Church of Scientology 'coercive'
December 12, 2002
A woman who is suing the Church of Scientology for damages told the High
Court yesterday she was distressed to recall that a man became unconscious
while she was giving him an "auditing" session. She described the church
as "coercive" and "destructive".
Ms Mary Johnston (40), who operates a sports equipment business in
Foxrock, Dublin, said she was giving the auditing session in question in
Britain in 1994. "I am distressed when I think back to how that poor man
went unconscious on me and I was able to click him back. It has bothered
me that I may have caused him harm."
She has sued the church and three of its members, Mr John Keane, Mr Tom
Cunningham and Mr Gerard Ryan, for damages alleging personal injury,
breach of constitutional rights. Mr Michael Collins SC, for the
defendants, was continuing his cross-examination of Ms Johnston on the
seventh day of her action.
Ms Johnston said she felt she had carried out things on a human being
without having had the medical background to do so. She had done this
through following the commands given by Ron L. Hubbard, the founder of the
church.
Asked about carrying placards outside a Church of Scientology meeting, Ms
Johnston said she believed the church was coercive and destructive and
altered people's perception of reality.
"I defend people's rights to believe what they like, but if people carry
out acts which harm people by taking them away from their families, then I
have a problem with that and have a duty to speak."
Ms Johnston agreed she had told people he church was evil.
She had changed her mind about the Church of Scientology after a meeting
with her family in Edenderry, Co Offaly. She said the church diminished
God as the supreme being.
The case continues today before Mr Justice Peart.
Irish Times
[Note: The
Scientology®
organization has at best estimate approximately
45,000 to 50,000 followers world wide -- contrary to the 8 million figure
that the organization has been claiming for the past few years or so.
While that number continues to drop (thanks in part to the Internet) few
of the remaining followers are even aware of the unending series of police
raids, indictments, and prison terms their leaders and fellow cultists are
subjected to routinely. Few are allowed to know about their organization's
criminal history, or its current racketeering activities. Even fewer of
the cult's remaining followers are privy to their messiah's written
policies which dictates the criminal behavior that keeps getting their
organization raided (see Xenu.NET for
suitable references of Scientology policy) Scientology management
is the problem, not the thousands of honest believers who are good,
honest citizens; themselves victims of Scientology - flr]
The name "Narconon"® is trademarked to the Scientology organization through one of their many front groups. The name "Scientology"® is also trademarked to the "Church" of Scientology. Neither this web page, nor this web site, nor any of the individuals mentioned herein assisting to educate the public about the dangers of the Narconon scam are members of or representitives of the Scientology organization.
E-Mail Fredric L. Rice / The Skeptic Tank