Dealing with Critics of Scientology – The L. Ron Hubbard Playbook

If you read this blog, you are likely aware of Leah Remini’s upcoming A&E show. I have had the pleasure of working with Leah on this show as a consultant and participant, a cause of great distress for the church. So I thought I might weigh in with some information I feel is pertinent to events now and into the future.

As a reader here you are likely also aware of the “church” reaction to the announcement of the show and the first trailer being released – the usual name-calling, smearing and foot stomping that does not RESPOND in any fashion to the abuses being exposed. There is much more of that to come. Tony Ortega already broke down the first scientology smear.

Of course, the church refused to participate in or cooperate with the show, despite repeated requests by Leah, the production company and A&E.  They were asked to provide various people to be interviewed, or in the end, anyone they wished. But of course, that didn’t happen.  You can predict them to soon begin whining “the show is bigoted, they didn’t even include our side of the story” once they are certain the deadline has passed for their participation.

I thought it might be useful to lay out just why the church continues to respond the way they do. They do it every single time and it can be somewhat baffling — their tactics blow up in their faces every time, but they keep repeating them. The answer is simple: their responses are dictated by unalterable “scripture” that MUST be followed. The words of L. Ron Hubbard.  All good scientologists must follow them. And you can be sure the Office of Special Affairs (the “dirty tricks/Fair Game department”) knows every one of these references almost verbatim.

I want to lay out in some detail (though there is MUCH more than would just be too dense to wade through), the big picture of what scientology must do to respond to this show, including the most pertinent references. This way there is one place for anyone who is dealing with scientology to get briefed — whether an individual, the media or a government agency. And this will serve a primer on the subject for time immemorial as scientology cannot change what L. Ron Hubbard has written for them to follow.

 

Scientology “High Crimes” and the Suppressive Person

Scientology has its own nomenclature for those who speak publicly about it without being authorized by the church.

The worst transgressions one can commit in scientology are denominated as “High Crimes.” These are the acts of “Suppressive Persons” who, according to Hubbard, are trying to destroy all that is good on earth and enslave mankind.

Hubbard wrote a great deal about Suppressive Persons (SP’s) and “Crimes” and “High Crimes” in March 1965 and continued to cover the topic of SP’s in subsequent decades. In one of those 1965 references he says:

HIGH CRIMES …consist of publicly departing Scientology or committing Suppressive Acts. 

Elsewhere, that same month in 65 he is more specific, listing the following as “High Crimes/Suppressive Acts” (ie those that result in one being declared “SP”). Any of these will cause you to be named an enemy of scientology. This list of “High Crimes” includes the following (emphasis mine):

Writing anti-Scientology letters to the press or giving anti-Scientology or anti-Scientologist evidence to the press;

Public disavowal of Scientology or Scientologists in good standing with Scientology Organizations;

Public statements against Scientology or Scientologists but not to Committees of Evidence duly convened;

Testifying as a hostile witness against Scientology in public;

Testifying hostilely before state or public inquiries into Scientology to suppress it;

Reporting or threatening to report Scientology or Scientologists to civil authorities in an effort to suppress Scientology or Scientologists from practicing or receiving standard Scientology;

Demanding the return of any or all fees paid for standard training or processing actually received or received in part and still available but undelivered only because of departure of the person demanding;

Continued adherence to a person or group pronounced a Suppressive Person or Group by HCO;

Failure to handle or disavow and disconnect from a person demonstrably guilty of Suppressive Acts;

Leah, and many interviewed for this series are “guilty” of virtually all of these “Suppressive Acts” (I hit all the bases except asking for money back as I never gave any, I cannot ask for 35 years of my life back). The church has thus denominated her (and me and all of them) as enemies.

 

Fair Game

L. Ron Hubbard reserves special treatment for his enemies. This is the infamous “Fair Game” policy letter published in October 1967 which tells scientologists that when it comes to SP’s they may be deprived of property or injured by any means, they may be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.

Scientology says Fair Game was cancelled as it caused bad public relations. True enough. This is the “policy letter” that “canceled” Fair Game.

But this also says “this P/L (Policy Letter) does not cancel any policy on the treatment or handling of an SP.” And you can be sure, not one of those references has been canceled. How to treat SPs/enemies/critics is laid out in detail in church policy that must be followed to this day. That fact, that these policies ARE followed, is demonstrated and confirmed by the ACTIONS of the church. You don’t to look far — unfortunately too often the specific policies have not been well known. Hopefully this posting will help remedy that.

 

All critics of scientology have criminal pasts

One of the seminal writings of L. Ron Hubbard on how you deal with “SP’s” is entitled CRITICS OF SCIENTOLOGY.

It was originally issued as an article in Ability magazine #199 on 5 Nov. 67 (the version below). It was then issued as an HCOB on 27 Aug. 87.

Critics of Scientology is in fact the description of HOW to handle SPs/enemies who have been declared “Fair Game.”

It begins by painting the hypothetical scenarios of those who “attack” Scientology, and then proclaims: “We do more good in any ten minutes of this planet’s time than the combined efforts of all social ministries on Earth to better mankind.” Yowza. This is why you see the ridiculous claims made by Miscavige at events that the VMs are the greatest relief force on earth etc. It is simply following the pattern dictated by Hubbard. No claim was too grandiose to be force-fed to the dedicated scientologists of the world.

And with that the “benevolent us” versus the horrible critical “enemies” of scientology is laid down as law. Old Aunt Ermiltrude who criticizes scientology does so because she fears being found out for taking the money from your change purse – that evil old hag. This is scientology-think.

Those who are not scientologists are “left in complete ignorance of the motives of the dishonest.” ONLY scientologists understand what is really going on and only scientologists have any chance of personal immortality (even though according to Hubbard everyone is an immortal spiritual being?). The superiority of scientologists is a given in Hubbard’s writings.

And then he lays in the whopper. Here is the underpinning of Fair Game, the reason you can do anything to those who “oppose scientology” (because of course, they are opposed to man’s salvation):

“Now get this as a technical fact. Not a hopeful idea. Every time we have investigated the background of a critic of scientology we have found crimes for which that person or group could be imprisoned under existing law. We do not find critics of Scientology who do not have criminal pasts. Over and over we prove this.”

And understand, this includes the wife who complains about her husband attending a Scientology group. In the eyes of Hubbard (and thus all scientologists) she must have “had a baby he didn’t know about.” It could not be that she had a bad experience in or with scientology or scientologists.

Forget the “over and over we prove this” absurdity — no such proof exists. But because L. Ron Hubbard said it, you can ask any scientologist and they will tell you it is absolutely true.

He goes on:

“Criminals hate anything that helps anyone instinctively. And just as instinctively a criminal fights against anything that may disclose his past.”

Thus, the table has been laid.

Anyone who criticizes scientology is a criminal. For scientology ONLY does good. Anyone who criticizes scientology is trying to hide a criminal past and Scientology can uncover that.

And for those who have never been in scientology, it is important to know that one must ALWAYS make everything L. Ron Hubbard says be true. Thus, if some poor staff member was tasked with dealing with a mother upset about her daughter’s involvement in scientology, they would be EXPECTED to find her crimes. After searching and finding nothing — just a normal mother who cares about her child — they could NOT leave it at that. LRH says they ALL have crimes. So, the investigation would intensify. Perhaps now sending out PI’s to interview other family members or co-workers. Implying the person had crimes to try and get someone to agree. Twisting and embellishing things into “crimes” that were nothing of the sort. They CANNOT give up. They CANNOT come up empty handed. They MUST find “crimes” somehow. And if they cannot find them, they are admonished to manufacture them (as stated in another reference covered below) or just allege them (keep reading this one).

And Hubbard goes on to become even more threatening and ominous:  “…those who try to make life hard for us are AT ONCE at risk.”

 

“Never discuss scientology with the critic. Just discuss his or her crimes…”

And so, in the end, there is this: “Never discuss scientology with the critic. Just discuss his or her crimes, known and unknown. And act completely confident that those crimes exist. Because they do.”

This is exactly why you never see scientology respond to criticisms. They are forbidden from doing so. ALL they can do is discuss the crimes of the critic, known and UNKNOWN. Yes, it does say UNKNOWN. And just discuss them anyway, “completely confident that those crimes exist, because they do.”

Now, with that established as the basic pattern for “handling critics” let’s look at just a few of the other Hubbard writings on the subject of dealing with those who “oppose” scientology or create bad public relations.

 

Hit by a Mack truck

This is from PROFESSIONAL AUDITOR’S BULLETIN No. 53, 27 May 1955.

 

Even in the best light, this is an allegorical but unmistakable entreaty to forcefully bring about the demise of those who dare operate with a “media-type of attitude toward Scientology.”  The phrase “hit by a Mack truck” is fairly common usage meaning to be dumbfounded. What is not is Hubbard’s addition “and I don’t mean thought-wise.” It portends a lot of dark statements to come about those who do not agree with L. Ron Hubbard.

 

Covert operations

Hubbard wrote an extensive volume of “scripture” for the Guardian’s Office — the arm of the church charged with dealing with enemies. Including a lot of policy for the “Intelligence” Branch (euphemistically called “Information Bureau” to sound less sinister), the covert operations arm of scientology. All of this remains church policy today, it cannot be canceled. But more importantly, scientology does not WANT it to be canceled. In their minds Hubbard was right about everything he said, if it seems unsavory, so be it. Best to keep it confidential. These (and many other references) are now the policies of the Office of Special Affairs that direct their actions to be taken against “critics.”

Perhaps the most significant Hubbard writings on this subject are two policies from 28 March 1972.

 

“Cost him his job” and “threaten what he is seeking to protect”

The first is called COUNTER ATTACK TACTICS (in Hubbard’s writings, any criticism is not only unfounded, it is an attack).

Here are some pertinent sections where Hubbard lays out what he expects of the Intelligence Bureau (Ideal Scene), his direction on how to remove these enemies (Bright Idea) and his “laws” on the subject (Evolved Operating Principles) and then the steps to take (Plan). The objective is to cause attackers to lose their job so they will be “muzzled.” Emphasis is mine:

IDEAL SCENE: (For Information Bureau) Attackers against Scientology located and removed from their positions of power so that Scientology can get on with it.  And any threat of attack restrained, leaving Scientology a clear field.

BRIGHT IDEA:

These persons can always lose their jobs.  These jobs, permitting them power to destroy, are valuable to them.  This is A POINT OF VULNERABILITY.

If the person’s job is also not valuable to him or if he cannot be made to cost his job, something can be found which he is seeking to protect and it can be threatened.

EVOLVED OPERATING PRINCIPLES:

A. COUNTER ATTACK TO OBTAIN THE REMOVAL OF THE PERSON with a product of DISMISSED ATTACKER.

B. If on test, A is not feasible, SURVEY TO FIND WHAT THE PERSON CONSIDERS VALUABLE AND USE IT FOR RESTRAINT.

C. AVOID WHERE POSSIBLE THE COMMOTION AND WASTED ENERGY OF PARALLELING AN ATTACKER’S OWN EVIL PURPOSE OF DESTROYING HIS OWN GOVT, AGENCY OR INSTITUTION AND INSTEAD DISCOVER THE ATTACKER AND OPERATE TO COST HIM HIS JOB.

D. Where A and C fail, use B.

PLAN:

(a) Wherever an attack is in progress (and even when being held off by counter-propaganda from PR or actions from Legal) at once swiftly draw up a precise program using Intelligence principles and cross filing to isolate the attacker. 

(b) Identify the instigator.

(c) When identified or even suspected as the instigator, draw up a project which includes at least three channels to cost him his job.

(d) Draw up a second project at once to survey and discover what the person really is defending and threaten it effectively. 

(e) Execute the projects rapidly. 

(f) On achieving success inform PR so that PR can call off the PR counterattack and capitalize on any information gained if it does not expose Intelligence. 

(g) Inform legal so Legal can replan and utilize the information also gained to mop up.

NOTE: Intelligence in these regards is not feeding PR and Legal as the only fruit of its endeavors.  It is OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY of these two functions with ITS OWN PRODUCT: I.E.  A DISMISSED ATTACKER or its secondary product: a totally restrained and muzzled attacker.

 

Create false rumors and lies

The other from that date is titled INTELLIGENCE PRINCIPLES.

It goes into more detail about HOW to go about costing someone their job and gives this example. It tells “intelligence” to CREATE FALSE RUMORS AND LIES:

Example: Gosh Porge is located as an antagonistic source in the Bureau of Mines.  Study Bu of Mines.  They frown on corrupt and bankrupt employees, it is carefully worked out by survey. Gosh Porge receives a check for 250 pounds from the Aluminium Company of America at his office for “tip off and patents sent” and “his wife” runs up fur coat bills at Harrods who sue and “a man in Soho” wants his 1800 pounds gambling debt and “a mistress” calls his boss and demands the return of her diamonds “Gosh borrowed” and as it keeps up, even Gosh Porge’s best denials won’t prevent his being sacked.

And a second example about how to get someone’s lawyer turned against them by manufacturing fake “complainants”:

And “Legal areas” like lawyers are a point of hit also.

Without consulting Legal Bu Bish Smish is suing C of S for truckloads.  Survey his attorneys covertly.  One finds they detest “people from the City”, very prejudiced against money clauses.  So City blokes start appearing on their lines for Bish Smish – will he win the suit?  Broker wants to know can Bish Smish cover his margins?

City bowler hat beats up lawyer with an umbrella because Bish Smish said he was going to get the lawyer to sue him over the “blocks of stock” Bish Smish swindled.  Keep it up.  Soon he won’t have any lawyer!

These are the references (among others) that directed the Intelligence Bureau to frame Paulette Cooper with a fake bomb threat and set up Mayor Cazares of Clearwater in a fake hit and run. These issues are still the POLICY and SCRIPTURE of scientology today.

None of this sounds church-like. Remember, scientology proclaims all the writings of L. Ron Hubbard to be their “scripture” and hide behind the protections of the First Amendment to justify their behavior. Even this sort of insanity.

 

Case Officers, Agents, Covert Operations – by a church?

If the previous references don’t sound very religious, this one really makes the point. Written on 2 December 1969 it is a lengthy discourse on “Case Officers” and “Agents” conducting “Covert operations” “without its true source being disclosed” entitled  INTELLIGENCE ACTIONS, COVERT INTELLIGENCE, DATA COLLECTION. This reference lays out how you embarrass, discredit or overthrow or remove an actual of possible opponent.  It states in part (again, emphasis mine):

A Case Officer runs agents who essentially are not known to the executive who is running the Case Officer.  The executive makes known to the Case Officer what he wants or can use.  This is sometimes developed from data already collected, given to the executive by the Case Officer.

The Case Officer is also known as an “Operator” or an Intelligence Officer.  It is up to him to find agents and come to agreement with them.  He himself knows and pays them. The agent is told what is wanted, gets it or finds how it can be gotten or doesn’t exist.  He is paid for what he gets or documents or data.

The Case Officer may “run” several agents. 

There is always a chance that not all the money gets to the agents and always a chance the data may be planted by the agent or the document forged.  These are the chances one takes and prevents them as he can. A covert operation can be arranged by a Case Officer, using agents but is normally on another set of lines so as to expose nothing of covert data collection by engaging on a covert operation. 

Essentially a covert operation is intended to embarrass, discredit or overthrow or remove an actual or possible opponent. 

It is a small war carried on without its true source being disclosed.

Generally the operation is preceded by data collection to establish the target validity and to plan the operation. It follows all the rules of war but uses propaganda, psychological effect, surprise, shock, etc., to achieve its ends. 

 

“Obliterate him”

And another Hubbard writing of 16 February 1969 – this religious scripture is titled BATTLE TACTICS. Here he makes very clear his attitude – scientology is AT WAR with the press and those who challenge it publicly or in the legal arena. And they must be obliterated.

If you uniformly apply the tactics and strategy of battle to the rows we get into, press or legal or public confrontation, you will win…

…We must ourselves fight on the basis of total attrition of the enemy.  So never get reasonable about him.  Just go all the way in and obliterate him.  It is bad warfare to fight battles on your own terrain, in your own subject area.  It is not good to fight in the territory of allies.  Fight battles wherever possible only on enemy terrain, in and about his subject and his people, not ours.  You can gauge your relative success by this.  When all your battles are fought on his terrain, you are winning.  A good general expends the maximum of enemy troops and the minimum of his own.  He makes the war costly to the enemy, not to himself.  One cuts off enemy communications, funds, connections.  He deprives the enemy of political advantages, connections and power.  He takes over enemy territory.  He raids and harasses.  All on a thought plane – press, public opinion, governments, etc. 

We will make it all the way providing we look on this is in terms of active battle and not as ‘if we are saintly good we will win.’  The people who win wars have a saintly image but they win the war by clever and forceful use of the rules of tactics, strategy and battle.

Wars are composed of many battles.  Never treat a war like a skirmish.  Treat all skirmishes like wars.

 

“Always even the score. I never forget until the slate is clear”

In 1959, L. Ron Hubbard wrote and published what he called the Manual of Justice. It is a lengthy treatise and among many other things contains passages dealing with the press and use of private investigators. It includes the admonition to cause reporters to “shudder into silence.” As before, the emphasis is mine.

It details Hubbard’s need for revenge:

People attack Scientology; I never forget it, always even the score.

People attack auditors, or staff, or organisations, or me. I never forget until the slate is clear.

 

“When we need somebody haunted we investigate”

This Manual of “Justice” is a compendium of amazing statements.

It details the use of investigators to “haunt” people and how effective it can be even when nothing is discovered:

When we need somebody haunted we investigate.

…

When we investigate we do so noisily always. And usually mere investigation damps out the trouble even when we discover no really pertinent facts.

…

It’s almost funny. We sometimes learn nothing useful and yet because people heard we were investigating their consciences sent them into headlong flight or sudden collapse. There’s power in the question alone!

…

Investigation we do with a yell. Always. Modern cops don’t really know this. They investigate with whispers. Doesn’t pay. Why sneak up when pouncing is the only thing that serves us?

…

Investigation to us in Scientology is a fine art.

 

“Shudder into silence”

There is a lot of evil in this single Hubbard document.  It includes the admonition to cause reporters to “shudder into silence.”

As before, the emphasis is mine.

INVESTIGATION BY OUTSIDE SOURCES

Overt investigation of someone or something attacking us by an outside detective agency should be done more often and hang the expense. It’s very effective. Often investigation by a private detective has alone closed up an entheta source or a squirrel organisation. In fact at this writing I can’t remember a time when it hasn’t!

The reason for this is simple. Of twenty-one persons found attacking Dianetics and Scientology with rumours and entheta, eighteen of them under investigation were found to be members of the Communist Party or criminals, usually both. The smell of police or private detectives caused them to fly, to close down, to confess.

Hire them and damn the cost when you need to.

PROCEDURE ON ENTHETA [ANTAGONISTIC] PRESS

In the case of a bad magazine article which is signed, use the following procedure:

1. Tell them by letter to retract at once in the next issue.
2. Hire a private detective of a national-type firm to investigate the writer, not the magazine, and get any criminal or Communist background the man has. (Because all subversive activities foolishly use criminals they “have something on” and men who have been paid to attack attack us, you’ll have data incoming from the detective agency if they do their work well).
3. Have your lawyers or solicitors write the magazine threatening suit. (Hardly ever permit a real suit – they’re more of a nuisance to you than they’re worth.)
4. Use the data you got from the detective at long last to write the author of the article a very tantalizing letter. Don’t give him your data on him. Just tell him we know something very interesting about him and wouldn’t he like to come in and talk about it. (If he comes, ask him to sign a confession of collusion and slander – people at that level often will, just to commit suicide – and publish it in a paid ad in the paper if you get it.) Chances are he won’t arrive. But he’ll sure shudder into silence.
5. Give any new data you have from the detective to your attorneys for their use against the magazine.
6. Don’t let the whole matter disrupt you, take much time, or upset the central organization.

 

“If possible, of course, ruin him utterly”

In March 1955 L. Ron Hubbard penned a lengthy essay The Scientologist – A Manual on the Dissemination of Material. In it, he wrote about how to defend scientology – by attacking.

He also described how to use lawsuits to harass and discourage and if possible, of course, ruin him utterly.

The DEFENSE of anything is UNTENABLE. The only way to defend anything is to ATTACK, and if you ever forget that, then you will lose every battle you are ever engaged in, whether it is in terms of personal conversation, public debate, or a court of law. NEVER BE INTERESTED IN CHARGES. DO, yourself, much MORE CHARGING, and you will WIN. And the public, seeing that you won, will then have a communication line to the effect that Scientologists WIN.

The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing that he is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.

 

“Find or manufacture enough threat”

Hubbard’s policy letter of 15 August 1960, DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS describes the attitude expected of the Office of Special Affairs in accordance with his principle of never defending.

The object of the department is to broaden the impact of Scientology upon governments and other organizations and is to conduct itself so as to make the name and repute of Scientology better and more forceful. Therefore, defensive tactics are frowned upon in the department. We are not trying to make the Central Orgs and HCOs “be good.” We are trying to make their reach more secure and effective. Only attacks resolve threats.

In the face of danger from governments or courts, there are only two errors one can make: (a) do nothing and (b) defend. The right things to do with any threat are to (1) find out if we want to play the offered game or not (2) if not, to derail the offered game with a feint or attack upon the most vulnerable point which can be disclosed in the enemy ranks (3) make enough threat or clamor to cause the enemy to quail (4) don’t try to get any money out of it (5) make every attack by us also sell Scientology and (6) win. If attacked on some vulnerable point by anyone or anything or any organization, always find or manufacture enough threat against them to cause them to sue for peace. Peace is bought with an exchange of advantage, so make the advantage and then settle. Don’t ever defend. Always attack. Don’t ever do nothing. Unexpected attacks in the rear of the enemy’s front ranks work best.

…The goal of the department [Office of Special Affairs] is to bring the government and hostile philosophies or societies into a state of complete compliance with the goals of Scientology.  This is done by high-level ability to control and in its absence by low-level ability to overwhelm. Introvert such agencies.  Control such agencies.

 

Conclusion

While there are MANY other writings by L. Ron Hubbard on the subject of dealing with enemies and attackers (he spent a LOT of time creating a world of enemies for scientologists – we have not even touched on the most evil of all, the dreaded psychiatrist), this is a sampling that covers a lot of ground.

To summarize the scripture of scientology excerpted above:

1. Everyone who speaks publicly about scientology without authorization from the church is deemed an enemy (Suppressive Person)
2. Scientology is at war with its enemies/critics and they are to be obliterated and destroyed
3. All critics are enemies and all critics have crimes
4. No expense should be spared to stop a critic – they must be muzzled and shuddered into silence
5. Any action is “fair game” when it comes to stopping critics/enemies
6. This includes use of Private Investigators and covert operations and agents
7. It also includes creating fake “complainants”, threats and smears, even discussing “unknown” crimes as if they were real
8. If they cannot find enough threat, they will manufacture it

And scientology claims this is all “religious scripture” while cloaking themselves in a mantle of  “we are victims of bigotry and hatred.”

It would be easy, and somewhat understandable, to dismiss this as “over-the-top” exaggerations. To believe that even if all these statements are accurate, they are simply allegorical. But the real world examples of scientology in action, on display for the world to see, say otherwise.

In scientology, the words of L. Ron Hubbard are NOT treated as allegorical.  They are not taken as suggestions. They are given the weight of absolute, unalterable truth. The most heinous crime you can accuse a scientologist of is not fully understanding and applying the words of L. Ron Hubbard exactly as he wrote them. The expected attitude of a scientologist is to take his words and apply them with “a fixed, dedicated glare.”

So, when you see outrageous smear sites, vitriolic videos and ridiculous statements to the press, know where they come from. This is not a case of “where there is smoke there must be fire”. Scientology blows smoke and thinks that because L. Ron Hubbard told them to do it, it makes it true. They are blind to everyone else’s view of the world (and their actions) and believe anyone who disagrees with them is evil. But this is just how cults operate.