Archive-name: scientology/skeptic/access-faq Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: Wednesday, 16 November 1994 Version: 2.4 Access to material about Scientology, Dianetics, the Church, or L. Ron Hubbard. The bulk of the material reviewed was written by non-Church-members or ex-Church-members, but some Church material is covered. All opinions belong to the various reviewers. This material was collected off the net and edited by Don Lindsay (lindsay@cs.colorado.edu). Short contributions, pro or con, are welcome. Usenet newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology alt.clearing.technology BBS: WISENET, for WISE members only. FACTNet "It has probably the largest publicly available library on Scientology anywhere, and word search capabilities. 1-303-530-1942 (up to 28.8k)." (as of 6 Jul 1994 post to a.r.s. by cultxprt@indirect.com (Jeff Jacobsen)) F.A.C.T.Net, 601 16th. St. #C-217, Golden, CO 80401, 1-303-473-0111 (voice) Email to factnet@rmii.com. World Wide Web: http://www.acmeweb.com/factnet http://www.primenet.com/~lippard/skeptics-society.html -- the erudite Jim Lippard's doorway to all things skeptical ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/ffunch/fhome.html http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~sloth/sci/sci_index.html -- "Da Sloth" Anonymous FTP sites: ftp.earthlink.net /pub/archives/brianw -- unofficial but sanctioned "currently off line" says Wenger's users/welcome faq 1.5 ftp.pcnet.com /users/brianw replaces earthlink, says Wenger. theta.csh.rit.edu - wasn't up when I tried it. Questions to ftp-manager@theta.csh.rit.edu or george@theta.csh.rit.edu ftp.rmii.com pub2/factnet -- FACTnet. ftp.netcom.com /pub/modemac/factnet -- a factnet sampler. ftp.rahul.net /pub/homer -- Homer Smith If you have "archie", then "archie scientology" will produce a list of sites, which typically are just "mirror" copies of the Usenet FAQ archive: rtfm.mit.edu, pub/usenet/news.answers/scientology src.doc.ic.ac.uk /usenet/usenet-by-group/alt.answers/scientology/users unix.hensa.ac.uk /pub/uunet/usenet/news.answers/scientology/users which is also on some archive CD's, some of which are mounted online: freebsd.cdrom.com /.9/internet/rtfm/alt.religion/scientology Books and library material: "L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman?" -- by Bent Corydon and L. Ron Hubbard Jr. a.k.a. Ronald DeWolf.(Secaucus, NJ: Lyle Stuart, 1987) ISBN 0-8184-0444-2. In 1992, from Barricade Books, Fort Lee, New Jersey, dist. by Publishers Group West, $12.95 "Bare-Faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard", by Russell Miller (N.Y.: Henry Holt & Co., 1987) ISBN 0-8050-0654-0. $19.95 London: Michael Joeseph Penguin Book Ltd, 1987. Russell Miller is a British journalist who's done several biographies. A Piece of Blue Sky -- by Jon Atack, 1990 A Lyle Stuart Book, Published by Carol Publishing Group 120 Enterprise Avenue, Secaucus, NJ, USA, 07094 ISBN 0-8184-0499-X 13 Nov 1994 Tommy the Tourist (Anon User) said: Or you can order direct from Jon's wife Noella Atack, "Avalon" Cranston Road East Grinstead West Sussex RH19 3HQ Price 15 pounds sterling. This includes p&p if to a UK address. Overseas orders will need to add extra.... If you want the facts, this is the book to get. Review by revpk@cellar.UUCP (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano), 1992: "Messiah or Madman?" is a poorly organized, sloppy piece of work, with little sense to its organization or even writing style. Passages that skip between various events do so with little reason, and frequently without even citing dates or times. There's no index, little sourcing, and much of it seems gleaned from court records. Howeveer, it's the only one widely available. "Bare-faced messiah" is better written, better documented, and is perhaps the one indispensable biography of L. Ron Hubbard. The problem is, it doesn't deal with much of the Church's history; but it does provide lots of innarestin' details about life aboard the Sea Org, and it's the best written of the three books available. "A Piece of Blue Sky" is a history of both the Church and Hubbard-- very well researched, lots of documentation, and well structured. It's too bad Atack's not much of a stylist, because the book amounts to a series of facts listed after each other for easy access. Still, Atack's book is the single best overall guide to Scientology that I've ever read, and I recommend it to everyone. Review by tad@ssc.UUCP (Tad Cook), 1992: The book is called A PIECE OF BLUE SKY by Jon Atack, and it is great! I spent the last week totally absorbed in this book, and I highly recommend it. Atack is an ex-Scientologist, and he has done a fine job of explaining their beliefs, and also he presents a very interesting history of Hubbard and Dianetics. Review by djb@dberleant.uark.edu (/usr/spool/mail/djb) (Dan), 1992: "Messiah or Madman" is largely a primary source. Meaning that the material is recounted from actual events witnessed by the authors, with little interpretation given (what interpretation there is is negative, of course). Both the authors were heavily involved in Scientology, particularly Corydon who was an important figure in the movement. In addition to their own experiences in the movement and with Hubbard himself, they provide page after page of quotes from other former Scientologists, describing their own experiences and events they witnessed. Russell Miller's excellent book "Bare-Faced Messiah" is a secondary source, thoroughly researched and well written, but definitely complementary to "Messiah or Madman" rather than replacing it or being "better" (whatever that means). Review in anonymous posting, 20feb93: The newly-updated version of Bent Corydon's book, _L. Ron Hubbard Messiah or Madman_ is now available in trade paperback. Hastings is carrying it in their biography section for $15. At least one other major chain has it on their shelves also. Review by ffunch@netcom.com (Flemming Funch), a Free Zone ex-scientologist, 11 Apr 1994: the only book of those that I like and recommend is Miller's book. The other two people are very biased and more acting out of revenge and self-interest. Miller was never a scientologist and is mainly trying to tell the true story as he sees it. Miller was incidentally mostly using Atack's data to write his book. Even though Miller is also leaning towards present Hubbard in a negative light I think his fairly neutral listing of facts leaves it more up to the reader to decide. For example, Miller sets out to prove how Hubbard's claims of having traveled extensively in China was a lie. And he goes ahead to document exactly that Hubbard DID travel in China as a teenager. Hub exaggerated a bit, but what I got from it was that he did do a lot of interesting things at an early age that could inspire him with some unusual wisdom. Review of "A piece of Blue Sky" by hutton@pluto.dev.promis.com (Don Hutton) 12apr93: - If you are going to read just one critical book on Scientology, read this. It's pretty comprehensive and pretty even-handed (which is unfortunately rare in this field). When the evidence supports L. Ron's claims (eg. his hydrographics studies) it says so. When Scientology's critics do something dumb (like the time it was banned in Australia) it says so. The fusillades against other aspects of L. Ron and his creations are heavily annotated as to source (eg. Sentencing memorandum in U.S.A. vs. Jane Kember, District Court, DC, criminal case no., 78-401, p.25.) I've found this, and all other books and articles critical of Scientology very hard to find. I had to order "Blue Sky" through the Cult Awareness Network (1-312-267-7777, 2421 W. Pratt Blvd., Suite 1173, Chicago, Ill, U.S.A. 60645) as I couldn't even order it directly from the Canadian publisher. They're sort of your one-stop shopping place for stuff like this. They've got some good stuff and some really bad stuff (for the latter, check out the "Cults - Just Say NO!" video - narrated by Charlton Heston! BWAAA-HA-HA!). P.S. There was also an interesting article by Behnar (the editor of the Time magazine article last year) in QUILL, the journal of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, about the aftermath of the article. He was eventually given some kind of medal by President George Bush for the article. The QUILL article was from one of the fall 1992 issues. [Editor's note: that's Behar, see below.] --- "Scientology from the inside out" "How to fool the press", Robert Vaughn Young Quill, v81n9, 38-41, nov93 A response was published: "Another view of Scientology" By: Linda Simmons-Hight, Media Relations Director, Church of Sci. International The Quill Jan, 1994 --- the Catholic Sentinal, March 17, 1978 "Scientology Leaders Convicted of Fraud" PARIS- The Paris tribunal has found four leaders of the Church of Scientology, including its Amercian founder, guilty of making fradulant claims that physical cures and professional success can be acheived through Scientology. Ron Lafayette Hubbard, the American found of the sect, was c4(6) 1986 Oct 27 "Scientology: a dangerous cult goes mainstream" Reader's Digest v139 p87-92 October '91 Also in Time: "Mystery of the vanished ruler." Time v121 p64(4) 1983 Jan 31 lafayette ronald hubbard scientologist. 2/10/86. covers his death --- Los Angeles Times ran a 6-part series, June 1990, by Welkos, Robert W. and Sappell, Joel. "The Scientology Story: A Special Report" #1 24june: The Making of L. Ron Hubbard The man in control. (David Miscavige) Burglaries and lies paved a path to prison Defining the theology #2 25june: Church markets its gospel with high-pressure sales Shoring up its religious profile #3 26june: Defectors recount lives of hard work, punishment #4 27june: Reaching Into Society #5 28june: Costly strategy continues to turn out bestsellers #6 29june: On the offensive against an array of suspected foes Suits, protests fuel a campaign against psychiatry (Scientology opposes anti-hyperactive drug Ritalin) A lawyer learns what it's like to fight the church (Joseph Yanny harassed by the Church of Scientology) --- From: sheaffer@netcom.com (Robert Sheaffer), 1992: One excellent book written at a popular level is "Psychobabble" by R.D. Rosen (Avon Books, 1979). It takes a skeptical look at EST, Scientology, etc., as well as a number of odd practices in psychology such as Rebirthing, Primal Scream, etc. --- "Dianetics: A Doctor's Report", J. A. Winter, M.D., ISBN 0-517-56421-1 Copyright 1951, The Julian Press (1987 Edition), Crown Publishing Group, NYNY Review by lindsay@cs.colorado.edu: Dr. Winter met Hubbard through the science fiction community in 1949, and became the Medical Director of the Hubbard Dianetic Research Foundation when it was formed. A lot of this book discusses therapy, and how dianetics, as a body of therapeutic techniques, has a lot to offer. Dr. Winter speaks quite highly of it. The rest of the book discusses his experiences, his disillusionment with the Foundation, and his resignation in protest. Partly he felt that the state of "clear" did not give the anticipated benefits: but also, he was unhappy that the Foundation was becoming authoritarian, and disparaging of anyone who actually did research. --- GARRISON, Omar V., _The Hidden Story of Scientology_, Arlington, London,1974. (av282@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Martin G. V. Hunt) listed this as 1957). Review by a Scientologist, isds11990012@memstvx1.memst.edu (John Holifield) 5Dec92 ... for a non-scientology book to read, I suggest "The Hidden Story of Scientology". This is a true book by a non-scientologist that has investigated many of the lies told about Scientology. Its out of print, so it may be hard to find. --- MALKO, George, Scientology: The Now Religion, Delacourte Press, New York, 1970. or New York: Uell Publishing Company. 205 pages. Review by rudnick@cfatrw.harvard.edu (Bret Rudnick) 27 Dec 1993: I would also recommend _Scientology: The NOW Religion_ by George Malko, which is rather less than complimentary. Review by av282@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Martin G. V. Hunt) 28 Aug 1994: An easy read by virtue of Malko's fluent, lucid, albeit dated style, "The Now Religion" presents no problems to the reader, and flows by as a river of insight and information. Malko's book is an even presentation, well balanced and thoughtfully written; but be prepared for an attack on such loose-flung terms as "cult" and "brainwashing", as Malko will not permit any direct derogation of what he obviously considers a religion engaged in by its victims willingly. Chapters include a general overview of the cult, some biographical material on L. Ron Hubbard, the beginnings of Dianetics, an exploration into Scientology, an analysis into what lies behind these two, an explication of techniques, drills, and processes, a look at the subject "Ethics", and how it is often misapplied, and finally a summary of conclusions. What the book unfortunately lacks is both an index and a bibliography, for Malko has quite obviously researched his sources quite well, and references many, both textual and personal, in the body of the book. --- Cooper, Paulette. _The Scandal of Scientology_, New York: Tower Publications, 1971. (This is the lady who was harassed.) Review by rjk7m@fulton.seas.Virginia.EDU (Richard John Kwiatkowski), 1993: I would highly reccommend that anyone who is involved or thinking about becoming involved with Dianetics or Scientology read Cooper's book. --- Renunciation and Reformulation: a Study of Conversion in an American Sect -- by Harriet Whitehead, 1987, Cornell University Press. Review by acarvin@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Andy Carvin), 1992: Whitehead, who is a sociologist, actually joined a Church in order to get firsthand knowledge of the members and practices. Anyway, it's interesting, informative, and non-biased. I would think that it can be obtained in a good research library. --- Hubbard is mentioned in "Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science", by Martin Gardner. Dover, New York, 1957. --- Fads & Fallacies in the Name of Science. Gardener, Martin. Dover, New York. 1952. Have you read "The New Age: Notes of a Fringe Watcher" by Martin Gardner(BTW it has a lovely photo of L Ron Hubbard measuring the emotions of a tomato). "Fads and Fallacies" is also a great book. --ph36@unixg.ubc.ca (Richard Nistuk) --- Flo Conway and Jim Seigelman's "Snapping" is a good, though pop-psych-influenced, account of the conversion experience that members of so-called 'cults' report; it compares similar experiences among Moonies, Scientologists, Krishnas, and many others, and also addresses the methods used by such organizations to _manufacture_ religious experiences. -- revpk@cellar.org (Brian 'Rev P-K' Siano) Atack's bibliography lists this book as: Dell, New York, 1979. Wollersheim's lists it as: Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1978. --- In posting by rogue@ccs.northeastern.edu (Rogue Agent), 1993: I'm reading 'Flim Flam!' by James Randi, and came upon a reference to Scientology. Apparently back in the 70's Scientology set out to discredit CSICOP by painting it as a front organization for the CIA. Response to the above from lippard@skyblu.ccit.arizona.edu (James J. Lippard): Check out Kendrick Frazier, "A Scientology 'dirty tricks' campaign against CSICOP," _Skeptical Inquirer_ vol. 4, no. 3, Spring 1980, pp. 8-10. This news report indicates that Scientology documents outlining proposals to portray CSICOP as a CIA front were discovered by John Marshall, a reporter for the _Toronto Globe and Mail_, among thousands of documents entered as evidence into U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. --- Francis King's RITUAL MAGIC IN ENGLAND (I think that's the right title) gives extracts from several letters written by Aleister Crowley dealing with L. Ron Hubbard. -- [private email, 1992] For background, Book of the Law. Crowley, Aleister. Thelema Publications, King-Beach, California. 1976. --- "The Encyclopedia of American Religions" (J. Gordon Melton, Gale Research) has a short section on Scientology, and also short sections on several offshoots. --- In posting from mmm@cup.portal.com (Mark Robert Thorson), 1992: [Full posting is in my Hubbard.sources.FAQ] ...Lashley coined the term "engram". In his book _Studies_in_the_Dynamics_of_Behavior_ (University of Chicago Press, 1932), Lashley and his students Stone, Darrow, Landis, and Heath report on their early work. What caught my attention is how intensively they used one particular analytical tool, namely galvanic skin response (GSR). ---- Reviews from mkkuhner@phylo.genetics.washington.edu (Mary K. Kuhner) 30jan93 I went to the public library and read the two Scientology books they happened to have. Here are my capsule reviews. They represent only my own opinions. _Introduction to Scientology Ethics_. This book consists of several lists: ethical principles as they apply to people in general, to Scientologists, to auditors, and to supervisors, and a long section on various types of "crimes" against Scientology. The various lists struck me as somewhat contradictory-- for example, freedom of speech was praised in general, but several of the lists gave specific things which must not be said by Scientologists. The list of crimes was very interesting reading. It corroborated many of the statements made by critics of the CoS. Any kind of public questioning or criticism of the CoS, justified or not, is a High Crime (the most severe category). Superiors are protected from criticism by their underlings. There is also a disturbing failure to distinguish between "crimes" by Scientologists and non-Scientologists. I have been told on the Net that the High Crimes apply only to Scientologists, but several of them (i.e. penalties for leaving the CoS) by their nature must apply to non-Scientologists. Recommended reading--as this book was apparently used as a practical guideline within the CoS (though it may now be obsolete) I think it provides a useful look at the way the organization operates. _Scientology 8008: the Book of Basics_ This is also mainly a collection of lists, presented with very little explanatory text. A major part of the book is taken up with a kind of cosmology or creation story about the origin and nature of human beings. I found this turgid and unreadable. There are also lists which organize emotional states into a linear order, list the components of communication, etc. Without discussion, I found these lists completely useless. What does it mean that enthusiasm is higher than contentment-- higher on what? Why? This books reminds me vividly of notes from some kind of pop-psych seminar, without the seminar to give them any meaning. Despite its title, it is quite useless to an outsider. Someone within the field might possibly find it useful as a reference. Not recommended. --- homer@msiadmin.cit.cornell.edu (Homer Smith) responded to the above: There are 3 books by Hubbard with 8's in them. Scientology 0-8 The book of Basics Scientology 8-80 Scientology 8-8008 The first one is a compendium of scales. The second one is about dichotomies and how to produce energy from them and use them in auditing. This is the one that mentions Beautiful Cruelties. The third one is a detailed discussion on the nature of facsimilies and how to audit them. --- Homer Smith later commented about 8-80: >in 8-80, he gave the 'frequencies' of various emotions and things, > He also made the outrageous statement that the speed of light >is NOT constant, but depends in fact on the frequency of the light, >for which there is exactly zero physical evidence for and TONS against. --- >From lenngray@netcom.com (Lenny Gray) 27 Nov 1993: 1) An entry-level book published in paperback by the church itself is: "Scientology -- The Fundamentals of Thought" the bulk of which, I believe, was written in 1956. Though its goal is to present just the ideal, it does give a nice overview. 2) The book "Scientology -- 8-8008" is indeed the notes from a lecture, the lecture actually being their tape-series "The Philadelphia Doctorate Course Lectures", which was recorded in 1952-1953. It represents a stage when LRH thought he had something that could even be used solo, and he even said so, in tape 54: "Auditors will ask you this question and so I'll answer it for you -- _Can you audit yourself up to theta-clear?_ Well I don't know how long it would take you, and I don't know how fouled up you'd get, or how flat you'd spin, or anything -- but _it could be done_, with just using SOP issue 5. --- zazen@austin.ibm.com (E. H. Welbon) 18may93: I suggest that any one still convinced that there is a soul in the human body (or any other species for that matter) pick up D. Dennett's recent book "Consciousness Explained". Dennett argues that the evidence in favor of the existence of a soul is essentially non-existent, while the argument for the non-existence of a soul is very good. Dennett also gives a method for evaluating "subjective" experiences that he proposes tests for in an appendix (i.e. he gives methods by which his tests can be falsified). --- Religion Inc.: The Church of Scientology, Stewart Lamont. Pub. Harrap U.K. ISBN 0 245-54334-1 1986 Apparently it describes Level III OT and the "Wall of Fire" (pp 50-52). Review by Peter Lucey Wed, 6 Oct 93: An open-minded (to start) look at Scn. He has visited the US Orgs in LA and Clearwater. He ends up puzzled and critical. Not much new. You'd be better off with A Piece of Blue Sky, by Jon Atack. Oh, he states that many Scientologists smoke, as LRH was a chain- smoker so it must be OK. Stewart's best insight is on Scn as a religion: if Scn postulates that all human errors are engram-related, and can be erased "scientifically" using auditing and an E-Meter, so Scn differs fundamentally from all the major religions as they require Grace, karma, or whatever to help the human through. But Religion, Inc. has a priceless picture of LRH posing, in leathers and stetson, astride a cine camera. I have'nt seen this before. It's almost as good as the famous tomato/E-meter photo. And its in colour. --- From: jerry.ladd@support.com Here are excepts from last Sunday's LA Times: FILM CLIP / A look inside Hollywood and the movies MEDIA WATCH The Church and The Magazines Los Angeles Times (LT) - SUNDAY October 17, 1993 By: JANE GALBRAITH Edition: Home Edition Section: Calendar Page: 27 Word Count: 1,088 ...Premiere, which in its September issue ran an 8,700-word piece by writer John Richardson that examined the growing influence of Scientology in the entertainment industry. The piece zeroed in on the activities at the church's Celebrity Centre, outlining some of the members who've come and gone, others who've stayed--and why. ...Under threat of a libel suit, Premiere decided it would be prudent to allow Scientology to respond to Richardson's article, resulting in a 2,000-word essay about Scientology by David Miscavige, chairman of the board of the Religious Technology Center. --- mcgrath@capella.math.uiuc.edu (Robert E. McGrath) posted on 5 Nov 1993: _Some Books and Articles by Susan Blackmore_ 1. _Beyond the Body_. Heinemann, London, 1982. American paperback edition, Academy Chicago Publications, Chicago, 1992. 2. "A Psychological Theory of the Out-Of-Body Experience", _Journal of Parapsychology_, Volume 48, 1984, pp. 201-218. 3. "The Adventures of a Psi-Inhibitory Experimenter", in _A Skeptic's Handbook of Parapsychology_, Paul Kurtz, ed., Prometheus Books, Buffalo, 1985. 4. _The Adventures of a Parapsychologist_. Prometheus Books, Buffalo, 1986. 5. "The Lure of the Paranormal", _New Scientist_, Volume 127, September 22 1990, pp. 62-65. 6. "Lucid Dreams", _Skeptical Inquirer_, Volume 15, Number 4, 1991, pp. 362-370. 7. "Near Death Experiences: In or Out of the Body?", _Skeptical Inquirer_, Volume 16, Number 1, 1991, pp. 34-45. 8. "Psychic Experiences: Psychic Illusions", _Skeptical Inquirer_, Volume 16, Number 4, 1992, pp. 367-380. 9. _Dying to Live: Near-Death Experiences, Prometheus Books, 1993. McGrath also posted a long review, praising these highly. --- "One Nation Under God", Barry A. Kosmin and Seymour P. Lachman of the City University of NY, 312 pg, Harmony Books, $25 Based on a random sample of 113,000 Americans. It estimates there are 45,000 Scientologists, according to the 29nov93 Newsweek, P.81. --- Author Hershey, Robert D Jr Title SCIENTOLOGISTS report assets of $400 million Source New York Times, Oct 22, 1993, A, 12:1 Abstract According to documents filed with the IRS, the Church of SCIENTOLOGY has assets of about $400 million and appears to take in nearly $300 million a year from counseling fees, book sales, investments and other sources. The financial disclosures came after the church applied for tax exempt status. --- Hartwig, Renate: Scientology - ich klage an!/Renate Hartwig. - Augsburg: Pattloch, 1994 ("Scientology - I accuse") ISBN 3-629-00637-X 288 pages, all in german Review by Volkmar Grote , 15 Jul 94: Renate Hartwig is a member of "Robin Direkt", a consumer protection organisation, which has kind of specialised in Scientology, and she is an admirable fighter. It is about her personal experiences with the CofS in Germany and some well documented cases of the "churches" nasty sides. This includes some people who felt ruined by the church and some very interesting business practices. The way the CofS tried to silence Renate Hartwig is revealing... ...nearly all evidence is backed up by sworn or original statements. --- Atack's bibliography also gives: FOSTER, Sir John, _Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology_, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1971. ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, _Scientology -- An in depth profile of a new force in Clearwater_, Florida, 1980. "Pulitzer Prizer Winning Expose (34 pages.)" --- cultxprt@indirect.com (Jeff Jacobsen) 15 Apr 1994 posted material from the FACT BBS by Larry Wollersheim: Bromley, David G. and Shupe, Anson D. Strange Gods: The Great American Cult Scare. Boston: Beacon Press, 1981. Burrell, Maurice C. The Challenge of the Cults. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 495~6: Baker House, 1982. Larson, Bob. Larson's Book of Cults. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 19~2. Petersen, William J. Those Curious New Cults. New Canaan, Connect]cut: Keats, Publishing Company, 197~. Rudin, James and Marcia. Prison or Paradise? The New Religious Cults. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980. Conway, Flo and Jim SieSelmon. The Information Disease. Science Digest. January 1982. Singer, Margaret. Coming out of the Cults. Psychology Today. January 1979. Singer, Margaret. Cults What are They Why Now. Forecast for Home Economics. May/June 1979. Ofsche and Singer. Attacks on Peripheral versus Central Elements of Self and the Efficacy of Thought Reform. (Available through American Family Foundation.) Lifton, Robert Jay. The Future of Immorality. Chapters Called: "Religious Totalism and Civil Liberties" and "Doubling the Faustian Bargain". Bosie Books Inc. Lifton Robert J.: Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A study of "Brainwashing" in China. New York, WW Norton and Co, 1961 Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry III. The Sections on Dissociation and Hypnotism. Miller. The Utilization of Hypnotic Techniques in Religious Conversion. (Available through Richard Ofshe PhD.) Bainbridge and Stark. Scientology: On Being Perfectly Clear. (Available through Richard Ofshe PhD.) Schein, Edgar H. with Inge Schneier and Curtis H. Barker: Coercive Persuasion. New York, W.W. Norton, 1961 Delgado. Gentle and Ungentle Persuassion Under the first Amendment. (Available through American Family Foundation.) 51 So Cal Law Rev 1, 1977. California Appeal Court Decision Wollersheim vs. Church of Scientology of California C.A. 2nd No. B023193 July 18, 1989 By Johnson J. (57 pages.) Also see reviews below by Charlie Rubin. --- reviews by Charlie Rubin on alt.recovery.religion: Best books on cults and mind control ... Even if you're not interested in cults, you should still read #3. (1) _Combatting Cult Mind Control_ by Steven Hassan (Park Stree Press, 1988) -- This is the best one. Clear, concise, and powerful. Author is a former top level Moonie who now does professional exit-couselling for cult members. He really understands what's going on. (2) _Cults in America: Programmed for Paradise_ by Willa Appel (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1983) -- Also a good overview of the phenomena, but by an outsider (an anthropologist). Very interesting discussion of the psychological needs fulfilled by fairy tales, and how cult doctrines are very similar to fairy tales (good vs. evil, very simplistic). Lots of other good stuff as well. (3) _Influence: How and Why People Agree to Things_ by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D. (Wm. Morrow & Co., 1984) -- An incredible book. I can't recommend it enough. The author is a social psychology professor who spent 15 years studying the tactics used by "compliance professionals," including salesmen, fundraisers, marketing pros, cult leaders, Chinese brainwashing camps, etc. He carefully details the underlying psychological mechanisms that make all these tactics work, and how everyone is vulnerable to them because they take advantage of instinctual responses. Very enlightening! (4) _The Wrong Way Home: Uncovering Patterns of Cult Behavior in American Society_ by Arthur J. Deikman, M.D. (Beacon Press, 1990) -- Also fascinating. The author is a clinical professor of psychiatry who started studying cults, and then realized that the methods of manipulation used in them are found throughout society, in many types of groups -- corporations, political parties, schools, and traditional religions. Cults simply take them to the n-th degree. This is a real eye-opener. --- av282@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Martin G. V. Hunt) reviewed: about a 1934 book: "Scientologie 34!" by A. Nordenholz, translated into the English by W. R. McPheeters. it provides insight into hubby's plagiarized coining of such terms as "beingness", "havingness", etc., as well as the use and development of his "axioms". Inside Scientology: Or How I Found Scientology and Became Super Human. Kaufman, Robert. Olympia Press, New York. 1972. Battle for the Mind: A Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing. Sargant, William. Doubleday, Garden City, New York. 1957. Dianetics in Limbo. O'Brien, Barbara. Whitmore Publishing Co., Philadelphia. 1966. [editor: Atack's bibliography lists the first name as Helen] [for background] Science and Sanity. Korzybski, Count Alfred Habdank Skarbek. Institute of General Semantics, Lakeville, Connecticut. 1933. Thought Reform of the Chinese Intellectuals. Chen, Theodore H. E. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong. 1960. The Search for the Manchurian Candidate: The CIA and Mind Control. Marks, John. Times Books, New York. 1979. Youth, Brainwashing, and the Extremist Cults. Enroth, Ronald. Zondervan Press, Kentwood, Michigan. 1977. Rape of the Mind. Meerloo, Joost A. Grosset & Dunlap, New York. 1961. Radical Departures: Desperate Detours to Growing Up. Levine, Saul V, M.D. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Orlando, Florida. 1984. Destructive Cult Conversion: Theory, Research, and Treatment. Clark, John G., et al. American Family Foundation, Weston, Massachusetts. 1981. Cults and Consequences: The Definitive Handbook. Andres, Rachel, and Lane, James R., eds. Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles. 1988. Let Our Children Go! Patrick, Ted, with Tom Dulack. Thomas Congdon Books/E. P. Dutton, New York. 1976. All God's Children: The Cult Experience; Salvation or Slavery? Stoner, C., and J. Parke. Chilton Books, Radnor, Pennsylvania. 1977. Nineteen Eighty-Four. Orwell, George. Penguin, Middlesex, England. 1954. [magazine articles] "Scientology Plot Against State Official." Henderson, Bruce. Los Angelel Herald-Examiner, 29 May 1980. "Scientologists Plotted to Frame a Critic as a Criminal, Files Show." Gordon, Gregory. Boston Globe, 24 November 1979. "Scientology: Anatomy of a Frightening Cult." Methvin, Eugene H. Reader's Digest, May 1980. "How Cults Bilk Us All." Williams, Carson. Reader's Digest, November 1979. -------------------------------< END >----------------------------------- -- Don D.C.Lindsay University of Colorado-Boulder Computer Science .