A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed

472 Pages·1999·3.62 MB·english

by  Jon Atack

Copyright and Miscellanea

Text is © Jon Atack 1990
For legal reasons, it is advised that this work

not be distributed in the United Kingdom.
The images in this electronic version come from three sources:
• Bare-Faced Messiah: the true story of L. Ron Hubbard (Russell Miller, 1987) 
• Religion, Inc.: the Church of Scientology (Stewart Lamont, 1986) 
• "Secret Lives: L. Ron Hubbard" (Channel 4 Television, 1997) 

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Atack, Jon.
A piece of blue sky: Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard exposed / by
Jon Atack.
p. cm.
"A Lyle Stuart book."
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8184-0499-X : $19.95
1. Scientology - Controversial literature. 2. Dianetics - Controversial
literature. 3. Hubbard, L. Ron (La Fayette Ron), 1911- 4. Church of
Scientology - History. I. Title.
BP605.S2A83 1990
299'.936'092-dc20
89-77666
CIP
Jon Atack has not been involved in the production or distribution of this
unauthorized electronic version. It is based on a scanned copy originally
produced by the former FACTnet with a "card catalog" entry of
E:\PCB\GEN\FILES\BOOKS\JON.TXT. This file has been available on the
Internet for several years from the websites of FACTnet and other
individuals. Because of the injunction against it in England and Wales (see
under Related Documents), it is advised that it not be distributed in those
countries.

  This work has been produced on behalf of the ARSCC
(Alt.Religion.Scientology Central Committee (which does not exist)) as
part of the "Xenu's Bookshelf" project. The ARSCC is part of a secret
global conspiracy against Scientology involving Internet users,
psychiatrists, the Bank of England and SMERSH. Allegedly. 
Xenu will prevail!
ABOUT THE

AUTHOR

Jon Atack was involved in Scientology from 1974
to 1983, and has since taken a lead role in
ongoing investigations of L. Ron Hubbard and the
Church of Scientology.
He has consulted on three other books relating to
this subject, as well as with various British newspapers, The Los Angeles
Times, Forbes, CBS, CBC and The British Medical Association.
He lives near Nottingham, England.
CONTENTS

It was 1950, in the early, heady days of Dianetics, soon after L. Ron Hubbard
opened the doors of his first organization to the clamoring crowd. Up until
then, Hubbard was known only to readers of pulp fiction, but now he had an
instant best-seller with a book that promised to solve every problem of the
human mind, and the cash was pouring in. Hubbard found it easy to create
schemes to part his new following from their money. One of the first tasks
was to arrange "grades" of membership, offering supposedly greater rewards,
at increasingly higher prices. Over thirty years later. an associate wryly
remembered Hubbard turning to him and confiding, no doubt with a smile,
"Let's sell these people a piece of blue sky."

Acknowledgments
Preface - by Russell Miller
What Is Scientology?

PART 1:
INSIDE SCIENTOLOGY 1974-1983
1. My Beginnings
2. Saint Hill
3. On to OT
4. The Seeds of Dissent
PART 2:
BEFORE DIANETICS 1911-1949
1. Hubbard's Beginnings
2. Hubbard in the East
3. Hubbard the Explorer
4. Hubbard As Hero
5. His Miraculous Recovery
6. His Magickal Career

PART 3:
THE BRIDGE TO TOTAL FREEDOM 1949-1966
1. Building the Bridge
2. The Dianetic Foundations
3. Wichita
4. Knowing How to Know
5. The Religion Angle
6. The Lord of the Manor
7. The World's First Real Clear
PART 4:
THE SEA ORGANIZATION 1966-1976
1. Scientology at Sea
2. Heavy Ethics
3. The Empire Strikes Back
4. The Death of Susan Meister
5. Hubbard's Travels
6. The Flag Land Base

PART 5:
THE GUARDIAN'S OFFICE 1974-1980
1. The Guardian Unguarded
2. Infiltration
3. Operation Meisner

PART 6:
THE COMMODORE'S MESSENGERS 1977-1982
1. Making Movies
2. The Rise of the Messengers
3. The Young Rulers
4. The Clearwater Hearings
5. The Religious Technology Center and the International Finance
Police
PART 7:
THE INDEPENDENTS 1982-1984
1. The Mission Holders' Conference
2. The Scientology War
3. Splintering
4. Stamp Out the Squirrels!

PART 8:
JUDGMENTS 1984-1990
1. Scientology at Law
2. The Child Custody Case
3. Signing the Pledge
4. Dropping the Body
5. After Hubbard

PART 9:
SUMMING UP
1. The Founder
2. The Scientologist
3. Fair Game, Ethics and the Scriptures

Epilogue
Bibliography
List of Abbreviations
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My particular thanks are due to my three good friends Mitch Beedie,
Lawrence Kristiansen and George Shaw. Mitch Beedie has been a constant
source of encouragement, support and editorial insight throughout six years
of research and writing. Lawrence Kristiansen has proved to be an invaluable
resource, sharing freely his knowledge and understanding of Scientology. His
meticulous research, and his painstaking editing, helped me to focus ever
more closely on the subject matter. George Shaw also signed up as an
unpaid (and exceptional) researcher, gave me the benefit of his considerable
knowledge of Scientology, and provided fascinating perspectives on
Hubbard's character and motives.
This book is based upon statements made by over 150 individuals whether
in interviews, correspondence, taped talks, published accounts, affidavits or
sworn testimony. Those of my sources whose statements were made
publicly, and those who have given permission, are named in the reference
summary. I am grateful to them all and to the many people who have asked
to remain anonymous, for reasons which the book should make clear.
In return for access to my manuscript and my collaboration as a consultant,
Russell Miller made his interview notes available to me, and for this and our
friendly working relationship I am most grateful.
l also wish to express my thanks to Dave Waiters and the staff of the
Montana Historical Society; to Ron Neuman for access to his collection of
Hubbard letters and first editions; and to Brenda Yates and Carol Kanda for
ensuring that I received the 28 volumes of the transcript of the Armstrong
case. Without Brenda these vital documents would not have become
available in the first place.
Gratitude is also due to those authors whose work made my own less
daunting: the late Joseph Winter, Martin Gardner, the late Helen O'Brien,
George Malko, Paulette Cooper, Cyril Vosper, Bob Kaufman, the late
Christopher Evans, C.H. Rolph, John Forte and most especially Roy Wallis for
The Road to Total Freedom. I am also in debt to the St. Petersburg Times
and the Clearwater Sun for their excellent coverage of Scientology.
I am grateful to the many friends who have revived my sometimes flagging
spirits on the long road to publication. Gratitude is due especially to: Robyn,
Joy, Fiona, Joyce, Marcia, Sam, Gall, Hana, Gay, John, Greg, Sarge, Marcus,
Lew, Chris, Callan, Otto, my parents, my brother Andrew, and my wife,
Noella.
The litigious nature of the Scientologists has frightened most publishers into
silence. Lyle Stuart and Steven Schragis were not intimidated, and I am
extremely grateful to them. Finally, my thanks to our attorney, Mel Wulf,
for his patient attention to detail; to my editor Bob Smith; and to all at
Carol Publishing Group for making this book a published reality.