Smiling delation, a scientology practice
The cult has issued the "files" of one of its opponents ?
htmlized onto http://home.worldnet.fr/libe-raid.htm
Libération May 2d.2000
Par DAVID DUFRESNE
By scientologists, a golden rule wants to see smiles everywhere. Even when it should be time to worry about. Therefore, yesterday, after the disclosing by Libération about the seizure on may 16th, of the association's seat by the SEFTI [computer investigations official services], what was next? That was now the tour for the american millionaire Bob Minton, one of the worse opposants to the cult, to announce that he launched a complaint in Paris through is attorney Jean-Michel Pesenti.
Purpose of his complaint for libel? The "Dead Agent Pack" (1) issued by the cult against him. Done from police reports, press articles and "confessions" from former adepts, the Dead Agent Pack about Minton had been sent to Liberation and other organs, soon after his 10th april travel through Paris. [image of the letter sent to libération]
Despite this, Jean Dupuis, one of the cult's spokepersons, does not forget to smile. About Minton, he says "he has nothing to fear", even if the millionaire is the cult's devil Beast. Th 16th may seizure? idem... "It's a nothingness, a storm in a glass of water. Scientology does not have anything to be afraid of." Neither about its president police arrest - he was relaxed later - neither about the seizure of its computers, with the accounts; and, as the cult says, they have been given back. Better: "This affair shall prove that we are transparent". But the judge is Renaud Van Ruymbeke, he's rather a tenacious one. And, as scientologists are rather well informed, they know it's perhaps not so good a new...
Cause of the raid? Two Paris area's ex-adepts who complained for privacy violation through "keeping data base" about them in computers, "lying advertizing", and "fraud". Tired to get advertisements and other pieces, both had asked to be erased from the computers; but they finally complained before courts. According to Jean Dupuis, their names have really been erased, but a last prospectus has nevertheless been sent to them. It's the problem of large files: the one of scientology would contain some 20000 names and "correspondants" - every people having ever written to the cult.
(1) Regarding the yesterday's artcle, scientology wants to add: "... about the seized DA packs that could have been seized, it's a totally erroneous information. In any case, the expression 'dead agent' comes from a chinese book. When it is proven that the "agent" has lied, he is dead as an agent, that's where the expression comes. Files are regularly sent to the press to correct the lying allegations about scientology.