Scientology Criticism


Information that Scientology does not want you to read

The Bajaj Family and their experience of a "disconnection".


From modemac@netcom.com Sun Jul  2 12:53:19 BST 1995


(This article appeared in a newspaper, as yet unidentified, on March
2, 1994, page 47.  Help identifying the source of the article would be
most appreciated.

Family Torn Apart by Scientology

AN OPEN LETTER:

    WE ARE WRITING to warn the public about the dangerous, mind
control cult called Scientology.  The Reader's Digest and Forbes
Masgazine has called Scientology "a frightening cult."  Courts of
law in the United State and abroad have called the organization
"schizophrenic and paranoid", "corrupt, sinister and dangerous."

    Our son first read the book DIANETICS written by the founder L.
Ron Hubbard in the spring of 1992 and started taking Scientology
courses in Philadelphia.  The founder was a pulp science fiction
writier who wrote the book in thirty days and has used it as the
basis of his "religion."  Ron Hubbard has said that the best way that
he had to make $1 million was to create his own religion. This
religion has been called "a very controversial religion" by the Los
Angeles Times.  TIME Magazine has called it "the cult of greed."

    As the courses cost a great deal of money our son, who at the age
of 20 was studying engineering and biology courses at Rutgers
University in New Brunswick, dropped out of college and joined
Scientology as a staff member.  Staff members were able to take these
courses at a reduced rate.  Even though he appeared to be normal, we
as his parents had noticed definite changes in his personality and
his attitude toward the family and friends.  As Indians we believe in
a strong family base and since we had been an especially close family
these changes were worrying.  Our son gradually reduced his visits
home which distressed us even further.

    Based upon his changes we as a family carried out extensive
research on the organization.  We started our research by reading
material given to our son by Scientology.  At our son's invitation we
also visited and met with people at the organization on more than one
occasion.  We tried very hard to understand the organization that our
son was involved in.  At the same time we also discovered a huge
ammount of material which seemed to contradict all that our son had
told us about Scientology and its activites.  This material includes
books and articles written by ex-Scientologists and acclaimed
newspapers.  We also met with Steve Hassan, author of the critically
acclaimed book "Combatting Cult Mind Control" in order better to
understand the thought processes and measures that had obviously been
used to create this altered state of mind and behavior in my son.

    Last week on a visit home, we asked our son to sit down with the
family and the experts whom we were in touch with to review this
information.  As parents we were concerned that our son should see
this information in order to make an informed decision about his
involvement with Scientology.  This attempt altered our son's
personality right before our eyes.  He became paranoid that we his
family had been brainwashed and would allow him to be kidnapped and
deprogrammed.  This was not what we were doing.  No amount of
reassurances from us succeeded in persuading our son that all we as
his parents wanted was for him to look at the material and
documentation available in order to make an informed decision for
something that would affect him for the rest of his life.  Our son
became so petrified that he left the house in a very agitated state
and has since then refused to come home.  No parent should have to
see their child run away from his own house in that manner.  We still
talk on the telephone but are constantly aware of whispering and
other voices on the other end.

    The family is totally devastated by this entire reaction.  He was
previously a young man who insisted on doing detailed research before
making any kind of decision.  His altered behavior seems to have
changed this thought process and in turn his emotions towards the
family.  The very next day we hand delivered a letter to Scientology
requesting them to encourage our son to return home and review the
material.  It has been six long days and nights and he has still not
come.  If Scientology has nothing to hide, it seems strange that a
simple request like this from concerned parents is being refused.

    We want our son to know that we love and care for him and we are
concerned for his mental and physical well being.

                                  Indira and Manu Bajaj

    Plainsboro, NJ, February 27, 1994

______________________________________________________________________

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY:  Ruined lives.  Lost fortunes.  Federal
crimes.  Scientology poses as a religion, but it is really a ruthless
global scam and aiming for the mainstream. --Richard Behard, TIME
Magazine, May 6, 1991.
______________________________________________________________________

Scientology is dangerous because it is out to capture people,
especially children and impressionable young people, and indoctrinate
and brainwash them so that they become the unquestioning captives and
tools of the cult. --Justice Latey, ruling in the High Court in
London in 1984.
______________________________________________________________________

L. Ron Hubbard was an opportunitst who lied consistently about his
past, as part of a process of self-glorification.  He was an
arrogant, amoral egomaniac.  Incapable of admitting his mistakes, he
continually created scapegoats.  The pure motives of his followers
were exploited to build a secret mountain of cash. --Jon Atack, former
Scientologist and author of "A Piece of Blue Sky."
______________________________________________________________________

    People offering more infomation or assistance in dealing with
Scientology should write to the Bajaj family in care of U.S. 1
Response Box 200194, 12 Roszel Road, Princeton NJ 08540.