the Truth...within reason - Recently Updated Pages

Justice in Motion

innocent — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:07:07 CST

How Many Motions Does it Take to Obtain Truth and Justice?

(The World May Never Know)

RELATOR’S RESPONSE TO RESPONDENTS’ MOTION TO STRIKE

RELATOR'S MOTION TO CORRECT ERROR IN SUPPORT OF HIS MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

RESPONDENTS MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON SPECIAL AND PROPOSED FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND NOTICE THEREOF

Complaint filed in Arizona District Court

9th Circuit Court of Appeals Opening Brief

My motion to deny Appellees' counsels' motions for summary affirmance of the district court's judgment

Petition for Rehearing En Banc

An Opinion/Editorial

innocent — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:41:13 CDT

(click on image to buy this book)

How is it possible for Scientology to continue growing and recruiting celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley, Tom Cruise, Kirstie Allie, and John Travolta when the truth about this cult is so widely available via the internet? Supporters of Scientology claim that it is compatible with all world religions. The published findings of numerous government inquiries, the affidavits and court testimony of former high level members, and the expert analysis of Scientology practices, however, paint a much different picture. This book is a must read for anyone considering Scientology as a viable spiritual pathway.

“This is a terrific article Mr. Staton, you covered an amazing amount of ground…based on my 12 years of trying to deconstruct how scientology conned me out of the best ten years of this life, your article is 100% dead on the money and then some…” -- Arnie Lerma www.lermanet.com

Should the Practice of Scientology Carry a Warning Label?

By Jerry Staton (www.betterdaze.us)

Evidence suggests that the practice of Scientology should indeed carry a label warning of its potential drawbacks and side-effects. Many of Scientology’s methods, if not illegal, are downright dangerous. As with any other diet or self-improvement program, information—both pro and con—should be provided to anyone considering becoming involved with Scientology in order to allow them to make a well-informed decision.

(Aug. 12, 2006) Michael Lewitz, 43, formerly of Phoenix, AZ., who now currently resides in Reynolds IN., was lured into the practice of Scientology—as many people are—by his involvement with one of the Church of Scientology’s many front groups.

Involvement with one of these front groups--which include Applied Scholastics, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, the Concerned Businessmen’s Association of America, the Cult Awareness Network, the Foundation for Religious Freedom, Narcanon/Criminon, the Way to Happiness Foundation, and the World Institution of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) among others—begins innocuously enough with a desire to address a specific issue that one is concerned with and no knowledge of a particular group’s affiliation with the Church of Scientology.

This involvement gradually progresses to the practice of Scientology as its principles are introduced to the group’s participants and they are taught and encouraged to apply these principles to the particular concern that got them involved with the group to begin with and then eventually to other areas of their lives as well.

One such principle is the Church of Scientology’s practice of “dead-agenting,” which is intended to neutralize any opposition to Scientology by slandering and libeling people who tell the truth about Scientology and Scientology Inc. “Dead-agenting” is intended to render an opposing individual ineffective by calling into question her or his honesty, thereby invalidating the factual information about Scientology and the Scientology corporation.

Another principle is the Church of Scientology’s practice of “disconnection” that encourages the practitioners of Scientology to disconnect or shun all contact with former friends and family members who don’t subscribe to Scientology’s methods and could possibly talk them out of their decision to participate in this cult group. Little known, unknown (or just simply unacknowledged) is the fact that this practice violates Intentional Tort, which includes the intentional infliction of emotional distress. Scientology’s practice of disconnection destroys marriages, partnerships, and friendships, causing untold emotional pain and suffering to all involved. Everyone has the right to choose with whom they will or will not associate with. “Disconnection,” however, is not a choice. Practicing Scientologists are told who they must “disconnect” from and are denied services until they comply.

“Auditing,” which is in fact covert authoritarian hypnosis, is the main practice of Scientology and is one of the services that are denied a member who doesn’t comply with an order to “disconnect.” The Church of Scientology’s doctrine is practically indistinguishable from the theories of hypnosis, and in fact, its claims of the various ways that the practice of Scientology can improve one’s life are identical to those of clinical hypnotherapy. All Scientologists begin as “pre-clears” who must pay for “auditing” (hypnosis) sessions to rid themselves of “engrams” (suppressed memories) that are negatively affecting their lives in order to gain control of their “reactive” (subconscious) mind. Each “success” (abreaction) advances them further across the “bridge” (from ego state therapy and hynoanalysis) to the state of being known as “clear” (dissociation).

Scientology, however, does not take into consideration that not all mental conditions respond to hypnosis and with some psychological disorders, such as borderline personality disorder (BPD); the use of hypnosis is contraindicated and can actually intensify its symptoms.

Such is the case with Michael Lewitz. Michael was predisposed to BPD because of early childhood experiences. Michael had been managing his BPD rather effectively until he was lured into Scientology sometime during the summer of 2003. Upon being “audited” as well as being put through what is known as a “purification rundown,” Michael began exhibiting all of the manifestations of borderline behavior. He eventually experienced a full-blown episode of dysphoria and on August 30, 2003, he “ran” from Phoenix, AZ to Reynolds, Indiana where he then attempted suicide in an effort to escape his “unbearable” emotional pain.

Michael Lewitz’ BPD, which was precipitated by the practice of Scientology, is considered to be a serious mental illness by medical practitioners. It is also classified as such in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition. The fact that Michael’s housemate and practicing Scientologist, Donald C. Lay, Jr. Ph.D., has capitalized on his psychological vulnerability and is exploiting him physically, mentally, and financially, in addition to denying him treatment for his disorder constitutes adult endangerment. Requests for intervention to Adult Protective Services (APS) have been ignored, and APS has refused to even conduct a reasonable investigation of the report of adult endangerment that was made.

Donald C. Lay, Jr., Ph.D. is subjecting Michael Lewitz to an ongoing program of coercive persuasion that has greatly modified his self-concept, perception of reality, and social relationships. One tactic of coercive persuasion that is being utilized is environmental control-- the limitation of many/all forms of communication with those outside the group. To accomplish this, Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. obstructs Michael Lewitz’ correspondence in direct violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702, Obstruction of Correspondence--an offense to which he admitted to during a telephone conversation that he recorded himself. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has incorrectly stated that a violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 is a civil matter, and have refused to conduct a reasonable investigation. Such a program creates the psychological forces necessary to allow a person to exercise undue influence over its victim’s independent decision-making ability as well as reinforces the delusion that Michael has come to accept as his new reality.

The reality for many Scientologists is a life spent as an overworked and underpaid Church staff member in order to pay for their debt owed to the Church for the endless courses and auditing sessions that it requires. This is known as “peonage,” and Section 1581 of Title 18 U.S.C. makes it unlawful to hold a person in "debt servitude," or peonage. For some unknown reason the U.S. Department of Justice chooses to allow these violations of Federal law to continue.

Those former Scientologists who have been able to break free of their delusion, however, have sued the Church of Scientology and have been compensated handsomely for their injuries. Lawrence Wollersheim sued after the practice of Scientology precipitated his development of severe bipolar disorder, psychogenic amnesia, and drove him to attempt suicide (Lawrence Wollersheim v. the Church of Scientology of California). A jury awarded him a little over $30 million for his injuries and found the practices of Scientology to be…what else…dangerous.

(The author, Jerry Staton, is currently studying clinical hypnotherapy at the Atwood Institute for Education and Research in Phoenix, AZ, and is a “disconnected” friend of Michael Lewitz.)

Scientology=Death

.

Be Afraid...Be Very Afraid!

innocent — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:27:23 CDT

By Jerry Staton
May 18, 2007

(Phoenix, AZ) Even as the U.S. government expressed its concerns over the German government’s infringement of individual rights because of religious affiliation with respect to Scientology (ref. The U.S. Department of State’s 2006 Report on International Religious Freedom), the very thing that Germany is attempting to protect its citizens from was playing out completely unnoticed/ignored by the U.S. government in the Indiana State judicial system.

Officials from the German federal and state Offices for the Protection of the Constitution (OPCs) used publicly available information regarding the practice of Scientology, mostly from written materials and from public events, to determinethat Scientology's ideology and practices are totalitarian in nature and pose a threat to the democratic constitutional order and the mental health of its citizens as well as violate human rights—information that is readily available, but that the U.S. government has chosen to ignore. A few practices of Scientology worth mentioning are:

“Dead-agenting,” or the use of Ad Hominem in the form of libel/slander to neutralize opponents of Scientology by attacking their character instead of addressing their argument;
“Disconnection,” or deprivation of reality testing by abridging all contact/communication with friends/family;
“Fair game” or depriving persons deemed suppressive to the practice of scientology of their civil/human rights; and
“Auditing,” or the use of authoritarian hypnosis and abuse of transference to develop a dependency on the practices of Scientology without the scientologist’s knowledge or consent.

In order to protect its citizens and to thwart Scientology’s expansion, German government agencies at the federal and state level and private sector entities have wisely established rules and procedures that discriminate against Scientology as an organization and/or against individual members of the Church.

Due to the U.S. government’s ignorance, the Church of Scientology’s strategy to create a favorable environment for Scientology's expansion by working to win allies among society's power brokers and opinion leaders has been extremely successful in this country. In Scientology Today, Heber Jentzsch, president of the Church of Scientology International wrote, "We need to be able to approach the right people in order to get things done. We need to find out how to reach key people in the media, in government, in the control points of society, the people who rule things." Underscoring the campaign's breadth and determination, a pullout questionnaire entitled "Communication Lines to the World" was inserted in the Scientology newspaper. It asked Scientologists to list their connections to people in six areas: 1. POLITICS: "This would be political figures on a local, state or national level, such as local city officials, mayors, governors, senators, congressmen, and members of parliaments. It would also include government agency officials and civil servants." 2. MEDIA: "This would be any media terminals that you know, such as owners or proprietors of magazines, newswire services, newspapers or publishing houses, and radio networks or stations and publishers and editors of any type of news media." 3. LEGAL: "This would be any judges, law enforcement officials, lawyers, barristers and so on." 4. FINANCIAL / CORPORATE: "This would be any members of the board or presidents, vice presidents or other senior officials/executives with banks or other financial institutions (such as savings and loan companies, credit unions, etc.) Financiers (this could be government or private industry) stockbrokers, financial advisers and commodities brokers." 5. ENTERTAINMENT / CELEBRITIES: "This would be any producers or directors in the stage, motion pictures or television; actors, artists, writers and any opinion leaders in these areas."

In HCO PL 12 January 1973 policy letter, Hubbard, the founder of the Church of Scientology, states: "The most important action to undertake when going about making a Safe Point is to carefully and painstakingly find out who exactly are the Top Dogs in the area in financial and political circles and their associates and their connections, and to what each one is hostile."

All of this information is sent to the intelligence branch of Scientology. (Keep in mind one of the major activities of a secret society is turning its members into deployable agents who will fanatically use their resources and connections to forward the goals of the group or knock out the enemies of the group.)

The U.S. government’s failure to recognize and to act against this threat to homeland security amounts to nothing less than the sanctioning of Scientology’s harmful acts and practices and is not without consequence.

Nothing illustrates this better than a case that is presently working its way through the Indiana state judicial system involving the abuse and exploitation of a vulnerable adult by a self-proclaimed scientologist.

A report of adult endangerment was made to Adult Protective Services (APS) in October 2005. In a bizarre twist of fate APS accused the reporter of the felony of stalking and advised the vulnerable adult to file a petition for an order of protection against him in violation of Indiana Rules of Admission and Disciplinary, Rule 24, which prohibits the practice of law without a license. The reporter requested a hearing during which he argued that the petitioner is not a reasonable person due to the presence and influence of borderline personality disorder (BPD) and that the petition had resulted from the misconduct of APS and filed a motion to order an independent mental examination (IME) of the endangered adult in question.

The presiding judge, who is a self-proclaimed scientologist, threw out the reporter’s argument, denied his motion to order an IME, and granted the petition for the order of protection, thereby denying the reporter the right to present exculpatory evidence and immunity as well as the right to a fair and impartial hearing.

Meanwhile, the county prosecutor launched an investigation of the reporter in an attempt to enforce the void ipso facto order of protection in violation of U.S.C. § 241 and used his office in an attempt to have the reporter terminated from his place of employment in violation of U.S.C. §§ 242 and 245.

An IME would reveal the endangered adult’s mental illness as well as the psychological injury that he has sustained as a result of his subjection to an ongoing program of coercive persuasion, which would result in the quick and just adjudication of the matter, but that relevant evidence continues to be suppressed by the presiding judge, who ruled based on the Scientology doctrine that eschews psychiatry instead of points of law, and the Indiana Judicial Qualifying Commission has ruled that that is not a breach of ethics!

This has been reported to the Department of Justice, The U.S. Attorney’s of both the Northern and Southern Indiana Districts, the Lafayette Resident Agency of the F.B.I., and the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Indiana, and nothing has been done!

Be afraid…be very afraid! This reporter is.

(Jerry Staton is an independent reporter and is also the reporter of the case of adult endangerment mentioned in the preceding article)

Hollywood, Satanism, Scientology, & Suicide

innocent — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:34:16 CDT

(Click on image to buy this book)

By Jerry Staton

How is it possible for Scientology to continue growing and recruiting celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley, Tom Cruise, Kirstie Allie, and John Travolta when the truth about this cult is so widely available via the internet? Supporters of Scientology claim that it is compatible with all world religions. The published findings of numerous government inquiries, the affidavits and court testimony of former high level members, and the expert analysis of Scientology practices, however, paint a much different picture. This book is a must read for anyone considering Scientology as a viable spiritual pathway.

Hollywood, Satanism, Scientology and Suicide

innocent — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 11:33:05 CDT

(Click on image to buy this book)

By Jerry Staton

How is it possible for Scientology to continue growing and recruiting celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Lisa Marie Presley, Tom Cruise, Kirstie Allie, and John Travolta when the truth about this cult is so widely available via the internet? Supporters of Scientology claim that it is compatible with all world religions. The published findings of numerous government inquiries, the affidavits and court testimony of former high level members, and the expert analysis of Scientology practices, however, paint a much different picture. This book is a must read for anyone considering Scientology as a viable spiritual pathway.

Personal Quote

innocent — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:48:37 CDT

"I think therefore I am." - Rene Descartes. "I think therefore my thoughts can be controlled by others." - Jerry Staton

"The practice of Scientology is like paying to eat plastic fruit when a limitless basket of fresh fruit is sitting directly in front of you which costs nothing. The plastic fruit fills you up, but since it has no nutritional value, it leaves you craving and totally unaware that you are, in fact, starving to death. " - Jerry Staton

“The man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.” - Andrew Carnegie

"What we think of as reality and the truth are not really reality and truth at all, but simply our perceptions. That is why there are so many variations of the truth and that is why reality can be distorted and bent to the point of breaking. Once one’s perception of reality is so deformed, it is forever altered, and will remain so against all reason." - Jerry Staton

"We all have the freedom to choose. We just need the courage to choose to follow our own paths, and to choose right over wrong even though choosing wrong seems to always offer us the path of least resistance. We can choose to hurt people and ignore their pain, or we can choose to live our lives in such a way as to leave the world just a little bit better for our having been in it." - Jerry Staton

"It's true...it is easier coming down than it is going up, and the view from the top is absolutely incredible!" - Jerry Staton

"To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give. That takes courage, because we don't want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt." -- Madonna, O Magazine, January 2004 US actress & singer (1958 - )

"I expose Scientology in this country, because to expose it is to kill it. Scientology is one of those monsters of darkness to whom the light of truth is death." - Jerry Staton

“In the end ,we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Live your life so that it won't matter if whatever you say or do is published around the world...even if what is published is not true."- Richard Bach

"Those who plot against their friends often find to their surprise that they destroy themselves in the bargain." – Aesop

"Friendship is a promise of future loyalty, loyalty no matter what comes. Promises are the bricks of life and trust is the mortar." -Stephen Carter, "

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

"You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” - Ruth Smeltzer

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts." (A sign reportedly hanging in Albert Einstein's office)

"Never mistake knowledge for wisdom. One helps you make a living and the other helps you make a life." - Sandra Carey, therapist

“Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere in which individual differences are appreciated, love is shown openly, mistakes are used for learning, communication is open, rules are flexible, responsibility is modeled and honesty is practiced.” - Virginia Satir

"Many folks with handsome faces are greater monsters than you," said Beauty. "Their ugliness is all inside them." - Nancy Willard

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

"Live up to your potential instead of imitating someone else's." - Martha Burgess

"Argue for your limitations and sure enough they're yours." - Richard Bach

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes, for a farewell is necessary if we are to meet again, and meeting again after moments or lifetimes is certain for those who are friends." - Richard Bach

"Although you may understand the explanations, if you are still suffering because of problems, you clearly do not understand the true nature of your mind, your body, and your senses." - Lama Zopa Rinpoche, "Transforming Problems Into Happiness"

“What makes something special is not just what you have to gain, but what you feel there is to lose.” - Andre Agassi

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

"Waste not fresh tears over old griefs." - Euripides

"Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." - Mother Theresa

Accidentally Swallow Scientology’s Poison and It Will Give You the Antidote…For a Price

innocent — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:52:25 CST

By Jerry Staton

The threat to our national security and danger to the American people posed by the Church of Scientology can no longer be overlooked. Everyday, countless numbers of people are introduced to the practice of Scientology either covertly through the Church’s many front groups--the outward appearances of which belie their true affiliation with the Church of Scientology—or directly via the free personality tests and introductory “auditing” sessions offered by the Church.

Scientology’s personality test, the Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA), also sometimes referred to as the American
Personality Analysis or APA, is offered for free as a “public service,” or so Scientology claims, but don’t let the cost fool
you. So far, this “free” personality test has cost my friend Michael at least $11000.00 that I know of, plus over 5 years of
his life.

For others the cost of this “free” test has been much higher. In March of 2008, Kaja Ballo, the beautiful 20 year old
daughter of a high ranking member of Norway’s parliament, was administered this test while studying in France. Two
hours later, she was dead, having jumped from her dorm window just a few blocks from where she had taken the “free” test. Her suicide note apologizing to her family for being such a failure was found next to her personality test results, and her friends told investigators that she had been in a good mood with no signs of depression prior to her having taken Scientology’s test. More than likely, the Scientologist “counselor” had told Kaja that she should kill herself just as my friend Michael’s Scientologist counselor had told him that he should kill himself. Matter-of-fact, I would bet money on it.

I don't condone suicide--the human potential that is lost and the emotional pain that is caused are immeasurable. I often wonder, however, how someone can continue living after they've learned the information that is contained in OT8 and realize that they have been living a lie for the past 20+ years of their life and that they have deceived others into living that same lie.

Whether an individual is lured into the practice of Scientology covertly or approaches the Church of Scientology directly, both have one thing in common—the eventual introduction to the Church’s main practice of “auditing.” The purpose of this initial—and usually free—auditing session is to literally make the unsuspecting individual “sick” so that they are then more than willing to buy the Church of Scientology’s brand of “cure.” There is no market for the Church of Scientology’s product other than that which they create. The free introductory "auditing" session induces an "attenuated" or "transient" psychosis in the unsuspecting person, which is then seized upon by the Church of Scientology staffer as an opportunity to “counsel” them into signing up and paying for classes to teach them how to overcome the problem that they did not have prior to their having been audited.

It should be noted here that none of the Scientology “auditors” are licensed or credentialed in pastoral counseling nor are they licensed or credentialed in clinical hypnotherapy, and the practice of “auditing” has been determined by experts to be in fact authoritarian hypnosis.

At the present time, Indiana is the only state that requires licensing and credentialing to practice clinical hypnotherapy, yet anyone can open up a very lucrative private “auditing” practice in Indiana and totally avoid these regulatory requirements. Something must be done to protect the American people from this menace. Tax exempt status or no tax exempt status, this practice is immoral, unethical, and should be illegal. This organization is literally poisoning people and then offering them the antidote--for a price. What the Church of Scientology is doing is no less serious then if a drug manufacturer was inviting people to take a tour of their manufacturing plant and then infecting them with a disease that only they had the treatment for in order to ensure a market for their product. This absolutely can not and should not be allowed to continue.

Is Scientology A Religion?

innocent — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:28:12 CST

Scientology is not a religion--click here--it is a secret society with a secret doctrine that eschews psychiatrists and psychiatry, and teaches that those who are suppressive toward Scientology have no rights of any kind and actions taken against them are not punishable. This secret doctrine is only made known to indoctrinated members of Scientology. The thing that distinguishes a bona fide religion from a secret society is quite obvious, yet it continues to escape many people. A secret society, the goal of which is to make its members into deployable agents willing to fanatically use all of the resources available to them to further the organization, is distinguished by adherence to a secret doctrine that is only revealed to indoctrinated members of the society. A bona fide religion’s doctrine is readily available to everyone whether they are members of that religion or not.

Scientology is a secret society whose members adhere to its secret doctrine and think nothing of using their resources to neutralize its opponents! I am currently experiencing this first hand as a result of my attempt to prevent the further abuse, exploitation, and possible suicide of a mentally ill friend. The judge, who stated on record that he’s a scientologist, has denied repeated motions to order an IME of my friend and has denied me immunity, equal protection, and the right to present exculpatory evidence. He ruled based on Scientology doctrine instead of accepted law and practice and has denied me rights guaranteed to every U.S. citizen by the U.S. Constitution, not to mention that membership in an organization that espouses the denial of civil and constitutional rights to persons who don’t adhere to that group’s doctrine is contrary to Judicial Rules of Conduct, specifically Canon 2(C).

BOTH THE GERMAN AND BELGIUM GOVERNMENTS ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING LABELING THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION!

Before the cries of “religious persecution” replace analytic thought, think about what this means to the U.S., a country in which those who practice scientology hold positions in every conceivable level of government and law enforcement. The issue of whether Scientology is a religion or a cult desperately needs to be clarified. People ignorantly equate tax exempt status with religion, assuming that the IRS is even capable of making that distinction. The U.S. government has no "Department of Religious Designation." Scientology has waged numerous court battles against former members in an attempt to keep their secret doctrine a secret. I do not begrudge any secret society’s right to exist, but if it is going to abuse our 1st Amendment rights and take money out of our pockets by defrauding the IRS, then we have a right to know exactly what its doctrine says.

I get the distinct impression that everyone thinks that I am just making all of this up! I could not have made this stuff up even if I had tried, and I swear that everything that I have claimed can be easily verified.

The spoon-feeding and our willingness to simply swallow anything and everything that's presented to us must stop! We need to engage our critical thinking skills, disengage the autopilot once in awhile, and think and behave like the sentient beings that we are instead of like lemmings rushing en masse into the sea!

the Church of Scientology is a cult.

It is a delusion which , sadly, many have come to accept as their reality. It exists solely to make money and to promulgate its hidden agenda--to make even more money. Involvement with this organization is probably the closest that one can come to experiencing Hell without dying...where cries for help are ignored...no one cares about your pain or discomfort but you.

The attitudes of the people around you change once the door to the outside closes.

Scientology=Death

Department of Health and Human Services Petition

innocent — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:48:06 CST

Click here to read my citizen petition.

Truth

innocent — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:31:13 CDT

The truth, if it be known,
is more precious than any precious metal...
more valuable than any gemstone.

Greater in value
than the world's riches combined,
it removes misconception and liberates the mind.

Sometimes the truth hurts.
Perhaps that is why
it is sometimes distorted into less painful lies.

Some lies are excused as harmless and white.
To describe lies as such
never makes them alright.

Deception equals betrayal.
Betrayal erodes trust.
We all desire intimacy, for which truth is a must.

Since the beginning of time
it has been our shared quest.
The search for the truth is but a self test

--a test to help us determine
whether we are being
true to our selves or a false self we're seeing.

There is no pass or fail
for only we know our results.
Those who are afraid to take the test usually end up in cults.

The truth is within us
-- it's been there all along.
It leads us to desire justice for all and to know right from wrong.

We can choose to hear or ignore it
--our wills are still free.
The truth simply is and that's all it needs be.

Jerry Staton
Copyright ©2006 Jerry Staton

Summer

innocent — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:48:26 CDT

Fragrant suntan oils
On skins of various hue
Blend with boardwalk smells.

Playful beach goers
Build temporary castles
To be washed away

By receding waves
Ridden by body surfers
Frolicking carefree.

Gatherings of friends
Families reunited
Summer has arrived.

- Jerry

Copyright © 2008 Jerry Staton

Scientology--A Mental Health Hazard

innocent — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 23:16:08 CST

The Anderson Report

CHAPTER 23
DANGERS TO MENTAL HEALTH

Although there are several features of scientology which are to be condemned, its threat to health - particularly mental health - ranks paramount. The HASI's boast is that it is the world's largest mental health organization, an astonishing claim, the more so because it has flourished for some years in open competition with orthodox medicine and psychology. Thinly disguised as something of quality and value, scientology has insidiously infiltrated the community. In reality it is a dangerous medical cult, with special though not exclusive interest in mental health, and it is concerned primarily to discredit orthodox medicine and psychology and in lieu thereof offer its deluded victims dangerous hypnotic and other techniques which falsely masquerade as scientific.
The evil consequences of this deception have been dealt with at length in this Report: Chapter 18 deals with the dangerous hypnotic aspects of scientology processing; Chapter 19 deals with the spurious healing claims made by scientology; Chapter 21 deals with the general effects of processing. The hostility with which Hubbard so violently attacks the orthodox medical and psychological professions, dealt with in Chapter 22, produces a great fear and loathing of these professions in the minds of his adherents, who are thus conditioned to avoid at all costs medical practitioners, especially psychiatrists. As already pointed out, this attitude may have tragic results, because not only may mental and physical conditions which require early attention for their successful treatment be neglected, but the unfortunate sufferer may embark upon a course of scientology processing which could produce a worsening of his condition, thereby greatly decreasing, and possibly destroying, the prospect of successful treatment by orthodox medicine. One psychiatrist illustrated the danger of scientology processing which he encountered in a patient who was a neurotic with paranoiac tendencies. The patient had been subjected to scientology processing and thereafter resisted all attempts by the psychiatrist to gain his confidence, a state necessary for successful psychiatric treatment. This Chapter deals more particularly with the dangers resulting from the inability of scientology practitioners to observe mental or physical conditions, and the positive harm likely to result therefrom. The Board heard expert medical evidence to the effect that there are numerous conditions, physical as well as mental, where skill and experience are required to detect them in their incipient stages when prompt treatment is tremendously important. A person exhibiting some degree of lethargy, a feeling of inadequacy, insecurity or anxiety may be suffering from a cerebral tumour, some form of glandular disorder, drug intoxication or some psychiatric condition, the detection of which is often difficult even by skilled practitioners. With many types of psychiatric illness it is important to treat the patient as early as possible and the prospect of ultimate successful treatment could be jeopardized by delays in receiving psychiatric attention. The expert evidence was to the effect that it was difficult to determine whether a person showing signs of depression was suffering from melancholia or from unhappiness or tension. Even the most experienced and skilled psychiatrist is aided by modern laboratory equipment, radiologists and well trained psychologists, and he proceeds with caution; the price of error may be the suicide of the patient, and inadequate medical training may well result in failure to locate, as the cause of the patient's depression, brain tumour, cerebral clot or other medical condition. The more trained and experienced the psychiatrist the greater is his humility in his investigation, and the greater is the contrast between his investigation of the patient's condition and the cavalier way in which the HASI assumes that all conditions are amenable to indiscriminately applied scientology techniques. Scientologists almost invariably apply sledge-hammer methods, hitting savagely wherever they see a head. Such methods are often disastrous. One of the very grave aspects of scientology is that its practitioners almost entirely lack any medical knowledge, and are unable to discern in a preclear symptom which would indicate to a medical practitioner the need for medical attention. Williams and other witnesses asserted that the HASI had a "filter system" wherein "the ill and insane are not encouraged to seek scientology as a cure", and that it was not the policy of the HASI to accept for processing or as a student a person having a history of mental illness or who appeared to have mental illness. The HASI uses printed forms of contract in which preclears and students acknowledge that the HASI is extending no guarantee of cure of any specific ailment the applicant may possess and that the course he is to undergo or treatment he is to receive is not in any way medical or psychiatric treatment but a series of exercises designed to increase ability. The HASI somewhat ingenuously thinks that the terms of these contracts ensure that their processes do not possess the quality of treatment of physical or mental conditions. It was said by the HASI witnesses that as a further safeguard, the applicant was given a "pre-processing security check" with the assistance of the E-meter. Williams said that people who were in fact undergoing psychiatric or other medical care were told that they were unacceptable for processing. The whole routine, including the printed form, is all part of Hubbard's cunning in deluding his victims. In a perverse way it heightens the belief of the applicant that scientology will cure his complaint, for this unctuous negation by scientology of the claim to cure, while at the same time loudly proclaiming in its literature that it positively cures, suggests to the victim that scientology must be the great healer it claims to be because of the apparent modest disclaimer it so disarmingly makes. The plain fact, however, is that the "filter" system does not filter; it was never intended to filter out those in need of psychiatric help or possessing mental troubles, for these are scientology's prime target. It is quite apparent from the evidence the Board heard and the files it examined that a substantial number of people suffering from various mental illnesses and in need of psychiatric care were accepted by the Melbourne HASI and by the Geelong and Hawthorn organizations for processing and training. Some of these persons had had earlier psychiatric treatment, and in many such cases that fact was known to the HASI and the other organizations before they were accepted for processing and training. Other persons who were evidently mentally ill were also accepted, or they developed obvious symptoms of mental troubles during their processing and training. After their sojourn in scientology, a significant number of these required and some received psychiatric treatment in State mental hospitals. How many in fact received psychiatric treatment in hospitals and from private practitioners could not be determined. The Board heard evidence about one person who had been in and out of mental hospitals over a period of several years. He paid a total of £927 to the HASI. He was for a time a member of the HASI staff, at a time when the HASI knew he had been receiving psychiatric treatment. As a staff member he would be handling the affairs of preclears. Another person, after scientology processing, became a voluntary patient in a psychiatric hospital for four months. On his release the HAS[ signed him up for 300 hours. After some scientology processing he had to return to the hospital. In several cases scientology processing reduced the mental health of the persons concerned to a state which required psychiatric treatment. Many who need psychiatric treatment as a result of scientology processing most probably have not had it, because of the fear and hate of the medical profession which Hubbard has inculcated in them. Hubbard has admitted in HCO Pol. Lr. of the 10th October (probably 1960), that one of the consequences of scientology processing can be "nervous breakdown" involving "observation" in an asylum. He even regards the development of the "sad effect" as a good sign in processing. Of the "sad effect", Hubbard writes,

"The Sad Effect. We could call this Tearculi Apathia Magnus and everyone would be in great awe of it. But I see no reason to follow the Latinated nonsense of yesterday's failured [sic] sciences. Call it something simple and the auditor will feel he can do something about it and even the preclear will cheer up a bit. So it is 'the Sad Effect'. This is a state of great sadness, apathy, and misery and desire for suicide."

It is such cases as this that scientologists enthusiastically process, and such states they are proud to produce.
The sequel to one of the demonstration sessions impressed upon the Board in a most dramatic and convincing way the great harm which flows from the ignorance of scientologists who are unaware of and incapable of understanding the dangerous nature of their techniques and the real condition of mental health of those on whom they are practising. The particular session demonstrated what was called "listen style auditing" (See Chapter 13). It was said that this was one of the simpler processes, quite a low grade process, and was designed to help people talk about their worries and problems and get them "off their chests", on the basis that people found relief when there was someone ready and willing to listen to them. It enabled the person with problems and worries to talk about them and the auditor, on this occasion being very literally one who listened, merely started the preclear talking and then sat silent, providing a receptive ear. The demonstration session was of about thirty minutes duration. The auditor was Tampion and the preclear was a woman approaching middle age. She appeared to be nervous, excitable and enthusiastic. This woman had initially signed for 50 hours processing in June, 1962, but the director of processing, carrying out "the old routine" as directed by Hubbard, had certified that she required 300 hours before she could obtain a "stable gain", and she had then signed up for 300 hours. By February, 1964, she had had something in excess of 60 hours' auditing and had undergone some training. The session was conducted in a small room with only the auditor and the preclear present; the Board and others viewed proceedings in another room on closed television circuit. An E-meter was used. The session began with the customary strict routine of "start of session", and the auditor then commanded the preclear to "Tell me about the right decisions you have made". The preclear thereupon commenced talking and almost without pause talked for the whole of the session about herself, her daughter, her husband and his woman friend, her neighbours, her work and her employment. It was a somewhat pitiful performance in which the preclear seemed to he talking herself into the belief that all the problems associated with the matters she mentioned were working themselves out and that she was understanding them better. At the end of the session, she said she had made gains. Nine days after the demonstration session this preclear was admitted as a patient to the care of the Mental Health Authority. The Board is appalled at the realization that it witnessed this unfortunate woman being processed into insanity. At that early stage of the Inquiry the Board had not been informed of the potentially dangerous nature of this apparently simple and easy "listen style auditing". Subsequently a psychiatrist witness who read the transcript of this woman's demonstration session gave evidence that her behaviour in the session indicated clearly that she was in a state of mania rather than ecstasy which would have been readily apparent to a psychiatrist. Williams, Tampion and Mrs. Tampion were present at this session and the woman was obviously regarded by them as a suitable subject for auditing. Williams is a "Doctor of Scientology", and Tampion, for his services in conducting the demonstration sessions, was subsequently awarded the "degree" of "Doctor of Scientology" by Hubbard. Neither Williams nor Tampion nor Mrs. Tampion had the slightest idea that there was anything mentally wrong with this preclear. Later, Williams unconvincingly sought to explain the need for hospitalization as being the stress of vaguely hinted at family troubles. Williams, when asked did he know what a schizophrenic was, was constrained to answer that he knew only in the broadest terms. Tampion claimed that because of his scientology training his ability to treat people with psychotic and neurotic conditions was superior to the ability of psychiatrists although he did not bother to give the time to treating such people. The kind of treatment given to this unfortunate woman was the very kind which precipitated her breakdown. The Board heard expert psychiatric evidence to the effect that it was one of the well known traps in handling depressives to believe that by encouraging them to talk and "get things off their chests" one was doing some good. In dealing with a person showing signs of depression, psychiatrists have to exercise great care and judgement in determining whether it is advisable to allow the person to talk about himself or not. The traditional concept of a psychiatrist as one who encourages a person to sit down and talk about anything is not correct. In order to determine whether a patient should be allowed to talk about himself, the psychiatrist must be a highly trained physician, with insight of many branches of medicine, as well as of his own speciality, and the listener must be able to observe and appreciate the danger signs. In particular cases, positive harm may be done by encouraging a person in depression to talk about himself for the patient could be developing a pathological sense of guilt. and to allow him to elaborate on his guilt may develop in him such a sense of guilt that he may well attempt suicide. There was further expert psychiatric evidence that such techniques as listen style auditing encourage a trust and dependency by the patient on the auditor. and tend to mobilize guilt and bring up emotions and anxiety in the preclear. Such anxiety tends to provoke more symptoms, more anxiety and perhaps more depression, leading to a worsening of the situation. In any event, being a good listener or interviewer is not sufficient. What is required is an understanding of the complexities which are involved, an understanding impossible of attainment by a person whose only claim is that he is a scientology-trained auditor. The danger to mental health is further emphasized by the peculiar basis of scientology. Its practitioners use techniques based on impossible theories and directed towards the treatment of "conditions" said to be brought about by completely fictitious circumstances. Based on fantasy, scientology has built up a body of "knowledge" which is fanciful and simply not true: thus scientology treats its imaginary "diseases" or conditions with its own fantastic procedures. The alarming feature is that real diseases and conditions do exist and often the fantastic scientology procedures are positively harmful to the real condition. It is like applying an oxy-welding torch to a leaking rubber tube to weld on a patch of rubber over a hole that does not exist, the real trouble being a leaking valve. It is unnecessary to dwell further at any length on the harm which scientology has done and can do to the mental health of the community. It is not to be doubted that scientology techniques worsen and prolong the mental troubles of the mentally ill and that they produce in even a normal person disturbances and anxieties which may precipitate mental trouble.

When Good Men Do Nothing

innocent — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:24:44 CST

By Wayne Greeson

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

So much of the history of the struggle between good and evil can be explained by Edmund Burke's observation. Time and again those who profess to be good seem to clearly outnumber those who are evil, yet those who are evil seem to prevail far too often. Seldom is it the numbers that determine the outcome, but whether those who claim to be good men are willing to stand up and fight for what they know to be right. There are numerous examples of this sad and awful scenario being played out over and over again in the scriptures.

They Get Nothing Good Done

When good men do nothing, they get nothing good done. To be good, one must do good. The Lord commands his people to do good (Luke 6:35; Eph. 2:10). Christ "gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).

In the parable of the talents, Jesus described a man who did nothing. When he received his Lord's money, he "went and digged in the earth, and hid his Lord's money" (Matt. 25:18). When his Lord returned, he returned to the Lord just what he had been given (Matt. 25:25). Notice, the servant did not do any outright evil, such as stealing the money, but then neither did he do anything good. He did nothing and he got nothing good accomplished. Jesus said he was a "wicked and slothful servant" (Matt. 25:26).

Jesus rebuked the church at Laodicea for doing nothing. "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:15-17).

Too many Christians and too many churches do nothing. They are standing idly by, they are mere spectators. They sit on the sidelines instead of actively participating and working for the good. If good wins, they join in the celebration though they did nothing to produce the victory. If evil wins, they will complain long and loud though their own apathy helped produce the undesirable result.

When Jesus found a fig tree with "nothing thereon, but leaves only" He cursed the tree and "presently the fig tree withered away" (Matt. 21:19). What will He do with those who claim to be good and yet who do nothing? John the baptist warned, "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matt. 3:10; John 15:2).

They Help Evil To Triumph

When good men do nothing, evil triumphs. Evil, sin and sinful men must be opposed. God commands those who are good, not just to avoid evil but actively oppose it.

Christians are to not only to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but (also) reprove them" (Eph. 5:11). Those who do nothing about sin and evil, help the sin and evil to prevail. One who is silent when there are those around him in sin becomes a partaker with them (Eph. 5:7).

In the days of Elijah, the silence of many had allowed the evil of Ahab and Jezebel to prevail throughout the land of Israel . "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word" (1 Kings 18:21). The silence of the people spoke volumes of their indecisiveness and inaction. Their failure to stand up, speak up and speak out permitted wicked and evil men to run rampant.

Jesus told of a traveler who was robbed, beaten and left him half dead. The men who did this were wicked and did a very wicked thing. But the Levite and priest allowed this evil to continue unanswered by doing nothing as they each "passed by on the other side" (Luke 10:31-32). Fortunately for the traveler there was one man, a Samaritan, who was willing to stand up for what was right (Luke 10:33-36).

Jesus warned "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matt. 12:30). In the fight against evil there is no middle ground, no gray area, no neutrality. Those who are not actively and vigorously fighting against evil are helping evil to triumph.

They Are No Longer Good

When good men do nothing, they are no longer good. Many have the mistaken notion that good is merely the absence of doing that which is wrong. Not so! One is good not merely because he does no evil, but because he is actively working for what is good. "Let him eschew evil, and do good" (1 Pet. 3:11). James explained, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

The eldest of Israel , Reuben, knew his brothers' murderous plot against their younger brother Joseph was wrong. He started an attempt to deliver Joseph, but as he hesitated and vacillated, the other brothers sold Joseph into slavery. When Reuben heard what they had done, he realized his failure to act had helped to bring about this evil result.

Instead of correcting his error, Reuben sought to cover his guilt by agreeing with his brothers to lie to their father about Joseph's disappearance (Gen. 37:18-35). Reuben had "good intentions" and he was not even present when Joseph was sold into slavery, but he knew his inaction and absence made him just as guilty as the rest of his wicked brothers. This guilt continued to haunt him through the years (Gen. 42:21-22).

The prophet Obadiah severely condemned the Edomites for doing nothing when evil was befalling their brethren, the Jews. When Jerusalem was invaded by her enemies, the Edomites "stood on the other side" doing nothing but watching the slaughter as spectators. God said by their failure to act and to help their brethren "even thou wast as one of them" (Obad. 11).

Today, there are preachers and Christians who fail and refuse to meet the real foe, refute error and fight the enemy. Instead, they have turned to viciously savaging their own brethren. They are filled with bitterness and hatred and they maliciously attack, slander and misrepresent other Christians and gospel preachers.

Paul warned about such men and behavior among those professing to be Christians, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another" (Gal. 5:15). Those who engage in such behavior are spiritual cannibals.

While the conduct of these so-called Christians is shameful, what about those supposedly "good" men who do nothing? Those stand on the other side and do nothing but watch as their brothers are being slandered, slaughtered and devoured, they cease being innocent bystanders and idle spectators. Their failure to act not only allows evil to triumph, but makes them just as guilty as the spiritual cannibals they refuse to reprove and rebuke. In God's words, "even thou wast as one of them" (Obad. 11).

Conclusion

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). Those who fail or refuse to do good in the face of evil are sowing some dangerous seeds. They are doing nothing good as Jesus commanded them to do; they are helping evil to win and have ceased being good and have become partakers of the evil they did nothing to stop.

Do not allow evil to triumph. Do not sit by and do nothing. Stand up and be counted, speak up against evil and speak out against evil men and their sinful deeds.

Affidavit

innocent — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 17:25:04 CST

The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth...

Related:
Indiana Court of Appeals Case No. 91A02-0608-CV-717
U.S. Food and Drug Administration Docket No. 2006P-0390
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Complaint No. 2822136
White County Circuit Court Case No. 91C01-0605-PO-036
White County Circuit Court Case No. 91C01-0607-PL-0002

A Preventable Tragedy

innocent — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 14:28:48 CST

A Preventable Tragedy

Poetry Anyone?

innocent — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 04:45:56 CST

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth...

innocent — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 14:44:05 CST

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth…

Scientology and Borderline Personality Disorder

innocent — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 10:45:36 CDT

There are, broadly speaking, two types of hypnosis: passive hypnosis, and command or authoritative hypnosis. Hypnosis, properly administered by skilled practitioners, has its proper place in psychiatric practice, and, in suitable cases, produces beneficial results. In the practice of medicine the type of hypnosis generally used is passive; the patient is allowed to, and helped to, go into hypnosis entirely voluntarily, and the hypnotist plays a completely passive role. This technique is quite the reverse of authoritative or command hypnosis, where the hypnotist assumes positive authoritative control over the patient who, though he may or may not be aware of what techniques the practitioner is practising on him, is nevertheless under the domination of the hypnotist pursuant to positive commands.

The Anderson Report firmly concluded that most scientology and dianetic techniques are those of authoritative hypnosis and as such are dangerous.

According to Josie Hadley and Carol Staudacher, co-authors of Hypnosis for Change, Third Edition, there are specific problem areas for which hypnosis is not well suited...the person who has unrealistic expectations, the borderline personality, and the psychotic.

The person who has unrealistic expectations:

This is a person who believes that hypnosis/scientology is a magic cure-all. Most, if not all, scientologists seem to fall within this category.

The borderline personality:

Manifestations of Borderline Behavior

Idealizes and quickly attaches to other individuals
Quickly and inexplicably transfers loyalties from one person to another without justification
Mirrors behaviors deemed acceptable by the object of idealization
Withdraws feelings of love and affection from significant other when having to deal with a family crisis
Has experienced repeated episodes of dysphoria, each precipitated by a perceived threat, shame, or embarrassment
Projects blame onto others instead of accepting responsibility for his behavior
Doesn’t have a clearly defined sense of self or a clearly defined set of beliefs
Needs to be in a relationship in order to have the sense of focus that comes from the false sense of self acquired from the other person.
Dissociates from his past
Uses work and lists as methods to avoid having to deal with painful feelings and emotions.
Thoughts and perceptions are severely cognitively distorted and he feels that anyone who doesn’t think as he does is simply out to deceive him.
He’s totally irrational and unreasonable refusing to break out of his delusion, which has now become his reality.

Borderlines may need to feel in control of other people because they feel so out of control with themselves. In addition, they may be trying to make their own world more predictable and manageable. People with BPD may unconsciously try to control others by putting them in no-win situations, creating chaos that no one else can figure out, or accusing others of trying to control them. Conversely, some people with BPD may cope with feeling out of control by giving up their own power; for example, they may choose a lifestyle where all choices are made for them, such as the military or a cult, or they may align themselves with abusive people who try to control them through fear.

The Psychotic:

This is a person suffering from severe thought or mood disorders. It is imperative that the hypnotherapist be a skilled professional with a wealth of experience. Scientology auditors and field ministers aren't even aware that what they are doing is hypnosis and therefore are not trained to properly deal with problems that may arise.

Hypnosis used as the sole treatment of serious disorders may either intensify the existing condition, or have no effect at all.

One can easily deduce that someone with a pre-existing serious mental disorder is very much at risk under the influence of cult indoctrination and practices, and it has been shown how very much more damaged they may become by being given a thought disorder by a group that conforms to a prior tendency to this sort of thinking disability.

Indiana...A State of Denial

innocent — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:41:13 CDT

Michael Lewitz, 43, of Reynolds, IN, suffers from borderline personality disorder (BPD), a serious mental illness that was precipitated by his exposure to the practices of Scientology. In addition to intensifying the symptoms of BPD, Scientology's practices also induced Michael Lewitz to dissociate and experience psychogenic fugue and drove him to attempt suicide.

His housemate, practicing Scientologist Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D., is capitalizing from Michael Lewitz' psychological vulnerability and is exploiting him physically, mentally, and financially. Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. has created the psychological forces necessary for him to be able to exert undue influence over Michael Lewitz' independent decision-making ability by subjecting him to an ongoing program of coercive persuasion. He has in effect stripped Michael Lewitz of his free will and self-determinism, our most basic constitutional freedoms, in addition to having put him at great risk of sustaining irreparable physical and psychological injury. Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. has convinced Michael Lewitz that he does not have BPD, thereby denying him the opportunity to get treatment for this serious but treatable disorder. Denying a person needed medical or psychiatric treatment is abuse.

Indiana Code Section 12-10-3-2 defines an endangered adult as "an individual who is at least 18 years of age and...who is incapable by reason of mental illness of managing or directing the management of the individual's property and...is harmed or threatened with harm as a result of...the exploitation of the individual's personal services or property."

Incredulously, the response from the Tippecanoe County Adult Protective Service (APS) as well as the Honorable Judge Robert W. Thacker was, "I see nothing wrong...Michael has food, clothing, and shelter," and no amount of reasoning will break through their wall of ignorance.

Senator Evan Bayh requested that Officials from the Indiana Family and Social Service Administration (FSSA) review Michael Lewitz' case, but they deny having jurisdiction over APS even though Indiana Code Section 12-10-3-1 clearly establishes the contractual relationship between FSSA and APS. APS Officials even denied a request from Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Skillman's office that they respond.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service likewise has difficulty with jurisdiction and the interpretation of legal code. Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. admitted during a phone conversation that he himself said was being recorded to "routinely intercepting the mail and filtering out mail addressed to Michael Lewitz so that he doesn't have to be bothered by any of it."

A report of this blatant violation of Title 18 U.S.C. Section 1702 "Obstruction of Correspondence" resulted in the following correspondence:

Notice that "Obstruction of Correspondence appears nowhere in Inspector Birkofer's letter.

August 12, 2006

Dear Mr. Campbell,

In your letter dated August 4, 2006 you responded to my concern sent to Senator John McCain on May 5, 2006 regarding the letter I received from your office in Indianapolis, Indiana in reference to Complaint 2822136 and the lack of response to two other letters sent to Inspector Birkofer of that office.

With all due respect, your interpretation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 Obstruction of Correspondence is incorrect.

Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 Obstruction of Correspondence states:

“Whoever takes any letter, postal card, or package out of any post office or any authorized depository for mail matter, or from any letter or mail carrier, or which has been in any post office or authorized depository, or in the custody of any letter or mail carrier, before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was directed, with design to obstruct the correspondence, or to pry into the business or secrets of another, or opens, secretes, embezzles, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

Let’s look at this closer:

“Whoever takes any letter, postal card, or package out of any post office or any authorized depository for mail matter...”

Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. is taking mail from the authorized depository for mail matter at 414 N 100 W, Reynolds, IN 47980.

“…before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was directed…”

Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. is taking mail directed to Michael Lewitz from the authorized depository for mail matter at 414 N 100 W, Reynolds, IN 47980 before it is delivered to Michael Lewitz.

“…with design to obstruct the correspondence…of another…”

Donald C. Lay Jr., Ph.D. is taking mail directed to Michael Lewitz from the authorized depository for mail matter at 414 N 100 W, Reynolds, IN 47980 before it is delivered to Michael Lewitz with the design to obstruct the correspondence of Michael Lewitz.

Donald C. Lay, Jr., Ph.D. confessed to taking mail from the authorized depository for mail matter at 414 N 100 W, Reynolds, IN 47980 with design to obstruct the correspondence of Michael Lewitz during a recorded phone call and then again in a letter.

There is a federal violation in this case. Please do not further insult my intelligence or that of Senator John McCain, and do the job that you are paid by the American taxpayers to do.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jerry Staton

Cc: Senator John McCain

August 25, 2006

Ronda Carrington, Manager
Consumer Affairs and Claims
P.O. Box 21628
Phoenix, AZ 85036-1628

Dear Ronda Carrington,

This is in response to your letter dated August 24, 2006 in which you state that the known violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 “Obstruction of Correspondence” that I reported is a civil matter. Your statement is incorrect.

One of the most fundamental distinctions between civil and criminal law is in the notion of punishment. In criminal law, a guilty defendant is punished by either (1) incarceration in a jail or prison, (2) fine paid to the government, or, in exceptional cases, (3) execution of the defendant: the death penalty. Crimes are divided into two broad classes: felonies have a maximum possible sentence of more than one year incarceration; misdemeanors have a maximum possible sentence of less than one year incarceration.

In contrast, a defendant in civil litigation is never incarcerated and never executed. In general, a losing defendant in civil litigation only reimburses the plaintiff for losses caused by the defendant's behavior.

Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 “Obstruction of Correspondence” imposes a punishment of a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both. In this case, 23 provable violations would most likely constitute a felony.

You further stated in your letter that the Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service will not become involved.
According to http://www.usps.com/websites/depart/inspect/usc18/welcome1.htm, which lists some laws postal inspectors enforce, Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 “Obstruction of Correspondence” is listed under the heading Destruction, Obstruction, and Delay of Mail.
As I’ve previously stated, I feel as if I am being toyed with. I am absolutely appalled at the display of gross ignorance that I have been subjected to. You should be absolutely embarrassed. It is unconscionable that this matter is going to have to take up valuable federal district court time and resources as it appears that I am going to have to file a petition for a Writ Of Mandamus in order to force the Postal Inspection Service to simply do its job.
You purport to understand my frustration. You can not begin to understand even ½ of it. I am going to make sure that this gets as much publicity as possible. The American people need to know that this is the kind of protection that their tax dollars are paying for. I now know, and it sickens me.
Sincerely,
Jerry Staton

Cc: Senator John McCain

September 01, 2006

Ronda Carrington, Manager
Consumer Affairs and Claims
P.O. Box 21628
Phoenix, AZ 85036-1628

Dear Ronda Carrington,

You didn’t need to refer this matter to your legal department only to have them reach the same incorrect conclusion. The only reason that I can come up with for their doing so is that they perhaps were not given all of the information because no lawyer in their right mind would state that a violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 (1994), “Obstruction of Correspondence” is a civil matter. All that it takes is the exercising of critical thinking skills along with a little deductive reasoning to understand a matter that is not at all the least complicated.

Let’s start off with Title 18 U.S.C. § 1702 (1994), “Obstruction of Correspondence” itself:

“Whoever takes any letter, postal card, or package out of any post office or any authorized depository for mail matter, or from any letter or mail carrier, or which has been in any post office or authorized depository, or in the custody of any letter or mail carrier, before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was directed, with design to obstruct the correspondence, or to pry into the business or secrets of another, or opens, secretes, embezzles, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.”

It does not say “Whoever-unless they live at the same address and are legally authorized to take mail from the authorized depository for mail matter…” It says “Whoever…” period. 18 U.S.C. § 1702 (1994), “Obstruction of Correspondence” was amended in 1994 to make allowances for parents and legal guardians of dependents under the age of 16. No such allowance has ever been made for roommates/housemates, however.

In my initial report-as well as a couple of times since-I have stated that Donald C. Lay, Jr., Ph.D. stated that the phone call in which he admitted to violating 18 U.S.C. § 1702 (1994), “Obstruction of Correspondence” was recorded. He also admitted to violating 18 U.S.C. § 1702 (1994), “Obstruction of Correspondence” in a typewritten letter that he included in a package of 23 unopened letters from me addressed to Michael Lewitz that he mailed to me.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has stated that once the mail is delivered they have no way of knowing who retrieves the mail from the authorized depository for mail matter or whether or not they give it to the person to whom it is directed. Pardon me for being direct, but that is where the U.S. Postal Inspection Service should have obviously begun the investigation that they failed to conduct. Was any effort made to secure the recording of the telephone conversation? I know that they could care less about the 23 pieces of evidence along with the typed confession of Donald C. Lay, Jr., Ph.D. that I still hold in my possession.

This is not brain surgery. What could possibly be wrong with you people?

Sincerely,

Jerry Staton

Cc: Senator John McCain

If this wan't actually occurring, I would probably not believe such misunderstanding and dereliction of duty could ever occur on a scale such as this. In the time that has been spent by state and federal government officials attempting to come up with an argument to support their inaction, Michael Lewitz could have undergone 100 specialized independent mental examinations, all of which would have revealed the fact that he has BPD, and would have been well into treatment by now. Instead, the likelihood of his ever being able to establish a relationship with outer reality and become an autonomous individual continues to lessen with each passing second.

Winter

innocent — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:50:04 CDT

The snow reflecting
Moon light turns night into day
And the days are short

A breath of fresh air
Made clean by the falling snow
Reminds of days past

Nights silent and still
Bring people together for
Warmth and company

Moments we treasure
With family and dear friends
As we await Spring

- Jerry

Copyright © 2007 Jerry Staton

the Truth...within reason - Recently Updated Pages

Justice in Motion

How Many Motions Does it Take to Obtain Truth and Justice?

An Opinion/Editorial

Should the Practice of Scientology Carry a Warning Label?

Be Afraid...Be Very Afraid!

The U.S. government’s failure to recognize and to act against this threat to homeland security amounts to nothing less than the sanctioning of Scientology’s harmful acts and practices and is not without consequence.

Nothing illustrates this better than a case that is presently working its way through the Indiana state judicial system involving the abuse and exploitation of a vulnerable adult by a self-proclaimed scientologist.

This has been reported to the Department of Justice, The U.S. Attorney’s of both the Northern and Southern Indiana Districts, the Lafayette Resident Agency of the F.B.I., and the Governor and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Indiana, and nothing has been done!

Be afraid…be very afraid! This reporter is.

(Jerry Staton is an independent reporter and is also the reporter of the case of adult endangerment mentioned in the preceding article)

Hollywood, Satanism, Scientology, & Suicide

Hollywood, Satanism, Scientology and Suicide

Personal Quote

Accidentally Swallow Scientology’s Poison and It Will Give You the Antidote…For a Price

Is Scientology A Religion?

the Church of Scientology is a cult.

Department of Health and Human Services Petition

Truth

Summer

Scientology--A Mental Health Hazard

CHAPTER 23DANGERS TO MENTAL HEALTH

When Good Men Do Nothing

They Get Nothing Good Done

They Help Evil To Triumph

They Are No Longer Good

Conclusion

Affidavit

The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth...

A Preventable Tragedy

Poetry Anyone?

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth...

Scientology and Borderline Personality Disorder

The person who has unrealistic expectations:

The borderline personality:

The Psychotic:

Indiana...A State of Denial

Winter

CHAPTER 23
DANGERS TO MENTAL HEALTH