As many of you may already know, Greg and Debra Barnes were recently declared Suppressive by the Church of Scientology. RTC apparently views it as a high crime for someone on OT 7 to object to being security checked every six months, even though these "six-month checks" (as they are fondly referred to by the 7s) violate an LRH technical bulletin. Could it be that the $20,000 or more that each OT is required to pay every six months for their sec check is more important to RTC than technical purity? After they were declared, the Barnes wrote a letter to the IAS, which is the International Association of Scientologists, asking for their money back. They had both paid for lifetime memberships, a total of more than $40,000. For those of you who are not familiar with the history of the IAS, let me fill you in. Back in the late 1970s, Mary Sue Hubbard, Henning Heldt, Duke Snider, and several other high-level Guardian's Office execs were indicted for stealing government documents and a list of other dirty tricks. To raise money for their defense, the Guardian's Office created a new organization called the Safe Environment Fund, or SEF. Everyone was told that the purpose of SEF was to create a War Chest to fight Scientology's enemies. There were big SEF briefings and all the public Scientologists had to donate tremendous amounts of money to defend the GO execs. At that time the people in charge of the global conspiracy to destroy Scientology were not Bob Minton, the German government and the LMT. Back then the U.S. government -- particularly the FBI -- was in charge of it. (That was before the IRS rolled over and gave Scientology its tax exemption and the U.S. government became Scientology's most ardent defender.) The money collected by SEF was used to cover the costs of all the dirty tricks Scientology carried out to try (unsuccessfully) to derail the criminal case against Mary Sue et al. A private investigator named Dick Bast, for example, was hired to set up the judge in the case, Judge Ritchey, with a prostitute to destroy his career. The set-up worked beautifully, and Judge Ritchey had to remove himself from the case. An article ran in one of Scientology's internal publications proclaiming what a big win this was for Scientology's expansion on the planet. When DM took over Scientology in 1982 he changed the name of the Guardian's Office to the Office of Special Affairs, and he changed the name of the Safe Environment Fund to the International Association of Scientologists. Today, it is the IAS, not SEF, that collects millions of dollars in donations from Scientologists all over the world. The money is still used for the same purpose -- to protect Scientology from its enemies. Only now its enemies are Bob Minton, Ursula Caberta, the LMT, etc. It is IAS monies that are being used to harass and try to destroy these "enemies." So Scientology does not want a spotlight on IAS, because IAS is the Achilles heel of their precious U.S. tax exemption. This is undoubtedly why the Barnes' request to IAS for a refund received such prompt attention. First Greg and Debra wrote a simple refund request without any elaboration. This is the letter they received in response: 26 May 2000 Dear Mr.& Mrs.Barnes: We are in receipt of your request of a return of your donations to the IAS. The rules of the IAS clearly state that contributions are not refundable. This rule is set forth on the IAS membership and donation forms. You acknowledged your understanding of this policy when you signed these forms. Please advise if you have further information regarding this matter you would like me to consider. Sincerely, Lise Cohee
Legal Affairs Director
IAS Administrations
on behalf of the IAS
Well, it seems that Greg and Debra did, indeed, have some further information they wanted Lise to consider, so they wrote her back the following letter: June 5,2000 Dear Lise, We certainly do have further information for you to consider; it is where to start, is the problem. First of all the IAS is an enforced membership that if anyone is to do services as long as we did and went as "OT" as we did you have to become members. The additional donations are harassed out of you with alarming tales of the tech being "attacked" or needed "publications" to alert the populace of the dangers of what ever the flavor of the month dangerous environment you guys dream up is. We gave to your organization based upon the false reports by your representatives of the German Scientologists being persecuted by ex-Nazi Psychiatrists, when in actuality according to all the German Scientologists I spoke with at the Sand Castle, it was the financial irregularities and out 2-D activities of org executives in Germany as well as poor results, that created the attacks, which your representatives failed to mention conveniently. We gave to your organization without knowing that RTC was rewriting LRH technical bulletins and his basic books which lower ones ability to obtain power and the results LRH speaks of. I gave to your organization without knowing of the criminal actions being perpetrated on Scientologists and ex not to mention the general public in which millions were spent, and are still being spent, defending your criminal actions in which you lose the cases. (specifically Mr. Hill in Canada and Bonnie Woods in England to name a few) We gave to your organization without knowing of Fair Game still being practiced by the GO...oops we meant OSA. We gave to your organization without knowing that Mike Rinder's opinion of spiritual sustenance was holding my friend [Lisa McPherson] down and forcing a concoction of illegally obtained drugs down her throat. Evidently you guys found some other lost tech that we did not know about. We gave to your organization and attended the Patron Balls because we believed in your stated goals of "support and protect the Scientology religion and Scientologists in all Parts of the world so as to achieve the Aims of Scientology as originated by L. Ron Hubbard". Never in our wildest dreams did we ever think that we would be on the receiving end of your "Fair Game" and "Black PR" tactics. Never did we think or even vaguely consider that you would hold me against my will at the Sandcastle whilst one of your "Golden Age of Tech" auditor of the year award winning auditors would perform squirrel processes in an attempt to create a psychotic break and when that failed your organization turned on its "Fair Game" machine. Did I fail to mention the C/S was the deputy Senior C/S FSO. We did not see the "support and protect Scientologists" hat being worn here. The fact that orgs in Germany, France, Russia and Spain are on life support and the fact that the "Church of Scientology" is on the way out in Europe is evidence of your hat not being worn regarding protecting Scientology. Some how I do not think that LRH envisioned your actions or inaction as the "Aims of Scientology" he was talking about... I could be wrong there though. Oh, did I forget about you being kicked out of Greece and your charitable status being laughed out of England, in other words denied. Regarding the Scientologists in France, Germany and Italy who went to jail for fraud and other interesting crimes did you protect them by bribing the prison guards to give them extra rations of cigarettes or was the CSW for a grant to help them denied because the funds were needed for attorneys else where. Need we go one with the total disdain and contempt that we have for the despicable con job you are perpetrating on the Scientology public? I think maybe you got our point but if not please do not hesitate to write back and I will give you more. I would think that an organization of such an "ethical purity" with such a crusade for "Total Freedom" would be insulted to want to keep the money of such people who think of you as we do. I would think that you would be glad to be free of the funds we gave you and wash your pure hands of our despicable association. Well we think that we have given you enough to consider and we do hope that you will be sickened by the thought of holding onto dirty money such as ours. Oh we will give you back the Patron Pin and Plaques upon receipt of our funds but the photos that were taken of us at the "Balls" we will keep. Sincerely, Greg and Debra Barnes P.S. I do not think that Loretta Miscavige had to write to you when you gave back her $40,OOO..oops 1 guess no one was suppose to know that... well that is the story we were told.
This communication did seem to have an effect. This is the letter Greg and Debra received in response:
3 July 2000 Dear Mr. & Mrs. Barnes: We are in receipt of your letter of June 13th, 2000. We find your allegations to be totally unfounded, nonetheless, and while under no legal obligation to make any refund of your donations, the IAS has decided, upon review of your letter and your clear indication that you no longer desire to be a member of the IAS, to return to you the donations you made. Please find enclosed a Release and Waiver for your signatures. The Association will, upon receipt of the executed Release and Waiver, forward to you a cashier's check in the amount of $40,660 being equal to all the donations you made to the IAS, and will cancel your memberships in the Association. Sincerely, Lise Cohee
Legal Affairs Director
IAS Administrations
on behalf of the IAS
Here is the release and waiver Greg and Debra were required to sign:
RELEASE AND WAIVER We, GREG and DEBRA BARNES herewith declare the following: That we have made non-refundable donations to the International Association of Scientologists ("IAS") in the amount of US$ 40,660. With the receipt of a return of that amount, being all funds ever donated by us to the IAS on our behalf and on behalf of our children, we waive all claims and rights against the IAS. All our claims against the IAS are settled for any legal reason with the receipt of the above sum. That we, our heirs, our successors, representatives, agents, employees, attorneys and assigns release and forever discharge the International Association of Scientologists, IAS Administrations, and their respective successors, agents, officers, directors, divisions, shareholders, trustees, fundraisers and employees from any and all claims, damages, causes of action of any kind which we now have or may hereafter have, from the beginning of time, to and including the effective date of this release. That we understand that the term "any and all claims" as used above, means and includes, but is not limited to, all claims of any kind, whether known or unknown, anticipated or unanticipated, past or present, contingent or fixed. We agree that the term "any and all claims" shall be interpreted liberally and as sufficiently comprehensive so that this agreement precludes any and all disputes, litigation or controversy brought by the undersigned. That we have resigned our memberships and those of our children in the IAS. That we are signing this Release and Waiver on our own free will and decision. That we have read this Release and Waiver and understand completely each of its conditions and stipulations.
The Barnes sent their release and waiver in, and in return they received the following letter, with a check for $40,660 enclosed: 26 July 2000 Dear Mr. & Mrs. Barnes, Find enclosed a check in the amount of $40,660 being the return of all the donations you made to the International Association of Scientologists in your name and on behalf of your family. Sincerely, Lise Cohee
Legal Affairs Director
I guess this successful correspondence shows that the old Scientology maxim, "When in doubt, communicate," is still effective, at least in certain parts of the organization. Stacy Brooks Message-ID: <399E3CEC.9C5A90BE@aol.com>
Date: Sat, 19 Aug 2000 00:53:16 -0700
From: realpch <realpch@aol.com>
Debra Barnes wrote: >
> Yes Peach - that was the Barnes also. We have $32K in unused services from
> Flag. In the most recent release/wavier (received last week) that they want us
> to sign before disbursing this money we would have to give up all rights to any
> future claims we may have. We object to this due to the evidence that in the
> past, the church cranks up its fair game machine after people have signed this
> type of release leaving you with no legal recourse. The big question is "why
> won't they do a simple release like the IAS release we signed?" If they would
> quite breaking the law and harming people there would be no claims to be made.
> I don't think they get it - so I guess we will have to drive our point home with
> a picket.
>
> WISE, who ripped us off of $1000 has finally agreed to pay when we threatened
> them with small claims court. Check has not been received as of yet.
>
> Also, the SuperPower Building Project was just sent a letter requesting our $85
> back - I wonder what kind of release they will want for this small amount.
>
> Debra
Well, good for you, and good luck on the rest of the refunds. Asking for a waiver for return of unused services is ludicrous, asking for the return of purchased items is insanity. Yes, it will be interesting to see if you get a "gentler, kinder waiver" for the $85. I wish you continued success! : ) Peach

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