Verjanso Yang & Sarah Forster
Dear Friends,
There are innumerable times throughout history when people have felt compelled to gather, to protest, to comment on this thing called ‘Freedom’. The year 2012 is thought to be the end of the world for some people and organizations but for us 2012 has been an amazing and wonderful year. Through it’s trials we have come to question this concept of freedom and arrive at a conclusion that has left us in an awakened state of being. Life has many blessings to offer and the realization as to the cause of our suppression as a Field Group and as individual beings has left us with expanded dynamics and the feeling of being free and cause.
I am a New OTV, a GAT Class V Auditor and Purif C/S and PTS Specialist. Whilst a public of the AOSH ANZO I assisted this organization by doing A-J’s on more than 200 people, more than 50 peoples’ Objective Correction Lists as well as auditing Sea Org Members up the Bridge. I am trained to handle all kinds of PTSness except Type III and I deliver people all the way from the Purif to Clear. In fact, I am the first Taiwanese auditor to this day who can deliver from the Purif all the way to Clear. I am the first Taiwanese Senior Minister that was ever made. I was the first Taiwanese who co-audited to Clear. I was the first person to go to China and make the first Clear in China. And now I am the first highly trained Class V Taiwanese Auditor to publically depart. For the following reasons this is a letter to all our friends but also an official statement of our resignation from the Church of Scientology. This letter contains what we think about Freedom and Religion and is a discussion about our experiences which have led us to question things. It is an open discussion of our concerns and what has ultimately led us to making the decision we have to leave the Church. It is by no means an absolute on ‘how things are’ just an expression of our concerns and experiences.
How strong should we hold our freedom? We of the Church Believe: …that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly.
Last year we had our highest stats ever as a Field Group however last year we also encountered the most suppression. We wrote KRs and communicated but in the end when nothing changed and patterns already established as a culture in the church repeated themselves we were forced to ask ourselves ‘who is reading our KRs?’. The suppressive was one against which we could not defend ourselves. This is not surprising when you consider that the biggest enemy is always the one that comes from within and that we as a group are forbidden from talking together in social circles about donation cycles, regging cycles and other taboos when they actually need the pressure of a whole group to change but this is considered talking to the “incorrect terminal” or “black PR”. Finally we were forced to ask ourselves what is this thing called Freedom? If a Class V, OTV who has helped hundreds of people is not someone who can be trusted to give you his experience who else is qualified to tell you this information?
After 4 months of thorough investigation we discovered that what I am about to tell you is just the tip of the iceberg but I believe you will have reality on what I am talking about.
The Church Creed says: We of the Church Believe – That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance.
This is violated, our freedom is violated when policy was and is violated again and again. You will understand what I am talking about if you have been a Scientologist for some time. The donation cycles, the financial irregularities, – I was paid only twice in six months of service for working full time and very long hours at a Scientology mission. I have seen missions and orgs stealing pcs from one another and black PRing auditors in order to do so. I KRed it and nothing changed. Even when I finished my Class V auditor training and started my Field Group I continued to see the out-policy, out-tech things occurring. In fact when I started my field group I discovered that Field Groups are the bottom of the food chain. Arbitrary rules are imposed such as – ‘Field groups are forbidden to deliver the Purif’ even though there is no policy for it and LRH expressly says on the grade chart that we can. This is my experience and this is the beginning of what caused me to question things. I was, like most other Scientologists acting like a turtle. I would see something wrong but because some of the tech works and for the sake of my ‘eternity’ I convinced myself that “it’s normal”. I have come to realize that this attitude will lead to sacrificing my integrity and in turn any gains that I could have in life. By sacrificing our integrity ‘for our eternity’ or for the so-called ‘greater good’ we in fact lose our integrity and ourselves. We lose our freedom.
It is my personal belief and opinion that the letter written by Debbie Cook was a good explanation of what some of those off-policy things are. I suggest that you read it. Examine it. Don’t be reasonable about it and don’t just believe what the Church management says without you personally examining the situation. Come to your own decision about it. Go to http://mrssmith.pixnet.net/blog/post/27973352
The Church Creed says: “We believe that the Laws of God forbid man to destroy or reduce the survival of one’s companions”
Isn’t it wrong to push someone into debt? Doesn’t it violate LRH’s financial policy? HCO PL 28 JAN 1965 , How to maintain credit standing and solvency “Make it before you can spend it.” This link is informative – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLkZI2tm6cQ If you are an OT reading this you will have reality on what I am about to say. Instead of paying for our own and our family’s Bridge we are bombarded with requests from the IAS to donate. In fact, when you attempt to leave these events staff members will stand in front of the door and obstruct your departure. Taiwan has become an easy touch for donations. IAS Events that occur once a year in other countries happen a few times a year in Taiwan. In fact, the first time the Freewinds Captain came on land to be in an event was in Taiwan. That’s how much money Taiwan donates.
I believe no religion should ask or demand people to donate a particular and substantial sum of money to prove that they are part of that religion. The average salary in Taiwan is approx. $1300.00AU per month meaning that the average Senior Scientologist who was not independently wealthy before coming into Scientology is now heavily in debt. Many people are pushed to borrow money to go up the Bridge. Some sell their houses, get loans, max their credit cards – do whatever is necessary. Ask them who they borrowed the money from? When do they expect they can pay it back? It even goes to the extent that if you don’t know how to borrow money from friends or family the Reg will help you. This is one ability you really do get from the Church. If you don’t believe what I say ask your Clear and OT friends.
The Church Creed says: “And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid Man to destroy or enslave another’s soul.”
Enslavement occurs when a tech that was supposed to set people free is altered. One piece of evidence can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG9X0gEedDs. When the Basics were released management told us that this was necessary because SPs had altered them. And yet…at this time they were altered. The PDC tapes are altered. See the evidence at the above link. This leads me to question what is going on. That there have been alterations should not be doubted. We have all been interested in keeping the tech pure and thought that this is what RTC was doing. Many of these alterations were highlighted in Debbie Cooks letter but the rest can be found on other places on the internet.
One of these that is of big concern is that these ‘6-month checks’ or ‘refreshers’ for OTVIIs that OTs spend thousands on every 6 months are actually out tech. The reference for this is: “b. Pre-OTs in the area between the beginning of New OT VI (Solo NOTs Auditing Course) and the completion of New OT VII (Solo NOTs) may not receive any other auditing, with the exception of those services allowed in the No-Interference Area (between the start of New OT I and the completion of OT III) for pre-OTs who are stalled or moving slowly. – LRH (HCOB 23 Dec 71RB, Solo Series 10RB, C/S Series 73RB The No-Interference Area Clarified and Reinforced, Subject Volume 1 [in the Tech Vols], page 252) Now as far as the part saying “…with the exception of those services allowed in the No-Interference Area (between the start of New OT I and the completion of OT III) for pre-OTs who are stalled or moving slowly” is concerned, the same bulletin lists, earlier, what actions are allowed for pre-OTs who are stalled or moving slowly. However, the section that lists those actions begins with a major qualifying statement before listing which actions are allowable. I will quote the qualifying statement and the list of allowable actions: “Pre-OTs progressing well in the No-Interference Area should not be interfered with by Sec Checking or anything else. However, when a pre-OT is stalled or moving slowly, any of the actions listed below, as appropriate, can be ordered by a qualified C/S….
- Nonaudited PTS handlings
- Confessionals and O/Ws
- The handling of postulates, considerations, attitudes, evil purposes or evil intentions (False Purpose Rundown)
- Service Fac handling (bracket method only, no R3RA)
- Disagreement Checks.
– LRH (HCOB 23 Dec 71RB, Solo Series 10RB, C/S Series 73RB The No-Interference Area Clarified and Reinforced, Subject Volume 1 [in the Tech Vols], page 252)
So yes there are conditions under which someone on OT VII can receive a Sec Check. However, that doesn’t meant that EVERY person on Solo NOTs has to receive Sec Checking every six month REGARDLESS of whether or not they are stalled or moving slowly or they are progressing well. This is again a huge violation of the HCOB. Again this costs the Scientologist public thousands of dollars. The Church Creed says: “We of the Church believe… That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the Universe.” How is brotherhood with the Universe achieved, freedom achieved in a system focused on statistics? Due to the focus on statistics it is my experience that the staff are more interested in how fast you can finish the course rather than how much gain you have had or how much you can apply it in life.
Most Scientologists begin with their Ups and Downs in Life Course and how many are REALLY free from suppression at the end of it? How many REALLY apply the tech and are REALLY free from suppression? As a Field Auditor I often have mission public calling me and telling me their problems. I ask them if they know the PTS tech. I have been totally shocked when time after time I get the answer – what is PTS? Or that you cannot be PTS to a social personality? If they have MUs how did they pass the course? You will definitely have had the experience that when you finish one course you are immediately regged for another. It is a non-stop cycle. Sometimes it takes one reg to convince you, sometimes more than one.
I have come to my own personal conclusion that there are people and staff members who are there to help, but the Church management is all about the money. Most people say they got their wins from LRH tech but I never heard it’s from Church management. My opinion is that at the bottom of all the out-policy actions and the culture of heavy regging there is a strong focus on money and statistics. Why aren’t we given a report of where our donations go? What is wrong with transparency? This is a quality of a free society.
The Church Creed says: “That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others.”
I haven’t had the freedom to read whatever I want to read or say whatever I want to say. I was heavily punished after a Sec Check because I watched the DVD ‘The Secret’. The basis of the theory of the Secret was written over a 100 years ago. LRH wasn’t even a baby when it was written and yet I was punished because it was ‘squirrel’. I haven’t had the freedom to write what I think or to express myself. According to those indoctrinated in this Scientology management culture whatever I say or whatever I think is ‘all because of my education in the Church’. I cannot have my own opinion. The reason I have come to this conclusion is that several times when I have expressed my opinion I have been told that it is a Scientology concept and so it is ‘mixing the tech’. The people who say this of course have never actually word cleared the word ‘Tech’ in the dictionary. The concept of Karma is not tech. It is not even from Scientology. So everything I say is not me it is Scientology. In Taiwan we would say that this is just Korean – everything comes from them. To continue to be in Scientology I would need to be careful of what I said and actually it would be better if I didn’t say anything at all. Some of you will be aware that because of my blog I was able to directly and indirectly encourage 28 people onto Class V auditor training packages at the AOSH ANZO. If you have been following my blog you will notice two of my blogs are now closed because the primary articles on it were ordered to be closed by OSA. This was the result of a huge wrong target. When we were being ‘handled’ our Scientology friend was told that ‘our comm lines were closed’ however when we called that OSA staff they would not come to the phone. OSA has not done the job they were supposed to do. Their job is to protect the OT data and keep the good reputation of Scientology and make the internet a safe environment for Scientology. Instead what they have done is prevent Scientologists from talking about Scientology.
People who are by some considered ‘anti-Scientologists’ have free reign making it very difficult for the staff member to promote Scientology. We have been told not to go on the internet to read that so-called ‘entheta news’. It doesn’t matter that after OTIII we are supposed to be free from overwhelm or that we have the PTS tech. That ‘entheta news’ is to a large degree many people talking about their experience in the Church and what happened to them. The reason that this is largely unknown in Taiwan is that a lot of it is not translated into Chinese. When we agree to not read other books, to only get our information from ‘acceptable and approved’ sources, which are only the Church, we are ‘obedient’. We lose our ability to be free because we are not able to have access to all the information that is out there. We are thus unable to make an informed decision based on all the facts for ourselves. We need to be able to compare texts to be able to make an informed decision. This restriction on our ability to inform ourselves is just obedience and control. The church says ‘don’t look’ so you don’t look. There is no difference between this and the book burning that has occurred in other countries at various times throughout history. The church says ‘don’t question’ so you just don’t question.
What does LRH say about this? “I don’t expect auditors or Scientologists to instantly agree with or seize upon whatever I say. I would be offended if they did and would feel they weren’t a Free People. Since they are intelligent I expect them to think over what’s said, try it, and if it’s good for them, use it. ” PAB 79 ,10 April 1956 , The open channel
There is no LRH reference that says you shouldn’t read things from other sources. This is an arbitrary and amounts to mind control that has been introduced. The result is that we largely didn’t know what was happening all over the world. Did you know all 8 of the Class XIIs personally trained by LRH have been declared SPs? https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2012/03/02/ They were the only Class XIIs he personally trained and they are declared. We are being kept ignorant when we live in an information access age. Does that sound like an outpoint?
The Church Creed says: “And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid Man – To destroy his own kind. To destroy the sanity of another.”
This is a matter of personal integrity. There have been allegations and public statements made that there is a place called a Hole where members of the Sea Org are kept in extremely bad conditions and not aloud to leave. There are other allegations where staff have been physically assaulted and bullied. See the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Htn1PauZUYs There is no circumstance under which this would be acceptable. No circumstance. That is someone’s child, someone’s wife or husband, someone’s auditor. Freedom cannot be bought through the slavery of others. You can get more information about this from the internet. I want to impress that these are as yet only allegations but they were stated in a court of law in Texas recently. A person who says their purpose is to ‘clear the planet’ and then institutes something like this is both psychotic and disgusting.
The Church Creed says: “We of the Church believe: That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives.”
To a person who is not a Scientologist it seems so ridiculous why a person cannot leave the Church. They don’t understand that people, friends and families will be forced to disconnect. The practice of disconnection is in full use by church officials today, despite the policy being canceled by LRH more than 40 years ago. See HCO PL 15 November 1968, “Cancellation of Disconnection”. When asked about it the Church denies that it happens. But it does! There is no reason that individual people need to agree to be suppressed by putting up with rules imposed by people who are not LRH.
Some of you will be aware that before I was in Scientology I took a course with another group. It is not declared. OSA has been fully aware of this group for over ten years. The group holder’s ex-wife is even a Sea Org member indicating that obviously OSA doesn’t have a problem with that group. It has been investigated several times by auditors and staff members over the years but it STILL has not been declared. To this day it is not declared. The founder of the group was previously a Scientologist but now uses methods that are not related to Scientology. However, the former members of this group have had their OT levels obstructed because of this. Now we feel free!
LRH’s tech has helped my wife and I a lot over the years. However, we have gone as far as we can in this group and our spiritual journey has taken us to the next level. This has led to the expansion of our dynamics and discoveries of abilities that we didn’t know we had. Your bridge is available outside. Some of you might be thinking…but what about your public? What about their OT levels? There are auditors who are using the original LRH tech (LRH’s Org) outside and they can deliver all the way to OTVIII and the L’s run down. Unfortunately, as far as I know I am the only one who can deliver PCs to Clear in Taiwan but your bridge is also available overseas. It is not a small number of auditors and organizations.
I always have a stable datum in my mind which is that ‘if ethics is out the tech won’t go in” It’s comes from HCO PL 4 April 1972, ETHICS. According to this if there is an out-ethics situation and you decide to close your eyes to it you will not get the case gain that you should have. I believe you have the same reality that when you see some OTs or Clears but you really didn’t see the product that they were suppose to be – people with financial problems, physical problems and marital problems. This was my biggest question when I became more involved with the Church.
If you think you can have one eye open and one eye closed and just get what you want and escape the rest you won’t get what you came into Scientology to achieve. This attitude leads to a roller coaster. This is PTS. The worst part is that we pay a lot of money for that product. If you have doubt on anything I have said you should investigate for yourself and not just rely on the church’s official statement.
Read the information that is out in the public domain, that way you can make an informed opinion.
“What is true for you is what you have observed yourself. And when you lose that you have lost everything.” Personal Integrity from Feb 1961 Ability magazine.
Conclusion We write this to clear the confusion of why we have left the Church. According to personal integrity if I didn’t write this letter and tell you about this it would be our omission. Writing this letter to you will mean that I will automatically be labeled an SP and you will be asked by the Church to disconnect from me. You will be told to consider me an enemy. To all my Scientology friends it has been a real pleasure to know you. Some of you will remain in contact with me but some of you will not. For those of you who will disconnect I hope you get your freedom under the Church and for those of you who choose to keep their personal integrity I will see you on the other side sooner or later. This wave is starting and is getting bigger and is a huge tornado that is happening all over the world. I don’t know the future of this religion, I can only suspect. This letter is not going to tell you how this is going to end. I write to you because this is how it is beginning. This letter is something the Church doesn’t want you to see. This is a message that religion should have freedom. A religion without controls and a focus on money and where the suppression of freedom doesn’t occur is possible. Where you go from there is a choice I leave to you.
Kind Regards,
Verjanso Yang & Sarah Forster
Moving On Up a Little Higher 