In article <5dkot5$4tu@news1.voicenet.com>, rkeller@voicenet.com wrote:

>Wayne Whitney reported that he may have been the target of a Scientology
>sting operation. Wayne regularly pickets Scientology's San Francisco org.

I NEED to clarify my view on this situation. I did say that MAYBE the Oo$ had something to do with this. In life ANYTHING is possible, that's ALL I was trying to say.

In THIS case I don't think the Oo$ was involved in any way. I have absolutely NO evidence that they were involved.

When I stand back and review the events I come to the following conclusions. The guy I got involved with grew up just a few block from where I now live and his father worked at the lab where I now work. Going with this and on the fact that I REALLY wanted to spread the word about the dangers of Scientology he fabricated an elaborate scheme to BOTH help me get my warning out AND get money out of me. It wasn't until I had a chance to observe his actions for a while that his second motive became evident. The reason I mentioned this story on ARS is that it was one of my picketing experiences, it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been out there on the picket line. Besides, the techniques he used to further his second agenda were very similar to a Scientology registars. Just because I got taken by Scientology and I've seen the tricks that they use doesn't mean that I'm now invulnerable from this kind of thing from happening again.

I've gotten scammed so few times in my life. Sometimes it takes a few times before you learn exactly how you CAN be taken. Hopefully someone can learn from my mistakes so they don't inadvertently fall for the same thing.

Just because I'm not pointing my finger at the Oo$ for this unfortunate incident doesn't mean that my opinion of the organization has changed. I still think that it is a slimy, money grubbing cult that destroys peoples lives, drives some psychotic and even causes some of their members to die. I still feel very strongly that the Oo$ NEEDS to be exposed for the damage they're causing. This hasn't changed!

The reason I'm clarifying my position here is that I don't like to spread rumors or idle speculation. I like to stay strictly with the facts as much as possible.