Author | Robert Kaufman |
---|---|
Language | English |
Subject | Church of Scientology |
Genre | Non-fiction |
Publisher | Olympia Press |
Publication date | June 1972 |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Pages | 279 |
ISBN | 978-0-7004-0110-9 |
OCLC | 533305 |
Followed by | Inside Scientology/Dianetics (revised ed. 1995) |
Inside Scientology: How I Joined Scientology and Became Superhuman is a 1972 book by Robert Kaufman, in which the author takes a critical look at the Church of Scientology. It was first published in 1972 by Olympia Press. The book was the first to disclose secret Scientology materials. It was also published in 1972 in German, and was the first extensive critical report on Scientology in German. [1]
The book has subsequently been revised in a 1995 edition, titled: Inside Scientology/Dianetics. After revising the text of the work, Kaufman gave a copy of the work to a friend to edit and release for distribution on the internet, in 1995. Kaufman died on July 29, 1996. [2]
A full-text online version of the 1995 revised edition by Kaufman is freely available on the internet. [3]
Other prominent critical writers on related topics gave the book high marks, including Jon Atack, author of the book A Piece of Blue Sky . [4]
Critical writings about the Church of Scientology by William S. Burroughs, as well as his review of Inside Scientology, led to a battle of letters between Burroughs and Scientology supporters that played out in the pages of Rolling Stone . [5]
The third text of Burroughs' book, Ali's Smile/Naked Scientology , is a reprint of a review by Burroughs of Inside Scientology, from the November 9, 1972, issue of Rolling Stone . This is followed by a letter from a Church of Scientology representative in reaction to the review of Kaufman's book, and then Burroughs' reply to that. [6]
In the foreword to the 1995 edition of his work, Kaufman described several incidents of litigation and harassment by the Church of Scientology. A man named James Meisler, who described himself as a "Reverend in the Church of Scientology", demanded to see a copy of Kaufman's as yet unpublished manuscript. When Kaufman refused, Meisler stated: "It's your neck..We've got you covered on all fronts." [7]
A man calling himself "Larry Tepper" befriended Kaufman, claiming to be a compatriot debating whether to leave Scientology. He wanted to know if Kaufman had any writings about the organization, and Kaufman gave him the first 100 pages of his work. A few days later, a photocopy of the section Kaufman had given Tepper arrived at Olympia Press, from Scientology's Los Angeles headquarters, with marked proposed corrections. [7]
Shortly after this incident, Kaufman's publisher called him to tell him that proofs of the sections that he had not given to Tepper were stolen from the publisher's printer in Connecticut. According to Kaufman's publisher, a man came "to the plant late at night, told the watchman that he was an Olympia editor from New York, and got away with the juicy part of the book." [7]
The Church of Scientology attempted to enjoin the publication of Kaufman's work, and filed suits in New York City, Boston and London - however all of these attempts were dismissed prior to the 1972 publication. [7]
In her eulogy of Kaufman on alt.religion.scientology, Paulette Cooper described how Scientologists once found out in advance about a piano recital Kaufman was going to be giving — and called the ticket taker telling him that Kaufman was ill and that the concert was cancelled. Kaufman ended up playing to an almost empty audience. [8] Kaufman also described this incident in the 1995 edition of his book. He wrote that Scientology documents obtained by the FBI through their investigation of Operation Freakout and Operation Snow White included an empty folder labelled "Carnegie Hall Incident." [7]
After the book was published, the head of Olympia Press, Maurice Girodias, was sued by the Church of Scientology, and Kaufman was named as co-defendant. He later counter-sued for damages incurred in Great Britain. Olympia Press endured strange incidents during this time as well. Letters written on Olympia Press stationery were stolen from their London offices, and shortly thereafter Olympia dealers and distributors in Britain received letters stating that the publisher had gone bankrupt — and to send published books back to the warehouses. Britain's Scotland Yard and Home Office received hundreds of letters which complained about Olympia Press' "pornography". Though Olympia Press won back their books in court, the expenses were too great and the company in the end did lose the books. [7]
Also in the foreword to his 1995 edition, Kaufman describes how an agent named "Jerry" from the Scientology Guardian's Office befriended him after he had written Inside Scientology. Kaufman later found a journal in the agent's room, which contained the phrase "Twigs still doesn't know I'm a Scientologist." Later, Kaufman found out that files discovered through the FBI investigation of Operation Freakout and Operation Snow White contained further information on the "Twigs" Guardian's Office investigation of Kaufman — which contained lists of Kaufman's friends going back twenty years. [7]
The Church of Scientology of Canada attempted to ban the book in libraries in Canada. In June 1974, libraries were advised that if they did not remove four books from their shelves— Scientology: The Now Religion , Inside Scientology, The Scandal of Scientology and The Mind Benders —they would be named in a lawsuit. [9] Two different library boards in Ontario, Canada, had been served with writs. [9]
After obtaining out-of-court settlements of $7,500 and $500 USD and apologies from the publishers of two of the works (Dell Publishing and Tower Publications), Scientology further threatened to sue any library or bookstore that carried them. [10] After certain libraries in Canada refused to remove the books from their shelves, they were sued by Scientology. [10] One Canadian library reported the theft of a book critical of Scientology from its shelves. [10]
These incidents were later reported in a chronological timeline of censorship in British Columbia. [11]
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was an American author and the founder of Scientology. A prolific writer of pulp science fiction and fantasy novels in his early career, in 1950 he authored Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health and established organizations to promote and practice Dianetics techniques. Hubbard created Scientology in 1952 after losing the intellectual rights to his literature on Dianetics in bankruptcy. He would lead the Church of Scientology, variously described as a cult, a new religious movement, or a business, until his death in 1986.
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Mary Sue Hubbard was the third wife of L. Ron Hubbard, from 1952 until his death in 1986. She was a leading figure in Scientology for much of her life. The Hubbards had four children: Diana, Quentin (1954–1976), Suzette, and Arthur.
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Auditing, also known as processing, is the core practice of Scientology. Scientologists believe that the role of auditing is to improve a person's abilities and to reduce or eliminate their neuroses. The Scientologist is asked questions about past events while holding two metal cylinders attached to an electrical resistance meter (galvanometer) with a dial. The term "auditing" was coined by L. Ron Hubbard in his 1950 book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, which describes the process. Auditing uses techniques from hypnosis that are intended to create dependency and obedience in the subject.
Olympia Press was a Paris-based publisher, launched in 1953 by Maurice Girodias as a rebranded version of the Obelisk Press he inherited from his father Jack Kahane. It published a mix of erotic fiction and avant-garde literary fiction, and is best known for issuing the first printed edition of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita.
The term fair game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church of Scientology towards people and groups it perceives as its enemies. Founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, established the policy in the 1950s, in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization. Individuals or groups who are "fair game" are judged to be a threat to the Church and, according to the policy, can be punished and harassed using any and all means possible. In 1968, Hubbard officially canceled use of the term "fair game" because of negative public relations it caused, although the Church's aggressive response to criticism continued.
Scientology and its perspectives on sexual orientation are based on the writings of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology. His statements about homosexuality have led critics to assert that Scientology promotes homophobia, though these allegations are disputed by some Scientologists.
The Mind Benders was written by Cyril Vosper, a Scientologist of 14 years who had become disillusioned, Published in 1971 and reprinted in 1973, it was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published. It describes the lower levels of Scientology and its philosophy in detail and also includes the story of Vosper's expulsion from the Church.
A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed is a 1990 book about L. Ron Hubbard and the development of Dianetics and Scientology, authored by British former Scientologist Jon Atack. It was republished in 2013 with the title Let's sell these people A Piece of Blue Sky: Hubbard, Dianetics and Scientology. The title originates from a quote of Hubbard from 1950; an associate of Hubbard's noted him saying that he wanted to sell potential members "a piece of blue sky".
Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology is a collection of essays and a short story by American Beat writer William S. Burroughs (1914–1997). First published in 1971 as the short story "Ali's Smile", the book eventually contained a group of previously published newspaper articles as well, all of which address Scientology. Burroughs had been interested in Scientology throughout the 1960s, believing that its methods might help combat a controlling society. He joined the Church of Scientology later in the decade. However, he became disenchanted with the authoritarian nature of the organization. In 1970 Burroughs had published a "considered statement" on Scientology's methods because he felt they were significant enough to warrant commentary. These pieces were later gathered together into Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology, which religious studies scholar Hugh B. Urban describes as a "nonscholarly popular exposé of Scientology". Burroughs's texts argue that while some of Scientology's therapies are worthwhile, the dogmatic nature of the group and its secrecy are harmful.
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This bibliography of Scientology includes Scientology and Dianetics-related books, periodicals and other issues authored by L. Ron Hubbard and those produced by the Church of Scientology and its related organizations. Books bearing L. Ron Hubbard's name are considered texts of Scientology's canon.
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The Scandal of Scientology is a critical exposé book about the Church of Scientology, written by Paulette Cooper and published by Tower Publications, in 1971.
Scientology: The Now Religion is a book on Scientology, written by George Malko. The book was the first full-length analysis of the history surrounding the founding of the Church of Scientology, and L. Ron Hubbard. The author conducted interviews with members, and provides analysis about certain practices. The book was published in 1970 in Hardcover format by Delacorte Press, and then in a paperback edition in 1971, by Dell Publishing. The Church of Scientology fought to prevent the sale of the book.
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Robert Kaufman died of cancer on 29 July 1996. During the final years of his life, Robert Kaufman revised the manuscript of his book, Inside Scientology (published in 1972), but could not sell it to a publisher. (The extent of revision may be roughly gauged by comparing the Tables of Contents.) In late 1995, with his health failing, he gave a copy of the WordPerfect files .. for distribution on the Internet.