What Judges Say About Scientology
"[The court record is] replete with evidence [that Scientology] is nothing in reality but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money from its adepts by pseudo scientific theories... And to exercise a kind of blackmail against persons who do not wish to continue with their sect.... The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder, L.Ron Hubbard."
--Judge Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court
July 8, 2005 Schedule - Office of the Examining magistrates of Porrentruy Switzerland - Canton of the Jura
"The fac-similes saying that scientologists are swindlers do not constitute insults since the church of scientology has already been convicted in our country for swindle (JT 1994 IV 140)"
"Scientology's purpose is making money by means legitimate and illegitimate" (US District Court, Southern District of New York, 92 Civ. 3024 (PKL)
"An individual processed with the aid of the E-meter was said to reach the intended goal of "clear" and was led to believe there was reliable scientific proof that once cleared many, indeed most illnesses would automatically be cured. Auditing was guaranteed to be successful. All this was and is false -- in short, a fraud. " Federal District Judge Gesell 333 F. Supp. 357; 1971 U.S. Dist
"However, I am persuaded ... Scientology is not, subject to one reservation, a religious institution because it is, in relation to its religious pretensions, no more than a sham ," "Its bogus claims to believe in prayer and other aspects of a creed based on a divine being, were " no more than a mockery of religion. Scientology as practiced is in reality the antithesis of a religion" Supreme Court Justice Crockett - Australia 1980
"That these defendants were willing to frame their critics to the point of giving false testimony under oath against them and having them arrested and indicted speaks legions for their disdain for the rule of law. Indeed, they arrogantly placed themselves above the law, meting out their personal brand of punishment to those 'guilty' of opposing their selfish aims. -- Judge Richey in the sentencing of Mary Sue Hubbard and ten other Scientologists in October 1978 -- US District Court, Washington DC.
"Ultimately Wollersheim became so convinced auditing was causing him psychiatric problems he was willing to risk becoming a target of "freeloader debt" and "fair game." Evidence was introduced that, at least during the time relevant to Wollersheim's case, "fair game" was a practice of retribution Scientology threatened to inflict on "suppressives," which included people who left the organization or anyone who could pose a threat to the [212 Cal.App.3d 880] organization. Once someone was identified as a "suppressive," all Scientologists were authorized to do anything to "neutralize" that individual -- economically, politically, and psychologically.
After Wollersheim left the organization Scientology leaders initiated a "fair game" campaign which among other things was calculated to destroy Wollersheim's photography enterprise. They instructed some Scientology members to leave Wollersheim's employ, told others not to place any new orders with him and to renege on bills they owed on previous purchases from the business. This strategy shortly drove Wollersheim's photography business into bankruptcy. His mental condition deteriorated further and he ended up under psychiatric care."
"The crime committed by these defendants is of a breath and scope previously unheard of. No building, office, desk, or file was safe from their snooping and prying. No individual or organization was free from their despicable conspiratorial minds. The tools of their trade were miniature transmitters, lock picks, secret codes, forged credentials and any other device they found necessary to carry out their conspiratorial schemes." -Federal prosecutor's memorandum to the judge urging stiff jail sentences for 9 top leaders of Scientology who had pleaded guilty to criminal charges
"Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious...
It is corrupt sinister and dangerous. It is corrupt because it is based on lies and deceit and has its real objective money and power for Mr. Hubbard... It is sinister because it indulges in infamous practices both to its adherents who do not toe the line unquestionably and to those who criticize it or oppose it. It is dangerous because it is out to capture people and to indoctrinate and brainwash them so they become the unquestioning captives and tools of the cult, withdrawn from ordinary thought, living, and relationships with others."
-- Justice Latey, ruling in the High Court of London
"In addition to violating and abusing its own members' civil rights, the organization over the years with its 'fair game' doctrine has harassed and abused those persons not in the church whom it perceives as enemies. " -Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Paul Breckenridge, June 1984, in the Gerry Armstrong case
"In January 1980, fearing a raid by law enforcement agencies, Hubbard's representatives ordered the shredding of all documents showing that Hubbard controlled Scientology organizations, finances, personnel, or the property at Gilman Hot Springs. In a two week period, approximately one million pages were shredded pursuant to this order."
--California appellate court, 2nd. District, 3rd. division, July 29, 1991, B025920 & B038975, Super. Ct. No. C 420153
"It is common knowledge among senior executives of the organization and it is the policy of CSC that members of the Boards of Directors are mere figureheads, without authority or control, not for internal corporate reasons, but rather to vest control in Mr. Hubbard. I have personal knowledge that in order to carry out this corporate fraud, organizational executives have engaged in the various unethical practices including backdating phony Board minutes and forging signatures. "
--Affidavit of Gerry Armstrong, former member
" Scientologists believe that most human problems can be traced to lingering spirits of an extraterrestrial people massacred by their ruler, Xenu, over 75 million years ago. These spirits attach themselves by "clusters" to individuals in the contemporary world, causing spiritual harm and negatively influencing the lives of their hosts ". USDJ Judge Leonie Brinkema 4 Oct 96 Memorandum Opinion, RTC vs Lerma
".. .capable of such danger that the public interest demands that people should know what is going on " LORD DENNING
"Scientologists secured employment with government agencies perceived to be enemies of the Church, and signed oaths of secrecy as public officials. In breach of their oaths of office, they then took copies of confidential documents from the agencies that employed them and provided them to the Church of Scientology of Toronto."
"The criminal acts of Church of Scientology of Toronto were insidious attacks on two essential law enforcement agencies in this province. The integrity and effective functioning of those agencies (the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Ontario Provincial Police) are of great importance to good government in this province. The offences _threatened_ such integrity and effectiveness, and I regard each of them as very serious."
In rejecting the cult's appeal, the Ontario Court of Appears agreed with this statement.above in a 1997 opinion upholding an appeal of the trial court of Scientology's conviction for "Breach of the Public Trust" in Canada
"It is an organization with medical, social and ethical practices that are dangerous and harmful," Judge Constandia Angelaki wrote in her [December 1996] ruling. "It claims to act freely so as to draw members who subsequently undergo ... brainwashing by dictated ways of thinking that limit reaction capabilities. "
" Each [of the former Scientologists] has broken with the movement for a variety of reasons, but at the same: time, each is still bound by the knowledge that the church has in in possession his or her most inner thoughts and confessions, all recorded [in PC folders] or other security files of the organization, and that the church or its minions is fully capable of intimidation and other physical and psychological abuse if it suits their ends,"..."The record is repleat with evidence of such abuse ... The practice of culling supposedly confidential PC folders or files to obtain information for purposes of intimidation and/or harassment is repugnant and outrageous" California Superior Court judge Paul Breckenridge
"An IRS Closing agreement cannot overule Congress and the Supreme Court"...." If the IRS does in fact give preferential treatment to members of "..."Scientology" -- "allowing them a special right to claim deductions that are contrary to law and rightly disallowed to everybody else -- then the proper course of action is a lawsuit to put a stop to that policy ---" Judge Reinhart - United States 9th Circuit court of Appeals 29 January 2002
Victor Navarnov, who oversees ethnic-relations laws in the Russian Prosecutor General's office, cited the Church of Scientology as one of the most aggressive cults in the world - one whose teaching offers license for murder and suicide. The prosecutor said that it's proselytizing methods are defined in Russia as pernicious and a public menace.
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