I don't know when or where this article appeared but it is written by Brian Ambry who was the principal researcher for Bent Corydon's book, L. Ron Hubbard:

Messiah or Madman. I would be grateful for a proper citation.

(This is uncorrected OCR but nevertheless I think you will find it interesting!)
SLY AND TALL EDGY LURKS by Brian Ambry "SLY AND TALL EDGY LURKS"

By Brian Ambry "White Scientology"

L. Ron Hubbard's mostly early (1950s) teachings include theories, insights, and techniques which ? it could be reasonably argued ?constitute a significant contribution in the areas of practical psychology, "Human Potential," and spiritual exploration. Some people refer to this portion of the subject as "White Scientology."

The doctrine of Scientology developed into its final form from the mid 1960s through to the early 1980s. It exists in books and taped lectures, and in the materials of various "course packs." Some of these course packs are "confidential," such as those for the upper levels of counseling. Also confidential are the materials for the very lowest levels: for "degraded beings" and "salvageable psychotics." These include the Rehabilitation Project Force technology, or RPF tech.

Another confidential area would be the LRH Personal Public Relations Officer materials. They emphasize that Mankind will survive only through Scientology, and that Scientology will succeed only if "LRH image" and the "Legend of LRH,"

are protected, disseminated, and preserved for "eternity." Quoting LRH PPRO, "For it is LRH's image on which all the rest of our expansion depends."

Other confidential course packs include policy and tech from L. Ron Hubbard on such subjects as lying, harassment, "legal harassment" via frivolous lawsuits, propaganda, covert data collection, and covert "dirty tricks" operations.

According to Hubbard, "Essentially, a covert operation is intended to embarrass, discredit or overthrow or remove an actual or possible opponent.

It's a small war being carried out without its true source being revealed."

Documents in this area include Hubbard's voluminous Information (Intelligence) Full Hat, and his Branch One (Intel) Hatting (job training) Letters.

These and other Intelligence tech materials became public in 1980 as a result of Criminal Court case No. 78?401, United States District Court, Washington, DC.

The text entitled the Information Full Hat is listed as government exhibit 236, and is, in effect, a confidential Administration (or "Green') Volume. It takes up where the non?confidential Management Series, and "Green" Volume 7 (Executive Division policy letters) leave off.

Also amongst the court documents are records of numerous covert operations against specific "enemies." One such "enemy" was author Paulette Cooper. The operation directed at her was entitled Op PC Freak Out, and was an application of Hubbard's Covert Ops tech. This covert operation had, as its "major target,"

having Cooper "set up" and framed, so she'd be "incarcerated in a mental institution or jail." Hubbard's handwritten instructions are found throughout these materials.

Another one of Scientology's many "enemies" was cartoonist Jim Berry. (Remember Berry's World?) He had unwisely drawn a cartoon featuring a businessman type speaking to a hippie type, with the businessman saying:

"I WAS into EST, Primal Therapy, Yoga, Scientology, Hare Krishna, Transcendent Meditation ? NOW I'm into money."

For this "attack" Hubbard ordered Operation Funny Bone into action to cause Berry to lose his newspaper syndication, and destroy his career.

The Battle Tactics Doctrine One of the most important ? and pervasive ? confidential issues is the Policy Letter dated 16 February 1969, and entitled Battle Tactics. It has broad philosophical and tactical implications.

How does one "win" when dealing with the government, the press, or with a not immediately compliant public? By adopting a philosophy of pure ? amoral expediency, and applying the tactics and strategies of "war."

The first tactic of war is deception. Deception is for use on the "noncombatants" (the "Wogs" or "garden variety humanoids"), and also for use on the diabolical conspiratorial "enemy." It ranges from face to face lying, evasion, manipulation, and emotional "button pushing," to broadly distributed propaganda, and the use of "front groups," and falls under the category of general sneakiness. The point is not that one must use deception, but that it's perfectly OK to do so, if it works. And according to the Battle Tactics policy, and mentality, it does.

The next tactic is, "Attack the attacker." And what does it take to be regarded as an attacker? Per the doctrine, not very much. One should, "Treat all skirmishes like wars." And never "assign mild motives to the enemy." Don't be "reasonable." Be "ruthless."

As succinctly put in the (non?confidential, but "in?organization") August 1969 Policy Letter, Discipline ? SPs and Admin:

"I'm not interested in wog morality. If anyone is getting industrious trying to enturbulate or stop Scientology or its activities, I can make Captain Bligh look like a Sunday School teacher."

Open and free public discussion of Scientology is to be discouraged. Attack the reputations of "too curious" questioners and information providers. Avoid examination of actual issues. If possible, an "attacker" is to be "obliterated," leaving a "vacuum." One then is to "fill the vacuum" with Scientology "Public Relations."

The policy of "Attack!" dates back at least to 1955, when Hubbard wrote in his Manual on the Dissemination of Material, originally published in Scientology's Ability Magazine:

"The DEFENSE of anything is UNTENABLE. The only way to defend anything is to ATTACK, and if you forget that then you will lose every battle that you will engage in, whether it is in terms of personal conversation, public debate, or a court of law. NEVER BE INTERESTED IN CHARGES. DO, yourself, much MORE CHARGING, and you will WIN." [Capitalization in original] The Manual on Dissemination of Materials goes on to explain:

"No Scientologist should ever consent to take a position on a panel or on a stage engaging in a debate of Scientology verses some other subject. This is an entirely unclear communication line. People are not interested in debate. They are interested, if they are there at all, in Scientology. Why, therefore, give some other subject an audience before which it can air its views?... any such debate engaged upon demeaned and degraded Scientology by permitting it to be talked about contemptuously before a group ? a thing which SHOULD NEVER BE PERMITTED."

Battle Tactics, and "playing dirty," are necessary and justified, Hubbard later explained, due to the longstanding and ongoing planet?wide conspiracy to stop Dianetics and Scientology. The conspirators use any and all methods, no matter how dirty. Scientology has every right to defend itself using those very same tactics. After all, this is "war."

In a 1969 confidential issue entitled Intelligence Actions ? Covert Intelligence Data Collection, Hubbard describes some of the early conspirators in the "war":

"The objective of the enemy is to discredit... Their first blast was the San Francisco papers, Sept. 1950, quoting the publisher (of Book One) Ceppos being critical of me (he was a communist) followed by the LA papers, pushed then by the Sara Komkosadamanov (alias Northrup) `divorce' actions, followed by attempted kidnapping of myself. Other details were pushed into it including murder of four and so on. This was a full complete covert operation. At the back of it was Miles Hollister (psychology student), Sara Komkosadamanov (housekeeper at the place nuclear physicists stayed near Caltech), Gene Benton and his wife ? president of the Young Communists League...

"This was a full war against Dianetics."

Sara Northrup, in reality, was his second wife to whom he was married from 1946?51, and with whom he had a redheaded daughter named Alexis. Hubbard later insisted that he and Sara were never married, and that he barely knew her. He even reinvented her as a Russian secret agent named Komkosadamanov!

Sara, who had assisted her husband during the writing of Dianetics, or "Book One," was both one of the first "non?persons" of Scientology, and one of its first "enemies of Mankind, the planet and all life," later known as "Suppressive Persons" or "SPs." She was followed, over the years, by a parade of other "non" (or "erased") persons, and "SPs" ("criminal psychotics"). As far as I know there are no Scientologists, who worked closely with Hubbard, who have escaped ending up in one of these two categories ? usually as officially declared "SPs."

During the 1950s and 60s Hubbard called many people communists. And during that time period that was about the worst thing someone could be called. In the 1970s, with public opinion shifting, he reinvented his enemies as fascists and Nazis. He was apparently applying basic Propaganda tech which he understood well. As explained in Battle Tactics:

"Standard wartime propaganda is what one is doing... Know the mores of your public opinion, what they hate. That's the enemy. What they love. That's you.

You preserve the image or increase it of your own troops and degrade the image of the enemy to beast level."

The Battle Tactics policy is for application in Intelligence, in "Legal, " and in Public Relations. It is an extension and refinement of the earlier Fair Game policy which officially made it OK to, "trick, sue, lie to, or destroy" the "enemies" of Scientology. Battle Tactics applies both to "enemies," and to the "non?combatants" ?the "Wogs."
The question is: To what extent did L. Ron Hubbard apply Battle Tactics to the Scientology membership?

Brainwashing Manual Tech Starting in the mid 1960s, L. Ron Hubbard began to incorporate the basics of his 1955 Brainwashing Manual into the subject of Scientology. The Manual details methods for "asserting and maintaining 'dominion over the thoughts and loyalties of individuals."

These same methods can be found in modern Scientology policy and tech; most noticeably, in "Ethics " tech, Sea Organization tech, and in the Rehabilitation Project Force tech. Few of today's Scientologists have ever seen the Brainwashing Manual, but it influences their lives daily.

The Brainwashing Manual was written secretly by Hubbard to be used as a public distribution propaganda piece, with the purpose of identifying psychiatry with the Russian communists, and the positioning of Dianetics in a good light.

The "propaganda line" on the origin of the Manual was that it appeared mysteriously, and was the "Russian textbook" on how to take over the West, using psychiatry as the vehicle or "front."

Psychiatry was to use the methods of deception, manipulation and "brainwashing," incorporated into "mental healing," to accomplish the goal of conquest.

The "Russian" Brainwashing Manual even mentions Dianetics as an adversary:

"The psychopolitical operative should also spare no expense in smashing out of existence, by whatever means, any actual healing group, such as that of acupuncture in China, such as Christian Science and Dianetics in the United States, such as Catholicism in Italy and Spain, and the practical psychology groups of England."

In the 1955 Scientology Operation Bulletin No. 8, Hubbard explains:

"The Brainwashing Manual which came into our possession so mysteriously is being released, not with any intent to unmock psychiatry, but as a necessary piece of information...

"Some of the mystery concerning the manuscript which came into our hands in Phoenix was resolved when it was discovered that the book called Psychopolitics (spelled with a K) is in the Library of Congress."

Hubbard's Brainwashing Manual even contains the idea of creating a subject (and corresponding organization and "movement") that would accomplish its objectives by being "clever" enough to, "avoid the understanding of the layman, or average stupid official." A subject that would be, "too devious for common understanding."

Besides the previously cited secret (but highly influential) writings, and other confidential writings found in a variety of course packs or "Hats," and in confidential counseling "Rundowns,"

consider the creation of the numerous confidential "upper levels" of counseling, with the tech of the "upper, upper levels" being forever unavailable ("unreleased") and tantalizingly mysterious to Scientologists. This would ensure that none of the membership could ever claim to know the full contents of even the counseling tech. The subtly overwhelming and glue?like mystery would be secure.

All these things (including "White Scientology") constitute Scientology doctrine in its actual and complete form. A form that was applied and enforced over many years by L. Ron Hubbard.

There are certain patterns in Scientology which are likely to escape the purview of someone familiar only with one segment of the doctrine, or who chooses to ignore or explain away certain obnoxious portions of the long?standing doctrine. (This appears to be the case with some in the "Free Zone," who've left the organization, but still believe in "Ron.")

One's understanding of Scientology as it actually is will be incomplete unless there's some familiarity with these materials, or at least it's known that they exist as relevant applied doctrine.

Scientology uses the words "freedom" and "communication" as themes in its Public Relations veneer. In reality, censorship is an important part of Scientology, which keeps its own membership carefully propagandized, and selectively uninformed. Members are expected to "report" anything that is "antiScientology"without looking too closely at it, since, at the same time, they're expected to mentally block out anything that is anti?Scientology or "entheta," in order not to be contaminated by it. ("Theta" is a Scientology word for "life force" or spirit, and associated characteristics such as serenity and truth. "Entheta" means, literally, "antilife," and would include such things as upsetting experiences, malicious gossip, lies, and evil intentions; it also turns out to mean anything that is "critical" of Hubbard, or Scientology. Conversely, anything pro?Scientology is "theta.") Steering clear of "entheta" extends even to avoiding, or self?censoring, one's own potentially "antiLRH" or "anti?Scientology" thoughts, an action which should be automatic and instantaneous in a properly indoctrinated and "ethical"

individual.

Any action that "forwards Scientology" is regarded as "ethical." Scientology, privately, regards "being ethical" as expediently ?amorally ? pursuing its own ends, and by that definition may be telling the truth ? in a twisted sort of way ? when proclaiming itself as, "the most ethical group on the planet." Right and wrong are defined, entirely, in terms of win and lose.

Scientology is Multi?Layered Scientology is multi?layered and compartmentalized. ("PR is overt. Intelligence is covert." PR Series #7) For example, the essay What is Greatness (which extols loving one's enemies) is basically a PR piece. Hubbard's "in?organization" and confidential writings during that same period make very clear what his actual views and policies were towards "enemies." And it wasn't "love."

Even the PR tech is "multi?layered." In publicized statements regarding the subject of Public Relations, Hubbard emphasizes the importance of "truth" in PR. It is usually overlooked that this means "truth" according to L. Ron Hubbard. (One such "truth" is, "Critical of LRH or Scientology = Hidden crimes.") Official prepackaged Scientology PR "truths," and "False Report Correction packs," are available, in case anyone has any doubt about what the "truth" is.

A little further along, in nonpublic and confidential writings, it turns out that the main problem with fabrication and manipulation is a practical one:

These things need to be done tactfully, skillfully, and with "flair," or can "recoil." The bottom line is, can you get away with it? Will it achieve the desired end? Will it work?

One needs to make certain that any PR or Propaganda line, black propaganda line, emotional "button pushing," or any other "gimmick" used, be effective long enough for the attainment of the desired objective. If it then "recoils"

somewhat, at least one is in a stronger position, (having gained new "ground") to deal with that PR "flap."

Only the "nice" portion of the PR tech is publicized, and even hailed as proof that Scientology PR is, "the first truly honest Public Relations." And the over?all subject of Scientology follows the same pattern.

Scientology is devious and secretive by design. You're not likely to see the complete picture, and the patterns ? "get the gestalt" as they say ? until you put the pieces together, stand back and stare at it for a while.

Excalibur and the "real goal"

Other remaining pieces of the puzzle come in the form of various pre?Scientology writings of Hubbard's, and other documents, including those revealed at the "Armstrong trial" of 1984. These documents largely debunk Hubbard's numerous "biographical" sketches, and many of his other "tall tales."

(During an uncharacteristically candid public moment at the 1952 lectures in Philadelphia, Hubbard explained that, "It's a trap not being able to prevaricate." Was he just being lighthearted, and validating creative imagination? One problem with that idea is that he was very serious about people believing his prevarication, and regarded those who might expose it as adversaries.)

Judge Breckenridge, who presided over the "Armstrong trial," observed in his summation:

"The evidence portrays a man who has been virtually a pathological liar when it comes to his history, background and achievements. The writings and documents in evidence additionally reflect his egotism, greed, avarice, lust for power, and vindictiveness and aggressiveness against persons perceived by him to be disloyal or hostile.

"At the same time it appears that he is charismatic and highly capable of motivating, organizing, controlling, manipulating, and inspiring his adherents.

He was referred to during the trial as a `genius', a `revered person,' a man who was `viewed by his followers with awe."' Some of these early writings display an outlook that, years later, would re?surface with a vengeance.

In a letter dated August 1938, to Polly his first wife, Hubbard wrote passionately of his "real goal" in life. Seemingly discounting the idea of the survival of one's personal identity through spiritual means, he wrote:

"Living is a pretty grim joke, but a joke just the same. The entire function of man is to survive. Not for `what' but just to survive... I turned the thing up, so its up to me to survive in a big way. Personal immortality is only to be gained through the printed word, barred note or painted canvas or hard granite.

Foolishly perhaps, but determined none the less, I have high hopes of smashing my name into history so violently that it will take a legendary form even if all the books are destroyed. That goal is the real goal as far as I am concerned. Things which stand too consistently in my way make me nervous. It's a pretty big job. In a hundred years Roosevelt will have been forgotten, which gives some idea of the magnitude of my attempt. And all this boils and froths inside my head."

He speculated as to whether or not he would use his unpublished work Excalibur as a vehicle for the attainment of his goal, and exclaimed:

"I can make Napoleon look like a punk!"

The first page of this particular letter ? in contrast to the rest ? has to do with Hubbard's response to hearing of his wife's injury to a finger joint. He notes a series of other comparable or worse injuries that he (supposedly) had suffered. It almost looks like an early version of the 1950s era counseling procedures, "Problems of Comparable Magnitude," and "Remedy of Scarcity." This is interesting in that it would seem to show the complex nature of Hubbard, even back then:

The ego and power oriented goal. This is to be kept 3. hidden, or disguised, as is the belief in deception, trick ery, and "ruthlessness" as key tools to success.

Then the fascination with, and talent for, innovation in the area of positive practical psychology, philosophy, and related areas. This positive aspect is to be publi? 4. cized without mention of the controlling and corrupting "real goal," and dark or unscrupulous methods.

Accounts of Hubbard's Excalibur describe it as a short work, psychological and not spiritual in nature. And, as of 1938 at least, Hubbard's "real goal" does not appear to have been spiritual either.

Could such an unenlightened objective have motivated L. Ron Hubbard, the man who, some years later, would write elegantly about the illusory nature of the universe of Matter, Energy, Space, and Time; and of the illusory nature, and innate foolishness, of MEST identity? Surely the author of The Factors (Scientology's Genesis, "Before the beginning was a Cause... ") and of The Aims of Scientology ("A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war... ") would have had a primary goal that would have been spiritual and humanitarian in nature.

It's shocking for some to consider the possibility that Hubbard's "real goal"

for Scientology might have been as was stated in August 1938, on the wake of his having written Excalibur.

Visibly, from the mid 1960s onward, Hubbard was preoccupied with acquiring earthly power. (His direction of illegal covert "dirty tricks" operations is a matter of court record. The PR line on this is that he, "didn't know anything about it.") But to "survive" as "L. Ron Hubbard," beyond the one?lifetime acquisition of "power," it was necessary to establish his own perpetual fan(atic) club, called the Church of Scientology. This unusual fan club is preoccupied with "LRH Image," and with "not tolerating" those who might "denigrate" that "Image." In their minds, "LRH = Survival."

Could it be? Was Hubbard driven by the desire to "engrave his initials on the planet earth?" Are we dealing with a goal that emerged from the mind of an 8 year old boy and shaped a lifetime? Could it be that this "unspiritual,"

neurotic, and preposterous primary goal was the main corrupting influence in Scientology?

Other influences that have been speculated about (by ex?Scientologists still sympathetic to Hubbard) include:

1. Ron succumbed to the law of, "What you resist you become," and became like his enemies.

2. He was the effect of years of accumulated "by?passed charge," i.e., stirred up old upsets.

(For some reason this "charge" was not cleared up by the application of the counseling tech.)

3. Others wrote "out tech" and "off policy" issues over his name. (In spite of the fact that Ron was a superperceptive and causative being, these issues were never detected and corrected, and profoundly altered Scientology from what Ron had intended.)

4. Early Scientology came from the Akashic records (cosmic data storage), and was relayed telepathically to Ron from his Guardian Angel, and she left.

5. Ron, in the aftermath of his (dangerous and heroic) advanced ("Wall of Fire") research, was "badly knocked out but alive," having confronted a huge amount of "charge." Afterwards, because of the lingering effects, he made some mistakes. (So go ahead and criticize him for it you creep!) 6. There were actually two beings who inhabited the body of L. Ron Hubbard.

7. Evil extraterrestrials ("Xenu" and his cohorts) had something to do with it.

Somewhat more down to earth ? with attention to writings, records, court evidence and testimony, and "objective" reality generally ? one can add to the list of possible influences:

8. The disappointments in Rhodesia in 1966, and the subsequent emotional collapse in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands. (And the explanations and "solutions" that followed, i.e., "Xenu," "The Wall of Fire," the Sea Organization, becoming the "Commodore," etc.)

9. The discomfort and humiliation of the motorcycle accident of 1974. (The main "solution" here appears to have been the creation of the RPF tech.)

10. Fleeing into deep hiding (and letting his wife take the rap) after the FBI raids of July 1977. (Explanations, "solutions," "discoveries," and "breakthroughs" flowed forth. What many of these had in common was that they ?

from "Dianetic Clear" to "Finance Dictator"? resulted in drastically increased cash flow "up lines" in the direction of Hubbard. From this same time period also came the Way to Happiness Moral Code Booklet, which is used by visible Scientology Public Relations; and also used as a Front Group promotional "particle," where the control by Scientology is hidden.)

Added into the "mix" as positive influences would be individual applications of "White Scientology," and the pursuit, by well meaning Scientologists, of various publicized and worthwhile goals. (Were these, ultimately, secondary and subordinate goals?) Is it possible that whatever was going on, was occurring "on top" of the "boiling and frothing" primary "real goal"???

Exploiting the Positives ? The Cheese in the Trap Amongst the "Armstrong trial" materials are the 1930s and 40s era self?hypnotic "Affirmations." Two key themes of Hubbard's Affirmations are the right to lie, and the right to be ruthless. One Affirmation ends by declaring: "All Mankind shall grovel at my feet and not know why." Fortunately, determining why is not nearly as important as determining what. One can put aside all speculation as to why, and is still left with the task of examining the actual doctrine, and the actual documented history of Hubbard and his organization.

It was mostly during the 1950s that what is best in Scientology came into being. This is perhaps a reflection of what was best in L. Ron Hubbard.

During the 1960s the "war" philosophy and methodology were reemphasized and reasserted in what was an increasingly secretive subject. And, in addition to being in a state of covert "war" with the outside world, Hubbard seems to have been at "war" with his own followers. He lied to them, used propaganda and various "gimmicks" on them; and subjected them to the methods of his Brainwashing Man:gal, and incorporated those methods, and additional methods of achieving "dominion," into Scientology tech and policy.

This is modern Scientology doctrine as designed by L. Ron Hubbard. This is the doctrine used by the Church of Scientology. It overrides, and exploits, the "positive" or "white" aspects of the subject.

What exactly is Scientology? Answering that question takes some extra time and effort since, oddly enough, Scientology seems to have been designed not to be fully understood.

The final pieces of the Scientological puzzle include the works of others from which L. Ron Hubbard borrowed. These include: Alfred Korzybski and his Science and Sanity, and also Manhood of Humanity; Richard Semon and Mnemic Psychology;

Aleister Crowley and Magick in Theory and Practice, The Book of The Law, Eight Lectures on Yoga, arid other works; Le° Bon and his The Crowd, A Study of the Popular Mind; Sun Tzu and The Art of War (required reading in both PR and Intelligence training); and Curt Reiss and Total Espionage (required reading in Intelligence ?along with other related texts). It also seems likely that Hubbard was aware of A. Nordenholz's 1934 Scientologie.

Other varied sources of inspiration and information include William Bolitho (Twelve Against the Gods); P.T. Barnum; H. Bernheim (and other authors on the subject of hypnosis); Freud; Adler; Jung; Israel Regardie; John (Jack) Parsons;

Sara Northrop; John Campbell; J.A. Winter; Volney Mathieson; John McMaster; and "old time" Dianeticists and Scientologists unnamed.

Freeing the Positives Counseling in Scientology is presented as a process of personal discovery. "All I am trying to get you to do is look," Hubbard explained. A counselor was to assist the person being counseled to look at the external universe, and at the internal universe of his own mind. All in the direction of greater understanding and mastery.

There is a certain skill and discipline, and a kind of enlightened common sense, in what is best in the basics of this counseling, also called auditing.

Auditing literally means listening, and a large part of the benefit from auditing is derived from the simple act of one person listening to, and acknowledging, ?another. (That may sound unimpressive, but one person attentively listening to another is a novel idea in some places.) These simple things, and other basic auditor skills, are central to what has been referred to as "White Scientology."

For all practical purposes, "White Scientology" is but a part of Scientology's PR facade. As such it is infused with, and framed by, misleading and manipulative "truths," and intrusive and abusive practices. "White Scientology"

is, largely, what Scientology wants the general public to think of, when it thinks of Scientology.

In the 1960s many of the counseling procedures from the 1950s were assembled into the Scientology "lower grades." (Some were incorporated into several of the then ? "upper levels," and have since been replaced.) The "grades," where mainly questions are asked, and one is invited to look, are followed by the confidential "upper levels," where with great hype and "deadly" seriousness, one is told what are the contents of one's own mind and "space." If one happens to be an indoctrinated Scientologist, Hubbard's words will have near hypnotic authority. If one happens to disagree he will become "out?ethics," and might even "lose his eternity." (Since 1978 the word "eternity" has been used as a sales and recruitment "button.") Somehow, the act of intelligent, discerning, self determined mental and spiritual exploration transforms into an unquestioning acceptance of a stifling (and silly) authoritarian cult reality.

Those involved in the ? normally therapeutic ? unburdening of thoughts and emotions, and in the dissipating or "blowing" of "mental mass," etc., might be well advised to consider that ? if doing so in the context of the Scientlodogy environment ?the PropagandalPR tech datum of "Fill the Vacuum" may well apply to their own minds. Another aspect of Scientology counseling not publicized is the tradition of "culling." This is the copying, from written counseling session ("religious confessional") records, of private information for purposes of manipulation and intimidation. It constitutes a form of "Covert Data Collection" applied to the membership, all of whom are regarded as potential enemies.

L. Ron Hubbard manipulated and exploited "loyalty" and "gratitude." He told people he was the reincarnated Buddha, "Mankind's greatest friend," and ultimate Answer Man, who had made available to all beings the "gift" of the "Bridge" to personal immortality, and "Total Spiritual Freedom and Power."

Virtually any sacrifice, compromise, "reality adjustment," or dishonest or hurtful act, was justified by the idea that Scientology was the means to the attainment of these ultimate spiritual goals.

In Ron's Journal 30 he even provided his own version of hell, for those who might reject Scientology:

"Some religions talk about hell. It's an understatement of what really happens."

No amount of PR or hyperbole, repetition of the slogan, "The tech works," or denunciations of "SPs," "natterers," or "ingrates," can change the fact that Hubbard did not deliver on his grandiose promises in the realm of psychical ability. (Excessive ?"oozing" gratitude, childlike trust, and canine?like blind loyalty, if they ever seemed appropriate to anyone, certainly are not appropriate now.)

This is not to deny the existence of paranormal phenomena, which, as a subject, has been attracting both charlatans and serious researchers for some time; nor is this to discount the fascinating positive work (mixed in with the hype and trickery) that Hubbard did, but that positive work needs to be put into perspective, and into context.

Scientology doctrine, being secretive, is not easily compiled; this makes more difficult the task of examining the actual and complete subject, unedited and unsanitized, with all its layers and compartments exposed.

When Scientology is revealed as a devious, multilayered ("smoke and mirrors"

laden) operation, its various doctrinal contradictions, and seemingly disconnected parts, begin to make some sense. They begin to resemble a logically assembled, harmonious, and interrelate whole. It begins to look as though Hubbard knew, basically, what he was doing all along; and that the deceitful and destructive aspects of Scientology doctrine (and history) were not "mistakes," but carefully thought out expressions of along held private philosophy and personal plan.

Amazingly, the true positives of the subject can stand alone, and need not be sullied by any of this. Empirical truth and good ideas are funny that way.

In 1950 Dr. J. A. Winter wrote the Introduction to the first edition of Dianetics, The Modern Science ofMental Health. Less than two years later he wrote, Dianetics, A Doctor's Report. Psychotherapist Fritz Pearls, in its Introduction, observed:

"The present book is not for anyone who has a fixation, a complete identification with any of the present day schools. A person with a fixation...

will experience anything strange as `wrong'... Hubbard with his mixture of science and fiction, his bombastic way... his unsubstantiated claims, makes it easy for anyone to reject his work in toto, thereby missing any chances to extract any valuable contributions it might contain."

"Sorting out" the subject of Scientology is a worthwhile task. Doing so not only educates one as to the details of its dominant "dark side," but also makes possible the freeing, uncorrupted application, and further development of the good to be found within it.

Other Related Reading Ashby Guidebook to the Study of the Paranormal, 1987.

Weiser's Books, York Beach, Maine Atack, Jon, A Piece of Blue Sky, Carol Publishing, 1990. Painstakingly documented history of Scientology and its founder.

Corydon, Bent, L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman? Barricade Books, 1987, 1992, 1996. Later editions expanded and updated. Tours the "layers of the Scientological onion." Examines the use of "Fair Game"; the "Crowley connection"; and Dianetic and Scientology counseling theory and procedures, and their actual origins. Devotes an entire chapter to the Brainwashing Manual.

De Ropp, Robert S., The Master Game, 1968.

Firth, Violet, The Machinerv of the Mind, 1922.

Harary, Kieth, and Targ, Russell, The Mind Race, 1984. Reviews research on psychic functioning done at Stanford Research Institute and elsewhere. Examines the subject of cults.

Hassan, Steven, Combating Cult Mind Control, 1988. Park Street Press.

Hubbard, L. Ron. List of publicly accessible writings available from your local Church of Scientology. Hubbard may have peaked brilliance?wise in Phoenix, Arizona in 1954. Even his best writings are tinged with the unsettling fact that he regarded lying as a freedom, and that he would succeed by using that freedom whenever it suited him to do so.

Hunter, Edward, Brainwashing in Red China, 1951.

Kin, L., Scientology, More than a Cult, 1991. Well intentioned but naive presentation of the history and tech of Scientology. (Actually believes the various Hubbardian PR/Propaganda Lines.)

McClain, Florence, Past Life Regression, 1988.

Miller, Russell, Bare Faced Messiah, 1987. The only full biography of L. Ron Hubbard. Penguin Books, London Stack, Rick, Out of the Body Adventures, 1988. Contemporary Books, Chicago.

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