Bare-Faced Messiah, FBI Archives Hubbard's complaint about raids

From the files of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. Please archive.

STATEMENT B[?] FOUNDING CHURCH OF SCIE[?]TOLOGY
WASHINGTON, [?].C.                            January 5, 1963

The seizure of the property and records of our religious organization, the
Founding Church of Scientology, at the instigation of the Food and Drug
Administration of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare,
is a shocking example of government bureaucracy gone mad.

It is a direct and frightening attack upon the Constitutional rights of
freedom of religion, freedom of press, and freedom of speech.

Without any prior warning, or opportunity for officials of the Church to
appear in Court for a hearing, a large force of United States Marshals
entered Church premises and seized property and pamphlets used in the
religious work of the Church.

There is no criticism of the Court which issued the seizure warrant,
because it is not apparent from the warrant that the Court was advised
by the government department that the premises and property of a church
were to be entered and seized.  Nor is it clear that the United States
Attorney's office was advised by the Department officials that a church
owned or possessed the property and literature that was seized.

More than two months ago, the Food and Drug Administration interfered
with the delivery to the Church and its affiliated organizations of the
imported scientific instruments which are used in connection with
certain phases of the Church's religious activities.  Protest was made
with the Baltimore office of the Food and Drug Administration, and ample
evidence was submitted showing that the detention of the property was in
violation of the law and the Constitution of the United States.  But up
to this time the Church and its attorney have received no administrative
ruling, which could be appealed either within the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare, or to the Courts.

Instead, there has been a subsequent seizure of property, without notice
or prior Court hearing for the Church, such as might have occurred under
Stalin or Khruschev in Russia.

If the legimate work and activities of one religious organization can be
ruthlessly attacked and violated by one branch of the United States
Government, no other religious organization is safe from similar or like
illegal intrusion and attack.  The question directly raised is: "Are we
in America today living under a Godless government which intends ultimately
to destroy all religions and religious organizations?"

There is nothing in the so-called warrant that was issued to indicate
that the Court was informed ... as it should have been ... that civil
administrative proceedings were pending and had not been decided.  The
facts are that the District Office of the Food and Drug Administration
in Chicago had previously ruled against the seizure or detention of
property such as was seized by request of the same government agency in
Washington on January 4th.  And previously another governmental agency,
the Customs Bureau, had made a definite ruling that is in direct conflict
with the basic contention of the Food and Drug Administration on which
its seizure of the Church's property was founded.

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Necessarily all the facts will be given to the [?]ourt, in the hope and
expectation [?]at it will uphold the Constituti[?]l rights of freedom of
religion and [?]pression.

It is also hoped and expected that the Secretary of the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare ... who is of a different religious faith
than the members of the Church of Scientology ... will give his own,
personal consideration of the facts of the pending case, which involves
the Constitutional right of freedom of religion.  It is not too late yet
to correct the excesses of his subordinates, undoubtedly committed
without authorization from him

                            ***

A STATEMENT BY L. RON HUBBARD FOR THE PRESS

January 5, 1963

"Although I have few details all I can make of this is that the United
States Government, not some special interest using the government, has
launched an attack upon religion and is seizing and burning books of
philosphy.

"Spiritual healing being legal under the laws of the District does not in
any influence or explain this action.  The meter neither heals nor
diagnoses.  We or any doctor know that.  The books do not talk about
healing.  They talk of the Laws of Life and the Spiritual Character of
Man.  They are not subversive nor pornagraphic nor do they specialize in
healing.  So the charges are completely false and will soon be disproven
in Court.

"As an author this is the only thing that concerns me: The goverment has
begun to seize religious texts.  Apparently a burning of the books has
begun in the United States.  Where will this end?  Complete censorpship?
A complete ignoring of the First Amendment?  Are churches to be attacked
and books burned as a normal course of action?

"We have won through many attacks.  If there was anything truly wrong with
us we would have fallen years ago.  We are still alive and the sun never
sets on our organizations.  We will win through this one with ease as we
have done nothing wrong.

"But is this the beginning of the end for Freedom of Speech, Freedom of
the Press and Freedom of Religion?  And who else tomorrow or the next day
will be subject to having his books forbidden, seized or burned?

"As the author of those books I am shocked to be told not to speak to Man
about Freedom or the Spiritual Laws of Life.

"Tomorrow you too may have to start being careful about what you write.
If they let us continue to write at all."

L. RON HUBBARD