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Chapter 5:
Spreading the Word
Tell someone about Scientology.
Just by knowing that Scientology exists, a person is better.
-- L. Ron Hubbard {1}
Scientologists are
relentless in trying to get others to share their religious beliefs, and
much of their proselytizing is certainly based on their sincere belief
that Scientology has improved their lives and can do the same for
others. But there are also a few mercenary motives they rarely admit to.
First of all, the more members a particular Church brings in, the more
money each Scientology employee receives, since their salary, based on
units, is determined by the previous week's income.{2} Actually this
works out better in theory than in practice, since Scientologists have
complained that when revenue increases, Hubbard simply enlarges the
staff, so they get to see very little of the additional monies.{3}
A second possible reason for their relentless proselytizing is that for
any individual member a Scientologist brings in, say a friend, he
receives a five to fifteen percent cash rebate, usually ten percent, on
whatever money that other person spends in the group.{4}
Even if a Scientologist decides not to double as a salesman, he may not
have much of a choice, since some Scientologists have been made to sign
pledges promising to "help Ron (Hubbard) clear this planet."{5}
Pressure has also occasionally been applied to people who didn't help
"Ron." One former member reported that Scientologists were routinely
questioned during their auditing sessions about their progress in
furthering Scientology. If they had done nothing, they might
occasionally be punished by being made to write a five-hundred-word
composition explaining why they hadn't spread the word.{6} Hopefully,
their techniques are a bit more sophisticated today.
While Scientologists generally approach their friends and former
acquaintances in an effort to gain converts, they are not averse to
soliciting strangers. This is usually done by handing out leaflets or
tickets inviting people to "step into the exciting world of the totally
free." They have also used their books and brochures to lure strangers.
One girl was approached on a Fifth Avenue bus in Manhattan by a man who
handed her Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, told her it
would change her life, and then disappeared -- or so she thought.{7}
When she tried to get off the bus, he blocked her and demanded $5 for
the book.
In another case, two Scientologists put an ad in the Village Voice
asking $1 for a book "in a plain wrapper."{8} Those who were expecting
pornography were sorely disappointed. For $1 they received a twelve-page
brochure called "All About Scientology" -- a booklet which is given away
for free at the Orgs or Churches.
Scientologists have also advertised their services in newspapers, under
the heading of Church (in the New York Times) and sometimes in the
classified telephone directories, under such headings as IQ Tests,{9}
Personality Development,{10} and Personnel Consultants.{11}
In the classified Tunbridge Wells, England, area telephone directory,
though, they accidentally appeared under the heading of "Zoo."{12} Lest
anyone suspect it was an intentional accident, the phone company
explained to the paper that the Scientologists asked them to put their
ad on the last page of the directory "and in this case it was possible."
Hubbard, in his PABS (Preclear Auditor Bulletin) #5 suggested three
additional ways to disseminate Scientology.{13} In the first method he
told the Scientologists to put an ad in the newspaper saying "Personal
counseling -- I will talk to anyone for you about anything. Phone
Reverend so and so between hour and hour."
Hubbard, however, told them not to help the person who was calling,
because that "cancel(s) out his clientele." Instead he suggested that
they should first credit the fact that "this is a pretty big problem"
and then not talk to the person in such a way as to ease the problem.
"This may be the last problem this person has and it would be a
disservice to simply solve it as easily as that. One makes something of
the problem, not makes nothing of it...."
Hubbard may have anticipated that such methods might be questioned or
criticized, and he seemed anxious that the press not find out who was
behind them. He told the Scientologists:
One does not bring the word
Scientology into press interviews. One simply talks about the Church,
its work and immediately it converses on actual cases which have been
handled. I repeat, it does not discuss Scientology with the press.
But what if the
press suspects anyway, and then asks what Scientology is? Hubbard wrote:
... the minister should shrug and
say there are lots of textbooks about that and that he does not propose
to teach a course in an advanced science to pages of the public press
[sic!], that it is the Church and the church's charitable activities
which are behind this, not Scientology. He should also say that today's
ministers are indoctrinated in many learnings and skills and Scientology
happens to be chiefest amongst these.
The second method
he suggested, which he and his current wife personally utilized, was
called "Illness Researchers."{14} Hubbard told the Scientologists to
place an ad in the local newspaper that said polio victims (or
arthritics) should call them. Hubbard suggested they sign the ad as a
"research organization" or a "charitable organization." When the people
answering the ad arrived at the headquarters, they were given about
three hours of free group auditing, and then later were sold individual
auditing sessions.
This technique was not calculated to endear Scientology to the medical
profession, but Hubbard emphasized that Scientologists were not offering
a treatment or cure for these illnesses, but were just "investigating"
them, and therefore the medical laws did not apply to them. He added
that this method was acceptable for an auditor or minister, and that
"even a ditch digger can look over polio or arthritis or asthma or
anything else."
In "Casualty Contact," the third method, Hubbard recommended that
Scientology ministers scan the newspapers for accident cases and
obituaries and get the disabled and the relatives of the deceased to
"join the Church for comfort." He said that the minister should take
"every daily paper he can get his hands on and cut from it every story
whereby he might have a preclear."
The Minister should get the address of the person, from the story itself
or by calling up the newspaper and saying he's a minister. The minister
should then call the person or his family and represent himself "as a
minister whose compassion was compelled by the newspaper story
concerning the person," wrote Hubbard.
What if the press finds out about this one? Hubbard emphasized that the
minister should "simply say that it is a mission of the Church to assist
those who are in need of assistance," and again avoid discussing
Scientology. Instead, Hubbard said he should "talk about the work of
ministers and how all too few ministers these days get around to places
where they are needed."
_______________
Notes:
{1} initial quote
[44]
{2} unit salary [254, 255, etc.]
{3} Hubbard enlarges staff [261]
{4} money received for bringing members [255]
{5} pledges to clear planet [136]
{6} questioning people and compositions [177]
{7} 5th Ave. bus story [177]
{8} Ad for book in plain wrapper [152]
{9} IQ [145]
{10} pers{onalit}y development [131]
{11} personnel consultants [131a]
{12} Scientology under "Zoo" {heading in phone book} [178]
{13} all three methods of Scientology dissemination [21]
{14} Hubbard tried second [255]
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