Scientology 'Full of Lies and Robbery'

By John Brown

Your correspondent Mike Morgan (April 29, 2008), a rank-and-file Scientologist, claims that his religion is being unfairly attacked on the Internet by 'lies, half-truths and hearsay' . Perhaps the problem after all lies with his religion? As he knows, the cult and its individual members have exactly the same rights and remedies as its critics, somewhat more so in fact. It is not the fault of Anonymous if pro-Scientology videos are so much less persuasive than those posted by Anonymous (to put it as politely as possible). Nor can Anonymous be accused to lying.

Anyone who is interested will soon see that every alleged abuse, every public or personal disaster is documented many times over. But Scientologists are evidently worried and upset by the scale of current criticism, with which they are ill-equipped to cope. OSA can no longer hope to Fair Game all its critics - there are simply too many - and must evolve some more civilized approach, if it can.

There is another aspect to the question of persecution which Mr. Morgan does not address. As everyone knows, the current targeting of Scientology was sparked off by what Anonymous saw as undue interference with freedom of speech and freedom of information on YouTube in January of this year. Individuals have often stressed that Anonymous fights for everyone's right to free speech, whether it agrees with what they say or not but there is no reason why we should defend Scientology's right to lie to us.

It is impossible to overstate the scale of this deliberate deception. Lying is an ingrained feature of every communication between Scientology and the Wog World. The lies told by Scientology spokesmen in Florida, California, Denmark, the Mid-West, Germany, the Netherlands, France, England, and Australia are on record. They lie about their treatment of sick people and bereaved families, about the dangers of blue asbestos, about the dangers of psychiatry, about their own abilities, their numbers, their importance and their achievements.

The technique has worked with judges, police, tax officials, the press, and with the faithful. Leaders of Scientology know that lying is essential to Keep Scientology Working. They cannot reveal any part of the truth, because it would show them to be either credulous dupes or implicated in criminal activity. And once you have begun to lie, it is difficult to end it.

In the real world, most people tell the truth most of the time. We are taught that lying is immoral or, at least, risky and there is good reason for this, for our way of life depends on mutual trust, being able to believe what someone tells us, whether we are buying groceries or trading shares. Written contracts only record and safeguard oral agreements. When we defend freedom of speech it is implied or assumed that the speech is truthful. We are not required to protect speech that deludes, deceives, drives to insanity or suicide incites violence or denies human rights.

Those who use speech for such purposes, or who simply deny the truth, place themselves outside the protection of the law. Scientology may be glad that its dollars still talk louder than its lies but with every lie it tells it chips away at its right to be heard.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com

Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: Opinions

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