Editing Scientology controversies (section)

=="Attack the Attacker" policy==
Scientology has a reputation for hostile action toward anyone who criticizes it in a public forum; executives within the organization have proclaimed Scientology is "not a [[Turn the other cheek|turn-the-other-cheek]] religion".<ref>
{{cite magazine | url= http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,913995,00.html | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071014114926/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,913995,00.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= October 14, 2007 | title = A Sci-Fi Faith | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=July 24, 2009 | date=1976-04-05}}</ref> Journalists, politicians, former Scientologists and various anti-[[cult]] groups have made accusations of wrongdoing against Scientology since the 1960s, and Scientology has targeted these critics—almost without exception—for retaliation, in the form of lawsuits and public counter-accusations of personal wrongdoing. Many of Scientology's critics have also reported they were subjected to threats and harassment in their private lives.<ref name="Behar2">{{cite magazine | first = Richard | last = Behar | author-link = Richard Behar | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972886,00.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071110005526/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972886,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = November 10, 2007 | title = The Scientologists and Me | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date = 1991-05-06}}
</ref><ref>{{cite web| first = Joe| last = Strupp| title = The press vs. Scientology| url = http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/06/30/scientology/index.html| work = [[Salon.com|Salon]]| date = 2005-06-30| access-date = 2007-09-19| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070107223456/http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/06/30/scientology/index.html| archive-date = 2007-01-07}}</ref>

The organization's actions reflect a formal policy for dealing with criticism instituted by [[L.&nbsp;Ron Hubbard]], called "attack the attacker". Hubbard codified this policy in the latter half of the 1960s in response to government investigations into the organization. In 1966, Hubbard wrote a criticism of the organization's behavior and noted the "correct procedure" for attacking enemies of Scientology:

{{blockquote |text=
(1) Spot who is attacking us.{{pb}}
(2) Start investigating them promptly for felonies or worse using own professionals, not outside agencies.{{pb}}
(3) Double curve our reply by saying we welcome an investigation of them.{{pb}}
(4) Start feeding lurid, blood, sex, crime actual evidence on the attackers to the press.{{pb}}
Don't ever tamely submit to an investigation of us. Make it rough, rough on attackers all the way. You can get "reasonable about it" and lose. Sure we break no laws. Sure we have nothing to hide. BUT attackers are simply an anti-Scientology propaganda agency so far as we are concerned. They have proven they want no facts and will only lie no matter what they discover. So BANISH all ideas that any fair hearing is intended and start our attack with their first breath. Never wait. Never talk about us—only them. Use their blood, sex, crime to get headlines. Don't use us. I speak from 15 years of experience in this. There has never yet been an attacker who was not reeking with crime. All we had to do was look for it and murder would come out. |author=L. Ron Hubbard |source=''Attacks on Scientology'', 1966 <ref>{{cite web |url=http://suppressiveperson.org/1966/02/25/hcopl-attacks-on-scientology-3/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 12, 2023 |last=Hubbard |first=L. Ron |title=Attacks on Scientology, HCOPL 25 Feb 1966 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050421065414/http://www.suppressiveperson.org/hate/pubs/pl-1966-02-25-attacks-on-scn.html |archive-date=2005-04-21 }}</ref>
}}

=== Litigation against critics ===

In the past, many critics of Scientology have claimed they were harassed by [[frivolous litigation|frivolous]] and [[vexatious litigation|vexatious]] lawsuits, including journalists [[Paulette Cooper]] and [[Richard Behar]]; free-speech advocates [[Karin Spaink]], [[David S. Touretzky]], [[Keith Henson]] and [[Grady Ward]]; and former Scientology members [[Cyril Vosper]], [[Lawrence Wollersheim]], [[Jon Atack]], [[Gerry Armstrong (activist)|Gerry Armstrong]], [[Steven Fishman]], [[Dennis Erlich]], [[Arnie Lerma]], and [[Bonnie Woods]].

[[Paulette Cooper]] was falsely accused of felony charges as she had been framed by the Church of Scientology's [[Guardian's Office]]. Furthermore, her personal life had been intruded upon by Scientologists who had attempted to kill her and/or draw her to suicide in a covert plan known as [[Operation Freakout]] brought to light after FBI investigations into other matters (See [[Operation Snow White]]).{{r|sptimes1979}}

A prominent example of litigation of its critics is the Church of Scientology's $416 million [[libel]] lawsuit [[s:Church of Scientology v. Behar]] against [[Time Warner]] as a result of their publication of a highly critical magazine article "[[The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power]]" by [[Richard Behar]]. A public campaign by the Church of Scientology accordingly ensued in an attempt to defame this Time Magazine publication. (See [[Thriving cult of greed and power#Post-publication|Church of Scientology's response]])

Gareth Alan Cales was harassed by the Church of Scientology, including false charges against him and his friends.<ref>{{cite web |author=Tasha Paradise |url=http://laist.com/2008/03/23/church_of_scien.php |title=Church of Scientology Strikes Back – Anonymous Responds |publisher=LAist |date=2008-03-23 |access-date=2012-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602033933/http://laist.com/2008/03/23/church_of_scien.php |archive-date=2012-06-02 }}</ref>

{{blockquote|The purpose of the suit is to harass and discourage rather than to win.

The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing that he is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.|L. Ron Hubbard|A Manual on the
Dissemination of Material, 1955}}

Similarly, the Church of Scientology's legal battle with [[Gerry Armstrong (activist)|Gerry Armstrong]] in ''[[Church of Scientology v. Gerald Armstrong]]'' spanned two decades and involved a $10 million claim against Armstrong.<ref>[[s:Church of Scientology v. Armstrong|WikiSource – Church of Scientology v. Armstrong]] [[s:Church of Scientology International v. Superior Court|WikiSource – Church of Scientology v. Superior Court]]</ref>

===''Scientology and Me''===
{{Main|Scientology and Me}}

In 2007 a [[BBC]] documentary on Scientology by reporter [[John Sweeney (journalist)|John Sweeney]] came under scrutiny by Scientologists. Sweeney alleged "While making our BBC [[Panorama (TV series)|Panorama]] film ''[[Scientology and Me]]'' I have been shouted at, spied on, had my hotel invaded at midnight, denounced as a 'bigot' by star Scientologists, brain-washed—that is how it felt to me—in a mock up of a [[Nazi]]-style torture chamber and chased round the streets of Los Angeles by sinister strangers". This resulted in a video being distributed by Scientologists of a shouting match between Sweeney and Scientology spokesman [[Thomas W. Davis|Tommy Davis]].<ref>{{cite news| last = Sweeney| first = John| title = Row over Scientology video| publisher = BBC News| date = 14 May 2007| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6650545.stm| access-date = 2008-11-03| archive-date = October 20, 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191020195423/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6650545.stm| url-status = live}}</ref> The Church has reportedly released a DVD accusing the BBC of organising a demonstration outside a Scientology office in London, during which "terrorist death threats" were made against Scientologists. The BBC described the allegations as "clearly laughable and utter nonsense".<ref>{{cite news | last = Adams | first = Stephen | title = BBC reporter blows his top at Scientologist | work = Daily Telegraph | date = 15 May 2007 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1551457/BBC-reporter-blows-his-top-at-Scientologist.html | access-date = 2008-11-03 | location = London | archive-date = May 10, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190510135105/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1551457/BBC-reporter-blows-his-top-at-Scientologist.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Sandy Smith, the BBC programme's producer, commented the Church of Scientology has "no way of dealing with any kind of criticism at all".<ref>{{cite news
| last = Sweney| first = Mark| title = Panorama backs Sweeney episode| work = The Guardian| date = 14 May 2007| url = https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/may/14/bbc.digitalmedia| access-date = 2008-11-03 | location=London}}</ref>
<!-- The Guardian article, by Mark SWENEY (one 'e'), is about the BBC TV programme by John SWEENEY (two 'e's)-->

===Fair Game===
{{Main|Fair game (Scientology)}}
Hubbard detailed his rules for attacking critics in a number of policy letters, including one often quoted by critics as "the [[Fair game (Scientology)|fair game]] policy". This allowed those who had been declared enemies of the Church, called "[[suppressive person]]s" (SPs), "May be deprived of property or injured by any means...May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed". (taken from HCOPL October 18, 1967 Issue IV, ''Penalties for Lower Conditions'')

The aforementioned policy was canceled and replaced by HCOPL July 21, 1968, ''Penalties for Lower Conditions''. The wordings "May be deprived of property or injured by any means... May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed", are not found in this reference.<ref>''Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology'': Report by Sir John Foster, K.B.E., Q.C., M.P. – Published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, December 1971, [https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/audit/foster07.html Chapter 7] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515133149/http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/audit/foster07.html |date=May 15, 2019 }} (also referred to as the [[Foster Report]])</ref> Scientology critics argue only the term but not the practice was removed. To support this contention, they refer to "HCO Policy Letter of October 21, 1968" which says, "The practice of declaring people FAIR GAME will cease. FAIR GAME may not appear on any Ethics Order. It causes bad public relations. This P/L does not cancel any policy on the treatment or handling of a [[suppressive person|SP]]."<!--p. 188--><ref name="Double Crossed">{{cite web |first=Tony |last=Ortega |author-link=Tony Ortega |title=Double Crossed |date=December 23, 1999 |work=[[Phoenix New Times]] |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/double-crossed-6431852 <!--reprint version omits original photographs--> |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312025501/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1999-12-23/news/double-crossed/full |archive-date=March 12, 2007 |access-date=2006-06-05 }}</ref>

According to a book by Omar Garrison, HCOPL March 7, 1969, was created under pressure from the government of New Zealand. Garrison quotes from the HCOPL, "We are going in the direction of mild ethics and involvement with the Society". Garrison then states, "It was partly on the basis of these policy reforms that the New Zealand Commission of Inquiry recommended that no legislative action be taken against Scientology".<ref name=":1">Garrison, Omar ''PLAYING DIRTY The Secret War Against Beliefs'' Ralton-Pilot, Los Angeles, 1980 pg 172-173 {{ISBN|0-931116-04-X}}</ref> The source of Omar Garrison for this is most likely the [[Dumbleton-Powles Report]], additional data and quotations are found in this report.<ref>''The Commission of Inquiry Into the Hubbard Scientology Organisation in New Zealand''; Chairman: [[Guy Powles|Sir Guy Richardson Powles]], K.B.E., C.M.G.; Member: E.&nbsp;V. Dumbleton, Esquire, June 1969, [https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/audit/nz02.html page 26] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515133254/http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/audit/nz02.html |date=May 15, 2019 }}</ref>

In 1977, top officials of Scientology's "Guardian's Office", an internal security force run by Hubbard's wife, Mary Sue Hubbard, admitted that fair game was policy in the GO. (''U.S. v. Kember'', Budlong Sentencing Memorandum – Undated, 1981).

In separate cases in 1979 and 1984, attorneys for Scientology argued the Fair Game policy was in fact a core belief of Scientology and as such deserved protection as religious expression.<ref>''Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology of California'', Court of Appeal of the State of California, civ.no.B023193, 18 July 1989, [http://www.lermanet2.com/reference/wollersheim.htm (courtesy link)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511184516/http://www.lermanet2.com/reference/wollersheim.htm |date=May 11, 2008 }}</ref>

===Dead agenting===
{{See also|DARVO}}

''Dead agenting'' means to provide negative information or propaganda about an enemy or critic. A ''dead agent pack'' or ''package'' is a compilation of documents designed to defame or ruin the reputation of an opponent. It is used to discredit someone who has spoken out against Scientology, or is held as "[[Blackmail|insurance]]" to deter someone from speaking out.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lermanet2.com/garyweber/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041021185127/http://www.lermanet2.com/garyweber/index.htm |archive-date=October 21, 2004 |title=Memoirs of an Ex-Guardian |first=Gary |last=Weber |quote=Info Bureau [of the [[Guardian's Office]]] had tons of files on people inside the Church as well as outside the Church. Whenever a "Dead Agent Package" was needed to discredit any foe of the Church it could easily be prepared with all these confidential files. At first I was shocked that the GO would use trusted or "sacred" personal files against our own people, but in the name of saving the planet it was justified.}}</ref>{{r|wright|page=161}}

In the 1970s, Hubbard continued to codify the policy of "attacking the attacker" and assigned a term to be used frequently within Scientology: "dead agenting". Used as a [[verb]], "dead agenting" is described by Hubbard as a technique for countering negative accusations against Scientology by diverting the critical statements and making counter-accusations against the accuser; in other words, to "attack the attacker". Hubbard defined the PR (public relations) policy on "dead agenting" in a 1974 bulletin:

{{blockquote|The technique of proving utterances false is called "DEAD AGENTING." It's in the first book of Chinese espionage. When the enemy agent gives false data, those who believed him but now find it false kill him—or at least cease to believe him. So the PR slang for it is 'Dead Agenting.' |author=L. Ron Hubbard, ''Handling Hostile Contacts/Dead Agenting'', 1974 <ref>{{cite web |first=L. Ron |last=Hubbard |title=Board Policy Letter 30 May 1974, PR Series 24: Handling Hostile Contacts/Dead Agenting |date=May 30, 1974 |url=https://www.suppressiveperson.org/1974/05/30/policy-letter-handling-hostile-contactsdead-agenting/}}</ref>
}}

The phrase comes from a misunderstanding of the chapter on espionage in ''[[The Art of War]]''.{{cn|date=October 2025|reason=This is not supported by the sources in between the sentence.}}

The now-defunct Scientology-sponsored website ''Religious Freedom Watch'' was often cited by [[alt.religion.scientology]] users as a contemporary example of "dead agenting". It contained false discreditable information about critics of the Church. According to the ''[[New York Press]]'', the website was "almost universally regarded as a [[Scientology front groups|Scientology front group]] designed to attack the Church's critics." After one person pressured NYP to check the website for information on a particular person, NYP was unable to verify the information with any credible source.<ref>{{Cite news |last=DeSio |first=John |title=The rundown on Scientology's Purification Rundown |newspaper=[[New York Press]] |date=May 2007 |url=http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news&columns/feature.cfm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070601161307/http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news%26columns/feature.cfm |archive-date=2007-06-01}}</ref>

Dead agenting has also been carried out by flier campaigns against some critics—using so-called "DA fliers". [[Bonnie Woods]], an ex-member who began counseling people involved with Scientology and their families, became a target along with her husband in 1993 when the Church of Scientology started a leaflet operation denouncing her as a "hate campaigner" with demonstrators outside their home and around [[East Grinstead]]. After a long battle of libel suits, in 1999, the Church agreed to issue an apology<ref>[http://www.escapeint.org/legal/apology.htm Church of Scientology apology to Bonnie Woods] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518065047/http://www.escapeint.org/legal/apology.htm |date=May 18, 2013 }} from the Church of Scientology and other defendants, 8 June 1999.</ref> and to pay £55,000 damages and £100,000 in [[English rule (attorney's fees)|legal costs]] to the Woods.<ref>''Stars' cult pays out £155,000 over hate campaign'', Richard Palmer, [[Daily Express|The Express]], 8 June 1999</ref><ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/uk_news/story/0,,292357,00.html Scientologists pay for libel]", Clare Dyer, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 9 June 1999.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sect pays £55,000 to 'hate ' victim |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/IF0502633836/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=ce3aebb6 |first=Susie |last=Steiner |date=June 9, 1999 |newspaper=The Times |page=4 |access-date=September 11, 2023}}</ref>

===R2-45===
{{main|R2-45}}
"R2-45" is the name given by [[L. Ron Hubbard]] to what he described as "an enormously effective process for exteriorization but its use is frowned upon by this society at this time".<ref>{{cite book |last=Hubbard |first=L. Ron |title=The Creation of Human Ability |year=1954 | page=120}}</ref> In Scientology doctrine, [[exteriorization]] refers to the separation of the [[thetan]] (soul) from the body. According to the author Stewart Lamont, Hubbard defined R2-45 as a process by which exteriorization could be produced by shooting a person in the head with a .45 revolver.<ref name="relinc">{{cite book| last1= Lamont| first1= Stewart| title=Religion Inc. : the Church of Scientology| date= 1986| publisher= Harrap| location= London| isbn= 978-0-245-54334-0|page=25}}</ref>

While no "R2-45 letters" have been published, orders to use R2-45 on specific individuals were published in a monthly magazine for Scientologists. On March 6, 1968, Hubbard issued an internal memo titled "RACKET EXPOSED", in which he denounced twelve people as "Enemies of mankind, the planet and all life", and ordered that "Any [[Sea Org]] member contacting any of them is to use Auditing Process R2-45."<ref name="Wallis">{{cite book |last=Wallis |first=Roy |title=The Road to Total Freedom |title-link=The Road to Total Freedom |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=1976 |isbn=0-231-04200-0 |location=New York |page=154}}</ref> The memo was subsequently reproduced, with another name added, in the Church of Scientology's monthly journal, ''The Auditor''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hubbard |first=L. Ron |date=n.d. |editor-last=Ziff |editor-first=Judy |title=Racket Exposed |url=http://iapsop.com/archive/materials/auditor/auditor_35.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224152854/http://iapsop.com/archive/materials/auditor/auditor_35.pdf |archive-date=December 24, 2020 |access-date=January 1, 2025 |magazine=The Auditor |publisher=THE PUBLICATIONS ORG WORLD WIDE |location=Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex, England |page=2 |issue=35}}</ref> Another four people were named in a second R2-45 order published in ''The Auditor'' later in 1968.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hubbard |first=L. Ron |date=1968 |editor-last=Ziff |editor-first=Judy |title=Racket Exposed |url=http://iapsop.com/archive/materials/auditor/auditor_37.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208233917/http://iapsop.com/archive/materials/auditor/auditor_37.pdf |archive-date=February 8, 2021 |access-date=January 1, 2025 |magazine=The Auditor |publisher=THE PUBLICATIONS ORG WORLD WIDE |location=Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex, England |page=2 |issue=37}}</ref>
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