[Original 3-part post slighly re-ordered for clarity] Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology Subject: PUBLIC STATEMENT From: Kim Baker Date: 29 May 1995 15:53:02 +0100 It is now eight months since I left the Church of Scientology and I'm getting on with my new life very nicely. A rude reminder of the past arrived in the form of a "Suppressive person" Declare recently. It's the Real Thing, printed on goldenrod paper, and I notice, copyrighted! I don't know if it is usual practice to copyright SP Declares, but seeing as I'm the subject of this document, I am going to apply fair use laws, and most most of it now, with a commentary. I'd really like to be able to tell you all that this thing had no effect on me, but that would not be honest. It did, and there's a small story that goes with that, which I will relate at the end of the Declare posting. So, here we go: (my comments will be indented and parenthesised): ____________________________________________________________________ S E A O R G A N I S A T I O N CLO AF ETHICS ORDER 801 6 April 1995 OSA INT CLO AF AF ORGS THOSE CONCERNED LIMITED DISTRIBUTION SUPPRESSIVE PERSON DECLARE KIM BAKER Kim Baker, public from the Cape Town field, is hereby declared a Suppressive Person. [Charming. This means - an anti-social personality, which wishes to destroy everything in sight, full of evil intentions toward humanity in general.] During approximately August 1994 Kim started putting entheta communications on an international computer communications network called INTERNET. [The details of this whole saga are covered in "my story"] At the time, an ethics handling was commenced with Kim. Kim went through the Doubt condition and decided to remain with the Church. [This says so little of what actually happened. I may yet one day tell that part of my story - for now, it is merely relevant to say that there was pressure, intense pressure, to remain in the Church. One of the many things strongly suggested to me was that if I continued in the way I had (posting my disagreements to the Internet), I would end up Declared, and if I was Declared, I'd "cave" myself in, and have a car accident, or get very ill. This becomes relevant at the end of my posting.] However, a short while later Kim went back into Doubt and posted further entheta communications on the Internet. [This skips the whole part where I defended Scientology and the Church on the Internet, and pulled that slimy stunt on Dennis Erlich as part of the Doubt condition requirement of "strike an effective blow to the enemy", while awaiting a security check. It was only after this that I became sickened at how I had betrayed my own integrity, and had a really good look at what I was actually doing. Only then did I start posting critical articles again, and published "my story". By then, I was not in Doubt, I was certain in my break with the Church. (But not the Tek, I was still ADDICTED to it, for a long while - have finally broken free of that now]. During October 1994 Kim forwarded distorted information to a national newspaper to write a sensationalised and distorted article. [Yes, it didn't follow the PR line, therefore it was "distorted"! This was a real judgement call for me. I had heard David Miscavige brag at the 1994 IAS event on how they had made headway in our new government, working with Inkatha (The Inkatha Freedom Party is a major player in the new SA govt, led by Minister Buthelezi, and very opposed to the ANC - the party favours Zulu tribal ethno-centrism). I also had inside information on the contract WISE had taken out with the IFP. What got me about all this was the covertness. And so I took the story to the Weekly Mail and Guardian here in South Africa, and they published it as a headline article. Now here, we tread a very fine line. I do NOT, and NEVER will advocate the persecution of individuals for their religious beliefs, so long as those beliefs remain personal. HOWEVER, when a religous organisation OPENLY brags to its flock on how it has made headway in penetrating a government, while hiding the fact from the general public of the country concerned, I blow the whistle. I don't regret doing it, and I will do it again, if it becomes necessary. During January 1995 Kim did take action to correct the effects caused by the article in the national newspaper to correct the misconceptions she had given to the newspaper for the original article. This letter was printed in the newspaper. [This was after a visit by an OSA official. Again, a judgement call. The side effect of the original article was that everyone backed off from the investigation into abuses in black psychiatric hospitals, because they didn't want to be associated with Scientology. My purpose in writing the letter was to call for the investigation to continue, as a separate, human rights issue. The letter was approved by OSA before publication. The investigation is now continuing, but CCHR are trying to get in on the act. This bit is for OSA to read and print out and get to OSA in South Africa (which will take three weeks), so that David can phone me again, but this time, my phone number has changed, and it's unlisted, I DARE you........ To OSA: I am watching, very closely. I have my sources. I know when Lawrence Anthony went to LA for his briefing, and what his brief re the Investigation is. I also know your EXACT movements in regard to the ANC.......] However, of her own volition, Kim made a choice to remain in allegiance with the squirrels....... [Bottom line: I refused the Security Check, which had been designed to find out who I was "connected" to. There was just no way I was going to betray the people I had befriended, who had done me no harm. There was NO WAY I was going to allow the Church to dictate to me whom I could communicate with. I refused to stop communicating with the "SPs and Squirrels". I told them that I had used Free Zone materials, although regarded myself not really a Free Zoner, but that as a self-determined individual I had a right to make my own choices with regard to my religious beliefs.] By her actions, Kim has been guilty of the following Suppressive Acts:- 1. TESTIFYING OR GIVING DATA AGAINST SCIENTOLOGY FALSELY OR IN GENERALITIES OR WITHOUT PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATTERS TO WHICH ONE TESTIFIES. [These crimes are from a list of "Suppressive Acts" and so are not very specific - the crime is meant to fit into the category. Note, however, that ANY testimony critical to the Church, or Scientology, is considered suppressive - there is no attempt to determine the authenticity of the testimony, since it is considered that Scientology and the Chruch are never wrong - a fallacious assumption that would never be accepted by society as a workable legal system - and a fundamental flaw in the Scientology "justice" system.] 2. UNAUTHORISED USE OF THE MATERIALS OF DIANETICS AND SCIENTOLOGY. [This was when I applied fair use laws and quoted from Scientology documents to support my points in the public postings I made to the Internet - not illegal, but a no-no for a Scientologist] 3. DEVELOPING AND/OR USING SQUIRREL PROCESSES AND CHECKSHEETS [That's because I openly stated that I had explored and used Free Zone materials. I do NOT consider myself a Free Zoner any more. I have found that life without Tek is great - the world is mine! I still talk to, and dialogue with Free Zoners, a few of whom are really nice people, and interesting, to boot. But I really have had it with the "tek" - it took me quite a while to get to this point, but I have finally gotten it out of my system.] 4. WRITING ANTI-SCIENTOLOGY LETTERS TO THE PRESS, OR GIVING ANTI-SCIENTOLOGY DATA TO THE PRESS [I supplied the facts, the Church's OWN reputation did the rest.....] 5. CONTINUED MEMBERSHIP IN A DIVERGENT GROUP I'm not part of any "group" anymore, when I left the Church, I left behind that "pack" mentality. If anyone wants to position me, I guess you could call me a critic, with a benevolent disposition to a few of the Free Zoners. 6. CONTINUED ADHERENCE TO A PERSON OR GROUP PRONOUNCED A SUPPRESSIVE PERSON OR GROUP BY HCO [I will NOT and NEVER will stop communicating to a person just because the Church of Scientology has labelled them Suppressive. Heavens! Just how Oh Tea is a person if a bunch of people can command them like this? Just how Oh Tea is a person if they cannot be allowed to communicate with an individual, because they are so afraid that person will corrupt their minds? I was talking to someone last night, whose own MOTHER has "disconnected" from them, because they are "connected" to SPs. This is ludicrous!] Any and all certificates which Kim may have are hereby cancelled. Kim is not eligible for auditing or training in any Scientology organisation. [Well, at last they'll stop bugging me for money so that they can pay their rent! I was on staff at Cape Town Org for a few months, so I KNOW how it worked - we still need R7000 for rent - who can we sell what to? Oh, I know, let's try Ernest - he doesn't have his Class V paid for yet...think we can get Arlene to buy a PTS course? She doesn't really need it, but.... Pah.] Should Kim decide to return to the Church, her only route is by steps A to E as covered in HCO PL 23 Decemmber 1965 RB Revised 8 January 1991 [who revised this, I wonder, and what was the revision? maybe the ghost of Hubbard? No-one's meant to touch or alter what he wrote - could the Church be squirreling???] SUPPRESSIVE ACTS, SUPPRESSION OF SCIENTOLOGY AND SCIENTOLOGISTS. Her only terminal is the International Justice Chief via Continental Justice Chief. [Sorry, bro - once you have tasted freedom, there is no going back!] approved by D/IJC FOR APPROVAL Authorised by AVC International for the BOARD OF DIRECTORS of the CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY Copyright 1995 CSSA IN SOUTH AFRICA ______________________________________________________________________ All of this boils down to two basic things - 1. I wouldn't let them dictate to me who I spoke to, what I read, and what I explored - and I wouldn't welsh on the people I had "connected" to. 2. I dared to go to the press to alert the South African public to the FACT that Scientologists were teaching Business Tek to portions of our government - AND STILL ARE. Again, I emphasize : it was the COVERT manner in which this was done that bothered me. And it was the fact that Miscavige bragged about it to his flock, unashamedly using it for PR purposes. Now, I draw a very careful distinction here - if someone is in public office, they should not be victimised for holding a religious belief, no matter how bizarre that belief may seem to others, as long as it does not affect their competence in their work performance. Religious beliefs are a personal thing, and a basic human right. If someone considers Scientology to be their religion, that's OK, it's their RIGHT. BUT (before everyone gets hot under the collar), if that person, or their organisation USES THEIR PUBLIC OFFICE as a PLATFORM to promote their religion, that is over the line. THAT IS THE CRUCIAL DISTINCTION. So no, I don't regret any of the actions that led to this Declare. And I will continue to speak out if it becomes necessary again. OK, I'm almost done with bending your ears - I just have one more bit to tell. I stated in the beginning of this post that the Declare had an effect on me, much as I would rather be able to say it didn't. Here's what happened: I received my Declare in the post, looked at it, read it, laughed at one or two things, and then put it aside. Something niggled at me, deep down. I pushed the niggling thought away and told myself I'm not going to let THEM affect me. I then forgot about it, and got on with my weekend. Two days later, I was involved in a near-fatal car accident. It so happens that as I was driving, the buried niggling started to surface, and I started thinking of the Declare. I was therefore not concentrating properly, and didn't see the Merc coming down the wrong side of the road at me until the last minute. I swerved, and the side of my car took the impact. I was the only one injured - not seriously - cuts, bruises, banged up body parts, and I was out of action for two weeks. (I'm fine now, by the way). My car, however, was badly smashed up and is still being repaired. If I had braked, which was the logical thing to do under those circumstances, and the positioning, I would not be here to tell the tale. (No, the other driver was definitely not a Scientologist or OSA). This was quite a shock to me, mainly because I've never had an accident before, and am a competent driver. I just don't do this sort of thing (not concentrate while driving). NOW - remember the "suggestion"? "If you get declared, you will cave yourself in - either have a car accident or get seriously ill?" Co-incidence? Maybe. Maybe not. I tend to think that our own beliefs are very powerful in the way they affect our lives. Scientific research bears this out - the placebo effect - where a group of people take aspirin for their headache, and their headache gets better. Only, it wasn't aspirin, it was a sugar pill - but their BELIEF that it was aspirin was sufficient to cure their headache. At the time that suggestion was made to me, I strongly resisted it. It was like a modern form of "Curse". Yet, on some deep level, I believed it. This is what I have concluded snared me - that was the niggling thought I didn't want to look at. I am NOT saying the Church of Scientology has the power to CAUSE things like this - that's baloney! I am saying that your own belief in something can influence you. And the Church knows this. They are Merchants of Fear, and exploit "the perceived threat is as effective as the actual threat" in their campaign against their detractors and critics. Having realised THIS, I am now immune to them, and I can say that with certainty - no more niggling. To the Church of Scientology: MEET THE MIND UPON WHICH YOU CAN NO LONGER CREATE AN EFFECT! This is what cured me of belief in the Tek. I am still looking for the Truth - that's the only thing I'm interested in now. Whether the truth is in science or religion, or just in the way things are here and now - whatever, it is the TRUTH I am interested in now, and nothing else. And now, if you'll all excuse me, I have a happy, adventurous and productive life to get back to! Thank you for listening. Kim Baker Cape Town, South Africa 29 May 1995.