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Dan Kennedy's article "Paper Trail" (Don't Quote Me,
News, July 19), about Scientology's efforts to obtain, edit, and
maintain the archives of the Cult-watch-dog group CAN (the Cult
Awareness Network) was revealing. Allowing the "Cult of
Greed" (Time magazine's phrase) to supervise such
files would be like letting the fox watch the hen-house. Hopefully,
common sense will prevail, and the materials in question will
be put beyond the group's grasp.
Please allow me to clarify some important points concerning this
story. Jason Scott was a member of the United Pentecostal Church
International. This group is regarded by most evangelical and
fundamental Christians as a "cult." The Assemblies
of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination, has denounced them.
No charge of "kidnapping" was ever filed in the Scott
case. I have never "kidnapped" anyone or been charged
with such an offense. Jason Scott and his brothers were not allowed
to leave. There was a criminal trial concerning the Scott case:
the charge was "unlawful imprisonment" and I was found
"not guilty." Scientology was involved in promoting
both the criminal case, which was not filed for almost three years,
and the civil suit. The civil-suit judgment against me is now
under appeal.
It seems important to note that out of more than 300 deprogramming
cases, only a handful were involuntary. Many of those included
minors under the direct supervision of their custodial parent.
The Jason Scott case is the only time I have ever been charged
or sued regarding an intervention.
The reason many parents attempt involuntary deprogramming is that
some destructive cults train members to run whenever a family
wants to discuss their concerns, especially with the assistance
of a professional. This can be alarming when their concerns include
such things as medical neglect, physical abuse, financial exploitation,
arranged marriages, or overseas assignments. Some interventions
are life-and-death situations. A few examples from my own work:
stopping Davidians from returning to the Waco compound, blocking
a possible sterilization, ending a violent plan to bomb abortion
clinics, and convincing a cult member to resume taking anti-convulsion
medication.
Jason Scott, when he was 18, was influenced to marry a woman in
the church. There was also talk of sending him to South America
on a "mission," and one of his younger brothers was
allegedly sexually abused by a man in the church. Jason's mother
did not feel the church was a safe place for her children, and
she felt that the group's leader exercised undue influence through
coercive persuasion. Jason later left the church, but he became
the pawn of Scientology in its campaign of harassment. His marriage
produced two children, but it was punctuated by numerous separations
and domestic violence. He was arrested and convicted for domestic
violence and currently is expected to divorce.
Many realize it is not always possible to sit down and chat with
cult members, and the consequences of doing nothing can be catastrophic.
However, because of litigation, professionals like myself can
no longer afford the risk of a failed intervention, possibly resulting
in years of litigation and huge legal bills. Scientology's costs
in the Scott case alone were more than a quarter of a million
dollars.
Scientology hoped to put me out of business with the Scott case,
but families keep calling for help and reporting cult abuses both
inside and outside the United States. If Scientologists want to
end my work, they can, by simply treating their members reasonably
and encouraging similar groups to do the same.
Rick Ross, Phoenix, Arizona.