Several ex-members of various religious cults, psychotherapy sects, and mind control groups told their tragic stories of abuse, terror, and manipulations by their former groups, leaders, and members. Center stage was given to Deborah Layton, former member of the Jim Jones' People's Temple, where she gave a frightening yet heart- warming account from excerpts in her new book "Seductive Poison." In ex-member panel forums, Scientology was represented by Thomas Padgett on the topic of "unusual leave-taking" being moderated by Bill and Lorna Goldberg, last years' recipients of the LJRF Award. Tom gave a brief overview of his time from being recruited in 1978 to leaving on his own in 1987, but gave more detailed highlights of the rein of terroristic attacks, stalkings, character assaults, death by litigation tactics, burglaries, SP declarations, destruction of his once successful and rewarding career, and worst of all, "disconnection" from his minor children! Padgett's ex-wife remained in the cult as a devoted Hubbard believer. His sad and tragic account of yet more individuals and families being destroyed by the Co$ belief system, is a worse case scenario and example that the FAIR GAME policy is still completely in effect as a current cult S.O.P. As reported by FACTnet in May of 1998, his litigious ex has tried several times to get him convicted on bogus trumped-up child support allegations which is a crime in all 50 states. Getting Tom in prison (wrongly,) would "isolate" him as a PTS. Currently, Kentucky is the only state in the U.S.A. that sanctions "Child Dianetics - Processing of Children" as an alternative to child psychology, child psychiatry, and other standard accepted mental health practices per case law of Padgett v. Padgett. Kentucky also sanctions "disconnection" of family members as observed by Paul Grosswald, a material witness in the case. Padgett has a warrant out for his arrest in Kentucky from his ex's continued fair gaming tactics. The court appointed child psychologist in Laura Padgett's civil litigation was investigated by the Kentucky state mental health board and proven to be tampered with, not an expert, in probable court error and in short a fraud. The judge in the case/s is a family friend of the pro-scientologists in a small politically controlled Western Kentucky town. Tom lives in Massachusetts and can be reached at jfp-legal@webtv.net if you can help with his plight. He along other panel and keynote speakers at the conference can be seen on the net at http://www.xenutv.com Recipients of this years' LJRF Award were Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman, pioneers in the study of cults and mind control going back to the 1970's. In their book "Snapping," earlier extensive research surveys indicated ".......hour for hour, Scientology's techniques may be more than twice as damaging as those of other cults and self-help therapies, and up to four times as damaging per hour as the rituals of some other major cult groups!" A major sponsor of the successful conference was the Lisa McPherson Trust now up and running in Clearwater, FL. At the concluding session of the conference, all attendees called for more political activism and media attention in the growing worldwide need for human rights in the cult awareness problem. During the weekend meeting, yet another tragedy hit the headline news Uganda's mass suicide of 100's of members of a doomsday sect. Scientology is still believed to be by experts as one of the most dangerous and destructive totalitarian cults in the world. This posting is from Padgett family, friends, and supporters. Alliance for Better Understanding of Scientology Ethics (A.B.U.S.E.)

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