By Lawrence Woodcraft more
29 March 2001
Source:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.scientology/browse_thread/thread/eaf02ed3ce080c84/
If I were to cut to the chase about scientology, and try to
explain why I think it is need of reform, I would put aside the
sci-fi aspects and the cases of financial rip-off. For me,
from bitter personal experience, the damage done by this church
goes right back to the fundamental reaction people sometimes
have when you first mention Scientology to them, "don't they
break, up families?" Sadly, that first response is the correct
one, "yes they Do." Scientology has its own "Los Desaparecidos".
The disappeared ones it creates with its policies of
disconnection.
The question I ask, is does the church realize fully the pain
and cruelty they inflict with this unusual policy? You have read
about the Woodcrafts
recently on ARS. I
am a single father and I have my two daughters Astra and Zoe and
my granddaughter Kate living with me. They now have no contact
with their mother, Lesley, grandmother Daphne Farrow, or their
brother Matthew, who are all
Sea Org members. My two daughters are both very good girls,
as of course any parent would say They did enjoy loving
relationships with these family members until they fell foul of
official Church policies. After telling the traumatic stories of
their experiences in the Sea organization (paramilitary branch
of the Church of Scientology) to the
San Francisco Chronicle, these three family members: Lesley,
Daphne and Matthew refuse any further contact with Astra and Zoe.
This is clearly following the written policies of
Hubbard, that anyone who
speaks to the press in a
critical about Scientology, is an absolute
enemy.
The fact is, Astra and Zoe felt compelled to tell their
story, not in a destructive way, but as a warning to others, and
in an attempt to force reform on Scientology. It is very painful
for me to see two young girls who have lost total contact with
their mother. She won't return calls, not a Christmas card,
nothing. I wonder about how long this state will last. What if
one of my daughters has an accident or an illness, what will
their mother do? Their grandmother is approaching 80 years old,
will they even be notified when she dies?
From the viewpoint of my ex-wife Lesley, I am absolutely sure
that she is going through mental anguish having no contact with
her two daughters and her only granddaughter. She must miss
them, and yet there is no foreseeable resolution in sight, as
Sea Org. members must follow the policies of Hubbard and remain
disconnected from anyone who is perceived as having attacked
scientology. Now, my daughters would not necessarily try to
persuade their mother to leave the Sea Org., or unload their
opinions of Scientology on her. They would just like to say "Hi
mom, how are you?" once in a while. I do not think the
executives of Scientology realize the agony they put people
through with this policy. I beg them to consider reform and I
think they would be held in much higher regard by the public if
they did.
I can [think] of several scenarios where families have been
split up, and this is perceived by the public as constituting
mental cruelty. (And of course by Human rights advocates such as
Amnesty International). I
think of East and West Germany before the collapse of Communism
where families would be split by a border of barbed wire and
land mines. Also there is North and South Korea, and only
recently, families were reunited for a short period, only to be
split up and returned back to the North and South. I also think
of Argentina in the eighties, when you had the instance of "Los
Desaparecidos" (the disapeared ones). Families would endure
years of agony over the disappearance of their loved ones, and
probably never heard what fate ultimately awaited them.
My point is, most religions cherish and wish to strengthen
the concept of family. For a religion to actually dismantle a
family is unthinkable. I know other friends who are in a similar
situation. A man, who's name I won't mention, who has no contact
with his 19 year old son. You should see the look of pain on his
face when the subject is broached. Many Scientologist are
terrified of this policy, and keep quiet about their criticisms
and their questions, because they know that at the drop of a
hat, they will no longer be able to speak to their brother or
mother or friend.
So Scientology, I ask you this: respect people's 1st
amendment rights and listen to them. Realize that other large
organizations are criticised and that they are able to reform
and may end up better for it. Other organization that have split
up families have been harsh and cruel military dictatorships.
They have enjoyed a reign of terror for a few years and have
invariably perished. And finally, let my daughters speak to
their mother. |