spider web of scientology

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Spider Web of Scientology Italian Press – English Translations at the End

http://espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio/ragnatela-scientology/2110364




Translated by Anonymous from weekly Italian news magazine L'ESPRESSO, September 23, 2009:

Spider Web of Scientology

Ragnatela Scientology

by Tommaso Cerno, Stefano Pitrelli, and Gianni del Vecchio

Ragnatela Scientology | L'espresso

Front associations. Pressure on local government bodies and on Parliament. Sponsors who donate

large sums. This is how the controversial sect is promoting its interests and expanding in Italy. And it

is targeting institutions.

Scientology Phase 2 has begun. After having collected the followers of L. Ron Hubbard into the richestand most controversial sect on the planet, it is now targeting institutions. It's called "dissemination". It's purpose is recruitment. And to make money, more money. Not through the "orgs", the churches which

have been the focus of complaints and accusations. Neither through rising levels of mind-clearing"auditing", which can be bought for thousands of euros. No, the plan was written black on white by thefounder on February 3, 1969: through front groups. Associations, non-profit organizations, movementsfor human rights, acronyms that can reach places which Scientology alone cannot reach. It happened inthe United States, France, Germany, Belgium. And now it is happening in Italy. The organization has branched out: from its headquarters in Vimodrone in the province of Milan, which control 11 churcheswith sales figures between 10 and 50 million euros per year, and its influence extends all the way toParliament.

Front groups

On the surface, there are committees such as CCHR [CCDU in Italian], which was founded byProfessor Thomas Szasz in the United States, volunteer groups such as PROCIVICOS [Volunteer Ministers for Civil Protection], cultural associations such as Applied Scholastics, Narconon andCriminon, associated companies such as WISE, health projects such as "Say no to drugs" or Perché non accada anche in Italia [loose translation: "Because it shouldn't happen, even in Italy" (a campaignagainst drugs for ADHD)]. All are non-profit organizations with reassuring names, like the thousandsof others in Italy. However, they all have one thing in common: they are offshoots of Scientology. Allthe front groups profess that they are "autonomous, secular, and independent", but in reality, they arethe new gateway to the sect. Guided by high-level believers, some even appear in the church'sorganization chart. For example, the CCHR, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, declares itself

to be independent (in brochures, this is presented as the obligatory response to give to whomever asksabout possible connections), but it is part of the so-called Department 20, the Office of Special Affairs.The president of CCHR, Roberto Cestari, is a Scientologist who was awarded the Freedom Medal,which is perhaps the highest possible honor of the IAS, the international organization that deals withfundraising. Prestigious enough for him to pose for magazine photographs as a "hero" alongside TomCruise, John Travolta, and worldwide leader David Miscavige.

Political strategy





In recent years, the CCHR is the organization which has, more than most, used politicians to spread itsideas. First on the list is the fight against psychiatry, in particular the use of psychiatric drugs onchildren. Under the umbrella of the Perché non accada campaign, the non-profit organization haswoven a network with parliamentarians and regional advisers to propose a flood of laws in legislative bodies across Italy. A network which, from a political point of view, takes on a very precise meaning:

it comes almost entirely from a single party, the National Alliance, with a few isolated exceptions. Its beachhead in Parliament is deputy Marcello De Angelis and Senator Cristiano De Eccher. De Angelis presented a bill to the House that seeks to ban psychological tests in schools for diagnosis of theADHD syndrome that afflicts children with learning disabilities. This is a repeat of 2007; in the days of the Prodi government, he presented a similar but bipartisan bill, along with Loredana De Petris of theGreen Party. De Eccher did the same in the Senate, where his bill is still awaiting consideration.Things went more smoothly for De Eccher in Trento, where the same law was passed after having beenapproved in Piedmont, thanks to Councillor Gianluca Vignale, himself formerly of the NationalAlliance. The going is more difficult in other regions, despite the efforts of Gianfranco Fini'slieutenants: councillors Marcella Amadio in Tuscany, Enrico Aimi in Emilia Romagna, and MauroMinniti in Bolzano.

Tricking deputies

Deputies and councillors are approached using Hubbard's rules. No one tells them that Scientology is behind the CCHR. They are not pressured to join the sect, and the stories they tell read like a script. "Icollaborated on law 21 in 2007," says Turin Councillor Vignale. "What I find strange is to think thatthere is an intent to gain followers. I did not experience this." Likewise for De Eccher: "I'm Catholic,so I haven't been paying attention to Scientology," he retorts. "I met with some experts from the CCHR to discuss a law on psychological testing in schools. What does this have to do with that?" So tooaccording to Marcella Amadio, the former political adviser to Gianni Alemanno: "I spoke with the

CCHR, but I was not aware that Scientology is behind it." Same answer in every case. But it turns outthat, in official Scientology publications, these politicians and the laws they propose are touted asvictories on the part of the sect against "psychiatric abuse". They quote De Angelis and De Petris, theyshow the link between CCHR and Scientology, they confirm that a million copies of booklets have been produced and shipped to schools, municipalities, provinces, and regions, in addition to all parliamentarians. Scientology is also behind the "protest marches" against psychiatry that took place inSeptember 2006 in Cagliari, Turin, and Verona, as well as the traveling exhibition about harm by psychiatry that went all the way to Trieste. A similar case occurred in the Province of Pordenone,whose President, Alessandro Ciriani, appeared on the Scientology website and then denied anyrelations with Hubbard's sect. One who certainly never had such relations is the Minister of Education,Mariastella Gelmini, although the CCHR website appreciatively features the ministry's circular recommending that tests be avoided, as requested by Scientology. There were contacts in Piedmontwith the President of the Equal Opportunity Commission of the City of Turin, Lucia Centillo(Democratic Party), who worked alongside the CCHR in the European Marathon for Human Rights. "Inever had any bad experience. They were even giving Italian lessons to foreigners." Another caseconcerns the mayor of Padua, Flavio Zanonato, who was quoted in the official magazine Scientology

News, issue 34 (no date ever appears), as being "on board", which, in Scientology jargon, means beinga follower. Meanwhile, back in Padua, Flavio Zanonato knows nothing about this: "The mayor wasapproached by a proponent of Scientology who gave him a book. He does not know this person,"snapped spokesman Antonio Martini.



Drugs and Narconon

Another battlehorse is the fight against drugs. This is what gave birth to the Narconon (not narcolepsy[sic]) therapeutic communities, which promise to help addicts free themselves through a "rundown"

involving saunas, supplements, and vitamins. There are six centers in Italy and each one dreams of obtaining accreditation by the Region for service agreements with the local health agency. It must haveseemed too good to be true when the anti-drug authority led by Carlo Giovanardi summoned Narcononto a meeting, along with the Abele and San Patrignano groups. But then it had to step back as soon asthe connection to Scientology was denounced, and emphasize that the invitation was purely formal andwas due to the fact that one of the Narconon centers is registered as an aid organization in Puglia. Thisregistration occurred in 2005, during the interregnum between Raffaele Fitto and Nichi Vendola asRegional Governor of Puglia. But this status has not yet led to any service agreement, as confirmed bythe local health agency in Lecce Province, where the recognized Narconon center, Il Gabbiano ["TheSeagull"], operates.

Between tsunamis and earthquakes

In Scientology magazines, they are portrayed as coming in aid to the survivors of Hurricane Katrinaand the tsunami, making converts. But we find them too with the same yellow T-shirt in Abruzzo, between the tents that arose after the earthquake, along with the Civil Protection Department headed byGuido Bertolaso. They are the men with the yellow and blue cross of PROCIVICOS, volunteers led byGiuseppe Cicogna, a member of Scientology. On April 6, 2009, they began working in the tent city atSan Giacomo in L'Aquila, alternating 3 or 4 volunteers ("now only one," according to CivilProtection). In addition to maintenance of the canteen service for 400 displaced persons,PROCIVICOS offers after-school services in the tents, along with the teachers, using "the educational

method of philosopher Ron Hubbard," as they state in their press release. One ministry thatScientology has taken by storm is Education. In 2005, when Letizia Moratti was Minister of Education,Applied Scholastics succeeded in obtaining accreditation as an organization formed by teachers. Theaccreditation lasted until 2008, when Education Minister Giuseppe Fioroni ordered an inspection thatled to its revocation. This gesture did not go down well with the "trainers". They complained to theRegional Administrative Tribunal, which sided with the Education Ministry, and are now waiting tohear from the State Council. In the meantime, however, Applied Scholastics was able to establishitself: vaunting the Education Ministry's seal of approval, it provided courses to teachers in publicschools across Italy, from Milan to Catania. This episode was not the only one during Moratti's tenure.That year [2005], at the Stramilano half marathon, jogging aficionados found a booklet from the sect intheir backpacks. Who put it there is not known.

Targeting businesses

Scientology is also targeting businesses. WISE (World Institute of Scientology Enterprises) isspreading and is imposing increasingly strict rules. So strict that the biggest company which was partof WISE, Paul Ruggeri's Bologna-based Mind Consulting , with about a hundred dependents, was facedwith a ban on using various writings by Hubbard for its consulting work. "The purpose of thecollaboration had changed: I had to make converts. So I said 'enough'," explains the entrepreneur. He



was suddenly declared a "suppressive person", which, according to the Dianetics dictionary, is "a person who actively seeks to suppress or damage Scientology". The sect issued a letter dated January24, 2006, declaring "disconnection". Result: fifteen employees, followers of the sect, were laid off.Disconnection is a mechanism that Scientology practices even between parents and children, in case of opposition to the church. It occurs to such an extent that the number of cases reported on SimonettaPo's Allarme Scientology website, the most visited on this subject, is multiplying. The latest leaked

WISE report lists 245 companies.

Foreign funds

If the sect is the heart and the front groups are the ramifications, the glue that holds the system together is the IAS. Its task is to collect money. Millions of euros per year. In exchange for a cup or a medal. Tofly to their headquarters in Florida, or to the English manor at Saint Hill, dozens of Italians sign bigchecks. "It is a contribution and that is the kind of experience this is," retorts Luigi Brambani of Scientology's Public Affairs Office. However, there is a price list: the range begins with a "donation"of 5,000 dollars for a "Sponsor" and rises to 10 million for a "Patron Laureate". But where does this

money end up? And what about the sums that the orgs transfer at the end of the accounting periodevery Thursday at 2 P.M.? L'espresso has been able to reconstruct some of what happens byguaranteeing the anonymity of a follower who questions Scientology but has not left it. "Two accountsare managed by an FBO (Financial Bank Officer), as defined by Hubbard," revealed the "staff"member. While millions pour out, he complains that he is being underpaid, "50 to 60 euros per week towork from 9 in the morning to 11 at night". The accounts follow strict guidelines: the first account,"abbreviated GBS (Gross Book Sales), contains the funds collected from the sale of books, DVDs andvarious materials." The money from auditing goes into a second account, abbreviated GI (GrossIncome). A percentage is transferred to the U.S., 15-30 percent is used to pay the staff, when there isenough money for the rest. The remainder is divided among organization expenses, an emergencydisaster fund, bills, rent, and mortgages. Then there's the big one: the money for the IAS. It ends up in

a foreign account used by Flag, the mother church in Florida. "In Italy, every week, the total amount is between 200 and 400 thousand euros, excluding donations."

The 007s

Watching over the sect is the role of Department 20, which is responsible for external and internalsecurity. There is a group for investigations and another for relations with governments. Then there isthe section that encompasses the CCHR, the Human Rights and Social Reform Activities Unit. It prepares training kits for new front groups and it recruits and trains volunteers. Many Scientologydefectors complain about the fact that Scientology keeps track of the "confessions" made during

auditing sessions by believers connected to an E-meter, a machine sold for 4,000 to 5,000 euros andwhich, according to the church "locates areas of spiritual distress". Consequently, the records of a person's past actions sometimes include admissions of crime, sexual preferences, or deplorable behavior, and this information is preserved by the sect. How then is this used? According to thecomplaint by Giacomo Sotgia, a former follower from Gorizia, who requested and obtained thedestruction of archives relating to him, "they use the data as a weapon to keep you from leaving. Thistask is always assigned to the staff of Department 20". Not so, according to Brambani, who defends therecord-keeping: "When a person joins, he reads a legal document and approves it. It says that if hedecides to receive pastoral counseling, the minister will keep track of his entire progression." The sect

http://xenu.com-it.net/

http://xenu.com-it.net/



accuses the critics of being nothing but detractors. Not detractors, but survivors, contend those whohave left. They are often people who were attracted by the "independent" front groups. And then became trapped in a spider web at whose center one thing stands alone: Scientology.

END OF ARTICLE

SIDEBAR - Alfredo Biondi: "They operate within the law and I defend them."

Alfredo Biondi: "Operano nella legalità e io li difendo" | L'espresso

As a lawyer, he defended Scientology during the Milan trial. And he came out on stage during theinauguration of the Milan org, one of the largest in the world, sparking controversy. He continues toaffirm that he is a "friend" of the movement led by David Miscavige. This from a lawyer who, thoughan agnostic, has always been at the forefront in the defense of freedom of religion and worship. Former Minister of Justice, Alfredo Biondi, a Liberal associated with Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom party, is one of the few, perhaps the only Italian politician, who has publicly supported Scientology.

But without becoming an adherent. "If individuals are responsible for certain actions, then they should be prosecuted. The right to profess a religion or accusing an entire association is another matter. Onthis point, my thinking will never change," he says. "The Constitution guarantees to all who believe ina form of transcendence the right to free expression of thought."

The former Justice Minister also considers as "debatable but sacro-sanct" the demand for money for the religious services offered by Scientology to its followers. "Hubbard? Do people spend a lot of money or a little? If a person believes that obtaining an indulgence requires reserving a mass or goingon a pilgrimage, instead of spending money to pay for some other kind of service, then that's his problem. I can have a personal opinion, but even if I don't agree or if my judgment is negative, itremains a right of the individual. Although, as a lawyer, Biondi has had direct contacts with

Scientology, as have other colleagues, ministers, and parliamentarians, Scientology has never receivedexpressions of support from the political world: "There is a degree of caution in these circles aboutsaying certain things," he adds. "Everyone keeps their distance."

SIDEBAR - The High Cost of Being Faithful

Fedeli a caro prezzo | L'espresso

It is perhaps the most expensive toll bridge on the planet. Perhaps even in the galaxy. Yes, becauseScientology has a price list for everything that is needed to cross the so-called "Bridge to Total

Freedom", the path followed by the faithful as they go through the levels of "auditing" required toachieve the liberation promised by the founder, science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. According tothe latest leaked price list, part one of a first-level Solo Auditor course sells for 4,650 euros (3,720 witha discount). Then there's the second part: another 1,964 euros. As soon as the spiritual journey begins,the "taxi meter" is running. There is an abundance of levels, so many, in fact, that no human has yetcompleted the journey.

From Grade 0, followers go through four stages of consciousness before arriving at NED. Moremoney. Then it's time for Expanded Dianetics. Money. Finally, the state of Clear. Money. Then a brief

http://espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio/2110384/&print=true






pause. To get to this stage, one must pay about 50,000 euros. But it's not over. Clears next proceed tothe state of OT, "Operating Thetan". They become increasingly conscious of their spiritual condition as prisoners in the body of a human being, the result of a deportation which the Emperor Xenu imposedon the planets over which he ruled in the galaxy, 75 million years ago. To finish OT5, one must spendat least another 52,000 euros, but this leaves out the three other levels needed to reach OT8, theendpoint (for now) of a bridge which, according to Scientology, may one day extend to OT15, a level

not yet attained.

On top of all this, there is a long list of materials, books, and DVDs that Scientologists can buy. The"Congress" packages by Ron Hubbard, for example: 2,444 euros for a package of DVDs, 282 euros for a single DVD called the "Clearing Congress". Another 249 euros for the "Universe ProcessesCongress". And so on. A full set of "SHSBC lectures"? In 2006, it cost 11,750 euros (10,575 with theusual IAS discount). The full "Saint Hill Special Briefing Course", 28,000 euros. Another 14,000 for "Grade V Power Auditing and Power Plus", 5,687 for 12 hours of "OT preparation and eligibility", andso forth. From course to course toward purification. Paid in cash.

SIDEBAR - Troubles with the Star System and with the Judicial System

Fra star e processi | L'espresso

They say they number 10 million worldwide. For certain, the most thriving Scientology community isin the United States, where Scientology has its headquarters and where it can also count on a cadre of celebrities, so much so that the organization has a special Celebrity Center. Alongside Tom Cruise andJohn Travolta, there is a line-up of VIPs who are more or less famous, for example the daughter of Elvis, Lisa Marie Presley, actresses Anne Archer (nominated for an Oscar for playing the wife whosehusband had an affair in Fatal Attraction), Juliette Lewis (nominated for an Oscar for Scorsese's Cape Fear ), Kirstie Alley (known from situation comedies in the 1990s), Jenna Elfman (of the show

[I]Dharma & Greg[I]), Catherine Bell ( Jag ), young star Giovanni Ribisi, musicians such as jazz pianistChick Corea, and the recently-deceased black-soul singer Isaac Hayes.

Sometimes, however, touting testimonials can be a risky strategy. The English newspaper Daily Mail

says that Travolta, after 34 years inside, is thinking of leaving the church following the death of hissixteen-year-old son Jett (who was autistic but, in accordance with Hubbard's dictates, was not treatedwith medication). The damage to Scientology's image would be incalculable. After these signalsappeared, the actor prepared to publicly reaffirm his faith, even though, according to the Britishnewspaper, he is being forced to do so to prevent the revelation of the secret concerning his rumoredhomosexuality. But the problems for Scientology do not end with this. In Europe, its troubles are judicial. Last June, a trial began in France where, for the first time, accusations of fraud were broughtagainst not only individual officials, but the entire organization.

SIDEBAR - The Language of the Sect

Le parole della setta | L'espresso

Acronyms, abbreviations, English expressions, hyperbole, verbs used metaphorically. In addition to its beliefs, Scientology also has a language, as well as official dictionaries to help understand it.







Auditing A "confessional" process to which the faithful submit themselves and in which they answer the questions of a minister (auditor) while they are connected to an E-meter, a device said to measure a person's reactions.

Clear A "highly desirable state" in which a person, thanks to auditing, is free from all interference by

troublesome memories hidden in the subconscious.

Flag Flag Service Organization in Clearwater is the worldwide spiritual headquarters of Scientologists.At one time, the upper church organizations were located on board a flotilla of boats and the Apollo,Hubbard's home, was called the "flagship", abbreviated as "Flag".

Bridge The path leading to the state of Clear. The bridge consists of paid services that lead a personthrough the sect's various levels to the "Clear" stage of purification and then to the state of OT(Operating Thetan).

Sea Org Short for "Sea Organization", the sect's religious order. Unlike ordinary followers ("public"),

members of the Sea Org dedicate their lives to the service of Scientology. Paid less than $100 per week plus food, lodging, and medical care, they sign a one-billion-year contract to symbolize thecommitment to serve in this life and in future lives.

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