Court told woman suffered personality change
December 14, 2002
A woman suffered a personality change after she was sucked into the grasp
of the Church of Scientology and subjected to mind- control techniques,
the High Court was told yesterday. Ms Mary Johnson has sued the church for
damages.
Among courses Ms Johnson reluctantly signed up for was a "purification
rundown", the court heard. The starting point for entry to the church was
a personality test which was "not a proper psychological test". Ms Johnson
was also trained to resist her family and when she tried to leave, and
there were efforts to silence and intimidate her, her lawyer said.
Dundalk-born Ms Johnson (40), a former interprovincial squash player for
Leinster who has a sports equipment shop at Westwood, Foxrock, Co Dublin,
has brought proceedings against the church and three of its members: Mr
John Keane, described as a "mission holder", Mr Tom Cunningham and Mr
Gerard Ryan.
Opening the case before Mr Justice Peart, Mr Sean Ryan SC, for Ms Johnson,
said the evidence would be that she was effectively sucked into the grasp
of this organisation and subjected to processes and procedures which
brought her under its control and influence.
Her involvement began in 1992, and efforts were made to prevent her
leaving, to silence and intimidate her and to prevent her suing.
Mr Ryan contended there was intimidation, watching and besetting on the
part of the church and the making of inquiries, not only about Ms Johnson,
but by people who went to her place of business. This was not a secret
process but a "noisy investigation", involving intimidation of Ms Johnson
and members of her family. Her brother- in-law had been the subject of an
investigation.
Counsel said the court would be introduced to a language of "psycho
religious-mythical scope" and expressions and words that had no meaning
other than as they were defined in Scientology.
Whatever about the rights of Scientology, what had happened to Ms Johnson
constituted a serious wrong when she had been subjected to these
processes, procedures and rituals. These caused her damage and she was
subsequently defamed and libelled.
She had suffered psychological and psychiatric injuries, panic attacks and
post-traumatic stress disorder, together with short- term memory loss.
That was exacerbated by the subsequent illegitimate conduct of the
defendants.
Mr Ryan said the story began in 1992 when Ms Johnson was feeling
emotionally upset after she had split up with her boyfriend.
She knew the defendant, Mr Cunningham, a member of the Church of
Scientology. He introduced her to "dianetic auditing",
which was something like amateur psychoanalysis performed by
non-qualified persons.
Mr Cunningham was continually suggesting that Ms Johnson go to the
church's Dublin mission in Middle Abbey Street and have a personality test
for the purpose of getting involved in Scientology and "going up the
bridge", an elaborate system of charts which would astonish anybody.
The starting point was a personality test called OCA (Oxford Capacity
Analysis), which was not quite what it sounded. She had had that in March
1992. It comprised a series of questions, again Scientology-devised, and
was not a proper psychological test but was calculated to point to
defects. The test evaluator was the "mission holder", John Keane.
People were pressurised to do further tests, investigations and auditing,
involving costs, and Ms Johnson was not well off. She would be rebuked if
she criticised what was going on. Under pressure, she signed up for a
"purification rundown" which went on from September to December 1993 and
cost (pounds) 1,200. She was reluctant to spend this sort of money but was
assured this would change her life and improve her relationships with her
family, boyfriend and friends.
She was required to do a medical examination and sent to a Scientologist
described as a doctor. She was given vitamins, far more than normal, was
sent out on "runs" and spent long periods in saunas. People in this
situation would be described as "pure clear".
The treatment routine also consisted of being lined up against a "twin".
Each twin shouted verbal abuse at the other over long periods.
In March 1994 she started a "Hubbard Dianetic Auditing" course in Dublin
and continued at Saint Hill Foundation in the UK. She later started but
did not finish a "Student Hat" course.
Recruiters from Saint Hill had come to Dublin in 1994. They suggested she
sell her business and go to Saint Hill where she would be "audited up" to
a state where she would be clean and trained up as an auditor.
She paid a (pounds) 100 deposit for a course on a ship in the Caribbean.
At this stage she had parted with a lot of money. Before she returned from
Saint Hill in 1994 she had signed a contract for one billion years to work
for Scientology. She finished the auditor's course.
Mr Ryan said that when Ms Johnson got back to Dublin she was subjected to
even more phone calls. Her family were worried about her and in contact.
When she told the people in the mission that, she was trained to resist
her family. Efforts were made to disconnect her from her family and
friends and to cement the relationship with Scientology.
In evidence, Ms Johnson said Mr Cunningham suggested to her about late
1991 that they have an auditing session. She was reluctant but eventually
agreed. He sat on a bed and she sat on a chair and he told her to look at
the ceiling and count from one to seven with her eyes closed.
Over the next 18 months there may have been 20-30 sessions. As time went
on, the feeling of euphoria she had after the first session was repeated
on a regular basis. The euphoria would dissipate and she was addicted to
it.
The case is expected to last for two weeks.
John Keane:
http://www.esatclear.ie/~dialogueireland/newsletters/13-2001.htm
http://www.esatclear.ie/~dialogueireland/scientology/000714.htm
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.
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