Don't forget church's past excesses

I would like to respond to a letter regarding the Church of Scientology in which the writer addresses the federal crimes that senior members of Scientology were convicted of more than two decades ago.

Although I agree that past errors should not be a basis on which to judge an organization for eternity, in this instance it is wise to remember.

When the FBI raided Scientology offices at that time, some of the documents that they recovered included plans to set up then-Clearwater mayor Gabe Cazares for a staged hit-and-run accident; to infiltrate local newspaper offices; and to set up a former Scientologist who had written a book on her experiences. In fact, Scientology so successfully accused her of crimes which she had never committed, that she was arrested until the truth came out in those seized documents.

Does the letter writer believe that, even though much time has passed, this woman has forgotten what she was put through? Has the letter writer ever spoken with Cazares about how he feels about what Scientology tried to do to him?

Additionally, the tired line that it was just a few bad apples back then spoiling the whole bunch and that those bad apples have since been purged is Scientology PR spit out of the mouth of one lacking the facts.

This very paper ran a story in March of this year that included information on Richard Weigand, who is still a very active member of the church and who was convicted of one of those "past mistakes." The mistake was conspiring to conceal theft of government documents.

Mary Sue Hubbard, wife of Scientology's founder, was also convicted. Has she been purged from the church?

I was a member of Scientology for 20 years. I have lived in the Clearwater area since 1995 and have no intentions of leaving. I love this area. I want to say: Do not forget what happened in the past. Do not forget that all of Scientology's activities are, per their own policies, geared only toward forwarding their own aims and purposes. Always look beyond the PR.

The people of Clearwater can see with their own eyes what Scientology has contributed to them; we are not led by the nose by the St. Petersburg Times. However, it is by remembering the past and keeping a keen eye on the present that we will be able to embrace the future from a fully educated viewpoint. The Times has a duty to aid in this education, regardless of whether or not it pleases members of Scientology or their friends.