Scientology Summarized in one word: Abuse

Allegations that Church of Scientology uses physical and mental abuse and the Sea Organization or 'Sea Org' to maintain order.

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - The Church of Scientology uses physical and mental abuse, along with pressure exerted by an elite group of followers called the Sea Organization or "Sea Org," to maintain order. The details are found in the third installment of a report by Thomas Tobin and Joe Childs, reporters for the St. Petersburg (FL) Times.

Four high-level defectors, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Amy Scobee, and Tom DeVocht, talked openly with the reporters concerning the history, practices and power found within Scientology. They stated that physical and mental attacks were a common tactic used even on the organization's leaders to be sure they stayed in line.

According to their reports, Scientology Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige allegedly had his managers jump into a pool or a lake. He would also gather them for group confessions that turned into free-for-alls, with people hitting one another.

The tactics to keep executives in line "are wrong from a Scientology viewpoint," Rinder told the Times. "They are not standard practice of Scientology. They are just not humanitarian. And they are just outright evil."

In confirming the stories with church spokespersons, the Times was told that these activities were used as a part of "ecclesiastical justice" for those in the group who were performing poorly.

The Times also talks about an elite group of members that had been established by L. Ron Hubbard in 1968, called the Sea Organization or "Sea Org." Acting as the upper management of the church, the group was organized in a manner similar to the U.S. Navy. In fact, during one period of time where Hubbard had a warrant issued for his arrest, the group literally operated on board ships in the Mediterranean Sea.

As enforcers, the Sea Org established Rehabilitative Project Forces, made up of members who violated CoS policies or failed to live up to expectations. Their treatment was brutal both physically and emotionally.

Interviewed by the Times, one 18-year veteran of the group, Tommy Davis, stated that the Sea Org is a "crew of tough sons of bitches.

"The Sea Org is not a democracy," Davis went on to say. "The members of it agree with a man named L. Ron Hubbard. They abide by his policies . . . and we follow it to the T, to the letter, to the punctuation marks. And if you disagree with that and you don't like it, you don't belong. Then you leave."

These stories are only a small part of the third section of the report, which can be found at: http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1012575.ece. An update on the four leaders who left Scientology and were interviewed by the Times can be found at: http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1012520.ece.

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The Reporters:
Joe Childs, Managing Editor/Tampa Bay, ran the Times Clearwater operation dating to 1993 and supervises the newspaper's Scientology coverage. He can be reached at childs@sptimes.com.

Thomas C. Tobin has covered the Church of Scientology off and on since 1996. He can be reached at tobin@sptimes.com

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