http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/nytimes/lyle-stewart.htm (linked version)

Lyle Stuart's Open letter
in the New York Times
Jan 3 1988
Page 2 Book Review section

An open letter to the readers of
The New York Times
From publisher Lyle Stuart

Danger: Cult at Work!
The truth about Scientology

Dear Reader:

"Our job as Scientologists is to suck every dime we can from a person," says a former recruiter. "We convince them that they are saving not just this world but the entire universe!"

Money is sucked from the victim, To reach the goal of $80,000 a customer, Scientology extracts it in chunks of $20,000 and $30,000 a year. In return, you're told you'll live forever! They even have you sign a billion year Agreement!

Nonsense? Of course it is!

But prospects are never asked to swallow the whole crazy story in a single gulp. They are spoon- fed small time-release capsules... and when they swallow it all, they become robot-like.

Who Are The Victims?

Scientologists seek young people in the 19 to 25 age range.

"Sometimes," says the former director of a Scientology Mission, "we used pretty young girls to attract young men. People are surprised to learn that our goal was to get at least $80,000 for each piece of raw meat we recruit.

"You don't believe we can get that from a youngster? We know they can get it from their parents, the estate of their grandmother, etc."

Dangerous Cult

No wonder Reader's Digest calls Scientology "one of the most dangerous religious cults in America!"

Young people are not the only gullibles. So are some dentists, veterinarians, and other ambitious professionals. (See below)

Here is what one mother wrote to us: "Scientology is a plague... my son was hired by a friend to a communications course. Within months he was fully indoctrinated. He left his wife and family of 13 years.

"When i tried to dissuade him, I was put on the Scientology 'enemies list.' I received threatening phone calls. My husband was picketed at his place of business. Thank you for having the courage to publish your book."

SCIENTOLOGY DESTROYS FRIENDSHIPS, MARRIAGES and PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS

The Church of Scientology claims to be a bona-fide tax-exempt church.

Not A Religion

Scientology is neither a science nor a religion. Its only gods are money and L Ron Hubbard- in that order. It charges exhorbitant prices for "religious services". Many of these are not for the good of the parishioner but to gain black-mailable information or otherwise control the parishioners' lives.

Scientologists promise to make people into super beings. The Church of Scientology calls them "Operating Thetans" (Ots) who are capable of operating outside their bodies with 360 degree vision, capable of moving objects, knowing what others think, not getting old and sick. You pay your money, and you are promised that if you pay enough and study enough you'll have the attributes of a God.

Criminals

At the top level, Scientologists are trained to lie and deceive. They will use any ruse in their belief that they will dominate the world. They sue when anyone criticizes them. They have gone to court hundreds of times to suppress the truth about their operation (They are against freedom but they call their magazine Freedom.)

Caught in the Act

The Church mounted an all-out attack on the United States Government. Two members were arrested while stealing documents from the FBI. Others broke into the deputy Attorney general's office and stole secret papers.

In 1977, more than one hundred FBI agents, armed with warrants and sledgehammers, stormed Scientology centers in Los Angeles and Washington DC. Documents were found proving Scientologists had burglarized more than 100 government agencies including the IRS, FBI and CIA.

Hubbard Indicted

Mary Sue Hubbard was Hubbard's third wife. Ron Hubbard himself was indicted. (He had already been convicted of fraud in France, but escaped from the country) Hubbard's mysterious death neatly avoided additional arrests. It also created a smokescreen to cover the whereabouts and distribution of the more that two hundred million dollars he took from the Church, all the while telling the gullible "Your money doesn't go to me."

And while he was saying this, he was receiving a check each week for one million dollars!

Legal Budget

No wonder the Church could afford to double its legal budget from one million to two million dollars a month!

Can't Stand Truth

The Church of Scientology can't stand the truth. Truth will destroy it. That's why they're so upset about our book L RON HUBBARD, MESSIAH OR MADMAN? It was written by Bent Corydon with information furnished by L Ron Hubbard Jr.

They've gone to court four times on this quest. All to no avail. The book is available to anyone who wants to buy one at a book shop.

Threaten The Press

They sued author Bent Corydon three times in a single week to silence him! They've threatened publishers, newspapers, and radio and television stations.

Scientology lawyer Timothy Bowles warned the St. Petersburg Times not to mention our book or "you will find yourself in court facing not only libel and slander charges, but also for conspiracy to violate civil rights. If you publish anything at all about it, you may still find yourself defending charges in court.

You Can Help

You can help fight this cult and the other cult exploiters of the innocent, the naive and the idealistic.

For one thing, visit your local bookshop and purchase one or more copies of L RON HUBBARD. MESSIAH OR MADMAN?, I am putting all the profits from this book into educational ads such as this one.

Give a copy to your teenagers and give one to the professionals you know, dentists, veterinarian, optometrist, osteopath, chiropractor or orthodontist. The Scientologists have a new front organization called Sterling Management Corp. To rake in additional millions from professionals like these.

The fanatics in Scientology engage in burglary, espionage, kidnaping and smear campaigns to further their goals.

According to Reader's Digest, Scientology's top echelon people are trained to make anonymous death threats to newsmen, to smear clergymen, and to rob psychiatrists offices.

"Make Money"

"When I ran the largest Scientology Franchise in America" says author Bent Corydon, "Ron Hubbard would issue orders to us to MAKE MONEY, MAKE MORE MONEY, MAKE OTHER PEOPLES PRODUCE SO AS TO MAKE MONEY."

"When recruits and income dropped Hubbard punished staff by putting them on a diet of rice and beans."

"When you become a Scientology robot, you give them all your money. They give you food and shelter and expect you to work 16 hours a day for as little as $10 or $20 a week."

The following are the policies of the Church of Scientology as laid down in Hubbard's own words:

"A. Don't ever defend, Always attack

"B. The purpose of our lawsuit is to harass and discourage rather than to win. The law can be used very easily to harass and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, will generally be sufficient to cause him professional decease. If possible of course, ruin him utterly."

Fair Game!

"Fair game" is a vicious doctrine based on a written directive from L Ron Hubbard. "Fair game" is any person who is declared an enemy of Dianetics and Scientology. That person is "a suppressive and is to be destroyed physically, mentally, spiritually and financially by any means but not limited to lying, cheating, stealing, extortion, blackmail, harassment, assault and battery, libel, slander and malicious prosecution."

Fraudulent Conduct

One jury found the Church's conduct so fraudulent and outrageous that they awarded $2,067,000.20 in damages to 18 year old Julie Christofferson. ( This amount was later reduced on appeal )

Another jury awarded $30,000,000 to a man who had been exploited by this so-called Church.

Nothing in our legal tradition requires us to shut our eyes to a racket simply because it masquerades as religion and claims immunity under our First Amendment.

Corruption and Sinister

Courts here and abroad have labeled Dianetics and Scientology as "schizophrenic and paranoid" and "corrupt, sinister and dangerous". Hubbard was described as "a pathological liar and "a charlatan and worse."

All this is but a taste of what you'' find in the book, L RON HUBBARD MESSIAH OR MADMAN? May I urge you to buy a copy today? This book is an antidote, not only to Scientology but to all cultism.

L Ron Hubbard, MESSIAH OR MADMAN? By Bent Corydon and L Ron Hubbard Jr is available everywhere. Visit your bookseller and get a copy today! Sincerely, Lyle Stuart Lyle Stewart --------

Webmaster's note: The original article included instructions on ordering this directly from Lyle Stewarts Secaucus Office, however as this was 15 years ago, I have provided a link to order this from AMAZON below:

Bent Corydon's L Ron Hubbard: MESSIAH or MADMAN http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/nytimes/lyle-stewart.htm

I'd prefer to die speaking my mind than live fearing to speak. The only thing that always works in scientology are its lawyers The internet is the liberty tree of the new millennium Secrets are the mortar binding lies as bricks together into prisons for the mind Support http://www.lermanet.com - mentioned 4 January 2000 in The Washington Post's - 'Reliable Source' column re "Scientologist with no HEAD"

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