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Portland Public or Staff in the 70's?

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
Hi!

I was staff at the Portland Org from 1971-1979. I've been finding a few people from that time period and inviting them to a facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1457271944528714/?ref=br_tf and asking them to tell a story or two and upload any pics that they might have. I thought that I would also upload the pics here:

Portland Org in 70s.jpg

That's Theresa Murawski (I think still in the SO, don't know current name), Brian Andrus, then Ron Harris.

NE41stSt.jpg

Listening to tapes, Dan Bettendorf. Below the "Get Trained" poster, Mayola Higgenbotham. Standing in the back, Gary Deleo.

Portland Org Staff.jpg

Dan Locke 'splaining the Grade Chart. Full LRH library of the time below the chart.
 

Veda

Sponsor
Notice that the Facebook site says "Portland Org or COSMOD Mission."

Have you seen this?

From a 1986 interview of Martin Samuels, founder of COSMOD, and of the Delphian School, from the 'Reflections' chapter of the book, 'L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman?':


*


Hubbard operated according to a couple of key patterns.

The first pattern involved basically decent well intentioned people... no one was able to rise in the organization to a point of any real proximity to him, without being attacked and vilified...

And of course the next person thinks he or she is immune...

The next pattern: It's reap and rape. Hubbard would let the reins loose. He'd let people believe they really could get on with it... He'd let people believe they really could prosper to the full extent of their own ability, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

And, with that kind of freedom, prosperity does occur, Inevitably, though, he'd come along and rape and pillage and rip off and take what had been produced. The most dramatic example of this was '82, '83, when he 'raped' his most decent people in management along with the mission holders, and looted the entire mission network.

And look at this pattern... He surrounded himself with absolute hooligans as 'managers'; guys who beat the shit out of people. This man, who 'is this OT, the author of Science of Survival, completely able to predict human behavior', surrounded himself with ruthless people - like Miscavige - who got there because they emulated Hubbard's savagery. They emulated his total willingness to completely break, use, and discard another person.

And then after their hands were so bloody - and the only reason their hands were bloody was that they were doing what Hubbard wanted - when it finally started to get to the point where it couldn't be tolerated by people anymore, Hubbard wiped them out. Then he said. 'My God! I didn't know!' Scapegoat. He even did that to his own wife, who went to jail in his place...

But the thing that's amazing, and to me terrifying, is the characteristic of the mind, my mind, your mind, and apparently many other people's minds, where I could buy this horseshit, where I could participate in it.
 

David C Gibbons

Ex-Scientology Peon
Hello, Dan

My ex-wife, Marian Gibbons (Now Marian Huntsman, I believe) and I were around Portland Org and Mission during some of the time you were there, having come up to Portland from the Delphian School. I went to the Sea Org from Portland - out of the frying pan into the fire....

Some of the names you mentioned are familiar, but it has been a long time, hasn't it?

Dave
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
Hello, Dan

My ex-wife, Marian Gibbons (Now Marian Huntsman, I believe) and I were around Portland Org and Mission during some of the time you were there, having come up to Portland from the Delphian School. I went to the Sea Org from Portland - out of the frying pan into the fire....

Some of the names you mentioned are familiar, but it has been a long time, hasn't it?

Dave

VERY good to hear from you David, and I remember you and Marian with affection. Would love to talk with you. I have searched for you before and found instead, another Dave Gibbons from Australia, and then I also remember finding a post from you in a forum where I got in the thread years after you had posted in it. I am very happy to hear from you.

I would love to talk with you and see if you have stayed in touch with many from your Ptl or PAC days. Thanks much for the reply.

Dan
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
Notice that the Facebook site says "Portland Org or COSMOD Mission."

Have you seen this?

From a 1986 interview of Martin Samuels, founder of COSMOD, and of the Delphian School, from the 'Reflections' chapter of the book, 'L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman?':


*


Hubbard operated according to a couple of key patterns.

The first pattern involved basically decent well intentioned people... no one was able to rise in the organization to a point of any real proximity to him, without being attacked and vilified...

And of course the next person thinks he or she is immune...

The next pattern: It's reap and rape. Hubbard would let the reins loose. He'd let people believe they really could get on with it... He'd let people believe they really could prosper to the full extent of their own ability, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

And, with that kind of freedom, prosperity does occur, Inevitably, though, he'd come along and rape and pillage and rip off and take what had been produced. The most dramatic example of this was '82, '83, when he 'raped' his most decent people in management along with the mission holders, and looted the entire mission network.

And look at this pattern... He surrounded himself with absolute hooligans as 'managers'; guys who beat the shit out of people. This man, who 'is this OT, the author of Science of Survival, completely able to predict human behavior', surrounded himself with ruthless people - like Miscavige - who got there because they emulated Hubbard's savagery. They emulated his total willingness to completely break, use, and discard another person.

And then after their hands were so bloody - and the only reason their hands were bloody was that they were doing what Hubbard wanted - when it finally started to get to the point where it couldn't be tolerated by people anymore, Hubbard wiped them out. Then he said. 'My God! I didn't know!' Scapegoat. He even did that to his own wife, who went to jail in his place...

But the thing that's amazing, and to me terrifying, is the characteristic of the mind, my mind, your mind, and apparently many other people's minds, where I could buy this horseshit, where I could participate in it.

Well, I knew Martin a little bit, and he tells the truth here. That is a lot of what happened and a lot of what is happening. But what is more true is there were many more people who did not behave in that way, or behaved cruelly very, very rarely and only under the very most difficult conditions. Many many people just were good and stayed good and still are decent caring people. Most of the people who worked under Martin were and are very good people and I am still proud to have known them and to have considered them friends. Some of the best friends I have ever had.

Dan
 

Veda

Sponsor
Well, I knew Martin a little bit, and he tells the truth here. That is a lot of what happened and a lot of what is happening. But what is more true is there were many more people who did not behave in that way, or behaved cruelly very, very rarely and only under the very most difficult conditions. Many many people just were good and stayed good and still are decent caring people. Most of the people who worked under Martin were and are very good people and I am still proud to have known them and to have considered them friends. Some of the best friends I have ever had.

Dan

:) Yes, those are cited in the quote under "basically decent well intentioned people." I'm not sure if it's "more true," but it's one of the components. Oddly enough, goodness and good people are necessary ingredients in the mix, if the amoral and exploitative Scientology machine (past and present) is to operate efficiently.
 

Smurf

Gold Meritorious SP
Well, I knew Martin a little bit, and he tells the truth here. That is a lot of what happened and a lot of what is happening. But what is more true is there were many more people who did not behave in that way, or behaved cruelly very, very rarely and only under the very most difficult conditions. Many many people just were good and stayed good and still are decent caring people. Most of the people who worked under Martin were and are very good people and I am still proud to have known them and to have considered them friends. Some of the best friends I have ever had.

I remember Martin & Diana. Did you know the Condon brothers, Dan? Ed & Jim? They were trust fund kids & spent alot of their inheritance on the cult. They were at the Mission of Davis on Salmon Street since the early 70s. I later worked with Portland's DSA Gwen Mayfield, Angie & Charlie Mann & Helen Burke.

There was a public who volunteer at the mission in the mid-70s who was a real wacko. I forgot her name. Tall woman, big frizzy reddish afro & wore glasses.
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
I remember Martin & Diana. Did you know the Condon brothers, Dan? Ed & Jim? They were trust fund kids & spent alot of their inheritance on the cult. They were at the Mission of Davis on Salmon Street since the early 70s. I later worked with Portland's DSA Gwen Mayfield, Angie & Charlie Mann & Helen Burke.

There was a public who volunteer at the mission in the mid-70s who was a real wacko. I forgot her name. Tall woman, big frizzy reddish afro & wore glasses.

Yes I remember the Condon brothers very well. Very outgoing and likable guys. That's what I heard about their money as well. I was good friends with Gwen and friends with Meredith Burke, who I think was Helen's mother-in-law. I don't recall having known Helen or the Manns.
 

Veda

Sponsor
:) Took a look at DanLocke's old posts.

The below is from September 2011, and it seems, by my quoting from that Martin Samuels interview, I went over the line, so to speak, per DanLocke's personal guidelines. I can understand those guidelines, if one is primarily concerned with re-connecting with old friends, whether they are "in" or "out" of Scientology, and doesn't want to ruffle anyone's feathers:


"You won't find me in the mob that wants to hang David Miscavige or anyone else. I won't be writing stories here that are critical of anyone. I have done some of that; my life was not enhanced in doing. I dropped it like a bad habit. If I got into that, it would end for me anything that I got from Scientology that has been of value. Admiration is my most valued particle. This makes sense to me: 'The static, in practicing not-isness, brings about the persistence of unwanted existences, and so brings about unreality, which includes forgetfulness, unconsciousness and other undesirable states'."


Quoiting from the Facebook site:

"This is a place for friendship and good memories. I want to welcome anyone who was part of this time period, whether they are in Scientology or not. It is a place of friendship and high ARC."


I guess the contrast is that this, and other sites on the Net, are places for good and also bad memories, and pleasant and also unpleasant information.

Interesting outlook that exempts other than good memories, and cites Scientology Axiom 18 (above).

My guess is that, behind the scenes, once re-connected, both sides of the story and examined.

I'd ask how successful this approach has been, and if corporate Scientology members have responded to this "Axiom 18" approach, but I've a feeling DanLocke wouldn't want to discuss that.

Again, that's understandable.
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
:) Took a look at DanLocke's old posts.

The below is from September 2011, and it seems, by my quoting from that Martin Samuels interview, I went over the line, so to speak, per DanLocke's personal guidelines. I can understand those guidelines, if one is primarily concerned with re-connecting with old friends, whether they are "in" or "out" of Scientology, and doesn't want to ruffle anyone's feathers:


"You won't find me in the mob that wants to hang David Miscavige or anyone else. I won't be writing stories here that are critical of anyone. I have done some of that; my life was not enhanced in doing. I dropped it like a bad habit. If I got into that, it would end for me anything that I got from Scientology that has been of value. Admiration is my most valued particle. This makes sense to me: 'The static, in practicing not-isness, brings about the persistence of unwanted existences, and so brings about unreality, which includes forgetfulness, unconsciousness and other undesirable states'."


Quoiting from the Facebook site:


"This is a place for friendship and good memories. I want to welcome anyone who was part of this time period, whether they are in Scientology or not. It is a place of friendship and high ARC."


I guess the contrast is that this, and other sites on the Net, are places for good and also bad memories, and pleasant and also unpleasant information.

Interesting outlook that exempts other than good memories, and cites Scientology Axiom 18 (above).

My guess is that, behind the scenes, once re-connected, both sides of the story and examined.

I'd ask how successful this approach has been, and if corporate Scientology members have responded to this "Axiom 18" approach, but I've a feeling DanLocke wouldn't want to discuss that.

Again, that's understandable.

Thanks for your comment, Veda, and I think you have it all just about right in regards to my attitude in all this. You have not gone "over the line" with me as your excerpt from BFM is totally within the guidelines established for this forum that we are conversing in, here and now. But in the facebook group I have set up the guidelines are more for a "Pollyanna" conversation where I would hope for more "good roads and good weather" rather than talk about how most of it is or was or forever will be all fucked up.

I'll never admonish anyone in this forum for "telling the truth" no matter how unpleasant, as that is what it's all set up for, and I like that. But in the little FB group that I have established, I ask all who join to check in their pistols and rifles at the front desk, before stepping up to the bar, so to speak.

Dan
 

Veda

Sponsor
Thanks for your comment, Veda, and I think you have it all just about right in regards to my attitude in all this. You have not gone "over the line" with me as your excerpt from BFM is totally within the guidelines established for this forum that we are conversing in, here and now. But in the facebook group I have set up the guidelines are more for a "Pollyanna" conversation where I would hope for more "good roads and good weather" rather than talk about how most of it is or was or forever will be all fucked up.

I'll never admonish anyone in this forum for "telling the truth" no matter how unpleasant, as that is what it's all set up for, and I like that. But in the little FB group that I have established, I ask all who join to check in their pistols and rifles at the front desk, before stepping up to the bar, so to speak.

Dan

That's cool, except that, according to your own description, even here, you're refraining from expressing anything critical.

So, I get that you like that this forum is for "telling the truth no matter how unpleasant," but I also see that you choose, even here, not to participate in that.

That's not a criticism, just an observation.
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
Yeah, that's right! Got me, again. I also won't be critical of people who are being critical here, as that would make me critical. Nothing against criticism at all; I've done well at it in the past and I respect those who involve themselves in it. I've just noticed, for me, that I can get caught up in it and shortly find myself critical of more and more things and then finding less pleasure in life overall.

A metaphor that I have used at times in explaining this to people is the city of Paris. Most people you mention "Paris" to and they will conjure up images of beauty and romance. I have not yet been there, but that is the idea I get as well. But, here is another's take on the place: http://www.bonjourparis.com/story/oh-poo/

Google "dog shit paris" and you can, if you like, read hundreds of articles on the subject, and the articles don't stink, they are pretty good, some of them quite funny. Most of them 99%- 100% true (some of them plainly exaggerating for comedic effect). Nonetheless, true as these articles might be, if I were there, I would not be writing about them. Nor would I be reading or writing about corruption in politics there or their "Arab immigration problem" true as they might be. And it's OK with me if others criticize me for not being critical of these wrongs. I just always think that there are enough or more than enough people already publishing their observations and that, as they are doing that, I am going to instead be looking for the things that I want to see, rather than complaining about the bad stuff.

It's just the point of view that I work to stay involved with as much as possible.

I don't know you - for all I know you might be ugly as sin, bad breath, overweight and beat yours and the neighbors' children. If that or anything like it were to be the case and we were to meet and to talk, I would do my durnedest to look for and find and then comment about all the things good that I could find about you, nevertheless. I feel that it is true that every person on Earth is much more beautiful and good then they are ugly or evil, and if I have any chance of being a beneficial influence on another, it will be from focusing and communicating in an appreciative manner, no matter who or what I am talking about or with.
 

Veda

Sponsor
-snip-

I've just noticed, for me, that I can get caught up in it and shortly find myself critical of more and more things and then finding less pleasure in life overall.

-snip-

That's self interest. More pleasure for you. OK.

I just always think that there are enough or more than enough people already publishing their observations and that, as they are doing that, I am going to instead be looking for the things that I want to see, rather than complaining about the bad stuff.

-snip-

That's more self interest.

As you earlier noted, you're applying Scientology Axiom 18:

"The static, in practicing Not-Is-ness, brings about the existence of unwanted existences, and so brings about unreality, which includes forgetfulness, unconsciousness, and other undesirable states."

If not applying Scientology Axiom 18 puts you in a bad place, psychologically, then that's fine. By all means apply it. :)

-snip-

every person on Earth is much more beautiful and good then they are ugly or evil, and if I have any chance of being a beneficial influence on another, it will be from focusing and communicating in an appreciative manner, no matter who or what I am talking about or with.

Now you're shifting to an altruistic explanation. But, still OK.

I've no argument with you.

The only suggestion I have is that you may want to consider developing an "on" and an "off" switch, so that you're capable of seeing a negative and describing it as a such, then, switching to a positive state of mind, where you accentuate the positives.

That "on" and "off" switch can come in very handy.

Plus, there's Axiom 19:

"Bringing the Static to view As-Is any condition devaluates that condition."


Thoroughly describing Scientology - good and bad - IMO, does a lot of good for many people. :)
 

SPsince83

Gold Meritorious Patron
Hello, Dan

My ex-wife, Marian Gibbons (Now Marian Huntsman, I believe) and I were around Portland Org and Mission during some of the time you were there, having come up to Portland from the Delphian School. I went to the Sea Org from Portland - out of the frying pan into the fire....

Some of the names you mentioned are familiar, but it has been a long time, hasn't it?

Dave

Hi Dave, this is Bob Magaziner. You may not remember me, but I was a Sheridan Mission auditor when you were there. I audited Marion on an assist when she fell off her bike on the hill. I saw her recently on an OTVIII completion list still going by Gibbons. I've been out 32 years.
 

Smurf

Gold Meritorious SP
Hi Dave, this is Bob Magaziner. You may not remember me, but I was a Sheridan Mission auditor when you were there. I audited Marion on an assist when she fell off her bike on the hill. I saw her recently on an OTVIII completion list still going by Gibbons. I've been out 32 years.

I believe that's an old listing. Marian S. Huntsman Gibbons was a professional writer that wrote a number of stories for science fiction fanzines in the mid-90's.

"So far there are more than a dozen new authors on my "read all their stuff" list. Check out Marian Huntsman Gibbons, another professional writer. Her story in the Christmas issue of Forever Net moved me to tears, and she has a wonderful literary masterpiece, "Paradise Lost" which comes in 4 parts. Her e-dress is [email protected]. "

http://www.simegen.com/reviews/rereadablebooks/columns/1195.html

This is also an old listing as attested to by her ex-husband, David. http://radaris.com/~Marian-Gibbons/134681460

I've already posted her personal Facebook page. This is a professional page that she's included in.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michaela-August/42276969406
 

Phyllis Rice

New Member
I was a staff member at the Portland Org during the 70s/80s. I was originally Phyllis Newton, then I married the CS, Tom Rice. We had a child, Matthew, who did the TRs there as a child. And my mother, Odille Newton, took classes there, mostly with Lesley Grover.

Anyway, Tom and I divorced in 2000, and then he died a few years later of brain cancer. Matthew is an engineering professor, and I am remarried and living in Montreal QC.

I'm very happy to have escaped without too many repercussions, and have put myself back together nicely.

Best wishes to you all. And Dan, do you remember living with me and my mom in our big old house? That was very fun.
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
I was a staff member at the Portland Org during the 70s/80s. I was originally Phyllis Newton, then I married the CS, Tom Rice. We had a child, Matthew, who did the TRs there as a child. And my mother, Odille Newton, took classes there, mostly with Lesley Grover.

Anyway, Tom and I divorced in 2000, and then he died a few years later of brain cancer. Matthew is an engineering professor, and I am remarried and living in Montreal QC.

I'm very happy to have escaped without too many repercussions, and have put myself back together nicely.

Best wishes to you all. And Dan, do you remember living with me and my mom in our big old house? That was very fun.

I am so glad to hear from you, Phyllis. I would love to talk. I will respect your privacy though if you want otherwise. I loved you and your mom and Tom and I don't know that I ever met your son. I remember you and that big house with lots of love.

Dan
 

DanLocke

Patron with Honors
Hi Dave, this is Bob Magaziner. You may not remember me, but I was a Sheridan Mission auditor when you were there. I audited Marion on an assist when she fell off her bike on the hill. I saw her recently on an OTVIII completion list still going by Gibbons. I've been out 32 years.

I am "comm laggy" but I am pretty sure that I remember you, Bob. Thanks a lot for getting in touch. If you'd like more conversation, I would welcome it as well.
 
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