Mary Johnston
Former scientologist.
Sued the Church of Scientology, settled out of court.
RTE
News (2002): "Dublin woman sues Scientology church"
«A
Dublin woman who claims she was controlled by a cult has
begun a High Court legal action for damages.
40-year-old sports shop owner Mary Johnson from
Westwood, Foxrock, was a member of the Church of
Scientology for two years between 1992 and 1994.
She is now suing the organisation because of the
experiences and pressures she claims she suffered while
a member and the threats and intimidation when she tried
to leave.» |
The Irish Examiner
(2002): "Woman was 'psychologically injured'" by Vivion
Kilfeather
«A woman who claims she was brainwashed by the
Church of Scientology is suing for damages. Dundalk-born
Mary Johnson, 40, who has a
sports equipment shop at Westwood, Foxrock, is also
suing three members of the church: John Keane, Tom
Cunningham and Gerard Ryan. In the High Court
yesterday, Sean Ryan SC for Ms Johnson, said she was
"sucked in" by the organisation which brought her under
its control and influence.
She was recruited to the church in 1992. Efforts were
made to prevent her leaving the organisation, to silence
her and to devalue her. The court was also told efforts
had been made to intimidate her and to prevent her
suing.
Mr Ryan said the court would be introduced to a
language of psycho religious-mythical scope and
expressions and words with no meaning other than being
defined as Scientology.
Ms Johnson had suffered psychological, psychiatric
injuries, panic attacks and post traumatic stress
disorder, together with loss of short term memory and
that condition had been exacerbated by the subsequent
illegitimate conduct of the defendants.» |
Irish Times (2002):
"Scientology case woman tells of abortion confession"
«A woman who is suing the Church of Scientology told
the High Court yesterday she became very distressed
during a church "auditing session" in 1992 and had
recounted an event that nobody else knew about her, that
she had been pregnant and had had an abortion. Ms Mary
Johnston, who has a sports shop in Foxrock, Co Dublin,
was giving evidence on the second day of her action
against the Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin Ltd
and three of its members: John Keane, Tom Cunningham and
Gerard Ryan.
She is seeking damages under a number of headings,
including conspiracy, misrepresentation and breach of
constitutional rights.
Yesterday Ms Johnston (40) said she had had a number
of auditing sessions with Mr Cunningham from late 1991.
At one session in January 1992 she was unable to recall
anything.
Mr Cunningham had told her there "must be something".
She ultimately remembered the one thing in the world
that nobody knew about her and said she wanted to stop
the session.» |
Irish Times (2002):
"Church pressed woman to sell shop, court told"
«"By the time they had finished with me after five
hours had elapsed, I had agreed I was going to sell my
business. I was elated," she said. She tried to borrow
from her boyfriend at the time, who turned down her
request. As a result of her involvement with the
church, she became withdrawn from her family and
friends. She tried to recruit people into scientology
but was unsuccessful in most cases. She had many rows
with her boyfriend in which she "screamed, shouted,
ranted and raved". Her short-term memory started to be
affected.
Ms Johnston is suing the Church of Scientology
Mission of Dublin Ltd and three of its members, Mr John
Keane, Mr Tom Cunningham and Mr Gerard Ryan, for alleged
conspiracy, misrepresentation and breach of
constitutional rights.
Earlier, Ms Johnston said she was told she could not
read an article in the Evening Herald which was critical
of scientology. She had heard the article had made
reference to a person who had left Scientology in
California. The article also made reference to Tom
Cruise and Nicole Kidman having been visitors to that
place.» |
Irish Times (2002):
"Woman suing Scientologists feared private life would be made
public"
«From May 1994, having left Scientology, Ms Johnston
said she lived in dread and fear because she knew what
she had told the movement in confidence "risked being
breached". She believed her private life in some way was
going to become public. Towards October, she began to
have very bad and prolonged headaches and was dizzy. She
went to a doctor. She linked the headaches to
Scientology.
She was invited to speak at a meeting in Clonliffe
College in late 1994. Afterwards, a letter was sent by
Mr Gerard Ryan to Stephen O'Brien, a journalist then
with the Irish Independent. The letter came into her
possession shortly afterwards. When she read it she was
gutted because she knew then that the fears she had were
well founded. She was grieved by what she read and she
also felt betrayed.» |
Irish Times (2002):
"Church of Scientology 'coercive'"
«Ms Johnston said she felt she had carried out
things on a human being without having had the medical
background to do so. She had done this through following
the commands given by
L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the church. Asked
about carrying placards outside a Church of Scientology
meeting, Ms Johnston said she believed the church was
coercive and destructive and altered people's perception
of reality.
"I defend people's rights to believe what they like,
but if people carry out acts which harm people by taking
them away from their families, then I have a problem
with that and have a duty to speak."» |
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