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Mission Network Pre 1982

OHTEEATE

Silver Meritorious Patron
I got into Scientology at a Mission, Arden Way in Sacramento, and took courses with some of the early pioneer missionholders. I was just telling Alan in a post, that I knew of him as my sisters were on staff at his mission, and I knew many at his Salt Lake mission. I also knew Pem and Roz Wall at Reno, Allen and Virginia Kapuler at South Lake Tahoe, David Stokes at Fresno. Jerry Hedin and Peter and Doran Greene had both owned Arden Way. Kip Kiplinger had also had SF Marina and was involved in Sac.
While reading Kima Douglas' account of taking care of LRH over a number of years. I realized what a huge power shift occured in the mission network, after Ray Kemp had basically declared war on LRH, sending out people to photograph him, etc. Orange County was a watershed event for missions everywhere. I was in at a time when COSMOD was getting huge numbers of people into Scientology in Northern California. Out of my little high school in Truckee, over 25 OTs were eventually produced, due to Sacramento and Martin Samuels' COSMOD ( Church of Scientology Mission of Davis) missions. Just to give you the idea, everybody knew a little about Scientology, and had friends who were in or interested, in our college circles.
The battles which culminated in 1982 with the mass declares , came about for many reasons. One of which was Ray Kemp flouting his money, buying Jaguars when the staff were broke. The locals in Orange County were very aware of this state of affairs. There were flaps at other missions as well. These were used as justifications to rip off franchises and blow private ownership of missions into a Sea Org supervised era, which proved very different. What gets lost in accusations, is that the missions WERE getting thousands and tens of thousands of people in and up the lower Bridge, and sending staff up to orgs, like SF, for training. It was FUN!
The Sea Org points to the last 25 years and says "see, we did all that". Yes , you did, after you made it impossible for anyone else to move an inch without your imput. I hope Alan and others from the period will chime in, give some insight, and war stories. The Mission floodgates are open!
 
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I got into Scientology at a Mission,

<snip>

I hope Alan and others from the period will chime in, give some insight, and war stories. The Mission floodgates are open!

I ("Popsweetland" i.e "E. David Sweetland") took the first Comm Course offered at Martin & Diana Samules "Dianetics and Scientology Center" in Davis, in October of 1969. It wasn't called a "mission" until a few years later and we went through all that Roman collar crap.

I was, I belive, the tenth staff member in the original Davis mission signing in April or so of 1970. There was Martin & Diana Samules; Vaughn & Toby Young ) That - Robert "Vaughn" Young who was teaching philosophy at Univeristy of California - Davis - (UCD) ; James Hare (brother of Fred and recepient of the first Class VIII cert); Jerry & Nola Simmons (Jerry tenured professor of sociology at UCD); Lawrence Lynn; Jeannie Danilovich; then me.

Martin had a staff joining ceremony where the new member "signed in blood". My predecessors had done so by making a pin prick in a finger and swiping a little blood on the contract. When I was offerd the pin I rejected it and went to James Hares's office where he had an engraved dagger. I was deeply conflicted about my decision to reject my collge education and join staff. At age 20 two-and-a-half years seemed like an eternity. I made a pretty good gash in the back of my left hand while Martin and others roared and convulsed in a combinataion of revulsion and support. I wiped plenty of blood across the contract. I still have the scar - subtle, but there.

By the time I left staff in 1980 "COSMOD" included Davis, Sacramento, Portland, SanFrancisco, and the Delphian FOUNDATION (later the Delphian SCHOOL). We had somewhere bewteen two and three hundred staff - maybe more -- I don't recall. Wild times ..... more later...

I didn't realize that the "Truckee contingent" also had people at Arden Way. Rohn and Vicki Walker; Steve Besio and his girlfriend Jeannie Danilovich - she was from another small Sierra town - Jackson); Greg and Cathy Moore also from Truckee were all part of COSMOD's "Truckee" contingent. I believe that all are still active "churchies"--- although "who knows"... If anyone is lurking you know how to contact me.

Best --

Popsweetland
E. David Sweetland
E. Dave
Dave
 

programmer_guy

True Ex-Scientologist
AFAIK, the missions fed the upper orgs.

When the missions were destroyed the orgs suffered.

Now, there are so many people reporting how the orgs are dead. Duh!
 

The Oracle

Gold Meritorious Patron
Gee Mike,

I watched every mission in New York fold.

Word from inside was that L.R.H. sold it all to DM for a bit over 450,000.

That word came from his CMO missionaires.

DM got the money for the buy out from raiding the mission network and that is why he had the ...whatever...to buzz Hubbard and his wife off.

He bought it like a store.

DM ownes it from raiding the missions.

He bought it, get it?

It hasn't been Hubbard for 2o years, it's been David Miscavige Inc..
 

Bea Kiddo

Crusader
I am very interested in hearing about the time period of 82 when all of this occured, and things surrounding it. At the time I was in the church, but at the ripe age of 10 years old, I was unaware of what was the goings-on within the church. I was busy in school, trying to find a TV to watch (as they had all been confiscated in that year), trying to see my dad (who we were in contact with in 82, last time I ever saw him) and other such things.

And how did the whole COSMOD thing relate time-wise with the Snow White operation? Were they in the same time period?

Is there a book covering this or something I could read up on?

(My story is later years mostly - though I was in Scn/Sea Org from 1975 - 2004)
 

Alan

Gold Meritorious Patron
The Mission Network started this week in California in 1850!

Do you know what else happened this week back in 1850, in California?

California became a state.

The State had no electricity.

The State had no money.

Almost everyone spoke Spanish.

There were gunfights in the streets.

As you can observe; even after 157 years there has been little change, basically, it was just like California today, except the women had real breasts, and the men didn't hold hands.

Alan
 
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Alan

Gold Meritorious Patron
The original Mission Holder Meetings occurred in 1981.

Once the CMO and DM had reneged on their agreements to reform Scio., it was a forgone obviousness that DM's and the CMO's psychotic behaviour would continue.

Dec 1981 was the beginning of the end......

Alan
 
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Bea Kiddo

Crusader
Wow. Thank you for that. From inside in the SO, that was considered the turning point, where everything off the rails got back on the rails, starting with that conference.

I didnt know Wendel Reynolds was in on it too. I knew him later when he was the CO Gold. I babysat his daughter for a few months. Later he was posted as a dishwasher at Gold. That was all late 80's (88 - 89).

Among other things really off with all that, is that alot of that stuff was originally authorized to be done, so why did they have to hit so hard to people who were trying to do good? I know they consider that they were not trying to do good.

Oct 1982 - My 10th birthday. I was still in Florida and still able to see my dad (even though he was declared, we were allowed to see him.).

Interesting...
 

Alan

Gold Meritorious Patron
The schism was slow in starting; it started earlier beginning around 1975 the big Mission Holders began to exit Scio.

The reason for this was the feeling that there was some kind of criminality going on and the price increases.

The FBI raid in 1977 verified our worse suspicions.

In Nov 1981 Bill Franks was made ED INT.

He contacted me and asked if I would help recover the lost Mission Holders.

I refused.

He asked; "Why?"

I told him none of us would come back unless there were numerous reforms.

Those reforms were:

1. Abolishment of the RPF.

2. Medical and dental coverage for all SO, Org and GO staff members.

3. Lowering of prices.

4. Open books.....that is no secret criminal SO missions or GO missions.

5. Cutting out the hostile behavior and degradation towards homosexuals.

6. Allow each of us to inspect our GO files.

7. That the SO, GO, Orgs and Missions get clean with each other.

8. That ALL stolen property be returned to their rightful owners.

He agreed to work with us to achieve ALL of the above.

I made 4 phone calls and brought in 90 people to flag.

Almost all Class VIII's and Class VI's with long Scio histories.

It was more than 25 years ago, Nov 10, 1981.

The meeting was spectacular.

Attending was DM, Starkey, Mayo, and all CMO Execs.

We got agreements on all points.

Ray Kemp and Bent Corydon got back their properties.

The pricing was lowered.

All secret files in the GO were opened.

Friendliness was restored to all people.

Medical and dental work was done on many.

We even had agreements with those suing Scio to settle for a fraction of the eventual costs.

GO, SO, Org and Mission Holders personnel began to come clean with each other.

We set up another meeting for Dec 16, 1981.....298 people came to that.

It was the 28th January 1982 that the Great Schism occurred the CMO headed by DM reneged on all agreements. Removed and declared Bill Franks, declared both Franks and myself SP.....that day approximately 7500 long term staff and students simultaneously walked out of the CofS world-wide.......over the next 12 months a further 35,000 people left the CofS.

The battle continued into 1983 with numerous protest marches. The biggest being 450 people marching down LRH Way in LA.

DM and the CMO began to purge Scio?..and many internal bloodbaths ensued?.the nastiest was in Oct '82, "the San Francisco massacre" of the then most powerful Mission Holders, who had their Mission?s taken over and they were declared suppressive. (Possibly the stupidest thing ever done by DM??in a long line of stupidity.)

The battles have continued ever since.

A.

BTW Dennis was at some of those meetings.
 
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freet43

Patron with Honors
The schism was slow in starting; it started earlier beginning around 1975 the big Mission Holders began to exit Scio.

The reason for this was the feeling that there was some kind of criminality going on and the price increases.

The FBI raid in 1977 verified our worse suspicions.

In Nov 1981 Bill Franks was made ED INT.

He contacted me and asked if I would help recover the lost Mission Holders.

I refused.

He asked; "Why?"

I told him none of us would come back unless there were numerous reforms.

Those reforms were:

1. Abolishment of the RPF.

2. Medical and dental coverage for all SO, Org and GO staff members.

3. Lowering of prices.

4. Open books.....that is no secret criminal SO missions or GO missions.

5. Cutting out the hostile behavior and degradation towards homosexuals.

6. Allow each of us to inspect our GO files.

7. That the SO, GO, Orgs and Missions get clean with each other.

8. That ALL stolen property be returned to their rightful owners.

He agreed to work with us to achieve ALL of the above.

I made 4 phone calls and brought in 90 people to flag.

Almost all Class VIII's and Class VI's with long Scio histories.

It was more than 25 years ago, Nov 10, 1981.

The meeting was spectacular.

Attending was DM, Starkey, Mayo, and all CMO Execs.

We got agreements on all points.

Ray Kemp and Bent Corydon got back their properties.

The pricing was lowered.

All secret files in the GO were opened.

Friendliness was restored to all people.

Medical and dental work was done on many.

We even had agreements with those suing Scio to settle for a fraction of the eventual costs.

GO, SO, Org and Mission Holders personnel began to come clean with each other.

We set up another meeting for Dec 16, 1981.....298 people came to that.

It was the 28th January 1982 that the Great Schism occurred the CMO headed by DM reneged on all agreements. Removed and declared Bill Franks, declared both Franks and myself SP.....that day approximately 7500 long term staff and students simultaneously walked out of the CofS world-wide.......over the next 12 months a further 35,000 people left the CofS.

The battle continued into 1983 with numerous protest marches. The biggest being 450 people marching down LRH Way in LA.

DM and the CMO began to purge Scio…..and many internal bloodbaths ensued….the nastiest was in Oct '82, "the San Francisco massacre" of the then most powerful Mission Holders, who had their Mission’s taken over and they were declared suppressive. (Possibly the stupidest thing ever done by DM……in a long line of stupidity.)

The battles have continued ever since.

A.

BTW Dennis was at some of those meetings.

Thanks Alan.

I do think that the current CO$ regime wanted to do in Scn, and they are succeeding.

During the 70s, staff were sheltered from much of the crap going on outside our mission, but when the finance police started harrassing and micromanaging, we started to see what was going on. I could not reconcile with that stuff and left.

What was Dennis's post/role at the time of the meetings?

Dennis, would you fill us in?
 

Zinjifar

Silver Meritorious Sponsor
Thanks Alan.

I do think that the current CO$ regime wanted to do in Scn, and they are succeeding.

Just out of curiosity, do you have any theory as the *motive* 'Current Management' would have for 'doing in Scientology'?

Right offhand I can think of three most common 'scenes' that seem to be popular:

One) Current Management has already taken over many governments (secretly) and wants to keep the 'Tech' they used to do it to themselves. (The Phil Scott Theory)

Two) That the gummint (CIA etc.) has already taken over Scientology and wants to keep 'The Tech' to itself. (the 'Veritas' Theory)

Three) That the *lawyers* (or other non-Scientologists) have taken over Scientology and just want to milk it for everything they can get, without particularly caring about 'The Tech'.

No doubt there are other theories to explain the 'do in Scientology' motivation, such as Marcabs or 'The Psychs', but, which is yours?

Zinj
 

freet43

Patron with Honors
Just out of curiosity, do you have any theory as the *motive* 'Current Management' would have for 'doing in Scientology'?

Right offhand I can think of three most common 'scenes' that seem to be popular:

One) Current Management has already taken over many governments (secretly) and wants to keep the 'Tech' they used to do it to themselves. (The Phil Scott Theory)

Two) That the gummint (CIA etc.) has already taken over Scientology and wants to keep 'The Tech' to itself. (the 'Veritas' Theory)

Three) That the *lawyers* (or other non-Scientologists) have taken over Scientology and just want to milk it for everything they can get, without particularly caring about 'The Tech'.

No doubt there are other theories to explain the 'do in Scientology' motivation, such as Marcabs or 'The Psychs', but, which is yours?

Zinj

I do not have any particular theory in mind as to "who is behind it" or anything of that sort. I don't have any conspiracy theory in mind - or groups to blame.

I just observe where things have ended up.

Those in charge, whatever the reason, are not practicing Scn, they've killed off the mission network which had been the lifeblood up the lines, altered the tech and the processes, added arbitraries such as endless sec checking or endless O/W write-ups, created new and out-tech drills (GAT), demanded that those who had been trained retrain in the altered stuff rather than progress to higher levels, priced it out of reach of most people, kicked out many of the best tech terminals and anyone that dared to bring up and deal with the outpoints, stopped providing auditing or training for their own people, squashed the dynamics of their staff, broke up families needlessly, etc.

With all that going on, and much more, how can one not think that it is being done in?

I don't see any point in speculating about it.

At this point, I don't think the organization can be fixed - it's too far gone. It should be allowed to wither away.
 

Alan

Gold Meritorious Patron
The most common way that appears as if "you are doing an area in" is to cut its reach. Usually it is a solution to get away from the "pain of losing" or the "threat of loss" - ie: "Someone could take my position away from me!" Solution: "Get rid of them!"

Baby goes out with bathwater.

Alan
 
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Alan

Gold Meritorious Patron
On the good guy side, Alan. Be sure to specify.

Dennis

Very much so.......as Qual Sec of Flag you wanted those reforms as well, as did most of Scio :)

Alan
 
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tarbaby

Patron with Honors
What was Dennis's post/role at the time of the meetings?

I was Chief Cram Off, FSO at the time. My role in the meeting was Seeker of Reforms. IOW, corrections. Still is.

Dennis, would you fill us in?

Some time I'll write up all those events which lead to my saying "Enough! I'm not gonna take it any more!"

But Alan was at the meeting in question, and he can tell you his take on my role, if you need more detail than what I've provided here.

Dennis
 

Terril park

Sponsor
ALAN
The schism was slow in starting; it started earlier beginning around 1975 the big Mission Holders began to exit Scio.
[snip]

BB
I'm pretty well versed in scientology history but this post is quite new to me, and I believe is probably not generally known.

More on Mission Holders exiting from 1975 would be usefull.

As the saying goes.... Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it. Well maybe maybe not. Knowledge is always a plus point.
 

Zinjifar

Silver Meritorious Sponsor
More on Mission Holders exiting from 1975 would be usefull.

As the saying goes.... Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it. Well maybe maybe not. Knowledge is always a plus point.

I couldn't agree more. Which raises the question of who was the 'Who' in '75?

It seems unlikely that David Miscavige can be blamed, and, all things considered, it seems to *me* at least that his actual ascension to power was an evolution of a miscreant 'system' more than a 'fluke'.

My view would be that the *system* itself created a power vacuum, and that various figures attempted to fill it, until DM actually 'made it go right'. (Somewhere around 1980.)

The *rest* is history.

Zinj
 
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