40 ICSA TODAY 38
Director Alexander Bortnikov. The letter requested an in-
depth inspection of Scientology churches in St. Petersburg
and other Russian regions. Milonov claims that Scientology
poses a threat to the state and Russian citizens, and that this
organization must be banned. (Rapsinews.com, 2/19/15)
Report: Scientology spy pretending to be a Time reporter
tries to interview Paul Haggis
Filmmaker Paul Haggis, whose story was central to the
documentary Going Clear, alleges that a spy from the Church
of Scientology pretended to be a reporter from Time seeking
an interview. When Haggis’s staff researched the man, who
gave the name Mark Webber, they discovered that nobody
with that name works for Time. Further investigation found
that an email had been sent from a building owned by the
church. (Salon, 4/17/15)
Federal judge sides with Scientology on refund issue
In Tampa, Florida, U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore
ruled in favor of the Church of Scientology, saying two
former church attendees, Luis and Rocio Garcia, must go
through the Church’s internal arbitration process to get a
refund from more than $1.3 million they donated to the
church. Judge Whittemore issued an order stating that the
Garcias are bound by contracts they signed during their
28 years with the Church that requires them to use the
arbitration process. However, the judge sided with the Garcias
in acknowledgement that the Church “failed to provide any
convincing evidence” that a Church “Committee of Evidence” is
the process in place to oversee arbitration. (Tampa Bay Times,
3/16/15)
Church of Scientology’s statement in response to Going
Clear documentary
The Church of Scientology released a response to the
allegations made by Alex Gibney, the filmmaker of the HBO
documentary Going Clear. The church sent more than a dozen
letters to Mr. Gibney asking for an opportunity to address the
allegations made in the film. Mr. Gibney, they say, refused to
answer and shunned 25 people who worked with Gibney’s
sources, including children, colleagues, former spouses,
and superiors who traveled to New York to meet with him.
The Church says it has evidence on a website it has set up
(freedommag.org) to debunk claims made in Going Clear. (Las
Vegas Fox 5, 4/2/15)
Six “insane” ways the Church of Scientology has tried to
silence its critics
After discussing Scientology’s “fair game” strategy, L. Ron
Hubbard’s 1966 policy letter on handling investigations,
and the expected reaction to the HBO documentary, Going
Clear, Harmon Leon in an article for AlterNet has identified
the following notable instances of Scientology’s response to
critics:
• Scientology vs. South Park: In 2005, Matt Stone and
Trey Parker, the creators of the Comedy Central show
South Park, take on Tom Cruise and John Travolta
and the entire philosophy behind the planet Xenu
cult. Corporate Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs
(OSA) operations searched for “vulnerabilities” in
the pair’s personal and business lives to get back at
them. Isaac Hayes, who played the character Chef on
the show, quit over the controversy and stated that
he couldn’t support a show that disrespects religion.
In true South Park fashion, Matt and Trey responded
by brutally killing off Hayes’ character.
• Scientology vs. Los Angeles Times: In 1990, Joel
Sappell and Robert Welkos wrote a series on
Scientology for the Los Angeles Times. After the
series appeared, the church fought back. “The Sea
Org-ers bought space on 120 billboards and 1,000
bus placards around Los Angeles, publishing ads
featuring the journalists’ bylines, the newspaper’s
name, and context-free quotes from their articles
that made it seem as if their series was endorsing
Scientology.” The Church hired private investigators
to get information on Sappell and Welko’s financial
records, phone records, and other data. Welkos also
received an envelope that had information about
planning your funeral before you die.
• Scientology vs. Time Magazine: In 1991, Time
Magazine published a cover story about Scientology
called “The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power.”
According to Associate Editor Richard Behar,
Scientology and its followers sent several attorneys
and private detectives to harass and discredit
him. Scientology’s investigators contacted Behar’s
acquaintances and neighbors to look for negative
information about him. According to the author,
Behar’s home mortgage, home address, credit-
card transactions, and Social Security number
were illegally taken from a national credit bureau.
Furthermore, the organization tried to correct the
“falsehoods” in the Time article by spending more
than $3 million to run daily ads in USA Today.
• Scientology vs. St. Petersburg Times: In 1998, Stephen
Koff investigated L. Ron Hubbard’s Church of
Scientology for Florida’s St. Petersburg Times. While
he was working on his story in Los Angeles, Koff
received calls from people who said they worked
for credit-card companies, and they asked for his
personal information. His wife also received obscene
late-night calls from strangers. A week after his series
appeared, he noticed a man in a parked car watching
his home. Koff learned through police that the car
had been rented by a private investigator. When
the St. Petersburg Times planned to run a review of
a biography critical of Hubbard, the publication
received a letter from a Church attorney threatening
a lawsuit. The newspaper published both the review
and the threatening letter.
Director Alexander Bortnikov. The letter requested an in-
depth inspection of Scientology churches in St. Petersburg
and other Russian regions. Milonov claims that Scientology
poses a threat to the state and Russian citizens, and that this
organization must be banned. (Rapsinews.com, 2/19/15)
Report: Scientology spy pretending to be a Time reporter
tries to interview Paul Haggis
Filmmaker Paul Haggis, whose story was central to the
documentary Going Clear, alleges that a spy from the Church
of Scientology pretended to be a reporter from Time seeking
an interview. When Haggis’s staff researched the man, who
gave the name Mark Webber, they discovered that nobody
with that name works for Time. Further investigation found
that an email had been sent from a building owned by the
church. (Salon, 4/17/15)
Federal judge sides with Scientology on refund issue
In Tampa, Florida, U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore
ruled in favor of the Church of Scientology, saying two
former church attendees, Luis and Rocio Garcia, must go
through the Church’s internal arbitration process to get a
refund from more than $1.3 million they donated to the
church. Judge Whittemore issued an order stating that the
Garcias are bound by contracts they signed during their
28 years with the Church that requires them to use the
arbitration process. However, the judge sided with the Garcias
in acknowledgement that the Church “failed to provide any
convincing evidence” that a Church “Committee of Evidence” is
the process in place to oversee arbitration. (Tampa Bay Times,
3/16/15)
Church of Scientology’s statement in response to Going
Clear documentary
The Church of Scientology released a response to the
allegations made by Alex Gibney, the filmmaker of the HBO
documentary Going Clear. The church sent more than a dozen
letters to Mr. Gibney asking for an opportunity to address the
allegations made in the film. Mr. Gibney, they say, refused to
answer and shunned 25 people who worked with Gibney’s
sources, including children, colleagues, former spouses,
and superiors who traveled to New York to meet with him.
The Church says it has evidence on a website it has set up
(freedommag.org) to debunk claims made in Going Clear. (Las
Vegas Fox 5, 4/2/15)
Six “insane” ways the Church of Scientology has tried to
silence its critics
After discussing Scientology’s “fair game” strategy, L. Ron
Hubbard’s 1966 policy letter on handling investigations,
and the expected reaction to the HBO documentary, Going
Clear, Harmon Leon in an article for AlterNet has identified
the following notable instances of Scientology’s response to
critics:
• Scientology vs. South Park: In 2005, Matt Stone and
Trey Parker, the creators of the Comedy Central show
South Park, take on Tom Cruise and John Travolta
and the entire philosophy behind the planet Xenu
cult. Corporate Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs
(OSA) operations searched for “vulnerabilities” in
the pair’s personal and business lives to get back at
them. Isaac Hayes, who played the character Chef on
the show, quit over the controversy and stated that
he couldn’t support a show that disrespects religion.
In true South Park fashion, Matt and Trey responded
by brutally killing off Hayes’ character.
• Scientology vs. Los Angeles Times: In 1990, Joel
Sappell and Robert Welkos wrote a series on
Scientology for the Los Angeles Times. After the
series appeared, the church fought back. “The Sea
Org-ers bought space on 120 billboards and 1,000
bus placards around Los Angeles, publishing ads
featuring the journalists’ bylines, the newspaper’s
name, and context-free quotes from their articles
that made it seem as if their series was endorsing
Scientology.” The Church hired private investigators
to get information on Sappell and Welko’s financial
records, phone records, and other data. Welkos also
received an envelope that had information about
planning your funeral before you die.
• Scientology vs. Time Magazine: In 1991, Time
Magazine published a cover story about Scientology
called “The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power.”
According to Associate Editor Richard Behar,
Scientology and its followers sent several attorneys
and private detectives to harass and discredit
him. Scientology’s investigators contacted Behar’s
acquaintances and neighbors to look for negative
information about him. According to the author,
Behar’s home mortgage, home address, credit-
card transactions, and Social Security number
were illegally taken from a national credit bureau.
Furthermore, the organization tried to correct the
“falsehoods” in the Time article by spending more
than $3 million to run daily ads in USA Today.
• Scientology vs. St. Petersburg Times: In 1998, Stephen
Koff investigated L. Ron Hubbard’s Church of
Scientology for Florida’s St. Petersburg Times. While
he was working on his story in Los Angeles, Koff
received calls from people who said they worked
for credit-card companies, and they asked for his
personal information. His wife also received obscene
late-night calls from strangers. A week after his series
appeared, he noticed a man in a parked car watching
his home. Koff learned through police that the car
had been rented by a private investigator. When
the St. Petersburg Times planned to run a review of
a biography critical of Hubbard, the publication
received a letter from a Church attorney threatening
a lawsuit. The newspaper published both the review
and the threatening letter.
