From: raz@socs.uts.edu.au (The Inimitable Raz)
Subject: Re: Read this before getting involved in Scientology
Organization: Computing Sciences, Uni of Technology, Sydney.
Date: 14 Dec 92 02:46:03 GMT

isds11990012@memstvx1.memst.edu writes:
>In article <10350@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP>,
> aabst5@vms.cis.pitt.edu writes:

>> Think about the eleven top Scientologists, including Hubbard's wife who have
>> gone to prison in the early 80s for infiltrating, burglarizing and wiretapping
>> more than 100 private and government agencies in attempts to block
>> investigations.
>>

>    So what?  They went to jail for overstepping their bounds and breaking
>the law in an attempt to protect their religion.  

So ... think about why proponents of this organisation would break the
law of the government of the land (remember, of the people, by the people,
for the people?) to hide their crimes? (crime: Violation of local 
laws.) This IS a valid consideration. Society, yours and mine, 
substantiallt limit the survival capability of persons known to consort
with criminals, regardless of the 'morality' of the crimes in question.
Whilst to an insider these penalties are not sufficient to discourage
Scn involvement, an outsider who currently lives in the contraints
imposed by his/her society may consider this a little worrying.



>    The real question that needs to be asked here is "Why was the government
>of the United States harrassing a religious group?"

Perhaps for reasons similar to Scn's use of harrasment. Scn is perceived
as a threat. (Could be for 'real' reasons ie: violation of laws which
exist to protect society, or for 'corrupt' reasons ie: Scn is scaring
someone in power. Either way, the people's government feels threatened
by Scn.)

>     Because of the IRS and it's suppressive policy, the Church of Scientology
>has founded the Citizens for an Aleternative Tax System.  This group has
>made major headway in starting a grassroots movement to abolish the IRS and
>replace it with a much more fair and equitable method of collecting tax:
>A national sales tax.

Chuckle. Giggle. Uproarius (sp?) laughter. You don't seriously 
believe that this would be fair and equitable? You ought to closely
examine how effective a sales tax system isn't before pushing this
line! (I'm not not kidding.)

>     The FDA alleged that the E-meter was being used to diagnose or treat
>illness.  However, the arrest warrant issued for the raid clearly states
>that the property to be entered was a Church.  The FDA clearly recognized
>that Scientology was a religion before they even began the raid.  Also

Another non-sequiter. The FDA clearly recognised that Scn's activities
were being performed in a building labelled "church". This is NOT the
same as recognising the practises within as religion!

>Scientology books and literature seized by the FDA clearly state that
>Scientology is a religion, and that auditing is a religious practice.

OK John, you've opened yourself to attack AGAIN! Cite a reference. I
don't ever recall seeing a claim ANYWHERE that auditing is a religious
practice. 


>     Think about this.  Why is a religion being persecuted by corrupt
>officials who abuse their positions of power?  Why is this happening in the
>United States of America?  Why is this happening in the land of the free
>and the home of the brave?

Clearly you are driving at something. Spit it out.

>-John Holifield

--
Bye for now.
         - Raz           

raz@socs.uts.edu.au   (Roland Turner)   (OH) 61 2 319 5700