18 Aug 2000

Michael Reuss <michaelreuss@home.com>

I just love the New Times L.A. They have some balls. They're one of the few publications that knows a Sci't lie when they see one.

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Dianetics Boy: The Finger interviews the Terl action figure, because John Travolta won't talk to him.

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/2000-05-25/finger.html

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The Best of L.A.: the New Times L.A. picks the best monument to a cult leader. Scientology gets a mention, but does not win.

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/2000-05-17/besturban11.html

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Double Crossed: From staff writer Tony Ortega, this link will take you to the story of Scientology attorney Kendrick Moxon's coercion and purchase of Robert Cipriani's perjurious testimony against Graham Berry.

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-12-16/feature.html/page1.html

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Scientology's Revenge: the story of Scientology's takeover of the former Cult Awareness Network;

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-09-09/feature.html/page1.html

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Holy Hubbardite: The Finger takes issue with Scientologist Andy Begley's protestations of New Times L.A.'s story on the Scientology takeover of CAN

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-10-14/finger.html

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Death of a Nethead: Mark Ebner's excellent article about the life and death of Phil Gale, former Scientologist and Earthlink wunderkind.

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-04-29/feature3.html/page1.html

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The Finger has a wry observation about Scientology:

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-05-06/columns.html

Excerpt:

"The only religion more dangerous to piss off than Islam would be Scientology. There's no hiding out from L. Ron Hubbard's foot soldiers. They know where you live, though they'd only hassle the hell out of you (making you wish you were dead) by picketing in front of your house and papering your neighborhood with insults."

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Lisa Derrick's City of Night column mentions David Miscavige's latest contribution to Scientology "technology"; Blue Tarp Hiding Tech.

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-03-18/music3.html

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From the letters section in the week of 7/27/2000:

Elron vs. the critics, cont.

Lawful harassment: I would like to rebut Stanley Gainsworth's and Roger Harrison's vitriol-laden replies to the letter to the editor by L. John Galt ("Free speech vs. hate speech," Letters, July 6-12).

First, in defense of L. John Galt not using his real name, Scientology is relentless in its persecution of its critics, and the threat is real. Thus I am entirely sympathetic to his desire to conceal his name. I quote L. Ron Hubbard:

"The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway...will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly." From The Scientologist, March 1955.

And harass they do. Go to www.factnet.org/site_map.html and enter "lawsuits" into the search field and see how many Web pages turn up. This is the most litigious religion on earth!

What kind of religion charges upwards of $300,000 for the privilege of undergoing "pastoral counseling" and reading its "scriptures"? Scientology does.

History has proven that intelligent people can be duped by the charm of a madman.

Hubbard states that the best political system would be a "benign" dictatorship. I recall back in the '70s a widely circulated, step-by-step plan to achieve this utopian vision. A yearning to establish a Scientology-controlled world order is still firmly entrenched in the minds of its leaders.

To achieve this world order, Scientology imposes on its staff a siege mentality; they are at war, and things like sending people to the RPF (slave labor) camps for years, 16-hour work days with little pay, are justified in their twisted world of self-righteousness.

Everyone should read the book A Piece of Blue Sky at www.cs.cmu.edu / ~dst / Library / Shelf / atack/. The entire book is online and documented.

It is time that the world is alerted to this most insidious of "religions" and the fascism they espouse.

Phineas Fogg
San Diego

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The right to pseudonymity: Ah, yes, Scientologists. Aren't they that bunch of arrested-growth cases who swarm to the retail outlets of that science fiction hack? You'll notice, in their frothing letters about the mysterious L. John Galt (hilarious take!) that they never address the points that he, or anyone, brings up? That's because, in the innumerable articles and books published about the scurrilous corporation, there is nothing that can't be readily proven (and has been, as seen in all the hundreds of court cases they've lost) and they certainly don't want to reopen those cans of worms!

Hence, the howling indignity, the theatrical anguish, the wounded screeching about "religion," and the childish references to Nazis. All they need do next is drag in the kids ("we're doing it for the children!") and they'll be Christians.

Maureen Finnegan
Redondo Beach

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The mystery man strikes back: The disingenuousness of the Scientology propaganda machine never ceases to be jaw-dropping. ("Deconstructing the digit," Letters, June 29-July 5.)

Reading Scientology spokeswoman Pam Shannon's rodent droppings, one cannot help but be struck by the huge avoidances evident in her missive. One, all major religions (i.e., those created for purposes other than tax dodging...ahem) have a prophet of some sort; Scientology has a science fiction writer. Two, Hubbard was, and is, far from a master of the genre, just a talented hack who entertained aficionados in an infant, and too often infantile, field.

Three, Hubbard's Dianetics was written as a (successful) attempt to blend sci-fi with religion for "more cents per word," to paraphrase a well-known quote from him to fellow SF writers. Four, Scientology was created when Hubbard saw how gullible the American public could be and that Dianetics was not going to feed his greed adequately.

Five, Scientology was granted religious status by the IRS (of all people!) only because they were tired of the 25-year legal battle they've had with the organization. Nor were they willing to keep putting out funds to underwrite their side of the war (a fact well known even to Scientologists). Six, there may well be 30 reports on Germany's excesses regarding religions, but there are hundreds of world reports, and a shelf-ful of books, on Scientology's horror stories.

Seven, that the IRS regards Scientology as a "religion" does not obligate Germany to do so. Eight, Germany and France's "religious legs," contrary to Shannon's snipe, precede Scientology by thousands of years, although I would agree that the history is as worthy of attack as Scientology, and for the same reasons: hideous abuses, insensate greed, grotesque oppressions, etc.

Nine, Scientology may well be here long after the New Times bites the dust, but so what? So will bubonic plague, dysentery, Ebola, and a host of things equally as abhorrent as Scientology. Ten, no organization on earth has been as litigious as Scientology, certainly no religion, not by a long, long shot, and it is only by that misvirtue that they maintain their existence. Merely look at the overwhelming roster of celebrities, who daren't breathe a word about the organization, and everyday people who have not only dropped out of the "religion" but condemned it, albeit only in confidence, since who needs a gaggle of venomous religio-lawyers hounding them into the grave?

I am sure The Finger wears Shannon's snitty petulance like a badge of courage, as well it should. To be an enemy of Scientology is to be a friend to mankind.

Johannes Gaulthe
Manhattan Beach

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From the letters section in the week of 7/6/2000

Free speech vs. hate speech

You swine! As a usual reader of your paper, I have come to expect a modicum of tolerance of different views, religions, and orientations ("Destroy Them, Terl!" Letters, June 15-21). This is why I was shocked by the naked hate speech exhibited in a letter from L. John Galt. This individual is a hater of Scientology. That, of course, is his right, just as it is his right to be a Nazi or a Klansman. As a Scientologist for almost 30 years, I am offended that this hate is tolerated by your publication, which proclaims to be "progressive." There is nothing progressive, hip, or chic about hate. It's simply hate no matter the guise.

Roger Harrison
Sunland

You Nazi swine! Why would you publish hate mail of the sort signed by L. John Galt skewering my church, Scientology, and its leader, L. Ron Hubbard. Even his signed name is a jab you must have seen. John Galt is the enigmatic hero of a novel by Ayn Rand. "L. John Galt" is an obvious bad joke. But that's not the worst of it.

The letter is filled with vicious lies, couched in hateful prose. What would happen if someone wrote a letter claiming such tripe about a leader of your religion? The fact that New Times published such a letter should probably make the news in other newspapers. I support freedom of the press, but I don't think New Times has to make itself a forum for such Nazi-style hate literature. You may certainly publish my name, and unlike the name used by the author of the other letter, mine is quite real. Stanley Gainsforth Montrose

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From the letters section in the week of 6/15/2000

Destroy Them, Terl!

Good shot: Just wanted to give The Finger kudos on its Battlefield Earth/Scientology bludgeoning ("Dianetics Boy," May 25-31). The digit's column is often my favorite New Times distraction.

Mike Barker
via the Internet

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Elron's literary "talents": Plaudits to the Phickle Phalange for his/its unrelenting willingness to knock that idiot religion, Profitology (formerly Nickel 'N' Dimenetics). However, the digit may wish to check a few more discrepancies with that pack of weasels' "facts."L. Ron Hubbard was stone out of his gourd many years before he died and had ceased writing church literature years before that. He had stopped writing that gawd-awful sci-fi years before THAT. The fat bastard was a schizophrenic diabetic who gorged down candy bars and Cokes like a tree slurps water; his coherence and writing days were a dim memory when that hack Battlefield Earth came out. I'm amazed that no one has ever commented upon the broad stylistic chasm between his writings, both sectarian and secular, and that 10-part naked bucks-grab fomented by the "church" through its Bridge Publications arm.

Sure, the "church" is a murderously aggressive harasser, but even a critic totally innocent of the religion's venomous nature would have to see the disparity.

L. John Galt
Manhattan Beach

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Sucking Up

Stop it, Andy! Before poor Ross Perot goes bonkers again, that giant sucking sound he hears is only Andy Klein once again kissing the ass of an Asian auteur ("M:I-2 Gets the Job Done," Film, May 25-31). Not once, but twice, in the same New Times issue the best little cheerleader for Asia U sis-boom-bahs that the infamous John Woo is "the world best action filmmaker" and "the world's greatest action director" -- which must come as a surprise to so many other moviemakers whose works outprofit Woo's flicks at worldwide box offices and outrate Woo's pics with movie critics who are not trolling for future publicity assignments (the way some of Klein's comrades-in-hype successfully have).

Maybe in Klein's own parallel world Face/Off outshines Michael Bay's Bad Boys, his Hard Target outdazzles Luc Besson's The Professional, and his Broken Arrow outguns Jonathan Mostow's U-571. Maybe in that alternate reality Woo's teleflicks Blackjack and Once a Thief are more respectable than Ridley Scott's Gladiator and even The Matrix -- the latter of which Woo shamefully knocks off for some M:I-2 footage. And, just maybe, Battlefield Earth is a misinterpreted classic (if John Woo instead of Roger Christian was its director, Klein would have demanded it win the Nobel Prize). But not in this world.

New Times should forget about the Cult of Scientology and expose the Cult of Woo. Has anyone ever seen Andy Klein and L. Ron Hubbard together in the same room?

Walter Mullen
Los Angeles

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From the Freek Show column, Scientology's Celebrity Centre gets a mention in the article found at:

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/2000-06-15/freekshow.html

Excerpt:

"Believing that this was our best entertainment value for a Tuesday night, Freek Show (now regrettably) missed a rare appearance by legendary soul man Billy Preston at the Scientology Celebrity Centre (yes, you read that right)"

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From the Freek Show column of 02/24/2000

The Hollywood Museum of Death is declared legally dead. Long live the Museum of Death!

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/2000-02-24/freekshow.html

Excerpt:

"it's all about celebrating that overrated holiday Valentine's Day at the Hollywood Museum of Death. Easily distinguished by a series of enormous skulls mounted on its side walls, "the only museum in the country dedicated solely to death" is centrally sandwiched within a culturally magnificent stretch of classic Hollywood that includes the Hotel Knickerbocker and the Church of Scientology. Among the items on display in the museum are a wide array of execution devices, exhibits dedicated to both Manson (that's Charles, not Marilyn) and the Heaven's Gate cult"

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Monster Magnate: Article about Forrest J Ackerman, who runs a museum about movie monsters and horror films:

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-07-29/columns2.html

Excerpt:

'Though Ackerman and his wife Wendayne dabbled in Dianetics -- they were among the first in Los Angeles to read Hubbard's influential book about ridding oneself of negative psychological baggage -- his opinion of Hubbard's legacy is as follows: "I don't want to get into Scientology. No comment." '

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From the letters section in the week of 05/27/1999

This boy's death

Thanks for "Death of a 'Nethead" (Cover story, by Mark Ebner, April 29-May 5). It was fucking brilliant and moved me to tears. Philip Gale, the MIT computer prodigy who committed suicide, really reminded me of my own attitudes and behavior in college and how I might have ended up myself.

I'm impressed by the emotional range of Ebner's writing and his empathy.

Rob Clark
via the Internet

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My husband was in Phi Sigma Kappa at MIT with Philip, and although I was three years older than Phil when he came to Boston, we were college freshmen together. [Didn't I feel stupid? :)]. Phil and I were very close freshman year, but upon his return from California, his anger at the world got to be a little too much to be around on a regular basis. Still, his suicide was quite a shock to us all, outrageous even for Phil.

I think your piece was objective--much more than the previous few I've read. Phil was an incredible person and is greatly missed.

Katherine Mondanaro
via the Internet

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So what? So some smug, self-involved prick chose to do the world a favor and end his life? Good! One less asshole. "If [Philip] believed you were lesser than he"--you boldface this without the slightest hint of irony? You don't think this speaks to character? And now you want to elevate his sniveling dependence on alcohol and drugs and inability to focus and complete a project to the level of martyrdom? Chances are, like many prodigies, that his remarkably overdeveloped cognitive abilities were probably balanced by some serious deficiencies in other areas.

Well, since few were close enough to him to understand why he killed himself, please allow me my theory: He was smart enough to know what a selfish, useless shit he was and behaved accordingly. So in that last act, he finally did something for someone other than himself. I, for one, appreciate the contribution.

Anonymous
via the Internet

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Just wanted to say that Ebner is an amazing writer, and his piece was great. My other comment was that Scientology seems really scary and cultlike. The proof is the guy's mother, who seems detached from emotion. She doesn't act like a mother who's lost a child.

Elizabeth Magana
Inglewood

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With the Philip Gale article finally out (and told the right way) in New Times, I was really able to breathe a huge sigh of relief that this issue has been put to rest. The whole issue of Scientology is something I've finally been able to step back from and laugh at, perhaps because I don't feel its grip any longer.

It was an experience to actually see and read Phil's suicide note. In a way, it made me smile because he knew damn well what he was doing, and his note showed he was very much in control. It's also a bit morbid because it made me think of the world he saw and how hopeless things would have seemed to cause him to make that decision so consciously and willfully. Overall, it's good to have that year behind us and to be somewhat glad that he did what he wanted to up to the very last minute, even if that decision was perhaps a poor one.

I don't think it stings any longer, although it seems his friends still feel a void where he once was a part of their lives. I think everyone is a bit glad to finally see something so real about his life come out, although it is also a bit difficult to return to his suicide.

Matt Munsey
Cambridge, Massachusetts
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The most unkind act I can imagine would be to use somebody else's tragedy to forward one's own hate-filled agenda. "Death of a 'Nethead" was inundated with innuendos concerning the Church of Scientology.

Marie Gale issued a statement concerning her son's death when it happened more than a year ago. If she must now endure more hate-mongering against her church in her son's name, her statement needs to be reprinted:

"Several weeks ago, my son Philip decided, apparently with some forethought, to end his life. No words can describe the pain and loss I felt on hearing of his death and in addressing the many issues after the fact. I want to thank Philip's friends, roommates (Jesse Koontz and Jason Politi), fraternity brothers, and especially MIT Dean Bob Randolph for all their help in getting me through that extremely difficult first week.

"Now some person(s) is trying to make this into a religious issue by exploiting his tragic death to create a forum for their own religious bigotry and ignorance. As far as I know, these people didn't even know Philip and have never met me.

"I am a member of the Church of Scientology and have been well before Philip was born. Several years ago, Philip decided that Scientology was not for him--nor was any religion. I honored his decision and he honored mine, and the difference in our choices was never an issue in our relationship. Regardless of his choice of religion (or clothes or haircut or change of major), he had my unconditional love and support in his endeavors in life."

Phil's mother was willing to allow her young son to make his way in the world unassisted and realized she could not hold onto him, but I assure you they were quite close. Frankly, the only part of Ebner's story that had any ring of truth at all was Phil's own explanation for what he did--all else was unfounded speculation.

Cat Tebar
Community Affairs Director
Church of Scientology
Los Angeles

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From the letters section in the week of 4/22/1999

A one-fingered salute to the digit Great advice from The Finger to anti-Scientology protesters: "Don't get all pissy when [Scientology] one-ups you" by marshaling its members to revenge-picket your neighborhood or workplace and distribute flyers accusing you of being a "religious bigot." ("The Thetans' Revenge," April 1-7.) After all, it's their "legal right."

What a wonderful brave new world The Finger envisions! A world where General Motors sends goon squads to march in front of the private residences of striking workers, carrying signs proclaiming those on the picket line to be "communists." A world where the New York City Police Department orders SWAT teams to follow demonstrators back to their neighborhoods and distribute handbills accusing citizens concerned about police brutality of being "anarchists."

Concerned about the abuses of a paramilitary cult whose top echelons (the so-called "Sea Organization") sign a "Billion Year Contract" to impose Scientology's version of ethics, technology, and administration on everyone in the world? Be a "good German" and ignore the telltale aroma from those belching smokestacks. It's their "legal right," you know. Follow The Finger's lead and just stay home.

Anonymous
via the Internet
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I had the pleasure of picketing Scientology in L.A. in March, and true to form, Scientologists revenge-picketed my home here in San Francisco.

Now, I personally don't get all pissy when they pay me a visit. I usually come outside and chat with them; occasionally I ignore them.

However, many people draw a distinction between picketing a public office and picketing a residence. During one of Scientology's revenge-pickets, two of the three passers-by who stopped to talk expressed their disapproval of picketing someone's home.

Indeed, in many places it's illegal to picket a residence. That doesn't stop our friends in Scientology, though, who blithely picket homes in San Jose and Salt Lake City, despite local laws against residential pickets.

In San Francisco, where they do in fact have every right to picket my home, I steadfastly recognize that right and encourage them to utilize their right to speak freely--I love free speech and love to see people engage in it.

Kristi Wachter
San Francisco

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From the Finger

http://www.newtimesla.com/issues/1999-03-11/columns4.html

Excerpt:

"Boob jobs, nose jobs, and blow-job classes, not to mention joining Scientology and appearances on Change of Heart--some girls will do any desperate thing to get noticed in Hollywood."

Michael Reuss
Honorary Kid