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For about five years, Robert Minton has dedicated his life and a large amount of his money to fighting Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's anti-social technology. He had been appalled at the way former members of the Scientology organization had been treated after they had publicly revealed the truth about some of Hubbard's secret teachings.

In Spring 2002 Robert Minton took the stand in court and testified for Scientology. He seemed to have knowledge of dishonest behavior on the part of a lawyer whom he had financed to sue that organization. Minton's new stance on the side of his former enemy took observers by surprise. Their reaction built up to the point to where the reaction itself was more sensational than Minton's conduct. Several articles on these reactions were printed in the local newspaper, and one article was even published in a Berlin newspaper about how Minton had allegedly changed sides.

The reactions, however, belie the facts. Robert Minton was under the impression he had seen dishonest conduct on the part of an attorney who was suing Scientology. Robert Minton did testify on behalf of Scientology against that attorney. However, this was only one act, which makes it an exception, not the rule. If, moreover, Minton did indeed have knowledge of unethical behavior, he was morally bound to step forward with his testimony.

An additional fact is that Minton carried through with a lawsuit against Scientologists in Germany after he testified for Scientologists in the United States. During the final appeal of the German hearing, the Scientology attorney even mentioned that the re was no need to complete the hearing, as Minton had already testified for Scientology in Florida. This was supposed to indicate that Minton was now on Scientology's side. In reply, Minton's German attorney said he would have subsequent contact with his client. Even after the said appropriate time had passed, the case was carried through. Minton consumated his legal victory against Scientology Germany after he had testified for Scientology in Florida and after the German Scientology attorney had stated that Minton was now on Scientology's side.

Another fact indicates that Robert Minton and Scientology are not on the same side, in that Scientology was still carrying out scathing written attacks against Minton, even after his pro-Scientology testimony. Therefore it is clear that even though Scientology would have liked for Minton to be on their side for the purpose of evading the final outcome of his lawsuit against the organization in Germany, the true spirit of the Hubbard adherents lay in attacking him. Along the same lines, even though Robert Minton testified on Scientology's behalf in Florida, his sentiments were nevertheless demonstrated by his carrying out his case against Scientology in Germany to its final and logical conclusion.

This is not to say that Robert Minton was completely uninfluenced in his decision to testify in support of Scientology. From his own statements, his testimony was a pre-condition to a mutual cessation of legal hostilities between himself and Scientology organizations. As a man of wealth, Minton stood to lose millions of dollars, not to mention months or years of his personal time. In addition, Scientologists have been following, gathering data, and occasionally carrying out operations against Minton's children, his friends and business associates for approximately five years. In the event lawsuits do not come to an end, this stands to be the case for as long as Minton is alive. Therefore there is a connection between the pressure Scientology has brought to bear on Minton and his testimony for the organization. There was also a question brought up by the attorney he accused of wrongdoing of whether that pressure was excessive enough to have caused him to fabricate or exaggerate his testimony.

The argument against Robert Minton has been weakened in an apparent attempt to use any and all of Minton's actions as evidence of his changing sides. One of these was Minton's meetings with Scientologist Mike Rinder to reach a legal settlement. It has been known for years that Minton and Rinder have already met in attempts to work out their differences. Also that idea that these recent meetings were held in secret were supposed to make a sinister impression, but it is completely usual for delicate legal negotiations to be held in private. The idea of settling lawsuits is by no means a foreign idea to Robert Minton, either. Again, years ago, he worked out a settlement to the satisfaction of all between FactNet, a group that warns of cult techniques, and Scientology. Finally, before Minton even testified on Scientology's behalf, an anonymous post was made to an Internet news group stating that Minton would betray everyone in the news group. This was an apparent attempt to prejudice public opinion in advance of any hearing or testimony.

In some cases, such as the last mentioned, the reaction against Robert Minton seems to have involved tactics not unlike those advocated by L. Ron Hubbard. This has been especially apparent in attempts to quash the notion that perhaps Minton is not a defector, as the writer of the anonymous poster alleged.

In any case, it must be said that Robert Minton makes a valid point in his statements. When the anti-Scientologists go so far as to use the same tactics advocated by L. Ron Hubbard, it is time to regroup and possibly revamp lines of criticism. It might be time to consider that the word "Scientology" is only a banner, sometimes used as a decoy, to draw out and counter attacks against the methods advocated by L. Ron Hubbard. When the attacks against the methods advocated by L. Ron Hubbard are carried out according to the methods advocated by L. Ron Hubbard, the only possible result is meaningless frustration. Acts of war, by definition, are not constructive. The opposite of war is not peace in the sense of silence, but peace in the sense of considered action.

Joe Cisar, Xenu apologist

Media, read what made me Scientology Public Enemy nbr. 45, or was it 46?

http://www.xenu.net/archive/thesis/cisar-home.html