By Edward Parkin
International Director of STAND [Scientologists Taking Action Against Discrimination]
Mr. Parlato;
I read your recent article lauding Rick Ross as an authority and forwarding the “Cult Awareness Network, or CAN, was sued into bankruptcy by Scientology” misinformation.
The truth is that Ross, Cult Awareness Network and their co-conspirators were found guilty by a District Court jury of conducting involuntary deprogramming.
Involuntary deprogramming was CAN’s undoing. In January of 1994, Jason Scott filed suit against the Cult Awareness Network (CAN), deprogrammer Rick Ross and others as a result of their forcible abduction and attempted involuntary deprogramming of Scott from his religion, the Pentecostal Church.
The case was tried in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. The jury found in favor of Scott and awarded him compensatory damages of $875,000, punitive damages of $1,000,000 against CAN, and punitive damages of $2,500,000 against Ross and the other deprogrammers. CAN and Ross sought a new trial. In denying the motions for a new trial on November 29, 1995, Judge John C. Coughenour wrote the following concerning practice of CAN representatives of referring people to deprogrammers:
“[T]estimony also established that Ms. Landa, acting in accordance with CAN’s practices, disseminated inflammatory information on cults and referred Ms. Tonkin to a known “involuntary deprogrammer.”
On April 8, 1998, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a jury’s decision inScott v. CAN. The Court specifically held the following:
”The evidence indicates that it was CAN’s practice to refer people to deprogrammers, including Rick Ross, and that Ross was known to engage in involuntary deprogramming.”
Ross obviously tries to spin the facts to conceal his guilt, but it was his own acts of forcibly trying to deprogram (brainwash) another that led to CAN’s ultimate demise.
It is important that you have the facts so that you can correct your article and cease disseminating false information in the future.
[…] see that a Scientology OSA person has contacted you in order to discredit Rick […]
Shouldn’t the acronym for “Scientologists Taking Action Against Discrimination” be “STAAD” instead of “STAND”? If you’re going to come up with some long, ridiculous name just for the sake of what the first letters spell out (like a lot of groups do these days), shouldn’t the acronym at least be accurate?
The acronym is accurate, if you’re a Scientologist. Would you like to grab a couple of tin cans and perform a Scientologist “audit” and see for yourself?
This is an interesting read.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/acm2.htm
Frank let me be the second person to congratulate you. Congratulations!!! You have hit the big time and have garnered enough website hits to pop up on Scientology radar and register as a threat.
Ed is showing you the new mature measured response that Scientology has adopted. Gone are the lawsuits and harassment techniques of yesteryears. Today’s Scientology is one of victim hood.
Ed’s little email to you is an invitation to engage. It’s also a subtle hint, that “we (Scientology) are aware of your web publication and are watching you”.
Seriously Frank congratulations anytime you get that kind of recognition you know your doing the right thing.
Frank I am sure you realize you pissed Ed off and he is just acting congenial.
Hi Ed,
Over 20 years ago Robert Minton lived around the block from me on Beacon Hill. I bet you remember him. I can still remember your Scientology freaks standing outside Minton’s brownstone on Cedar Street trying in vain to scare him. When the police would come the Scientology harassment hit squad would run off to Charles Street and blend in with the tourists. Wonderful people you Scientologists.
Oh wait maybe I am confused those people probably had nothing to do with Scientology.
By the way where is Shelly Miscavige?
Where’s Shelly Miscavige, Ed?
You’re lying, Ed.
[Without a doubt the Jason Scott case was initially a devastating court defeat. In the case, a young man was manipulated by Scientology attorneys in a lawsuit against me over a failed involuntary deprogramming that took place in 1990. In 1995, I was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, but Scott won an almost $3 million dollar civil judgment against me, which quickly led to personal bankruptcy. However, about a year later, Jason reconciled with his mother, the person who had hired me to deprogram him, and settled the judgment largely for more of my consultation time and $5,000.00. He told the Washington Post and CBS “60 Minutes” that Scientology had “used” him in a war against its perceived enemies.]
WTG, Flowers!
Getting chastised by Scientology about reporting the truth. Now THAT is priceless!
It’s OK to “brainwash” someone but not unbrainwash them.
NXIVM and Allison Mack must be desperate to hide behind Scientology as a defense.
Scientology, a scam devised by L. Ron Hubbard, a sixth-rate science fiction writer and former
Satan worshiper.
Hubbard and Aleister Crowley
Jeff Jacobsen
In the Philadelphia Doctorate Course lectures taped in 1952, Hubbard discusses occult magic of the middle ages, and recommends a current book – “it’s fascinating work in itself, and that’s work written by Aleister Crowley, the late Aleister Crowley, my very good friend.” (3) The book recommended was The Master Therion, (published in London in 1929) later re-released as Magick in Theory and Practise. L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. asserts that during the time when the Philadelphia course was given his father would read Crowley’s works “in preparation for the next day’s lecture…” (4)
https://www.spaink.net/cos/essays/jacobsen_magic.html
It’s not the brainwashing or unbrainwashing, it’s the forcibly doing either one that’s the issue.
From http://gothamist.com/2005/07/18/rick_ross_cult_expert.php
[Gothamist:] Any cases where you came out on the losing end?
[Rick Ross:] Without a doubt the Jason Scott case was initially a devastating court defeat. In the case, a young man was manipulated by Scientology attorneys in a lawsuit against me over a failed involuntary deprogramming that took place in 1990. In 1995, I was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing, but Scott won an almost $3 million dollar civil judgment against me, which quickly led to personal bankruptcy. However, about a year later, Jason reconciled with his mother, the person who had hired me to deprogram him, and settled the judgment largely for more of my consultation time and $5,000.00. He told the Washington Post and CBS “60 Minutes” that Scientology had “used” him in a war against its perceived enemies.
I’m not sure what this guy is trying to say. To my knowledge, Ross admits to all of this, i.e., getting in trouble with the law for involuntary deprogramming so he no longer does it.
This is just the U.S. courts upholding the principle of “individual rights”. It doesn’t mean that Scientology isn’t a cult, nor that it doesn’t teach a lot of utter garbage.
Scientologists really should change their name to something that doesn’t contain a variation of the word “science” because a lot of its practices aren’t scientific at all. Something like Hubbardolgy would be more apt.
“You don’t get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.”
“If you want to get rich, start a Religion.” Is the exact L. Ron Hubbard quote Keith Raniere embraced — as I shared in a recorded interview with CBC producers last March 2018 — after which some intense computer harassment such as I had not experienced since Kristin Keefe left NX and KAR apparently believed she and Gaelen were hiding out with me.
Lopez (JLO’s Scientologist father and manager) + Dennis Burke (Clare Bronfman’s counsel) + Marc Agnifilo (KAR’s God-fearing counsel also interviewed by CBC) = Scientology harassment & PR assist in NX coverup.
To answer Anon’s question as to the point of this post attacking longtime anti-cult activist and arch enemy of both NX and Scientology, Rick Ross.
X’s Jeff Peterson’s accounts = Bye, Bye Burkey.
Rather, Adios Asshole.
Ironic how for « involuntary deprogramming » to take place one must have been programmed in the first place.
What a twat to acknowledge their guilt by trying to sling mud.
Everyone in scientology public relations seems incapable of opening their mouth without making their organisation look worse and worse.
Hillarious, Scientologysts acussing others of Brainwashing!!!
Frank, you just entered the big leagues, getting Scientology’s attention. Nice word salad, Ed. Scientology lecturing others about brainwashing, now that’s rich. Raniere would be proud of your article, except he can’t read it from the jail cell he’s been in for almost a year. Everybody should watch the Leah Remini’s series about Scientology, which can be viewed on aetv.com, there are 3 seasons available. However, I agree with Ed about deprogramming: http://allmlmfacts.org/2018/06/does-it-make-sense-to-intervene-in-a-cult/
KAR is reportedly an avid, voracious even, reader of FR, Scott. Aggie brings him print outs to keep him updated in prison. This is not a critique of your comment but an effort to strictly stick to and base analysis or opinion in the truth.
In “The Art of War,” claiming the “enemies” weapons and supplies to use against them and reinforce your own troops is a priority for winning. FR and it’s commenters are weapons KAR et. al. are attempting to appropriate so we must all guard against falling for this trick and turning on each other, prosecutors, Judge Gaurufis, etc. — especially with Burke in our midst.
If Raniere was even half as smart as he claims to be, he would be spending his time on his legal case, not reading the Frank Report. I expect Raniere to be in jail/prison for a very long time, and it’s hard to use weapons from jail/prison. I would rather battle by myself than rely on most commenters on this website. That includes you.
“Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.” Where have I heard that before recently, ad naseum?
I don’t know, Heidi. Where have you heard that? I’m not going to cut and run.
I can’t imagine that Keith would find anything useful to use in his defence posted in the Frank Report comments.
His lawyer should stop feeding his obsession with these comments, as anyone could post anything here, and the hearsay posted here will not be valid in court.
Raniere may not be reading this website for his defense, but for revenge.
True, Scott. Narcissists like Keith have fragile egos and are very easily offended. But it will be difficult for him to get any revenge from his prison cell.
No doubt. Many of those doing the trolling here are part of NXIVM. Those throwing stones at shadow, Scott, sultan, even you Heidi, as well as others, all of whom can’t be named – trolls.