Why a Portland jury awarded $39 million in damages against one of the world's most profitable cults. ONE SUNNY AFTERNOON last week, an elderly man, who looked as though he had probably spent the past few nights sleeping under the stars, stood in the southeast corner of Lownsdale Square in downtown Portland gazing in bewilderment at the scene before him. Several hundred people, many wearing T-shirts proclaiming something about a crusade for religious freedom, gathered around a large stage in the ...

"Theseus and his comrade Pirithous in their descent to Hades . . . sat down to rest for a while, only to find that they had grown to the rocks and could not rise." — Carl Jung, Modern Man In Search Of A Soul Ford and Andrea Schwartz are a typical American couple, perhaps. They're 33 and 28 years old, respectively, and they live in a middle-class apartment in Concord. A Volkswagen van rests in the carport. Their three-year-old son likes ...

What was good about Scientology's Comm Course? Well, the "Confronting" — staring at someone and not moving — wasn't too bad. Done in moderation, and after my eyes stopped hurting, I treated it as just a form of relaxing meditation. But too many of the TRs in the Comm Course seem to me to be geared toward learning how to not communicate — to wear a robotic, emotionless mask. According to Hubbard, "The only reason a person gives up a study ...

Yes... The Church of Scientology (which was founded by L. Ron Hubbard and operates a mission in Santa Rosa) is often charged with using mind control techniques to obtain and maintain the loyalty and resources of its members. Scientology officials, as well as many Scientology church members, scoff at these charges, insisting their practices and teachings are designed to liberate the mind, not enslave it. But Ford Schwartz, a longtime Scientologist and later a "deprogrammer" for the Freedom Counseling Center in ...

I sat in a stiff-backed chair. I had no thoughts, no fears, no hopes — or at least I tried to feel that way. I didn't look at the room around me, or hear the other people talking, or notice the roar of traffic floating through the window. I simply stared deep into the eyes of the young man who sat facing me. I stared at him, motionless, and was there, and confronted him, and didn't react — just as I'd ...

Part 3 in a series "You can start tonight," said Diana as I handed her $45 in cash. She gave me some change and quickly filled out two receipts — one for the course itself and the other for a book, Scientology: A New Slant on Life by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. "Thank you for contributing to the expansion of Scientology," read the receipts. And on the back, in red, was printed "The True Story of ...

Reporter Flunks Test Taking a Scientology test, reporter Dennis Wheeler got both good and bad news. He has a "high I.Q." and an "unstable" personality. See story below. —– Okay, maybe I'm not Mister Wonderful. And I do have a fault or two — a couple of minor defects in my character, maybe a moment or two of irritability. But Joanna, the woman facing me across a desk, was showing me scientific proof — verified by my own answers to a ...

(Editor's note: One of the first steps in the Church of Scientology's "Communications Course" is an introductory lecture. In Santa Rosa, it's offered every Monday and Wednesday evening at the Scientology headquarters at 721 Mendocino Avenue. Following is a description of the event.) On this particular evening, virtually no one showed up for Scientology's free lecture. So I was an audience of one, listening attentively to a young woman named Joanna, but feeling a little self-conscious. I sat on a stiff-backed ...

The year was 1950. The book was Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, written by a 39-year-old "pulp" writer of science fiction, L. Ron Hubbard. A few months earlier, Hubbard had outlined the book's tenets in a magazine called Astounding Science Fiction. And a year before that, at a lecture for science fiction writers, Hubbard had mused, "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wanted to make a million dollars, the best way would be ...

The faithful inner core serve as thieves, decoys and spies. The shocking story behind one of the most dangerous “religious cults” operating today IN THE late 1940s, pulp writer L. Ron Hubbard declared, “Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million, the best way would be to start his own religion.” Hubbard did start his own religion, calling it the “Church of Scientology,” and it has grown into an enterprise today grossing ...

AFFIDAVIT OF SILVANA GARRITANO I was introduced to Scientology in October, 1977, when I went to the New York Church to take a "Communications Course". The "registrar" (a euphemism for salesman) was Jerry Indursky. He told me that my problem was a lack of assertiveness, that I did not speak up for myself. Indursky promised me Scientology would remedy that problem and I would emerge from the Communications Course a happier, more successful person because I could stand up for myself. ...

AFFIDAVIT OF MARJORIE HANSEN I, Marjorie Hansen of Hanover, Massachusetts depose and state as follows: On or about April 16, 1978, I was walking on Boylston Street in Boston when I was approached by a man named Kevin, who asked me if I would consent to taking a "Personality Survey". Kevin stated that he was working on the survey for some college courses he was taking. He then led me to a building on Beacon Street which I later found out ...

How a Portland jury got a crash course in one of the oddest "religions" ever created and awarded the plaintiff more than $2. million Note: This summer, a jury in Portland spent a month listening to testimony in a $4 million lawsuit over the practices of the Church of Scientology there. The plaintiff: Julie Christofferson, a young Portland woman who was a follower of Scientology in 1975 and 1976. The defendants: three local Scientology organizations and one of their leaders. ''Richard ...

Scientology courses are designed to make students dependent on their instructors so it is "easier to brainwash them," a disaffected Church of Scientology communications supervisor testified Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. One particular "drill" called "bull baiting" involved verbal and physical abuse and sometimes overt sexual contact, Diana Morgan testified. She appeared as a witness for Julie Christofferson Titchbourne, 21, in the trial of a $2 million-plus damage suit Mrs. Titchbourne brought against three Scientology organizations and adherents. She is ...

The two-story brick building at N. Ballenger Hwy. and Sloan St. looks as if it should house an insurance agency or doctor's office. It is a well-built, well-kept structure. Inside, quality furniture and a quiet, professional greeting welcome the visitor. But this building houses a center related to a church that is under fire from federal agencies. Early this month, the FBI used crowbars and sledgehammers to enter offices of the Church of Scientology in Hollywood and Washington, D.C. Agents were ...

Charging a reporter's enrollment in one of its courses caused members "extreme mental anguish, suffering and humiliation," the Tampa mission of the Church of Scientology sued the Clearwater Sun and a Sun employe Wednesday for $250,000. Bruce Harrell, direector of the mission, charged that Sun Assistant City Editor Tom Coat enrolled in the Tampa mission for the purpose of writing articles about the controversial group that has purchased the former Fort Harrison hotel. "Coat's unwarranted and surreptitious intrusion and invasion of ...

[...] The Church of Scientology. Founded by former science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard after he "proved conclusively that man is a spiritual being," Scientology is a "non-denominational" religion devoted to increasing the spiritual awareness of its flock. This is done by a process called Auditing, which seems to be a kind of confessional session in which a duly trained minister of Scientology guides a person into confronting emotional and spiritual logjams in his past. The actual techniques the auditor uses to ...

[...] 16. RECOMMENDATIONS AND/OR CONDITIONS FOR CONTINUED STATE FUNDING a. Detoxification procedures should be stopped on the premises since their procedures are without proper medical supervision and may be dangerous. b. Three evaluation team members recommend cessations of State funding. c. One evaluation team member recommends continued funding if the following conditions are met: 1) Program must operate a facility that specifically and exclusively deals with the rehabilitation of narcotic addicted persons as required by their contract. Such condition should be ...

"Scientology is a religion which deals with the increase of awareness of the spirit and the achievement of higher spiritual standards." The Reverend Mrs Helen Pickett, of the Church of Scientology, April, 1974. "Scientology is evil; its techniques evil; its practice a serious threat to the community medically, morally and socially; and its adherents sadly deluded and often mentally ill." The Victorian Anderson Report on scientology, October, 1965. "How many shoes do you have on your feet?" '''Scientology worker at George ...

Narconon has been trying to make a name for itself since opening offices at 101 Montana avenue in June. It is described as a program to help drug addicts overcome the habit and to help prevent drug addiction. The executive director, Brent Davis, has been speaking to civic clubs to acquaint them with Narconon's efforts. PTAs and similar groups that have not yet heard the message have been offered speakers. THE OFFICE and classroom were donated for Narconon's use ...

ACROSS THE STREET from two "porno" bookstores at Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, a group of religious workers are pushing the concept of man as a spiritual being. Sandwiched between a loan company and an electrical supply outfit, the Minnesota Church of Scientology claims it can help people put their religious beliefs to practice. Despite opposition from the federal government, the medical profession and orthodox religious groups, Scientology has become one of the fastest growing religions in the United ...

Whatever else it is, it's a phenomenon, and a controversial and mysterious one at that. Beyond that, it's difficult to say just what Scientology is — except that it is an organization and a way of thinking gaining attention in the Flint area and across the world as it grows rapidly in adherents and publicity. Since Scientology opened a branch here a few months ago in a former pool hall at 2102 Joliet a few months ago, handouts have appeared on ...

Scientology is defined as knowing how to know. It is an applied religious philosophy dealing with the study of knowledge. Through the application of its technology it brings about desirable changes in the conditions of life. But, according to Scientology Literature it could be better defined as summated and organized information about you. It is everything that has been known about you for at least 2500 years, but it is summated so it is communicable, so that it is applicable and ...

DONOVAN BESS Mr. Bess is on the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco This is the year of Apollo 11. It is also the year in which that psychological sophisticate, Richard Alpert, came back from his guru in India to reap a big following of inner-space explorers with his story of spiritual conversion. It is a lime of burgeoning meditation societies on the college campuses, and of passionate rebellion against the amorality of our technology. Thus it ...

Scientology begins with Dianetic Release, leads up through Grade O, SOLO and eventually CLEAR. And, if you're among the lucky few, you might even emerge an auditor... one of the most valuable beings on the planet. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND? BY GEORGE MALKO Leonard Cohen's in it, and so is Tennessee Williams, read William Burroughs, and Cass Elliot got her Grades down in St. Thomas, and there's the rumor that's been around for years that Truman or Kennedy or ...

ANOTHER Scientology jet charter flight to Scotland next month has been cancelled because of the Government's ban on the entry to Britain of followers of the cult. Caledonian Airways had planned to operate the charter. It was to have carried 186 members of the Hubbard Advanced College of Personal Independence from New York to Prestwick at the end of September. Two days ago, 186 scientology students should have arrived at Prestwick aboard a Caledonian jet charter but the flight was cancelled ...