My franchise
(including the building) was returned to me and another mission was
established North of Los Angeles for those leaving. The cream of the
staff were taken along with $50,000.00, while I and those remaining
assumed the financial liabilities.
Given the actual situation, this was hardly justice; but even some
restitution was probably unique in the history of Scientology. No one
else that I know of has ever had all they worked for Shanghaied by
Hubbard and his mob and recovered any substantial part. I believe
[4 pages of plates; 23 photos]
1. L. Ron Hubbard on his grandfather's ranch in Nebraska around 1916.
2. As a boy scout.
3. Ron the Aviator.
4. In his twenties, possibly in New York's Greenwich Villiage.
5. An early episode of looking for gold.
6. In Puerto Rico.
7. As a Scientology executive in the early fifties.
8. In his office at Saint Hill Manor in the early 1960s.
9. Ron the Biker: sporting a new Motorcycle at Saint Hill.
10. "Making breakthroughs" in horticulture.
11. On the Grounds at Saint Hill.
12. The Commodore fondling his "Kools" on board the flagship *Apollo*,
during the early 1970s.
13. Hubbard at typewriter in a hideaway apartment in Queens, New York,
in 1973.
14. Grooms Gerry Armstrong (left forground) and Pat Broker (right
forground) with brides (c. 1975). Hubbard (at the head of the table
with package) is as ever accompanied by a group of messengers (in
this instance, dresses for the occasion).
15. With brides.
16. Messengers dressed as bridesmaids. Pat Broker's future bride,
Anne, is in the right foreground. She and Pat are now the new
leaders of Hubbard's Church.
17. In disguise, doing photography in Queens, 1973.
18. Ron the Movie Director. Taking during the late 1970s near Hemet,
California.
19. Ron the Gambler. The most recent photograph, taken around 1979 in
the Riverside County desert.
20. Aleister Crowley, self-proclaimed "Beast 666."
21. The most displayed of Hubbard's official photos.
22. "Crowley's Cross" as depicted on his Tarot Cards.
23. The Scientology cross, displayed in all Churches and worn around
the neck of their ministers.
[end of plates]
*Hubbard Derails Reform*
195
that this could occur only because of a vacuum of power and the re-
sulting confusion at the top of the Scientology hierarchy. This was the
situation surrounding the uprooting of Mary Sue and the G.O.'s top
brass while the "kids" took over.
****
Finally David Miscavage and Norman Starkey and another six or
seven executives arrived. Miscavage, the top Commodore's Messen-
ger, was twenty-one years old. It was the first time most of us had
heard of or seen him or most of the others. Yet here were our leaders.
They lined up across the stage. They looked tense. The mood of the
room blackened.
Dean Stokes, who was M.C. at the time, saw that the chemistry
was all wrong. A confrontation between these "libertarian" mission
holders and this uptight authoritarian group was going to mean
trouble. He announced that the Watchdog Committee would be in-
vited to discussions with Bill Franks, and a few others. He explained
that, once things had been resolved in a more closed session, the rest
of us could join in the dialogue. They filed out.
The next day an announcement was made that all was fine and that
Bill Franks would be left in charge. Bill, for his turn, spoke in glowing
terms of Miscavage, and so we all believed that truth and justice had
prevailed. I didn't realize then that it was all a charade, but Bill had
certainly begun to suspect it. If I had known that, I would have won-
dered why Bill was going along. He answered that recently.
BILL FRANKS:
Messengers are considered to be emissaries of Hubbard. This is axi-
omatic within the Church. These people are given incredible amounts
of power based on that. And so there is no way I'm going to hold an
emissary of Hubbard, in the frame of mind I was in at the time, up to
public ridicule ....
I was trying to relax the man [Miscavage].
What was actually happening at the time of the mission holders
meeting was that Bill had been "put in charge" as an additional facade
for Hubbard. Bill was supposed to have "instinctively" understood that
he was merely to be window dressing. Hubbard was still in control while
operating through new additional facades, consisting of the mysterious
WDC and Franks. These fronts were designed to protect Hubbard from
196
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
the same criminal prosecution that had already consumed his previous
facade, consisting of his wife and her G. O. clique.
Hubbard had not counted on Bill Franks and the mission holders'
backlash reaction against what we considered "G.O. type abuses."
Franks naively believed that Hubbard had genuinely stepped down,
leaving him with the top spot. Bill's reform efforts were constantly
getting derailed by these "kids," however (secretly implementing
Hubbard's intent), so he feared they would go on to commit crimes simi-
lar to the G.O. bunch.
His problem was that these "kids" were, to him, still "Commo-
dore's Messengers" who were, in that role, to be treated as one would
treat Hubbard himself. But now, some of them were also Watchdog
Committee members. Bill was, he believed, senior to WDC mem-
bers in his capacity as "Ecclesiastical Head of the Church." So, he
was left with a dilemma: he never really knew if and when the "kids"
spoke for Hubbard as "messengers." So he never knew if and when
they were functioning in the role of his juniors or his seniors.
****
We mission holders had made our bid to reform the Church in con-
cert with its titular head, and lost. We were to pay the price for hav-
ing challenged Hubbard's top agents and (without our knowledge)
Hubbard himself.
I learned much later that, following this, messages were shuttled
between Hubbard and Miscavage regarding the mission holders'
meetings. Pat Broeker, who represented Hubbard and carried his
written messages, met secretly with Miscavage and David Mayo in a
restaurant which was located just a mile from my mission.
Hubbard was livid! He wrote that the mission holders had been
infiltrated by government agents in an attempt to take over Scientol-
ogy.
So Bill Frank's fate was sealed. Hubbard targeted the mission hold-
ers, myself included, for a greatly accelerated program of takeover.
It was only days after the mission holders meetings in Florida that
the "Religious Technology Corporation" was officially created. Mis-
sions were now "Junior Corporations" to RTC, whose assets would be
directly under Hubbard's control.
RTC articles contained, unbeknownst to us, a clause which man-
dated that all junior corporations to RTC would be subject to arbi-
trary dissolution on orders of RTC executives, and, upon such disso-
lution, all assets would go to RTC (Hubbard).
*Hubbard Derails Reform*
197
****
Within two weeks of the mission holder's meetings, and Misca-
vage's assurances to us that Bill would remain in power, twelve uni-
formed agents of the RTC stormed Bill's office and removed him on
direct orders from Hubbard.
Other heads began to roll (unbeknownst to me on Hubbard's or-
ders). I was stunned. Nothing had really changed. It may even have
been worse since the old G.O. guard was deposed. Hubbard's part
was kept secret, but for the first time it began to eat at me at some
level of my consciousness that Hubbard must be involved somehow.
There was hardly a day when at least one of these expulsions didn't
arrive in the mail. The top executives and personalities of Scientol-
ogy, some 600 people who had given the most important youthful
years of their lives to work ridiculous hours for the cause, were now
officially declared to be evil psychotic beings.
18
Hubbard's "Billion Dollar Caper"
To understand this caper, some background information on
Hubbard's methods of raising personal income is necessary.
In 1969 Hubbard wrote a PR article entitled "What Your Fees
Buy," in which he stated:
Even today I draw less than an org staff member, and they draw
very little...
None of the researches of Dianetics and Scientology were ever paid
for out of organizational fees. With my typewriter I paid for the re-
search myself. Occasionally orgs were supposed to but they never
did ...
So the fees you pay for your services do not go to me....
He went on to explain that it "takes a lot of money to deliver Scien-
tology services" and that it also takes an "enormous amount of money
to fight the vested mental health interests," who use "their press con-
trol" and "government stooges" in an attempt to prevent Scientology
from messing up their plans "for a 1984 World."
Pure PR; another shore story.
What did Scientologists' fees buy ?
Howard E. Shomer, who worked for "Author Services Interna-
tional" (which serviced Hubbard's personal assets and income, and
which was in fact the senior management of Scientology at the time)
till early 1983, signed checks made out to Hubbard weekly. They
were in the million-dollar range each week during the last six months
198
*Hubbard's "Billion Dollar Caper*"
199
before he left. At that level, Hubbard would have been receiving 52
million dollars a year in salary!
Bill Franks, while Executive Director International, kept discov-
ering new foreign accounts the entire time he was on post. He does
not know how many there were that he never discovered.
BILL FRANKS:
The problem was how were we going to get the money for Hub-
bard? He was not supposed to take in the money personally. So sepa-
rate corporations were set up. This is RRF, Religious Research Foun-
dation. We used to call it Ralph. That was a code name.
Money would be put into Ralph, that would be accounts [in] Liech-
tenstein. This is a Liberian Corporation. And he would draw from it.
So in other words all of this money actually made its way over to Ralph.
[It went] through these various people and various organizations, and
from Ralph, then it went right to Hubbard.
In addition to all the above disguised flow lines of money to
Hubbard, Franks received an order to pay money to him directly. Ac-
cording to Franks, the idea was formulated to bill the Church. The
first was a billing of 85 million dollars for the use of the Mark VI
E-meter, which Hubbard claimed to have developed. In other words,
he was going to be presenting bills to the Church, and the Church
was going to pay him.
Says Franks:
We had the hundred fifty million in Sea Org reserves. The problem
was how were we going to get the money out to Hubbard.
In a good week, [the income of the Church of Scientology was] two
million dollars a week....
Scientology was able to generate such huge sums of money because
of single-mindedness towards the goal of getting money to Hubbard. It
was total single-mindedness. It was big-league sales, totally indoctri-
nated by the organization to get every last dime.
Laurel Sullivan (who served as Hubbard's personal PR) states:
In November of '73...he said to find out which publics or catego-
ries of people he derived his income from and then prioritize them ac-
cording to the attention I should spend on these publics. (Emphasis
added)
200
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
As his public relations person, I was to stay briefed on all of his activ-
ities, all of the things that he was involved in [photography, promo-
tional materials, management and technical writings], and his general
production...so that appropriate billings could be done....
Installments [payments to him for "backbillings"]...were substan-
tial. [One billing prior to 1980] for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars
was for research expenses spent apparently by him during the time he
spent in New York, which was almost one year. At least that's what the
trip was defined as ["research"].
That [was] the trip to New York where he was hiding out. The Snow
White project dame out of that. [The project that brought on the FBI
raid and for which his wife took the rap.]
According to an affidavit by Gerry Armstrong, a conversation was.
held about September 28, 1980, in the Cedars complex, Los Angeles.
Laurel Sullivan, a top Church legal executive and an American
Church attorney were the key people present.
The following exchange occurred:
Legal executive: "The only reason it's worked so long...is because
everyone has effectively been bound by the authority of LRH and has
ignored corporate lines. (Emphasis added)
"...CSC [Church of Scientology of California] has rendered much
service to many foreign Scientologists and RRF has got the money.
...It obviously is the classic case (loud laugh) of inurement, if not
fraud." (Emphasis added)
(Several laughs)
LS: "Well put."
Speaker Unidentified: "It's all privileged."
Another speaker: "The tape recorder is going here, Charles."
THE SCIENTOLOGY MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL CAPER
..."MONEY! REPEAT MONEY! REPEAT MONEY! REPEAT
MONEY!" - L. RON HUBBARD (Stressing in a transcribed confidential
taped briefing the enormous income to be made from the Scientology
Missions International caper)
Some 20 months prior to the Florida mission holders' meetings, in
early 19tl0, Hubbard had announced to a select few aides a new ca-
per.
It was to begin with selling mission "starter packs" to well-to-do
*Hubbard's "Billion Dollar Caper*"
201
Scientologists. Each pack would consist of"at least ten thousand dol-
lars' worth of Hubbard's books," along with a charter for a"parish."
All of this was to cost the "investor" around 35 thousand dollars per
parish. Some existing mission holders were also required to buy two
or three or more such purchases just to maintain what they had al-
ready been operating for many years.
Scientology Missions International was, per Hubbard's instruc-
tions, to be set up separately from the old existing"Mission (fran-
chise) Office World Wide" network, of which (as of December 1981) I
was again a member. Then at some opportune point in time, when
the SMI network was in full swing those in the old Mission Office
World Wide network were to be "persuaded" to "move over" into
SMI (and pay the fees necessary). SMI was a network that would, in
contrast to the old MOWW, be totally dominated by Hubbard in the
same way as were his "official" organizations (Churches).
Said Franks:
I first heard of it in a taped briefing from him. He presented it as a
billion dollar caper....I eventually became the person responsible
for establishing SMI.
SMI was financially tied in with the Liberian Corporation, called
Religious Research Foundation (RRF, "Ralph").
Regarding getting the old-time mission holders to give up their au-
tonomy as part of the MOWW network, Hubbard had said:
"It is a very simple operation. You simply move them over. You
don't make it a penalty for them to move over, you make it an advan-
tage....This is a matter of selling. And those who don't move over,
you simply start applying rules and regulations to. You lean on them.
And they'll move over...." (Emphasis added.)
****
This SMI "caper" was in full swing when, just before New Year's
day 1982, I walked back into my franchise after three and a half years'
enforced absence. The Riverside mission was still a Mission Office
World Wide (MOWW) franchise.
The legal officer lost no time getting the new "contract" sent to me
to end that situation. I then called for a briefing with him and two
other mission holders.
The contract he showed us gave them the power to do whatever
202
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
they wanted. Now the tricks and deception were built in "legally,"
with cleverly worded, disguised phrases.
And I knew that if I didn't sign, my fate would be the same, only
with a little extra trouble for the intel boys, who would concoct a great
"fair game" project. I nevertheless put off signing.
Then the heat came: the loaded "suggestions" and innuendoes. I re-
membered these all too well from 1978, when I was tricked into
signing over my mission and its bank accounts.
This heat to sign the new "contract" was not my imagination: one
mission holder actually continued to refuse to sign, and his expulsion
stated this refusal to sign as the number one reason he was expelled.
Finally around late September, I signed.
****
It was October when we were all invited to come to a Mission
Holders' Conference in San Francisco. which was to be attended by
the top brass of the Commodore's Messenger Org.
Having signed these "contracts", we were now subject to the
whims of these powerful "kids."...
19
The Saviour's Revenge
Hubbard's attempt to use trade-secret and industrial espionage
laws to enforce "church doctrine" is probably unique in the annals of
religious and legal history. Deploying "Finance Police" operating un-
der an "International Finance Dictator" to enforce the sending of
"customers" from "franchises" to the higher Church also has a bizarre
ring to it: something out of Hubbard's pulp fiction.
The invitation to the Mission Holders' Conference created an air of
mystery. So much brass in attendance had to mean some momentous
announcement and changes.
There were a bunch of us who arrived about the same time at San
Francisco International Airport and there were lots of hugs and greet-
ings. The October air was crisp despite the sunshine as we stepped
through the automatic doors to get the bus into the city.
Dean and Melanie Stokes from Texas sat with me on the bus and
Dean expressed his conviction that he would lose his mission again. I
disagreed and tried to be positive.
There were preliminary events, but the meeting did not finally
happen till Sunday night at eight P.M. Between the initial Friday
evening meeting and Sunday night people steadily arrived and the
tension grew.
Most of these mission holders had, like my wife and me, invested
their houses and ten to 30 years of their lives into their "franchises,"
based on Hubbard's representations in his policies that they would be
"theirs. " Even if they were to be run non-profit, at least one could
draw a salary and expenses and live decently.
We had mostly a middle-class standard of living and families to sup-
port, and these kids who now seemingly ruled Scientology, who had
203
204
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
never known what having to get an education for their children and
pay a mortgage and insurance was like, made us nervous. My wife
had just given birth to our second child, a boy. Thus, for us, this
problem was particularly intense.
Discipline was to be kept light in missions, Hubbard had written.
The very worst that could happen would be that we would lose our
rights to call ourselves a Scientology mission. But these policies gave
no one any great comfort now. Experience had demonstrated to us
that policy was made to be broken where management was con-
cerned. Any one of these kids could wipe us out on a whim.
We finally were ordered to take the elevators to the fourth floor and
the room there began to fill up from the back. It was indicative of the
mood that the front rows were empty while the back rows were jam-
packed as the brass lined up on the stage.
There were uniformed Sea Org members around the edges and at
the entrances to the room continually firing flash cameras at us, ap-
parently to take our pictures. Later we discovered it was an attempt
to intimidate and hypnotize.
Norman Starkey, with his thick guttural South African accent, be-
gan to yell at the people in the back of the room to come up to the
front rows.
No one moved.
His shrill tone and the general atmosphere had everyone in an odd
state. How should one react? This was outrageous. But to say any-
thing or take action could be dangerous.
He then yelled at someone. No one was quite sure who. The tone
was the same as that used by an angry master when disciplining his
dog:
"YOU! COME UP TO THE FRONT ROW!"
The target of Starkey's wrath turned out to be Gary Smith, who had
a franchise in Hayward, near San Francisco. Gary lived in Blackhawk,
a community of multi-million-dollar houses. He had financed a classy
mission because he and his wife believed in Scientology but, unlike
most of the rest of us, did not need it for his livelihood. He had come
to the meeting with his wife Suzy and their three-year-old blond
daughter Carrie.
"Yes YOU in the red shirt. You know who I mean!" yelled Starkey
at Gary, who was by this time looking around him to see who this guy
might be yelling at.
Finally, realizing that he was the only one with a red shirt on, he
*The Saviour's Revenge*
205
replied, "Thank you, but I have my wife and daughter here and we're
quite comfortable."
Starkey was stung by this public questioning of his ultimate author-
ity:
"You have to the count of three, and if you don't move by then
you're going to be expelled and declared suppressive!" he yelled.
"One! two!"-Gary did not move - "THREE! Get him!"
Uniformed guards ran towards him from several places in the
room, and as they got near him Gary stood up and said firmly, "Don't
touch!"
Gary Smith is no lightweight. He worked out regularly with weights
and had a good record in college football as a quarterback.
He took his daughter's hand and they and his wife walked deliber -
ately towards the door at which stood several guards. No one touched
him.
When he had left the room it was announced that he and his wife
were suppressive persons and would be declared such. They would
no longer be running the Hayward franchise which they had financed
and built up. Their franchise subsequently disbanded.
Then Kingsley Wimbush, an Australian who was currently running
the most productive mission, was expelled. The privilege of expelling
him was assumed by Miscavage himself. He announced that Kingsley
was a suppressive in tones that betrayed his absolute pleasure.
Kingsley and his wife (good friends of mine: sincere and well-inten-
tioned people) visibly froze as Starkey pointed at him and abused him as
a "Squirrel. "* He was ordered to leave the room and did so, leaving his
wife sitting in shock with an empty seat next to her. It took her a couple
of minutes to collect her wits, at which time she also stood up and walked
towards the door.
"Declare her as well!' exclaimed Miscavage.
Dean Stokes had been right. He was about to lose his mission
again. He was next.
His wife Melanie and I had worked very hard to get it back for him,
as he had done for me after I had lost mine in 1978. For Dean, his
franchise had meant his whole life for some ten years, now he took all
this in stride. It was almost a relief for him, it seemed to me, as I
watched his demeanor. The never knowing "if" and "when" had been
driving him crazy.
*One who alters Scientology technology.
206
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
With these instant expulsions out of the way, Miscavage strutted.
He had delivered Hubbard's retaliation for our "mutiny" 10 months
previously in Florida! The Saviour's revenge was sweet.
There was more to come.
Larry Heller, a Church attorney, was introduced by Miscavage and
dutifully lectured us on copyrights and trademarks. The underlying
message was that we might have been bold enough to assert our
views in Florida, but now that we had signed the new SMI "contract"
we would be thrown in jail if we didn't respect the kids' authority and
toe Hubbard's line.
Heller's suit and tie contrasted with the dark naval uniforms, with
lanyards and captain's hats with scrambled eggs, the others were
wearing.
HELLER :
Most of you are probably familiar with what a trademark is but per-
haps, for our purposes, a small explanation might be in order.
A trademark is a symbol which is held out to the public representing
to that public a certain quality of product or service which, when the
public buys under that trademark, it's assured of getting.
To give you a very simple example. Some of you might have had a
glass or a bottle of Coca-Cola with your lunch today. Hypothetically,
one or two of you might be in Hong Kong tomorrow and have a bottle
of Coca-Cola with your lunch as well. That Coke is going to taste ex-
actly the same tomorrow when you get to Hong Kong as the bottle of
Coke that you opened up today. As long as it has that Coca-Cola sym-
bol on it, comes in that very distinctive bottle, that means that you're
going to get a certain mixture of ingredients, a certain effervescence.
Scientology, as all of you know, also has trademarks....Those
trademarks, just like the Coca-Cola trademarks, represents a symbol
which assures the public of a certain quality of Service which they are
going to receive if they purchase something or receive services under
that trademark.
He talked about how those trademarks had been owned by L. Ron
Hubbard, but had been "donated" to the Religious Technology Cor-
poration who sub-licensed them to the Church of Scientology and
SMI.
Then he got closer to home: what did all this have to do with us?
RTC has a right to send a "mission" directly to the individual mis-
sion holders to determine whether the trademarks are being properly
*The Saviour's Revenge*
207
used by you. This mission may review your books, your records, and
interview your personnel....
If there is a determination by RTC that Scientology services being
given by any of you under "Scientology" trademarks are not on Source,
then RTC...has the right to immediately suspend any utilization by
individual missions of those trademarks. The word "immediate" is the
key word here. There need not be, at this point, a hearing in order for
there to be a suspension. RTC will order that you no longer use the
trademark and you must stop or be subject to civil penalties and ulti-
mately criminal prosecution....You will then be fined or thrown in
jail.
From advice I later got from other attorneys, these assertions, to
say the least, stretched the facts regarding this issue so as to make
them appear much more alarming: and generalized than they actually
were.
There is certainly a question here as to whether the courts have any
business monitoring religious doctrines and rituals.
It appeared to me, even at the time, that they were trying to have
it both ways. They wanted full protection by the government as a
business. Yet they demanded no interference from the government
with their "religious" practices and doctrines. And, in fact, the U.S.
courts were being called upon to ensure that these "religious doc-
trines" were not deviated from: hardly separation of Church and
State !
Next - Commander Steve Marlowe, Inspector General from the
Religious Technology Corporation :
The fact of the matter is you have a new breed of management in the
Church. They're tough, they're ruthless, and they are on Source!" he
announced.
Holding onto upper level students and pre-clears when they should
be moving up the bridge, which is exactly what we're here for, are
over. They [the actions of mission holders of denying them "custom-
ers"] are violations of long-standing policy.
They [the mission holders' actions of holding onto "org customers"]
enter into such criminal or civil charges as conversion, theft, not to
mention Industrial Espionage and Sabotage which will get you two
years in the pokey.
I sat through all this while the cameras kept flashing at us, thinking
this is so bizarre. I knew most of the mission holders in the room, and
I knew how they detested what was happening, yet we all clapped at
208
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
the right places. The guards were watching for anyone with disagree-
ment showing on their faces.
Ray Mithoff, the new chief Case Supervisor was really being a
zealot :
The future can either be bright or very bad. I know for me it's going
to be very bright and for someone who's out there squirreling and try-
ing to get other people's attention off of Scientology and onto some-
thing, just to fatten their own pocket or whatever, that person's future
is black.
You hear Mr. Starkey mention a bit of how black it is. It is really
black. It is so black I can't even describe it right now. I can't even find
words to describe how black that person's future is. In fact it is almost
as black as the future of an FBI agent. I mean it is really black. The
depth of that blackness and the length of time that that person will be
in oblivion is just immeasurable....
In the same vein, Norman Starkey said of a defector:
He will never, never, I promise you, for any lifetime, get any au-
diting or ever get a chance to get out of this trap....That means dy-
ing and dying and dying again; forever, for eternity ....
Then Wendall Reynolds, was introduced as the International Fi-
nance Dictator! He said :
Now right now you guys are Counter Intention on my lines [mean-
ing we were getting in the way of what he was trying to do], maybe one
exception in this room, but I doubt it, because you guys are sitting on
public [I assumed he didn't mean it literally - but meant holding onto
their customers], you're ripping off the orgs, you're doing all manner of
crazy things....
Now some of these guys you see standing around here are Interna -
tional Finance Police and their job is to go out and find this stuff and if
you guys are guilty of it, you've just had it! So, are we talking the same
language here now...
Now this convention is costing the Church money. You're all going
to sign 5 percent minimum Corrected Gross Income (income after
overheads are paid) to this DMSMH Campaign.
This meant that we were to pay 5 percent of our mission's income
to a IIli advertising campaign for Hubbard's book, Dianetics, The
Modern Science of Mental Health. The book was published by a for
*The Saviour's Revenge*
209
profit corporation and the royalties went to Hubbard, yet our non-
profit franchises were supposed to carry part of the costs. It sounded
illegal to me.
When, later that morning (the meeting ran on till 2.30 A.M.) I was
told to sign the contract for 5 percent, I told the Finance Policeman
that I wanted to put a proviso on the form stating that it was signed on
the proviso that it was legal. He told me, "Sign!" When I still hesi-
tated he said, with a sarcastic grin, that I could ask Wendall Reynolds
the Finance Dictator about it. I signed knowing that any other action
was dangerous in this charged atmosphere.
THE FINANCE DICTATOR :
You're going to get Dianetics and Scientology as a household word.
...
And if you look at it Battlefield Earth [a science fiction book by
Hubbard] has been released on the same pattern as the early 1950s,
when LRH was a popular writer, with DMSMH released right on the
heels of it and that put it right on the best-seller list!
And right now Battlefield Earth is selling out and selling out and
selling out again. So we got a tremendous popularity thing going and
you guys are getting a gift at 5 percent of CGI [Corrected Gross In-
come]. It's a total gift.
So if I hear one person in this room who's not coughing up 5 per-
cent....as a minimum you've got an investigation coming your way,
because you got other crimes in your mission.
Questions on that ? ....
We were pulled out one at a time to have mug shots taken by a
uniformed photographer.
It was then announced by Captain Lesevre, in a heavy French ac-
cent, that teams of finance police would be coming to our missions
and that we were going to be paying for them. The price would be
$15'000.00 a day.
We were all finally told we could leave on the proviso that we
wrote a letter to Ron thanking him for the event and acknowledging
him for his contributions to us and mankind.
Guards blocked the door until we were given clearance.
****
Homer Shomer told me recently about Miscavage and company's
210
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
excitement as they returned to Author Services (on Sunset Boulevard
in Hollywood) where Homer worked at the time:
When they came back from the meeting they were laughing and
joking about how they had really "socked it to those bastards." The
look on Kingsley Wimbush's face when he was expelled was a source of
great amusement - very funny! And there was much backslapping and
mutual congratulations. Norm Starkey was quite a hero for his expul-
sion of Gary Smith. They called a special sta meeting to brag.
It was also only recently that I learned that Hubbard was the prime
mover behind the actions of his messengers at the San Francisco
meeting.
Homer Shomer told me that he saw a note from Hubbard which
told these guys:
Congratulations on your handling of these franchise holders. As far
as I'm concerned you can get rid of all of them. We don't need them!
I believe that this revenge for the Florida "mutiny" was Hubbard's
last major move as a manager of the Church as such, a move that pre-
cipitated a major schism.
Following this, according to an ex-aide, he became preoccupied
with preparing for his death and with preserving the myths he had
created about himself: He became obsessed with recovering his bio-
graphical and other personal documents turned over to a courtroom
in nearby Los Angeles (Chapters 21 and 23).
20
Thousands Break from Hubbard's Church
Not only had the mission holders been hit. Some 18 of the top mes-
sengers and executives immediately under Hubbard had been purged,
accused of "working for the enemy." Among these were some of the
highest "tech trained" people, including David Mayo, who had for over
a decade been what is essentially the Archbishop of"Standard Technol-
ogy," the Case Supervisor International.
It was Mayo who had been called to the dying Hubbard's side when
he had become the victim of a stroke or heart attack in 1978 and had
assisted him back to health and participated in the development of
the "Nots tech."*
Also included among the 18 who were purged were the two execu-
tives who had headed the mission network, John Axel and Roger
Barnes. They had been imprisoned at Gilman Hot Springs, with
guards outside the doors of their locked rooms, and along with the
others were then transferred to a separate property, some 15 wiles
away in a secluded area in the San Jacinto foothills.
Here they could not "contaminate the other crew." Their story
over the next six months or so included watching David Miscavage
and Steve Marlowe regularly spit in the faces of some of the inmates
there. In one instance John Axel (top franchise executive) was re-
ported to have been told to take off his glasses by Miscavage, and
then punched in the face.
*The secret OT levels that bring in the greatest amount of money to
Scientology. These are covered in Part II. Chapter 13.
211
212
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
****
After my return to the mission, I received constant calls for one
thing or another, always accompanied by threats. One particular inci-
dent symbolized the ridiculousness of the situation: We were ordered
to sell 1000 copies of Hubbard's recently released science-fiction book
Battlefield Earth "before Thursday" or I would be kicked out as mis-
sion holder.
I was at home shaving when the phone rang. The receptionist at
the mission informed me that there were three uniformed Sea Org
people there, saying they were Finance Police.
Wallis Hooker was the leader of the group. He was wearing offi-
cer's regalia, and the appropriate severe "no-nonsense" expression.
He briefed me on the seriousness of the situation. We had been hold-
ing on to clears and not sending them off to the orgs!
They were there to see that all "clears" (50 percent of our "public")
were sent immediately, and that an astronomical quota of staff and
"customers" were sent to Flag (in Florida) in less than two days, paid
in full. We were to be billed for this pillage, to pay immediately at the
end of each day, 15 thousand dollars a day. (By this time we had just
$30,000 left, which was far below outstanding bills.)
The first day came to a close without our having met the impossible
targets they had set.
"Get me a check for 15 Gs!" demanded Wallis.
I told him I needed to speak to his superior because what he was
demanding was illegal. It was forcing me to do something that was not
only counter to the interests of the corporation of which I was in
charge, but would bring about its bankruptcy.
Wallis was terrified of questioning the orders he had received, de-
spite the fact that I could tell he secretly sympathized with my plight.
He kept mumbling about being sentenced to the Rehabilitation Pro-
ject Force.
Yet I was able to get him to call a person he addressed as "Matisse."
In what was genuinely an act of courage for the man, he presented my
argument to him.
Then he went suddenly silent, and as he listened to the reply, I
watched him blanche and almost pass out, muttering an occasional,
"Yes, sir! Of course, sir! I'm sorry, Sir! Right away, sir!'
When he dropped the receiver, he had taken on a new resolve. He
took a deep breath and started in on me in the manner that Matisse
had obviously pounded into him.
There was to be "no more bullshit!" I was to sign the check or be
*Thousands Break from Hubbard's Church*
213
expelled. I had five minutes, and he had ten to get back with Matisse
and report that he had the check, signed by me for 15 Gs, in his hand.
I signed and he called.
We were down to 15 thousand dollars in the bank and no prospects
of further income to cover immediate urgent bills.
I called all over, everyone I knew who had not yet been kicked out.
There weren't many. It quickly became clear that the orders anima-
ting poor Wallis came from "very high up" - which was code for
Hubbard himself.
Then I received a call from Matisse, and in a strong German accent
he yelled, "You will sign another check for 15 Gs tonight. If you do
not have the check signed in 15 minutes you will be going to jail for a
very long time!"
There was no doubt that he meant that I would be framed in the
same manner as they had framed Paulette Cooper - something I was
aware of by this time. I had no doubt they could pull that off. Any
heroic stance of not signing would be futile, I decided, because who-
ever they put in after me would be happy to sign. Then the place
wouldn't have a chance.
I signed, and was informed that I was to get a plane to Santa Clara
in Northern California and report to Matisse for a security check.
On the way up I schemed how I would pull off lying on the sec
check. The truth would obviously get me expelled and I would have
no chance to figure out how to salvage my mission.
I would lie while clearly facing the truth in my own mind. For in-
stance, if they asked me if I was communicating to any suppressive
people (most my friends were "suppressive" by now and I always ac-
cepted their calls) I would say "no" while picturing in my mind talk-
ing to them.
The basic theory is that the meter reacts to those things that one
resists confronting. Thus I would confront freely the truthful answer
while verbally lying.
If I told the truth to these tyrants I would obviously be declared,
and the mission would collapse as a working installation and all my
dreams and those of my friends at the mission would be smashed.
For four hours the next afternoon, Matisse and an American Sea Org
officer, whose name escapes me, interrogated me on the E-meter. I lied
as much as necessary, and got away with it! They tried every trick to
catch me out, but the meter constantly verified that what I was telling
them was the "truth."
They were puzzled, and as I left, Matisse told me (placing his
214
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
thumb and forefinger close together): "You have come this close to
having your throat cut!"
I was subsequently reminded repeatedly "not to take out any loans
on the building or try to sell it!"
It was coming through loud and clear. I had only a short time left
and there was no way they would let us continue to keep the prop-
erty, which was worth a substantial amount of money, in the name of
the corporation we controlled. They obviously had plans to transfer
the property out of our control.
They had their hands full with other situations, but as soon as they
could muster the manpower, a caper would be pulled that would turn
us into an org and, unless I signed an undated resignation, I would be
replaced with someone who would.
Over the next few days there was a call from someone in the Guard-
ian's Office. This person wanted us to go to the courthouse and xerox
some papers that had to do with the L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., case
against his father's estate.
I went down and read the file while it was being copied, and some
of the stuff was eye-opening! For the first time I began to wonder se-
riously whether Hubbard himself was behind all these atrocities.
The case notes also made mention of the Armstrong case prog-
ressing in Los Angeles, so I noted down the case number. Two days
later Mark Lutovski and I drove to Los Angeles County Superior
Courthouse. It was during this drive that the idea was first brought
up: "Were there any circumstances under which we would consider
breaking away from the Church of Scientology?"
We quickly dropped any discussion of what we had been thor-
oughly indoctrinated was the ultimate treason, the highest of crimes!
What we read in the court records shook us both even more than
had the thought of leaving. The evidence was coming through loud
and clear: L. Ron Hubbard had been lying to us; he was not who he
said he was, and he had undoubtedly been behind the Guardian's
Office in their implementation of the "Fair Game Law" against gov-
ernments and individuals.
When someone sent me an anonymous letter containing the arti-
cles and by-laws of the Religious Technology Corporation, which in-
cluded what was essentially a license-to-steal-reaI-estate clause, I de-
cided that some action had to be taken to protect the building. My
wife and Mark agreed.
The clause stated that RTC had the power to dissolve any junior
*Thousands Break from Hubbard's Church*
215
corporation (which included all SMI corporations) at will, at which
point all assets (such as our building) would be distributed to RTC.
I called the lawyer and asked him for a solution to my dilemma.
How would I protect the building, assets, and our beliefs (which we
by now recognized as very different from those of the Church of Sci-
entology as practiced) without alerting Church authorities?
It did not take long for events to develop, making it necessary to
use contingency measures recommended by our lawyer. There was a
call soon enough on a Friday night. I was ordered down to see the
Master at Arms (who had disciplinary authority) at SMI in Los An-
geles the next day....I had no illusions about the fate of the mis-
sion: it was to become an "official org" (headed by someone who
would sign an undated resignation) with or without our co-operation.
Some hundred people attended the meeting where we announced
that we wanted to break away from the Church of Scientology. I gave
a talk giving the reasons as best I was able, since my own mind was
still in some turmoil.
There was a standing ovation at the end and people crowded
around to wish us well.
****
The next day all hell broke loose!
Our staff and public were being called till three in the morning,
being told that they would be damned for all eternity if they stayed
with us. Many left, but few went to the Church-authorized official
mission hurriedly made operational down the road.
Other missions splintered in the U.S. and Europe, but the majority
of missions, over the next few weeks, just fell apart. This was devasta-
ting to Scientology's international income over the next couple of
years.
The following nine months were quite hectic: I travelled to several
European countries, aided by a couple from England, and "splinter
groups" were springing up everywhere. It developed into a major
schism reported in The New York Times and noted in Time and People
magazines.
The central figure (the Martin Luther) consolidating much of this
"independence movement" was David Mayo, who set up his group in
Santa Barbara in late July - ironically, it turned out, not far from San
Louis Obisbo where Hubbard lived secretly in seclusion.
The Church went utterly bonkers. There were parchment-like
216
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
posters distributed with Old West criminal characters pictured and
"Wanted, Squirrels, Dead or Alive" on them. ("Squirrels" had previ-
ously been defined as people who "altered the tech." Now it meant any-
one who dared to help others with any aspect of"the tech" without gro-
velling before the Church's self-declared "ruthless managers.")
We were sued for 4.2 million dollars and private investigators were
hired to spy on us and David Mayo. The suit was in line with
Hubbard's writings on how to handle this kind of situation. Since we
had no money, it was designed to break us with legal fees. Mayo was
also sued, in an innovative legal maneuver, under federal racketeer-
ing laws (RICO) for "theft of trade secrets" (for using written "tech-
nical materials written by Hubbard - which had in actual fact been
written by Mayo and then been published by Hubbard over his own
name).
Hubbard had written :
The purpose of the suit is to harass and discourage rather than to
win. The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment
on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing he
is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional
decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.
I discovered that L. Ron Hubbard Jr. had a listed phone number in
Carson City, Nevada, so I called and spoke to him for some hours.
****
This era is rich with stories :
There was a fancy plot to get me jailed in Denmark on trumped-up
charges. Denmark operates on Napoleonic law and one can be jailed
until trial without bail. There were tickets paid for me waiting at the
Los Angeles Airport. I had been suckered into believing that there
was a businessman who would pay me twenty thousand dollars for
counselling (which we needed badly for our legal defense).
Previous to this plot, an Englishman (ex-Scientology Sea Org Inem-
ber Robin Scott) had gone to Denmark with a couple of friends and
pulled off a "caper" against the Church of Scientology there. He stole
"highly confidential" upper level materials (for which Scientologists
were paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to be audited on - see
Chapter 13: "Are You Haunted?"). Dressed in Sea Org uniforms, his
partners entered the Danish Scientology Org and announced they
were from the RTC and demanded to inspect the state and security of
*Thousands Break from Hubbard's Church*21
7
their confidential materials. When their orders were complied with,
they demanded to be left alone, and absconded with the material.
Robin Scott was later jailed and languished in prison for a month.
While I had nothing to do with this in any way, the G.O. had ap-
parently managed to get someone to allege to the Danish Police that I
had.
A couple of hours before I left for England, however, I was tipped
off. My friend in Denmark went to the airport the next day to see who
was there to "greet" me, had I been on the plane. Sure enough, there
was a member of the Danish constabulatory and a well known mem-
ber of the Danish Guardian's Office!
Another G.O. covert operation involved planting a spy in my group
who was ordered to get a floor plan made of my building, especially
noting the location of my Office. After that there were break-ins, dur-
ing one of which many pre-clear folders were stolen. He also had or-
ders to discourage my key staff from working for me, along with a host
of other destructive projects.
My friend Mark Chacon defended 23 small claims suits brought by
Scientologists loyal to Hubbard (orchestrated by the G.O.). We won
21 of these cases.
The chaos was not limited to the U.S.: a shy young man in Stuttgart
Germany, who had started a franchise in the mid-seventies and made
it a huge success, was in trouble. When the Finance Police had
arrived he went out on a limb to meet their insane financial demands.
He raised nearly a hundred thousand dollars.
He was summoned to the Flag Land Base in Florida.
While there, independently from Scientology he joined up with a
high stakes, high risk attempt to salvage a sunken ship off the coast of
Florida.
Shortly thereafter he was dead, having drowned.
Martin Samuels, besides being expelled and removed from his four
franchises and school-the school being located in a former Jesuit
monastery in Sheridan, Oregon - lost his wife of 17 years (who the
Finance Police turned against him) and the custody and affection of
his two young children (they had been drilled to disconnect from "the
S.P. "). He was tricked into turning over every penny he had. Busted
and emotionally devastated, he sought refuge with his parents.
He later told me :
Since the beginning of my time in Scientology there had been a bold
vision of inspiring ideals. And myself and many other bright young
people were attracted to that vision.
218
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
And I and they dedicated the most precious years of our lives to it.
Specifically in the mission network we sensed something was wrong.
We couldn't articulate it or put our finger on it, and we worked at the pe-
rimeter away from the corruption.
When the corruption and abuses became blatant and undeniable,
the better people were the first to leave, until there developed a vast
exodus of all the brighter more decent people.
My time of final awakening came in November of 1982.
****
Hubbard had, in a sustained frenzy of blind fury, wiped out his
most lucrative source of new customers and future income: the mis-
sions.
It would be more than two years later before a new "laissez-faire"
era was proclaimed. As usual, some new Scientologists, capable but
misinformed individuals, came to Hubbard's rescue.
A successful chiropractor, in San Francisco, finding himself im-
pressed with "Hubbard's" management techniques, set up "Sterling
Management Systems," targeted exclusively at professionals. This de-
veloped into a slick business-style program of seminars, some under
different names, such as "The Advisory."
While the promotion for these seminars does not mention Hubbard
or the Church of Scientology, a Church representative claimed that
40 percent of graduates end up "starting on The Bridge."
The seminars, along with a multi-million-dollar Pr blitz ad cam-
paign for Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health, consti-
tuted the new program for recruiting: "raw meat" into Scientology.
One claim, made by a seminar leader, was that Lee Iaccoca was a
success because he used Hubbard's management techniques!
21
Hubbard's PR Biography lies Exposed
"I have never lied to you or conned you." - L. RON HUBBARD,
1983.
Concurrent with the events starting with my "Bonnie and Clyde"
confrontation with the sheriff in my driveway in late 1979, were the
discovery of boxes of Hubbard's private documents at Gilman Hot
Springs. A few years later, this resulted in a flood of material being
revealed that changed my life and views dramatically. Another result
was a widened schism within Hubbard's Church precipitated, in part,
by my promotion of this material internationally.
As some background to these events, here is an excerpt from one of
several short biographies circulating among Scientologists as promo-
tional handouts or introductions to Hubbard's books during the sixties
and seventies:
L. Ron Hubbard was born in Tilden, Nebraska, on the 13th of
March, 1911. His father was Commander Harry Ross Hubbard of the
United States Navy. His mother was Dora May Hubbard (nee Water-
bury de Wolfe), a thoroughly educated woman, a rarity in her time!
Ron spent his early childhood years on his grandfather's large cattle
ranch in Montana. It was on this ranch that he learned to read and
write by the time he was three and a half years old.
L. Ron Hubbard found the life of a young rancher very enjoyable.
Long days spent riding, breaking broncos, hunting coyote and taking
his first steps as an explorer.
219
220
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
It was in Montana that he had his first encounter with another
culture - the Blackfoot (Pikuni) Indians. He became a blood brother of
the Pikuni and was later to write about them in his first published
novel, Buckskin Brigade's.
Before Ron was ten years old, he had become thoroughly educated
in schools as well as by his mother.
By the time he was twelve years old, young L. Ron Hubbard had
already read a large number of the world's greatest classics - and his
interest in philosophy and religion was born. Not that the explorer in
him had been stilled. Far from it. A Montana newspaper of the period
reported thusly on one of Helena's newest high school students:
Ronald Hubbard has the distinction of being the only boy in the
country to secure an Eagle Scout badge at the age of twelve years. He
was a Boy Scout in Washington, D.C., before coming to Helena.
In Washington, D.C., he had also become a close friend of Presi-
dent Coolidge's son, Calvin Jr. whose early death accelerated L. Ron
Hubbard's interest in the mind and spirit of man.
The following years, from 1925 to 1929, saw the young Mr. Hub-
bard, between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, as a budding and en-
thusiastic world traveller and adventurer. His father was sent to the
Far East and, having the financial support of his wealthy grandfather,
L. Ron Hubbard spent these years journeying through Asia....
These writings, containing numerous bogus claims, influenced many
in their decision to make Scientology a "career." Some of the claims
were published in Who's Who in America which, to many, amounted to
confirmation.
One who was influenced by Hubbard's lies was Gerry Armstrong.
After he left the Church in 1982, he wrote:
My research throughout 1980 and 1981, however, revealed a very
different, and to me shocking picture of Hubbard, his past, creden-
tials, accomplishments.
[Contrary to his claims] he had not graduated in mathematics, nor
was he educated in higher mathematics.
He was not educated in advanced physics.
He did not obtain a bachelor of science degree.
He was not a civil engineer.
He was not a nuclear physicist.
He was not a member of the first U.S. course in nuclear physics.
He did not excel in his subjects at university.
He attended George Washington University two years, 1931 and
1932. He was placed on probation after the first year, and in the second
*Hubbard's PR Biographies Exposed*221
year his grades deteriorated. He failed both his mathematics courses
his first year and got D's when he repeated them the second year. The
one course he took in molecular and atomic physics he failed. He did
not return to George Washington University thereafter.
Hubbard did not pursue post-graduate studies at Princeton.
During the war, he attended a less-than-four-month course in mili-
tary government which was given by the Navy on the Princeton cam-
pus.
I had seen diaries Hubbard kept of his time spent in Asia, and corre-
spondence between him and his parents and associates from the pe-
riod, and was able to determine fairly accurately the truth behind his
claims about this period.
He was not in China at fourteen and did not spend several years
travelling thoughout Asia.
He did not study with lama priests.
He was never in India.
He attended school in the United States during the years fourteen
through eighteen.
Hubbard's father, who was a naval officer, was stationed on Guam,
and Hubbard travelled twice by ship to Guam to the U.S. and back,
once in 1927 and once in 1928. On those trips the ships stopped briefly
at various Asiatic ports in Japan, China, Hong Kong and the Philip-
pines. The only time Hubbard travelled into the interior of China was
on a tour sponsored by the YMCA given to children of U.S. service
personnel stationed in the Pacific. His total time in Asia was a few
weeks.
He visited a "lamasary" while on the YMCA trip and noted that the
lama priests sounded like "bull frogs." His appreciation of Eastern
culture was perhaps summarized when he wrote in his notes in 1929:
"The trouble with China is there are too many Chinks here!"
ARMSTRONG :
I amassed approximately two thousand pages of documentation con-
cerning Hubbard's wartime career: what he was doing what vessels he
was on, fitness reports and medical and VA disability records. The
truth is far different from the public representations.
He was not crippled and blinded during the war. [Nor was he, "as a
matter of medical record, twice pronounced dead."]
He did not cure himself with his discoveries.
He was not "Mister Roberts" [played by Henry Fonda]. He was re-
moved from the U.S.S. Algol as "unfit" before it went into action.
He did not command escort vessels from 1941 to 1946.
222
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
He was not awarded 21 medals and palms.
At the beginning of World War II, Hubbard was assigned to Naval
Intelligence in Australia. He was there briefly until ordered back to
the U.S. as unsatisfactory for the duty, and after his return was
transferred out of Intelligence.
He had command of two vessels: the first for a month during refit;
the second for two and a half months during outfitting and shakedown.
He was removed from command of the first for exceeding orders,
and from command of the second when he fired the ship's guns in Mex-
ican waters causing an international incident.
In a diary he kept through part of the war he revealed that he had
his men lie for him in the Naval Board of Investigation convened to
investigate the incident.
He claimed to have sunk two Japanese submarines during the
shakedown cruise during his second command, nt the Commander of
the Northwest Sea Frontier, Admiral Fletcher, stated in a report that
"an analysis of all reports convinces me that there was no submarine in
the area."
Hubbard spent the last few months of the war in a naval hospital
with a duodenal ulcer. He was awarded four standard medals for his
wartime service. A copy of a letter from the Department of the Navy
listing his naval assignments and medals [spells this out.]
At war's end he was awarded a 10 percent disability for the ulcer. In
1946, he "appealed the disability award, claiming in addition to ulcers
to have "conjunctivitis" or inflammation of the eyes, and an infection in
the hip joint contracted as a result of transition from the tropics to the
eastern winter cold.
In October 1947 he wrote to the Veterans Administration asking for
psychiatric treatment, stating, "I cannot account for no rise above long
periods of moroseness and suicidal inclinations."
In 1948 he was able to get his disability award increased to 40 per-
cent for the duodenal ulcer, infection of the eyes, bursitis of the, right
shoulder and arthritis of multiple joints.
In August 1951 Hubbard took another set of VA medical examina-
tions and complained of the same conditions for which he was receiv-
ing a disability pension (and of which he would claim in his Dianetics
and Scientology promotional literature he had already cured himself).
He was still receiving the 40 percent disability compensation in
1973, according to a letter from the VA.
****
In early July of 1986, I interviewed Gerry Armstrong about his dis-
covery of Hubbard's biographical materials. Says Armstrong:
*Hubbard's PR Biographies Exposed*
223
They had rented the shredder and we had 200 people and the entire
property of Gilman Hot Springs dedicated to this shredding.
They had this paper shredder which was so big! This thing took
them through like in quarter-inch swaths! W w w w w w w w w r r r r r r
r r r r t h h h h h h h h h h h!
It was a big big big, giant munching shredder!
Laurel Sullivan says they called it "Jaws," but I think they also
called it "lgor."
This was a bigger cover-up incident than anything that had ever
happened before.
At the previous major shredding operation at La Quinta, we were
ordered to shred anything which connected Hubbard to the G.O.
At Gilman each person went through his stuff that he had been as-
signed. There were people who did nothing else but shred, called
"Shredder Operators."
This time the criteria had been expanded:
a. Any evidence of Hubbard's control of Scientology. b. Any docu-
ment that showed that he had ordered anything at all. c. Any docu-
ment that showed that he was intending to reside at the Gilman Hot
Springs property. d. Anything that showed that he had ever been to
the Gilman Hot Springs property.
Each person had to go though any documents in his area.
I was in charge at that time of the household unit at Gilman. In the
household unit, we were setting up a house for Hubbard.
We tiled the floor. His bedroom tiles were dark blue and the room
itself was painted dark blue. This was because he had some theory
about sleeping in dark rooms and how much better he slept....
Anyway, late one night I came across a box of stuff. And it was about
eight inches deep, maybe 12 inches wide and 16 inches long. It was all
beat up, opened, you could see that the lid had all kinds of tears.
Brenda Black had found it and she handed it over to me.
I looked through it. And I knew right away that this was a whole
different thing than I'd ever seen in Scientology. These papers were
out of a whole different realm.
A real letter written by Hubbard? You've got to understand I knew
all about Standing Order Number 1; that S.O. 1* was a lie.
These letters I was now witnessing were mainly the ones between
him and his first wife.
There were also two diaries, which he had kept from [his days in]
*LRH Standing Order # 1: "All mail addressed to me shall be received by me."
Replies to Scientologists' letters to Hubbard, written over Hubbard's
signature, were, with few exceptions, written by someone other than himself.
Neither letters nor replies were received or seen by him. Interestingly enough,
the few exceptions were mostly from non-Scientologists, such as people involved
in the field of science fiction writing and editing.
224
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Asia. And then there were all sorts of other assorted papers going all
the way back, some into the 19th century.
Brenda wanted to know what to do. And I remember my Scientolog-
ical mind going back and forth on whether or not to keep these docu-
ments. Did it make sense2 I had to evaluate, because the whole place
was mustered into destroying documents.
We found several boxes, and Hubbard's biography had suddenly be-
come possible, because now we had some material. All we had before
were these things written by Hubbard, and a few old science fiction
magazines. Now all of a sudden we had letters, we had diaries, and so
on. All there was known prior to that, even by the top PRs, was the
public picture that had been manufactured by Hubbard.
I wrote Hubbard a despatch proposing the biography idea.
He answered that with a couple of paragraphs. I did not have any
idea of the extent of the materials I had stumbled onto. Neither, it
turned out, did he.
I did a little bit of reading of the documents. Then I started to as-
semble it into some kind of sense. It was real difficult, given the time
and distractions.
In the beginning of February the messengers moved to the Com-
plex, two and a half hours away in Los Angeles, where they were now
"The Messengers!"
They just descended on the place and had this impact on the joint.
There was DM (David Miscavage) and the WDC (Watch Dog Commit-
tee).
Laurel and I moved to L.A. also, and with us went the LRH ar-
chives.
In L.A. there are collectors and early Dianeticists, and other people
that knew Hubbard, so some research could be done there.
I got in touch with collector Virgil Wilhite and we paid him $65,000.00
for his collection of LRH memorabilia, early books and other writings
that the organization didn't have.
****
I met Omar Garrison in East Grinstead, England, in September of
1980. I had been sent there especially for the encounter.
The meeting went well and within three weeks we set up an Office
for Garrison at the blue building in Los Angeles.
Garrison arrived in Los Angeles and signed a contract with the Or-
ganization, to do the biography.
He received twenty thousand dollars.
At that time, I had ready for Garrison about seven or eight binders
of material of the earliest materials that I'd found and those were
*Hubbard's PR Biographies Exposed*
225
mainly the letters between Hubbard and his first wife-"the Skipper
Letters," she went by "Skipper" and he was called "the Red Head."
Great letters! You should see these things. They're mind bending.
But they're mainly under seal by the Court.
In those letters, you could just see an incredible battle building be-
tween him and his wife: Hubbard being so....you cannot believe
how ruthless he is being in those early letters!
When Omar was taking over his office I was giving him materials,
and I remember thinking that I really resisted saying anything at all
about what my conclusions were at the time. I had by this time some
kind of confused thought of what the whole thing was about.
I remember thinking "I'll wait and he can look at the materials. I
didn't know if I could talk openly to Garrison. He was completely, up
to that point, if not a died-in-the-wool advocate of Scientology, at least
a firm opponent of Scientology's enemies....
Between these interviews with various people from Hubbard's past,
we were having meetings with Dr. Denk, in which he worked with us
to get Hubbard the Nobel Prize. Hubbard said, "Unlimited funds allo-
cated for this project."...
I never even said anything to Garrison until it was a little more op-
portune, until I was more certain that he'd looked at some of these ma-
terials. I think because I was his contact, I spent some time with him,
out drinking together.
He was writing, and who does he talk to? So he talked to me. Pretty
soon there was this slight conspiracy.
It wasn't that we were conspiring to do anything, but rather it was a
conspiracy of people who knew that there was something radically dif-
ferent from what had been presented to us before.
It took some time, but I remember Garrison commenting about
having all those letters, and me sensing at that time that it was almost
safe to talk to him. Inside the Church there was no one to talk to. And I
didn't know if he was going to turn on me. But it was better than in
there because in Scientology you can trust no one.
It was no single thing that was bothering me about Hubbard. It was
that as soon as I knew the picture, I knew the picture.
It was a quantum leap. Now you know t152 thousand data and sud-
denly doink! a quantum leap. Suddenly ail the data is different.
There was a point, for instance, where I knew that Hubbard had
lied.
But I just could not attack the man. And I figured, wait a minute,
this is really mind bending. I know now he lied!
I decided that in order for us to even know if there is any validity to
the subject of Scientology, whatever validity there is has got to stand
on its own. It can't stand on a web of lies.
226
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
As this was going on in my head I was talking more and more to
Garrison.
So I knew at that time that Omar knew what was going on with
Hubbard ....
A lot of the very early books that I gave Garrison were in Hubbard's
own handwriting. And Hubbard, in his own handwriting, would intro-
duce a book with "facts about L. Ron Hubbard".
So Omar and I would get a kick out of finding more "facts" about L.
Ron Hubbard.
After a while we would dig up some more of these things written by
him, and we would joke, "Oh, no, no more facts!"
We had by this time come to know that the "facts" were just so
much horseshit. You could be guaranteed that if it was in the "facts
about L. Ron Hubbard," it was a lie.
And Laurel Sullivan would write these PR pieces. And as I assem-
bled more data they got it a little more accurate, but still they really
couldn't change things from the way they were before. So this problem
was developing - that we now knew it was all lies.
It was a shock for Omar, I think.
He became real paranoid from knowing what he knew.
I began to go through the materials and tried to separate out what
truth there was, and what we just couldn't say.
I wrote a number of dispatches in an attempt to get the lies removed
from the various biographical sketches in books and promotional litera-
ture; and the last dispatch was to the Master at Arms having to do with
Starkey's response to a previous report of mine.
Starkey dropped into Archives, where I was working, one day. He
was there to ask questions.
I had just gotten back at that time from seeing Nibs [Ron Jr.] with
Omar. I said to Starkey that, in my opinion, a lot of the problems with
Nibs had been created by the organization. I said that Nibs was not 100
percent wrong in this whole thing.
"He looks like he could be a decent guy," I said.
And then somehow we got up to Hubbard's lying, and I said, "Lis-
ten, we can't continue to claim that the guy's a nuclear physicist." And
Starkey said, "Well he never said it! Just a bunch of stupid PRs said it."
So I walked over to the shelf [filled with] the books we'd bought
from Virgil which contained the original Scientology 8-80, done in
1952, which was a manuscript edition, and there it was....I showed
to Starkey where Hubbard claims, in his own handwriting, to have
been a nuclear physicist.
Starkey just stomped out of there.
Then a few days later I was called out to Gilman Hot Springs to talk
with the Master at Arms about a report from Starkey. It was a secret
*Hubbard's PR Biographies Exposed*
227
report saying that he was concerned as to what documents I might
have given Garrison, and he was saying things like, "Armstrong is
stating that we are responsible for Nib's problems." This was a fairly
accurate rendition of the way I had spoken about it, but it was apparent
that it was completely unacceptable that I do such a thing. It would
just be a matter of time till I was "busted."
So I was desperately trying to get Garrison everything that I could. I
now knew that the whole thing was crazy, but also that I couldn't quit
the job until I was through getting Garrison what he needed.
The pressure of the situation was getting to me. I was one screwed
up kid in those days.
So I worked as long as I could and copied virtually everything I
could for Garrison. I knew I had to do that, because I knew that I
would soon be sec checked on what I'd been giving Garrison, and so I
had to get it to him before that.
I knew that they were in a dilemma. They have been pumping all
this stuff out for so long and all the author's sections are already pub-
lished. Now what are we going to do? And one of the books they were
about to republish was All About Radiation, which states on it's cover,
"By an Atomic Physicist* and a Medical Doctor." Well wait a minute,
it's copyrighted by L. Ron Hubbard and written by L. Ron Hubbard.
Which one is he?
What are you going to say, "He's not the nuclear physicist, he's the
medical doctor"?
Someone in charge of the reprinting of this book wrote to Laurel.
Now Laurel was faced with quite a dilemma: We've been saying for
years that he's a nuclear physicist. Now are we going to change it? If
we change it now, that's like saying, "Wait a minute, last time he was a
nuclear physicist!"
Someone suggested a "scientific researcher " and Laurel wrote back
and said, "No, I think we'd better stick with the `atomic physicist.' I
don't really like it, but you know, what exactly is an atomic physicist in
any case? We can justify it; and certainly he is a physicist or some-
thing..."
(The Church has recently used the fact that Laurel Sullivan said that
to claim that she and not Hubbard was the source of the atomic physi-
cist claim!)
Joycelyn [Armstrong's wife] was still working for me at that time and
we were copying madly to get all we could to Garrison.
Every day I was going to Costa Mesa in Orange County, where
Omar Garrison lived, and I would take down a box of materials that I
*Mary Sue Hubbard, in the later trial over these "Armstrong" documents,
admitted Hubbard was not a nuclear physicist and that she and Hubbard used to laugh
about this claim being on the cover of All About Radiation.
228
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
had copied. Then I'd take down a box of shirts or books or whatever,
until we got down to the point where we had, box by box, totally
moved the whole place out.
The last thing we had was Joycelyn's bicycle, and we made like we
were going off for a ride. We were gone.
I had Garrison's truck, parked right on the corner. I went and threw
the bike in it. We went to Garrison's place in Costa Mesa. The follow-
ing morning we left and went to their place in Utah and stayed there
for a week.
It was the great escape right under their noses.
During the next several months Gerry Armstrong and his wife
were subjected to intense harassment, which included being followed
by several Church - hired private eyes virtually everywhere they
went; sometimes they were followed by three cars at a time.
When he turned his photos of Hubbard, which he legitimately pos-
sessed, over to collector Wilhite for a promise of six thousand dollars,
Church agents subsequently got to Wilhite and "persuaded" him to
hand the photos over to them.
Continues Armstrong:
So within 24 hours of that I called [attorney] Mike Flynn and, within
a couple of days, flew out to Boston to see him....
The more I looked, the more rotten Hubbard became. Also, the
more the organization appeared more and more as nothing but illusion
and evil.
Just look at the stuff they write. Just how distant it is from the truth.
And the ends to which they'll go to create "truth." To make illusion
appear to be something else.
The illusion, for example, of Battlefield Earth as a "legitimate"
blockbuster bestseller...
One of the wealthy Scientologists, by the name of Ellie Bolger, appar-
ently paid a huge amount of money to the organization, which they
then disbursed to staff members to go down to B. Dalton or whatever
and buy the book.
(The publicity from Hubbard's science fiction "best-seller" would,
in turn, get the Dianetics book selling. And this, plus a multi-million
dollar TV and billboard advertising campaign, has in fact managed to
get it back onto The New York Times' best-seller list four times in
1986. According to Hubbard's plan, "raw meat" would subsequently
pour into Scientology orgs).
*Hubbard's PR Biographies Exposed*
229
****
Wrote Hubbard, "The highest one can attain to truth is to attain to
his own illusions." He later explained: "Reality is basically agree-
ment."
Whether these statements are true or not, they perhaps reveal a
great deal about the workings of L. Ron Hubbard's mind:
His illusions are supreme! Agree with them and voila! You have re-
ality!
In his lectures and his writings he seldom looked back to see what
he had originated. If he had bothered to listen to his own lectures,
especially the early ones, he would have been flabbergasted at how
much he had revealed about himself. In a Philadelphia Doctorate
Course lecture he states:
Now you say you have to be absolutely truthful. Sincerity is the
main thing, and truthfulness is the main thing and don't lie to anybody
...and you'll get ahead. Brother you sure will. You'll get ahead right
on that cycle of action, right toward zero!...It's a trap not being able
to prevaricate....
You say, "You know, I was downtown the other day and there's this
Yellow Taxi there, and I started to step into this Yellow Taxi, and I'11 be
a son of a gun if there wasn't a big ape sitting in the back smoking a
cigar. And I closed the door and walked on down the street."
This makes life more colorful!
His prevarications about his life, certainly make him more colorful!
22
Operation Juggernaut":
Hubbard Targets
Boston Lawyer
"The yapping gnats [critics of Scientology] that are trying to stop our
juggernaut will be disposed of. "-CAPTAIN MARK YEAGER (one of the
top five elite)
An attorney from a small Boston law Office, Michael Flynn, was un-
expectedly thrust into an arena where, as the then number one "en-
emy" of L. Ron Hubbard, he was confronted with a highly organized
and financed operation to "destroy" him.
Michael Flynn thought he was just handling a minor case concern-
ing return of a small amount of money owed when he agreed to repre-
sent a young former Commodore's Messenger called La Venda Van
Shaick in 1979. But because of what Ms. Van Schaik knew about L.
Ron Hubbard, the fact that she had gone to an attorney would have
set bells ringing and red lights flashing at Hubbard's desert hideout.
Hubbard wrote often about "the enemy" and the "war" that was
being fought, which required vigilance, dedication and sacrifice on
the part of his troops. Hubbard perceived Flynn as, and declared him
to be, the key agent of these enemies.
"Enemy" Michael Flynn's story was told to me by Flynn himself,
during lunches and dinners at the time of the Armstrong trial. He was
by this time Armstrong's trial attorney.
A brief resume of these talks, and the papers for a lawsuit later filed
230
"*Operation Juggernaut*"
231
by Flynn vs. Hubbard, will give a better idea of the battle that was
culminating in the courtroom of Judge Brekenridge, on the fifth floor
of the Superior Court Building in Los Angeles, in the summer of
1984. This was the scene of the Armstrong trial.
MICHAEL FLYNN VS. L. RON HUBBARD
Michael Flynn claimed in his July 1985 lawsuit that there is a zoritten
conspiracy by Hubbard, and his Church acting as his agents, to "de-
stroy" him, beginning from July, 1979 to the present.
He targeted Hubbard in his lawsuit because "Hubbard executed
and established an elaborate written plan to exercise total dictatorial
control over Scientology and others."
Hubbard did this, he claimed, by ordering that each of the "Scien-
tology" corporations be chartered, and he ordered that:
a. Undated resignations be signed by all Corporate Officers, which
he kept in his possession, and whenever any board members contested
his orders he simply replaced them with others who would comply.
b. He was a required signatory on all bank accounts in Scientology
over $5,000.
c. Hubbard supervised and controlled, in writing, an organization
called the "Guardian's Office," which he placed in each of the "Scien-
tology" Corporations for the purpose of enforcing his express daily or-
ders, which orders he routinely called the "daily battle plan."
The G.O. was established and directed by Hubbard and was
trained on manuals written by Hubbard,
****
Another organization now doing Hubbard's bidding is Religious
Technology Corporation, to which he assigned all Scientology trade-
marks, but RTC also was fully controlled by him through the use of
written advance resignations.
The policy "legitimizing" Hubbard's agent's pursuit of Flynn was
this one written by Hubbard:
This is the correct procedure.
1. Spot who is attacking us.
2. Start investigating them promptly for felonies or worse, using our
professionals, not outside agencies.
232
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
3. Double curve our reply by saying we welcome an investigation of
them.
4. Start feeding lurid, blood, sex crimes, actual evidence on the at-
tackers to the press. (Emphasis supplied)
Don't ever submit to an investigation of us. Make it rough on our
attackers all the way.
Another policy Hubbard ordered enforced :
The following is a list of the successful...actions used by [our] in-
telligence [bureau] :
- Using...[sex] on someone high in government to seduce them
over to our side.
- Infiltrating in every group with an end to getting documents.
- Covert third partying with forged or phony signatures.
- Anonymous third partying [stirring up trouble by a campaign of
disinformation]. Particularly the Internal Revenue Service...
- Direct theft of documents
- Impersonating a reporter over the phone.
The following are possibilities for collecting data:
1. Infiltration
2. Bribery
3. Buying information
4. Robbery
5. Blackmail
It was pursuant to this and other secret policies laid down by
Hubbard that the offenses against him had been committed, claims
Flynn.
A special operation in line with the above policies and the "Fair
Game policy" was designed for Michael Flynn.
It was labelled "Operation Juggernaut" and designed to "lie [about],
cheat, sue and destroy" him.
Under "Juggernaut," he claims, the following acts were performed:
His offices were infiltrated and files of his were stolen. He was har-
assed and some of his clients were "rated" from him. He was de-
famed privately as well as in the 1 sep
suits were brought against him, his news-media. Nine groundless law
as nine groundless bar complaints colleagues and employees, as well
Flynn further claims that water to get him disbarred.
private airplane in an attempt to mwas placed in the fuel tanks of his
pants in the plane at that time, murder him. There were four occu-
cluding his son.
"*Operation Juggernaut*"
233
He further claims that they threatened to poison him and kidnap
his clients.
False and defamatory articles were published and distributed at his
law school, and false information was given to the IRS in order to ini-
tiate an investigation. Furthermore, Hubbard's agents illegally ob-
tained his bank account information; placed dirt in his car's fuel tank;
and generally engaged in a wholesale pattern of abusive and harassive
behaviour.
All this began in July of 1979 when a young woman, La Venda Van
Schaick, approached him for the purpose of obtaining a "refund" of
monies paid by her to the Church in the amount of approximately
$12,800.
Flynn sent a letter to the C.O. for the purpose of obtaining the
money and thus saving the trouble of a lawsuit. They refused to pay.
Within days of that letter being sent, Hubbard, who was then in
Hemet, California, ordered an immediate infiltration of Flynn's law
Office by G.O. agent Chuck Malone, who sought employment from
Flynn posing as a private investigator. His purpose was in fact to steal
records and information. He was not hired.
Van Schaick began to be followed and her apartment kept under
surveillance, and numerous strange and suspicious circumstances
occurred in her daily life. The same was the case with Flynn.
Yet all that had happened to cause all this fuss was one letter re-
garding a refund!
Then there was a reply: a letter stating that the Church would be
willing to pay approximately 50 percent of the funds paid by Van
Schaick. But it also suggested that Van Schaick should not sue the
Church for the balance of the funds because she had an extensive
drug history, and had had "three abortions," had "attempted sui-
cide," had severe mental problems, and had signed an agreement
never to sue the Church or Hubbard.
All this stuff, she told Flynn, had come from her pre-clear folder
which had been divulged under the strictest of confidence.
Flynn then began getting anonymous calls suggesting that repre-
senting Van Schaick was a "dangerous matter," that no one "messes
with the Church," and that if he had any doubts about this he should
contact others who had "sought to interfere with Scientology."
Then at a small airport, he claims, he observed "unidentified indi-
viduals viewing his small plane and seeking information about it."
On about October 19, 1979, he was flying this plane to South Bend,
Indiana, when the engine began to malfunction at approximately
234
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
8,000 feet and lost power entirely for a period of some time, and he
was forced to land at an airport nearby. He claims that he subse-
quently discovered large amounts of water in the fuel tanks, "al-
though prior to take-off I had gone through the normal pre-flight ex-
amination without discovering any water."
Flynn believes that water balloons, which are designed to dissolve
about an hour after takeoff, were placed in the tanks by G.O. agents,
on the express orders of Hubbard.
Over the next several months Van Schaick was subjected to numer-
ous incidents, such as having her house surveilled, being run off the
road in her car, numerous telephone calls to her neighbors suggesting
that she was an unfit mother, calls to her employer "resulting in a loss
of her job as a waitress," attempts to convince her that Flynn was en-
gaged in harassive behavior against her in an attempt to have her fire
him, and attempts to separate her from her husband.
Specifically, a G.O. agent named Gary Klinger was sent from Los
Angeles to convince her that the "harassive things" that were being
done to her were being done by Flynn.
During November of 1979 nine of the highest officials of the G.O.
were convicted of a variety of crimes, and approximately 30,000 docu-
ments, seized by the FBI during the raids in 1977, were released to
the general public.
Flynn sent an employee to the Federal Court in Washington to
copy thousands of these documents.
In large part, the documents verified the allegations made by Van
Schaick: namely, that Hubbard and the G.O. were responsible for the
numerous inexplicable and harassive incidents that had occurred dur-
ing the prior several months.
These documents revealed a 15 year pattern of infiltration, bur-
glary, bugging, and harassment.
There were hundreds of documents showing the use of confidential
information by Scientology corporations against individuals such as
Van Schaick, used often for the purpose of frustrating their legal
rights. Some even specified the use of extortion and blackmail.
The documents also showed extensive use of the legal system to
harass with groundless lawsuits. Cases that were known to have no
merit were nevertheless brought in order to break individuals finan-
cially with legal expenses.
When Flynn filed Van Schaick's lawsuit in December of 1979, the
publicity regarding it swamped his Office with hundreds of telephone
calls over a period of weeks.
"*Operation Juggernaut*"
235
These calls were from a variety of individuals and organizations.
They included parents whose children had committed suicide while
in Scientology, individuals who had been hospitalized as a result of
Scientology involvement, authors, reporters, individuals who had al-
legedly been defrauded by Scientology, and various law enforcement
agencies.
Lawsuits and bar complaints by the Church against Flynn and his
clients began to accumulate, and as time progressed were being dis-
missed as groundless, but at large expense to those concerned.
Behyeen August 197Y and up to at least September of 1981 the
G.O., pursuant to Hubbard's orders, had stolen, according to Flynn,
20,000 documents either directly from his Office or from a trash
dumpster. Many had been taken directly from his Office files.
These were used for, among other things, blocking the legal reme-
dies of Flynn's clients, presumably to ruin his practice. They were
also used in aid of all the other tricks played on Flynn himself.
Between January and May of 1980 hundreds of former Scientology
members contacted Flynn seeking legal help. Tonja Burden was one
of these.
Flynn filed suit on her behalf in Federal Court.
Flynn was placed on top of the Church's "enemies list," a copy of
which he received from someone who had recently left the Church.
In June of 1978, with some 50 cases being planned against them,
the G.O. offered 1.6 million dollars to resolve all existing and pend-
ing litigation. Flynn accepted "in a good faith effort to resolve the en-
tire matter," since the G.O. promised reform and the financial costs
of conducting all the litigation was staggering. Flynn having "ex-
pended $200,000" of his own money already.
During the summer of 1981, however, Hubbard replaced some of
his agents in the G.O. with several young members of the "Commo-
dore's Messenger Org." They had served Hubbard personally
throughout their teenage years, were approximately 21 to 22 years of
age, and fanatical adherents to Hubbard. These included David
Miscavage.
They were put there, according to Flynn's affidavit, to command
the C.O., because Hubbard believed that Flynn had not been ha-
rassed intensively enough, and Hubbard intended to increase the
level of "attack" and harassment of him.
These messengers, on Hubbard's orders, adopted a plan to broaden
"Operation Juggernaut" and to conduct an all-out campaign against
Flynn in order to bring him to his knees. This involved a highly secre-.
236
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
tive written plan adopted by Hubbard, Miscavage, Starkey, and others
to attack Flynn "on all fronts."
A meeting of lawyers in Atlanta, Georgia, was convened by Mis-
cavage and Starkey. Its purpose was to initiate Bar complaints, law-
suits, depositions, motions for disqualification, contempt motions and
other forms of harassment making use of the judicial system.
Using the materials taken from Flynn since 1979, and some expen-
sive legal talent, they devised various plots and put them into prac-
tice. These involved setting depositions on dates when Flynn was
tied up in other hearings, and timing notices so that Flynn appeared
to be in contempt.
Over the entire period of Flynn's involvement with Hubbard and
the Church, Hubbard had, through the G.O., and through several
attorneys retained by the G.O., systematically libelled and slandered
him on hundreds of occasions, says Flynn.
All this, he claims, was in furtherance of Hubbard's policy to "man-
ufacture" libelous evidence, to "originate a black PR campaign," and
to use "covert third partying."
During the Armstrong trial the Church's attorneys virtually begged
the judge to get Flynn off the case. One wonders why, if he really was
the shyster criminal they said he was, they didn't bring the evidence
into court and have the man removed from the case?
****
One of the most interesting accusations against Flynn is that he is
part of a world-wide "Rockefeller conspiracy to destroy religion."
Apparently an offspring of one of the Rockefeller cousins (a great
great granddaughter of John D.) had become involved, in some fash-
ion, with Scientology. This seems to have precipitated a response by
her parents.
Author Stewart Lamont (Religion Inc.) who initially planned to
write a pro-Scientology book but later turned critical, has this to say:
[The Scientologists] point to a donation of $135,000 in 1983 from
the New York Community Trust to the Scientology Victims, Defense
Fund, which is administered from Flynn's Office. At first sight it looks
peculiar. The Scientologists claim the source of the recommendation
was an aide of Nelson Rockefeller who had clashed with them back in
1955 over the "Siberia Bill." Heber Jentzsch raged, "The Rockefellers
backed Adolph Hitler during the Second World War and continue this
tradition in present time by backing straw men who attack religious
"*Operation Juggernaut*"
237
men and churches. Let it be known that we will vindicate Mr. Hub-
bard's good name regardless of how many Rockefeller mega-bucks are
poured into the Fund." These turn out to be weasel words when the
donation is measured alongside the hundreds of others of a humanita-
rian nature handed out by the Trust, totalling $350 million. There is
already ample evidence in this book to show that many people have
been harmed by Scientology and surely Michael Flynn, whatever his
motives, cannot be expected to go on year after year charging nothing
for his services. Until auditing is given free the Scientologists have lit-
tle to complain about. Their attempts to discredit Flynn have been
shown up time and again to be sleazy and inaccurate at the very least.
23
The Boss's Withholds Are
Revealed in a "Wog Court"
The Church side (representing Hubbard) was confident they would
win the Armstrong trial.
In their view, the biographical documents clearly belonged to L.
Ron Hubbard. Mary Sue Hubbard (newly out of prison, on parole)
had clear claims as custodian. She claimed that her personal letters
being viewed by the likes of Flynn was tantamount to "mental rape. "
The documents were now in the custody of the Los Angeles Supe-
rior Court.
The Church pushed for a speedy trial, without doubt at the insis-
tence of Hubbard, who was secretly living a couple of hours by car
from the courthouse, near San Luis Obispo.
Any legal maneuvers, at any cost, were being used to ensure those
documents were speedily returned "to their proper owner..,
While the legal bureau fought hard for the return of"L. Ron Hub-
bard's" documents, Church P.R. would later make claims that key
documents involved were really "forgeries" planted by Government
covert agencies.
****
June of 1984 the trial began.
Gerry Armstrong was on the stand for a couple of weeks, and the
trial lasted a total of almost ten weeks. There were star witnesses
brought on by Flynn who had known Hubbard and his finances inti-
mately; and the Church brought on Mary Sue and even an old sea
238
*The Boss's Withholds Revealed*
239
captain called Thomas Moulton, who had served under Hubbard dur-
ing World War II in the Northeast Pacific.
I was fascinated by the proceedings and disclosures on the day
when I first attended, and after that I took off almost every day from
my other pursuits and drove the 50 miles to L.A. to attend.
The opening arguments were presented for the Church and Mary
Sue Hubbard, by Mr. Little
CHURCH'S OPENING ARGUMENT (excerpts):
This case is, in essence, a very simple case....
Mr. Armstrong in 1980, January or February of 1980, petitioned
within the church that he be appointed as an archivist to gather up ma-
terials that had been found in a building on church property in a place
out in the desert called Gilman Hot Springs; it turned out to be a great
deal of old material of the Hubbards which had been gathered....
Now the issue, therefore, is whether or not these private materials
can be used by the defendant and introduced into evidence.
They want these documents spread on the public record for use
elsewhere. That is the intended objective.
It is a desire to intrude into these private materials so that they can
be used in the public arena in various ways, as part of what is in reality
a very intense litigation battle and public battle that exists throughout
the country in which Mr. Flynn is involved with the Church....
The documents themselves are private and are entitled to the pri-
vacy protections of the United States Constitution....
ARMSTRONG'S OPENING ARGUMENT (by Flynn):
It was Armstrong's decision what to shred. He decided that it [the
box presented to him by Brenda Black] shouldn't be shredded on an
initial cursory examination of the box, and entrusted it to Laurel
Sullivan.
Subsequently, after a lot of other documents in the identical location
were shredded, Armstrong began to look through the box of docu-
ments and he found documents which he thought had, quote unquote,
historical significance, and he wrote a petition to Hubbard asking for
permission to collect more materials to complete the biography project
which had actually started in 1973; and the evidence will be that
Laurel Sullivan and others actually began this biography project. But
at various times it got derailed because the authors, one being a fellow
named Peter Thompkins, wouldn't write what Hubbard wanted him to
write.
So eventually we come up to 1980. Armstrong writes to Hubbard.
Hubbard approves it.
240
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Now, there is a key fact here and that is that Hubbard is in the proc-
ess of fleeing because his wife has just been convicted of a felony, [for]
obstruction of justice for stealing documents.
There is a pending grand jury in New York for the frame-up of a
journalist named Paulette Cooper, and there is evidence which was
then coming in before the grand jury relative to Hubbard's involve-
ment in that frame-up.
So Hubbard flees. Subsequently he is determined to be concealing
himself as a fugitive, and a federal court in Tampa so found.
What happened is, because Mary Sue was on her way to jail, be-
cause L. Ron Hubbard was fleeing, the control mechanisms within the
organization over the documents deteriorated, and no one really knew
(and to this day, no one knows, other than Gerald Armstrong) really
what is in those documents (Because he is the one - other than Omar
Garrison-who has analyzed them for years).
So, even Hubbard himself did not precisely know what was in the
documents.
Now, Armstrong begins to go through them. He gets the approval
from Hubbard....
Over a period of a year and a half Armstrong collects all these docu-
ments, turning them over to Garrison and Garrison begins to analyze
them to write the book, and starts writing the book.
Well, Garrison...realizes that the representations that were made
by L. Ron Hubbard right from his birth, right up to present...are
false....
So Garrison realizes that he can't write what Hubbard wants him to
write. In fact, if he follows any journalistic ethics, he's got to write just
precisely the opposite....
Garrison rightfully, pursuant to the contract, has the documents.
Armstrong has no documents at this point. He's turned them over to
Garrison. For the next five to six months he works intermittently with
Garrison on the biography project because they are now going to write
their own, and he also works for a law firm part-time, subservently full
time.
Thereafter the Church begins to harass Mr. Armstrong..They
do a number of things. For one thing they make him an enemy...
and subject him to the Fair Game Doctrine.
They steal photographs from him. They are his own private materi-
als which he actually received from a third party....
They steal other materials from him, which had nothing to do with
the collection of documents when he was working for Hubbard.
At the same time, in light of a lot of harassive acts, he's got very
*The Boss's Withholds Revealed*
241
paranoid. He's seen what the Church of Scientology over the last dec-
ade, has done to other people.
He knows what they have done in the criminal cases and he is fearful
...that they are going to kill him.
He then goes back to Garrison and tells Garrison what is happening,
and Garrison then gives him the documents...to defend himself.
So he goes to a lawyer; namely me, and the reason he came to me is
because he thought that there were very few lawyers in the United
States who were willing to litigate against the organization because of
what they do....
Garrison, for the next year thereafter, continues to prepare the bi-
ography and, in fact, comes up with a publisher. Approximately one
month after Mr. Garrison comes up with a publisher for the true biog-
raphy of L. Ron Hubbard, he is approached by the Church of Scientol-
ogy attorneys for Mr. Hubbard, and they basically make a deal with
Mr. Garrison. He will give them back every document he has. He will
not disseminate the information. He will give them back the manu-
script that he has done based upon the documents, and he will be paid
some, I understand, $240,000, or something in that range...in the
summer of 1983....
There has been no conversion by Mr. Armstrong because he re-
ceived the documents rightfully from Mr. Garrison..."
****
Regarding his examination of Mary Sue Hubbard, Michael Flynn
told me he had mixed feelings about her. She had, after all, been
made a scapegoat for Hubbard's crimes. On the other hand, she had
done what she had done, and she did appear completely unrepentant.
In his examination of her, he did not appear to pull any punches.
During one exchange regarding Guardian's Order 121669, (cov-
ered in Chapter 11) where Mary Sue states:
"...make full use of all files of the organization to affect your ma-
jor target [prevent infiltration]. These include personnel files, Ethics
files, Dead files, central files, training files, processing files (emphasis
added), and requests for refunds."
The Office headed by her, the G.O., had files that contained a great
deal of information taken from "processing files"-also known as "pre-
clear or "auditing" files:
Q (by Flynn). Let me show you a document dated 27 September,
242
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
1978, Info re ______ [a woman's name omitted in respect of her right
to privacy].
______'s auditing files start with July, 1963. It goes on to state who
she has been promiscuous with, and masturbating with coffee grounds,
that type of thing. Do you see that Mrs. Hubbard?
A. I see that Mr. Flynn.
Later Flynn, referring to a document shown the witness, and read-
ing:
Q. "Dear Cindy. Here is pertinent data from `s PC [pre-
clear] files." Do you know who Cindy is?
A. She might refer to Cindy Raymond? She worked in the U S
Guardian's Office.
Q. And there are references on the first page about the person's, for
example, masturbation practices, that type of thing, Mrs. Hubbard, at
the bottom.
Witness: Yes. Have you got something on masturbation? You keep
asking me about it.
Q (by Flynn). Do you think your organization was interested in
those types of things from a person's PC files, Mrs. Hubbard?
A. I don't know. I am looking at documents that seem to indicate
that there was, yes, Mr. Flynn.
Prior to, and following, this testimony there was testimony from
witnesses that pre-clear folder information was routinely "culled" for
discreditable information and sent to "B-1", (the intelligence bureau).
However, one high executive, Lymon Spurlock, testified that this
practice was discovered by him to have been done by Guardian's
Office personnel, who had since been removed. He added that he
had never done such a thing and was outraged to discover such a prac-
tice.
Later, however, Nancy Dincalsy testified that she personally
culled pre-clears' folders daily and sent "overt" lists to B-1 of the
Guardian's Office, per standard orders. She also said that she worked
as an auditor alongside Lymon Spurlock for many months, and that
she observed him also "culling" PC folders for the G.O. daily.
****
Captain Moulton was brought into the courtroom like the inevita-
ble surprise witness in "Perry Mason." He was a handsome man in his
*The Boss's Withholds Revealed*
243
late sixties, over six feet tall, with grey hair and a walking cane. The
very image of a retired ship's captain.
Church lawyer Petersen wore an air of triumph as he marched in
with Captain Moulton. With a grin, he made an aside to Flynn. I
couldn't hear the words exactly. It wasn't necessary. The intent was
apparent: "We got'cha now!"
It quickly became clear that Captain Moulton had served under
Hubbard off the coast of Oregon, after which Hubbard was removed
by Admiral Fletcher for exceeding orders....
Q [by Flynn]. He told you that he was injured by a Japanese Ma-
chine gun?
Captain Moulton amrmed that Hubbard had told him the story while
they were in training together in a naval training class in Miami.
Q. Did he describe the circumstances under which he was injured
by the Japanese machine gun?
A. Yes, in some detail; not entirely.
Q. What did he tell you?
A. That he had been in Soerabaja at the time the Japanese came in
or in the area of Soerabaja and that he had spent some time in the hills
in back of Soerabaja after the Japanese had occupied it.
Q. Now, Soerabaja was where, sir?
A. That is a port on the north part of Java in the Dutch East Indies.
Q. So you understood from Captain Hubbard that he had been in
Java fighting the Japanese and was hit by machine gun fire?
A. Not quite as you put it. He had been landed, so he told me, in
Java from a destroyer named the Edsel and had made his way across
the land to Soerabaja, and that is when the place was occupied. When
the Japanese came in, he took off into the hills and lived up in the jun-
gle for some time until he made an escape from there.
Q. So you believed Captain Hubbard at the time?
A. Certainly, I had no reason not to.
Q. Did he tell you exactly where he was hit by the machine gun fire?
A. In the back, in the area of the kidneys, I believe on the right side.
V. And did he tell you how long he remained hiding in the hills with
these machine gun wounds before he was removed from the combat
area?
A. I know that he told me he had made his escape eventually to
Australia. I don't know just when it was. He apparently - he and an-
other chap - sailed a life raft, I believe, to near Australia where they
were picked up by a British or Australian destroyer.
244
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Q. And that would have been late 1941, early 1942?
A. I would imagine it would have to have been early `42 because it
would take some time from December 7.
Flynn proceeded to show naval documents, one stating that Hub-
bard was ordered to Australia on November 24, 1941; and that he left
on December 8, 1941, from the United States.
Captain Moulton noted that if Hubbard had been in intelligence,
the document may have been spurious. "An intelligence officer, as far
as I know, has all sorts of spurious letters stating where he is sent,
when he got there."'
Another document was shown to him dated 14 February 1942, by
the United States Naval Attach, Melbourne, Australia (the 14th of
February would have been roughly one month to six weeks after he
was "shot in the back by a Japanese machine gun").
Captain Moulton, like so many others, had been completely taken
in by Hubbard.
Flynn read part of it aloud:
The subject officer arrived in Brisbane via SS President Polk. He re-
ported to me that he was ordered to Manila for duty and asked for per-
mission to leave the SS President Polk until a vessel offering a more
direct route to his destination was available. I authorized him to re-
main in Brisbane for future transportation to his destination. By assum-
ing unauthorized authority and attempting to perform duties for which
he has no qualifications, he became the source of much trouble. [Em-
phasis added]
On February 11, 1942, I sent him dispatch orders to report to the
commanding officer USS Chaumont for passage to the United States,
and upon arrival report to the commandant 12th Naval District for fu-
ture assignment. This officer is not satisfactory for independent duty
assignment. He is garrulous and tries to give impressions of his impor-
tance. He also seems to think that he has unusual ability in most lines.
These characteristics indicate that he will require close supervision for
satisfactory performance of any intelligence duty.
*This is the essence of the Church's "sheepdipping" argument. They have an "ex-
pert" who claims that the "Armstrong" documents relating to Hubbard's military
history were falsely placed there because Hubbard was in counter-intelligence.
In fact, Hubbard spent less than two months in "intelligence" in Australia.
Evidence indicates that he was engaged in the routing of ship movements.
Other documents which put Hubbard in a better light were also among the Arm-
strong documents, but the Church makes no claim that these were "sheepdipped."
The "sheepdip" argument was apparently not given any weight by the Court.
*The Ross's Withholds Revealed*
245
****
Witness Kima Douglass (Hubbard's "medical officer," 197-1980).
Q. Now you have heard the name Ernest Hartwell mentioned?
A. Yes.
Q. Were you in the presence of L. Ron Hubbard when he ordered
Hartwell's PC files to be culled?
A. Yes. He ordered all crimes listed and signed by the Hartwells
before they left. I believe the Hartwells were incarcerated for a short
while.
Q. Now did you have the opportunity to personally observe L. Ron
Hubbard between 1978 and 1980 with regard to irrational or abusive
behavior?
A. Yes.
Q. And what did you observe?
A. That there were times he was irrational.
Q. And was he abusive?
A. I saw him hit one person. I consider that abusive.
Q. Did you personally see L. Ron Hubbard order people to the RPF
for minor infractions?
A. Yes, I was one of them.
Q. And what was the infraction?
A. I had-LRH had a kidney infection. We had taken the urine test
in to be examined. The urine test came back that he had streptococci
bacteria and we started treating him with an antibiotic.
Six weeks later I did another test because he wasn't getting any bet-
ter. We brought the test to him and it showed different bacterial infec-
tion at that point and he was very angry and put me in the RPF.
It was not an RPF as it later became when Gerry [Armstrong] was
there. I was put into Coventry for five weeks and nobody was allowed
to talk to me.
Q. Are you familiar with the culling of PC files at winter headquar-
ters and summer headquarters at the Special Unit in 1977 and 1978?
A. Yes.
Q. And what did you see with regard to the culling of PC folders?
A. I have culled PC folders myself. I have seen other staff members
culling folders.
Q. For what purpose?
A. To be sent to B-1.
Q. And B-1 is what?
A. Guardian Office Intel.
Q. And were you personally familiar with his health history?
A. Yes.
246
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Q. And because of the nature of the technology of Scientology, his
health history was held out to the public as being superior?
A. Yes.
O. And you know in fact that his health history was not what it was
represented to the public as; is that correct?
A. Correct.
Q. And on at least one occasion you had saved L. Ron Hubbard's life
from a pulmonary embolism?
A. I got him into hospital. That saved his life. I didn't personally
save his life, but he had refused to go into a hospital and I counter-
manded his order, which was not a normal thing. But I countermanded
his order on two occasions. That was one of them....
Q. Mrs. Douglas, was one of your duties inside the organization to
courier cash around the world?
A. Yes.
Q. Have you crossed the United States in excess of a hundred times
with millions of dollars in cash?
A. Well, not in excess of a hundred. I have not crossed the United
States in excess of a hundred. It has been under that, but I have couri-
ered hundreds of thousands o6 dollars out of the United States during
the period when it was actually a criminal action, as it was actually only
a certain amount of money to be allowed to be taken out of the United
States, and I knowingly committed that action at the time
Q. Do you know where the money was taken at that time2
A. To the ship. I took them to the flagship myself.
Q. Did you ever take any moneys to Luxembourg or Lichtenstein
bank accounts:
A. Yes, I did.
Q. And what amounts?
A. I took some from the ship. I can't give you an exact amount, but it
was in excess of a million.
Q. Did he suffer from pneumonia?
A. Once in a while.
The Court: Did he have any bullet wounds in his back?
Witness: No sir.
****
Cross-examination of Howard Shomer by Mr. Harris (attorney for
the Church):
Let me ask you this, Mr. Shomer: You say when Mr. Hubbard was
aboard the ship, he controlled everything under all circumstances all
the time; is that right?
*The Boss's Withholds Reveled*
247
A. That is too inclusive. I mean, I didn't have to ask him to go to the
bathroom.
Q. You said he managed it all the time.
A. We are talking about-let's get down to brass tacks. We are talk-
ing about the management of the Scientology network throughout the
world, and everything that had any importance to do with the running
of the ship otherwise, that he was the almighty that ran everything,
yes....
Homer's daughter, who had been brought into the Sea Org by him
with the highest of dreams and hopes for them both, had been forced
to "disconnect" from him after he left.
He had escaped from Gilman Hot Springs in early 1983. There he
had been left under guard after an all night "gang bang sec check."
During that night he was supposed to confess that he was an agent of
the FBI, CIA, IRS, KGB or whatever. When he failed to do so, Da-
vid Miscavage and Steve Marlowe spat in his face. They were both
chewing chaw tobacco in anticipation of the event.
****
On the 20th of June, Judge Brekenridge issued his findings. He
found that the Church and Mary Sue Hubbard were not to have their
documents back "at least at this time," and that they could be made
public (unless specifically ordered sealed) and used as admissible evi-
dence in current, pending and future court cases.
Armstrong was entitled to judgment and costs.
He found that neither "The Church" nor Mary Sue Hubbard had
"clean hands."
He found that Armstrong had permission to have the materials and
acted properly in turning them over to Garrison and later retrieving
them for his defense and then turning them over to Flynn as his attor-
ney.
JUDGE BREKENRIDGE (excerpts):
As indicated by its factual findings, the court finds the testimony of
Gerald and Joycelyn Armstrong, Laurel Sullivan, Nancy Dincalcis,
Edward Walters, Omar Garrison, Kima Douglas, and Howard Shomer
to be credible, extremely persuasive, and the defense of privilege or
justification established and corroborated by this evidence....In all
critical and important matters their testimony was precise, accurate,
248
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
and rang true. The picture painted by these former dedicated Scientol-
ogists, all of whom were intimately involved with LRH, or Mary Sue
Hubbard, of the Scientology Organization, is on the one hand pathetic,
and on the other, outrageous.
Each of these persons literally gave years of his or her respective life
in support of a man, LRH, and his ideas. Each has manifested a waste
and loss or frustration which is incapable of description. Each has bro-
ken with the movement for a variety of reasons, but at the same time,
each is still bound by the knowledge that the Church has in its posses-
sion his or her most inner thoughts and confessions, all recorded in
"pre-clear" (P.C.) folders, or other security files of the organization,
and that the Church or its minions is fully capable of intimidation or
other physical or psychological abuse if it suits their ends. The record
is replete with evidence of such abuse.
In addition to violating and abusing its own members' civil rights,
the organization over the years with its "Fair Game" doctrine has ha-
rassed and abused those persons not in the Church whom it perceives
as enemies.
The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bi-
zarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder LRH. The
evidence portrays a man who has been virtually a pathological liar
when it comes to his history, background and achievements.*
The writings and documents in evidence additionally reflect his ego-
ism, greed, avarice, lust for power, and vindictiveness and aggressive-
ness against persons perceived by him to he disloyal or hostile.
At the same time it appears that he is charismatic and highly capable
of motivating, organizing, controlling, manipulating, and inspiring his
adherents.
He is referred to during the trial as a "genius," a "revered person," a
man who was "viewed by his followers in awe."
Obviously, he is and has been a very complex person, and that com-
plexity is further reflected in his alter ego, the Church of Scientology
Notwithstanding protestations to the contrary, this court is satisfied
that LRH runs the Church in all ways through the Sea Organization,
his role of Commodore, and the Commodore's Messengers.
He has, of course, chosen to go into "seclusion," but he maintains
contact and control through his top messengers.
*On "60 Minutes" Heber Jenzsch, the Church's senior public relations man, re-
sponded to the Judge's comments about Hubbard. He had, he said, investigated
what was the basis of the judge's decision: "I traced back where that came
from, this whole schizophrenic paranoia concept that he has. It came from Interpol. At
that time the president of Interpol was a former SS officer, Paul Dickoph. And to
find that Judge Brekenridge quoted a Nazi SS officer as the authority on Scientology, I
find unconscionable !"
*The Boss's Withholds Revealed*
249
Seclusion has its light and dark side too. It adds to his mystique, and
yet shields him from accountability and subpoena and service of sum-
mons.
LRH's wife, Mary Sue Hubbard, is also a plaintiff herein. On the
one hand she certainly appeared to be a pathetic individual. She was
forced from her post as Controller, convicted and imprisoned as a
felon, and deserted by her husband.
On the other hand her credibility leaves much to be desired. She
struck the familiar pose of not seeing, hearing, or knowing any evil. Yet
she was the head of the Guardian's Office for years and, among other
things, authored the famous order "G.O. 121669" which directed the
culling of supposedly confidential P.C. files/folders for purposes of in-
ternal security.
In her testimony she expressed the feeling that defendant [Arm-
strong] subjected her to mental rape.
In determining whether the defendant [Armstrong] reasonably in-
vaded Mrs. Hubbard's privacy, the court is satisfied the invasion was
slight, and the reasons and justification for defendant's conduct mani-
fest.
The court is satisfied that he did not unreasonably intrude upon
Mrs. Hubbard's privacy under the circumstances by in effect simply
making his knowledge that of his attorneys.
It is, of course, rather ironic that the person who authorized G.O.
121669 should complain about an invasion of privacy.
The practice of culling supposedly confidential "P.C. folders or files"
to obtain information for purposes of intimidation and/or harassment is
repugnant and outrageous.
The Guardian's Office, which plaintiff headed, was no respecter of
anyone's civil rights, particularly that of privacy....
My belief is that Hubbard's rage, following Brekenridge's decision
and statements about his being a "pathological liar" and a "paranoid
schizophrenic," bordered on the hysterical. I'm convinced that he
must have made demands that Flynn and Armstrong's "crimes" be
uncovered immediately! His "scriptures" state as an absolute fact
that enemies of L. Ron Hubbard have crimes of magnitude! While I
have no evidence of this, the following events would not, I believe,
have occurred without Hubbard's rage as prime stimulus. Acting on
that rage, while fully believing Hubbard's raving accusations, Church
agents, I believe, proceeded to become patsies for some uncommon
thieves ....
250
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
Ads were placed in most major newspapers in the U.S. by Church
private investigator Eugene Ingram. Someone had previously at-
tempted to forge a $2 million check on one of Hubbard's bank ac-
counts in New York, and a $100,000 reward was offered to anyone
who supplied evidence leading to conviction. Without a scrap of evi-
dence, there was no doubt in the Hubbard camp that Flynn was the
mastermind behind the cheque scheme.
BATTLE OF THE "CONS"
It was between April and June of 1982 when Ala Fadili Al Tamimi, an
Arab con man accustomed to wearing silk shirts and driving Rolls-
Royces, somehow allegedly managed to "squeeze a little counterfeit
check subcontract work into his busy schedule." He and his brother
are said to have tried to deposit two forged checks on the account of
L. Ron Hubbard at the Bank of New England.
In May of 1984 (at the height of the Armstrong trial) a private inves-
tigator for the Church of Scientology reached Tamimi in Naples,
Italy, where he was in prison (for, among other things, perjury).
Tamimi fingered Michael Flynn as the man behind the Hubbard
check scam and fessed up to his own role in the scandal.
At first Tamimi demanded $100,000 if they wanted him to tell them
how he had tried to rip off their leader, but he finally settled for
$25,000.
He then told the private eye what the Scientologists wanted to
hear: that "Michael Flynn was behind the conspiracy to defraud
Hubbard. "
Hubbard, who some have claimed is the greatest con man of the
twentieth century, had been conned by a man who the Venezuelan
police have dubbed the "Prince of Fraud" and who has since been
labelled "King Con" by the Boston press.
Wrote reporter Ric Kahn:
And, given the Federal Magistrate's recent naming of disbarred-
lawyer-turned-government-witness Larry Reservitz as the "real mis-
creant involved with the check," the Church of Scientology can be
added to the laundry list of victims allegedly duped by the charming
and chutzpatic Ala Fadili Al Tamimi.
But Ala wasn't the only one who tried to cash in on the church's par-
anoia and seeming willingness to portray a botched bank rip off as a ma-
jor broadside against their religion (it was after all the Bank of New
*The Boss's Withholds Revealed*
251
England, and not L. Ron Hubbard, that would have paid had the
check scam been successful). In May, reputed organized-crime figure
George Kattar and disbarred lawyer Harvey Brower were indicted on
charges that they'd tried to cheat the Church of Scientology out of
$100,000....Kattar and Brower allegedly bilked the Scientologists
out of a down payment of $33,333 by offering bogus information about
the bogus Hubbard check.
Charges against Brower were dropped during the proceedings;
but, on December 28, 1986, Kattar's days in court approached a con-
clusion (which led to his being found guilty).
U.S. attorney Gary Grossen played for the jury key sections of the
tapes that government informant Larry Reservitz had recorded on a
tape recorder hidden in his boot.
Grossen said Kattar and Brower saw "an easy mark" in the Church
of Scientology which had offered money for information about who
tried to forge a check on the personal account of L. Ron Hubbard.
Kattar, Brower and government informant Larry Reservitz spent
hours, much of it recorded on tape, concocting a story to sell the
Church, Crossen argued. Sitting at Bishop's restaurant Kattar wrote
out a synopsis of the story he would read to Church members.
The story included some of the people already known by the
Church to be involved. It went to elaborate lengths to include
Michael Flynn.
Grossen said Kattar and Brower assumed that the Church would
never go to the FBI for help, since their leaders had been indicted in
1979 in a nationwide conspiracy that involved, among other things,
breaking into the offices of the FBI.
"They were the perfect mark for this scheme, because they wanted
the information so badly and because they had no option once the
scheme was completed," Grossen said.
During the trial another bizarre story was revealed....
Writing of this on December 18, 1986, Globe reporter William F.
Doherty wrote:
Two men accused of defrauding the Church of Scientology allegedly
joked about an elaborate "sting" operation to extort additional money
from the church by staging the mock murder of a church adversary
with blank bullets and chicken blood.
They talked about using chicken blood and a gun with blank bullets
252
THE ADVENTURES OF THE COMMODORE
to stage-for the benefit of church officials - a fake shooting of a look-
alike for Michael Flynn.
"They'll love it. They'll love it," Brower said, predicting the
church's reaction to the plan. "Except what happens when he [Flynn]
turns up in court the next day?"
In this scenario, the Flynn look-alike "gets up and starts swearing
at the Church members. One of our tough guys puts our gun to his
head and says sit down. They scufae. Boom. The guy goes down and
the chicken blood comes out. Now we got a dead Flynn," the uniden-
tified participant in the meeting said.
"What's the next step?" Brower asked.
"Two of the church guys and we throw him in their trunk," the
unnamed man continued.
Brower speculated that the Church might be willing to pay $1 mil-
lion to cover up the supposed murder.
Reservitz: "These people [Church officials] are spending money like
they are going out of style....Don't want to lose them. They are an
unbelievable group."
Brower: "They have $80 billion."
Reservitz: "The Church has a lot of money."
Later Kattar said: "I think we can get another half a million from
these [expletive] before we're through."
****
Over the years L. Ron Hubbard had called a lot of people a lot of
names by public declaration. All these names: anti-social personality,
rock-slammer, chaos merchant, degraded being, psychotic, 1.1., eth-
ics bait and, most commonly, suppressive person, had been used
with such devastating consequences to the people so labelled. Name
calling is indeed powerful, especially when done by a person granted
great authority.
When Judge Brekenridge called him a pathological liar and para-
noid schizophrenic, I believe Hubbard's rage was boundless. He had
tasted his own medicine and found it exceedingly bitter!
PART II
"UNSCRUPULOUS
WOMANZER TO
"ASCENDED
MESSIAH"
(1. Events prior to the Sea Org; 2. A different perspective of Hub-
bard, the Sea Org, and "the tech"; 3. Hubbard's death and its after-
math)
1
Sex Magick in Pasadena
Hubbard, when he wanted to turn it on, could display a tremen-
dous amount of charisma. One victim of that charisma was the late
Jack Parsons, an acknowledged genius in the field of chemistry, and a
major figure in the first stirrings of rocket research at Cal Tech, which
later became the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
He was killed in an explosion in 1952.
There is a crater on the moon named after him.
****
Parson's spiritual leader was none other than the Master Therion,
the "Beast 666," Aleister Crowley.
In 1942 Crowley appointed Parsons head of the California branch of
the O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis). A Gnostic mass was performed
each day in the lodge's temple.
Then, in Fall of 1945, Parsons met L. Ron Hubbard. He was VERY
impressed.
He wrote to Crowley in February 1946:
About three months ago I met Ron...a writer and explorer of
whom I had known for some time....He is a gentleman; he has red
hair, green eyes, is honest and intelligent, and we have become great
friends. He moved in with me about two months ago, and although
Maggy [Sara Northrup's nickname-short for magic] and I are still
friendly, she has transferred her sexual affections to Ron.
Although Ron has no formal training in magick, he has an extraordi-
nary amount of experience and understanding in the field. From some
of his experiences I deduce that he is in direct touch with some higher
intelligence, possibly his guardian angel. Ron appears to have some
255
256 "WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
sort of highly developed astral vision. He described his angel as a beau-
tiful winged woman with red hair, whom he calls the Empress, and
who has guided him through his life, and saved him many times.
He is the most Thelemic* person I have ever met and is in complete
accord with our own principles. He is also interested in establishing
the New Aeon but for cogent reasons I have not introduced him to the
Lodge.
We are pooling our resources in a partnership which will act as a
limited company to control our business ventures. I think I have made
a great gain, and as Maggy and I are the best of friends there is little
loss. I cared for her deeply but I have no desire to control her emo-
tions, and I can, I hope, control my own.
I need a magical partner. I have many experiments in mind....
The next time I tie up with a woman it will be on my own terms.
Parsons had, according to the account, decided to attempt an "in-
carnation of Babalon." By performing various rituals an ordinary hu-
man spirit would be denied access to the unborn child, and "Baba-
lon" - which apparently was considered to be an aspect of what
amounted to "the mother of the universe"-was to be invited to pos-
sess the fetus*
In order to obtain a woman prepared to bear this magical child,
Parsons and Hubbard engaged themselves for eleven days of rituals.
These do not seem to have produced any marked result until January
14th when, so Parsons said, Hubbard had a candle knocked out of his
hand. Parsons went on to record that Hubbard called him, "and we
observed a brownish yellow light about seven feet high. I brandished a
magical sword and it disappeared. Ron's right arm was paralyzed the
rest of the night."
On the following night, so Parsons said, Hubbard had a vision of an
enemy of the O.T.O. and, "attacked the figure and pinned it to the
door with four throwing knives with which he is an expert."
All this seemed to achieve its desired result and, on January 18th,
Parsons found the girl who was prepared to become the mother of
Babalon, and to go through the required incantation rituals. During
*"Do what thou wilt," or "follow thine own true path," despite the arbitraries,
mores and restrictions of society.
**From The Rites of Modern Occult Magic, by Francis King. Researcher Jon Atack
notes that in the "Book of Babalon," attributed to Parsons by the O.T. O., it
states that Hubbard participated in an attempt to create a "moonchild," and
engaged in sex-magick rituals. Sex-magick, it should be noted, is part of the
Crowleyan system.
*Sex Magick in Pasadena*257
these rituals, which took place on the first three days of March 1946,
Parsons was High Priest and had sexual intercourse with the girl, while
Hubbard who was present acted as skryer, seer, or clairvoyant and de-
scribed what was supposed to be happening on the astral plane.
Parsons wrote to Crowley:
She turned up one night after the conclusion of the operation, and
has been with me since, although she may go back to New York next
week. She has red hair and slant green eyes as specified. If she returns
she will be dedicated as I am dedicated! All or Nothing-I have no
other terms. She is an artist, strong minded and determined, with
strong masculine characteristics and a fanatical independence....
I am under command of extreme secrecy. I have had the most
important devastating experience of my life between February sec-
ond and March fourth. I believe it was the result of the ninth degree
working with the girl....I have been in direct touch with the One
who is most Holy and Beautiful as mentioned in the Book of The Law.
I cannot write the name at present. First instructions were received
direct through Ron, the Seer. I have followed them to the letter. There
was a desire for incarnation. I do not yet know the vehicle, but it will
come to me, bringing a secret sign. I am to act as instructor guardian
guide for nine months; then it will be loosed upon the world. That's all
I can say now....
Crowley responded:
You have me completely puzzled by your remarks. I thought I had a
most morbid imagination, as good as any man's, but it seems I have
not. I cannot form the slightest idea what you can possibly mean.
To Karl Germer, the man who would assume leadership of the
O.T.O. after Crowley's death the following year, he wrote:
Apparently Parsons and Hubbard or somebody is producing a moon-
child. I get fairly frantic when I contemplate the idiocy of these louts.
He added in another letter:
It seems to me on the information of our brethren in California
that - if we may assume them to be accurate - Frater 210 [Parsons] has
committed...errors. He has got a miraculous illumination which
258
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
rhymes with nothing, and he has apparently lost ail his personal inde-
pendence. From our brother's account he has given away both his girl
and his money-apparently it's the ordinary confidence trick.
****
On February 20, 1946, Hubbard Parsons formally established
Allied Enterprises. Hubbard contributed $1,183.91, Parsons
$20,970.80. The idea was to purchase sailing vessels on the east coast
of the United States and sail them to the west coast for resale at a
profit.
Ron and Sara traveled to Miami and made payments toward the
purchase of two boats. This, plus other expenses, depleted all the
funds of Allied Enterprises.
By this time Parsons, thoroughly disenchanted with Hubbard, filed
suit in an attempt to recover as much of his original investment as
possible.
And, combining the forces of magick with those of the United
States Coast Guard, he managed to see to it that at least a small
amount of justice would be done.
Parsons wrote to Crowley in July of 1946:
Hubbard attempted to escape me by sailing at 5 P.M., and I per-
formed a full evocation to Bartzabel [the spirit of Mars or War] within
the circle at 8 P.M. At the same time, so far as I can check, his ship was
struck by a sudden squall off the coast, which ripped off his sails and
forced him back to port, where I took the boat in custody....Here I
am in Miami pursuing the children of my folly; they cannot move with-
out going to jail. However I am afraid that most of the money has al-
ready been dissipated.
Sara described the sea adventure to me in some detail. She and
Hubbard had fought desperately to survive, drawing upon all they
knew about sailing.
While she acknowledges and regrets her part in inspiring Jack
Parsons' great anger at her, she denies any wrongdoing on her part
regarding business and finances. She speaks of "Jack" with fondness
and admiration as a "truly great man."
****
Alva Rogers was a frequent visitor to Parsons' house before and
during the time Hubbard was there:
*Sex Magick in Pasadena*
259
In ads placed in the local paper Jack specified that only bohemians,
artists, musicians, atheists, anarchists, and other exotic types need ap-
ply for rooms-any mundane soul would be unceremoniously rejected.
This ad, needless to say, caused quite a flap in Pasadena when it ap-
peared....
Betty (short for Elizabeth, Sara Northrup's middle name), who had
been living with Jack for a number of years, complemented him admi-
rably. She was young, blonde, very attractive, full of joie de vivre,
thoughtful, humorous, generous....
However, this tranquil relationship was soon to be exposed to pres-
sures, from a most surprising source, that would lead to its disintegra-
tion
It all began on an otherwise undistinguished day in the late fall of'45
when we got word that L. Ron Hubbard was planning to wait out his
terminal leave from the Navy at "The Parsonage."...
Ron arrived on a Sunday, driving an oldish Packard and hauling a
house trailer which he parked on the grounds behind the house. He
originally intended staying in the trailer, but within a few days some-
one moved out of the house and he moved in.
I liked Ron from the first. He was of medium build, red headed,
wore horned rim glasses, and had a tremendously engaging personal-
ity. For several weeks he dominated the scene with his wit and inex-
haustible fund of anecdotes. About the only thing he seemed to take
seriously and be prideful of was his membership in the Explorers Club
(of which he was the youngest member) which he had received after
leading an expedition into the wilds of South America....Unfortu-
nately, Ron's reputation for spinning tall tales (both off and on the
printed page) made for a certain degree of skepticism in the minds of
his audience. At any rate, he told one hell of a good story....
Ron was a persuasive and unscrupulous charmer, not only in a social
group but with the ladies. He was so persuasive and charmingly un-
scrupulous that within a matter of a few weeks he brought the entire
house of Parsons down around poor Tack's ears. He did this by the sim-
ple expedient of taking over Jack's girl for extended periods of
time....
Ron was supposedly his best friend, and this was more than Jack was
willing to tolerate....
As events progressed Jack found it increasingly difficult to keep his
mind on anything else...the atmosphere around the house became
supercharged with tension; Jack began to show more and more strain,
and the effort to disguise his metamorphosis from an emotionless
260
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Crowleyite "superman" to a jealously-ridden human being became
hopeless....*
The final, desperate act on Jack's part to reverse events and salvage
something of the past from the ruin that stared him in the face oc-
curred in the still, early hours of a bleak morning in December. Our
room was just across the hall from Jack's apartment...which also
doubled as a temple, or whatever, of the O.T. O. We were brought out
of a sound sleep by some weird and disturbing noises seemingly com-
ing from Jack's room....The noise-which, by this time, we could
tell was a sort of chant-drew us inexorably to the door which we
pushed open a little further in order to better see what was going on.
What we saw I'11 never forget, although I find it hard to describe in any
detail. The room, in which I had been before, was decorated in a man-
ner typical to an occultist's lair....It was dimly lit and smokey from
the pungent incense; Jack was draped in a black robe and stood with
his back to us, his arms outstretched, in the center of a pentagram be-
fore some sort of altar....His voice...rose and fell in a rhythmic
chant...delivered with such passionate intensity that its meaning
was frighteningly obvious. After this brief and uninvited glimpse into
the blackest and most secret center of a tortured man's soul, we quietly
withdrew and returned to our room where we spent the balance of the
night discussing in whispers what we had just witnessed....
A few months later when I was back in L.A. for a brief visit I had
occasion to call the Parsonage to check with Betty [Sara]....The
phone was answered by Jack, [who] with obviously false casualness, in-
formed me that Betty wasn't there-she and Ron had gone to Yosemite
for a short vacation....
They did get married and maintained this conjugal relationship until
some time after Ron flipped into Dianetics, and Betty got fed up with
him and precipitated a messy divorce case that made a splash on the
front pages of the L.A. papers.
****
On August the 10, 1946, in Chestertown, Maryland, Hubbard mar-
ried Sara Northrup (Betty), making him a bigamist. A year and four
months later the divorce from his first wife Margaret became final.
Just before the divorce, during the time he was living with Sara in a
*The Church of Scientology in 1970, in response to an article in the Sunday
London Times, claimed that Hubbard had been sent in to break up the California O.T. O.
as an agent of Naval Intelligence.
Sixteen years later, apparently in response to inquiries from author Stewart
Lamont. they claimed that Hubbard was acting as a special agent for the Los
Angeles police at the time!
*Sex Magick in Pasadena*
261
trailer in Port Orchard, Washington, he visited Margaret and their
son, Ron Jr., at Bremerton, just a few miles away. He had begun
work on what was to finally become Dianetics, the Original Thesis
and, ultimately in May of 1950, an expanded book designed to win a
broad popular readership, Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental
Health.
Dianetics was a "new form of psycho-therapy" capable, he claimed,
of "resolving the problems of the human mind" and producing the
"optimum individual."
2
The Origins of Dianetics
"Man had no inkling whatever of Dianetics. None. This was a bolt
from the blue." - L. RON HUBBARD
Hubbard was an experienced practitioner of hypnotism, although
he lacked the credentials he often put forth to impress people, such as
that he had "studied hypnotism in India."
According to Ron Jr. during the thirties and forties, his father had
an obsessive interest in hypnosis, self-hypnosis, and unconscious
states generally; he also claims his father had practiced drug-hypnosis
on him and his mother (Hubbard's first wife).
Judging from the contents of various documents revealed in the
Armstrong trial, and from my conversation with Hubbard's second
wife, Sara Northrup, Hubbard appears to have grandly "discombobu-
lated" his bodily-and perhaps his mental-health by his own indul-
gence in self-hypnosis: inducing physical ills to escape having to
attend school or perform unpleasant assignments during his years in
the Navy, and attempting to "self-implant" his way into becoming a
social and sexual "superman." (See Part I, Chapter 3 and Part II,
Chapter 5.)
It has been suggested by some that Hubbard's motivation for de-
veloping Dianetics, at least partially, stemmed from the hope that
someone would use it to "handle his case." This view holds that Dia-
netics (and even Scientology) was mainly Hubbard's written account
of what was wrong with himself, and attempts to resolve it.
There may be some truth to this opinion, but I think Hubbard was
much too egotistical to seriously consider that a "humanoid" could
262
*The Origins of Dianetics*263
even help him in any significant way. Still, his writings about "what's
wrong with the human race" appear to reflect what seems to have
been wrong with him more than what was wrong with others.
I doubt, however, if he would ever have admitted this, even to
himself.
Nonetheless, Hubbard was a human being, and his foibles did
parallel - to some extent - those of his fellow human beings. Enough
so that his description of these things - always depicted as the other
fellow's - did "ring bells" for many.
****
An essential idea in Dianetics is that people, as a result of the trav-
ails of living, become, in effect, partially hypnotized. Dianetics, Hub-
bard explained, was here to "de-hypnotize" them....
Besides Hubbard's own experiences and, perhaps, obsessions, the
main sources for what became Dianetics appear to have been psycho-
analysis, abreaction therapy, and General Semantics.
In his Dianetic - and later Scientology-writings and lectures, he
made a habit of lambasting any and all competition in the field of the
mental therapy. In the early days, however, he did make a few
positive or at least non-denunciatory-statements about other sys-
tems and therapies.
In his "Critique on Psycho-analysis," he even acknowledges a debt
to the work of Sigmund Freud:
It is necessary to understand first that we are actually indebted to
psycho-analysis and its originator, the debarred doctor, Sigmund
Freud....
In the earliest beginnings of Dianetics, it is possible to trace a con-
siderable psycho-analytic influence. There was the matter of ran-
sacking the past; the matter of believing with Freud that if one could
talk over his difficulties they would alleviate; and there was the matter
of concentrating on early childhood. Our first improvement on psycho-
analysis consisted in the abandonment of talk alone and the direct ad-
dress to the incident in its own area of time as a mental image picture
susceptible to erasure. But many of the things that Freud thought
might exist, such as "life in the womb," "birth trauma" we...
confirmed and for them provided an adequate alleviation.
Although Hubbard sought to create the impression that Dianetics
was the first psycho-therapy to "address the [traumatic] incident in its
264
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
own area of time", other therapies predating Dianetics had done so as
standard procedure.
One from which Hubbard drew in his development of Dianetics,
was abreaction therapy.
Abreaction is a psychiatric term defined as, "the process of bringing
to consciousness and, thus, to adequate expression, material that has
been unconscious. It includes not only the recollection of forgotten
memories and experience, but also their reliving with appropriate
emotional display and discharge of effect. This process is usually facil-
itated by the patient's gaining awareness of the causal relationship be-
tween the previously undischarged emotion and his symptoms."
And Dianetics is a form of abreaction therapy.
Bringing to the surface-becoming conscious of - previously
buried "traumatic" experiences is the essence of all abreactive ther-
apy including Dianetics.
Such input, according to Dianetics, is preserved in a kind of store-
house of "unconsciousness," pain and shock, called the "reactive
mind," or "bank."
This "reactive mind" is defined, according to Hubbard, as "a
portion of the person's mind that works on a totally stimulus response
basis [i.e., it REACTS], which [thus] is not under his volitional con-
trol, and which exerts force and the power of command over his
awareness, purposes, thoughts, body and actions...."
This "mind" is hidden from the person's awareness. Since it con-
sists of recordings of times of "unconsciousness," the person tends to
become "unconscious"-groggy or sleepy-when attempting to recall
or review any part of it.
A key concept in Dianetics is that of the "engram. " This is defined
by Hubbard as "a mental image picture of a moment of pain and un-
consciousness." It includes shock and a condition of being "over-
whelmed."
In his book The Mneme, published in 1923, Richard Simon used
the term "engram," which he considered to be a "stimulus impres-
sion" that could be reactivated by the recurrence of "the energetic
conditions which ruled at the generation of the engram. "
In this connection Sara Northrup, Hubbard's second wife, married
to him during the inception of Dianetics, mentioned that prior to Di-
anetics he was familiar with Simon's work.
Simon describes such an "engram" from his own experience:
We were once standing by the Bay of Naples...nearby an organ
grinder played on a large barrel organ; a peculiar smell of oil reached
*The Origins of Dianetics*
265
us...the sun was beating pitilessly on our backs; and our boots in
which we had been tramping for hours, pinched us. Many years after a
similar smell of oil (reactivated) most vividly the...engram of Capri,
and even now this smell has invariably the same effect.
From the view of Dianetic theory this would be a very "light" en-
gram indeed. Obviously it contains some, but not much," uncon-
sciousness." A "heavy" engram would be one that contained much
pain or shock and full "unconsciousness." The person might be able to
recall before and after the occurrence of the engram, but not dur-
ing - anymore than a hypnotic subject can recall receiving instruc-
tions from a hypnotist while in a deep trance.
Hubbard, apparently, decided to group all of a person's engrams
into one category or "mind," which he called the "reactive mind."
This was a "stimulus response mind." The engrams contained in this
mind could be reactivated (or as Hubbard preferred, "restimulated"
or "keyed-in") when "the perceptics of an engram were approxi-
mated."
"The reactive mind is a literal stimulus response mind. Given a cer-
tain stimulus it gives a certain response.
A "key in" is defined by Hubbard as:
...an analytical moment in which the perceptics of an engram are
approximated, thus restimulating the engram or bringing it into action,
the present time perceptics being erroneously interpreted by the reac-
tive mind to mean that the same condition which produced the pain
once before is now again at hand.
For example: A father and his five-year-old daughter are enjoying
an amusement park boat ride. (Twelve years prior the father's speed
boat overturned and he was severely injured in the stomach, almost
drowned, and finally came to in a hospital). Now unexpectedly, their
little boat stalls and tilts on a steep angle. He finds himself gasping for
breath and terrified for the safety of his daughter. Within seconds an
attendant corrects the mechanical problem and they are all safe.
Shortly afterwards the little girl wants lunch, and Daddy agrees but
eats nothing. The "key-in" is lingering....
A key-in is also described by Hubbard as "...conscious level ex-.
periences that sort of' stick and the individual doesn't quite know
why."
According to Dianetic theory these "stick points" can accumulate,
reducing the "aliveness" of the individual.
266
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
A fellow is walking down the street feeling moderately cheerful.
Unexpectedly a car zooms by honking its horn. Suddenly, for no ap-
parent reason, his leg muscles tense up and he feels a bit of grief. For
the rest of the afternoon he feels a bit "out of it."
In the reactive mind "unexpected fast car" and "honking horn"
equal tightened leg muscles and a slight feeling of loss.
Children are more likely to be "keyed-in" than adults. Witness the
ease with which they cry, etc.; but they also tend to key-out easily,
having yet to accumulate the array of key-ins that make life dim and
joyless for many adults.
Now this whole idea of "key-in" is a manifestation of what is called
"A = A thinking."
Which brings us to the works of noted Polish mathematician Count
Alfred Korzybski, the founder of General Semantics.
Foremost among the subjects from which Hubbard "cut and
pasted," was the General Semantics of Count Alfred Korzybski (as
distinct from Semantics, the study of words and meaning). General
Semantics stresses the distinction between words and objects. Most
basically, it stresses the distinction between one thing, idea, or event,
and another thing, idea, or event. In other words enhancing people's
ability to differentiate as a means of improving human behavior.
Sara Hubbard told me: "In the late forties I remember reading Sci-
ence and Sanity by Korzybski, and I became very excited. So I began
reading aloud to Ron and he became very excited too. He became a
big follower of Korzybski....
"And much of Dianetics relates back to the works of Count Alfred
Korzybski...."
According to Korzybski, "non-identifying," or "non A = A think-
ing," is the optimum way to behave. It is the way a person who is
"clear" is supposed to behave. For example, the fellow who almost
drowned in a speed boat accident years earlier-now "cleared" -
wouldn't involuntarily react with an inappropriate degree of alarm
when the small boat he's riding in with his little daughter suddenly
tilts and stalls. Nor would there by any unwanted emotions or phys-
ical discomfort following the event.
From the introduction of Manhood of Humanity, Korzybski's first
book:
Alfred Korzybski was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1879 into one of
the oldest families of Poland. He was trained as an engineer...His
first book Manhood of Humanity was published in 1921, and after its
*The Origins of Dianetics*
267
publication he decided to remain in the U.S. and develop the method-
ology by which his new theory could be applied. These studies culmi-
nated in Science and Sanity in 1933. He was the Founder and Director
of the Institute of General Semantics, established in 193t) as the center
for training in his work, and continued to lecture and write until his
death in March 1950....He studied human evaluations in science
and mathematics and in psychiatry, "at their best and at their worst,"
as he put it, from the standpoint of human predictability and human
survival....
He insisted that anyone who wished to could enroll for a seminar.
"Because a general method of evaluation" he said, "has to work with
anybody in any human activity or it's no good." Professors, doctors,
psychiatrists, artists, researchers, young college students, business-
men, social workers, laborers, etc., all sat in the same classes. This
may all sound chaotic; it was effective.
In 1935 Korzybski described the A = A phenomenon of a hurtful
experience in much the same way as Hubbard did, many years later,
in Dianetics.
Hubbard :
[The reactive mind] is basically that area of occlusion which the
[person] is unable to contact and contains within itself a total identifica-
tion of all things with all things.
A = A = A, anything equals anything equals anything. This is the
way the reactive mind thinks, irrationally identifying thoughts, people,
objects, experiences, statements, etc.
KORZYBSKI :
We notice also that the effect of the stimulus S or A is not identical
with the stimulus itself, a falling stone is not identical with the pain we
feel when the stone falls on our foot.
The engram concept (roughly equivalent to "hurt"), and the idea of
"reviving" (Hubbard uses the word "restimulating") "old similar
hurts" (Hubbard uses "earlier similar engrams"), and "elimination of
immature evaluations" (Hubbard calls it "erasure of non-optimum
postulates") are also described well by Korzybski:
...we begin to check this...process of piling up "hurts" on
"hurts"...new "hurts" in practice are usually related or similar to the
268"WOM
ANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
old ones; they would "revive" the older hurts. Accordingly he could
not only "live through"* the older experiences but at once revive
them, and after re-evaluation, eliminate the harmful effects.
Chains of incidents, earlier similar incidents, and incidents con-
taining "hurts" (engrams), are fundamental to Dianetic processing.
Korzybski even describes the basic theory of the psycho-galvano-
meter (precursor of the E-meter):
Psychogalvanic experiments show clearly that every "emotion" or
"thought" is always connected with some electrical current.
Hubbard, in Dianetics, stressed that one needs to confront MEST
(Matter, Energy, Space and Time),*' rather than just intellectualize
or "figure, figure." It is by confronting (living through again) the force
(experience) in incidents, that the non-optimum postulates (or imma-
ture evaluations) come to view and erase (eliminate), losing their
power of command over the individual.
Korzybski states essentially the same thing in Science and Sanity:
It is quite remarkable that "mental" therapy...is only successful
when it succeeds in making the patient not only "rationalize" his
difficulties but also makes him "emotionalize"-live through again, so
to say, and evaluate anew-his past experiences. This process can be
compared with a glass of water in which some chalky sediment lies on
the bottom...the different "hurts," etc., may be compared to the
water and the sediment. "Rationalization" alone is like throwing away
the clean water and letting the sediment remain. No improvement fol-
lows....But if we mix up the water and the chalk, then we can throw
out both and a clearing up will follow. The "living through" of the past
experiences is equivalent to this semantic stirring-up of meanings be-
fore eliminating the immature evaluations.
In the early days quite a few Dianeticists had studied General Se-
mantics. It was impossible to hide the connection between Hubbard's
work and that of Korzybski. *** In later years, when the movement
*As in "running an engram."
**In Korzybski's works, this was labelled "objects, space and time."
*** It is ironic indeed that key selections of works of Korzybski should have
been revealed-without credit-to huge numbers of people through the writings of a
pulp fiction writer: L. Ron Hubbard.
Much of the "Scientology and Dianetic" material that so deeply impressed me,
turns out to have been derived from what I consider the genius of Korzybski.
*The Origins of Dianetics*
269
was attracting a younger and more ndive following, Hubbard could
with some security assume the role of sole source.
For some reason he had to be "The Only One."
****
The idea in Dianetics is to gain access to the postulates or "think"
(immature evaluations) buried in moments of pain, unconsciousness,
and shock, and "erase" them from the "reactive mind," thus refiling
them in the conscious mind where they can be intelligently evaluated,
used or discarded, at the individual's discretion.
Hubbard claimed that an individual knocked unconscious recorded
at a sub-awareness level all stimuli, including language, within the
reach of his senses.
It is strongly stressed in Dianetics that one should abstain, as much
as possible, from speaking in the presence of unconscious accident
victims or persons undergoing surgery.
The idea seems to be slowly catching on in some medical circles.
For example, Dr. David Cheek, a fellow of the American College
of Surgeons, is on record as noting that technical conversations "over-
heard" by the patient while he is in an "unconscious" state could
cause surgical shock and changes in bodily functions:
Anaesthetized persons are in a state resembling that of a deep hyp-
notic trance. They're highly suggestible....Unhappily the subcon-
scious mind operates on an infantile level and what it hears and deals
with while the conscious mind is knocked out...can be highly dis-
turbing
Statements which could otherwise be innocuous may become pow-
erfully dangerous. The remark, "This thing isn't working," may apply
to the suction apparatus, but may fill the anaesthetized patient with
fears about his anatomy.
When the similarity between his theory and Dianetics was pointed
out, Dr. Cheek responded:
-----------
Had Korzybski been as brilliant a publicist and showman as he was an
innovative genius in the humanities-or had he been duly and adequately
recognized and publicized by the academic community (such as being nominated
for a Nobel Prize the injustice and insult of Hubbard's stepping in to assume
full credit could never have occurred.
270
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
I am well acquainted with the work of Mr. Hubbard, and agree that
there is much in his teaching that has been excellent. I do not claim
that I am the first....I believe James Braid (1795-1860) tried
unsuccessfully to see whether anaesthetized patients could hear. Dave
Elman has told me in a personal communication that he had the expe-
rience of being asked to work with a patient who was vomiting after a
gall bladder operation. Accidentally, he said, he found that the patient
reported verbatim a remark made by the surgeon that had been misun-
derstood. Correction of this misunderstanding enabled the patient to
start eating and recover rapidly.
There is more, of course, to Dianetics than can be presented in
these few pages. Here I have only tried to explain the essential ideas
and their origins.
****
Hubbard may have had an impressive knack as a sort of "off the top
of the head" psychological theoretician, though the extent to which
he borrowed from others-"cut and pasted"-takes much of the
luster from his claims of originality. He also had emotional problems,
problems upon which all his techniques and theories apparently had
little or no beneficial effect.
And his mental condition inevitably influenced his supposedly
"scientific" work.
The following random example of this may serve to illustrate a
point:
Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health, published in
1950, contains numerous "case histories," accounts of traumatic
events stored deep in the subconscious minds of various subjects to
whom he had applied Dianetic techniques. Most of these had to do
with physical trauma going back all the way to before birth. Indeed,
the prenatal area, according to Dianetic theory at that time, was the
place to look for the source of what troubles people later on in life.
RON JR.:
Reading these "case histories" made me feel very ill at ease. They
seemed to reveal more about my father than the people he had suppos-
edly studied. I quickly put the book down and repressed the thought.
And I never did get around to reading it from cover to cover until 1955.
I have long since been able to face that fact that, regardless of any
*The Origins of Dianetics*
271
workability of Dianetics as a therapy, the outrageous and often bloody
"case histories" were mostly embellishments of his own experiences.
In Dianetics, the act of a husband beating or otherwise abusing his
pregnant wife is presented as a common thing. And attempted abor-
tions are practically a way of life for the human race. He implies that
virtually no one is conceived and comes into this world without hav-
ing suffered many of them.
To quote Hubbard:
What happens to a child in the womb? The commonest events are
accidents, illnesses-and attempted abortions!...
Attempted abortions are very common...twenty or thirty abor-
tion attempts are not uncommon....
For example:
(Blow or bump prenatal)
FATHER: Damn it, Agnes, you've got to get rid of that goddamned
baby. If you don't we'll starve to death. I can't afford it.
MOTHER: Oh, no, no, no, I can't get rid of it, I can't, I can't, I can't.
Honest I will take care of it. I'll work and slave to support it. Please
don't make me get rid of it. If I did I'd just die.....
Why this seeming obsession with abortion by Hubbard?
RON JR.:
We were living in Bremerton, Washington. The year was 1940 and I
was six years old.
I was in bed asleep when I was awakened by my mother's screams. I
remember quietly making my way to my parents' bedroom. The door
was slightly ajar and I peeked in.
Their room was dimly lit and I could see my father sitting on top of
my mother. She was lying on the bed naked. I remember he was wear-
ing a robe. He was doing something to her but, of course, I had no idea
what.
I could see my mother wasn't resisting him, so, shaken and com-
pletely mystified, I went back to bed and tried to sleep. The next day I
saw a blood-stained sheet in the garbage.
Years later I realized what he must have been doing that night.
When I got my courage up I mentioned it to my mother. She told me
that, during the course of their marriage - they were now di-
vorced - he had forced her to have two abortions.
How many attempted abortions were done I wouldn't want to guess.
272
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Sara, his second wife, had this to say:
I think his obsession with abortion had to do with the fact that he
was an unwanted child. He felt that his parents had neglected him.
Ron spent so much time living with his grandfather. He thought they
didn't want him. He felt he had been subjected to attempted abor-
tions.
In Dianetics and also in Science of Survival, which was published
about a year later in June of 1951, Hubbard expresses strong anti-
abortion sentiments:
Why people try to abort children is a problem which has its answer
only in aberration....Anyone attempting an abortion is committing
an act against the whole society....
However many billions America spends yearly on institutions for
the insane and jails for criminals are spent primarily because of at-
tempted abortions done by some sex-blocked mother to whom chil-
dren are a curse, not a blessing of God.
According to Hubbard:
A 1.1.* mother will attempt the abortion of her child; and any
*The term "1.1" is a pejorative (i.e., insulting) term invented by Hubbard as
part of the "Tone Scale" which he presented in his second book on Dianetics,
Science of Survival, about 1952. The "tone scale" is, "a scale which plots the
descending spiral of life from full vitality and consciousness through
half-vitality and half-unconsciousness down to death...from the highest to
the lowest...." These are, in part:
40.0 Serenity
8.0 Exhilaration
4.0 Enthusiasm
3.0 Conservatism
2.5 Boredom
2.0 Antagonism
1.5 Anger
1.1 Covert hostility
1.0 Fear
0.8 Propitiation
0.5 Grief
0.05 Apathy
Below 2.0 people are said to be no longer rational. At 1.1 they are especial
dan-
The Origins of Dianetics
273
woman who will abort a child, save only if the child threatens her phys-
ical life (rather than her reputation), lies in the 1.1. bracket or below.
She can be expected to be unreliable, inconstant and promiscuous.
...
Of course, we only have Ron Jr.'s word for it that L. Ron Hubbard
had a way with a coat-hanger. For, after all, in Hubbard's writings he
seems consistently opposed to abortion.
Interestingly enough, he did a complete about-face on the subject
only a year and a half after whole-heartedly denouncing it.
During a lecture on Scientology in Philadelphia in November of
1952, he spoke gleefully of what an "interesting place" this world
might be, now that we have "venereal disease licked"* and "preg-
nancy termination at will."
He spoke of the ability to psycho-kinetically (mind over matter) in-
duce an abortion:
We mustn't mention this because, God help us all, there goes the
moral code! Penicillin took out the disease level and now a girl can take
a couple of beams of energy...and terminate a pregnancy. Nothing
wild or forceful or upsetting...Just make sure that the tube opens.
It's very simple, there are muscles and so forth which contract and ex-
pand at a certain period every month.
Pregnancies that were as much as three months advanced have been
terminated this way...Isn't this fascinating?...It's just deadly.
One, two, three!
Will the real L. Ron Hubbard please stand up....
-----------
gerous, inasmuch as they are COVERTLY hostile. Those who are chronically 1.1
are considered psychotic, although, if intelligent enough, can do a convincing
job of hiding their insanity. (Some claim "1.1" describes Hubbard.)
*Remember the good old days?
3
Dianetics, the Modern
Science of Mental Health
About the early days of Dianetics, science fiction author A. E. van
Vogt wrote in Reflections, his autobiography:
Early in 1950, I began to receive phone calls from L. Ron Hubbard,
whom I had met in 1945. He'd call me long distance from New Jersey
every morning, and talk for an hour trying to get me interested in Dia-
netics....
I said, "No, I'm a writer. I'm not interested in anything else but be-
ing a writer."
Now, surprisingly enough, people began to send me money. I can
imagine that Hubbard actually wrote inquirers and told them to con-
tact me. Anyway, I would receive checks in the mail for a hundred dol-
lars, or more, for the course in Dianetics that was not yet in sight. I
received, altogether, about five thousand dollars in the mail, and I was
receiving these calls from Hubbard at the same time.
The phone would ring at seven o'clock in the morning and I would
know who it was. At about ten after eight I'd be off the phone, and he
would have talked the entire time....
That shocked me. Finally, around the seventeenth or eighteenth
day, as I recall it, my stubbornness was shattered. That kind of phone
calling long distance, was completely out of my reality. It was beyond
my conception that anybody was phoning that often-and talking that
long-at those rates. I had to put a stop to it, so I made an agreement
and I was in Dianetics.
274
*Dianetics*
275
People who were associated with Hubbard told me later that his
phone bills were often six thousand dollars a month. I don't doubt it
because he wasn't only calling me, but dozens of other people in
Europe and elsewhere.
Dianetics turned out to be a very worthwhile system, but the meth-
ods needed considerable skill and experience....
Hubbard is an extremely brilliant man, but not really a research
person in the ordinary meaning of the term. Yet he can integrate com-
plex data in a flash of insight.
His basic discovery of Dianetics was made when he began to notice
the non-sequitur things people said. For example, aIl individual would
be talking animatedly and positively about something, come to the end
of the thought, and add in an apathetic tone, "I don't know. You can
never know about things like that."
Where did phrases like that, so different from the dynamism of mo-
ments earlier come from? On investigation, they turned out to be
phrases actually spoken by somebody during a time of illness, at the
scene of an accident, or during some other physical trauma.
In the example given, it was an auto accident, "Is he badly injured?"
The other person had replied, "I don't know. You can never know
about things like that until a doctor examines him."
****
In April 1949 John W. Campbell, editor of Astounding Science Fic-
tion magazine, became the first major convert to Dianetics. He had
previously published many of Hubbard's stories and had become fas-
cinated with his theories regarding the human mind. After Dianetic
therapy had relieved him of a chronic sinus condition, he became
more convinced than ever that there was something to this new form
of psychotherapy.
Campbell's magazine became a kind of soap box for the broadcast of
the principles and bold claims of Dianetics. By the fall of the same
year, a second notable convert had been secured, Dr. J. A. Winter.
Winter had been doing experimental work in endocrinology at the
University of Illinois and had contributed some medical articles to As-
tounding. Campbell wrote to him regarding Dianetics, and later
Winter corresponded with Hubbard. Finally he travelled to Bayhead,
New Jersey, where Hubbard lived:
I arrived in Bayhead, N.J., on October 1, 1949, and immediately
became immersed in a life of Dianetics and very little else. I observed
two of the patients whom Hubbard had under his treatment at the
276
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
time, and spent hours each day watching him send these men "down
the time-track." After some observation of the reaction of others, I con-
cluded that my learning of this technique would be enhanced by sub-
jecting myself to therapy. I took my place on the couch, spending an
average of three hours a day trying to follow the directions for recalling
"impediments" (engrams). The experience was intriguing; I found that
I could remember much more than I thought I could, and I frequently
experienced the discomfort which is known as "restimulation." While
listening to Hubbard "running" one of his patients, or while being
"run" myself, I would find myself developing unaccountable pains in
various parts of my anatomy, or becoming extremely fatigued and som-
nolent. I had nightmares of being choked, of having my genitalia cut
off, and I was convinced that Dianetics as a method could produce ef-
fects.
So impressed was Dr. Winter that he moved to Bayhead to work
with Campbell and LRH on the theory, practice, and nomenclature
of the subject. Collectively they came up with such terms as "reactive
mind" and "anaten" (analytical cut off, or attenuation) and "valence". *
A paper giving a "resume of the principles and methodology of
Dianetic therapy" was submitted by Winter to the Journal of the
American Medical Association, but was rejected. A revised version
including case histories was submitted to the American Journal of
Psychiatry, but was again turned down.
They finally decided to direct their message to the man in the
street. The article, entitled "Dianetics, a New Science," was pre-
viewed by Campbell in extremely enthusiastic terms:
...in longer range view...the item that most interests me at the
moment is an article on the most important subject conceivable. This is
not a hoax article. It is an article on the science of the mind, of human
thought. Its power is almost unbelievable; it proves the mind not only
can but does rule the body completely; following the sharply defined
basic laws Dianetics sets forth, physical ills such as ulcers, asthma and
arthritis can be cured, as can all psychosomatic ills..It is quite sim-
*A little boy. neglected by his parents, finds himself very ill and under the
care of his grandfather, who gives him sympathy and encouragement. The
grandfather smokes a pipe, hates cats, has a certain way of laughing, and has a
tattoo of an eagle on his right hand.
Thirty years later it would not be too surprising to find this little boy a
grown man who smokes a pipe, hates cats...etc.
Hubbard: "A valence is a substitute for self taken on, after the fact of Qss
of confidence in self."
*Dianetics*
277
ply impossible to exaggerate the importance of a true science of human
thought.
Next month's issue will, I believe, cause a full scale explosion across
the country. We are carrying a sixteen thousand word article entitled
"Dianetics...An Introduction to a New Science," by L. Ron Hub-
bard....It is, I assure you in full and absolute sincerity, one of the
most important articles ever published....In this article, reporting
on Hubbard's own research into the engineering question of how the
human mind operates, immensely basic discoveries are related.
Among them:
A technique of psychotherapy has been developed which will cure
any insanity not due to organic destruction of the brain.
A technique that gives a man a perfect, indelible, total memory, and
a perfect errorless ability to compute his problems.
A basic answer, and a technique for curing-not alleviating-ulcers,
arthritis, asthma, and many other nongerm diseases.
A totally new conception of the truly incredible ability and power of
the human mind...
These editorial previews generated a great deal of interest, and in
April of 1950 the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation was estab-
lished in Elizabeth, New Jersey (where Campbell's magazine was
headquartered), to provide services to those seeking therapy and
training.
The eagerly awaited article appeared in the May issue of Astound-
ing, followed almost immediately by the publication of the book, and
soon to be best-seller, Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental
Health.
****
In April of 1950 the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation was
established in Elizabeth, New Jersey. By the end of 1950 it had
branches in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Honolulu
and Kansas City.
Hubbard presided over the board of directors, which included
John W. Campbell and Dr. Joseph Winter.
Also around this time, Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World,
was receiving Dianetic auditing. Wrote Sybille Bedford in her biogra-
phy of Huxley:
LRH came to North Kings in person....Aldous and Maria had
three or four sessions with Hubbard. He and his wife came to dinner,
"stiff and polite" the first time, bringing two pounds of chocolates.
278
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
(Sara, in mY interview with her, insisted it was coffee and cakes
rather than chocolates!)
In Huxley's words:
Up to the present I have proved to be completely resistant-there is
no way of getting me onto the time track or of making the subconscious
produce engrams....Maria, meanwhile, has had some success con-
tacting and working off engrams and has been repeatedly into what the
subconscious says is the pre-natal state. Whether because of Dianetics
or for some other reason, she is well and very free from tension....
Throughout America and England people who had read Dianetics
were enthusiastically applying its techniques on their friends, or
teaming up to co-audit. Dianetic clubs were springing up like dande-
lions in April.
The National Association of College Bookstores reported that
DMSMH was top of its best-seller list. The New York Times list was
next.
A Williams College professor, writing in The New York Times, said,
"History has become a race between Dianetics and catastrophe...."
In August of 1950 Hubbard wrote:
There will be those who, for various reasons, do not undertake
clearing and for whom no clearing is done....One sees with some
sadness that more than three-quarters of the world's population will
become subject to the remaining quarter....
In September over 300 took a course in Los Angeles which lasted
for a month and cost 500 dollars. There were several such courses and
these were an excellent source of income for Hubbard.
It would seem like a lot of money was being made, but somehow
the financial condition of the foundation did not reflect this.
Helen O'Brian, old-time Dianeticist, in her book Dianetics in
Limbo, states:
I was an awed outsider with an associate membership during the
boom to bust cycle of the first Dianetic Foundation....One man who
was an important member of the organizing group told me a few years
ago that he still retained copies of the bookkeeping records that made
him decide to disassociate himself from the Elizabeth Foundation fast.
A month's income of$90,000 is listed, with only $20,000 accounted for.
He was one of the first to resign.
*Dianetics*
279
By October 1950, the situation had become critical, and in the fol-
lowing month the combined incomes of the Foundations totalled less
than one-tenth of the payroll. But Hubbard blamed the failure on the
motivations of the people who had been his friends....He later
wrote...in Wichita, a bitter denunciation of his former associates,
one of them his second wife Sara, who had served as executive vice-
president of the corporation, saying that they, "hungry for money and
power," sought to take over and control all of Dianetics.
Hubbard also blamed the American Psychiatric Association, the
American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Asso-
ciation for inciting the many critical newspaper and magazine articles.
The Barnum and Bailey level of hype and the extreme claims made
for the subject no doubt were a factor in the eventual disillusionment
of many.
For those closely associated with Hubbard, his behavior and atti-
tudes also became relevant.
In October of 1950, Dr. Winter resigned from the HDRF. In his
book A Doctor Looks at Dianetics, published shortly afterwards, he
wrote:
It should be known...that Dianetics has been given careful scru-
tiny by numerous doctors, psychiatrists psycho-analysts and psychiat-
ric social workers. I have corresponded with or talked to several hun-
dred of them, and I have found that when the scientific aspects of
Dianetics have been honestly examined, they present a real challenge
to any serious student of the human mind....I personally know of a
score of psychiatrists who are using a portion of the concepts and tech-
niques of Dianetics...yet these men do not feel free to admit they
are doing so....
He added, however:
There was a difference between the ideals inherent in the Dianetic
hypothesis and the actions of the Foundation in its ostensible efforts to
carry out these ideals. The ideals...as I saw them, included non-
authoritarianism and a flexibility of approach....The ideals...con-
tinued to be given lip-service, but I could see a definite disparity be-
tween ideals and actualities....
Winter set up private practice in New York.
280
"WOMANIZER" to "MESSIAH"
In March of 1951 John Campbell resigned. Sometime later he
wrote :
In a healthy and growing science, there are many men who are rec-
ognized as being competent in the field, and no one man dominates
the work...to the extent Dianetics is dependent on one man, it is a
cult. To the extent that it is built by many minds and many workers it is
a science.
4
The "Kidnapping"
Sara, Hubbard's second wife, left him early in 1951. She desper-
ately wanted a divorce and custody of her daughter and he vehe-
mently refused. Consequently, on April 23 she filed suit in the Supe-
rior Court of Los Angeles County, charging him with kidnapping,
torture and bigamy.
The New York Times reported:
The wife of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Dianetic Mental Health
movement, filed suit for divorce today. Mrs. Sara Northrup Hubbard,
25 years old, said the doctors told her that her 40 year old husband was
suffering from a mental ailment known as "paranoid schizophrenia."
Mrs. Hubbard also charged he subjected her to "systematic torture"
by beating and strangling her and denying her sleep.
Hubbard flew to Havana, Cuba, taking his daughter Alexis with
him.
****
Around this time Sara received a letter from Hubbard's first wife
Margaret:
Sara-
If I can help in any way, I'd like to - you must get Alexis in your
custody - Ron is not normal. I had hoped that you could straighten him
out. Your charges probably sound fantastic to the average person-but
I've been through it-the beatings, threats on my life, all the sadistic
traits you charge-twelve years of it. I haven't asked for anything but
with the money rolling in from "Dianetics" I had hoped to get enough
281
282
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
for plastic surgery for Kay's* birthmark - Please believe I do so want to
help you get Alexis.
In Sara's complaint for divorce filed on April 23, 1951, at the Supe-
rior Court of California in the county of Los Angeles, it states:
COMES NOW the plaintiff and for cause of action against defen-
dants, alleges and says:
That in the early part of 1946, plaintiff, then aged 21 and unmarried,
resided with her family in Pasadena, and attended the University of
Southern California, that at said time, defendant L. Ron Hubbard,
hereafter referred to as "Hubbard" was a married man, age 35, he be-
ing then married to Margaret Grubb Hubbard of Bremerton, Wash-
ington, they having two children; that said Hubbard represented to
plaintiff that he was single and unmarried, and plaintiff relying upon
said representation, and having fallen in love, entered into a marriage
ceremony with said Hubbard on the tenth day of August, 1946, at
Chastertown, Maryland; that said Hubbard thereafter secured a di-
vorce from said Margaret Grubb Hubbard on or about the 24th day of
December, 1947, at Port Orchard, Washington; that plaintiff and said
Hubbard ever since the said 10th day of August, 1946, have lived to-
gether as husband and wife, and on the 8th day of March, 1950, had a
child born to them, Alexis Valerie Hubbard, at Point Pleasant, New
Jersey....
That said separation took place by reason of extreme cruelty prac-
ticed upon the plaintiff by the said Hubbard....
(a) That during the marriage up until the month of October, 1950,
said Hubbard, an "older man," completely dominated the youthful
plaintiff, both physically, mentally and emotionally, and taking advan-
tage of her trusting love and desire for a successful marriage, repeat-
edly subjected plaintiff to systematic torture, including loss of sleep,
beatings, and strangulations and scientific torture experiments, includ-
ing the following:
(b) That in the latter part of September, 1950, said Hubbard told
plaintiff at the Chateau Marmont Apartments in Hollywood, that "I do
not want to be an American husband for I can buy my friends when-
ever I want them," and he further said that he, Hubbard, did not want
to be married, yet divorce was impossible, for a divorce would hurt his
reputation, and that she, plaintiff, should kill herself if she really loves
him.
(c) That at said time and place, said Hubbard systematically pre-
vented plaintiff from sleeping continuously for a period of over four
*Ron Jr.'s sister.
*The "Kidnapping*"
283
days, and then in her agony, furnished her with a supply of sleeping
pills, all resulting to the nearness to the shadow of death. That the fore-
going was a frequent occurrence during the married life of the parties.
(d) That at said time and place, plaintiff became numb and lost con-
sciousness, and was thereafter taken by said Hubbard to the Holly-
wood Leland Hospital, where she was kept under a vigilant guard from
friend and family, under an assumed name, for five days.
(e) That shortly following Christmas, 1950, said Hubbard violently
strangled plaintiff and sadistically ruptured the eustachian tube of her
left ear, resulting in the impairment of her hearing. That such strangu-
lation of plaintiff was a frequent practice on the part of said Hubbard.
(f) That in January, 1951, at Palm Springs, while plaintiff was
getting out of an automobile operated by said Hubbard, he intention-
ally started the said car in gear, thus propelling plaintiff to the pave-
ment resulting in serious personal injury.
(g) That plaintiff and her medical advisors, following the foregoing
incidents, concluded that said Hubbard was hopelessly insane, and
crazy, and that there was no present hope for said Hubbard, or any
reason for her to endure further; that competent medical advisors rec-
ommended that said Hubbard be committed to a private sanitarium for
psychiatric observation and treatment of a mental ailment known as
paranoid schizophrenia; that plaintiff, on the 23rd day of February,
1951, caused the national executive officer of the Hubbard Dianetic
Research Foundation at Elizabeth, New Jersey, to be advised of said
preliminary diagnosis and urgent need for treatment; that said national
officer immediately advised said Hubbard of said diagnosis.
(h) That at 11:00 o'clock P.M., on said 23rd day of February, 1951,
said Hubbard, together with defendant Frank B. Dessler, head of the
Los Angeles Dianetic Foundation, abducted the infant child of the par-
ties, Alexis, from her crib....
(i) That said Hubbard, Dessler and defendant Richard B. De Milie,
having secreted said infant child, feloniously dragged plaintiff out of
her bed attired only in her night gown, it then being 1:00 o'clock A. M.,
of the morning of the 24th day of February, 1951, and by the use of
threats, strangulation, torture, and false promises to return the child to
her, carried and kidnapped plaintiff to Yuma, Arizona....
(j) That plaintiff has ever since sought the whereabouts of her infant
child, and has consulted attorneys, police, sheriffs, Federal Bureau of'
Investigation agents, and courts, and has brought said habeas corpus
proceedings; that said Hubbard and his attorneys refuse any informa-
tion as to the whereabouts of her infant child, unless she goes back to
live with said Hubbard, an alternative that means certain continued
torture and possible death, a predicament no good woman, wife and
mother should have to face.
284
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
(k) That through all her trials and tribulations, and up until the
month of February, 1951, plaintiff bore her suffering and sorrow, in
silence, and even now would not bare the truth to the world, except for
the compelling advice of her attorney, Caryl Warner, that she tell the
truth for the truth shall make her free, and the truth alone will bring
back her baby, if alive...
While Hubbard was in Havana he wrote Sara:
Dear Sara -
I have been in a Cuban Military Hospital and I am being transferred
to the States next week as a classified scientist immune from interfer-
ence of all kinds though I will be hospitalized probably a long time.
Alexis is getting excellent care. I see her every day. She is all I have to
live for. My wits never gave way under all you did and let them do but
my body didn't stand up. My right side is paralyzed and getting more
so. I have trouble moving and I am going blind. I hope my heart lasts.
...I may live a long time and again I may not. But Dianetics will last
ten thousand years for the Army and Navy have it now. But I wanted to
be well and strong and I can barely move now.
My will is all changed. Alexis will get a fortune unless she goes to
you as she would then get nothing.
Get away from bad companions.
Hope to see you once more.
Goodbye -
I love you.
Ron
Shortly thereafter a divorce settlement was reached. Sara received
custody and $200 a month child support and the matter was closed.
During the time of the divorce settlement Sara signed a document
presented to her by Hubbard's agents in which it is stated, in effect,
that all she had said about him was false.
The Church claims that Sara, herself, wrote this document in
which she said:
I have not at any time believed otherwise than that L Ron Hub-
bard was a fine and brilliant man....I have begun to realize that
what I have done may have injured the science of Dianetics, which
in my studied opinion may be the only hope for sanity in future
generations....
The St. Petersburg Times comments:
*The "Kidnapping*"
285
The statement bears the subtle marks of L. Ron Hubbard's handi-
work. The stilted language is similar to his writing style and the recan-
tation includes a sentence with the word "enturbulating" which is not
to be found in a dictionary but sometimes appears in Hubbard's writ-
ings.
Author Steward Lamont adds:
If Mrs. Hubbard II is alive, she probably regards discretion as the
better part of valor since she would be regarded as "Fair Game" with a
vengeance.
Sara (responding to my question as to why she signed this docu-
ment):
I thought by doing so he would leave me and Alexis alone. It was
horrible. I just wanted to be free of him!
John Sanborne tells of Sara and the "kidnapping" of Alexis, their
year-old daughter:
Sara was a lovely woman. She was intelligent. She was quite young.
I suppose she was around 24, and Hubbard was around 40. She had an
aristocratic look.
I know very definitely that he did try to convince one person that
Sara wasn't his wife and Alexi wasn't his baby. There was divorce ac-
tion going between her and Hubbard so somebody must have thought
they were married!
It was a great place (The Los Angeles Foundation). It had twenty
auditing rooms. Some of us were living there. And Marge Hunter had
baby named Tammy the same age as Dianetics (born 1950), and the
Hubbard's had a baby, Lexi, that was the same age as Dianetics.
Anyway, one night it just happened....You know none of us went
to the movies very much. We just did Dianetics, and fooling around,
and talking and auditing and stu But that night there was some
movie that they wanted to see, and I wasn't in the mood. I was missing
my girlfriend. So I said, "Go ahead, I'll watch the kids." And there was
a little room where the two kids were in their cribs..4nd Marge put
them to bed, and they went off to the movies. The kids were totally
used to me so there was no problem.
At roughly ten o'clock Lexi woke up and was upset, sobbing. So I
brought her out into the main room, had her down on the bed next to
me, and let her calm down.
286
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
I'm holding her. And she's sitting there looking in my eyes. She was
only one year old and wasn't talking yet. Then all of a sudden I hear
this hoarse whisper, she says, "Don't sleep." It was very clear. She
whispered don't sleep and she meant it! Well, that sent something
through me, I'm telling ya. Whoo boy! This was some kind of
paranormal reality.
So she got sleepy again after that, and I put her back in bed. And I
was just sitting around semi-awake feeling kind of spooked. It was a
funny feeling. It went through me in a funny way. Gee, you know, the
hair raising on the back of the neck type of feeling.
Then, all of a sudden, I hear a step and I look in the doorway and
there's Frank Dessler in a topcoat and a felt hat, and I believe he had a
gun in his hand in his pocket. He says in this very tense voice, "Mr.
Hubbard is here to get his child Lexi."
Then Hubbard appeared in the door with a topcoat and a felt hat,
and he had his hand in his right pocket, and I believe that he had a gun
in his hand also. I said, "Hi Ron." And he said, "Hello. Where's Lexi?"
I waved them in and we went into the room where they were, and they
started getting Lexi up. They were looking for her clothes and blan-
kets....She had a doll or something in her hand, that she was sleep-
ing with, and Hubbard said, "Is this hers?" And I said, "I'm not sure, I
think maybe it's Tammy's." And he threw it down.
I said, "Listen, I'11 give you a couple of pointers about what to do
when she wakes up," and so forth. And he said, "Oh never mind about
that. We've got professional care for her, don't worry about it."
So they took off.
And I was worried but not in real conflict. Nobody had ever indi-
cated to me that he shouldn't have the child if he wanted it. And we
were all pretty much on his side anyway, even though we weren't
against Sara. Nevertheless, all of us were on his team really. We were
all fans of his. And it was his kid. Nobody second guessed me about
letting him have her. What was I going to do? say, "You'll have to kill
me first!"
...I think Hubbard considered Lexi as a pawn in the game. Some-
thing he could deny Sara.
When asked why Sara had remained quiet all these years, San-
borne responded, "She knew what he was capable of."
5
Sara Speaks
On the twelfth of July 1986 I met with Sara and her husband at
their horne. It was an exclusive interview, Sara having not spoken
publicly on the subject of L. Ron Hubbard for almost thirty-five
years.
Although I was not permitted to tape record the conversation, I did
take notes and pieced these together, forming the following narra-
tive.'
SARA:
"Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health took some eigh-
teen months to write. The majority of it was written in Savannah,
Georgia, then Bayhead and Elizabeth, New Jersey.
"He was the happiest I'd ever seen him when he wrote. In Savan-
nah, where he wrote part of Dianetics, he was doing great. We had a
wonderful time.
"I thought there was some validity to Dianetics, and that Ron had
something to contribute.
"John Campbell was a very positive, and brilliant man and was a
big influence on Ron and a major contributor to his success with Dia-
netics. He was a marvelous editor.
"After Dianetics the money was just pouring in, and he used to
carry huge amounts of cash around in his pocket. I remember going
past a Lincoln dealer and admiring one of those big Lincolns they had
then. He walked right in there and bought it for me, cash!
"After the divorce he wrote me saying that Lexi would soon be ask-
ing `Why don't I have Lincolns?'...
*Interspersed throughout the narrative are several excerpts from the Armstrong
trial and an account by an old-time Scientologist.
287
288
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
"Ron couldn't handle stress. He'd go insane under stress. He had
an extremely violent temper.
"But he was also capable of being extremely charming. He would
turn on the charm in front of someone, and when he or she left, he'd
go into a vitriolic tirade about the person he had just been charming
to death.
"When lecturing he was always his charming self....You'd never
know he had any problems at all when he was on stage....
"He stood up on stage in Los Angeles and announced that I was the
first `clear.' I was so embarrassed....
"Ron used a lot of medical drugs and vitamins, and very large doses
of testosterone (male hormone). He was self-medicated and proud of
it. But the vast majority of his Dianetic following never had a clue
about his inclinations along this line."
Gerry Armstrong states:
It is documented that Hubbard used huge amounts of testosterone,
stilbestrol (a female sex hormone).
Taking the sex hormones were his solution to an impotence prob-
lem.
Another solution was to resort to the "affirmations."
"Affirmations" were commands stated to himself as part of self-
hypnosis. (Sometimes you will see a statement of fact, like, "Yeah, I'm
screwed up on sex." And then he'll come back with an affirmation:
"You are sexually wonderful! Your sexual prowess has never before
been equalled on the face of the Earth!"
That kind of thing alongside his own statements of his inadequacy -
which was the reality of the matter.
Clearly the impotence was a big chunk of his attitude towards
women.
Impotence was on his mind a lot at that period. He wrote about it-
page after page - about how he had. "after Fern," been too afraid to go
to a doctor with the clap. Fern was the girl in Miami who he claims
gave gonorrhea to him.l So he dosed himself with sulphur, and then he
says the sulphur depressed his libido, and his solution to that was the
testosterone and stilbestrol.
"It so depressed my libido," he said, that he needed someone like
Sara to stimulate him.
It was a big chunk of his mind.
From the Affirmations (according to Gerry Armstrong):
*Sara Speaks*
289
"IT DOESN'T GIVE ME DISPLEASURE TO HEAR OF A VIRGIN BE-
ING RAPED.
"THE LOT OF WOMEN IS TO BE FORNICATED!"
****
Sara continues:
"The fact is he was a basket case physically. He was a psycho-
somatic case. He would go blind at any moment of the day. He had
terrible fits of temper and his system was totally out of order.
"Sometimes he'd walk using a cane. It was all psycho-somatic.
There was nothing actually wrong with him."
Selected "affirmations" revealed at the Armstrong trial:
Gerry Armstrong (reading):
Your stomach trouble you used as an excuse to keep the Navy from
punishing you. You are free from the Navy. You have no further reason
to have a weak stomach.
Your ulcers are all well and never bother you. You can eat anything.
Your hip is a pose. You have a sound hip. It never hurts.
Your shoulder never hurts.
Your foot was an alibi. The injury is no longer needed. It is well. You
have perfect and lovely feet.
Your sinus trouble is nothing. It is not dangerous. It will vanish. The
common cold amuses you. You are protected from further illness. Your
cat fever has vanished forever and will never return. You do not have
malaria.
When you tell people you are ill, it has no effect on your health. And
in Veterans Administration examinations you'll tell them how sick you
are; you'll look sick when you take it; you'll return to health one hour
after the examination and laugh at them.
No matter what lies you may tell others, they have no physical effect
on you of any kind. You never injure your health by saying it is bad.
You cannot lie to yourself....
Mr. Flynn: I'd be happy to have the whole document go into evi-
dence.
Mr. Litt [Church attorney]: No, no, no. The words "by hypnosis"-
The Witness: This is (g), "That my eyes (which I used as an excuse to
get out of school) are perfect and do not pain me ever."
Q. by Mr. Flynn: Now, were you able to date, Mr. Armstrong,
when these documents were written by Mr. Hubbard?...
A. In the period of 1946-1947...
290
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
****
SARA :
"Ron was fascinated with the magick....
"Jack [Parsons] was a marvelously brilliant, genuine guy. The
house in Pasadena was a lovely place. Scientists, physicists, and engi-
neers would come and stay and talk....
"A lot of the scientific language Ron used in Dianetics and Scientol-
ogy probably came from the courses in engineering he took in Wash-
ington in his brief college days. He flunked pretty badly in those
courses. He was too erratic. He was too neurotic to sit down and
study. He never went into anything in any depth.
"He would just pick up the jargon.
"He was a dilletante.
"Yet in some respects he was an extremely capable man. But he
was deeply disturbed emotionally. Success put stress on him. I felt I
had to stay with him despite the insanity. I had some idea that I was
responsible for him. I should have left much earlier. I can't believe I
stayed with him for five years!...
"Shortly after we first met, he told me; that if I didn't marry him
he'd kill himself....
Regarding the Church of Scientology:
"People don't want to think. They want to hand over their lives for
people to make decisions for them."
About Ron the writer:
"Ron was happy when he was writing, and fun to be with. But at
times he had writer's block and could become quite distressed about
it. I would often entertain him with plots so he could write. I loved to
make plots. `The Old Doc Methuselah' series was done that way."
****
Sara spoke warmly of her daughter Alexis and her other two chil-
dren, and was intensely curious about the rest of Hubbard's children
by Mary Sue.
She was concerned that Alexis not be harassed by the Church.
****
In June of 1986 the Church of Scientology agreed to a financial set-
tlement with Alexis.
At that settlement conference they tried to get Alexis to write an
affidavit that she was the daughter of Ron Jr.
*Sara Speaks*
291
They had her fingerprinted and video-taped and, in exchange for
an unspecified sum of money, had her sign an agreement that she
would not write or speak on the subject of L. Ron Hubbard and her
relationship to him.
SARA:
"She got a very small settlement. But she has a husband who
adores her, and life is good for her and her children. She doesn't need
a lot of money, and, especially, she doesn't need the harassment.
"When we showed the photograph (of Hubbard holding Alexis as a
baby) to the Scientologists representing the Church at the settlement
hearings in Los Angeles, they were shocked. I think they must have
really believed the stories that Alexis was just a gold digger out to get
some money from Ron. They went into another room and were all
huddled in intense conversation. There was quite a buzz."
****
From the Armstrong trial :
Q. By Mr. Flynn:...First, when you found materials relating to
Alexis Holister and Sara Northrup, did those materials have particular
significance for you in the biography project?
A. [Gerry Armstrong] Yes.
Q. And why is that?
A. Well, Sara Northrup was, obviously, his wife. He had been in-
volved with Sara from 1945 through, at least, 1951.
They had gone through a pretty turbulent divorce; she was around
in the beginning of all the Dianetics and Scientology organizations.
She was an important part.
I had also seen the allegations made by Hubbard that she was part of
SMERSH,* that she was a Soviet spy; that she was sent in to break up
the Dianetics Foundation.
I had seen all these claims.
Q. So now, would you continue. What was the significance of the
Sara-Alexis situation with regard to the documents that you found dur-
ing the biography project?
A. Alexis tied in because she was Sara's daughter. I knew that she
was Sara's daughter. I was not - I had seen the PR briefing that she was
not Hubbard's daughter.
At the time I saw somewhere one of the early books (I believe Sci-
ence of Survival, one of the very earliest books) was first dedicated to
*From James Bond novels. The name of an evil world wide conspirational organiza
tion. Used by Hubbard to designate what he considered to be a similar group in
real life.
292
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Alexis Valerie Hubbard, so I had some contradictions early on when I
began to get into it. And I also interviewed several family members
from Mr. Hubbard's family. There were cousins-an aunt and so on-
and discussed Sara and Alexis with them.
Some time after that from the LRH Pers Sec [Personal Secretary]
U.S. files I obtained this pack of materials on Alexis.
...it had a great deal of significance to me. It had a great deal of
significance to Omar Garrison.
Q. And why is that?
A. It was the man's life, really. I think. An incredible set of events in
which his daughter, after not seeing her father-the person she be-
lieved for twenty years was her father-wrote to him in 1971...tried
to get into communication with him.
The communication was received...[by] the Guardian's Office.
...Jane Kember...wrote to L. Ron Hubbard because she viewed
this as a threat....
It was a daughter trying to get in touch with her father....L. Ron
Hubbard's method of handling what the Guardian's Office and he...
perceived as a threat was quite remarkable...he had the Guardian's
Office write a letter on a non-general-use typewriter.* (That had partic-
ular significance to me because I knew that that was the Guardian's
Office practice regarding the writing of letters which were to be used
for a clandestine, secret purpose, some operation of some sort. They
would write one letter on one typewriter and then get rid of the type-
writer so that it was never used for any other reason, so the type faces
could never be matched up, and so that the source of these kinds of
letters could never be sourced)....
And then the letter was to be read to the girl. And it was just the
most appalling letter.
She was-L. Ron Hubbard comes off like a shining knight, and her
mother, who had been taking care of her through her whole life, came
off like a total tramp and then he ended up this classic document with
a note to Jane Kember that,
"DECENCY IS A SUBJECT NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD." (Emphasis
added)
I can vouch for that. I can't think of many more indecent acts than
the one he pulled off on the girl that I conclude is his daughter...
Q. On the 8th day of March, 1950, Alexis was born?
A. Yes.
Q. And what color hair did Ron Hubbard have?
A. Red.
Q. Do you know what color hair Alexis has?
A. Red....
*The order to use a non-general-use typewriter was in Hubbard's own
handwriting.
*Sara Speaks*293
Q. By Mr. Flynn: Mr. Armstrong, with regard to the letter that was
to be shown to Alexis on the instructions of L. Ron Hubbard, did you
find representations in that letter of Mr. Hubbard that were inaccu-
rate?
A. Yes.
Q. And what were those?
A. This is the letter to Alexis?
Q. Correct.
A. Okay. He stated to his daughter that, "Your mother was with me
as a secretary in Savannah in late 1948."
Q. And she was in fact his wife then?
A. Yes. He writes here, "In July 1949 I was in Elizabeth, New Jer-
sey writing a movie. She turned up destitute and pregnant. I do not
know who she was living with in Pasadena, but she was closely associ-
ated with Jack Parsons....I came up from Palm Springs, California,
where I was living and found you (Alexis) abandoned...."
Well actually what happened was i interviewed the person who was
with him at that time by the name of Frank Dessler, and he and Frank
Dessler took the child and ran off and there was a kidnapping allega-
tion at that point in the newspapers.
Q. Against Mr. Hubbard?
A. Yes.
Q. He had taken Alexis away from Sara and run away from her?
A. Yes, went ultimately to Havana, Cuba.
Q. And was he in Havana, Cuba, with Alexis?
A. Yes. He claims that there was-
Q. This is all in his handwriting, is that correct?
A. Yes. Here he claims that there was no-her mother and Hollis-
ter, whom she later married, he said (Hubbard said), "They obtained
considerable newspaper publicity, none of it true, and employed the
highest priced divorce attorney in the U.S. to sue me for divorce and
get the foundation in Los Angeles in settlement. This proved a puzzle,
since where there is no legal marriage, there can't be any divorce."
And that was not the way it was at all. I suppose if he meant if it was
a bigamous marriage, that was true. But, in fact, there was a marriage.
Q. And there was a divorce?
A. Yes. It just is a perversion of-and there is no willingness on his
part to admit any responsibility for anything.
****
More from the Sara interview:
"After the marriage we went out to Port Orchard and Ron's divorce
[from Jr.'s mother, Margaret Louise Grubb] started then, but I didn't
know about it at that time.
294
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
"I did not discover that he was still married to her until after the
divorce proceedings had begun.
"Polly [Hubbard's first wife] wrote me when she discovered that I
was seeking a divorce. She was very understanding."
SARA'S HUSBAND, MILES:
"When he realized that Sara was with me, he threatened several
times to kill me."
SARA:
"After the divorce from me, Ron sent people to interview me who
claimed they were from the FBI. They looked like Mormons, but
with bad complexions.
"They asked how I felt about him. Despite the legal resolution, he
apparently had not ended it in his mind.
"I couldn't give a damn about him by that time. I was just so glad to
have been able to escape!...
"During the divorce, he not only said I was in with the communists
but also the fascists!
****
According to old-timer John Sanborne:
Earlier on (before the divorce) he made this stupid attempt to get
Sara brainwashed so she'd do what he said. He kept her sitting up in a
chair, denying her sleep, trying to use Black Dianetic principles on
her, repeating over and over again whatever he wanted her to do.
Things like, "Be his wife, have a family that looks good, not have a di-
vorce. Or whatever."*
He had Dick De Mille reciting this sort of thing day and night to
her.
Reading this Sara commented:
"Dave Williams was also working on me. They always talk about
Dick DeMille. They never talk about Dave Williams.
"He [Hubbard] was in Cuba for two months. The last time I saw
him was in Kansas at the divorce hearings. When the divorce was
over I felt like I had been freed from prison! The last year with him
was particularly terrible....
"I'm not a pathetic person who has suffered through the years be-
cause of my time with Ron. I can't waste my time dwelling on it....
*Around this same time Hubbard was lecturing and writing on the evils ot.
"Pain-Drug-Hypnosis," and warning about "Black Dianetics!" - i.e..reverse Dianetics,
used to implant hypnotic suggestions rather than run them out.
*Sara Speaks*
295
"You show what he was in your book. You really don't need
me...
****
In the early seventies a story was being circulated by the Guardi-
an's Office that Sara had died. According to the story, just prior to
passing away-while on her death bed - she had asked to see Hub-
bard.
Ron responded immediately and came to her side. She looked at
him sadly and said, "Will you forgive me Ron? Everything I said was
lies." And he said, soothingly, "Of course."
Then, according to the story, she added, "I had to do it Ron, I was
being blackmailed." And he answered, gently, "Why didn't you tell
me? I would have done something."
****
Sara, referring to the last years with Hubbard:
"It is too disgusting. I have done well keeping away from discussing
it for 35 years and I don't want to talk about it now."
****
History would have been better served if the whole story came out.
There is little doubt, however, that the lives of Sara and her husband
and their beloved family would be badly served by the heavy-handed
brutality of Scientology's "secret service" rolling out their harassment
and "black propaganda machine."
Sara sat back in the chair. Her large blue eyes staring into space.
"No, I'm sorry Bent, I would prefer not to continue...."
6
Dianetics Abandoned
While Hubbard was in Havana, a Kansas oil man named Don
Purcell offered his assistance to the struggling Foundation. An agree-
ment was struck. The Foundation was to be moved from Elizabeth,
New Jersey, to Wichita, Kansas, where Purcell would make funds
and a building available. Purcell would become President of the
Foundation and Hubbard its Vice-President and Chairman of the
Board.
The official Church reason for the relocation of the Foundation is as
follows :
In the spring of 1951, the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation
moved from Elizabeth, N.J., to Wichita, Kansas. Wichita, being near
the geographical center of the United States, was an excellent location
for the new national headquarters of Dianetics. From here the Foun-
dation could more easily centralize and consolidate all the activities of
Dianetics
During the time he was in Cuba, Hubbard completed a book in
excess of 500 pages titled Science of Survival, Prediction of Human
Behaviour.
Upon his return to the U.S. and arrival in Wichita, Hubbard began
a schedule of regular weekly lectures in the building provided by
Purcell.
Wrote Helen O'Brien:
It looked like a warehouse which had been converted to Dianetic
use by the erection of numerous partitions.
On the second Door was an auditorium where classes were held and
296
*Dianetics Abandoned*
297
a weekly public lecture was delivered by LRH, his only participation
in foundation activities, except to sign certificates....The place was
always filled to overflowing for Hubbard's free public lecture.
[It] was the highlight of every week. He would arrive at the last min-
ute, stopping briefly in his Office to sign whatever professional auditor
certificates were due....
This pattern continued for many months, with lectures becoming
more frequent. Also during this time several books were written.
John Sanborne:
Purcell thought Dianetics was already wild enough, and he wanted
to standardize it and make it work well for Mankind. He didn't believe
in past lives. But there's nothing more you could expect from a Kansas
oil man who's good hearted and wants to be famous for it. He wanted
to be famous for being a benefactor of Mankind.
Around the time of the split between Purcell and himself, Hubbard
started talking "whole track" and space opera and past lives....He
may have been putting this out just to bug Purcell. He was a prankster,
a trickster. He wanted to see what he could do. And he drove Purcell a
little bit berserk....
In December the Second Annual Conference of Dianetic Auditors
was held....
O'BRIEN:
There were none of Ron's former friends, the people who had made
those [the earliest] foundations possible. He felt they had betrayed
him.
By January of 1952 the popularity of Dianetics was at an all-time
low, and the finances of the Foundation were a mess.
In February Hubbard resigned as Chairman and Vice-President
and sold his stock in the corporation for one dollar and the agreement
that he would be allowed to open up an independent school.
O'Brien continues:
I returned to Wichita (in March) but not to the Hubbard Dianetic
Research Foundation (HDRF). Hubbard...had embarked upon
what became a lengthy and well-documented feud...during 1952
Hubbard tried to divert people's attention from the fact that the Wich-
ita Foundation was a financial failure by attempting to create the im-
pression that Don Purcell, the "angel" whose money had made it a re-
298
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
ality, was an arch villain who had plotted to seize Dianetics or, in
another version, to destroy it for $500,000 from the AMA.
What apparently happened was that Purcell had been willing to sub-
sidize the deficit operation of the Wichita Foundation, but they were
constantly badgered by creditors from the early (Elizabeth based)
HDKF, to whom he was forced to make payments. When the situation
became grave, he told Hubbard that a declaration of voluntary bank-
ruptcy seemed essential, and a fresh start. Hubbard refused.
Early in February the creditors became insistent and threatened a
liquidating receivership. On February 12th, Hubbard called a meeting
of the board of directors, of which he was chairman, and resigned com-
pletely from the HDRF....He opened new offices in Wichita and
called it Hubbard College, while the remaining directors took the nec-
essary steps to enter (HDRF) into voluntary bankruptcy.
In March a restraining order was placed on Hubbard and his new
right-hand man James Elliot, who'd admitted to "inadvertently"
removing the Foundation's mailing lists, taped lectures, typewriters,
sound-recorders and other equipment. The tapes and the mailing lists
were returned although, allegedly, the tapes had been mutilated.
Shortly afterwards the assets of the Wichita Foundation were
auctioned by the bankruptcy court. Purcell purchased the assets,
which included the publishing rights to Dianetics, the Modern Sci-
ence of Mental Health, the Foundation's copyrights, and the sole
right to the title "Hubbard Dianetic Foundation."
Hubbard was left with two choices: give up the "save Mankind
game" entirely, or start fresh, start another movement, write more
books, and lecture like crazy.
Immediately, and in no uncertain terms, he chose the latter alter-
native. Thus Scientology poked its head out of the clouds and made
itself known to the world.
"Thought is the subject matter of Scientology. It is considered a
kind of `energy' which is not part of the physical universe. It controls
energy but it has no wavelength. It uses matter, but it has no
mass....It records time but is not subject to time," wrote Hubbard
in the first issue of The Journal of Scientology.
He says it more succinctly sometime later in the Scientology axi-
oms:
LIFE IS BASICALLY A STATIC.
Definition: a Life Static has no mass, no motion, no wavelength, no
location in space or time. It has the ability to postulate and to perceive.
*Dianetics Abandoned*
299
THE STATIC IS CAPABLE OF CONSIDERATIONS, POSTULATES AND
OPINIONS.
SPACE, ENERGY, OBJECTS, FORM AND TIME ARE THE RESULT OF
CONSIDERATIONS MADE AND/OR A(3REED UPON OH NOT BY THE
STATIC, AND ARE PERCEIVED SOLELY BECAUSE THE STATIC: CONSID-
ERS THAT IT CAN PERCEIVE THEM.
This is essentially an expression of a viewpoint traceable to both
Eastern and Western mystic and occult traditions.
HUBBARD :
You can't measure this Static.
When you find something that has no mass, no motion, no wave-
length-the very fact that it can't be measured tells you that you have
your hands on life itself.
You can't measure it, yet all things measurable extend from it. From
the Static all phenomena extend....
Space is one of these phenomena. You could say that Life is a space-
energy-production and placement unit because that's what it does. But
when you measure these you do not measure life.
A thetan is very close to being a pure Static...
So you have a thetan capable of considerations, postulates and opin-
ions...
Or, less technically stated:
"Spirit is the source of all. You are a spirit."
****
After he spent a little over two months in Wichita at the "Hubbard
College," where he specialized in saying things that would cause Don
Purcell to spend extended amounts of time on the toilet moaning, the
move to Phoenix, Arizona, was made.
In March of 1952, he married for the third time. Her name, Mary
Sue Whip an attractive redhead, who had been a student in Wichita.
A little later Ron Jr. arrived and found himself suddenly on the
board of directors of the newly formed Hubbard Association of Scien-
tologists.
Electro-psychometers or E-meters (a modified psycho-galvanom-
eter) were now being used, having been developed by an engineer by
the name of Volney Matthison.
Aided by this device, Ron Jr. worked with his father on "re-
searching" the "whole track"; i.e., the moment-to-moment recording
300
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
of all of one's experiences ("track") throughout all of one's past exis-
tences and lives.
According to Ron Jr., with the aid of amphetamines his father and
he came up with the booklet "What to Audit," which later became the
book entitled History of Man. Its foreword begins by proclaiming:
This is a cold-blooded and factual account of your last sixty trillion
years.
Although it contains some interesting theories about how spiritual
beings operate, the bulk of its contents are descriptions of aberrative
"whole track incidents," mainly "electronic implants." Hubbard
defines an implant as "a painful and forceful means of overwhelming a
being with artificial purposes or false concepts in a malicious attempt
to control and suppress him."
These come in a great many varieties and types, one of which is the
"Between Lives Implant." This particular type of"implant, accord-
ing to Hubbard, is currently being administered in several secret lo-
cations on Earth:
At death the theta being [the spirit] leaves the body and goes to the
between-lives area. Here he "reports in," is given a strong forgetter
implant and then is shot down to a body just before it is born.
There have been many types of between lives earlier on the track,
about ten different periods of the entire track being devoted to the
practice of keeping a thetan in a body, working and in an area.
The History of Man comes equipped with its share of hype and
pretense, and its author certainly positioned himself at a place of con-
siderable authority. For some people the book was (and still is) an in-
disputable description of what one will find on the "whole track" of an
individual, an Evaluation from a source on high.
"Auditing"-ideally defined as that action whereby one gradiently
increases his awareness and ability to confront and communicate -
cannot take place in the context of an overwhelming evaluation.
History of Man was one in a long series of evaluations by Hubbard
as to what another will find on his personal "time track."
The point is not that Hubbard's imaginings, opinions, or observa-
tions are valid or invalid, but only that they are his. And should have
been presented as such.
One of the most important points of the Auditor's Code is: Do not
evaluate for the pre-clear. This business of telling others what they
*Dianetics Abandoned*
301
will see, long before they've had a chance to look, is one of the main
"veer off points" of Scientology.
(When Hubbard wrote "Do not evaluate for the pre-clear," he re-
ally meant, "Nobody evaluates but me!")
****
John Sanborne has some things to say about the early days in Phoe-
nix, Arizona:
Hubbard led us to the idea that he'd been on destroyer-escorts in
1939/40, on convoy duty while England was at war. (The U.S. Navy
would escort cargo ships across the Atlantic.) He'd also go on about his
experiences in combat during the war, while he was a U.S. naval
officer.
I had a genuine war record and that kind of spooked him; made him
uneasy in some funny kind of way that I couldn't figure out, until re-
cently when I found he hadn't been in combat. I think he was haunted
by the feeling that he'd been a coward....
Hubbard spent a lot of time with Nibs (Nibs is Ron Jr.'s nickname).
When Nibs came to Phoenix, Hubbard just closeted himself with him
and just doted on him. He gave him a lot of inside track.
Nibs thought the world of his father. "Oh Dad! Oh Dad!...One
time Dad was in..." and so forth and so on and the poor guy never
had a chance....
Now, when someone's got a domineering pain-in-the-ass old man
like that who's got a big reputation and so forth, that's tough to son
under. Hemingway's kids, most kids, they have a tough time in most
cases son-ing under that....
Hubbard's research was sloppy and "unscientific," and that's the
way I liked it. I liked the way he worked in those days. Off the wall-
off the top of his head.
He told Dick Steves, Bud Eubank and Chet Delane to go "run ef-
fort."* And they said, "What's that?" And he said, "Never mind. Just
go do it!" And so they went and "ran effort." And they were running
engrams and running the efforts out of them, because they didn't know
what else to do. So they fell right into past lives. And they came back
and he said, "What happened?" And they said, "Hey, you have a great
*To counsel with Effort Processing (taken from Hubbard's "Technical
Dictionary"): "The bank (subconscious mind) can be considered to have three layers, effort-
emotion-thought. EFFORT buries emotion. Emotion buries thought. A physical
aberration or physical disability is held in place by a COUNTER EFFORT. EFFORT
PROCESSING removes the EFFORT which uncovers the PC's own EMOTION and removes
the Emotion which uncovers and blows the PC's thoughts and postulates about the
disability as these are the aberrative source of it."
302 "WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
procedure here!" And he said, "Procedure? I uh, uh..." He was to-
tally aghast at the fact that this stuff happened. Because he was just
throwing it at them....
At the time the emphasis was "try this and tell me what the results
are." That's how he worked in those days.
Hubbard knew how to talk stuff. The idea was to be able to talk
everything I think he thought of it as a way to handle threats. He'd be
in some real sweaty situation and he'd be able to talk himself out of
anything.
Because he did things which were likely to get him in trouble, he
didn't much like the rewards of ordinary responsibilities. Ordinary de-
cent people didn't interest him except to pose in fRont of them....
In a Phoenix congress...he talked about spooky whole track stuff.
He had a floodlight on the floor in fRont of this little platform shining
up because that makes you look ghouly. And his face looked really
weird and outer space and really crazy....And he talked weird....I
think he was trying to drive people a little bit wacko so they'd fall into
his hand a little bit....
Most of the women I audited in those days had a little place in their
hearts where they believed that he was lecturing only to them, and he
was giving signals that, "When I get a certain number of things done at
this level, then you and I can take off together."
Women from twenty to eighty were sure of this. I only had one fe-
male pre-clear, in those days, who didn't have that. She was the only
one who didn't have plans to run off with Hubbard....
****
Says Old Timer Jack Horner:
He could emanate pure affinity; just engulf you in it. Of course he
wasn't sincere, but it was sure convincing to a lot of people. He had
that ability: people would go in to see him with a disagreement, and
then they'd completely forget what the hell it was.
RON JR.:
At some party or get-together people would see him sitting there,
and they'd be inclined to say, "Who in the heck would ever follow this
man?" And he'd stand up and turn around and nail them. I mean the
eyeballs, the whole thing would just change in an instant.
I've seen him when he really had it turned on. I've seen him stand
in fRont of an audience and just nail them to their seats. He called it his
"Cobra Eyelock." He also called it "putting the snake on 'em."
*Diantics Abandoned*
303
I've seen people charge into his office mad as hornets and come out
a minute later pleased as punch.
According to Ron Jr., some of Hubbard's basic and most important
"research" of the period was done while on drugs and/or alcohol.
RON JR.:
He'd sit at his typewriter late at night and boost up on drugs and hit
way at the top, and write like crazy. He could type 97 words a minute
with four fingers. That was the maximum the old IBM electric type-
writer would go. When he got into one of these drug trips he'd write
until the body just collapsed.
That's the way he worked. Usually what he had written in a burst
would then be allowed to trickle out to the public, the classes he
taught. It wouldn't just show up right away.
But it was an uneven thing. Sometimes he wouldn't write for a
week, then he'd strap on the heavy duty rockets and up he'd go again.
7
"The Blood of Their Bodies,
The Blood of Their Souls"
L. RON HUBBARD JR.:
"In 1951 Dad arrived in Phoenix where I was living with my grand-
father. He spoke to me about the possibility of my working on Diane-
tics with him. It was thrilling. I was tremendously impressed with my
father; with the fact that he was famous and knew other famous peo-
ple. Through his involvement in science fiction he knew many well-
known writers. Through Dianetics he had met many stars and star-
lets, and even audited a few.
"Growing up, I was constantly shuttled back and forth between my
mother and grandfather; it made me feel unwanted.
"Dad wasn't home much, but when he was it was seldom dull. He
used to play the ukulele and sing; he had a rich baritone voice....
"It's a drag to talk about but he did have a vicious temper....
"Dinner time could sometimes be memorable. He was very fussy
about his food - not just right and bam! That night's dinner formed a
mosaic against the wall. When it happened my mother would be in
shock. She was an excellent cook and could never understand why.
"Nonetheless, he never laid a hand on me and my sister.
"He did, however, put phenobarbital in my bubble gum on several
occasions.
"As a teenager I had a terrible inferiority complex. Dad's invitation
for me to become, in a major way, a part of his life meant everything.
And to top it all off he presented me with a fabulous gift, a `47 Buick
304
"*Blood of Their Bodies*"
305
and 100 dollars for gas. This was a particularly noteworthy event since
he had forgotten so many Christmases and birthdays before that.
"That fall I returned to the Pacific Northwest with my grandparents
to finish my junior year of high school. Then, in August of 1952, Dad
and I were reunited in Phoenix.
"Within a few short weeks I found myself head of the newly formed
"Hubbard College," as Director of Training and Chief Instructor. My
life up to this point had been a grim tale of rejection and emotional `
turmoil. We had rarely lived at one location for any length of
time.
"Then, out of the blue, I'm the Great Sage's number one son."
****
The following is mainly excerpted from a piece, written by Ron Jr.
in 1985, originally entitled "Philadelphia":
"We were in Philadelphia. It was November 1952. Dianetics was
all but forgotten; and Scientology, a new Science,' had become the
focus of attention.
"Every night, in the hotel, in preparation for the next day's lecture,
he'd pace the floor, exhilarated by this or that passage from Aleister
Crowley's writings.
"Just a month before, he had been in London, where he had finally
been able to quench his thirst; to fill his cup with the true, raw, naked
power of the magick. The lust of centuries at his very fingertips.
"To stroke and taste the enviRons of the Great Beast, to fondle
Crowley's books, papers, and memorabilia had filled him with pure
ecstasy!
"In London he had acquired, at last, the final keys; enabling him to
take his place upon the `ThRone of the Beast,' to which He firmly be-
lieved himself to be the rightful heir.
"The tech gushed forth and resulted in the `Philadelphia Doctorate
Course Lectures.'"
[At the beginning of the very first Philadelphia Lecture Hubbard
cracked a joke about the "Prince of Darkness." "Who do you think I
am?" he asked. The audience chuckled. Ron's such a kidder.]
"Dad's lecture series was held upstairs in a large room. He was
knocking them dead creating brilliant truths that danced in the heads
of the audience. He was excelling himself. He was in hyperdrive
when the U.S. Marshals showed up.
306
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
"They came bursting in like Carrie Nation attacking a saloon. Abso-
lutely no class at all.
"We somehow distracted the Marshals from going all the way up-
stairs.
"It seems that all the Marshals wanted was to serve him a subpoena
to appear in court over the hassle Don Purcell was kicking up over
the rights to Dianetics. (He claimed he owned them).
"The subpoena was finally properly and courteously served.
"Now it was Dad's turn. When he unfolded the paper he became
unglued. He hated courts; he hated Don Purcell; he hated, period.
All the clicks in his head went off like a string of Chinese firecrackers.
"Well, Dad was psycho as hell, but he wasn't dumb. He took the
rap. A contempt of court with a fine of $5000.00.
"One does not put a god on trial nor ridicule a god. Dad vowed
never to appear in court again for any reason. He never did.
"The night after the court appearance he was still raging. When he
was nervous or upset he would shout and scream. When his concrete
self-confidence was shaken he would blindly attack people and furni-
ture.
"A bottle of rum and an hour of screaming later he had cooled down
a little; but the `Power' was still translating into anger; overriding the
alcohol. My whole life I've always marvelled at his capacity to con-
sume alcohol and remain upright and coherent. A fifth of Myers dark
rum was the same as two aspirin to Dad.
"After he got in the groove and plugged in his self-confidence
again, he got up from the couch and retrieved several books from his
suitcase. He dropped them in fRont of me on the hotel room coffee
table.
"`I'm going to need more help,' he says. `More help than I'm
getting. I'm going to outlive this whole damned world but I want you
for back-up.'
"`You got it Dad, you know that already,' I say.
"`I know, I know,' Dad says impatiently, `but you don't have much
horsepower. `
"`Hey, Dad, I'm doing O.K'
"He flies off the handle: `You snot-nosed kid. You don't know your
ass from a hole in the ground!' He slams his hand down on the books
on the coffee table. `All you are is a fart in a hurricane, kid; now read
about the Real Power!'
"*Blood of Their Bodies*"
307
"`The books and contents to be kept forever secret, he says. To
reveal them will cause you instant insanity: rip your mind apart; de-
stroy you.' he says. `Secrets, techniques and powers I alone have con-
quered and harnessed. I alone have refined, improved on, applied
my engineering principles to. Science and logic. The keys! My keys to
the doorway of the Magick; my magick! The power! Not Scientology
power! My power! The real powers of Solomon,' he says, `Caligula
and Alice too. Your past is your enemy,' he says. `the enemy of all.'
"I listen with hypnotic fascination: The books; some recently pub-
lished, some over 1200 years old, The Book of the Law, The Sacred
Magic of Abre-Melin, the Sex Magic of the Ninth Degree of the
"He is excited, fearful and cautious. He is tense. Unimparted se-
crets, imparted for the first time.
"I open the books intending only to thumb through. I am awed and
amazed; I Know these books! How could I?
"He answers:'They were used to conceive you, and birth you, too.
I've read them to you while you were asleep while you were
drugged and hypnotized; for years.
"`I've made the Magick really work,' he says. `No more foolish ritu-
als. I've stripped the Magick to basics-access without liability.
"`Sex by will,' he says. `Love by will-no caring and no shar-
ing-no feelings. None,' he says. `Love reversed,' he says. `Love isn't
sex. Love is no good; puts you at effect. Sex is the route to power,' he
says. Scarlet women! They are the secret to the doorway. Use and
consume. Feast. Drink the power through them. Waste and discard
them.'
"`Scarlet?' I ask.
"`Yes Scarlet: the blood of their bodies; the blood of their souls,' he
says.
"`Release your will from bondage. Rend their bodies; bend their
minds; bend their wills; beat back the past. The present is all there is.
No consequences and no guilt. Nothing is wrong in the present. The
will is free-totally free; no feelings; no effort; pure thought-sepa-
rated. The Will postulating the Will,' he says.
"`Will, Sex, Love, Blood, Door, Power, Will. Logical,' he says.
"`The doorway of Plenty. The Great Door of the Great Beast.'
"He repeats the incantation; invokes the door opening to the realm
of the Beast.
308
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
"I'm nauseated. I hurt.
"He says: `Never tell, or much worse will happen.'
"I nod."
****
"I had barely got out of my '47 Buick when Dad started me popping
Rainbows. It seemed like two minutes later I was teaching Scientol-
ogy, when I could barely pRonounce the word."
8
Scientology in the Fifties
In my opinion, Scientology was designed by L. Ron Hubbard as a
trap.
People will argue that Scientology contains some wonderful truths,
and some ingenious counseling techniques. I couldn't agree more.
These have been, for many, the cheese in the trap.
By the mid-fifties the cheese had become sweet indeed, and the
trap, in all its insidious aspects, had not yet been adequately refined.
If Scientology could be said to have had a "Golden Age," this was it.
Hubbard penned some very enlightened essays on the evils of au-
thoritarianism, and even occasionally acknowledged that others had
contributed to the subject.
During the fifties he gave over a thousand public lectures, almost
all of which were taped. He also wrote over twenty books and in ex-
cess of a million words in articles and Professional Auditor Bulletins.
****
Prior to Scientology becoming a Church, Hubbard didn't seem to
have much use for organized religion and often ridiculed it. In a lec-
ture during July of 1951 he said of the Roman Catholic Church:
What did we have when this organization was in its greatest ascen-
dency? We had a dark age for man. By the way, I'm saying nothing
against organized religion. You understand me clearly. I have nothing
absolutely nothing against organized religion. We've taken care of it.
It'll go by the boards shortly....I just happen to not like it.
Presaging what was to become today's Church of Scientology, he
continued:
309
310
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Somebody jumps up and he says, "I'm the Messiah! Hurrah! Hur-
rah! Hurrah! I'm the Messiah!" And everybody says bonk! "Bow down
to the Messiah! We're all set now..." And they'll do the same things
and say the same things. And they're all just like puppets. Fascinating.
Utterly fascinating!
****
On April 10th of 1953 he wrote to Helen O'Brian, then a franchise
holder in Philadelphia:
We don't want a clinic. We want one in operation, but not in name.
Perhaps we could call it Spiritual Guidance Center...we could put
in nice desks and our boys in neat blue, with diplomas on the walls and
one, knock psychotherapy into history and, two, make enough money
to shine up my operating scope and, three, keep the HAS [Hubbard
Association of Scientologists] solvent....I await your reaction on the
religion angle. [emphasis added] In my opinion, we couldn't get worse
public opinion than we have had or have less customers with what
we've got to sell.
On December 18, 1953, the Church of Scientology, the Church of
Human Engineering, and the Church of American Science were se-
cretly incorporated in Camden, New Jersey. The incorporators were
L. Ron Hubbard, Sr., L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. Ron Jr.'s wife Henrietta,
John Galusha, Barbara Bryan, and Verna Greenough.
Early in 1954 the First Church of Scientology was announced.
The fact is that Hubbard had been having problems for years with
the AMA and the IRS, and becoming a church was a way of avoiding
these problems.
Ironically, the rank and file of today's Church, and also those who
regard themselves as "Independent (separate from the main Church)
Scientologists," consider quite sincerely that Scientology is their reli-
gion. It was only among the Church hierarchy (those who surrounded
Hubbard) that actions and altitudes clearly betrayed a regard for it as
a money-making enterprise.
In October of 1954 Don Purcell had returned the rights to Diane-
tics, the Modern Science of Mental Health. This was strictly a gift on
Purcell's part. This prompted Hubbard to write the book that Scien-
tologists know as Dianetics 55.
****
In the mid-1950s Hubbard wrote a series of letters to the Com-
*Scientology in the Fifties*
311
munist Activities Division of the FBI. These eventually earned him
the title "mental" in an FBI file. One letter states:
About two or three o'clock in the morning my apartment was en-
tered. I was knocked out, had a needle thrust in my heart to give it a
jet of air to produce a coRonary thrombosis and was given an electric
shock with a 110 volt current. All this is very blurred to me. I had no
witnesses.
Under the letterhead, "L. Ron Hubbard D.D. Ph.D.," he later
wrote:
Gentlemen:
Having gotten on a somewhat more even keel after the collapse of
the organization in Phoenix, Arizona (the HASI), and having begun op-
eration in the East with more public success and enthusiasm than I am
used to, I have a better perspective on what occurred in Phoenix.
The attack on the HASI, like the attacks on the 1950 Hubbard
Dianetic Research Foundation, found psychiatry and Communist con-
nected personnel very much in evidence and both active with defama-
tion and very unreasonable-and unsuccessful-attack.
But something has now occurred which seems strange at this junc-
ture and entirely too pat. I have received from an unimpeachable
source an invitation to go to Russia. I have been told that this would be
as easy as taking a taxi to the airport.
But the oddity of this invitation is that the person extending it, evi-
dently on behalf of the Russian government, would not know anything
about the trouble in Phoenix. He obviously has no connection with
anyone or anything in Phoenix. Further, he knows little or nothing of
Dianetics or Scientology and their organizational history and would not
know, by any usual means, what occurred in Phoenix. Out of the blue,
on an acquaintance with me from many, many years ago he locates me
here, is very quiet and casual and then gradually works into the Rus-
sian situation and finally, with a burst of enthusiasm, confides in me
that in view of the state of my organizations in the United States (about
which he would really know nothing in fact) and in view of the U.S.
public attitude toward me (which is in actuality rather good, consider-
ing) and in view of the fact that I "am a cinch to be ruined by all the
people who hate me in Internal Revenue," there is "really nothing left
for it but to accept this Russian offer."
In the greatest spirit of friendship and camaraderie it seems that I
can go to Russia as an advisor or consultant and have my own laborato-
ries and receive very high fees. And it is all so easy because it has al-
ready been ascertained that I could get my passport extended and all I
312
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
had to do was go to Paris and there a Russian plane would pick me up
and that would be that.
Indeed I suppose that would be that.
This is my third invitation to go to Russia. The first was extended to
me by a member of Amtorg in New York in 19313 who knew of my work
in the field of the mind. The second occurred less directly in 1948 after
some personal difficulty. This third has come when the Phoenix organi-
zation has been collapsed and it would not be known that it did not
influence my own affairs as much as it might be thought.
Hubbard goes on to list, "some of the personnel connected to the
Phoenix trouble," who had "now drifted into Washington." Many of
hose mentioned were members in good standing and remained so for
many subsequent years. One of these was Jack Horner, the first per-
son to be awarded a "Doctor of Scientology" certificate.
Horner, when recently presented with these letters, expressed
surprise. Hubbard at the time had given no indication of any hostile
intention toward Horner, let alone that he was writing to the FBI im-
plying he was a communist. But he was somewhat amused in light of
the fact that he has been, for most of his life, a "Goldwater Repub-
lican."
Hubbard's letter concludes:
I suppose when the Russian-inclined "friend" finds that my desires
to travel in and work in Russia do not exist, I can expect more violent
measures.
I have not given you the name of this contact because it is a little too
highly placed on the Hill and because it may be that he is acting in an
entirely friendly way and it may be, as I sometimes learn, that the fate
of Scientology and its adventures has good word of mouth. I would not
submit you an irresponsible report which then might find me under
the TV cameras telling one of this man's committees why I reported
him as a communist because I do not know that he is-I only know that
he and his influence has been quite liberal and in all the smoke of the
Summit he may be carried away with enthusiasm. But he did know,
when no possible reasonable way existed for him to know, too much
about the activities of a subject about which he professes to know noth-
ing and he has made several allusions to my possible fate in the United
States, rather benign threats.
****
Around this time, Volney Matthison, whose electro-psychometer
had been used by Hubbard and many Scientologists, had fallen into
*Scientology in the Fifties*
313
disfavor. He had refused to surrender the patent to his invention. It
was the Matthison E-Meter, and Matthison was determined to keep
it that way. So in late 1954 the use of the E-meter was discontinued
by Hubbard.
Wrote Hubbard:
Yesterday, we used an instrument called an E-Meter to register
whether or not the process was still getting results so that the auditor
would know how long to continue it. While the E-Meter is an interest-
ing investigation instrument and has played its part in research, it is
not today used by the auditor....As we long ago suspected, the in-
tervention of a mechanical gadget between the auditor and the pre-
clear had a tendency to depersonalize the session....
In 1958 Don Breeding and Joe Wallis developed a modified, smaller,
battery operated version of Volney Matthison's device, which they pre-
sented to Hubbard. It was christened the Hubbard electrometer. What
a difference a name makes!
As you probably guessed, E-meters were suddenly once again essen-
tial to auditing!
****
RON JR.:
Dad believed firmly that Dianetics and Scientology were his alone:
"Nobody makes any money off this but me!" I heard him say many
times. And to do so was a fast way to be destroyed.
"It's mine!" I heard him scream, more times than I care to recall.
When he was in one of his rages he could really get profane. Some-
times he'd pick up an E-meter, "That fucking son of `a l,itch!" and he'd
just slam the thing right off the wall. Lost a lot of E-meters that way, or
whatever else was around.
As some old-time Scientologists have commented, "Hubbard could
mock up." Meaning he could create a "beingness" for himself an
identity.
Old Timer VERN TOWNSEND:
Yes he could "mock up." He'd be standing there lecturing, and by
God if he didn't resemble a red-headed likeness of the Buddha. He
seemed to be "glowing" appreciative beneficence.
314
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
JOHN SANRORNE :
The guy fits the mold of the coyote and the trickster. There's a lot of
lore about the coyote and the trickster. Not all bad either. There's a lot
of warrior in the coyote and the trickster. It's sort of like you take a
brilliant guy, who may have been sensitive. As a child he may have
been hooted at. He may have been treated badly by the kids. He possi-
bly became one of the guys that wants to "get" the world....
Hubbard liked to think of himself as just naturally wonderful. He
liked to think of himself as being worshipable. And he figured that if he
could just keep his image up and not let us know about his girlfriends
he'd be all right.
So anyway he liked to think of himself as a wonderful hero that's just
as light as a feather-; a guy who's dazzling and charming with red hair
and sparkling blue eyes and just a winsome way about him. But a guy
that can really get tough if he needs to.
****
In December of 1959 L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., walked out of the
Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, D.C., never to re-
turn.
"I had grown weary of the games my father played, I wanted to live
my own life. I was tired of the lies. I wanted to raise my family. I
wanted to rejoin the human race...and I wanted my family eating
regularly.*
*Hubbard, apparently resentful that his son had kept his wife and children out
of the organization, had cut Ron Jr.'s weekly pay to almost nothing.
9
Lord of the Manor
Saint Hill Manor, a traditional Georgian mansion, was built in
1728. It was purchased by Hubbard in 1959 for some 14 thousand
pounds (roughly 70 thousand dollars). "Mansions were going cheap
then," says Reg Sharpe, Hubbard's top administrator during most of
the Saint Hill years.
Prior to 1959 it was owned by the Maharajah of Jaipur, and prior to
that a Mrs. Anthony Drexel Biddle.
Here L. Ron Hubbard lived in splendor. He was regularly served
chilled bottles of Coke on a silver tray by his butler, Shepardson, and
drove either his new American car or his vintage Jaguar, when taking
a spin in the beautiful Sussex countryside.
By the time my wife Mary and I arrived in 1967 a castle had been
added, along with a small cluster of brick buildings used as adminis-
trative offices and a chapel, all very quaint and blending harmoni-
ously with the rolling English countryside. There were three tennis
courts, cattle, horses and a donkey on the 40 acres adjoining the
manor and an idyllic lake for fishing.
It was a disappointment when I discovered that Hubbard had not
been in England for some months.
His family was still there and we saw Mary Sue Hubbard on a regu-
lar basis and Diana Hubbard and Quentin were students on the "Ex-
ecutive course" that we enrolled in. They were in their early teens.
The Saint Hill grounds were lush green with many old majestic
trees and a small lake. They were well kept. Hubbard had set up hot
houses and had been growing plants in them, and gained world-wide
publicity with a photo of himself with a tomato plant hooked up to an
E-meter. Even plants had emotional reactions he claimed. (I don't
315
316
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
know if this was an original discovery-but years later others would in
turn "discover" much the same thing.)
There was talk of a Sea Project that never made much sense to me.
We settled down to study and work, on meager funds.
Excitement permeated Saint Hill during this period. Buses arrived
each morning and unloaded students, staff and pre-clears. The park-
ing lot was full, as were the classrooms and auditing rooms.
Much had happened prior to my arrival.
****
According to Hubbard, he came to England to promote and expand
Scientology and he liked it so much he decided to live there.
He had gone to Ireland first, prior to establishing St. Hill, to make
that country a base for Scientology.
John Sanborne, who followed him to England and worked for him
there, says:
Hubbard wrote the book Problems of Work on the Queen Mary, on
a trip to England in 1958. He just went into his stateroom and when he
got to London he handed it to them [the Scientologists] and said,
"Print it!"
He wrote Problems of Work with the idea of becoming the working
man's hero. He always wanted a country, and he thought by playing on
their dislike of the British and authority that he could just take over.
Not become Prime Minister or anything like that, but just be the guy
who pulls all the strings.
This did not work out at all well; but, undaunted, he traveled to
England where he spoke, not of British tyranny, but of Britain being
at the center of the bustling communication lines of the Planet (the
British having established these as part of their empire over the past
couple of centuries).
SANBORNE:
He thought he was going to move up in class by buying a manor.in En-
gland. That's such a queer interpretation of the system of England...
He put on his cowboy suit, got on his Harley-Davidson Motorcycle
and, as Parade Marshal, led the annual parade in the town, And he
seemed to think this was going to impress everyone.
****
John McMaster, the "world's first clear," in a recent interview:
I never spoke to Hubbard until I graduated from the Briefing
*Lord of the Manor*
317
Course in the first week in January 1964. And he sent for me then and
that's how it all started.
I said to him, "There's something I'd better tell you before some-
body else does. That I'm not a Scientologist. I never have been and I
never will be. I'm not even interested in Scientology. All I'm inter-
ested in is this function of auditing.
And he said, "John McMaster, that is exactly why I want you. You
are not like the rest out there."
And in the years of working with him I found out that he absolutely
despised people for being Scientologists....
Hubbard used affinity to manipulate people.
But it was always an apparent affinity, really. He would say to peo-
ple: "You are the only one." I have heard about a hundred people say
that to me: "Oh well, he told me I was the only one."
And people would never destroy their allegiance to Ron because he
had told them that they were "the only one."
That's the way he manipulated people with affinity. They would be
told they were the only one, and then he would tell them all sorts of
stories about what a difficult time he was having with Mary Sue. And
how they were the only one who understood and what a difficult time
he was having with the rest of the staff and you're the only one....
Of course, he tried this with me. "John McMaster, you are the only
one," and so on....
Hubbard had brought me a copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica and
he put it next to me. And he pointed to a thing he wanted me to read,
and that was where Buddha predicts that a red-headed man will appear
in the West-Meitreya and so on. And that his first disciple will be a
"disciple of love" (namely myself).
He got me doing all sorts of things.
For instance the "Standing Order number one" (which mandates,
"All mail addressed to me Hubbard] shall be received by me"):
He had stamps made of his various signatures and, over and above
handling all the technology and so forth, I handled all his letters.
I handled the whole lot and used his stamp and so on. But I used to
go over it in black ink so that people wouldn't be insulted.
But he didn't want to see the letters. He really didn't care.
So - with a few exceptions - I don't think he'd seen a letter to him in
years. Because in 1964 I started handling all his mail....
I was so excited and I loved the people so much that I would have
done anything to keep people happy and winning....
There were times when just the two of us were talking, there was
sometimes something very good. Sometimes. Other times I could see
318
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
that there was something very false. And then there were times when
he would just denounce everyone. And he would despise everyone.
He despised people for some reason....
...I had been sending notes to him about these people and he
hadn't done a thing about it, and these people were coming down to
the manor, and now it had reached the stage where I had to see him.
So I said to Ken Urquart, who was his butler at the time, "You'll just
have to take me up to his room. I've just got to see him."
Well it was about mid-day. He was just getting up. He was a night
owl. Anyway, Z got up there and he was just in his bathroom, which
was attached to his bedroom. He came out and I was surprised at the
color of his body. It was grey. He came out nude.
And there on a table was one of those enormous bottles of gin....
He went to South Africa in '66 to find all the Kruger millions. He
said he had discovered in an auditing session just exactly where he had
stashed them in an earlier lifetime. He had managed to make himself
quite unpopular in South Africa on a previous trip.
So, when the South African government wouldn't let him back in,
he flew back to Salisbury, in Rhodesia.
And he wanted to go into South Africa and find his buried treasure.
Obviously he didn't make that public. I was in America at the time
doing a promotional jaunt. I was called over to Rhodesia to be briefed
on a project.
In Rhodesia he was making a big thing out of what a big chap he was.
He claimed to have treasure buried in Rhodesia too. He wanted to take
over the whole country. He wanted a land mass...
****
Reg Sharpe was the number-one prior to John McMaster's ini-
tiation to the world of sta He had aided Hubbard with the financial
side of things in England since the mid-fifties when he helped get the
premises for the first London Scientology Org. He left in 1967 in pro-
test over the Sea Org tactics.
REG SHARPE:
You've only got to look. He bought cheaply and sold expensively. I
mean, what did he pay his auditors?
The Inland revenue were after him when he left England....
He had ambitions of being leader of the world government. This is
for real. He outlined his plans for a world government. I was to appoint
the governor of the bank of England. He published that. Why I wasn't
going to be the governor of the Bank of ` England I've never been quite
sure!
10
Clay in the Master's Hands
In 1961 I was 18..Fine Art was one of my passions and I was doing
quite well with clay sculpting. A bust I created of one of my teachers
was featured in a major New Zealand magazine, with a photograph
and story.
This publicity was exciting, and thereafter my art teacher Tom
Morgan increasingly spent time talking with me during lunch hours
and some of the after-school hours that I put in on various projects.
Tom was a Scientologist, but I never heard him use the word Scien-
tology or Dianetics until after I discovered what he was into from all-
other source. I guess he didn't want to be hit by the school adminis-
tration for promoting some strange cult.
He gave me animated and exciting one-on-one lectures about rein-
carnation and Eastern philosophy, in a way that appealed both to my
intellect and imagination.
Sometimes he would just "run processes" on me, informally. They
were delightful and just a hell of a lot of fun!
"What could you have done today2" he'd ask with a mischievous
interest.
"I could have stayed at home sick and avoided that damned math
test,"l responded.
"O.K., what could you have done today?" he said.
"I suppose I could have hopped on my motorscooter and gone to a
movie."
"O.K., what could you have done today2
More answers by me, and the same question was repeated by Tom
for some twenty or thirty minutes. It was interesting. I got more and
more creative with my answers and realized that I had the potential of
319
320
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
doing all sorts of thin's. This resulted in a new feeling of excitement
about the possibilities and opportunities of life.
This was quite a result from a simple little question, asked repeat-
edly, with no advice, lecturing or prompting by Tom. Just that simple
question, over and over. My admiration for what I began calling
"Tom's philosophy" was enhanced.
I eventually discovered the name Scientology from a friend of
Tom's and insisted that Tom give me some literature on it. He did,
and I was so impressed with the material I read that I quit school to
get a job to pay for a Scientology course.
I quit school six months before winning a university scholarship.
This would have put me into the top five percent as far as education in
New Zealand is concerned.
The Scientology course I took lasted two months full time, every
week day from nine A.M. till ten P.M.
Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health was the first text.
It had an appendix on the "Scientific Method" by "Bell laboratories."
It also had a Foreword by Dr. Winters. Both of these impressed me
with their objective approach to research. Since Hubbard had in-
cluded these in his book, and since he also claimed to be an engineer,
I assumed that he fully supported the ideas I was reading.
Training Routines (T.R.s) were the basis of the practical training to
become an auditor. These routines were done "tough."
Brian Livingston was a full-time student on these T.R.s. He was
doing "T.R.0," in which the student sits facing the "coach," about
three feet away, with the idea that the student does nothing but be
there for two hours; I1O fidgeting or moving about, nothing else but
being there. Among other things this drill was designed to improve an
auditor's ability to listen attentively.
I noticed that Brian was turning green. He said, "I'm going to
throw up!"
"Flunk, you spoke!" exclaimed his coach.
Brian stiffened and there was a determined look in his eyes, then a
few seconds later, he threw up all over the coach.
"Funk, you threw up!" said the coach stoically, while the supervi-
sor and one of his aides scurried for a bucket and mop. The drill con-
tinued as they cleaned up the smelly mess.
Brian went on to become one of the top auditors, serving Hubbard
aboard the Flagship during the later sixties and seventies.
There are "expert" witnesses who have testified as to how the T. R. s
*Clay in the Master's Hand's*
321
are "brainwashing." I personally have not seen that effect. On the
contrary, they seem to have had beneficial effects when coached
well.*
After T.R. O comes a "bullbaiting" step, where "buttons" are
pushed: The coach pokes around saying all sorts of personal (even ob-
scene) things, and cracking jokes, till he gets laughter or any other
reaction, such as blushing, fidgeting, looking away, or whatever.
Then he/she works that "button" over, till there is no more reaction.
The idea is that anyone who would audit another should have
enough self-control to not involuntarily react-with shock, surprise,
laughter, or whatever-to what his "pre-clear" tells him in session,
thus the "bullbaiting" training routine.
The remaining drills teach the "Auditing Communication Cycle."
This is where the auditor asks a question, the pre-clear looks into his
mind for an answer, gives the answer to the auditor, and the auditor
acknowledges the answer.
As a result of these drills, Scientologists have gained a reputation
for looking people straight in the eye and always acknowledging what-
ever is said to them. Many do it to the point of obsession.
There are five more T. R. drills, all presented as having the purpose
of enhancing one's ability to communicate with and direct others.
I did lots of T. R. s, and benefited quite a bit initially. I lost much of
my teenage shyness and began to handle people much more posi-
tively.
These drills were originated to train Scientologists to become good
auditors, but also became the basis for the introductory course to Sci-
entology: the "communication course."
Along with the T.R.s I learned the Scientology "axioms" verbatim;
one through fifty-one.
I audited all sorts of people who told me their intimate problems
and considerations. Here I was 19 years old, and men and women
twice or three times my age were baring their souls to me. It was
quite an experience. I grew up fast.
At the same time, looking back at it, because of the "wins" I was
having, I became increasingly inclined to see nothing wrong with
Hubbard and Scientology
Hubbard and his organization, of which I really knew very little,
*If "T.R. 0" or just "being there" for extended lengths of time is
"brainwashing," then so would be Zen meditation, being very similar to "T.R. O."
322
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
were somehow superimposed onto the good feelings inspired by de-
cent, caring people involved with these counseling techniques. Hub-
bard became equated in my mind with happiness, freedom and abil-
ity.
I began to credit Hubbard with, among other things, my feeling of
being superior to virtually any challenge presented me.
Hubbard also began to become equated with my own intentions for
helping Mankind. These intentions had always been there, but now
they were, in my mind, increasingly being credited to Hubbard.
The natural good feelings of esprit de corps that evolve as a group
works together for a common purpose, somehow also was credited to
Hubbard. "Ron's wonderful tech" was the reason I was receiving ad-
miration from those I assisted.
I had joined because of the anti-authoritarian message. I failed to
notice at the time that the message was coming from an ultra-
authoritarian source.
I did not see the similarity of what was happening to me and the
clay sculpting I had done so successfully under Tom Morgan's tute-
lage.
I was being molded by a true master.
Obtaining a loan, and with the help of my father, who was a brick-
layer, I built a house designed by Brian Livingston (who was an archi-
tect), and worked two jobs to accumulate enough money for my wife
and me to travel to England and study under Hubbard.
THE "LOWER GRADES" OF THE "BRIDGE
TO TOTAL FREEDOM"
The "grade chart," constituting Hubbard's "Bridge," had taken
shape during the mid-1960's and consisted of a recompilation of nu-
merous counseling procedures "developed by Ron" during the 1950s.
Dianetics was again added as "a level" to the line-up in 1968.
The "Bridge" and Hubbard, its supposed "Source, " are to Scientol-
ogists what the Bible, prayer, and Christ are to Christians: the central
objects of worship and adoration. Any attempt to understand the phe-
nomenon of Hubbard and the hypnotic influence he has on his follow-
ers, without some understanding of "his tech" and "the Bridge,"
would be a pointless exercise
****
The first level of the "lower bridge" addressed the improvement of
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
323
memory (in this case primarily pleasant memories). One of the proc-
esses consisted of following in sequence the commands:
Recall a time which was really real to you.
Recall a time when you felt real affinity* for someone.
Recall a time when someone was in good communication with you.
Also at this level the recalling of various "perceptics" is addressed.
One is asked to recall various past experiences with particular atten-
tion to a specific perceptic or sense, such as sight, smell, touch, emo-
tion, body position, weight, etc.
These, and the many other "recall processes," were of considerable
interest, and did frequently bring about an improvement of the abil-
ity to recall.
****
The next step on "the lower Bridge" was the communication level.
Here the "end phenomenon" (the end result of doing these proc-
esses) was said to be that one would be able to communicate freely
with anyone on any subject.
This always seemed a little bit of a tall order to me, but the proc-
esses certainly were interesting, and I did notice considerable com-
munication skill improvements in those I audited; and I also achieved
a greater ability to express myself effectively.
At the same time-true to the dual or "dichotomous" nature of the
Scientology movement-I was becoming gradually less willing to com-
municate in certain areas. After all, being a Scientologist-especially
with the advent of ultra-authoritarianism in the latter 1960's - meant ac-
cepting restrictions on thought and communication. But these restric-
tions, it was rationalized, were necessary so that Scientology could ac-
complish the immensely challenging and urgent task of bringing
freedom and sanity to Earth. After all, when the survival of the human
race is at stake, little things such as "freedom of speech" have to be
put in their proper perspective.
There are many communication processes and it is possible here to
present only a few.
"Communication is the universal solvent," wrote Hubbard, and in-
deed the mechanics of communication are the fundamentals of au-
diting
An example of a communication disability might be the compulsive
*Affection or feeling of closeness.
324
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
taller. He has an inability to receive a communication because he is
compulsively subjecting others to a verbal outpouring, without ever
noticing their obvious disinterest.
Of course there is also the inability to originate a communication:
thus, the "wallflower" type of individual.
In order to improve communication abilities, various processes are
run at the communication level (level 0) of the "Grade Chart."
One process lists identities, such as men, bosses, wives, husbands,
teachers, cops, etc. (which get a reaction on the E-meter when men-
tioned by the auditor or the pre-clear-indicating "charge," or emo-
tional discomfort). Providing that the pre-clear expresses interest, the
following questions are asked:
Auditor: "If you could talk to a ______ (e.g., traffic cop), what
would you talk about?"
The pre-clear: "Why he seems to get such pleasure hassling me for
small infractions."
"O.K., if you could talk to a ______ (traffic cop) about that, what
would you say exactly?"
The answer is given and acknowledged, and the questions are re-
peated. Usually a realization concerning the subject at hand occurs,
with a resultant freeing up in the area of communication. At this point
the process is ended.
(Certainly the posing of a question to another - while inviting him
or her to come up with answers-culminating in a bit of enlighten-
ment, is not original with Scientology. But Hubbard may be unique
in his exploitation on this basically benign endeavor.)
Another process: "Spot [locate in the enviRonment or in your mind]
some desired communication" [e.g., someone you care for expressing
affection for you, or being told, "You've got the raise you've been ask-
ing for," etc. 1. "Spot some enforced communication" e. g., having to
say you're sorry when you know you're in the right]. "Spot some in-
hibited communication" [e.g., something you wanted to say but
didn't], and so on.
Of course, if one dared reject the myriad enforced and inhibited
communications that are built into the Church of Scientology - such
as by not applauding Hubbard's photo during an event or
by criticizing some aspect of the "tech," or Church officials, muster, or
sisting with a line of questioning about where the money g( or by per-
be sent, pronto, to "ethics."
In 1965 "forbidden cognitions" (things that are not permitted for
one to realize) even became an official part of Scientology - although
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
325
announced by Hubbard only in a small paragraph, in a bulletin on
another subject. Church pre-clears usually instinctively know better
than to have such realizations. This combination of liberation and op-
pression, carried along far enough, tends to produce sort of half-
enlightened, half-brainwashed individuals: warped little cross-eyed
buddhas.
Having received much of my auditing prior to the "militarization"
of Scientology, I didn't turn out as "cross-eyed" as some. But Hub-
bard did work his "black magic" on me. I'm still shaking it off. Inter-
estingly enough, however, the positive results of the auditing I re-
ceived largely remain.
Many former Scientologists, now more or less freed from
Hubbard's "spell," still regard many of the procedures of the "lower
grades" as valid and beneficial. The "upper levels" of Scientology,
however, have not held up so well. (See "Through The Wall of Fire,"
Part II, Chapter 13.)
****
After the communication level, the problems level is embarked
upon:
"Problems" are said to be composed of those things one has refused
to confRont or take responsibility for.
Of course, there are "positive problems" (consisting of challenges,
goals to be attained, games to be won) and life would be very boring
without them. This level of auditing deals with resolving "negative
problems," which are a kind of treading water situation. One does
nothing constructive about these problems, since one fails to face up
to something regarding them.
Such problems often stem from false or missing information (such
as, for example, "No one wants to go out with me." when-if he only
asked-dozens of girls would have). They just result in useless worry
and introversion.
One of the dozens of processes of this level is:
What about that problem could you confRont? [alternated with the
question] What about that problem would you rather not confRont?
****
Areas of problems sometimes inspire bad solutions (e.g., stealing to
solve the problem of lack of money; or someone "solving" the prob-
lem of frustrations at work by screaming at the kids). Such non-
survival "solutions" are labelled "overts" in Scientology.
326
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
So after the problem level comes the overts level.
An "overt" is a harmful act.
Auditing besides looking at harmful acts done to oneself by an-
other, also looks at his own "overts" against others: a kind of purging
of one's karma. One usually looks earlier than this life for the real
juicy "overts." The idea being that one's difficulties are as much, or
more, the result of what he did to others, than that which was done to
him.
Reincarnation is of course hardly Hubbard's discovery, but his pre-
sentation of it was very appealing to me. The poem, "Intimations of
Immortality," by Wordsworth, reflects the emotions I felt as a teen-
ager contemplating reincarnation:
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:
The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star
Hath had elsewhere its setting,
And cometh from afar:
Not in entire forgetfulness
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come...
The idea goes that one may not only be "trailing clouds of glory,"
but also a few thunderclouds and perhaps some spiritual smog or acid
rain.*
That one's own misdeeds are definitely a factor in one's; misfortunes
is very much a part of Scientology. However, to assert that at least
some of the Church's troubles may have been the result of "overts" by
Hubbard or his agents would be considered blasphemy.
To be a Scientologist is to live in a world full of "enemies," with
Hubbard and his Church innocent and perfect, and the "enemies" to-
tally evil.
****
The next level addressed in auditing, concerns the area of upsets.
The basic principle of this level is that by isolating the exact "time,
place, form or event" of an upset and having the person confRont that,
the upset resolves.
*The Church stRongly adheres to the policy that any criticism of it or its
founder simply means that the critic is, in effect, spiritually polluted;
loaded with hidden crimes and dirty deeds. This, combined with compulsory
metered confession, constitutes one of the organization's key control
mechanisms. It is covered earlier, mainly in Part I, Chapters 9 and 12.
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
327
Lists of common causes of upsets are read out to the pre-clear and
the E-meter is watched by the auditor for a reaction of the needle at
the end of every item read on the list.
If an item "reads" (reacts), it is checked with the P.C. and he is
given an opportunity to talk about it. If necessary, an "earlier similar"
upset is located, and communicated until the upset is "handled."
During the *upsets* level, certain techniques are used. These have to
do with locating times and places when an individual experienced se-
vere upsets. Aiding the function of "assessing" till one locates the cor-
rect source of an upset or other "item" (person, time, place, etc.) is a
basic function of the E-meter.
At this level, "assessing" includes choosing the correct source of a
given upset from a series of possible sources.
Upsets often persist because of generalities such as "Everyone is
against me," or "I hate women!" One hears these general phrases
during everyday turmoil.
In order to resolve this, one must narrow things down to specific
people, dates and places. And so "assessing" is used.
For example, mothers know how to assess instinctively:
"Who hit you?....Joe, Lisa, Jonathan...." and so on until the
three-year-old nods, and sobbingly tells what happened (and when
and where) until he ceases to be upset.
Wrote Count Alfred Korzybski, from whom Hubbard took so much:
In most cases. of "insanity" or "unsanity," there is a disorientation
as to "space" and "time."
So when things get irrational (insane or unsane), it is necessary to
orient the person being "unsane" to the exact location and time when
things went awry.
Another example of this is where a "hatred" (upset) is generalized.
For example, a person might feel hatred for all mankind. He has not
indexed (assessed) who he hates-and who he does not hate, and
why-so he just hates generally.
It becomes necessary to differentiate whom he hates, from whom
he does not hate; to discover what happened to generate the hate,
and where and when the upset causing the hate first occurred.
The process of sorting this out can be highly rewarding.
Thus, tagging dates to events, (or "dating" as Hubbard calls that
procedure); and sorting out where something occurred ("locating,"
Hubbard calls it) are key tools in resolving human conflicts and emo-
tional turmoil.
Wrote Korzybski in Science and Sanity (first published 1935):
328
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
In many instances serious maladjustments follow when "hate" ab-
sorbs the whole affective energy* of a given individual... Thus an
individual "hates" "all mothers," "all fathers," etc., in fact hates the
whole fabric of human society, and becomes neurotic and even psy-
chotic. Obviously it is useless to preach "love" for those who have hurt
and done the harm. Just the opposite; as a preliminary step, by in-
dexing [assessing] we allocate or limit the hate to the individual Smith
instead of a hate for a generalization that spreads over the world. In
actual cases we can watch how this allocation helps the given person.
The more they "hate" the individual Smith instead of the generaliza-
tion, the more positive affective energy is liberated and the more "hu-
man" and "normal" they become....But even this individualized
"hate" is not desirable and we eliminate it rather simply by dating. Ob-
viously Smith 1920 is not Smith 1940 and most of the time hurt 1920
would not be a hurt in 1940.
Thirty years after the publication of Korzybski's book, Hubbard
wrote:
Great News!
I've found the basis of ARC breaks!** [hates]
...And now all is revealed: This is what makes an ARC break oc-
cur:
An ARC: break occurs on a generality...
Example: Little boy screaming with rage when he makes a mistake in
drawing. Auditor observes little boy is upset.
Auditor: "What are you upset about?"
Little Boy: (howling) "My drawing is no good!"
Auditor: "Who said your drawing is no good?"
Little Boy: (crying) "The teachers at school" (plural).
Auditor: "What teacher?" (singular).
Little Boy: (sobbing) "Not the teachers, the other chil-
dren" (plural).
Auditor: "Which one of the other children?"
Little Boy: (suddenly quiet) "Sammy."
Auditor: "How do you feel now?"
Little Boy: (cheerfully) "Can I have some ice cream?"
*"Affective energy" equates to Hubbard's "theta."
**Affinity, Reality, Communication, which equate to "Understanding." ARC breaks
are breakdowns of Affinity or Reality or Communication or Understanding. In
other words "upsets" or "hates."
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
329
As in Korzybski's method of resolving "hates" by indexing (as-
sessing), this little boy (with the assistance of the auditor) isolated the
source of "hate" or upset and so ceased to be upset.*
My guess is Hubbard had just reviewed some of Korzybski's writ-
ings when he made his "discovery."
I had never read any of Korzybski's work, and was certainly not en-
couraged to do so. I assigned authorship of all this material to
Hubbard. It wasn't until I had left the Church of Scientology that ed-
ucator B. Robert Ross, a General Semanticist and independent Dia-
netic therapist, alerted me to the Korzybski connection.
****
After the "upsets" level, the next level of "the Bridge" deals with
fixed ideas.
"How blind our familiar assumptions make us," wrote Korzybski.
Giving an extreme example, Korzybski spoke of a phenomenon
(describing the insane):
The insane have structural, conscious or unconscious, "premises"
which are "false"...
...these semantic disturbances and tensions make the "mentally"
ill believe irresistibly in the "truth" of their "premises" and their in-
ductions and deductions which they follow blindly...to the mentally
ill these "premises" have the value of "the" and not "a" premise. They
act upon them and so cannot adjust themselves to a world different
from their own fancies.
Short of this extreme, "normal" individuals may be subject to
something similar.
For example, a fellow might be having a difficult time communicat-
ing to his wife. They have problems that don't resolve. He gets angry
and breaks her favorite teapot. She tears up his autographed picture
of Joe DiMaggio. This results in a giant argument and she moves out.
He demands she stay but she refuses. She finally insists on a divorce
and, despite his impassioned pleas and protests, the marriage comes
to an end. The big zinger for him is seeing her shortly thereafter with
a fine-looking fellow, having a grand time-while she ignores him to-
tally.
At that point, in order to save his self-esteem, he adopts a "fixed
*It might be necessary to locate, and sort out, an "earlier similar upset" for
the upset to resolve. This is all pure Korzybski.
330
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
idea," which serves as an explanation for his failure, and makes him
"right." Something like, "She's no good, all she wanted
This can slip into the further generality of, "Women are no good, all
they want is money."
Go down to skid row sometime, and ask one of the bums what his
"philosophy of life" is. He'll probably give you a very "solid" fixed
idea that makes him right and another wrong. If you could find out
what happened just before he adopted it, you'd find his "failure to
cope.
So the "grade four" level of auditing is designed to free one of old,
stupifying fixed ideas. Of course, at the same time, if one refuses to
adopt the official "fixed ideas" of the Church of Scientology, one's
days are numbered. Again the dichotomy....The dual nature of
Scientology.
****
The next level was "POWER. " This is a transition level designed to
prepare a person for the "upper levels." "Power" processes could
only be taught at Saint Hill in England in 1967 (and are still restricted
to "higher organizations"). This restriction also applies to the levels
above power.
It was the first level that became confidential. Unless one had paid
for the level, one could not see any of the materials regarding it. That
fact, plus the surveyed title (Hubbard was keenly aware of Madison
Ave techniques), was designed with marketing in mind.
Power processes constituted grade 5 and 5A. It was a big deal to be
a power auditor, and my wife and I determined to learn the skills of
this level after we had completed the Saint Hill Special Briefing
Course.
We became "elite" class 7 power auditor interns.
The power processes were, from my observation, often effective in
assisting an individual to think for himself; to become more creative;
to effectively resist authoritarianism. One was strengthened in one's
ability to maintain a viewpoint and to hold a position. The ability to
hold a position was said to be the fundamental ingredient of power as
a spiritual being.
It is interesting to me, therefore, that these procedures have been,
by Hubbard's order, rarely used in Scientology since 1978.
When reading the first process, it may become apparent why this is
so.
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
331
This power process deals with the ability to identify the source of
things: Where do things come from? Who had the idea, who said
something or who did something? On the other hand, it was also said
to be important that one be able to identify who or what is not the
source of something.
The "commands" (asked, in sequence, 1, 2, 3, 4) are extremely ele-
mentary:
Tell me a source.
Tell me about it.
Tell me a no source.
Tell me about it.
****
In 1978 since the FBI raids, of course, Hubbard was dedicated to
disguising the fact that he was the source of management orders
throughout the Guardian's Office years. He was, at the same time,
heavily promoting himself as the "Source" of virtually all "valid
knowledge" about the mind and spirit.
So people who could genuinely recognize true sources were not a
"needed or wanted" commodity.
The next level, "old style" goals processing or "clearing," dealt
with the rehabilitation of a person's own ability to create his own life
and locate and follow his own current goals. It was discontinued
around 1966. Apparently it was too effective, and sometimes made
people "too free." "Too free" being defined as "free of Scientology
and Hubbard's control."
Only warped little cross-eyed buddhas on this assembly line, thank
you!
In its place since then is a procedure that reflects Hubbard's
recurring fixation on science fiction type scenarios consisting mostly
of "hypnotically implanted goals. " Such goals were said to have been
deliberately and maliciously installed into a person's subconscious
mind throughout his travails in many lifetimes. Many of these lives
were said to have been lived on other planets besides Earth. Some
societies, both on Earth and on other planets, were said to have been
very scientifically advanced.
Hubbard had dismissed his own idea of "implanted goals" as of no
real consequence, being "1000 times less powerful," in the effect of
332
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
messing someone up, than a person's own contradictory goals. That
all changed after 1966.
****
Besides Korzybski, another source of "the tech," which Hubbard
was not anxious to have recognized, was Aleister Crowley....
I became aware of the "Crowley connection" a year or so after believ-
ing the Church of Scientology, when Brian Ambry brought that con-
nection to my attention. I find Crowley's work at times repulsive, but
also at times of considerable interest. His words often have a familiar
ring to me, since I have so often read Hubbard's restatement of them.
For example:
...we then continue the conquest of matter; and we are getting
pretty expert....
The world of mind seems almost as savage and unexplored as the
world of nature seemed to the Greeks. There are countless worlds
unpath'd and uncomprehended-and even unguessed, we doubt not.
Therefore we set out diligently to explore and map these untrodden
regions of the mind.
Surely our adventures may be as exciting as those of Cortes or Cook!
- CROWLEY, from the Equinox.
...When all horizons are measured, all swamps mapped, all des-
erts charted...there will yet be a world of unknown frights and
glooms and cheers to explore, there will yet be a universe of adventure
left....You. The universe of You.
From the first moment of a co-auditing session the pre-clear begins
to make discoveries-discoveries to him far more important than Bal-
boa's glimpse of the Southern Sea or Columbus glance at San Salva-
dor.
- HUBBARD, from Ability magazine, no. 6
BRIAN AMBRY:
"Much of what became the `OT data' of the Philadelphia Doctorate
Course tapes, and other lectures and writings of Hubbard's, which Sci-
entologists read and listen to with appreciative awe, are simply rehash-
ings of data and techniques from the writings of Aleister Crowley.
"Crowley, in spite of his egotism and eccentricities, and regardless
of the `ultra-Nietzschean' sentiments of The Book of The Law, did
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
333
serve as a relay point for a great deal of previously secret material that
had been part of 'mystery schools' and the like.
"The parallels between Hubbard's works and those of Crowley
could fill an entire book. These include basic concepts and practical
`technology" to a myriad of little things.
"Even the `Scientology symbol,' the `S with the double triangle' is
but an embodiment of Crowley's motto: Love is the Law; Love under
Some of "Hubbard's ideas" which were, apparently, taken from
materials relayed through Crowley are:
"Spacation (the creation of `mental' space); mental mock-ups (crea-
tive processing**); the idea of a multiplicity of infinite minds; putting
the subject into `axioms'; grades; the concept of OT; forms of co-audit-
ing and solo auditing; developing past life recall; the idea of gradiently
increasing one's confRont; `exteriorization'; drills done while exterior
from the body; and much much more...can be found in Crowley's
works."
****
"Exteriorization:
"Such things as `out of the body experiences,' `remote viewing,'
`soul travel,' or as it's referred to in Scientology, `exteriorization,' or
`exteriorization with perception,' are-no matter how skeptical one
might be-taken quite seriously by even the likes of the military and
covert intelligence agencies, in both the United States and the Soviet
Union.
"Certainly parapsychologists recognize that such things occur. The
question is not so much does it occur but hour? Even die-hard soviet
materialists concede that remote viewing, telekinesis, and telepathy
occur, and have their own elaborate materialistic explanations for
them.
"Other viewpoints, expressed in the utterances of - among others -
*"To anyone who has studied Scientology, I recommend that they read Crowley's
Book 4, the chapters on the `wand' (Will) and the `cup' (understanding). It
will enhance greatly their understanding of that religion's symbol, of
`KRC/ARC' (Top triangle = Knowledge/responsibility/Control. Bottom triangle =
Affinity/Reality/Communication, which equate to understanding).
"I also recommend Crowley's Magick in Theory and Practice, and especially
Magick Without Tears."
**See Glossary.
334
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Hebrew, Persian, Indian, and Tibetan mystics, reflect the spiritual ex-
planation :
"`Man is essentially a non-physical being not bound, ultimately, by
physical restrictions.'
"There is a substantial and impressive background, in many disci-
plines, dealing with this area of capability, its development and en-
hancement.
"As in so many areas, Hubbard took these phenomena and claimed
to be the only one who really understood them, and also to possess
the only techniques that would allow for their development.
"Up to 1978 the `upper bridge' contained many exercises where
one drilled the ability to be `exterior,' the ability to project intention,
and perceive without need of a body and so on.
"Then suddenly, all positive spiritual exercises were dropped from
the Scientology `Bridge.'
"Despite this, to this day Scientologists believe-in their typically
naive and pretentious manner-that they have some kind of monop-
oly on `exteriorization' and related phenomena....
"Scientologists tend to be very `interiorized' people-stuck inside
the official Hubbard `reality bubble.'
"An old fundamental maxim of Scientology is: `Considerations take
rank over mechanics of Space, Energy, Time.' In other words, thought
is senior to the physical universe.
"Overlooked by the rank and file of glassy-eyed Scientologists is
that-while they walk around terribly impressed with the idea that
their considerations `take rank over the physical universe'-the fact is
L. Ron Hubbard's considerations take absolute rank over their con-
siderations."
****
"Hubbard defines a `consideration' as a `continuing postulate.'
"The idea of 'postulates,' so central to Scientology, is also the very
cornerstone of Crowley's Magick. A postulate is a `decision' that has
the power to affect an individual or others. A postulate infers will and
actions rather than just plain `think.' It has a dynamic connota-
tion....
"The subject of ceremonial magic, and related disciplines and prac-
tices, deal with making `postulates stick' (casting spells); with making
one's dynamic decisions come true; with following through on one's
will.
*Clay in the Master's Hands*
335
"Hubbard said in 1952:
"The old magician was the great, great grandfather of your modern
stage magician. The stage magician doesn't even know the old magi-
cian even existed....
"...and the magician was very ritualistic; and he would very care-
fully postulate what effect he was trying to achieve before he would be
cause for that effect.
"Said Crowley:
"Every successful act has conformed to the postulate.
"Every failure proves that one or more of the requirements of the
postulate have not been fulfilled."
****
"Unlike Hubbard, Crowley advocated the study of many systems
and disciplines.
"Whatever one may think of Aleister Crowley and his unfortunate
obsession with drugs and Satanic imagery, he gave good advice when
explaining the reason behind a long 'recommended reading list' cov-
ering other subjects:
"When the mind is stRongly biased towards any special theory, the
result of an illumination is often to enflame that portion of the mind
which is thus overdeveloped, with the result that the aspirant, instead
of becoming an Adept, becomes a bigot or fanatic.
"Good advice, but odd, coming from a man who was, himself, in
many respects fanatical."
****
"Hubbard had claimed that there were no `spiritual exercises' prior
to Scientology. As an illustration of what a ridiculous and deliberately
specious claim that was, I include the following spiritual exercise from
one of Crowley's works:*
"It is assumed that the practicus [the person practicing: student] has
thoroughly conquered the elementary difficulties of Dharana [concen-
tration], and is able to prevent mental pictures from altering shape,
size and colour against his will.
*Itself a rewording of a much earlier "spiritual drill" or "exercise."
336
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
"Seated in the open air, let him endeavour to form a complete men-
tal picture of himself and his immediate surroundings. It is important
that he should be in the center of such picture, and be able to look
freely in all directions. The finished picture should be a complete con-
sciousness of the whole, fixed, clear, and definite.
"Let him gradually add to this picture by including objects more and
more distant, until he have an image of the whole field of vision.
"He will probably discover that it is very difficult to increase the ap-
parent size of the picture as he proceeds, and it should be his most
earnest endeavour to do so. He should seek in particular to appreciate
distances, almost to the point of combatting the laws of perspective.
"Let the Practicus form a mental picture of the Earth, in particular
striving to realise the size of the earth in comparison with himself, and
let him not be content until by assiduity he has well succeeded. Let
him add the moon, keeping in mind the relative sizes of, and the dis-
tance between, the planet and its satellite.
"He will probably find the final trick of mind to be a constant disap-
pearance of the image, and the appearance of the same upon a smaller
scale. This trick he must outwit by constancy of endeavor.
"He will then add in turn Venus, Mars, Mercury and the Sun. It is
permissible at this stage to change the point of view to the center of the
Sun, and to do so may add stability...."
****
Hubbard had once mentioned Crowley as his "good friend" in the
Philadelphia Doctorate lectures, and my wife and I had, by pure
chance, actually lived for a time in 1967 in Crowley's home town of
Tunbridge Wells, near Saint Hill, England. Yet his name was new to
me when I heard it, and read some of his works, after we split from
Scientology.
I also became aware of how many Dianeticists and early Scientolo-
gists had contributed to the creation of what is good in the "tech"
(what some call "white Scientology"). Seeing Hubbard as the focal
point of a thrust toward a better earth, they contributed their ideas
and discoveries selflessly.
****
Until leaving the Church I had been hypnotized by "the genius" of
L. Ron Hubbard, who "had singlehandedly discovered all this won-
derful material!"
My gratitude had softened me up. He could mold me as he wished.
11
Heads In Toilets
"There are men dead because they attacked us.... - L. RON
HUBBARD.
While my wife and I were on the Saint Hill Special Briefing course,
three or four people split off from the Church and took the secret
clearing course materials with them. (These were a small part of what
later developed into the "Wall of Fire" materials, covered in Chapter
13.)
This was during the latter part of 1967....We were still not used
to seeing Scientologists in naval uniforms.
Jill Van Staden was a good looking slender brunette in her mid-
seventies. She took her authority seriously and looked the part. The
lanyard and the officer's hat with "scrambled eggs" all over it was
carefully placed so as not to detract from her face, which was usually
very easy to look at.
On this occasion, however, the eyes were cold and the face taut.
Her voice was hard as she called a "That's it!" and began slapping
down a goldenrod-colored (dark yellow) mimeo sheet in fRont of ev-
eryone.
When she was done with the ritual, she gave us a brief announce-
ment which had the tone of a judge pRonouncing a sentence of death.
I hardly heard a word. I was reading the message on the paper.
It was typed over the name L. Ron Hubbard and essentially did
order the death of the four who had "stolen" the clearing course mate-
rials.
Any Sea Org member who met up with any of these people were
ordered to use "R.2-45" on them.
337
338
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
R.2-45 had been used as a joke in one of Hubbard's books as an
"exteriorization process which is not acceptable to society at this
time." The joke was that a colt.45 pistol would of course be a very
effective process of getting a spirit to go exterior to its body.
This time it was no joke! (although it should be noted that, as far as
I know, no one ever followed through).
Sea Org members were also ordered to run processes "wrong way
to" on any of the four (meaning to reverse the processes in such a way
as to cause mental damage or insanity).
This was a chilling experience for me. I had somehow been able to
rationalize the "Fair Game Policy" and the various policies ordering
suppressive declares and lowered conditions, but this one was hard to
swallow.
This event was only the beginning.
The peaceful and beautiful enviRonment of Saint Hill was being in-
vaded by a team of true blue Sea Org: officers with virtually total au-
thority.
Ian Shillington (about 17 years of age) and Joe Van Staden, Jill's
husband at the time, also in officers' uniforms, with daggers on the
belts, had arrived on mission from the Flagship.
Irv Williams, an American, then in his late twenties, who had re-
cently joined staff at Saint Hill, recalls:
There were three major Sea Org missions to Saint Hill during late
'67 and '68.
The Van Staden mission was the third and the scariest. Ron was on
the ship-somewhere-and was telexing things, and fired this mission
off. I was the staff Ethics Officer at Saint Hill, and they put all ethics
officers in "liability." All ethics officers and Hubbard Communications
Office people (who police compliance with Hubbard's orders) were just
automatically assigned "liability." (They were told they hadn't been
tough enough.)
And Joe Van Staden got a ladder and climbed up to the ceiling and
slammed this dagger into a beam. Then he said, "This will fall on you
and kill you!" Everybody was jumping to. I mean, anyone who looked
cross-eyed would be declared suppressive immediately.
They were just looking for heads to put on pikes. That state of siege
lasted for a couple of weeks. I slept in the monkey room (a large room
in the Manor, which the previous owner, the Maharajah of Jaipur, had
commissioned painted with lots of monkeys). Everybody was on "bat-
tle stations" (on alert, working on a laid out plan called a "battle plan";
the terminology had turned military) 24 hours a day.
*Heads In Toilets*
339
This continued until they decided that things were under control
and then they went away. And things went back to normal - as normal
as things were after this heavy ethics started being implemented.
By this time we began to believe that Ron meant it. We still couldn't
understand why he was doing this because it was in such contradiction
of all of his basic teachings and principles. With the idea that force
doesn't work, with the idea that punishment is a former practice, and
it.s been tried for thousands of years and it doesn't help. And here are
these people running around wearing Gestapo boots, and punishing
and threatening.
And it was being done at his direct order.
It was very grim.
****
On the second mission, executives were removed and thrown in the
dungeon. Since I was an ethics officer, I was sent down to the Royal
Scotsman in Southhampton, before it ever sailed. I was to receive
"ethics training."
Hubbard was on the ship at the time. I was picked up in the middle
of the night, "You come with us now. Don't ask any questions. Just get
some clothes on and come." And they took me down to Southhampton
without telling me where they were taking me.
By being picked up in the middle of the night and taken to an un-
known destination under conditions of great secrecy, the whole two
days was kind of dream-like. It was slightly unreal. You didn't really
know why you were there or what was going to happen. It was all mys-
terious. There was a great deal of stress. This was LRH! If he decided
to have you thrown overboard you'd go! If he decided you'd never be
seen again, that's probably what would happen. So you didn't want to
cross him.
The Sea Org members were so gung-ho, they would have done any-
thing anything, if that had been the order.
Hubbard was on the ship for some weeks before we arrived.
He was very familiar with the ship. He knew where everything was.
He was very much at home.
We arrived at this big rusty hulk of a freighter. And I was put on
board and didn't see LRH for about twelve hours. They wanted me to
sign this contract. And I wanted to know what I was signing. And they
said,"Well, you're coming on board and you have to sign this." And I
insisted on looking at the paper, and it was a Sea Org contract! And I
said, "No I don't think I want to join the Sea Org for a billion years."
Anyway, they threw me in the crew quarters. And there was Fred
Hare who had had "his head lobbed off" during the previous mission.
340
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
He had been a high-ranking executive. And there he was. He'd been
the high and mighty who'd put me in my place when I was ethics
officer and there he was miserable and degraded and coughing. God,
he never stopped coughing.
And we became kind of friends at that point. I guess because we
were fellow prisoners, now endurers of misery....At one point Ron
gave us a lecture on ethics in the passageway. He was resplendent in a
tailored uniform with braid all over it, a jaunty naval cap, and highly
polished black shoes. A couple of Sea Org people held microphones,
recording the thing.
So after several days of "ethics training" we were packed up and sent
back to Saint Hill.
Almost a year later, Irv Williams was sent to do the Class 8 Course
on board the Apollo at Corfu Greece. Here the rusty hulk of the
Royal Scotsman, which he remembered from Southhampton, Eng-
land, had been transformed into the resplendent, white Apollo.
Irv tells the story:
The original Class lj Course...September to October 1968, I
think. The orgs each got telexes announcing that there was now a Class
8 Course and they wert to send somebody tech qualified. The telex
added, "Bring real roses."
I was put on a plane and got to Athens, Greece, then over to Corfu
on a commuter line....
The next morning they started the class. We were given boiler suits.
Everybody went to class except myself and Albert McGraw. We were
brought in fRont of Sea Org officers who started screaming and shaking
their fists in our f:aces because I had brought a check, and the telex had
said "real roses" which meant "cash!"
Albert had committed a similar heinous crime. He had brought New
Zealand money-which "was useless" (since they would have to go
through a time-consuming procedure to be able to use it outside of that
country due to New Zealand government restrictions).
They threw him overboard on the spot with his money. And he
spent the next half hour swimming around trying to grab it all. We
later hung it up on a clothesline in a room
So for the next three weeks we were on course.
We didn't see LRH except each evening when he'd lecture. But he
Case Supervised our auditing. And each evening we had to march in
and stand at attention. And then he would come in and sit down and
give a lecture, which was recorded
It was a very grueling course. Every morning at six we arose and put
*Heads In Toilets*
341
on these boiler suits, and we had to wear these rough thick hemp
nooses around our necks-because we weren't fit to wear a lanyard. So
we wore these things, which were suggestive of a hangman's noose,
around our necks.
Then we had to muster on deck. And we'd all march in formation to
the deck, the lower deck, closest to the sea. About twenty feet above
sea level. Then our punishments would be read out.
Those who were judged by LRH to have been non-standard in their
auditing were thrown overboard on his written instructions. The Sea
Org officers didn't throw us overboard. The other students had to
throw the offender overboard. We had to. We would grab someone or
be grabbed and tossed. And it's a long drop on a cold chilly morning.
Unfortunately nobody ever asked whether anybody could swim.
And a couple of the Class 8 students could not swim and they were in
trouble. The Sea Org officers didn't really care, apparently, but we
cared quite a bit. And in one case someone jumped in to help the
person-to keep him from drowning.
And someone would go down to a lower deck and open a hatchway.
But the hatchway was about three or four feet above the water level,
and when you're tired and you've got this heavy wet boiler suit hang-
ing onto you, it's really hard to jump out of the water high enough to
catch that ledge and get back in the ship.
A couple of students didn't agree about being overboarded. Most of
us were resigned about it. But I remember one gal who fought tooth
and nail. She was in violent disagreement about being thrown over-
board.
The great feeling was at the end of that three weeks, when we grad-
uated. When we were told that we had passed, there was this tremeo-
dous feeling of having survived. It was a great relief!
The food there, by the way, was probably the worst food I have ever
eaten. It got worse every day. Burnt Brussels sprouts and other stuff,
and we just couldn't eat it.
Once we were done we were patted on the back. We were the big
heroes of the minute.
All during our time there we were kept away from LRH. His cabin
and his working area was on an upper deck. And during the day when
we were marching to lunch or dinner or whatever, we were absolutely
forbidden to ever go on the deck. We were forbidden to make any
noise while we were moving around because we could be disturbing
him.
When he came in for lectures, we came in first. We would go in and
sit. We'd wait for a while. Then he would come in preceded by a Sea
Org Officer and followed by a Sea Org Officer. And we would all stand
to attention. He would come in rather quickly and sit down.
342
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
He made very sure there was never any opportunity for any of us to
ever ask him a question, discuss anything with him. Not even say,
"Hi." It was very definite that it was one-way communication. He was
going to say things to us and we were going to listen. Looking at it now,
it had a hypnotic effect.
He would sit down, then we could sit down. He'd speak for an hour
or so. And we would applaud for a long time. Then he would get up
and leave while we all stood at attention and then we would all be
marched back-and this was late at night, about ten o'clock.
After we finished the class, we all had a party on ship. And we went,
allowed to talk to each other and wear civilian clothes and, about half-
way through the party, he came in, and actually mingled, but very
briefly-five minutes at the most. He allowed each of us to say some-
thing to him. I said something like, "Thank you very much for teaching
us this wonderful material." And he said, "I'm glad you like it." Then
he'd go on to somebody else. It was like a little reception line thing.
And then he left. And that was it. It was very very very controlled
communication
During the first lecture, he was livid, and pounding the table with
his fist. But I was so in awe that I couldn't evaluate him. We were all in
awe. There was such an imposed altitude. You know, when you talk to
the king, he may be friendly but he's always the king. You never forget
that he's the king. He doesn't let you forget that he's the king. He may
be very gracious to you, but that's because he's such a wonderful per-
son.
He was this god, this greater than life person, and he was almost
unconfrontable from that perspective.
He could at a whim destroy my life.
****
When the students who had gone to the ship returned to Saint Hill,
my wife and I were on the Class 7 internship. We were very excited
about discovering all the new tech that these guys would be able to
teach us.
The Class 8 course was being frantically promoted, on Hubbard's
orders, as virtually creating these super-auditors who would quickly
bring undreamed of changes in people's cases. OTs would "be coming
off the line" in short order.
Shortly thereafter Mary and I drove to Edinburgh, Scotland, to take
the first land based Class 8 course. The materials for this con-
sisted mainly of the tapes from the original course on the ship.
Since we were in a hotel in the middle of winter in Scotland, a
*Heads In Toilets*
343
novel method had to be devised to simulate the overboarding of a
ship anchored offshore on a Creek island.
The ceremonies were upstairs, where a bath was prepared with
cold water. It was winter in Scotland, near the arctic circle.
With the last of my meager funds, I had bought some wool trousers
to fend off the sub-zero temperatures, and it was the very next morn-
ing that I went "overboard."
Those trousers shrank half way up my ankles!
I remember particularly the "overboarding" of Joan Schnehager, a
South African woman in her fifties who was an auditor in training. She
was my pre-clear.
In shock, she exhaled so much air as she was immersed into the tub
that it took some three or four long minutes, as she tried to get
enough voice going, to read out the poem she had been given to read.
It was painful to hear her attempts to get some sound going. Finally
it came out:
"I (gasp) ______ am ______ a ______ disciple ______ of ______
Freud ______ I ______ love ______ to ______ kill ______ Pre-
clears - " (etc).
The Master at Arms was a pleasant Scottish fellow, who decided
that the freezing water was not necessary. So he put in just enough
hot water to take the worst chill off it. He was discovered, and was
himself overboarded in freezing water the next morning.
On the plus side, being in Scotland was to me exciting and, inter-
estingly enough, some of the auditing was quite a lot of fun and, I felt,
beneficial.
The first OT level required that you went to a place where there
were lots of people and note down observations of the way they
carried their bodies and so on.
I have always loved to just watch people, and since Edinburgh had
a festival in progress when I did this, with all the castles lit up and art
wares being displayed, it was all very exciting.
These moments of pleasure contrasted with the rigors of the course
room, which was locked during course hours A.M. till midnight.
Van Staden, the supervisor, always wore his long-laced Nazi-style
boots with an attitude to match.
We ended the course before the three weeks' deadline was up,
Mary and I being two of the first to graduate. We both had a knack of
getting through difficult situations.
****
344
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Shortly after I returned to England I was sent, for a couple of
weeks, to Sweden to assist a small organization in Eskilstuna, near
Stockholm.
It was still winter and I spent some of the coldest days of my life
trying to help out this brave idealistic Swedish couple who were up
against a language barrier in selling what was essentially an American
subject-no books had yet been translated into Swedish.
On the way home I stopped through Copenhagen, to briefly visit with
my uncle there. I also stopped by the org, where Joan Schnehager and
her husband Quentin had been put in charge.
She had responded to the harsh treatment in Scotland, where she
had had to read in the cold bathtub, by becoming a zealot herself.
She proudly told me how she had resolved the problem of how to
throw people overboard in this building, which had no baths.
She took me into the bathroom and flushed the toilet. "See!" she
said, "I have the students put their heads in here and I flush it!"
****
It was a couple of years later before I heard how things had gone f`or
Joan Schnehager and her husband.
What had happened was that the org in Copenhagen had not been
doing well under the Schnehagers. The income had begun to drop.
So a Sea Org mission was sent to "handle."
Hearing about this mission, and presumably knowing what usually
happened to downstats when Sea Org missions were sent in (they in-
variably found an S.P. and usually it was the head of the organiza-
tion), Quentin Schnehager had become very depressed.
When the mission arrived, he was hanging by his neck from the
rafters of his garage. Dead.
****
I was privy to a crew-only taped briefing by Hubbard, played in an
organization in Los Angeles in late 1969, after we had moved to
America.
Hubbard was very angry on the tape at the fact that Quentin
Schnehager had hanged himself. He raved about how this had been
an attempt to try to make him and the Sea Org wrong!
There was not the slightest concern or remorse-just outrage that
anyone would dare to do such a thing to him!
*Heads In Toilets*
345
That he would be talking this way, was all too incredible for mY
mind to fully grasp at the time.
I've found that the mind tends to gloss over ideas and events that
depart too far from the acceptable. His attitude on this tape was in
this category. I was stunned by it; but the significance of it did not
really register.
****
Back in early 1969, I got back to England from Denmark and Mary
and I became key personnel at the organization at Saint Hill. We
were, after all, by now highly trained elite tls.
A few months later, my wife was case supervising in her "Ivory
Tower" (meaning that she must not be disturbed or see people whose
cases she was supervising; a case supervisor only saw folders written
during sessions by the auditor). She got a report that a man in his late
twenties had arrived from London. He looked very ill. His tongue
was reported to be black, and he seemed desperate that we perform a
miracle right away.
In accordance with the then standard policy regarding "physically
ill pre-clears," she ordered that he be sent to a doctor right away and,
when he had been treated, to come back for some auditing. This per-
son had not been audited at Saint Hill before, only in the London
organization. They had not known what to do with him, so they sent
him to Saint Hill.
The next day, I had been in an auditing room (designed for two
people sitting at either end of a card table) auditing someone for a few
hours. I ended the session and escorted the pre-clear back into the
Qualifications Division room.
In the lobby was a bunch of people among whom was a young at-
tractive woman, who was sobbing helplessly. She looked like she
hadn't slept for days and was way beyond getting counseling.
I asked my immediate junior, who was in charge of handling the
people waiting, what was wrong. He told me that her husband (who
turned out to be the ill man from the previous night) had thrown him-
self in fRont of a train, killing himself instantly.
I suggested that she be turned over to a doctor for sedatives. He
said he would get help from the Hubbard Communications Division,
who were responsible for this sort of thin" and I left it in their hands.
I was called in the middle of the night and informed that the
344
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
woman was on the couch of the World Wide Org executive, and that
he was demanding that I come and get the girl and take care of her.
So I drove my little green Austin Mini back to Saint Hill and picked
up the woman, who was still hysterical.
I got some help from a female executive, who agreed to come to my
cottage and stay up and watch the woman.
I awoke after daylight the next morning to screams and the sound of
broken glass and, by the time I reached the room where the woman
was being watched, she was through the window and running down
the roadway in this little English wood.
They were neighbors who were getting in their cars to go to work,
as I chased her down the road in my bare feet and pajamas.
By the time I reached her she had torn open her dress exposing her
breasts and was wailing at the top of her voice.
I tried the best I could to cover her and get her under some con-
trol, but despite her petite build, she was displaying the reputed
strength of someone who is insane. I still don't know how I managed
to get her back to the house. I was bruised and scratched, and the
neighbors had been provided with enough for many weeks of gossip.
I got help from a couple of the others who were living there to
guard her in a safer room. I had decided that, regardless of the top
executive orders to the contrary, I would take her to a doctor.
As she was being escorted through the kitchen of our little cottage,
she broke away from the girl who was leading her out of the house to
the car, quickly opened the furnace and lunged her head towards the
flames.
My friend grabbed her just in time to avert a catastrophe; the only
damage was some singed hair.
It took two men and the woman executive to get her into the car
and to the doctor. She fought every minute of the way.
We left her in his care after he told us that she was effectively se-
dated.
This whole scene was a potential threat to Guardian W.W. Jane
Kember's position, as it could potentially cause press or legal action
against Scientology. A scapegoat was needed, and my wife and I were
the chosen ones.
A mimeographed "Ethics Order" was issued on the standard gold-
enrod-colored paper approved by the highest authorities at Saint Hill
(Jane's work, I believe).
Mary and I were accused of` a list of "crimes" and "high crimes,"
*Heads In Toilets*
347
among them being killing a pre-clear and causing another to attempt
to commit suicide.
This was no joke. It was bizarre. We were still relatively new and
naive. My big question was, "How could clears and O.T.s be acting so
insanely?"
For the next few weeks I defied the entire process and gambled on
the fact that they needed us. The "Ethics Order" was eventually
cancelled because of our "up statistics." Our gamble had paid off.
I fell into theories about how Jane Kember, and her assistant for
finance world wide, Herbie Parkhouse, were the people causing all
the crazy things that were happening.
I was reacting the way I was supposed to, suspecting anyone
but Hubbard. Never think a critical thought about Hubbard. When
things are really wrong, look for the S.P., but the S.P. cannot con-
ceivably be considered to be him.
This whole thing was a soul-wrenching experience for us, and I was
very much broken up about it for some time. My wife was pregnant
with our first child, and suffering badly from the cold and lack of
proper nutrition.
Since Americans were now banned by British law from coming to
Saint Hill to do Scientology, the gross org income had drastically
dropped, and we were not earning enough to pay rent and buy food.
Our funds had depleted and I petitioned to L. Ron Hubbard to be
allowed to gO to America for a year and work for a franchise to earn
enough money to get us back on our feet and take care of the baby.
"He" approved it. "He," in actual f:act, being Ken Urquart at the
time, who handled petitions addressed to Hubbard. I was overjoyed,
and we worked hard to find replacements for ourselves and get dres
together (by loans) to get to the States.
We had suffered under the rough English weather and constant
poverty. These hardships were acceptable when we believed Nirvana
was just around the corner. We still believed and dreamed, but the
young naive kids who had earlier arrived at Saint Hill were no more.
The politics, inequities and outright madness that now pervaded
those stately grounds and majestic manor house had seeped through
our pores and sickened us to the core.
Soul-liberating laughter spilled out of` us as we sailed across the
English Channel with the white cliffs of Dover receding behind us.
We sailed for France on that breezy sunny day (from where we would
continue onto Luxembourg and a flight for New York).
348
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Escaping from Saint Hill, and heading for America, was unspeak-
able joy!
****
Despite the negative experiences of Saint Hill, I refused to let go of
the dream that something wonderful might yet come out of it all. The
positives of the subject were so positive, that I just put the negatives
in the back of my mind.
12
Are You Haunted?
"I got into Scientology because I was inhibited. Turns out I was
inhabited!" - Anonymous, L.A. newspaper ad
Over the past few decades some highly dramatic stories illustrating
the phenomenon of "multiple personalities" have become quite well
known.
Some psychiatrists and psychologists, and, in fictional accounts,
novelists and scriptwriters, have given considerable attention to ex-
treme cases where another distinctly different "personality" appears
to take control over an individual for prolonged periods of time.
Less attention, however, has been given to less dramatic but, per-
haps, related occurrences.
Most people have days when they are "not quite themselves." One
hears comments like, "It just wasn't like Fred. He was like some kind
of madman!" or "She was like a woman possessed!" or "He's a differ-
ent person when he drinks," or "I don't know what came over me, " or
"What got into me?"
What's happening? There is no scarcity of theories. This and the
following chapter examines this area, and offers various explanations
concerning it.
****
Currently, the entirety of Scientology's super-secret "upper levels"
deal with this type of "phenomena." But even in 1950 Hubbard was
preoccupied by this sort of thing.
In Dianetics, the Evolution of a Science-published in 1950 and
349
350
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
aied at a broad science fiction audience (consisting of scientifically
oriented readers)-Hubbard wrote:
...it was necessary to hark back to the techniques of the Kayan
Shaman of Borneo, among others. Their theory is crude; they exorcise
demons....Provisionally, let's try to postulate that Man is good....
And we suppose something such as the Bomeo Shaman's Toh has en-
tered into him which directs him to do evil things.
Man has believed longer that demons inhabit men than Man has be-
lieved they did not. We assume demons. We look for some demons,
one way or another. And we find some!
This was a discovery almost as mad as some of the patients on hand.
But the thing to do was try to measure and classify demons.
Strange work for an engineer and a mathematician! But it was found
that the "demons" could be classified. There were several "demons" in
each patient, but there were only a few classes of "demons." There were
audio demons...visio demons, interior demons, exterior demons, or-
dering demons, directing demons, critical demons, apathetic demons,
angry demons, bored demons and certain demons who merely occluded
things. The last seemed to be most common. Looking into a few minds es-
tablished soon that it was difficult to find anyone who didn't have some of
these demons....
Hubbard then discusses the analogy between the human mind and
an electRonic computer. Finally he concludes:
There are no demons. No ghosts or ghouls or Tohs. But there are
aberrative circuits.
Hubbard doesn't explain how it is that these "circuits" existed
structurally. But "structure" was not his concern; his concern was
function. He wrote:
...it was not necessary to show how it is done in terms of physical
mechanism if we can show that it IS done.
In 1950, a circuit was defined by Hubbard as:
A part of the individual's bank [reactive mind] that behaves as
though it were someone or something separate from him and that ei-
ther talks to him or goes into action of its own accord, and may even, if
severe enough, take control of him while it operates.
*Are You Haunted ?*
351
The jingle heard on the radio that sticks in one's mind, playing over
and over; the actor who after many appearances on stage, portraying a
particular character, takes a vacation and finds, to his discomfort, that
he still at times possesses the qualities of that character; the obsession
that grips a person causing him to do things he knows he will later
regret-the materialistic viewpoint might simply say, "That's simply
something the brain does."
The spiritual viewpoint on the other hand traditionally divides a
human being into "body, mind, and spirit," with the spirit being the
basic individual and the mind being the recordings of one's past expe-
riences, ideas, conclusions, etc. These recordings are not necessarily
considered as a part of the brain, but rather a function of the spirit.
Quoting from Joseph Krutch's More Lives Than One:
The physiologists are very fond of comparing the network of our ce-
rebral nerves with a telephone system but they overlook the significant
fact that a telephone system does not function until someone talks over
it. The brain does not create thought (Sir Julian Huxley has recently
pointed out this fact); it is an instrument which thought finds useful.
PARACELSUS
Paracelsus von Hohenheim (1490-1541) was the outstanding med-
ical therapist of his time and, perhaps, the greatest mystic in the his-
tory of Western medicine. He devoted his life to research in the heal-
ing arts. Paracelsus visited Constantinople to acquaint himself with the
secret practices of the Dervishes and the Sufis.
The following is an excerpt from Paracelsus-His Mystical and
Medical Philosophy, by Manly P. Hall, published by the Philosoph-
ical Research Society:
[According to Paracelsus]...the elementary is an artificial being,
created in the invisible worlds by man himself. In harmony with more
recent findings, Paracelsus noted that most elementaries seem to be of
an evil or destructive nature. They are generated from the excesses of
human thought and emotion, the corruption of character, or the de-
generation of faculties and powers which should be used in other,
more constructive ways....
Man is therefore a creator, not merely in terms of the perpetuation of
the species, but especially in terms of the imagination. Man is creative in
the arts, sciences, and philosophies, but his creative powers are not only
352
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
external, but also internal. Because he lives, man bestows life, and he can
generate creatures from his thoughts and emotions....The power to
create is the power of vibration, by which anything is set into a peculiar
motion....The invisible progeny of man include thought-forms and
emotion-forms. These are like infants, especially in their beginnings, for
they depend upon their creator for their nutrition and survival. Later,
however, if the forces which generate continue to operate, these thought
and emotion-forms gain strength, finally attaining a kind of indepen-
dence....Having thus become even stRonger than their creator, these
thought of emotion-forms will turn upon the one who fashioned them, of-
ten causing in him a terrible habit and destroying his health and happi-
ness.
We know that the human psyche can become ridden with pressure-
centers or pressure-patterns which we call fixations, complexes, pho-
bias, and the like. We know that these negative psychic formations are
nourished by the continued repetition of the attitudes which caused
them. We say that negative attitudes become habitual, by degrees taking
over and destroying the mental and emotional integrity of the individual.
A fixation, well nourished by attitudes suitable for its perpetuation,
intensifies, becoming actually avaricious and resolved to dominate or
possess the entire life of its unhappy victim....
Modern thinking therefore, sheds light upon the concept of elemen-
taries, extending beyond the basic research of Paracelsus...[He] used
the term obsession to signify possession by an entity. Today the term is
used to signify possession by an abnormal attitude....Is it possible that
the abnormal attitude has gradually become an entity?...Many per-
sons under psychological obsession resist treatment, as though some for-
eign creature were fighting for its survival in them....
Out of his philosophy of elementaries, Paracelsus came to the con-
clusion that a very large part of what we consider to be disease, results
from psychic parasites generated by wrong thoughts and emotion.
GURDJIEFF
From the book The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power, by Vernon
Howard:
Gurdjieff was probably born in Alexandropal, in Asia Minor, about
1972. This remarkable and often controversial man spent a dozen years
roaming about the East in search of esoteric teachings. He returned
with a tremendous wealth of wisdom for the Western world.
Gurdjieff summarized the problem: Mankind is asleep but doesn't
know it. So deep is his hypnotic slumber that he does his daily walking
and talking and legislating and marrying in a state of unconsciousness.
*Are You Haunted*353
Actually, the acts are the mechanical acts of hypnotized people. And
that, Gurdjieff declares, is the simple reason why the world goes from
one disaster to another: "Would", he asks, "a conscious human being
destroy himself' through war, and crime, and quarrels No, man simply
knows not what he does to himself."
One of the basic principles explains the many and varied I's in a
man. The unawakened man is not a unified person. He has dozens of
selves within him, each falsely calling itself. Many philosophers, in-
cluding George Santayana and David Hume, have also observed how a
person switches constantly from one I to another.
The many I's within a man explains many mysteries about human
nature. For example, a man decides to give up an undesirable habit,
but the next day he repeats it again. Why? Because another I has taken
over, o17e that likes the habit and has no intention of giving it up. Or
perhaps a woman decides to quit fooling around with her life; she de-
termines to find her real self. She reads a book or two and goes to a few
lectures. Then, suddenly, she loses all interest and goes back to her
self-defeating behavior. What happened? An entirely different I, one
that doesn't want her to wake up, took charge.
Gurdjieff provides a simple solution to this contradictory condition:
Become aware of the many I's. Watch how one takes over and then
another. Also, see that they do not represent the true you, but consist
of borrowed opinions and imitated viewpoints. Such self-observation
weakens their grip; you eventually find your real I.
LOATHSOME LARVAE
From Mouni Sadhu's The Tarot,* A Contemporary Course of the
Quintessence of Hermetic** Occultism:
Let us imagine that a man has a common evil desire, he makes no
attempt to realize it on the physical plane. He only draws a dark desire
on the astral*** plane, and so creates a kind of "entity."...This
artificial "being" does not possess a physical body....Such a being
can...act and influence only in direction as intended by its unwise
creator, man, who is usually unaware of his foolishness.
Now, on whom will the influence of such a demon be exerted Yes,
firstly on the father of it himself...who created the astral picture of
*A collection of cards-each representing one of the possibilities, or aspects,
of consciousness or living.
**Hermes Trismegistus, alchemist and magician.
***A supposed "plane" or level of existence of a more "rarefied" nature, less
tangible than the physical plane. Along this line of thought, one's mental
imagery might be said to be "made of astral matter.
354
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
the evil deed. We call this type of ominous artificial entity a larva. Such
a larva will watch it's "father' in order to prevent him from forgetting
his evil intention and desire, and to fortify the larva's life by new medi-
tations about the same theme. But it can also attach itself to another
man, who has a certain astral and mental affinity with the first one.
THOUGHT-FORMS IN TIBET
Besides the idea that "thought forms" may be inadvertently cre-
ated, there is also the viewpoint that they can be deliberately brought
into being.
The following excerpt is from the book The Yoga of Sex by Omar
Garrison:*
According to secret lore, man can develop such concentration of
mind that he is able to generate psycho-mental energy (called "risal" in
Tibet) and to use it for bringing about results that to the uninitiated
appear to be supernatural.
It has been because the Tantric* techniques employ these secret
methods of concentration that Tantrism has been called the most elab-
orate system of auto-suggestion in the world.
While such an evaluation may serve to explain the more seductive
visions of the sadhaka [adept], it is hardly adequate to account for phe-
nomena witnessed by persons other than the creator of them.
For example, Tantric adepts (especially in Tibet) possess methods
for projecting thought forms (called tulpas) which are materialized so
completely that they are often mistaken for physical entities.
Moreover, these phantoms are sometimes visualized and given a
kind of autonomy, so that they may act and seemingly think without
the consent or even knowledge of their creator.
In this connection, Madame Alexandra David-Neel, a Frenchwoman
who spent many years among the lamas of Tibet, recounts an intriguing
personal experience in the creation of a tulpa.
Having a sceptical turn of mind, Madame David-Neel suspected
that many stories she had heard concerning such materializations
might be gross exaggerations.
The most common kind of Tulpa-making in Tibet is that of forming
and animating the counterparts of Tibetan deities. So to avoid coming
under the influence of this kind of mental suggestion - so prevalent
around her - she chose for her thought-child the figure of a fat, jolly
monk.
*Written by Omar Garrison long before his ill-fated association with
Scientology. Garrison has written numerous books on a variety of subjects.
** From "Tantra," one of a comparatively recent class of Hindu or Buddhist
religious writings concerned with mysticism and magic.
*Are You Haunted ?*
355
After a few months of performing the prescribed disciplines for rit-
ual projection of thought image, Madame David-Neel relates that the
form and character of her phantom monk took on the appearance of
real life. He shared her apartment like a guest and, when she departed
for a journey, he accompanied her entourage.
At first, the monk put in an appearance only when his creator
thought of him. But after a time, he began to behave in a very inde-
pendent manner and to perform various actions not directed by his
maker.
So real did he become in time, that on one occasion, when a herds-
man came to the Frenchwoman's encampment to bring her some but-
ter, he mistook the chimerical monk for a live lama.
Even more alarming to the phantom's begetter, his character began
to undergo a subtle change. He grew leaner and his face gradually took
on a sly malevolent look. He daily grew more importunate and bold.
"In brief," says Madame David-Neel,"he escaped my control."
Clearly, the time had come to purge herself of the unwanted com-
panion whom she had brought to life, but who, by her own admission,
had turned her existence into a day-nightmare.
It required six months of difficult practice and ritual to magically dis-
solve the monstrous prodigy.
"My mind-creature was tenacious in life," she declared.
How are we to explain such phenomena? Western psychology has
only begun to investigate the secret and profound life of the mind.
Many of their answers so far are far from adequate to account for occur-
rences such as that just cited.
Be that as it may, in the case of the deliberately created phantom,
such as Madame David-Neel's monk, the independence and individu-
ality of the prodigy ought to give us considerable pause....
****
During the 1952 Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Hubbard said of
what used to be called, in Dianetics, "demon circuits":
Each one of these things can be a thinking entity. It thinks it's alive.
It can think it's a being as long as energy is fed to it.
He had also mentioned in this lecture series that someone can de-
liberately "mock up" (i.e., vividly imagine) something and give it a
life of its own.
****
More controversial than the idea of "thought forms" created by the
individual himself is the viewpoint that asserts that, while thought-
forms do exist, real "demons" also exist. But not only "demons"; also
356
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
many types of "disembodied beings," human and non-human, some
big some small, some good, some indifferent, some unconscious,
some insane.
There are many variations of this theme. The movie The Exorcist
illustrates one version. A powerful demonic being completely takes
over a little girl.
One can also pose a less dramatic scenario. Rather than one power-
ful "demon," a person, theoretically, might be infested with many lit-
tle "demons."
To quote again from Garrison's Sex Yoga:
Tantric texts assert that the universe all about us is teeming with
thought forms and with beings good and bad-deities, demons, nature
spirits, discarnate human egos, phantoms, monsters.
The sadhaka is not only made aware that they exist, he is taught dis-
ciplines that bring them under his control and enable him to communi-
cate freely to them.
The tantric Yogis are not alone in their view, or the claim of ability
to communicate and control this, supposed, class of beings. In fact, in
various degrees of sophistication, it can be found to be part of the
spiritual tradition of Man on all five continents. The witchdoctor, the
magi, the medicine man, and many a modern psychic have as a
commonality the view that such things exist.
On the other hand, considering oneself overly vulnerable to "invis-
ible forces" appears to me to be one of several routes to a state of in-
sanity.
My view is that those who decide that they are essentially responsi-
ble for their own mental state-rather than blaming some invisible
entity for their foibles-tend to be far saner and happier.
****
As an aside I find it of interest that Thomas Edison wrote the fol-
lowing in "The Diary and Sundry observations," although it is not in
the category of "unwanted psychical or spiritual influences" in one's
body or "aura":
Take our own bodies. I believe they are composed of myriads and
myriads of infinitesimally small individuals, each in itself a unit of life,
and that these units work in squads - or swarms, as I prefer to call
them - and these infinitesimally small units live forever. When we
"die" these swarms of units, like a swarm of bees, so to speak, betake
*Are You Haunted ?*
357
themselves elsewhere, and go on functioning in some other form or
enviRonment.
Edison not only believed in the immortality of the human spirit,
but also in the immortality of that which he believed enlivens the
physical body - the immortality of each cell.
"UNWHOLESOME SWARMS"
In 1978 L. Ron Hubbard, felled by his second major heart attack,
lay barely conscious and helpless in bed.
At the time Dr. Gene Denk and "Case Supervisor International"
David Mayo began working with him on his health in 1978, Hubbard
conceived of himself as surrounded by a swarm of confused, uncon-
scious, or semi-conscious entities: burnt-out human souls.
"There are no demons," he had written in 1950. A couple of years
later, he spoke of self-generated "thinking entities."
Then, a quarter of a century later, he was party to the development
of procedures with which any medicine man or witch doctor would
probably feel at home. These procedures dealt with the eviction of
swarms of non-self-generated parasitic beings.
Now, any decent witch doctor"servicing a client" does his thing
and a few hours later goes on his way, goat, chicken or pig in hand, in
exchange for his services.
In the varied literature regarding "exorcism" and the like-whether
such things are considered self-generated or not - one sees a regular
reference to a relatively small number of "influences,'" "thought forms,"
"obsessions," or whatever, in need of "handling."
Hubbard operated on a much grander scale. From his hypnotic
pedestal of "ultimate authority," he stated to his followers that every-
one was engulfed in thousands upon thousands of degraded beings.
JOHN AUSLEY (ex-Flagship Class XII):
He talked about how, if you convince a person hard enough and long
enough that they're at effect, you'll drive them insane. Then he turns
right around and does that: He says, "You're the effect of all these body
Thetans!" (beings attached to the body)
NEW ERA DIANETICS FOR OTs OR "NOTS"
Hubbard's theory and procedure of how to "handle" the entity
"phenomenon" is highly secret. This level of auditing brings in proba-
358
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
bly a million dollars a week internationally for the Church of Scientol-
ogy The high prices charged depend upon this material's being kept
tantalizingly mysterious.
"Mystery is the glue that sticks Thetans [spiritual beings] to things,"
Hubbard once said. He proceeded to use this principle in marketing his
OT levels. The secrecy and mystery surrounding these levels pulled
people in, bringing in also their wallets and check-books; a major part of
it...just to discover the answer to the mystery.
While still in the Church, I observed something very odd: The
wealthier the Scientologist, the more "body Thetans" he had. Such
unfortunate people were being sold seemingly endless auditing for
the eradication of their "fleas."
Such auditing costs over $400 per hour. It is quite usual for Scien-
tologists to spend well over $100,000 for this level alone. One man, a
geologist, engineer and entrepreneur, spent $450,000.
According to Hubbard, "Nots handles" are those beings or entities
or "body thetans" ("BTs") that are located in the body or around the
body. The auditing procedure of Nots is supposed to locate those en-
tities, and send them off to do their own thing-picking uP a body of
their own or whatever - but no longer infesting the individual or his
body.
The entities are being various things, like a body part (a bone, arm,
cell, whatever) or a particular personality, or condition, such as "TV
watcher," or "fear," or "worker," or "solitary angry man," and so on.
According to this line of thought, people get confused as to who
they are and who they are not. A person hears these voices or feels
desires, and so on, and thinks he is the source of them.
Yet, the theory goes, you are not necessarily the originator of these
thoughts or impulses. Another may be.
So, by identifying who is the being (who is the source of these vo-
calizations or impulses) and spotting where it is located, you are freed
to think for yourself.
So an auditor has you (the main guy in control) ask each BT, "What
are you?" and "Who are you?"
The Body Thetans are then supposed to separate out and realize
that they are in fact themselves; that they are not some body part or
whatever.
At the same time, you realize that the BTs are different from you;
that their mental pictures, ideas, and degraded impulses do not origi-
nate from you.
According to Hubbard, these beings are very easily overwhelmable
*Are You Haunted ?*359
and hypnotic. Because of this, they tend to take on the personality of
whatever (or whoever) comes along that gets their attention.
HUBBARD:
You have to actually put some life into them to activate them. They're
like pebbles on a beach....But listen, you're living in a universe which
is crawling with this type of stuff. And planet Earth was a dumping
ground to end all dumping grounds....As NED for OTs is run these
cats wake up and get handled This relieves the Pre-OT of a lot of phe-
nomena which puzzles him and can hold him down. As you go along run-
ning it you will find that the material to which NED for OTs is addressed
seldom considers itself live beings. It thinks it is MEST(Matter, Energy,
Space and Time), body parts, significances, conditions-anything but a
live being.
That these "beings" might have been the creation of one's own
mind, i.e., "thought forms" or "mock-ups endowed with life which
live as long as one feeds them energy," was not considered in Hub-
bard's writings after 1966.
That "upper level" Scientologists may be locating all these thou-
sands of "Body Thetans" because Hubbard told them they are there,
and therefore must be there - finding them because they know they
will - is of course not even dimly regarded as a possibility by the faith-
ful.
No, such "beings" are the victims of what Hubbard calls the
"dwindling spiral." According to him, any spiritual being in the phys-
ical universe is inevitably subject to deterioration and degradation.
Beings are (without Scientology processing) not evolving spiritually,
but rather are devolving-heading downward towards "Hubbardian
Hell."
In "Ron's Journal 30" Hubbard explains: "But there was one dis-
covery in 1978 that I haven't said very much about and am really not
likely to since it is a sad thing. It is what really happens to a thetan
who is not salvaged or processed and goes on down the chute. Man,
when I saw that and knew it to be true I actually felt sorry for these
guys that try to hit at us. Poor devils. Some religious talk about hell.
It's an understatement of what really happens."
The message is clear. Throw yourself at the mercy of the Church of
Scientology or eventually, some lifetime down the way, become
somebody's big toe!
13
Through the Wall of Fire!
"The man on the cross - there was no Christ!" - L. RON HUBBARD
In 1967, on the Canary Island of Las Palmas, Hubbard made what
he claimed was the most important spiritual breakthrough in the his-
tory of the human race. He had unearthed, in his solo-auditing, a su-
per traumatic ancient incident that had killed anyone else who had
ever come close to uncovering it.
The resolution of, and safe passage through, this incident was
"boldly explored and mapped" by him. This "map" was put into the
form of his longhand writings for the highly confidential level of
"Operating Thetan Level Three" (OT III).
The revelation of OT III was that virtually everyone on this planet -
indeed, in "this sector of the Galaxy" - was totally overwhelmed by the
effects of an incident that occurred 75 million years ago. And that under-
Iying this cataclysmic event was another more basic cause of "human
contamination": everyone without exception had been zapped and
zombified by an incident that occurred four quadrillion years ago.
Human beings, he said, "do not respond to reason, they respond
only to `R6* symbols.' " The "R6 bank," is a part of any person's un-
conscious mind, according to Hubbard. This "bank" was deliberately
*The designation R6 derives from a process or "routine" ("R"), in this case
the 6th in a series "0" to...(however many processes he would go through till
he found the one that he felt did the trick).
He first "discovered" this "bank" (storage of damaging mental image pictures
in the "reactive mind") during the early sixties. and, later in 1967,
"discovered" the full incident of which these pictures were but a part. He
promoted the incident as the "Wall of Fire."
360
*Through the Wall of Fire !*
361
created by mass implanting which occurred 75 Million years ago. This
implanting was a highly "scientific" form of brainwashing, using huge
movie screens as part of a program of mass hypnosis.
According to Hubbard, there was no point in reasoning with
"humanoids." Instead of reasoning with "wogs," he spoke of reaching
into the public and "driving them through your orgs.
Supposedly, "R6 bank symbols" (in the form of certain words, and
pictures such as, for example, volcanoes) "key in" (in other words
reconnect) people to these implants.
The result is that they become subservient and slave-like.
In 1967 all Scientology books suddenly presented a collection of
images upon their covers: an exploding volcano; a woman in a monkey
suit, eating what appeared to be a turkey leg; the fRontal view of a
speeding train; an odd-looking old man with a beard; a fellow dressed
in a white spacesuit carrying a box (of "packaged beings") into a space-
ship. These were R6 bank symbols.
A special"Book Mission" was sent out to promote these books, now
empowered and made irresistible by the addition of these supposedly
overwhelming symbols or images. Organization staff were assured
that if they simply held up one of the books, revealing its cover, that
any bookstore owner would immediately order crateloads of them. A
customs officer, seeing any of the book covers in one's luggage, would
immediately pass one on through.
The symbols of the Sea Org, which include the uniforms worn by
Sea Org officers, were designed to fit Hubbard's descriptions of sym-
bols of "R6", and were thus guaranteed to win instant respect and
obedience for the person wearing them.
Hubbard had made it plain that he, and only he, had discovered
and risen above the "R6 bank." Human existence is controlled utterly
by it. He emphasized that, to those who had not completed the lower
pre-requisite levels of Scientology, reading the materials of OT III
was deadly.
He made it plain that the traumatic effects of the events of 75 mil-
lion years ago had been the ultimate barrier to the attainment of "full
OT." Despite the mortal dangers, however, he had braved the "Wall
of Fire" and survived. He had then "taped the route" for all Mankind
to follow.
Of course getting the "wogs" of planet Earth from zombiedom to
godhood was going to be no easy task. Yet it must be done. And with
the threat of nuclear war looming ever overhead, it must be done
fast!
362
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Because of this, to be in the Sea Org - or for that matter to be on
staff at any Scientology org - is to be a participant in a never-ending
"condensed time emergency. " One never has time to pause and think
about what is going on. Besides, doing so would be a form of "self-
auditing"* which is strictly forbidden.
In light of all this Hubbard explained: "Anyone is entitled to have
opinions and ideas and cognitions - so long as these do not bar the
route out..." The "Route Out" being available only through Hub-
bard's organizations....The road to "Total Freedom," it seems, was
available only to those who obeyed completely.
Any newly initiated, "good Scientologist" would tell himself: "I
have a reactive mind! My opinion is irrelevant, especially when com-
pared to that of this great man who has broken free and who will
eventually free me also."
Before 1967 Scientologists regarded themselves as the elite of
earth. While the materials of OT III in some ways served to further
enhance that feeling (many Sea Org members, for instance, were said
to have been the "loyal officers," i.e., the good guys who opposed the
mass implanting, when all this happened), these materials served also
to greatly increase their feeling of indebtedness to their Founder.
****
While on the confidential class 8 course in Scotland, listening to Hub-
bard's twenty lectures - taped just weeks previously on the Apollo in
Corfu, Greece - I was exposed to, among other things, Hubbard's opin-
ion of Christianity:
Somebody on this planet, about 600 B.C. found some pieces of
"R6. "
I don't know how they found it; either by watching madmen or
something. But since that time they have used it. And it became what
is known as Christianity.
The man on the cross. There was no Christ!
The Roman Catholic Church, through watching the dramatizations
of people picked up some little fragments of R6.**
Priests subsequently became objects of scorn in his writings. It is
possibly this scorn which inspired Scientology agents, in 1983, to mail
*Self-auditing is unsupervised, solo auditing.
**In a bulletin of that period he states: "Also the Christian Church used (and
uses) implanting They took over the Nicene Creed just before the year zero. invented
Christ (who comes from the `crucifixion' in R6, 75 million years ago) and
implanted their way to power."
*Through the Wall of Fire !*
363
pornographic paraphernalia (including dildoes and an inflatable nude
woman) to a Danish priest who spoke out against Scientology.
****
I have included sections of the OT III materials,* as Hubbard
wrote them, in an attempt to make clear what is a very strange story
indeed.
It is possible that Hubbard believed that things occurred just the
way he wrote them in the OT III story. And if he had simply commu-
nicated this tale as something that he needed to say in private to an
auditor, in an attempt to resolve his own problems of mind and spirit,
I for one would have no objection to it.
But instead, in violation of his own "Auditor's Code" (the first
clause of which states, "Don't evaluate for the pre-clear or tell him
what to think about his case") he evaluates for all Scientolgoists. He is
saying this same thing happened to you too! He was apparently ap-
plying another control mechanism: the overwhelming evaluation.
And he also added another proven ingredient of covert control: se-
crecy.
In a taped lecture of 1955, presaging his later fixation on secret ma-
terials and the effect these have, Hubbard stated:
Now if we were to sit down and try to monopolize every piece of
information which we ever collected...and we were to take this in-
formation and carefully say, "Now look! This piece of information is ab-
solutely sacred, and it's not to be distributed to anybody! And ifs not
to be given to anybody, and only those people who have a pink cross
on the right shoulder will be able to read this information" - we would
go into a mysterious sort of cult.
"THE WALL OF FIRE"
The following is an excerpt from his secret OT III materials. (If the
reader believes it will do him harm, just skip it and go to the following
chapter):
*Parts of the materials were published in the Los Angeles Times, when the
court permitted this. The appeals court has since ruled that there is no such thing
as trade secrets for a religion.
While Hubbard claimed that knowing about these materials was dangerous, he
secretly wrote a script for and planned to release the key sections in a movie
called Revolt in the Stars, which was planned for general release, and for the
production of which millions of dollars were raised from investors. (Highly
questionable methods of fund raising brought the project to a halt.)
364
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
The head of the Galactic Confederation (76 planets around larger
stars visible from here) (founded 85,000,000 years ago, very space op-
era) solved overpopulation (250 billion or so per planet-178 billion on
average) by mass implanting.
He caused people to be brought to Teegeeack (Earth) and put an H
Bomb on the principal volcanoes (incident 2) and then the Pacific ones
were taken in boxes to Hawaii and the Atlantic area ones to Las Palmas
and there "packaged."
His name was Xenu. He used renegades. Various misleading data
by means of circuits, etc., was placed in the implants.
When through with his crime, Loyal Officers (to the people) cap-
tured him after six years of battle and put him in an electRonic moun-
tain trap where he still is. "They" are gone. The place (Confed.) has
since been a desert.
The length and brutality of it all was such that this Confederation
never recovered. The implant is calculated to kill (by pneumonia, etc.)
anyone who attempts to solve it. This liability has been dispensed with
by my tech development.
One can free wheel through the implant and die unless it is ap-
proached as precisely outlined. The "free wheel" (auto running on and
on) lasts too long, denies sleep, etc., and one dies....
In December'67 I knew somebody had to take the plunge. I did and
emerged very knocked out but alive. Probably the only one ever to do
so in 75,000,000 years. I have all the data now but only that given here
is needful....
Good luck.
It turns out that Xenu was about to be deposed as leader of the Ga-
lactic Confederation, when he undertook to solve the overpopulation
problem for all time.
He sent in troops and renegades who picked up the populations,
froze them with an injection of alcohol-glycol solution in the lungs,
and shipped them to Earth in space ships resembling DC8s. Then he
blew them all up with powerful H bombs on top of all the major volca-
nos. (You will note the cover of Hubbard's best selling book Diane-
tics, the Modern Science of Mental Health has an exploding volcano
on it, designed to ensure you feel compelled to buy it.)
As the Thetans ascended into the heavens after the explosions they
were captured by electRonic ribbons and force fields and pulled down
to Earth to be electRonically packaged into "Clusters": thousands of
beings stuck together as one. There were assembly points for this
packaging. One was in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands (where
*Through the Wall of Fire !*
365
Hubbard was located when he wrote this). The other was Hawaii.'
It was at the volcano locations that the Thetans were subjected to
the "R6" implants, the latter part of which included pictures pro-
jected on huge screens. These include surgeons dissecting bodies
right down to the skeleton which writhes in agony, the crucifixion,
sex perversion, auto accidents, psychiatrists, sickness and spinning
sensations, and more.
The implant was designed so that anyone recalling the sequence
would start to "free wheel" through the 36 days (the heart of the im-
plant**), would be unable to turn the pictures off, would be unable to
sleep or eat, and would die of exhaustion or something like pneumo-
nia before the 36 days were up. It was designed to be too horrible to
ever escape from. After these implants, the beings, all clustered to-
gether, were let go.
Meanwhile the Loyal Officers revolted and captured Xenu. He was
imprisoned in a mountain top on planet Earth (on the island of Ma-
deira) and placed inside a wire cage with an eternal battery. In the
battle between the Loyal Officers and Xenu's renegades, most of
these planets were turned into billiard balls. Earth was a radioactive
cinder, and became known as "The Evil Place." That's why nobody
ever comes here except renegades and criminals who are dumped
here.
Hubbard labelled the nuclear devastation that occurred hel
"The Wall of Fire."
In order to audit this, the pre-clear takes on the role of auditor, and
directs each body thetan to relive this incident and then "blow"
(leave).
"Clusters" of thetans are "broken up." This is achieved when Inci-
dent II and sometimes other incidents (which all the Thetans making
up the cluster have in common) are re-experienced by the body
thetans.
According to an anonymous pamphlet:
LRH took the exorcism concept and embellished it with a huge sci-
ence fiction fantasy.
*None of which existed 75 million years according to Geology.
**The key part of the R6 incident is said by Hubbard to be a 36-day period of
"implant." An "implant" is defined by him as "A painful and forceful means of
over whelming a being with artificial purpose or false concepts in a malicious
attempt to control and suppress him."
366
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Any geologist or archeologist can tell you that 75 million years ago
the earth was over-run by dinosaurs. Many dinosaur fossils have been
found from that time period, but no trace of 250,000,000 human fossils,
or hundreds of billions more that were shipped here from other planets
to be blown up with H bombs on volcanoes. No trace of human fossils,
but dinosaur fossils all over the place!
If there is any truth or workability in exorcising BTs or demon spir-
its, then the story of 'incident 2 is certainly not a part of it. It's pure
science fiction, and bad science fiction at that.
Some swear by the results of having audited OT III. One person
who felt this way, upon reading the above, speculated that it would
have been possible for Xenu's men to have done a clean up job on all
the human skeletons!
Some ex-Scientologists ridicule it. Doing so can be dangerous. One
former Scientologist marched up and down in fRont of the Church's
Los Angeles headquarters, with a sign saying, "Ron is Xenu!"
FRANK NOTARO:
Saturday, 5 Oct.'85: I went down to the Advanced Organization in
Los Angeles to ask for a refund of monies paid for a level of auditing
My request was in writing.
A security guard told me to get out or I would be arrested.
"O.K. I will have to picket," I said.
The next day I picketed by myself in fRont of the entire Cedars of
Lebanon ("Blue Building") Complex.
One sign said "Ron is Xenu!"
A Church of Scientology "Security Guard" came from the fRont and
grabbed my signs, while three or four others jumped me from behind
and threw me to the pavement in the middle of the street, where they
pinned me down and handcuffed me from behind. They then took me
inside the building across from the Advanced Organization.
On the way I managed to shout to a friend to call the police, as I was
afraid. I was held captive for an hour or so until the police came and
released me.
The police officer told me I had every right to picket and escorted
me to safety.
14
The Sea Org Revisited
"Hubbard may have been a genius on one level, but he was unbal-
anced. There was an out-of-control side to the guy. And it shows up in
the auditing technology: His fixation in early Dianetics on attempted
abortions; his fixation on hypnotic "implants"; his fixation on other peo-
ple's "evil" intentions; his belief in Xenu and the OT III "incident 2";
his obsession with near endless "body thetans"...This stuff oozed
out of his pores; very much his personal hang-ups. Most people are
much simpler than that."
- JOHN AUSLEY
The entire concept of the Sea Org was said by Hubbard to be "a
re-gathering of the Loyal Officers." This time he and his most trusted
officers would not fail. They would "decontaminate" Earth, and later
this entire sector of the Galaxy, from the devastation inflicted by
Xenu and his renegades.
The early chapters of this book illustrate Hubbard's efforts to alleg-
edly put together a "war chest" for these efforts, and to "create a safe
base" from which to launch the necessary missions.
In this chapter some other views, further illustrating this bizarre
scene, are presented.
First John McMaster gives a recounting of an event involving "the
Commodore" on board the Apollo in early 1969 Typical of top execu-
tives serving Hubbard, he was doing a stint in the lowly post of galley
hand (kitchen help) during the time of this anecdote. Hubbard had a
habit of busting his executives to the lowest positions, often only to
restore them to power at a later date, when they were more amenable
to "reason" (this was prior to the RPF).
367
368
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
JOHN MCMASTER:
I noticed various things, that seemed to be like insanity creeping
into what we were doing. Now, there is this magnificent Sea Organiza-
tion which, as Hubbard told me, was to be the enviRonment, way out
on the ocean, where we were going to continue with our basic purpose
of clearing the planet by doing this very high level, high frequency,
almost telepathic type research; which, at that stage, he said he consid-
ered was necessary for us to do.
It was right on my purpose line. I was thrilled with it, and thought
he had conceived of a wonderful idea.
O.K. So there's this purpose. Slap on the basic purpose to clear the
planet. For me-I think this is wonderful. So we go along I'm sitting
there hoping that, one of these days, it will be announced from our
Lord and Master, the Source (who had then become the Commodore
of the flotilla, don't forget; you know, another medal on his chest:
"Commodore"). So here we all are, waiting for the Commodore to
send this message down saying, "Get all hands to clearing the planet!
We are now about to start our advanced research."
But instead of this I saw more people going down the chain locker;
more people climbing up the mast to stand a twelve-hour crow's
nesting punishment; more people chipping the water tank; more peo-
ple wandering around in grey rags with chains around their ankles and
around their necks. More and more of this is going on. So this didn't,
somehow, tie up with high level research.
Nevertheless, we were on this vast "safe" space, unimpinged upon
by governments, where this research is supposed to be taking place.
So in 1969 we were rollicking around in Bizerte, in Tunisia. And I
would go ashore. I was a galley hand. Occasionally we needed things,
and I used to have to go into Bizerte and get what ever it was we
needed for the galley....Every time I went walking down the
street - I didn't have any uniform or anything - I used to get a lot of
smiles from children and people; and I liked it, and I'd smile back. And
it was always so very friendly.
Every time I walked in the streets of Bizerte, the children and some
of the people would bring me little sprigs of jasmine. We didn't speak
the same language but, nevertheless, as beings, we were communica-
ting....
So I used to come back from my shopping, and go to my little space,
get an empty bottle with some water in it, and put my jasmine in
there. It was noticed by the messengers, and various other people that
the Commodore had installed for himself, that every time that Johnny
*The Sea Org Revisited*
369
the galley hand went into Bizerte he came back with little sprigs of
jasmine.
After a while, knowing about the flowers, and having sent out a lot of
forward publicity about this great benevolent multi-millionaire philos-
opher, who gave away his technology to all these students who came
eagerly on to his ships, he decided, "Well, now they must be aware of
the presence of Source."
I was down in my apRon one day scrubbing the steps, and I hear this
voice squeaking out in a high pitched falsetto, "Now tend the rail! Now
tend the rail! The Commodore's going ashore!" I drop everything,
scrubbing brush, bucket, the lot, and rush to the galley and say,
"Which way do we go?" And they say, "Oh, you go along here and you
line up against the wall, and as soon as the Commodore comes past
you've got to salute.
We're all with our backs up against the wall, and there's just enough
room for the Commodore and two of his magnificently uniformed min-
ions to walk past us together, in a threesome. Then all the others have
to follow behind. So he comes past. And he stared me straight in the
eye, because he wondered what I was thinking of all this, and whether
or not I was taking it seriously. But I'm standing there saluting like all
the rest of them. You know, oh God, it was very serious: The Commo-
dore's going ashore!
He's got this magnificent practiced walk, about twenty-five medals
on either side of that expanded over-fed chest, and those beginning-to-
develop mammary glands. And he's strutting along with this almost
goosestep-like walk, which is definitely going to impress those Arabs in
Bizerte. So, he eventually gets to the gangplank, and he stands aside
like all Commodores do, so that the rest go ashore first....Then
down he goes with his goosestep, down the gang plank. He gets down
there and he strokes his magnificent chest, and his medals. And he ex-
tends his hands in a gesture of largesse, and walks far enough from the
edge of the wharf for his minions to line up, four on each side, and
there they go!
He is Source of this "Aying bird" that happen to be walking along
the wharf. There is he: he's in the fRont, and his "wings" are stretched
out on both sides as he goes along.
The Arabs who were working on the dock didn't pay much attention
to him; but then, of course, they were only dock hands. Of course,
when he got into the city itself, then he was going to get the cream of
the cream, who were going to really acknowledge a genius when they
saw one.
They go through the end of the docks and they get down onto the
street, and they're walking, and so far the Arabs have walked past. But
still, it's not the cream of the cream. He hasn't come across any V.I.P.s
370
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
yet. And these other ones didn't even look up; they just went on spit-
ting in the street. They weren't the tiniest bit impressed by this regi-
ment from the flotilla. So they walked a few blocks, and the Arabs just
went on spitting.
All of a sudden the guest of the Commodore, a little thing called
paranoia, suddenly undermined the megalomania. So the megaloma-
nia flew away. and paranoia took over. And this magnificent walk, that
had been practiced and cultivated in the cabin and on the deck, disap-
peared altogether. And a quick little hurry-skurry rushed as fast as a fat
body could g back to the ship before the assassin came around from
one of the corners...to shoot down the Source of this enlightenment,
the Source of a clear planet.
So there he came rushing back....I could see the panting and the
rush, and all the minions trying to maintain some sort of dignity, while
the Commodore, blustering and fat and sweaty, got eventually to the
gangplank. Well, now, of course, he was correct in protocol by charging
up that gangplank first. Because a commodore or a captain always boards
a ship first, whether it's sinking or not. And our floating insane asylum
hadn't started sinking yet.
So he charges up the gangplank first. And in the meantime we've
been summoned with another one of these, "Tend the rail! Tend the
rail! The Commodore's coming aboard!" So the Commodore comes
aboard. And his minions come flocking up after him. And he's rushing;
his petticoat was just about hanging out as he charged past us, as we
were saluting against the wall. He, rushing like hell, and blustering,
"There's an S.P. on board! There's an S.P. on board!" There was
definitely an S.P. on board, because the Arabs didn't acknowledge
him. There must be an S.P. on board.
So he locks himself up in his cabin, and writes a very quick thing,
that the whole ship is put into "liability." So there he is; he's going to
stay up there in safety. And he's got all his guns ready on his bed, to
shoot the first of the Arabs that come charging after him....And so
he's locked up there, but out comes the order, and so now we're all in
liability. That means more standing in the water tank, more chipping
of the cattle holds and so on....
****
Hubbard lived in perpetual fear of being poisoned. He wouldn't eat
fresh food. Everything had to come out of a tin can. The result was that
the ship was loaded with tin cans. This is true! The only other thing he
would have was omelettes. He would have four meals a day. At two
o'clock in the morning I would cook him a 12-egg omelette.
****
*The Sea Org Revisited*
371
Otto Roos had been a Dutch seaman. He got involved with Scien-
tology in his teens. When the Sea Org was formed he joined up ea-
gerly. He was Hubbard's right-hand man for some years during the
late sixties and early seventies. To many Scientologists he is the S.P.
who was responsible for the overboards and other heavy discipline
and injustice they hear about from that period. He is reputed to have
been the one who performed the first overboarding. In fact he was
the first one tossed overboard.
There is no doubt he earned his reputation as a ruthless "discipli-
narian." However, his description of the situation on the ships, and
Hubbard's part and motives in creating the scene as it was on the
ship, is of considerable interest.
OTTO Roos:
Things got worse as the OT III research moved on. The Flag orders
at the time usually dealt with smashing "them" (our "enemies") and
smash them we did. If not our enemies, at least ourselves and our port
relations....
Beaching, I have seen many times. It did not improve port rela-
tions. A "beachee" was put ashore without passport and no money (ex-
cept for Sea Org pay sometimes) to make his way home. They would
sometimes go to their consulate for help at which point they had some
explaining to do....
To say that "LRH could not have known about this." can only be
answered by "How could he not have?" on a little ship and holding all
the communication] lines, after originating the policies [that estab-
lished these practices in the first place!].
Nobody ever dared say anything about' these things and so risk los-
ing his upper OT levels for "making the Commodore wrong."...
LRH was an entirely different person when dealing with, talking
about, and explaining points of technology and policy; especially on a
one-to-one basis.
...[After he reinstated overboards for the Dianetics course in '69,1
I started to wonder about the number of times he acted in a completely
different fashion from what he wrote in the tech.
...sometimes I thought he saw "Martians." For example, on Ma-
deira he showed several people the mountain where a famous whole
track SP [Xenu] was `Jailed" (and still was, to all intents and purposes).
But in later Ethics Orders he suddenly said that this character had es-
caped some centuries back and that he had traced him and that he was
so and so (name given) at present.
372
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
He was very validative of people who gave him lots of credit, espe-
cially when done in writing....
As for Hubbard's habit of "engraving his initials" on other people's
ideas, Roos explains:
Originators of [technical bulletins] had to always credit him....
The weakness of LRH was not that he too made mistakes, but was
the fact that he (1) appeared unable to admit it, and (2) invariably
blamed someone else.
His mistakes were always "another" publishing something over his
name....
I have sent his writings back to him always stating that, "because of
typing errors," it needed review as follows...
****
When LRH was very sick (January 1972) he sent a note to Jim
Dincalci [who was the Medical Officer at the time]. It stated: "Jim, I
don't think I'm going to make it."
Jim called me for help.
I wrote to LRH, asking his approval....I wanted to get all his fold-
ers...[in which was a full record of his personal auditing sessions
going back many years, done mostly on himself solo holding a special
solo can; but also on occasions by various other trusted individuals, in-
cluding Mary Sue Hubbard, Otto and others] to get his past auditing
history corrected and handled.
Otto proposed that a council of "class XIIs" go through them, to
find possible errors that could have caused him to become ill,' and to
work out a series of auditing actions to handle these errors, and thus
his illness.
He sent back his approval, plus a seven-page commendation, "I'm
delighted that somebody is finally going to take responsibility for my
auditing."
Folders came in from all over the world going back to 1948. Most of
the old stuff was on scraps of paper. Solo auditing data went as high as
what he called "OT level 19."
It became a stack of some eight feet high, an entire filing cabinet
full. [Organizing and categorizing all this material] took months.
*It is believed by most Scientologists that all illnesses are mostly, if not
entirely, psychosomatic and can be handled by auditing.
The Sea Org Revisited
373
...one day...he sent a messenger down to me, stating that he
wanted the folders.
Roos, using his authority as Case Supervisor, refused, citing the
supporting policy.
...[Hubbard] became the "Commodore" and ordered the folders
up. sending some hefty guys down to just get them.
A few days later I was called up to his office, and upon my entry was
hit, kicked, screamed and shouted at. (Even his aides were not in
sight. They were in hiding, knowing that he was really mad!)
He just blew his stack on finding the references to the"discredit-
able" [meter] reads, and the contents of some of his personal folders.
This is a type of E-meter needle reaction which, according to
Hubbard's own writings, indicates that someone has "evil inten-
tions."*
...He shouted that he had never had such reads.
He screamed that I and the others had "of course talked and laughed
about it" among ourselves, and had "undoubtedly told this all over the
ship."
Completely maniacal reactions, especially towards what were the
best and most professional auditors in the world, who had read in some
cases literally thousands of folders in which were noted down just
about all that can be thought or done....
There were, in the solo folders, lots of things personal to him; but
who cared....
He was very angry, but I faced him and his anger without flinching.
He said, "What are you looking at me for?"
I said, "Well, sir, you trained me personally never to break up, so
you couldn't expect me to do so now."
He then quietened down and ordered me to cabin arrest.
A few days later Otto Roos was called before a "Committee of Evi-
dence" and declared a Suppressive Person.
As far as I know, no one ever saw these folders again....
Virtually anybody close to LRH (even Mary Sue) got hit [heavily
disciplined], blacklisted, and lied about....
****
*The jerky slashing action of the needle of the E-meter called a "rock slam" is
covered in the chapter "Crucifying Evil Out."
374
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
JOHN AUSLEY:
At one point-for about half an hour-he'd meet with his family
once a week for a meal. This was a bit of a bother for him, but he did it.
One day, during one of these dinners, some messenger came in with
talk of "tech's out" and "orgs..." and this and that. And he said,
"That's enough of this daddy trip," and got up and walked out.
ARMSTRONG:
When Quentin Hubbard's oldest son by his third marriage died, his
response was anger. He was mad at Quentin for having committed sui-
cide. It was bad for Hubbard's image.
TONJA AND THE BUMP
Tonja Burden's recounting of her time with Hubbard includes a
story about how Ron was developing this fairly sizable bump on his
forehead. This bump is visible in one of the photos taken by Jim
Dincalcy in New York in 1973.
She was in her mid-teens by this time, a true believer, and that
bump bothered her.
She had observed many negative things about him, but these did not
bother her the way this bump did. She could somehow explain away
these other things without making her feel doubtful that he was the god
that the entire ship considered him to be. But this bump....
One of the things that bothered her about the bump was that it ob-
viously bothered Hubbard. He used to wear hats and would carefully
position them, while examining himself in the mirror, so as to cover
up the bump.
It would occur to her that if it bothered him that much, and since
he was an 0T, why didn't he just make it go away!
It finally did "go away," being surgically removed by Kima Douglas,
his "medical officer," who opened it up and cut out the fatty deposits.
15
Typewriter in the Sky
"If the body of the King dissolve, he shall remain in pure ecstasy
forever." - ALEISTER CROWLEY, Book of The Law
"If you see me dead I will live forever," - L. RON HUBBARD, from
"Hymn of Asia"
On the 24th of January, 1986, L. Ron Hubbard died in a $250,000
Bluebird motor home, parked near a pen of llamas and a field of graz-
ing buffalo. The location was a 160-acre ranch in Creston, 11 miles
east of Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County, California.
His personal physician, Gene Denk, cited on the death certificate
that Hubbard had suffered a brain hemorrhage days before his death.
Obispo Sheriff Whiting stated that blood samples taken from Hubbard's
body showed acceptable levels of medication given for stroke patients.
Little is known about what happened from the time of his death
and 12 hours later when Church officials asked a funeral director to
pick up the body. A neighbor, Robert Whaley, a retired advertising
executive, remembers seeing tremendous traffic at the ranch that Fri-
day night.
The next morning attorney Cooley telephoned Reis Chapel in San
Luis Obispo, 20 miles southwest of the ranch. "He asked if we did
cremation," said Irene Keis, an owner of the Chapel. She said special
arrangements for the cremation were made at the crematory, which
was usually closed on weekends. Her husband Gene, picked up the
body at the ranch.
Church attorney Cooley accompanied the body to the Chapel
and stayed near it while other Church officials went to lunch. "Mr.
Cooley insisted that we never leave the body alone."
375
376
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Church officials "wanted everything private-they wanted nothing
released to the press," Reis said. After Chapel officials learned the
identity of the body, they called the San Luis Obispo County Deputy
Coroner, Don Hines. He stopped any cremation until an indepen-
dent pathologist could examine the body and tests could be per-
formed.
Cooley presented Hines with a certificate of religious preference
signed by Hubbard stating that he didn't want an autopsy at his
death.
A Church spokesman said that Hubbard had lived on the ranch in
Creston for the past two and a half years, writing and researching
topics of the spirit and cross-breeding of animals, as well as dabbling
in photography. He had lived in his motor home while his home was
under renovation, a process just finished when he died.
Neighbors, and people who were hired to work on various con-
struction projects at the ranch over the years, described him as a
"Colonel Sanders" lookalike because he sported a white beard and
was overweight. They said that the man they knew as "Jack" rarely
emerged from his motor home and was driven around the ranch by a
petite blonde woman who lived on the ranch.
According to the neighbor Whaley, Hubbard practiced an obses-
sion with privacy. None of his neighbors knew who he was. He didn't
receive mail at the ranch, and visitors often arrived in the middle of
the night.
When he did come out of his motor home during the day, it was
only to putter around on the estate, feeding the horses, llamas and
buffaloes.
Whaley told a reporter that he invited Hubbard and "the Mitchells"
(as Pat and Annie Broeker called themselves) to dinner, shortly after
they moved in, but "they turned us down."
The neighbor recalled a chance eye-to-eye encounter with Hubbard.
One day Whaley went to a stable at the ranch to borrow a tool and
surprised Hubbard, who was filing a piece of metal.
"This older man gave me a very dirty look and ran into the work-
shop and closed the door," Whaley said.
****
Hubbard's last will and testament was written the day before he
died. For several years Hubbard had been frantically gathering up
Church funds and placing them in accounts under his name. The new
*Typewriter in the Sky*
377
will, however, gives what is said to be the bulk of his estate "to the
Church."
What exactly is meant by "the Church" is unclear. There are nu-
merous incorporated entities set up by Hubbard's agents. Each one
represents itself as being autonomous. These include the Author Ser-
vices Inc. (Hubbard's private for profit corporation; headed by the top
Church elite and - according to witnesses-the senior entity), The
Church of Spiritual Technology, The Church of Scientology of
California, etc., etc. Despite pretence to the contrary (according to
former high Scientology officials) these all form one monolithic whole
dominated by the same few people who were Hubbard's top agents
when he died.
Attention was brought to this state of affairs recently (April, 1987)
when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected pleas by the Church for relief
from having to post a bond of up to 60 million dollars to guard its as-
sets against seizure while it appeals a Los Angeles Superior Court
jury award.
A front-page story in The Los Angeles Times explained:
Scientology lawyers have argued the payment of the bond would
plunge the church into bankruptcy. But the state court judge who pre-
sided over the jury trial contends that the controversial organization's
claims of poverty are untrue....
In a stRongly worded opinion last September [Judge] Swearinger
said "the claim of relative indigency is not believed by the court, and
the court has had ample opportunity to examine and consider the cred-
ibility of the defendant during five and a half months of trial and ex-
tended post-trial proceedings."
Swearinger said Scientology is composed of interconnected entities,
including the California Church, which form a "monolithic whole."
Swearinger said the Church of California transferred "virtually all of its
assets and functions" to those other entities between the time
Wollersheim filed his lawsuit in 1980 and the start of the trial in Febru-
ary, 1986.
The transfers, Swearinger said, "are seen as mere jiggery-pokery
[deception].'The power to transfer out to a sister entity is the power to
transfer back in `when the heat is o" so to speak."
Moreover, Swearinger characterized as "pure sham" arguments by
the church that the bond would deprive its parishioners of the right to
practice their religion.
"Proof has shown that the real estate, furnishings, fixtures and stock
in trade of Scientology are in possession and control of other entities."
378
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
****
A shroud of mystery is likely to surround Hubbard's death, his will,
and the amount and whereabouts of his estate for some time.
Certainly this most recent will was substantially different from that
prepared in 1982.
Richard Behar of Forbes magazine, after interviewing Bill Franks,
Homer Shomer and others concludes that Hubbard had transferred
"at least $200 million" from Church accounts to his own. Chances are
it was a great deal more. So any claims could be for substantial sums
of money.
There are several witnesses who say that Hubbard was obsessed
with the idea of returning to collect his booty (whether buried as gold
or stashed in foreign banks with numbered accounts).
The idea was that, in his next life on Earth, he would recall the
appropriate locations or the digits of the various numbered accounts
(accounts where no I.D. is necessary), and so reclaim his riches. Ap-
parently L. Ron Hubbard very much disagreed with the saying, "You
can't take it with you."
The will's naming of "the Church" (controlled by a small elite) and
family appear to be inconsistent with that intention. Unless one con-
siders the possibility that there may be extensive hidden/buried as-
sets unknown to anyone but Hubbard.
There are first-hand witnesses to the paper traffic regarding the
"Mausoleum" Hubbard planned to build for 35 million dollars, com-
plete with his writings etched on stainless steel and gold bullion hid-
den within, Pharoah style. How his new incarnation would gain ac-
cess to any of this is unclear.
****
In late September of 1985, just months before Hubbard died, the
IRS sent a letter to the Church.
It warned that there might be indictments against Hubbard for tax
fraud. What comes to mind is that Hubbard had avoided the courts so
vigorously. Being indicted would have forced him out of his seclu-
sion, revealing his poor health.
This would have been intensely humiliating to a man who valued
his image to the exclusion of all else. A man who, after his last appear-
ance in a courtroom in 1952, vowed never again to stand before a
judge.
The new leaders insist that Hubbard "causatively discarded" his
*Typewriter in the Sky*
379
body because "it had become an encumbrance." However, there are
those who have speculated that Hubbard may have simply committed
suicide to avoid public humiliation.
There is no evidence that I'm aware of to this effect; however,
many have queStions as to why the "unseemly haste" to cremate the
body sans autopsy. Among these were Michael Flynn who expressed
his concern to a reporter.
Cooley filed an immediate lawsuit against Flynn in regard to his
comments, revealing that the top Church brass does indeed appear to
be thin-skinned on this subject.
There are some who, citing a 1983 "Ron's Journal" taped message,
the voice of which experts found not to be Hubbard's, and signatures
of that period, which appear to have been forged, assert that Hub-
bard died in 1983 and was literally "kept on ice" while the youngsters
consolidated their power base.
While this scenario may be an appropriate finale to a life difficult to
differentiate from the novels Hubbard wrote, it is belied by neighbor
Whaley's account and the coroner's report, and the statement of sci-
ence fiction author and editor Ray Faraday Nelson. A long-time fan of
Hubbard's science fiction works, Nelson maintained a regular episto-
lary exchange with him for over three decades. The last letter he
received - with a postscript in Hubbard's own handwriting - arrived
just a week before Hubbard's death.
Nelson, one of the few individuals with whom Hubbard maintained
some kind of contact over the years, claims that Hubbard had been
preoccupied with little more than his science fiction writing since
prior to 1980.
This is probably true as far as avoiding direct Church management
(especially following the ArmstRong triaD. To more correctly assess his
preoccupations during his final years, one should add to this list:
keeping out of courtrooms and jail cells, accumulating huge personal
bank accounts, and attempting to prolong his life with the aid of medi-
cine and nutrition. I believe he meddled with management only to
the extent that it was necessary to ensure his personal safety and ever-
increasing flows of money.
****
There was certainly no disgrace in a man who smoked three to four
packs of cigarettes a day living to be almost seventy-five. But, to his
followers, Ron was not supposed to be "just a man."
380
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
Many Scientologists thought Hubbard would never die, or at least
would live to be very very old.
The news of their leader's death was lessened and for many turned
into a "win" - wonderful news indeed - by the announcement, at the
Los Angeles Palladium, that Ron had "causatively discarded the body,"
since it had become "an impediment to his research." Research that he
was ("is") doing for all Mankind.
Yes, this was proof of Ron's "ultimate success," was the message;
the ultimate victory: the conquest of the cycle of life and death!
****
Shortly after Hubbard's death, I saw a video tape of this "event."
As I watched, Pat Broeker was introduced by Commander David
Miscavage :
When LRH left us in 1980 to do his researches, he took with him his
two most trusted friends and companions. These two people were Pat
Broeker and Annie Broeker. They lived and worked with him for the
last six years during the entire period of this research.
(Prior to becoming the pope and popess of Scientology, Pat and
Annie were essentially Hubbard's chauffeur and maid.)
During his talk, the now chief executive of the Church, Pat Broeker,
spoke of "new OT 8." It was soon to be released and would be the high-
est available OT level.
Invoking oohs and ahhs from the audience, Broeker spoke know-
ingly of new OT 8, and the impression was that he had already com-
pleted that level.
In the eyes of Scientologists this would, since the "Ascension of
Ron," make Pat Broeker the most aware being inhabiting a human
body.
Okay....As David mentioned it was my....[Pat clears his
throat] honor to serve under him these last six years and before that-
ah-in the Sea Org in general. And there is just no greater, there is
just no greater honor. Those of you know-in the Sea Org-and his
friends know exactly what I'm talking about.
Specifically because I was close to him these last six years....
[clears his throat]
...there are four very, very important subjects I want to discuss
with you, just very briefly.
Firstly, I wann [sic] talk to you a little bit...
*Typewriter in the Sky*
381
[Broeker at this point seems to be aware that he is having some
difficulty speaking and appears to make an effort to regain his compo-
sure]
...a little bit more detail, as David mentioned, about his decision.
Yes! It was absolutely! his causative decision! to discard that body.
[Broeker raises his voice, attempting to sound authoritative]
Ah....[clears throat]...January,
[What self-confidence and composure he had been able to muster
seems to be now again evaporating. He appears to be very nervous
indeed making what appears to be a "Freudian" slip. Living with Hub-
bard for six years had obviously not been a pleasant experience. He
appears to be still "stuck in the incident," to describe his unfortunate
behavior in Scientologese]
...Around - ah - ah - sorry - around about summer of 1984, he
said at that time that he would not be able to....*
[He here reaches "maximum fluster," possibly suspecting that he
had inadvertently admitted that Hubbard was not in control of how
and when he would "discard his body." But he continues with great
effort, straining with every word]
...that he would, would soon come to a point-he knew approxi-
mately where it was, but-as there were things intervening from
where he was to where he knew he would find this phenomena that ah
...in which he would have to discard the body and do it completely
free from encumbrances....
On January 19 he stated that this was it. And he then handled, in
session, those things that were necessary so that he could completely
sever all ties, all ties, which by the way was research in itself, because
we now know what those ties are `cause he wrote it up.
[Oohs and ahhs from the audience]
Broeker stressed strongly:
There is only one source. Source does not pass to management.
Source is him, the only one! Don't listen to others!
In light of this performance, it is not surprising that Pat Broeker has
been very absent from subsequent Scientology "major events."
****
In his writings and lectures Hubbard had never spoken of the body
as being an "encumbrance" to heightened awareness. After all, one
could "exteriorize" from it and be free of it while still being in posses-
sion of it and allowing it to live.
382
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
As I interpret it, as of January 27th - with the announcement of
Hubbard's death-this was all changed. Now, beyond a certain point
in "auditing," one must kill the body (an "impediment") in order to
continue to greater heights. ("Discard," "kill," perhaps I'm confused.
Is there a difference?)
One young Scientologist expressed her thoughts following Hub-
bard's death. She displayed an enthusiasm which seemed bizarre
and macabre: "Once you get up to OT 14 you can go to Flag for
instruction on how to drop the body and join Ron. It's really neat!"
OT 15, per the Church's "grade chart," is "Total Freedom."
Were Scientologists now nodding understandingly when they read
Hubbard's words encouraging them to work diligently on getting
"Across the Bridge"? For if they didn't, to quote from a piece written
in 1982 (supposedly by Hubbard): "It will be very lonely in the sky,"
the sky where L. Ron Hubbard-wise, benevolent and powerful-
awaited their arrival.
In his earlier writings Hubbard had proclaimed to the world that
he had "built a bridge" which Mankind could walk, leading to total
spiritual freedom in this lifetime.
This appears to have been slightly modified.
"I'll see you on the other side of the bridge." Hubbard had said.
Now the "other side," where Ron is waiting requires (so some imply)
a somewhat grim passage through the local mortuary.
****
Whatever one chooses to believe, it does appear that the chain-
smoking Messiah has puffed his last filterless Kool. (At least for a
while, considering the possibility of reincarnation.)
Hubbard is gone.
But what of his "alter ego," the Church? It survives as his body, his
hands, ready always to reach out and grope your children's minds.
The Church is, as it exists today, an enormous organizational vam-
pire, drinking deep of the vitality of the innocent and the idealistic.
Possessing tremendous legal, financial, and public relations re-
sources, the Church of Scientology's capacity to persuade and intimi-
date has been impressive. Its ability to inhibit communication, to pre-
vent free dialogue, to terrorize, is a matter of record.
The outlook of the Church hierarchy is reflected in "aides order
210-47" of March 2, 1983. Issued by Captain Guillaume Lesevre, Ex-
ecutive Director International, it quotes Hubbard:
*Typewriter in the Sky*
383
"I am not interested in wog [human] morality...if anyone is
getting industrious trying to enturbulate or stop Scientology or its ac-
tivities, I can make Captain Bligh look like a Sunday school teacher.
There is probably no limit on what I would do to safeguard Man's only
road to freedom."
As Omar Garrison said on CBS's "Sixty Minutes":
I think, at the moment, that organization, the cult, is in the hands of
the most fanatical followers and adherents of Mr. Hubbard, who you
can equate with the followers of Ayatolla Khomeini.
Everyone who has taken these courses comes out with a super ego.
With a truculent, if you will, truculent view of anyone who dares to
disagree. Because the person who disagrees is perceived as what they
call a suppressive person, and must be dealt with as such....
That's the dark side of Scientology.
16
Reflections
"None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe
they are free." - J.W. VON GOETHE
L. RON HUBBARD JR.:
"My father was a cosmic outlaw. He shared his power with no one.
Worshipped no one and nothing. Bowed to no one. Stood before no
judges.
"But there are certain universal laws that no man is above. He con-
sidered himself to be above the truth, and in this he was very much
mistaken. "
****
Martin Samuels (once the world's most successful Scientology fran-
chise holder):
Hubbard operated according to a couple of key patterns.
The first pattern involved basically decent well-intentioned people:
whether you look at his personal communicator Ken Urqurt; his per-
sonal nurse Kima Douglas; David Mayo his auditor and research assis-
tant; Reg Sharpe; John McMaster; no one has ever been able to rise in
the organization or in his life to the point of any real proximity to him,
without being attacked and vilified
That's one pattern repeated over and over and over. And every time
it happened to somebody Hubbard was always able to explain it away.
And of course the next person thinks that he or she is immune Of
course, now Hubbard is dead, so we won't see that pattern particularly
repeated, except inasmuch as we'll see the Church hierarchy emulate
and carry that pattern forward.
384
*Reflections*
385
The next pattern: It's reap and rape. Hubbard would let the reins
loose. He.d let people believe they really could get on with it. He'd let
people believe that they really could prosper to the full extent of their
own ability, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
And, with that kind of freedom, prosperity does occur. Invariably
though, he'd then come along and rape and pillage and rip off and take
what had been produced. The most dramatic example of this was
'82-'83, when he "raped" his most decent people in management along
with the mission holders, and looted the entire mission network.
And look at this pattern....He surrounded himself with absolute
hooligans as "managers"; guys who beat the shit out of people. This
man, who "is this OT, the author of Science of Survival, completely
able to predict human behavior,"...surrounded himself with ruth-
less people-like Miscavage-who got there because they emulated
Hubbard's savagery. They emulated his total willingness to completely
break, use, and discard another person.
And then after their hands were so bloody-and the only reason their
hands were bloody is that they were doing what Hubbard wanted-when
it started to finally get to the point where it couldn't be tolerated by peo-
ple anymore, Hubbard wiped them out. Then he said, "My God I didn't
know!" Scapegoat. He even did it to his own wife, who went to jail in
his place.
We're not here talking about things that were happening five thou-
sand miles away from him. We're talking about things that were hap-
pening fifty feet from him. But he "didn't know."...But the thing
that's amazing, and to me terrifying, is the characteristic of the mind,
my mind, your mind, and apparently many other peoples' minds,
where I could buy this horseshit; where I could participate in it.
What is so hard to grasp is the inability to perceive, to exercise a
sense of reality, to relate to reality in such a way that, when you look,
you can go "this doesn't jive!" The fact that this horrible phenomenon
of pre-programmed blindness occurs so commonly and so broadly is
terrifying!
****
NICKY HOPKINS, musician/composer/Church member:
L. Ron Hubbard is a pioneer in the truest sense of the word. He
spent a lifetime researching and developing the only workable technol-
ogy ever to enable man to become free.
It was this technology that literally saved my life a few years ago
when I was totally caught up in the trap of drugs and had only a short
time left to live. Not only was that problem terminatedly handled, but
386
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
my awareness as a spiritual being and my artistic creativity have in-
creased beyond measure.
I can never adequately express the love, admiration, respect and
gratitude that I have for this superb being" who is surely the greatest
friend Mankind ever had.
Thank you, Ron, for so very, very much.
Ray Faraday Nelson, science fiction author and fan of Hubbard's
fiction works:
One of the things that Ron underestimated in the ability to do things
is a certain defiance, a certain rebelliousness of character, which he
himself had in spades. So the same sort of person who could be a fol-
lower of something like Scientology-especially a staff member in an
organization would, by the very fact of being a follower, be cut off from
the kind of creativity that Hubbard himself had.
Hubbard himself I think was very much of an outsider. Not only
later on when he isolated himself but from the very beginning. I think
he had a certain detachment from the entire human race: a certain feel-
ing that he was separate. And that separateness, I think, was a very
important source of his own creativity.
MICHAEL FLYNN:
The man was pure Nietzsche,-superman : "My zoill to do it gives
me the right to do it!" It is will rising above conscience. I believe that
"rising above the bank" was, to him, overcoming his conscience.
JEFF POMERANTZ. Actor on Broadway, television and film, and
Church member:
L. Ron Hubbard and his writings have been the stabilizing influence
of my life for many years now. He believed man to be basically good
and proved it again and again. His discoveries and technologies ended
my confusions, brightened my perceptions, increased my sense of eth-
ics, rehabilitated me as an artist and generally made my heart sing. No
man ever had a better friend. I've looked up to him for years-I guess
now I just have to look a little Higher.
BOB ROSS (former Scientologist):
Well, I have met Hubbard a few times and observed him at other
times. I was and remain suspicious of his intentions. I avoided him at
first in order to not discover that Dianetics might be a hoax. Then I
*Reflections*
387
found out that auditing works. I spent over four thousand hours discov-
ering for myself that Dianetics worked. And other things worked too in
Scientology.
I told many people from 1957 onwards, after I had seen Hubbard
perform in various Congresses, that he was among other things the
greatest Con Man of this century. Yet he was far more than that as
well. Whether or not he really and truly believed in his own set goal to
"Clear the Planet," at least he made it possible for me to work toward
that end with, I feel, some hope of success, in a world that needs that
hope more and more. I shall continue to use what is good in Dianetics
and Scientology to help myself and others....
John Ausley (ex-Sea Org Class XII):
Hubbard had some big pluses and some big minuses....
Once on the flagship he told me that his favorite person was P.T.
Barnum....
He could have been an actor or a director or gone on an entertain-
ment trip. But he was a writer.
The writer in question liked gathering a whole group together under
any cause, then assigning them roles as characters and watch them act
out his own books. He assigned them character roles: "You're a this, or
this."...
There is a debauchery one can get when one has one's own following
and fan club. Entertainers have hit it. Elvis died at about 300 pounds.
He hit debauchery and went out.
Hubbard hit a debauchery level on ego and power....
The boy was paranoid.
He knew what to expect from people, because he knew what he
would have been doing if he were them!
He implemented this rule that if anybody said anything bad about
him, they had [performed] treacherous acts against all of Mankind.
"Introvert them like a bullet," was Hubbard's technique. They look
at you, they see what's wrong. Turn them around. Why are you seeing
what's wrong with me! That only means that there's something terribly
wrong with you! And you better start looking at it quick!
Nothing that your average criminal doesn't know how to do natu-
rally.
Fat redneck from Nebraska: Hubbard was a redneck. He was not a
good old boy, but a redneck. A good old boy will throw his beer cans in
388
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
the back of his pickup truck while he's driving. A redneck will throw
'em straight out the window.
He was a redneck. He didn't mind trashin' the Bill of Rights....
He convinced others so thoroughly that he was the Messiah, that it
was now their job to convince him back that what he had convinced
them of was true....
What did I like about him? I thought, "This guy is being up fRont."
Turns out he wasn't.
He was some low-rent Confucius trying to sell me that he used to be
Buddha. I have a lot higher nominations on who used to be Buddha.
He doesn't even come close. Just another wiz kid.
CONCLUSIONS
Hubbard's public words were rarely a reflection of what this man
was and what he fundamentally believed.
He used words to create the effect he wanted.
(He once bragged that he could write anything in any style-
Shakespeare, or heartthrob love stories that Aunt Mamie would cry
over, or Zane Grey cowboy tales.)
He used his gift for combining words to exploit something which is
truly sacred: Man's hope and quest for values that are greater than
the mundane.
His "magical incantations" were words and symbols; combinations
of words like "Total Freedom," being designed to entice; and Church
of Scientology"; and "rehabilitation project force," designed to de-
ceive.
There was a huge array of symbols such as the Sea Org insignia of a
star and crescent; titles such as "Finance Police" and "International
Finance Dictator." All these were designed to gain a hypnotic sub-
servience to his will.
It is partly his endless creation of clashing symbols (words being
included as symbology-published and dramatized by him and his fol-
lowers (such as the "Creed of the Church" proclaiming "freedom of
speech" on a Sea Org commander's wall) - that made this such a bi-
zarre saga.
There were also symbols that he would wish not to be noticed, such
as the Apollo ending up as a restaurant and the Athena being cut up
*Reflections*
389
for scrap metal. Certainly he did not wish the image of a stroke victim
(possibly unable to speak clearly) known.
Even unembroidered, Hubbard's life was colorful, to say the least.
But it was hardly a life which symbolized that of the reincarnated
Buddha.
Yet within the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha is found
wisdom that may serve to inoculate those who may be otherwise sus-
ceptible to his, and now his organization's, manipulation.
It is said that the Buddha once told a group of disciples:
Be not led by the authority of religious texts, nor by the delight in
speculative opinions, nor by seeming possibilities, nor by the idea;
"This is our teacher." But...when you know for yourselves that cer-
tain things are unwholesome and wrong, and bad, then give them up
...and when you know for yourselves that certain things are whole-
some and good, then accept them and follow them.
A disciple should examine even the teacher himself, so that he
might be fully convinced of the true value of the teacher whom he fol-
lowed.
*Experts say that the voice on an '83 taped message is not Hubbard's.
The Aftermath
Five months after Hubbard died, Mary and I were driving back to
Riverside from San Francisco.
On a whim we drove off Highway 1 onto Highway 84, and then for
some 20 minutes through rough country and winding roads from San
Luis Obispo to a tiny township called Creston.
I asked directions from the bartender at the Loading Chute Saloon.
"Oh, yeah, the Hubbard ranch. You go down a block and turn right
and go down three or four miles and there'll be a wooden sign hang-
ing out, sorta onto the street, that says `Emmanuel,' and you turn up
there aways and you'll be right on Hubbard's ranch." The long secret
Hubbard hideout was now just a matter-of-fact bit of local trivia.
We drove to the sign reading "Emmanuel Conference Center." It
had a standard Christian Cross with an open stylized Bible, the kind
of symbol one sees on the windows of Christian bookstores.
We turned onto the dirt road and drove up over the crest of the hill
and found ourselves smack in the middle of what appeared to be the
ranch I had seen in press clippings.
Stopping for a moment outside the main gate, we watched the
place come alive in apparent response to our presence. First a truck
started up and drove towards the house on top of the hill, a red
motorscooter followed.
It wasn't until the red scooter returned down the hill at high speed
that I knew for certain that we were at the right spot. On the scooter
was Rich Aznerant who was well known to me as a previous executive
of Dean Stokes's Dallas mission. He is now the husband of one of the
top five elite.
390
*The Aftermath*
391
He got off his bike and raIl up to the fence.
I greeted him.
"I don't see Ron's motor home. Did you guys remove it from the
property?" I asked.
He shrugged, indicating that he wasn't about to answer that ques-
tion.
"I hate to tell you this but that is a private road."
I made social noises and drove off. As I watched the ranch recede
in my rear view mirror, I recalled that at the event announcing
Hubbard's "ascension," Pat Broeker (who had lived at this ranch with
Hubbard) was seen letting into a near new red Ferrari.
Since I had not seen a red Farrari at the ranch, I checked back in
with the bartender of the Loading Chute Saloon. It was dinner time
and he was very busy serving beer, ribs and fries to a full house.
I finally got a word in, "I understand that Pat Broeker, the guy who
is currently in charge of the ranch, drives a red Farrari, and I won-
dered if you have seen it going up there."
"Yeah, lots of times. I don't know if it belongs to him; but there is
definitely a red Farrari that goes uP there."
Ah, the perks of being the toI' OT on the Planet!
THE FIVE CARD SYSTEM
Things are not quite as cozy for the rank and file....
In Sea Org Executive Directive 3490 International, 24 July 1986, a
new system of rewards and penalties is announced. This directive is
by the "Sea Organization Admiralty Officer," and is approved by the
Watchdog Committee:
A brilliant system is being put into your org which heavily validates
those staff` who are actively working on contributing to and achieving
your org's purpose of 5.4Xed statistics [meaning increasing one's pro-
duction by 5.4 times before Hubbard's birthdate].
At the same time, this new system penalizes downstat staff who are
not actively contributing....
This system grants each member of the team "shares" in the group.
There are five team shares and you, as a team member of the group,
will be issued five special cards representing each share:
1. Social Card (blue)
392
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
2. Bonus Card (green)
3. Allowance Card (orange)
4. Berthing Card (yellow)
5. Chow card (red)
The social card entitles the staff member to "participate in any so-
cial activity such as liberty, parties, sports events, special meals, out-
ings, and the like" (note that "liberty" is any day off).
The bonus card entitles the staff member to a "bonus in addition to
the regular Sea Org allowance." The allowance card "entitles one to
receive regular Sea Org allowance" [approximately $7 to $12 per
week].
The berthing card grants a space in which to berth (a bed).
The chow card entitles the staff member to receive food at meal
times from the Org.
Here's the good news:
A staff member who "is pulling his weight and taking responsibility
for the org as a whole" is entitled to all five cards. He is also awarded a
"Silver Star." He is to wear this star at all times on his lapel.
Here's the bad news:
If the staff member is "being downstat or generally unproductive,
or uncooperative" he starts losing his cards one at a time starting with
the blue card.
Lose one card and you lose your silver star.
Loss of all cards means the person "goes on rice and beans (each
meal) while living in pig's berthing...." The directive goes on to
explain:
The Sea Organization is the most ethical group this planet has ever
known or will know. Star-high standards are enforced. It is with clean
hands [good deeds and honestly that the Sea Org has maintained itself
as the single most effective group of OTs in existence....
LRH has entrusted the Sea Org to maintain the exact degree of eth-
ics on this planet so that the wins and gains of his technology can be
had by all....
Those who have other fish to fry show up fast on the Team Share
System and can be quickly handled.
ADMIRAL HUBBARD
Shortly after Hubbard's death, Pat Broeker was proclaimed as the
senior "loyal officer" in a farewell "Directive" from Ron. He was
*The Aftermath* 393
made the keeper of all the higher-level OT materials not yet released.
A powerful position, virtually assuring that he will not be deposed.
In that same message Hubbard gave himself a final promotion, as-
suming the rank of "Admiral."
AFLOAT AGAIN !
On the 16th of September 1986, a new ship was purchased. It was
christened the Free Winds and, at seven thousand tons and 440 feet
in length, is considerably larger than the Apollo. It is here that OT 8
will be delivered.
At a promotional function, Mark Yaeger announced that Free
Winds would sail on her maiden voyage before the year was out. Sub-
sequently, a promotion featuring glossy color photos of the ship was
mailed out.
It boldly invites all to:
Help start the greatest adventure in Scientology History!
Glossary
(Includes a few Scientology terms that are not in the book, but repre-
sents only a small sampling of the language of Scientologists. Definitions
in quotation marks are from L. Ron Hubbard's works.)
AO (Advance Organization): delivers "upper level" services.
ANCHOR POINT: "The points which mark an area of space are called
anchor points, and these, with the viewpoint, alone are responsible for
space." A rock star performing before ten thousand people probably
has a lot of "space." A fellow introverted and "caved in," sitting in a
chair with his eyes closed (his girl friend left him) has very little
"space." Space equates to "beingness."
AUDITING: Counseling; asking a question that invites another to
look, letting him tell you what he sees, acknowledging him, and asking
another or the same question inviting him to look some more-up to a
point of realization and some degree of resolution of the problem, con-
dition, or inability being addressed. Auditing is also defined as "the
application of Scientology processes and procedures." In this sense it
has included more than just the posing of questions. For example an
"auditor" might instruct his "pre-clear" to observe the enviRonment:
"Look around the room and tell me something you could have,"
asked repeatedly until person feels good about it. Or, "Look around
the room and tell me something mother can't have," or "Look around
the room and tell me something you could dispense with...
Or, he might instruct him to visualize various things. For example:
"What can you mock up2" (see glossary below). Then "mock up (what-
ever pre-clear said he could)," then "O.K., shove it in to yourself,"
then, "Let it remain where it is," and "Throw it away," and so on.
394
*Glossary*
395
Also, of course, official Scientology "auditing" includes compulsory
metered confession, which is one of the fundamentals of brainwashing
or mind-control. So, unfortunately, "auditing" (or "counseling"), in
this context, has been tainted with a rather unsavory connotation. Any
auditing done in an authoritarian context can amount to a form of
brainwashing or-at the very least-set a person up for manipulation
and mind control.
B-1: Guardian's Office covert intelligence.
BRIDGE: Pathway from "unknowingness to revelation.": The Grade
Chart consisting of approximately thirty major "levels".
BT (Body thetan): A degraded spirit that attaches itself to another's
body or spirit.
CASE SUPERVISOR (C/S): One who supervises the auditing of pre-
clears.
CHAINS: A series of incidents with similar content.
CLUSTER: a number of BTs stuck together.
CMO (Commodore's Messengers Organization): Organization consis-
ting of L. Ron Hubbard's servants. The highest executive body. Some
of its members later became the Religious Technology Corporation.
COGNITION: a realization.
CLEAR: (Used as a noun) A person who no longer has a "reactive
mind."
CLEARING: A gradient process of searching out, locating, and resolv-
ing previously buried stress or trauma. Although buried, this trauma
can be devitalizing or the source of various undesired physical or men-
tal conditions. More generally, "clearing" means straightening out, or
eliminating, confusion.
CREATIVE PROCESSING: "Consists of having the pre-clear make,
with his own creative energies, a mock-up." Not used since the 1950s.
DB: Degraded being.
DEV-T ("Developed traffic): needless distractions that cause ineffi-
ciency.
DIANETICS: Through thought; a system of locating and resolving the
396
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
causes of aberrative behavior based on the influence of subconscious
trauma and "think," tracing back to "earlier similar" causes, until the
point of resolution.
DMSMH: Hubbard's book, Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental
Health.
DWINDLING SPIRAL: According to Hubbard the path for spiritual
beings-if they do not avail themselves of Scientology-is down. One
becomes weaker and smaller and more oblivious and, eventually, lands
in a hell worse than any described in any religion. One of many control
mechanisms of Scientology: "Comply or you're doomed."
DYNAMIC: "The urge, thrust, and purpose of life-survive!" It is de-
scribed as having eight primary manifestations:
1st Dynamic: Survival as self.
2nd Dynamic: Survival through the sex act, children and family.
3rd Dynamic: Survival through groups.
4th: Survival through Mankind.
5th: Survival through animal and vegetable life.
6th: Survival through the physical universe.
7th: Survival through things spiritual: spiritual beings, thought, es-
thetics.
8th: Survival through Infinity.
ENTURBULATE: To upset.
E-METER: "An electRonic instrument for measuring change in mental
state in individuals." Can be used in auditing as an aid in locating areas
of buried mental stress, bringing this stress to the surface to be viewed
and resolved. Also can be used as a police interrogation device as part
of a system of mind-control.
ENGRAM: "A moment of greater or lesser "unconsciousness" on the
part of the analytical mind which permits the reactive mind to record;
the. total content of the moment with all perceptics."
ENTHETA: "Enturbulated theta (thought or life); especially refers to
communications, which based on lies and confusions, are slanderous,
choppy or destructive in an attempt to overwhelm or suppress"; also
means any criticism of L. Ron Hubbard or Scientology.
EXTERIORIZATION: Being outside the body as a spirit, with or with-
out perception.
*Glossary*
397
FAIR GAME: Policy initiated by Hubbard allowing enemies to be
"lied to, cheated, destroyed."
FINANCE DICTATOR (International Finance Dictator): Post estab-
lished in 1982 to oversee Church finances.
FINANCE POLICE: The Finance Dictator's troops.
FLAG: Headquarters of Scientology world-wide since 1968. It was
aboard the Flagship Apollo until 1975. Since then the term has been
used for the land-based service organization in Clearwater, Florida.
The actual headquarters have been wherever Hubbard has been in
hiding. Orders from him and his immediate aides have been relayed
through Gilman Hot Springs in Riverside County, California, and
more recently through the top executives on the top floor of a highrise
building on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood under the facade of Author Ser-
vices Inc.
FRANCHISE HOLDER: Person chosen by Hubbard to set up shop as
a branch (or mission) of the Church of Scientology, in return for 10 per-
cent of the franchise's income paid to the Church. In return, he was
promised financial independence and freedom from interference by
the Church.
G.O. (Guardian's Office): A Scientology bureaucracy performing intel-
ligence, legal, public relations, and Fair Game functions. It was re-
named the Office of Special Affairs (OSA) in 1983.
HAVINGNESS: "The feeling that one owns or possesses; the concept
of being able to reach or not being prevented from reaching."
IMPLANT: Fundamentally any hypnotic suggestion. Hubbard defined
it in terms of "space opera": a highly technical and complex system of
mass hypnosis inflicted on populations by evil rulers. He claims that
these implants have been inflicted upon everyone on the planet. An
example of the "most devastating" of these are in the "Wall of Fire"
chapter.
INDICATES: Essentially means "rings true."
INTEL: Intelligence.
KEY-IN: To be re-connected to some part of one's reactive mind.
398
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
KEY-OUT: To be separated from-freed, at least momentarily-from
the effect of the reactive mind.
LOWER GRADES: Auditing that precedes the "OT levels." Addres-
ses psychosomatic ills, communication difficulties, fixations, upsets,
and various "human level" conditions.
MEST: Matter, Energy, Space, Time.
MISSION: A Scientology franchise which delivers introductory ser-
vices.
MISSIONAIRE: A member of the Sea Org sent on a mission.
MOCK-UP: (As a verb) "To get an imaginary picture of. " Also to create
or make something (As a noun) "Any knowingly created mental pic-
ture." Also, "A full perceptic energy picture in three dimensions cre-
ated by the thetan and located in space and time. Now, that's the ideal
definition."
NATTER: Negative chatter. People who natter about Scientology or
L. Ron Hubbard have, according to Hubbard, undisclosed evil deeds.
NO REPORT: Not writing up and reporting a fellow group member
who is being "out-ethics."
OFF SOURCE: Not doing what Ron Says. Non-Standard.
1.1: Covert Hostility level on the emotional Tone Scale. Equates to a
Suppressive Person.
ON SOURCE: Following Ron's instructions.
ORG: Organization.
OT: Operating thetan: a spiritual being who can operate, i.e., per-
ceive, act, communicate, without need of a body.
OTC (Operation Transport Corporation): A for-profit Panamanian cor-
poration owned mainly and controlled by Hubbard and his wife. This
corporation owned the ships.
OT III: An "Operating thetan" solo auditing level which deals with the
"catastrophic incident on earth of 75 million years ago. "
*Glossary*
399
OUT-ETHICS: Not behaving properly. Not obeying the rules of the
Church of Scientology.
OVERT: A harmful action.
PDC (Philadelphia Doctorate Course): Given in December 1952.
PRE-CLEAR: P.C.: One who is not yet clear; more commonly, anyone
receiving auditing.
PROCESS: "A set of questions asked by an auditor to help a person
find out about himself or life."
PROCESSING: Auditing.
PSYCH: Short for psychiatrist.
PTS (Potential Trouble Source): Someone connected to an S.P. Thus
this person is said to be potentially troublesome to Scientology.
REACTIVE MIND: "A portion of a persons mind which works on a
totally stimulus-response basis, which is not under his volitional con-
trol, and which exerts force and the power of command over his
awareness, purposes, thoughts, body and actions." Also: "Comprises
an unknowing, unwanted series of aberrated computations which bring
about an effect upon the individual....It is an obsessive strata of un-
known, unseen, uninspected data which are forcing solutions, un-
known and uninspected upon the individual."
REALITY: "Is, here on earth, agreement as to what is."
ROCK SLAM: A movement of the needle on an E-meter.
ROCK SLAMMER: "R/Ser = psychosis = succumb, is trying to die
(evil purpose)."
RPF (Rehabilitation Project Force): Church of Scientology "rehabilita-
tion" program for "degraded beings" and "psychotics." Utilizes phys-
ical labor as "therapy."
RPF: Religious Research Foundation.
RTC (Religious Technology Corporation): The senior Scientology cor-
poration.
400
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
SEC CHECK: Security check. Metered questioning designed to lo-
cate hidden overts, i.e., harmful acts.
SCIENTOLOGY: Described by L. Ron Hubbard as "an organized
body of scientific research knowledge concerning life, life sources and
the mind and includes practices that increase the intelligence, state
and conduct of persons." He also defines it as, "A religious philosophy
in the highest meaning as it brings man to total freedom and truth."
S.O.: Sea Organization. "Runs the advanced organizations and is the
custodian of the clear and OT processing materials." Militaristic Scientology organization begun in 1967/68 to "put ethics in" on planet earth.
SPACE: "A viewpoint of dimension. It doesn't exist without a view-
point."
SPACATION: "A process having to do with the rehabilitation of the
creation of space."
SMERSH: From "James Bond'-Hubbard sometimes used this name
to describe what he considered to be the conspiracy to stop Scientology.
S.M.I. (Scientology Missions International): Said to be the Mother
Church for missions (franchises). It was in fact incorporated in Leichtenstein and was tied into the "Religious Research Foundation," which
according to testimony was a cover for a scam to funnel money to
Hubbard.
SOURCE: L. Ron Hubbard, the Source of Scientology.
SP (Suppressive Person): Someone with evil intentions. Also defined
as anyone who is "anti-Scientology."
SQUIRREL: Originally meant to alter a proven workable technique
because of non-comprehension or inability to apply it successfully. Has
come to mean anyone who helps another with "auditing" without the
permission of the Church of Scientology.
STATS: Statistics.
SAINT HILL MANOR: Between 1960 and 1968 was the headquarters
for Scientology world-wide. Located in England.
THETA: Spiritual energy; also means "harmonious."
THETAN: An individual spirit.
401
THETA PERCEPTIONS: "That which one perceives by radiating to-
wards an object [as a being apart from the body] and from the reaec-
tion perceiving various characteristics of the object....Certainty of
perception is increased by drilling...." All such drills were dropped
out of Scientology's "grade Chart" in 1978.
TONE SCALE: Hubbard's scale of emotional states:
40.0 Serenity of Beingness
30.0 Postulates
20.0 Action
8.0 Exhilaration
6.0 Aesthetics
4.0 Enthusiasm
3.5 Cheerfulness
3.3 StRong interest
3.0 Conservatism
2.9 Mild interest
2.8 Contented
2.6 Disinterested
2.5 Boredom
2.4 Monotony
2.0 Antagonism
1.9 Hostility
1.8 Pain
1.5 Anger
1.3 Resentment
1.2 No sympathy
1.15 Unexpressed resentment
1.3 Covert Hostility
1.02 Anxiety
1.0 Fear
.98 Despair
.96 Terror
.94 Numb
.90 Sympathy
.8 Propitition
.5 Grief
.375 Making amends
.3 Undeserving
.2 Self abasement
.1 Victim
.05 Apathy
.01 Dying
TECH: Technology.
402
"WOMANIZER" TO "MESSIAH"
TOTAL FREEDOM: "Existence without barriers." The elusive top
state of being on Scientology's Grade Chart. It and the seven levels
below it have yet to be released.
TIME: "Essentially a postulate that space and particles will persist."
TIME TRACK: "The consecutive record of mental image pictures
which accumulates through the pre-clear's life or lives."
TONE 40: "Defined as `giving a command and just knowing that it will
be executed despite any contrary appearances.' " Also, "Intention
without reservation." Also: "Unlimited space at will."
TRs: Training: Routines: Drills designed to provide communication
skills necessary for an auditor.
TR-L: Training Routines used by the intelligence wing of the Church
of Scientology to teach their agents how to lie convincingly.
VALENCE: An identity assumed by a person unknowingly.
WFMH; World Federation of Mental Health.
WHOLE TRACK: "Moment to moment record of a person's experi-
ence in this universe." One's whole "time track."
WITHHOLD: "An unspoken, unannounced transgression against a
moral code by which a person is bound." More commonly: Anything a
person is not willing to reveal.
WOG: Racial slur used by colonial British to describe Arabs and
Asians. Stands for Worthy Oriental Gentleman. Used in Scientology to
describe the Human race. A wog is a non-Scientologist.
WDC (Watch Dog Committee): Senior executive body, yet subordi-
nate to the Commodore's Messengers Org.
XENU: According to Hubbard, the evil ruler responsible for the "OT
III" incident of 75 million years ago.
More successful. John Travolta, Priscilla Presley and Sonny Bono are a sample trio of
those who have stood and applauded, for minutes on end, a giant photograph of "the
man who exposed them to all the secrets of life."
Yet it can be very dangerous to attempt to expose HIS secrets. Most of those with first-
hand knowledge of the man recently have been silenced. Fortunately, Bent Corydon con-
ducted extensive interviews with many of them before they were pressured not to talk.
The book you hold in your hands survived many attempts to suppress its publication.
L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman ? is written with the pace and feel of a good
novel: fact stranger than fiction! At the same time its pages are packed with information
to prevent the pursuit of happiness from becoming a "weakness to be exploited." It is:
major blow to people-manipulating Scientologists.
A glance at the table of contents offers a glimpse of the varied, strange and often
shocking contents of this very much unauthorized biography of Lafayette Ronald
Hubbard.
Was he a messiah or was he a madman...?
About the Authors
L. RON HUBBARD, JR., witnessed a very different man from the one known to the rank
and file of his father's Church. He spentnearly a decade as his father's confidant
before breaking away.
BENT CORYDON was a major figure in the world of Scientology for many years. He was
one of the first to broadly publicize the deceits of its Founder. He exposed to the world
the corruption and mind-control aspects of the Scientology movement. Through it all, he
has maintained his Danish-American sense of humor.
Lyle Stuart
120 Enterprise Avenue
Secaucus. N.J. 07094
- BENT CORYDON - L. RON HUBBARD
- /ISBN 0-8184-0444-2
CORYDON - HUBBARD
L. RON HUBBARD
- Messiah or Madman ?
- Lyle Stuart
-
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