FREEDOM FROM RELIGIOUS
PERSECUTION
International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church
By Barbara Aho
In early 1998, Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) sponsored in the U.S. Congress a Freedom From Religious Persecution Act (HR 2431), ominously titled A Bill to Provide For The Office Of Religious Persecution Monitoring and to Provide for the Imposition of Sanctions against Countries Engaged in patterns of Religious Persecution and for Other Purposes. Upon its passage in the House of Representatives in May, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced the bill to the Senate as S-772. Debate concerning the legislation ensued among Christian conservatives while S-772 was stalled in committee for several months.
However in late September, Republican leadership led by Trent Lott maneuvered a compromise version of the bill through Jesse Helms' Foreign Services Committee. On October 10, 1998, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed the International Religious Freedom Act. Provisions of the Act are provided on the Library of Congress web site; type S.1868 in the box "Search by Bill Number."
The International Religious Freedom Act will create a federal commission to monitor religion which will be chaired by a presidentially-appointed Ambassador at Large on International Religious Freedom and Special Adviser to the President on Religious Persecution as established in section 101(i) of the National Security Act of 1947:
- (2) ADVISORY ROLE- The Ambassador at Large shall be the principal adviser to the President and the Secretary of State regarding matters affecting religious freedom abroad and, with advice from the Commission on International Religious Persecution, shall make recommendations regarding the policies of the United States Government toward governments that violate the freedom of religion or that fail to ensure the individual's right to religious belief and practice...
- Section 101 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 402) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
- (i) It is the sense of the Congress that there should be within the staff of the National Security Council a Special Adviser to the President on Religious Persecution, whose position should be comparable to that of a director within the Executive Office of the President.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS...
(9) RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION"The term 'religious persecution' means any violation of the internationally recognized right to freedom of religion, as defined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights...
SEC. 702. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT.
"It is the sense of Congress that in negotiating the definitions of crimes to be included in the subject matter jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, the President should pursue the inclusion in such jurisdiction of gross violations of the right to religious freedom to the extent such violations fall within the meaning in international law of crimes against humanity or genocide."It remains to be seen what "Other Purposes" will be undertaken by the proposed federal commission for religious persecution monitoring. However, there is evidence to date that "Imposition of Sanctions against Countries Engaged in Patterns of Religious Persecution" means sanctions against countries that seek to regulate religious cults which operate outside the law. Desirous of protection from such prosecution, cults like L. Ron Hubbard's Church of Scientology and Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church have retained professional "cult apologists" who actively lobby Congress toward passage of this and similar legislation.
An online book, The Secret Story of a Cult Apologist, by Dr. Miguel Martinez, exposes "a network of seemingly 'independent academics' who actively lobby for cults such as Scientology in the courts, the media and in government, especially the international organization called CESNUR (Centre for Studies on New Religions)."
Profile Of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an extremely powerful organization with surprising connections to U.S. congressmen, the Christian Right and its PAC, the Council for National Policy. CoS is also occultic and dangerous. Among several mysterious deaths attributed to this cult, a civil wrongful death lawsuit is now pending against the Church of Scientology and individuals involved in the December 1997 death of a young woman, Lisa McPherson.
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. Scientology also teaches that all personal problems and aberrations are the result of "engrams" or moments of unconsciousness caused by painful experiences and that once purged of the engrams through a program of analysis, one may become an " Operating Thetan" [O.T.] - a godlike being possessing superhuman powers.
In 1950, a science fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard, published the fundamental text on the subject, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health and, in 1955, founded the Church of Scientology in Washington, D.C. Hubbard, who died in 1986, claimed that his theory of Dianetics was original. However, there is evidence that the cult of Scientology evolved from the Masonic Order of the Temple of the East (Ordo Templi Orientis). The fascist orientation of the OTO is described in OTO & the CIA: Ordis Templis Intelligentis by Alex Constantine:
"The OTO was founded between 1895 and 1900 by a pair of powerful Freemasons, Karl Kellner and Theodor Reuss. Politically, the order was right-wing in the extreme, proposing the creation of a pan-German world based on pagan spiritual beliefs. Kellner died in 1905, and Reuss, a former spy for the Prussian Secret Service, assumed the office of high caliph. While living in London, Reuss spied on German socialist expatriates. In 1912 he made the acquaintance of Aleister Crowley, and appointed him head of the OTO's British chapter. But The Beast's [Crowley's] political loyalties have always been an open question."The fascist character of Scientology can be seen in embryonic form in the Michael Howard's profile of the OTO and its infamous leader in England, Aleister Crowley, as described in The Occult Conspiracy:
"Crowley...was head of the English branch of the OTO and he took the magical name Baphomet from the idol worshipped by the Knights Templars... When he was at Cambridge University the young Crowley had belonged to a Jacobite legitimate society and had dabbled in extreme right-wing politics." (p. 112)
"Because Crowley had extensive contacts with the European secret societies his specialist knowledge was used by the SIS [Britain's Secret Intelligence Service] for 'Black Propaganda' purposes. Crowley had confided to the writer Aldous Huxley in 1938 when they met in Berlin that Hitler was a practising occultist. He also claimed that the OTO had helped the Nazis to gain power." (p. 135)Howard and other historians of the occult societies credit OTO with introducing Tantric sex magic which supposedly opens up all Hermetic and Masonic mysteries that are veiled in symbolism. Possible Origins for Dianetics and Scientology, by Jon Atack, compares the symbolism and rituals of OTO and Scientology:
"Many of the symbols of Scientology were taken from ritual magic. Hubbard was a member of the AMORC Rosicrucians in 1940 and performed sexual 'magick' ceremonies with Jack Parsons, a follower of Aleister Crowley, in 1946. The Scientology cross is very similar to the Rosicrucian and Crowley crosses. Hubbard also used the 'daleth' triangle of the Egyptian destroyer god Set as the Dianetic symbol.
"The theta symbol used by Scientology is the central symbol of Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis, where it denotes 'thelema' or the will. It is the symbol of 'Babalon', the antichrist that Hubbard and Parsons tried to incarnate. The 'S and double triangle' motif of Scientology probably derives from the black magic use of the snake symbol (the 'wise serpent' or Satan) combined with a deconstruction into two triangles of the Star of David (rather like hanging the Christian cross upside down to signify devil worship). This symbol - the magical hexagram - was used by Hubbard and Parsons during their attempts at incarnating the anti-Christ in human form. Again, Hubbard shares the double triangle with Crowley, where the triangles stood for the 'Argentinum Astrum' or 'Silver Star', a name for Crowley's organization prior to his take-over of the Ordo Templi Orientis.
"Crowley's order - the OTO - had a common origin with the Thule group to which several members of the Nazi hierarchy belonged (including deputy party chairman Rudolph Hess). The sig rune - used by the Nazis - appears on the Scientology International Management Organization's symbol - a red square enclosing a white disc and set off by four such sig runes. The swastika of the Nazi flag has been replaced by the Scientology 'S and double triangle'. The symbol of the Religious Technology Center is surrounded by sig runes. As far as I can ascertain, the sig rune is otherwise peculiar to the Nazis."
Numerous informational web sites on Scientology are posted on the web at Operation Clambake.
One Caution: The Cult Awareness Networkhas been taken over through litigation by the Church of Scientology, which now uses CAN to entrap those who seek information and help for loved ones who are involved in cults. Beware of this deceptive snare! See Operation Clambake's web site for the Transcript of 60 Minutes program on Scientology's takeover of the Cult Awareness Network.
There are many other safe avenues of help, however. Ex-Scientologists have formed a vast network to inform the public of abuse and criminal conduct in the Church of Scientology. For their labors, many have been subject to harassment and litigation. Two high-ranking members of the Church have come forward to give testimony of corruption in high places.
Arnie Lerma is a former staff member of the Church of Scientology, who defected in 1978 and is now Co-director of FACTNet, a cult awareness organization. In 1995, Lerma and FACTNet were involved in litigation with the CoS. Lerma was harassed and eventually fined for posting on his web site public records - documents from Court cases involving Scientology - testimony from former church officials who describe Scientology as a dangerous cult that brainwashes and blackmails its members and harasses defectors and critics. Also posted were secret texts of the cult [the "Advanced Technology" or the "Operating Thetan" Documents ("OT Documents"], which were written by founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Jesse Prince left Scientology in 1992, after practicing and working for Scientology for 16 years, during which time he reached the organization's highest ranks. Prince served as second-in-command of one of Scientology's main organizations, the Religious Technology Center (RTC), and served on RTCs Board of Directors. On August 14, 1998, an affidavit by Jesse Prince was filed in the Denver Federal Court in conjunction with the FACTNet-Scientology lawsuit. This affidavit exposes a vast system of criminality pervading Scientology and rooted in Scientology's leadership.
The following portion of the affidavit by Jesse Prince has recently been posted on the FACTNet web site.
Ex-Leader of Scientology Discloses Pervasive Cult Criminality
"Jesse Prince left Scientology in 1992, after practicing Scientology and working for Scientology for 16 years, during which he reached Scientology's highest ranks. Prince served as second-in-command of one of Scientology's main organizations, the powerful Religious Technology Center (RTC), and on RTC's Board of Directors.
"Since leaving, Prince has worked to put his life in order, but has not spoken publicly about his experience in Scientology - until now.
"Prince's silence was due to his vast knowledge of criminal activities pervading Scientology, his possible culpability for having partaken in illegal acts on behalf of Scientology, and his fear of Scientology's vengeance (indeed he has received death threats after going public with only a few details of his experience).
"On August 14, 1998, an affidavit by Jesse Prince was filed in the Denver Federal Court in conjunction with the FACTNet-Scientology lawsuit. This affidavit exposes a vast system of criminality pervading Scientology, rooted in Scientology's leadership.
"Following are some excerpts from the affidavit:
'It is incumbent on this and every court, as well as the authorities, to realize the amount of deception, chicanery, lying, manipulation and outright criminality that Scientology will employ to hide the truth about their criminal activities... I know because I was part of it for years. I received orders to break the law. I issued orders to break the law. I got others to break the law, and then I helped to hide these criminal activities just as they are hiding them now... In fact, this tactic is one of the most coercive used by the Scientology hierarchy: to involve members in criminal acts for which they are then liable, which then prevents the person from speaking out.
'Members of Scientology are induced to confess to acts that, if not outright criminal, are embarrassing or possibly destructive to the person's job, marriage or profession... under the guise that it is a 'religious confessional' for the member's good. The truth is that these 'confessions' are kept to blackmail and extort the member should they dare to speak out... I know because I watched this done to others, I did it to others and it was done to me.
'I should clarify why I (and others) tolerated such treatment for so long. The ability to tolerate such abusive conditions and treatment are one of the most basic requirements for promotion in the Sea Organization and RTC... Looking back on it, I cannot believe that I actually tolerated such denigration and such abuse and actually deluded myself that it was for my good as well as the good of others.'I have also been privy to the destruction and alteration of documents to protect the group.
'One principle reason why tax exempt status had not been granted was the IRS's position that Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard (LRH) was actually the managing agent of Scientology in complete disregard of the corporate structure of Scientology. We knew this to be a fact but also knew that it violated IRS rules and thus had to be hidden... I was also given instructions that I was in charge of purging the remainder of the Scientology organization of LRH orders. This was to include Church of Scientology of California (CSC); Church of Scientology International (CSI); and RTC.
'...David Miscavige for the first time stated that Scientology had been ordered by a court to produce various documents concerning a former Scientology member named Lawrence Wollersheim who had a lawsuit pending in Los Angeles against the Church of Scientology of California. The court had ordered Scientology to produce Mr. Wollersheim's entire 'preclear' (PC) file... A 'PC' file is one of several files kept on members... Mr. Wollersheim's PC file was several thousand pages in length and stood as high as a six-foot tall man. Initially at this meeting it was decided that Mr. Wollersheim's PC file would be redacted and culled of any evidence or documentation which might assist Mr. Wollersheim in his lawsuit against CSC... Ultimately, approximately 50 pages were produced pursuant to the court order... Later, I was informed that a second court order was issued to produce Mr. Wollersheim's entire file. Faced with the prospect of having to produce the entire file David Miscavige gave orders that the entire file simply be destroyed by being pulped.
'At the same meeting in early 1983 David Miscavige specifically ordered Patricia Brice (who at the time was L. Ron Hubbard's personal secretary and an employee of ASI) to begin the process of mass copyright registration filings for all of L. Ron Hubbard's materials. This order was given despite the fact that Mr. Miscavige was already aware that many of the materials in question were already in the public domain. Thus, I know from personal knowledge that in mid 1983 Scientology began a massive program to register Mr. Hubbard's material with the United State's Copyright office.
Recommended Reading: A medical analysis of the mental and physical traumatization of cult victims is presented in the compelling Testimony of John G. Clark Jr., M.D.'In late 1991, my wife Monika became pregnant and although we were elated, she was ordered to abort the child. The reason for the abortion order is that Sea Org members were not allowed to have children. The order devastated both my wife and me.'"
What is the Freedom From Religious Persecution Act?
And how did the United States Congress arrive at the point of creating an Office of Religious Persecution Monitoring which will provide statutory authority for the President to impose sanctions against countries that discriminate against Scientology?
It all started with the Helsinki Commission, which
is
fast alienating the government of Germany, by ignoring the pleas and testimonies
of ex-Scientologists and pandering to the special interests of the Church
of Scientology.
