The only negative response to my first letter re Narconon published in my local newspaper was from a guy who felt that Narconon should be supported because it was against drugs like he was. A minor theme of religious liberty was also raised (which I didn't reply to since it was off topic).

I've left out his name.

Herewith my second letter.

Mr. //// has fallen into the trap Narconon always sets for the unwary. There is a drug problem in the United States and marijuana is part of it. No one's arguing about that. Narconon traps people by keeping the focus there. It tries to divert attention away from its ineffective methods and the fact that it's a front for the Scientology cult. Narconon knows that if the truth about it was found out, no one would ever join it.

Narconon teaches that counseling is useless for treating addiction. Narconon teaches that psychiatrists and psychology are evil and harmful. Narconon steers its clients towards the cult of Scientology when they are most vulnerable and open to suggestion.

Narconon is based on the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology. According to Mr. John Wood, a Narconon spokesman and Scientology staff member, Hubbard was an "expert in 29 different fields". In a 1997 radio interview in Great Britain, Wood was asked by the interviewer " Can you give the names of any two agencies in this country that we could telephone and get official accreditation for Narconon?" Wood answered "Well, I don't really know what you mean by `official accreditation'." Evasiveness like that is the sign of someone who's hiding something.

There are many good and effective treatment centers for drug addiction. Here in //// we have law enforcement and social welfare agencies, not to mention many good and caring ministers, who are all willing and able to refer an addict to help. We all should support what works. Forget Narconon, it won't help anyone but Scientology and its current cult leaders.

Goodboy

"The court record is replete with evidence that Scientology is nothing in reality but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money from its adepts by pseudo scientific theories... and to exercise a kind of blackmail against persons who do not wish to continue with their sect...The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder, L.Ron Hubbard."

Judge Paul Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court For more information about scientology, check out:

www.xenu.net
www.xenutv.com