A WORLD WITHOUT

By Cheryl Sola

Part I

Scientology claims that its goal is a world without war, crime and insanity. I was introduced to this goal when I first became involved with Scientology in late 1977. After 12 years of involvement, and growing disillusionment, I departed Scientology in early 1991.

For the past 10 years, I have communicated with many former members, and have performed hundreds of hours of research, so I have a unique perspective from within and without.

The first part of this paper will analyze any progress Scientology has made in achieving its lofty goal. The second part of this paper will move beyond its limited vision of a negative utopia (a world without) and examine a hypothetical world where Scientology has achieved its utopic vision.

A World Without War

Let's begin by examining Scientology's progress in eliminating war from the world. Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health was published in May of 1950. Since that time, we have seen several major wars such as the Korean War (1950-1953) and the Viet Nam War (1945-1975). This is in addition to the numerous Arab-Israeli conflicts (the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War come to mind), the on-going Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, the India-Pakistan War (1971), the Bangladesh Liberation War (1971), the Falkland Islands War (1980s), the Afghan War (1979-1989), the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), the Cold War (1945-1991), the Persian Gulf War (1990-1991), the Somalian Civil War (1991-1993), and the Bosnian War (1990's).

On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, marking the end of the Cold War. Scientology took full credit for this event. I was at the Scientology quarterly sales event where Scientology management made the announcement that the Berlin Wall fell solely because the Freewinds, whose maiden voyage was June 6, 1988, was delivering OT 8 (the highest level of Scientology spiritual technology) and that "real" OTs were finally coming off the production line. The actual mechanics of this accomplishment were unclear. Did it mean that "real OTs" were capable of infusing the environment with so much "theta" that communism just melted in its face, or did it mean that OTs twitched their collective noses and the wall just came tumbling down?

Time passed and the question arose: If, in fact, the Scientology spiritual technology known as "OT Levels" was capable of bringing about an event of this magnitude, why hasn't peace broken out all around the planet?

The same question could be asked about "clearing" the planet. Perhaps what Scientology really means is that by clearing the planet (meaning the majority of the world's population is cleared of the Scientology-invented reactive mind) then we would see that utopic world. However, achievement of that goal is fraught with complications. First, the state of Clear has to exist (and there is no evidence that it does – I was adjudicated by Scientology's American St. Hill Organization to be Clear, yet I never achieved the results described in Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health), second the majority of the population has to be "cleared" (and the majority of the population either doesn't have the money it takes to become Clear, or they belong to religions that would not voluntarily subject themselves to another "religious philosophy." So, the lack of any discernible results coupled with the dubious efficacy of Scientology's treatment plan makes it no wonder that wars continue to plague the earth.

Two current examples are the outbreak of recent hostilities between the Israelis and the Palestinians and the ethnic war in Bosnia. In 1990, with a two-year headstart in producing "real" OTs, the world witnessed the Persian Gulf War when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. Where were the OTs then? Where are they now? Why don't the "real" OTs put an end to the Mideast conflict? Where were the OTs when the Gulf War and the Bosnian War broke out? Why haven't the OTs with finality ended the Mideast crisis?

Wars have not stopped, despite Scientology's goals.

Now, let's look at a different kind of warfare.

Though not a military war in the traditional sense, Scientology pours its share of fuel on the fire that consumes planetary peace by engaging in all-out war with its various "enemies" via its abuse of the judicial system and its "noisy" investigations. Why can't Scientology just melt the "iron curtain" between itself and its critics?

The obvious answer to these questions is that the Scientology spiritual technology does not imbue mortal man with god-like powers as advertised. For example, its fabrication regarding communism. The real story of the fall of the Iron Curtain is that it was caused by multiple factors including, but not limited to, the major influence of Pope John Paul II; reformed Christian ministers; and the aging of the communist rulers.

Pope John Paul II, a Polish national who carried great weight with the Polish labor leader, Lech Walesa (who founded the Solidarity party and later became the president of Poland), was also the first Pope who visited communist countries while in office. If any one factor could be attributed to the downfall of the Iron Curtain, it was Pope John Paul II's tireless and selfless efforts to promote peace within communist countries. This was during a time when Scientology could not even gain entrance to these countries. It is apparent that Scientology has taken credit where credit was not due.

Another fire started by Scientology is its dispute with Germany. Scientology's program to gain entrance into Germany by accusing the German government of being Nazis does not forward a peace agenda. Germany sees Scientology as a money-making enterprise rather than a religion. Scientology tried to bully the German government into submission by using a tasteless ploy of aligning its "plight" with the Jewish Holocaust. First, Scientology did not exist when the Holocaust occurred. Second, no Scientologist has suffered any of the tragedies that the Holocaust victims suffered. Therefore, Scientology is not similarly situated.

An interesting side note: Hitler was not German, he was Austrian. He came into Germany on a minor political party platform. The primary focus of his campaign was ethnic cleansing, not religion (though later it became a peripheral fact). The Holocaust included not just Jews, but also communists, trade unionists, Catholics, Protestants (Niemoeller and Bonhoffer were well-known Lutheran ministers who went to concentration camps), homosexuals, prostitutes, gypsies, and all non-Aryan people.

Scientology trying to put on the cloak of potential Holocaust victims is like trying to fit into a real cloak 100 times bigger than itself. Not only did it come up very short, it made a mockery of the true Holocaust victims by exhuming their memories for the self-serving purpose of trying to intimidate Germany into allowing it to conduct its business enterprise within its borders. To thinking men and women, Scientology's cry of Persecution! is obviously a disproportionate reaction to the actual situation. Scientology tactics are very similar to the liberal politics playing out after the recent presidential election: grabbing at straws, looking for loopholes, intimidating, harassing, until the loser gets his/her/its way. And if that fails, off to court it goes to intimidate and harass the judiciary into declaring it the winner.

Many more people around this planet would probably recognize Scientology as a religion and not be so resistive to its presence if it could be easily recognized as a religion. In other words, to most Scientology's bellicose behavior contrasted with the behavior of a true man of peace raises red flags. For example, Pope John Paul II was the target of an assassination attempt in 1981. An assassin, hidden in the crowd in St. Peter's Square, fired two shots into the Pope's abdomen in an attempt to kill him. There was speculation the assassin was communist-backed.

Notwithstanding his motives, the would-be assassin was arrested and John Paul II showed great mercy for his attempted assassin by granting him a private visit in prison in order to demonstrate his forgiveness. This man lives his religion. Unfortunately, so does Scientology, and people can discern the vast differences.

Moving on, we will now look at a another war launched by Scientology against the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. It is interesting that over 2,000 individual Scientologists simultaneously had the same thought to file, not one class-action lawsuit, but 2,000 individual lawsuits against the IRS. Unless Scientologists are telepathic, this had to have been orchestrated. The resources it takes to defend 2,000 individual lawsuits is far greater than to defend one class-action suit. Evidently, the individual lawsuits were filed in order to harass and overburden the IRS.

It is also reported that Scientology used private investigators to put the pressure on until the IRS, a major government agency, capitulated. Thus, Scientology gained benefits from the IRS not available to any other citizen or religion in the United States.

Tax analysts across the United State were outraged at the preferential treatment. Non-Scientology citizens tried to take advantage of the same benefit and were denied. See, for instance, Sklar v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, U.S. Tax Court, No. 1556-97. Is there a dark secret Scientology is holding over the head of the IRS that keeps it submissive to Scientology?

One reason this issue arises is that Scientology continues to arrogantly refuse to follow its agreement with the IRS. Part of its tax exempt application indicated that it would refund monies paid if requested. This author, and many others, requested such refunds and were ignored, yet Scientology still enjoys tax exempt status. "The [secret closing] agreement made the group tax-exempt and allowed its members to deduct fees not just for auditing, but also for such religious courses as "Success Through Communication" and "The Anatomy of the Human Mind."

"The IRS realizes that giving in to Scientology was a mistake, and they don't want to extend that mistake," says former IRS commissioner Donald C. Alexander. "The result is most taxpayers are unfairly treated." ("Mysterious Ways," by Brigid McMenamin. Forbes)

What kind of pressure did Scientology bring to bear on the Internal Revenue Service to get such special dispensation? In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the IRS's 1978 refusal to allow deductions for auditing and Scientology courses. In that decision, the Supreme Court even commented that if those kinds of deductions were allowed, it could open the door for taxpayers to claim deductions for parochial schools.

However, since 1993, the IRS has allowed members of the Church of Scientology to deduct the "fixed donations" they pay for religious education and auditing, Scientology's mental and spiritual counseling. If this isn't quid pro quo, then what is?

Further, because of this preferential treatment, many citizens are concerned that their private information is now in the hands of Scientologists, much like what happened with Scientology's similar war against Cult Awareness Network. This ended in CAN's bankruptcy after many Scientologist-initiated lawsuits were filed. Then a Scientologist bought CAN's assets, including mailing lists, and Scientology, an organization labeled "most dangerous cult," now deceptively operates Cult Awareness Network.

How does Scientology think it will ever achieve a world without war when it carries on business as a war-monger?

A World Without Crime

Has anyone noticed that crime is still with us? Yes, it is very much still with us. Scientology contributes to this situation by its manipulation of the justice system, its intimidation to abridge freedom of speech, its pressure on its adherents to obtain more money to buy Scientology services and desperation of poverty-stricken Scientology families.

Courts have become a weapon of Scientology not just to conquer a critic, but to utterly destroy him and, by putting his head on a pike, vanquish dissent from anyone. For instance, why does Scientology spend millions of dollars in their dispute with Keith Henson, when it was only awarded $75,000 in the copyright infringement case against Mr. Henson?

Again, citizens are concerned. It is the taxpayers who are subsidizing these court battles and Scientology is getting a disproportionate benefit.

Institutions, such as the judiciary, are not here to solely serve the interests of a single group. Its legal aggression is so well-known that it is amazing that it has not been declared a vexatious litigant.

Also criminal is Scientology's intimidation to squelch freedom of speech. What newspaper or magazine is willing to publish anything against Scientology, given its well-known reputation of bringing vicious lawsuits against an organization giving it "bad press"? The organization continuously attacks critics on the Internet and tries to legislate its Internet critics out of existence. This is censorship by intimidation. Censorship by any means is contrary to the free flow of ideas.

Why censorship? Winston Churchill eloquently explained it: "You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police. Yet in their hearts is unspoken - unspeakable! - fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts! Words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home, all the more powerful because they are forbidden. These terrify them. A little mouse - a little tiny mouse! - of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic." It is fear of being found out. Fear of losing their power when truth becomes known.

On another front, Scientology is the behind-the-scenes instigator manipulating its members into unwise financial decisions, reaping the enormous benefits of monies procured by its members' credit without the responsibility of repayment. This is analogous to a corporation coercing its staff to rob banks. True, it is not violent, but the outcome is the same. The money is stolen and Scientology is the beneficiary.

Thus, Scientologists are pushed into enormous debts in their pursuit of spiritual power and freedom, and many have been forced into bankruptcy when they were unable to repay the onerous debts. Though the bankruptcy laws allow relief from debt for hardship reasons, the first question is why should it be considered a hardship?

Often, members borrow money with no foreseeable way to pay it back, except the Scientology attitude of "make it go right." A change in the bankruptcy laws that will disallow discharge of any loans for services, such as Scientology offers, is in order. This would exclude inability to repay based on demonstrable hardship, such as loss of job or catastrophic medical bills, those could happen to anyone.

People should understand that if they let themselves get into financial hot water, they will be held accountable. This may have a chilling effect on the power Scientology holds over its members. Societally, there should be sanctions against organizations that coerce their members into debt.

Additionally, some Scientology non-Sea Org staff members are forced into crime because the staff pay is usually way below minimum wage. Often pay is $20-$30 per week, at times there is no pay at all. Yet staff are expected to remain on post. This pushes parents into desperation to feed and clothe their children. Any means available become an option, including theft.

There have been reports of children of Sea Org parents prostituting themselves to obtain money.

A final source of Scientology-created crimes is OSA.

Here crimes are perpetrated by its legal machine against its critics. There are numerous reports of outrageous conduct on the part of OSA operatives, private investigators hired by Scientology, and Scientology's lawyers. An FBI agent has remarked that Scientology has a world-class intelligence division.

Who can trust a church with an intelligence division?

Would you go to a confessional with the FBI, the CIA, Interpol, the KGB, or SAVAK? Further, this author was deposed by Scientology's lawyers. What I observed validated the reports. Material alterations were made to the transcript of my deposition.

How can Scientology accomplish its goal of a world without crime when it encourages financial crime by its hard sell tactics, by not paying its staff enough to live on, by illegally abusing the legal process, by criminal activity in trying to silence freedom of speech, and by the existence of its OSA operations?

A World Without Insanity

Scientology has been on a decades-long crusade against psychology and psychiatry. However, its attempts have not proven fruitful, witnessed by the continued existence of these branches of medicine. Nor has Scientology shown the world that it possesses a more workable system of mental therapy. However, anecdotal reports are highly suggestive that Scientology mental therapy may be harmful.

What plan does Scientology have to pick up the slack should they successfully put psychology and psychiatry out of business? The answer is none.

Today, if that occurred, as Scientology claims it is successfully doing, there would be no safety net.

Scientology does not help the unable, nor does it have the resources to handle the world's mentally ill.

Thus, the world would be in worse shape. Eradicating psychology and psychiatry would result in a sharp increase in war, crime and insanity due to the safeguards that currently exist.

If Scientology actually has a workable technology, the reasonable approach would be to demonstrate its workability to the mental health profession and integrate it into the existing network.

There are many reports that indicate that Scientology mental and/or spiritual technology may not work. A significant one is the highly publicized death of Lisa McPherson, one of Scientology's members.

Not long after she attested to Scientology's state of Clear (where according to Scientology materials she should have been a very happy, well, capable human being), Lisa McPherson was involved in a minor car accident. She got out of the car and took off her clothes in public.

When paramedics arrived, she begged for help and was taken to a hospital. However, Scientology personnel came and took her back to their facility in Clearwater, Florida, insisting they would care for her. She died 17 days later.

Also, noteworthy, is that the facility in Clearwater is the Flag Land Base or "Flag." It is called the "Mecca of Technical Perfection." If this is the penultimate organization delivering Scientology services, and its members develop mental disturbances and some of the die (more than just McPherson), then what is it like at the lower level organizations?

Scientology would not take responsibility for her death and has waged yet another legal war to prevent the truth from being discovered.

After discounting all the mud slinging, what is apparent is that Ms. McPherson was suffering from a mental disorder. Did the Scientology spiritual technology cause this disorder or did it just exacerbate an underlying existing disorder?

It is not known, but a growing number of anecdotal reports exist that are highly suggestive that Scientology's unverified mental and spiritual technology may, in fact, be exacerbating, if not creating, mental problems in at least some of its members.

One theory states suggests that the e-meter used in Scientology auditing may be giving low-level electrical shocks to those undergoing its counseling treatments. The FDA, though it has forced Scientology to label its e-meters as spiritual devices that cannot cure illness, should put the meter through studies to determine if long-term use is detrimental to human health.

Next, Hubbard claims that lack of memory is psychotic.

The example given was a telephone – it has not memory and is therefore psychotic. Have you ever thought of your telephone being psychotic? It's a rather different concept.

More appropriately, of course, this definition applies to human beings, not inanimate objects.

Observation of Alzheimer's patients and those with certain traumatic brain injuries indicates that lack of memory is definitely a serious mental condition.

But what about organizational memory? Scientology continues to revise its own history, and as it does so, it is creating organizational psychosis.

For example, Hubbard's biography is a work of fiction.

Another example is a picture of a recent Scientology event that was made public where the audience was digitally manipulated by cutting and pasting people to fill empty seats to give the illusion that Scientology events are "sell outs." Unfortunately, one attendee was a headless man! Ooops! This and other revisions give further evidence that Scientology revises any negative history because it can never be wrong, or be perceived as less than perfect.

All utopian societies have this character flaw.

History was rewritten by the Nazis, the Communists, the fictitious negative utopian society depicted in George Orwell's 1984, and now Scientology.

There is another, widespread definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result!

Every Scientologist who goes to the registrar over and over again, expecting to get his "ruin" finally handled on the next level, fits this definition.

Another aspect of insanity is the inability to get along with others. This is an important indicator of sanity. Traditional mental therapies know this. And Hubbard, a student of Plagiarism, "borrowed" many ideas from traditional mental therapies. Hubbard says, in Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health, p.527 (1995), that

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