[This is a repost of the story of Pertti Muhli - subject of the attempted gag order I just posted. That and this will be on the next update of the Australian page. - d.]

21 Jun 1999 23:13:36 +1000
Pentti Muhli
$cientology the money and people grabber.

I was involved with the cult of $cientology for a while. I spent my last few months on staff and I blew. I started of doing courses which are helpful, but I disapprove of their high pressure sales tactics, the way they seperate people from the mainstream and slave labour. They also love personal info about people and to keep tabs on them. Children are also being placed at risk by leaving school right at the legal leaving age to join the sea org trap. Before the children reach the leaving age, they attend $cientology schools. I question if the schools have been approved by the authorities. I know of one Co$ school operating on a farm somwhere not far outside the borders of the A.C.T. because in the A.C.T. they aren't approved. I was told by one of them that in NSW it is a bit easier to get away with. I wonder what qualifications Co$ teachers hold as they seem to be hostile towards mainstream teaching methods. The bad reputation of Co$ is self inflicted and who does the cult think it is to harass people into silence so that they can continue with unethical activities. Hopefully a time will come when the law forces Co$ to do some ethics handling including giving refunds, paying damages and back wages for its poorly paid workers. What about misleading conduct? Body routing on the streets includes giving away flyers with the words, ''achieve your own goals'', but really it is only for the purpose of achieving the goals of Co$ and eventually people forsake their goals entirely for Co$.

From: Louise Cook
I publicly depart Scientology
11 Jul 1999

From: P Muhli <muhli@dynamite.com.au>
Date: Sat, 10 Jul 1999 23:45:46 +1000

My name is Pertti Muhli. I am now committing the suppressive act of publicly announcing that over a few months ago, I blew from the Canberra Org after being on staff for a short time. Prior to that, I was public.

I am now going to prepare a knowledge report on Ana Dethridge in the public interest so that they are aware of what unethical tactics they may face.

In early 1998, Ana Dethridge from the Canberra Org offered me a Purification Rundown package along with TRs & Objectives. I told her at the time, I couldn't afford it and I had to many other debts including a car loan. She still kept persisting and told me that the purif is more important and my car is just a heap. She wanted me to get $2000 in any possible way and she tried to persuade me to get a bank loan or use my credit card. My credit card was quite full. I was working at the time and she was offered to get some assistance to withdraw my superannuation or a part thereof. She used alot of smooth very high pressure sales talk. She made claims that the purif will improve my scores at university and gave all these other analogies on how the purif will increase my abilities. She said in her smooth deceitful manner ''you can make it go right'' sort of stuff. I bought a booklet of her because of the pressure she exerted. She asked me my mothers name and address which happens to be the same as mine. She then gave the receipt to me in my mothers name. Maybe the purpose of taking and using my mothers name was another way of adding to their alleged membership numbers.

During December 1998, about an hour or so, before I was about to commence the purif on the first day, Ana Dethridge and her husband Dean came to me with a proposition to buy four auditing intensives. I told them I am not rich and have to many other bills. I also told them that my brother didn't have a stable job and my mother is on a pension. They didn't seem to care and used trumped up emergencies etc and they opposed me wanting time to think about it. Dean offered to send Ana down to the bank with me to withdraw money. They rambled on about it for days despite the fact I told them I could not afford it.

Dean made that my back problems were as a result of engrams caused by a car accident I had a few years ago. He made medical claims, auditing would get rid of the engrams caused by the car accident and other engrams causing my back problems. Ana also made claims of how my abilities would increase. What a good way for them to get me, while I was on the purif and trapped so that I couldn't escape from the high pressure sales tactics without abandoning the purif. Dean even stated to me, it was near christmas and the money would provide a good christmas for the staff. I know the ulterior motive to sell me auditing was just for money. One night after the purif, Dean kept hassling me for money, just to shut him up, I told him, ''I'll do what I can.'' The next morning, he rang me at home, asking me if I had gone to the bank yet to withdraw money. I replied no and that I wont, he then accused me of being out ethics. At that time the cost of auditing was $5840.

Another incident was on Wednesday July 7 1999. Ana rang my phone number, my mother answered the phone. She lied to my mother by telling her she was staff from university. As I walked in the door she was still on the phone to my mother. My mother gave me the phone telling me it's someone from university. I then spoke to Ana and she invited me in because she wanted assistance because there had been suppression on the lines. I told her I was too busy and I am not coming in. I don't quite trust these people.

The information herein is correct and for the public interest. Anyone interested in joining this group should be made aware of what they may face. The information cannot be regarded as defamatory because the reputation of these people and the Co$ in Canberra is so bad that it cannot be damaged. Besides, I doubt any judge who has sufficient knowledge on Co$ would accept their credibility.

Recently, one ACTION bus driver who I bumped into at the shops,asked me if I was involved in that mob in town. I said yes. He said he saw me going up there from his bus. He called them thieves and that he knew they'd have me sucked in when he saw me go up there. Just shows what their reputation is.

Footnote from Louise:

This is an excellent post and I congratulate Pertti for having the courage to speak out about the way he has been treated by the staff at the Canberra org.

Ana Detheridge has really stepped over the line by using the telephone to impersonate someone from the university to get information. It would be quite within Pertti's rights to bring this to the attention of the law as it is a serious offence.

I believe the best way the Canberra org can *handle* this situation is to give Pertti the refund he has requested. The Canberra org is very reluctant to refund payments and it is creating more antagonism than necessary by refusing to do so.

I am following this situation with great interest and I hope to see a positive turn of events soon.

Louise

Louise Cook
Ex-member speaks out about the Canberra org Australia
14 Jul 1999

My name is Pertti Muhli. I got railroaded by the Canberra Org in Australia for the amount of $5267. I am writing a knowledge report on Andrew McGowan of the Canberra Org.

Andrew McGowan used pressure to sell me an auditing package. Initially I paid a deposit of $1700. I told Andrew I didn't want to take the rest of my money out of the bank and I was taking a redundancy package from work. Andrew arranged a third person to pay the $3500 on my behalf. However, his cheque bounced. I then blew from staff. A few weeks later Steve Planinac the Qual Sec got into contact with me. He wanted me to come up into the org. I did on 18 April 1999. The first thing Andrew told me when I came in was that I owe this other fellow $3500. I said, I thought the cheque bounced. Andrew instead lead me to believe it had now gone through. I asked ''Is there a receipt?.'' He told me he didn't know. I found soon afterwards, the cheque hadn't gone through. That is the last time I ever stepped foot into that org and was very regretful.

The very next morning on Monday 19 April 1999, I sent Andrew a letter stating I longer wanted to go ahead with auditing. However, two days later, on Wednesday 21 April 1999, in the afternoon I got a phone call from this other guy Andrew had involved. He said he had given a cheque to the Canberra Org and now I had to repay him. He asked me to do it straight away and into the bank account of his company name.The fellow also told me he is in court that afternoon. I told him over the phone, I was very busy that afternoon and I could do it the next day. He was a bit reluctant but accepted as long as it was there the next day. Andrew had plenty of time between those two days to inform the third person the contract is cancelled. Andrew also knew, I was going to be out of work and attending university along with plenty of other bills to pay.

Despite this he got hold of my money.

I spoke to a solicitor over the phone a couple of months ago who said it is possibly a police matter. I want my refund on my terms and not theirs.

If Andrew hadn't had done what he did, I would not have any reason to post this or antagonise the Church. The facts here are true and are of public interest so that people are warned of what they may suffer the same tactics if they decided join this cult. Besides, I doubt a knowledgable judge in a court of law would accept the credibility of this cult. To claim successfully for defamation one must prove that their reputation has been damaged. The reputation of Co$ is not good enough to even be damaged.

I mentioned Scientology to a staff member recently of a Federal politician. As soon as I mentioned it, she warned me of how bad they are and its well known of the methods they use. She said the Police are onto them. My family and friends even warned me when I was involved, I will get ripped off. Shows their reputation. When are they ever going to learn that their bad reputation is only self inflicted?

Things that happened to me aren't isolated incidents. Similar stories are posted all over the internet. I was shown the Scientology critical pages on the internet by another person. I didn't know they existed before this. Reading the critical material about them contributed to my departure.

Scientology, just remember, before you commit another crime, the internet will soon know. The internet may one day keep you honest, Scientology.