------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------- IN THE COURTS 1 Advice to Former Scientologists By Larry Wollersheim Former Sciengologist Larry Wollersheim several years ago won compensatory and punitive damages in a lawsuit he brought against Scientology for, among other wrongs, psychological damage and fraud resulting from his association with the group. A California appeals court reduced the punitive damage award to $2 million dollars, but Scientology is appealing to the US. Supreme Court. ln April, the high court rejected without comment Mr. Wollersheim's appeal that Scientology be declared a phony religion." In Scientology's 40-year history, only a firm legal stand has ever had any corrective effect on Scientology. I believe that only the penalties of precedent-setting rulings will remove enough of the profit incentive from Scientology's wrongdoing to compel it to alter its behavior. If I took a settlement offer from them, I would also be knowingly supporting their strategy of silence, isolations, and the removal of legal adversaries long before those adversaries had obtained the socially necessary precedent-making legal decisions which are potential in their cases. Only the law has ever cut through the fog of fanaticism Scientology creates to isolate itseft and survive. The U.S. Supreme Court has thus far rejected all of Scientology's First Amendment arguments. In the next few months, the court will rule on a punitive damage award unrelated to mine, and that ruling may decide if: a) the reduction of my punitive damage award to $2 million by the California Appeals Court will stand; b) if punitive damages in situations like mine are unconstitutional; c) if my original punitive damage award [for $30 million] should be reinstated. My advice to any member who feels he or she may have been coerced by freeloader debts [which make it difficult for members to leave] to remain on staff, or coerced on the RPF or fair game [other methods allegedly used by Scientology to control or punish members], or otherwise deceived: don't be a victim. Don't believe what they have induced you to fear -- through various "silence-the-victim strategies -- that if you stand up against them something terrible is going to happen. Use the law. If we don't, Scientology will just keep hurting "new faces" and their families with the same old tricks we already know about and our loved ones have had to endure. Yes, knowledge is responsibility -- responsibility for those who come after us. More importantly for us, breaking the bonds of fear is to cut the shackles of a psychological slavery that affects many long after leaving Scientology. Standing up to Scientology in the legal system has been a most healing and strengthening experience. The personal benefits have been so positive that, even if I never collect, I would not change the course I have chosen. Keep up the great work. ================================================================= DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: CO0990AE.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: CO0990.TIF ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: OK SECURITY CODE: SCO DISTRIBUTION CODE: RO DESCRIPTION FOR BBS FILE LISTING: The Cult Observer, November/December 1990 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. This edition of the Cult Observer was scanned by an electronic scanner, introducing the possibility of a few scanning errors. Please see the printed issue if there are textual questions. THE EXPERTS WRITE ON CULTS | 1 Advice to Former Scientologists by | Larry Wollersheim For additional verification see the contributor of the document. UPDATED ON: 9/28/94 UPDATED BY: FrJMc =================================================================