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From: Zinj <zinjifar@yahoo.com>
Subject: From Steve Hassan (fwd. for tommyboy)
Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 17:23:10 -0700
Message-ID: <MPG.175484cafddd0e39989a43@news2.lightlink.com>
Organization: BadCo
Dear xxxx,
I was never on the Board of Directors for LMT, but was asked to be on the Board of Advisors when it was first forming. I was taken off the Advisory Board a long while ago.
Whenever I was asked my opinion, (to my memory only by Stacy and never by Bob,) I always gave it. I am not privy to what is going on. I have been concerned and worried about Bob and Stacy for a long time- I suspected the pressure of harassment by Scientology was getting to them.
At one point Bob and Stacy talked with me about Monica Pignottiat the time Monica was co-moderating my free bulletin board at freedomofmind.com and Monica was expressing her grave concerns on ARS and elsewhere about Bob, Stacy and the LMT (still does). I communicated to her that I thought (and still do to some extent) that fighting on the internet with others who are trying to expose Scientology was not very productive- that private communication was the better option. Monica is a strong headed (and blooded) Italian (former Sea Org and at present a credentialed social worker) who said that she believed what she believed and was doing what she thought was right. Not willing to do more than try to be peace maker, I asked both Monica and Stacy if they would consider getting together with me to discuss matters. Both Monica and Stacy agreed at the time, but the meeting never happened because all of us were respectively busy and in different locations.
I wrote my second book in 1999 and published it in 2000, (Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves), and did a tribute to Lisa and my profound hope that her death would help expose the horrors of Scientology to the world. Here is what is in the book, "I dedicate this book to the spirit of Lisa McPherson (1959-1995) and to everyone who has yearned to be free."
I frankly have not been able to keep up with the latest affidavits and accusations. I am too busy helping people with loved ones in mind control situations. As always, I still read Rod Keller's ARS news of the week in review (although I have gotten an email from someone saying that they didn't think Rod was reliable anymore).
I can tell you that while I understand that pressures on Bob and Stacy were horrific for a long time, I am having a very hard time believing that they actually don't think Scientology is evil anymore. They simply know too much! Maybe they think they can do more to constructively influence current Scientologists to reevaluate their commitments by taking their present course? I do not know what is going on, unfortunately. I want to believe in the best, though. Call me idealistic....
After my own exit from the Moonies 26 years ago, sometimes people have asked me if I thought I could ever be "brainwashed" or mind-controlled back into the cult? My answer was /is that with all that I know about hypnosis and mind control, I would like to think not, but I also know that in vulnerable circumstances and under the "right"conditions- virtually anyone can be manipulated and controlled into just about anything (at least temporarily). I also tell them that I like to think that nothing could make that happen.
Do I believe that Bob and Stacy are being manipulated and controlled by Scientology? I would like to give them the benefit of my doubt, but frankly I am having a hard time believing that they aren't being manipulated and pressured into trying to stop the Lisa case. I think that probably months from now, when they aren't spending so many hours being deposed by Scientology, I think Bob and Stacy may reevaluate their present actions. I simply do not know.
I can say that I think critics of Scientology who are making posts attacking Bob and Stacy, calling them names, are probably just assisting Scientology all the more to manipulate them. I just wish these critics would get out of the 'black and white' / 'us versus them' mentality and realize that they are hurting, not helping the cause of exposing Scientology's 'fair game' and other policies which rely on deception, fear, guilt, and other "tools" to keep control people. (If you haven't seen Scientology's lies about me, check out http://www.religiousfreedomwatch.net/false_exp/hassan1.html). I know first hand about their 'fair game' and my 'dead agents pack' evidence, plain and simple. I have opposed forceful deprogramming publicly since 1980 and Scientology leaders know this fact. They also know that I am a human rights advocate and an active Jew.
I wish these critics (and everyone) would read not only my first book, Combatting Cult Mind Control (written in 1988) but my new book, Releasing the Bonds (written in 2000). They will better understand my philosophy and my approach to helping victims of mind control.
Love, truth, kindness, compassion will always win over mind control in the long run. Bob and Stacy were my great supporters, and I hope they still are. Bob agreed to buy 2000 copies of the book before it was printed (for half price) which enabled me to do the first run. He and Stacy told me they loved the book. I think they know that I am an honorable man who sincerely wants destructive cult groups (like the Moonies and Scientology) to reform their anti-human rights ways. If all Bob and Stacy are doing is telling the truth in their depositions (in an effort to get away from harassment from Scientology), I cannot fault them at all for simply telling the truth. But if they are not telling the truth, if they have lost site of their integrity due to the tremendous amount of influence on them by Scientology agents, I believe they will regret their actions. Why do I say this? It is because I believe in the Human Spiritthat the spirit longs to be free, it longs to live in truth, it longs for love (not love- bombing). In my heart I believe Bob and Stacy are good people and that they had good intentions when they devoted their lives and fortune to fighting the evil of Scientology.
I hope to try to find time to read the depositions and find out more about the case. I can only hope and pray that the Lisa McPherson civil suit will be heard and judged fairly.
I congratulate Lawrence Wollersheim and his multi-million dollar victory. I admire him tremendously.
As far as Bob and Stacy go, I pray for them and I pray for the victory of the forces of goodness. I am so glad that lisatrust.net continues to expose Scientology and I pray that all totalitarian groups reform their policies.
Feel free to post this email (but be forewarned that I don't have time to do more than the 2-3 hours daily of emails that I do already). I have been busy writing press releases to tell people about tomorrow (May 21st 2002) banquet celebrating 20 years of the Moonies newspaper, The Washington Times. Scientologists should thank me for trying to fight the Moonies. If they ever took over, Scientology would be abolished and only Moon's Unificationism would be permitted.
Steve Hassan
May 20th 2002
fwd by Zinj
