------------------------------------------------------------------- F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, Incorporated) a non-profit computer bulletin board and electronic library 601 16th St. #C-217 Golden, Colorado 80401 USA BBS 303 530-1942 FAX 303 530-2950 Office 303 473-0111 This document is part of an electronic lending library and preservational electronic archive. F.A.C.T.Net does not sell documents, it only lends them according to the terms of your library cardholder agreement with F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. ===================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Implications [newsletter] by Center for Youth Studes Mr. Dean Borgman of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA, has sent us, via his helpful colleague, Ann Montague, a copy of the recent newsletter Implications (Fall 1991), published by the Center for Youth Studies, a cooperative research enterprise of Young Life and Gordon-Conwell. Its purpose is "to take current significant research in psychology and culture and to biblically and practically apply it in the ministries of youth workers today." This issue on "Troubled Youth" reports on "Urban and Suburban Violence," "Sex and Violence," "Peer Pressure," "Drugs and Crime," and-of special import to our readers-"Cults," and "Satanism and Occult Violence." The publication suggests as resources, for those coping with youth and cults, Marcia Rudin's ICEP annual report for 1990, and the book she edited, Cults on Campus; the section on "Satanism and Occult Violence" cites ICEP again, as well as Linda Blood's Satanism and Satanism-Related Crime, the book Satanism and Occult-Related Violence by Michael Langone and Linda Blood, and Carl Raschke's Painted Black. 2 Nightline and Scientology. Narconon. Ted Koppel. Richard Behar. David Miscavage. Richard Behar's extraordinary Time article exposing Scientology in May of last year was responsible for "Nightline" program's nine-month-long pursuit of an interview with Scientology head, David Miscavige, broadcast live on February 14. Of particular interest to our readers is the following excerpt. Miscavige: " . . . I would just like to take up a few of the falsehoods . . . something that isn't mentioned in there is that every single detractor is part of a religious hate group called Cult Awareness Network and their sister group, American Family Foundation. Now I don't know if you've heard of these people, but it's the same as the KKK would be with the Blacks. I think if you interviewed a neo-Nazi, and asked them [sic] to talk about the Jews, you would get a similar result . . . " ater, Ted Koppel turned to Narconon. Koppel: ". . . about Narconon -- it operated in Oklahoma. The State of Oklahoma said, 'Illegitimate group,' tossed you out." Miscavige: " . . . all the testimony on the efficacy of the . . . program was in favor of it . . . One man came in, a psychiatrist . . . Dr. Jolyon West . . . he stated that living a drug-free existence is an antiquated position in today's society. The judge in that case [apparently meaning another case entirely, since the Narconon certification appeal was not heard by a court] ruled that having that man talk about our drug rehabilitation program is similar to asking Saddam Hussein to report on the treatment of Kuwaitis in Kuwait." 3 Psychiatry and Scientology, lecture by Dr. West The same Dr. West will speak on "Psychiatry and Scientology" in the Distinguished Psychiatrist Lecture at the annual May meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. Following this meeting, AFF's conference on "Cult Victims and Their Families: Therapeutic Issues," for mental health professionals and others, will be held in Arlington, VA. As moderator, Dr. West will introduce many AFF professionals, among them Lorna and Bill Goldberg, who are active in their home area as always. Bill reports that, in January alone, he spoke on cult recruitment to the New Jersey College Health Services, to Union County (NJ) teachers, and to the Nassau county (NY) Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. 4 Scientology's Children: A Life. Curtis Krueger. From "Scientology's Children," by Curtis Krueger, St. Petersburg Times, 11/10/91, 1, 12, 14-A. More than 200 children of Scientologists live in the Tampa Bay area, where the organization maintains its Clearwater international headquarters, and a church spokesman says "Scientology families are among the happiest there are." But requests to interview children or parents on Scientology's staff were refused, and ex-members paint a troubling picture of life and upbringing in the group. Critics say that the story of Beth Erlich is not unusual. After her parents, both California Scientologists, divorced in the early 1970s, Beth went to live with her father, Dennis, who was then "chief cramming officer" in Clearwater, a position he now describes as "the quality control engineer at the brainwashing plant." Over the next few years she was moved some 20 times among various Scientology hotels and motels in the area, and did not spend a great deal of time with her father. "Parents who want to spend time with their children are looked down on," says former member Vicki Aznaran. "It's not socially acceptable." Beth took special courses in addition to regular school work, aiming to become a professional Scientologist - not thinking of any other career - and at age 11 signed a "billion-year contract" to join the "Sea Org," the element that runs Scientology. She began to work after school an average of 50 hours a week as a filing clerk and at other jobs, continued her study of Scientology, and began auditing, Scientology's version of counseling. Wanting to toughen his daughter up to survive in the hard and judgmental Scientology atmosphere, where children are supposed, by doctrine, to be treated as responsible adults, Erlich stopped talking to Beth for several weeks, including her birthday. When she was fifteen, much tougher, numb to emotion, she says, her father was banned by Scientology after pushing for improved staff conditions and refusing demotion, albeit still a believer in Scientology doctrine. He gave her the choice of staying, or leaving with him, and she stayed - 3,000 miles away from her mother, father, and sister and under the guardianship of local Scientologists. "She had more allegiance to the cult than she did to me," says her father. "And I can only say that that's my doing. Because I was less a father than I was a cult leader to her." A local police specialist in Scientology affairs says that he has been surprised by the number of quitting Scientologists willing to leave relatives behind and at the number of children willing to stay when parents leave. Within a year, however, Beth decided to leave. She was confused. She told her superiors, and herself, that she wanted to move back to California. She requested a leave, which was approved in 1983. A flight to her father's home in Colorado was arranged. But only after fighting off great psychological pressure from her guardian and from the "ethics officer" who deals with people who break Scientology rules, was she able to board her plane. "I felt as if I were escaping. I was escaping the pressure. . . I was escaping these people who were trying to guilt me into staying. And I didn't have anybody. There was no one there who was trying to help me." Now 24, Beth is married and lives in California, a recent college graduate, with honors, in graphic design. But some of Scientology's doctrines have been hard to shake. Scientologists abhor psychiatry, for example, and it took Beth until this summer to seek therapy to deal with the pain of her unusual childhood. She said it has been hard to build a meaningful relationship with her father, but she is trying. "It's not like life is normal. I really don't think it ever will be. That was really a powerful time." Dennis Erlich, 44, regrets bringing his family into Scientology. He Now manages a small business in Los Angeles, and on the side publishes a newsletter for former Scientologists called "The Informer", in which he recently wrote: "I don't know if anyone can comprehend the remorse I feel for subjecting my children to this alienating, warped, repressive environment. I pray our story serves as a warning: Scientology is dangerous to the health and sanity of your children." IN THE NEXT ISSUE: "VARIATIONS ON A THEME." 5 Beware Scientology Investigators -- II, by Toby L. Plevin, Esq. In Part I, Ms. Plevin, a Los Angeles attorney who represents ex-Scientologists and others who have been affected by Scientology or its affiliated groups, discussed "principles" of response that persons contacted by Scientology investi- gators ought to keep in mind in order to avoid being used or harmed by them. The principles were first enunciated in a letter from Ms. Plevin published by "The Informer", a news- letter of advice and commentary about Scientology produced by former Scientologists. Soon after the original version of Part I was published, two of my clients, let's call them M and N, received calls from acquaintances who said they had been contacted by investigators claiming to be working for M and N. I recall another instance when a crucial witness in a matter about to go to trial was contacted by an investigator who told him he was working for me. The investigator's conduct was very upsetting to the witness who, of course, blamed me and threatened not to testify on my client's behalf. As you can probably imagine, however, the use of private detectives to investigate the issues in a dispute, or to interview witnesses, is a very expensive proposition, one that may be readily undertaken by Scientology but not likely to be undertaken by those of us on the other side of the aisle. Thus, whatever the guise used for eliciting information - ("We are planning an awards banquet for Mr. Smith; can you help fill in the details about his public service activities?") - you should realize that giving information over the phone, as well as in person, to someone you don't know is never smart. As a general rule, you should assume that no one who has left Scientology, or who has been "declared", or who is in litigation with Scientology, or who is outspoken about Scientology, or whom Scientology is likely to consider an enemy is spending money on investigators. Therefore, do not speak to such investigators until you have contacted the target of the investigation or his or her attorney personally and confirmed that they want you to cošperate with the investigator. And do not be taken in by the investigator's apparent cošperation with you on this point when he indicates that he will be happy to let you make that call to verify that he is "OK." This is simply a ploy to make you believe that he is bona fide. MAKE THAT CALL ANYWAY. It is more than a 100-1 shot that any investigator asking you about a friend, acquaintance, or associate is not working for that friend, acquaintance, or associate. There are many other points that might be useful about dealing with private investigators (or recognizing the pretenses used by them), but be guided by your common sense and your respect for your right - and the right of others - to be left alone. 6 Moonies: "Things Never Change", by Steve Hassan Mr. Hassan, once a member of the Unification Church, has been an exit counselor for almost fifteen years. He is the author of Combatting Cult Mind Control and has spoken and lectured widely on various aspects of the cult phenomenon. The fatal Moonie van crash that killed 21-year-old David Ang and injured 22 others on January 5, 1992, made me remember my own near-fatal crash on April 23, 1976. It saddens me to realize that excessive speed, and probably exhaustion from lack of sleep, were to blame in both cases. When I crashed, I was a Moonie fundraising captain instructed to raise money on the streets of Baltimore. Fortunately, I was driving alone. In the recent accident, more than a score of persons was packed into a van that could safely hold only fifteen. Some things never change! Despite the jet-set life style of Moon, and the billion dollars in business investment and international politicking, the members are still treated like coolie labor. As far as I know, members still do not have health insurance and have no financial security for their futures. They remain psychological and financial slaves to a demagogue who purports to have love ten times greater than Jesus, or a saint. Why did David Ang die? In my opinion, it was not due to the careless driving of Won-seok Lee. When I was a Moonie, I drove excessively fast and had hundreds of near accidents prior to my falling asleep at the wheel and driving 80 m.p.h. into the back of a tractor-trailer truck. I drove like a model Moonie, fearless, excessive, having faith that I was doing God's will and believing that the spirit world would protect me. I was beyond "satanic" invasion because I was "totally united with Father." Common sense rules of driving safely did not pertain. I was functioning above "human" law because I was the law of God and of his son, the "Messiah" in the $1,000 business suit. The week of my accident, the insurance adjuster told me that the Unification Church was having three major automotive accidents a week. What can one say about the tragedy of a young man who died because he was a Moonie? I pray that people will open up their eyes and realize that millions of wonderful people have been deceived and mind-controlled by those who seek to deprive members and others of their rights, who want to take over the world, who want to make us all willing slaves. People have asked me why I continue to fight the cult mind control battle fifteen years after my own escape to freedom. It is because of incidents like the recent van crash. It is because I receive phone call after phone call from tearful family members whose loved ones have been recruited into the Moon cult, or one of some three thousand other mind control groups. It is because, as a cult member, I personally experienced an evil so pernicious and insidious. I am still involved because I believe that people must stand up against these groups and expose them for what they really are. It is because I am a civil libertarian and believe that in order to have human rights, we must understand that we must first have freedom of mind. ================================================================= If this is a copyrighted work, you are acknowledging by receipt of this document from FACTNet that on the basis of reasonable investigation, you have not been to obtain a copy elsewhere at a fair price, and that you are and will abide by the following copyright warning. 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FACTNet reserves the right to refuse to accept an order for copying or other duplication, or delivery of copied or duplicated material if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD CATALOG ENTRY DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: E:\PCB\AFF\FILES\CO0292\CO0292AE.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: SECURITY CODE: DISTRIBUTION CODE: NAME FOR BBS: SORT TO: CONTRIBUTOR: American Family Foundation (AFF) LOC. OF ORIG: American Family Foundation (AFF) NOTES: Back issues and selected reprints of the Cultic Studies Journal are available from the American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 33959-2265. For additional verification see image files contained in the file with same name and .ZIP extension. UPDATED ON: UPDATED BY: F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, Incorporated) a non-profit computer bulletin board and electronic library 601 16th St. #C-217 Golden, Colorado 80401 USA BBS 303 530-1942 FAX 303 530-2950 Office 303 473-0111 This document is part of an electronic lending library. F.A.C.T.Net does not sell documents, it only lends them according to the terms of your library cardholder agreement with F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD CATALOG ENTRY DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: CO0292AE.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: none ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: OK SECURITY CODE: SCO DISTRIBUTION CODE: RO DESCRIPTION FOR BBS FILE LISTING: The Cult Observer July 1991 SORT TO: AFF CONTRIBUTOR: American Family Foundation (AFF) LOCATION OF ORIGINAL: American Family Foundation (AFF) NOTES: Back issues and selected reprints of the Cultic Studies Journal are available from the American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 33959-2265. THE EXPERTS WRITE (AND SPEAK) ON CULTS: | 1 Implications [newsletter] by Center | for Youth Studes | 2 Nightline and Scientology. | Narconon. Ted Koppel. Richard Behar. | David Miscavage. | 3 Psychiatry and Scientology, | lecture by Dr. West | 4 Scientology's Children: A Life. | Curtis Krueger. | 5 Beware Scientology Investigat- | ors -- II, by Toby L. Plevin, Esq. | 6 Moonies: "Things Never Change", | by Steve Hassan. Automobile death. For additional verification see the contributor of the document. UPDATED ON: 8/29/94 UPDATED BY: FrJMc =================================================================