Here's what Happens to the Old Folks

[Free Spirit, Vol 3 # 2]

H Alan Montgomery wrote:
>
> Where do the old folks go when they can't keep up their stats? I  have
> read LOTS of the web pages. I seen no testimony from  old  members  of
> Co$.  You would think that after thirty or forty years of work  in  an
> org, someone would be pissed to be dumped by the side of the road with
> no pension and no prospects. Are these people processed out  with  the
> words, "Hey! You tell and we make your life not worth living!"?
>
> Now. Let me be clear (Nahhh, not a chance. I don't have the  bucks)  I
> am basing my assertion: "Old people are dumped by the side of the road
> and told not to darken the org's door ever again" on  various  posters
> testimony.  I have not heard from anyone who has had  this  happen  to
> them.  It just makes me  wonder  what  REALLY  happens.  I  appreciate
> someone talking about this.
>
> wgert,  Rod_Fletcher, et al can you tell your side  of  the  story?  I
> mean, do the old folks get a pension and help after they are offloaded
> or do they just have to live off of Social Security?

From 'Their Hour of Greatest Need', by Valerie Stansfield
Originally published in the Free Spirit, Vol 3 # 2

Unbelievable but true - there is a church in the United States that
refuses to succor those who are ill unto death.  In  their hour of
greatest need, members of the Church of Scientology, by policy and
practice are refused services, counselling or spiritual care from the
spiritual body to which they have declared their allegiance.

On Dec. 6, 1976, the church published a Policy Letter... stating:

        "It shall be a Committee of Evidence offense... to accept for
        processing and process any PC (parishioner):

        "1)  Who is terminally (fatally) ill, regardless of what the
        org... may have promised or asserted.  Such diseases as ad-
        vanced cancer are included."

...  Following the issue of this policy, the Church founder's son passed
away.  No known service was held and no public official mention of the
death occured[sic].  Church members who knew the young man found out
about his death through newspapers and rumor.

Here are some of the many typical demonstrations of this policy:

Julia Salmen started the Los Angeles branch of the Church and admin-
istered it for nearly two decades.  She started many of the programs
now permanently incorporated into their Scriptures.  When she knew she
was dying after a long illness several years ago, she called the
Church's Advanced Organization and asked for help.  They refused to send
a minister.  Word passed among her friends and one came to counsel and
prepare her, for which she was very appreciative.  After her passing,
the Church claimed that she died as a result of his faulty processing.
A paragraph was published honoring her contributions which was more than
any of the others got.  No official service was held.

Grant Pool had routed on to begin the Special Briefing Course to further
his ministerial training.  He had been devoted for around 30 years.
He was told he had to produce money to take a prerequisite course and
being unable to do so, as age and severe physical problems plagued him,
quietly hung around the Church unable to participate.  When he died,
the organization did nothing - his friends had a private memorial
service
for him.

Robert Oakes gave over 20 years of his life to forward and improve the
Church.  When he had severe heart trouble, only his friends offered
help.  At his passing only a private funeral was held.  Only one Church
staff member, an old friend, attended and there was no church
officiation
and no spiritual guidance offered his grieving widow.

Lavina Timmons - this gracious former Executive of the New York C of S
for years, active for decades, developed a rash under her arm while
taking Advanced Ministerial Studies at the Church.  She went to a
Doctor,
who said she had cancer.  She asked the Church for help and as reply was
declared "an illegal PC," then refused further help or even further
study.
She went home and cried, passing away in 6 months with no Church
support.
Private friends gave her limited counselling and a private memorial.
She
had no family.

Idella Stone - Over 80 years old in 1983, when she became ill she wrote
the Founder L. Ron Hubbard who ordered the Advanced Organization in
writing to give her processing (counselling) at no charge.  She got
none.
Idella (Ikey) started the first center for Hubbard in the world.  She
travelled and lectured for him since 1950.  The newspapers gave her
death
front page exposure due to her general fame.  No mention of it was made
by the Church.  When the Advanced Organization had refused her a mini-
ster, she and her friends requested a student Minister be dispatched to
aid her - in her hours of greatest need after 35 years of devotion.
They were told it would upset the Church's plans for the students.  Her
funeral also had no official Church minister present.

Luzette Sparrin - This elegant Victorian lady in her 90s - heralded as
"the oldest Minister in the Church."  She was almost blind and had no
money.  To her last she was writing to Founder L. Ron Hubbard, asking
for return of funds she had loaned him when he was poor and she an
affluent opera singer.  The letters were never acknowledged.  When her
house burned down in the 70's no help from the nearby Church was given
and she moved into a sleazy downtown hotel, living in such until her
final days at a welfare convalescent home.  The Church had an official
group called "The Gerus Society" which visited convalescent homes to
cheer up the non-Scientology elderly, promoting the Church's charitable
ideals.  When asked to visit Luzette they refused, stating it was "not
our purpose."  Luzette had spunk, even to her last week talking of
going back on stage.  No official Church service, or even mention of
her passing was ever done.

Hank Deneke died around Christmas of 1985.  He gave 23 years of his
life on staff being paid a fraction of the minimal[sic] wage.  He
couldn't get money for his Advanced Levels so no spiritual help was
given.  When he became terminal he was ignored.  Not one staff member
attended his memorial service.

All of the above people and many other similar ones made vast contri-
butions to the Church which rejected them when they became useless.
Even where the only major contribution has been financial, Church
policy rejects them at the end.  This Church believes in spiritual re-
birth, and has procedures that would better prepare people for this.
Yet it categorically withholds this care from its parishioners in their
hour of greatest need.  Not only loving succor and counsel are wtih-
held, but also even a final appreciation.  Can this Church be trusted
to have humanitarian intentions?

[End of article]

This is what happens to those who have dedicated their lives to Co$ when
those lives are at an end.  Any questions?

There is actually some slight hope that this is improving.  I have seen
in a few Co$ magazines that Jack Spears is now in LA receiving OT levels
which were rewarded to him.  Jack has been a fixture at SF org since
around the 1906 Quake, possibly before.  He was ancient when I met him
almost 20 years ago and I was shocked and delighted to learn he was
still
alive at all, especially since he was, like most Scientologists, a heavy
smoker.  But it will take far more than one instance of decent treatment
after a life of devotion to demonstrate real change.