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LA Sheriff's Deputy, Under Official Inquiry for Endorsing Expensive Scientology

BC1

Patron with Honors
:biggrin:

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/benjamin_ring_l.php

I just got off the phone with Steve Whitmore, Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca's spokesman, who tells me that an official inquiry has been opened in the matter of an LA sheriff's deputy named Benjamin Ring. The deputy appeared in a Scientology mailer that encourages church members to spend money on expensive services rather than invest in real estate or put it away in a 401K.

Images of the mailer first showed up about a week ago on the Internet, but the message on it, accompanied by an image of Deputy Ring in his full police gear, was so outlandish, we suspected a hoax. Only after we'd received a physical copy of the mailer and verified with the Church of Scientology Los Angeles that it had put out the document did we contact the LA Sheriff's Department for comment.

"Your concerns about the text are our concern. We're going to get to the bottom of it," Whitmore told me this afternoon as he let me know that an official inquiry -- which may lead to an internal affairs investigation -- was already underway.

Whitmore says that some executives at the Sheriff's Department had been aware of the mailer when it first went out and began in inquiry, but Whitmore knew nothing about it until the Voice sent over images of it by e-mail earlier today. (Whitmore says he was not called earlier about the matter, despite an Internet report that Whitmore had told a member of Anonymous that there was no problem with a deputy appearing in an advertisement in his uniform. Update: It was Garry Scarff who earlier posted that he'd talked to Whitmore about deputies endorsing products in uniform, but he says he may not have mentioned the flier, which Whitmore told me he had not learned about until earlier today.)

In fact, Whitmore says it's against Department policy for deputies to endorse products while appearing in uniform.

"We are not in the business of endorsing any particular anything, if you know what I mean," he told me. "People in their off-duty hours in their regular street clothes can do whatever they want, but when they don Sheriff's Department gear it's another matter."

Sheriff Lee Baca himself can do what he wants as an elected official, and Whitmore acknowledged that Baca had made supportive statements about Scientology in the past.

"The Sheriff believes that everybody deserves a seat at the table. There are certain things with Scientology he thinks are good. He likes that they're trying to get people off of alcohol and drugs," Whitmore said. "That's an overall philosophical statement. He's an elected official and has every right to do that."

But deputies are another matter, he pointed out. "We're looking at this very seriously."

I called the Church of Scientology Los Angeles -- the "LA Org" -- to ask about the mailer. After acknowledging that they had put out the mailer, the person who answered my call told me someone else would call me back. They never did. I also did not get a call back from Karin Pouw, church spokeswoman.

The person who sent us a copy of the mailer received a copy of it in the mail on July 26. It's a single glossy sheet, and on one side, Deputy Ring can be seen endorsing "co-auditing to clear at LA Org."

As has been voluminously documented here at the Voice and in many court cases and by other news organizations, one of the realities of life in Scientology is for members to be continuously hit up for increasingly expensive services by church "registrars" as they move up "the Bridge" of spiritual advancement. Founder L. Ron Hubbard claimed that dedicated adherence to his "technology" would lead a parishioner to became a "clear," a person who is so unencumbered by life's traumas, he or she would be clairvoyant, have total recall, and master other seemingly superhuman qualities.

In the mailer, Deputy Ring seems to acknowledge that advancing up the Bridge could lead to financial difficulty: "I kept talking to the Registrars and I thought if I'm going to co-audit, I might as well keep co-auditing up the Bridge and it's a way to do it and not have money be a problem."

Reaching "clear" is only one stop on the Bridge -- even higher levels call for even higher prices. An individual step on the Bridge might cost $7,000 or $8,000, and call for many additional services and remedial steps before moving on to a higher station on the process.

"I was saving all this money to do the Bridge later," Ring goes on, "instead of just taking the money I did have to invest in my spiritual freedom."

Ring -- again, while appearing as an authority figure in his sheriff's deputy uniform -- now attempts to convince his reader that there are few better ways to invest large amounts of money than in Scientology training:

What's the point of having a condo in Burbank or going to Europe instead of investing in myself. Instead of flowing money to my IRA or 401K, why don't I just flow money toward my Bridge?

RingMailer.jpg


"In other words, he's saying that to go clear, it would cost you about what it would cost to buy a condo," says Jason Beghe, an actor and former Scientology celebrity who left the church in 2007 after, by his estimate, spending about a million dollars on Scientology services over a 13-year period.

"It's the safest investment there is, because it's kind of magical," he added, sarcastically.

A Malibu resident, Beghe says that the particular Scientology outfit that created the mailer, the "LA org," is "kind of a joke." There are much more prestigious Scientology facilities in the area, which is one of the religion's main hubs.

As for the mailer's aggressive approach, asking for large sums, Beghe says "That's what Scientology does."

"That's all the time. I remember there was a guy who was trying to get me -- he was an IAS [International Association of Scientologists] registrar, those guys are crazy -- he was saying that he had a contracting business and had a $600,000 windfall, and he said he gave it all to the IAS, and then tripled his income. So when you get a windfall, the best thing for you financially, they'll tell you, is to give the whole thing to them. I kid you not. And people believe it," he says.

"A working person, to co-audit the Bridge, would take going to the org every night. You'd be there from 6 to 10, and it would still take you many years to go clear," Beghe says. "He'll wake up when he can't pay for his kids' school."


UPDATE: Just talked to Brian Culkin for another perspective on the amounts of money we're dealing with in Scientology. Although Culkin, a yoga instructor, was only in Scientology for a short time -- from January 2009 to February 2010 -- in that time, as he worked to "go clear," he gave Scientology $350,000. And then "blew" -- Scientology jargon for leaving the church.

Imagine the sort of condo you could buy with that kind of deposit money.


[email protected] | @VoiceTonyO | FB: Tony Ortega

See all of our recent Scientology coverage at the Voice

Keep up on all of our New York news coverage at this blog, Runnin' Scared

Tony Ortega is the editor-in-chief of The Village Voice. Since 1995, he's been writing about Scientology at several publications.
 

Captain Koolaid

Patron Meritorious
that guy blew 350 grand in 13 months? :omg:

Edit: Just a thought: If that deputy catches you speeding, you just tell him that you'd rather spend the money for the ticket for your bridge.
 
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Ladybird

Silver Meritorious Patron
I wouldn't like to get pulled over by a scientologist with a real badge. I would guess that they are running your name through the OSA files at the same time they run your ID through government files. I don't think a known critic, Sp or anyone on scientology's enemies list would have much chance of being treated fairly by that guy, he is obviously drinking a LOT of Cult Kool-aide.

I would like to comment that scientologists, though few in number, are operating under LRH orders 24/7, and have the cult threatening them with disconnection from their family, friends and jobs and everlasting hell by being kicked off the bridge if they don't toe the cult line and get their stats up. OTs have to go through "eligibility" and prove how dedicated they are each step of the bridge. One deluded adherent will work 24/7/365. Especially Sea Org.

Here are a few references by Hubbard that might help explain how scientologists think.:

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$SACRED CULT SCRIPTURES$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"The goal of the Department is to bring the government and hostile philosophies or societies into a state of complete compliance with the goals of Scientology. This is done by high level ability to control and in its absence by low level ability to overwhelm.

Introvert such agencies. Control such agencies."
L. Ron Hubbard, HCO Policy Letter 15 August 1960, Dept of Govt Affairs


"You want to know what happens when you clear everybody in that
neighbourhood, the only thing that [Scientology] center can become
used for is a political center. Because by the time you've done
all this, you are the government..."
- L. Ron Hubbard, lecture 9 January 1962, "Future Org Trends"


"Once the world is Clear - a nation, a state, a city or a village
-the Scientology-organization in the area becomes its government!
And once this has taken place the only policy accepted as valid is
Scientology policy." - L. Ron Hubbard's taped lecture 9 January 1962, "Future Org Trends"


"We are not even vaguely propitiative toward medicine or psychiatry,
and we are overtly intent upon assimilating every function they are
now performing."


- L. Ron Hubbard, Professional Auditor's Bulletin No. 53,
May 27, 1955

********************************************

HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex


HCO BULLETIN OF 23 JUNE AD IO


Important MA
Franchise Holders


SPECIAL ZONE PLAN


The Scientologist's Role in Life


Ten years ago, on about this date, I was up against third dynamic
confusion of
such magnitude that within a few months, I was to decide to forget
organization


problems and concentrate on research.
....................


Now I wouldn't be talking to you like this if I didn't feel I
had this studied to a
conclusion.
Consider our position: we have arrived at a very special plateau
of knowledge as
has been reviewed above. Data on our know-how is being codified for
use in these
zones of action.
Consider the position of the world. The story is often repeated
on the whole
track. As Mest is made to help too much, a plateau of civilization
is reached in which
the individual is downgraded to a number. The end of this-the lights
eventually go out through lack of personal initiative and ability.


We are in a fantastic position, at the right time and place, to
halt this cycle of decay and start a new one on Earth. And I believe we should overtly do so.

How?

We are masters of IQ and ability. We have know-how. Any of us
could select out a zone of life in which we are interested and then, entering it, bring order and victory to it.
Of course, there's a heavy challenge in doing this. Some of the
victories would be
hardly won. But we would win across the world if we kept our vision
bright.
The third and fourth dynamics subdivide. Any third breaks down
into many
activities and professions, a neighborhood, a business concern, a
military group, a city
government, etc, etc, etc. The fourth dynamic breaks down just now
mainly to races
and nations.
Now just suppose a Scientologist were to consider himself a
professional only for
the purposes of treating and repairing or even starting again these
third and fourth
zones?
b]See this: a housewife, already successfully employing
Scientology in her own
home, trained to professional level, takes over a woman's club as
Secretary or some key
position. She straightens up the club affairs by applying comm
practice and making
peace and then, incidental to the club's main function, pushes
Scientology into a zone
of special interest in the club-children, straightening up marriages,
whatever comes to
hand and even taking fees for it-meanwhile of course going on being a
successful and
contributing wife.
Or this: a Scientologist, a lesser executive or even a clerk in
a company, trains as a
professional auditor, and seeing where the company is heading, begins
to pick up its
loose ends by strengthening its comm lines or its personnel
abilities. Without "selling"
anybody Scientology, just studies out the bogs and remedies them. If
only as "an able
person" he would rapidly expand a. zone of control, to say nothing of
his personal
standing in the company. This has been and is being done steadily
across the world.[/b]
Now that we have presessioning, it's easy to straighten up other
people. Our unreleased
technology on handling third dynamic business situations is
staggeringly large. You'd
be surprised how easy it is to audit seniors. They and their
families have so many
troubles. Or how easy it is to spot the emergency-maker and audit
him.
And see this: a race is staggering along making difficulties for
itself.Locate its
leaders. Get a paid post as a secretary or officer of the staff of
the leaders of that race.
And by any means, audit them into ability and handle their affairs to
bring
co-operation not trouble. Every race that is in turmoil in a nation
has quasi-social
groups around its leaders.
And this: a nation or a state runs on the ability of its
department heads, its
governors, or any other leaders' It is easy to get posts in such
areas unless one has
delusions of grandeur or fear of it . Don't bother to get elected.
Get a job on the
secretarial staff or the bodyguard, use any talent one has to get a
place close in, go to
work on the environment and make it function better. Occasionally
one might lose,
but in the large majority, doing a good job and making the
environment function will
result in promotion, better contacts, a widening zone.

The cue in all this is don't seek the co-operation of groups.
Don't ask for
permission. Just enter them and start functioning to make the group
win through
effectiveness and sanity.
If we were revolutionaries this HCO Bulletin would be a very
dangerous
document. We are not revolutionaries any more than we are doctors of
sickness in
individual patients. But we are not revolutionaries, we are
humanitarians. We are not
political. And we can be the most important force for good that the
world has ever
known. Who objects to a company functioning better to produce a
better civilization?
Who objects to a race becoming sane and a stable asset to its
communities? Who
objects to a neighborhood smoothing out?
Only the very criminal would object and they are relatively
ineffectual when you
can know and spot them. And there are no criminals,except the
mentally disabled.
So this is a challenge on the third and fourth. Ahnost all
Scientologists are in a
position to begin to help on such a programme.
And I am studying now first the popularity with you of this plan
and, if great,
how best to help us all achieve it. The first thing required is an
understandable
designation for Scientologists undertaking their portion of this
Special Zone Plan. I
should think the word "Counselor" is acceptable with an appropriate
additional
designation such as "Family Counselor" or "Company Counselor" or
"Child Counselor".

The special zone plan is made possible by a slight shift of
approach. Take the case
of a police officer who got interested on a PE course and read some
books. He tried to
1 4sell" his chief on Scientology as a subject and was given a heavy
loss. One, our PE
level trainee was insufficiently schooled to be effective. Two, as a
pro his approach
could have been any one of several. He could have eased himself
nearer a command
source area in the department, or he could have taken over a pistol
marksman on the
force and made him a champion as we did with the Olympics team once.
The slight
shift is that we would have made this police officer get pro training
before telling him
"sell Scientology" to the force and then would have advised him to
sell it by action,
not words. Handling the familial problems of the commissioner as his
driver or making
the rookies gasp at how fast he could train them would be selling by
action only. And
no other kind of selling would be needed. He'd be running an evening
coaching class
for his fellows or superiors on Scientology in a few months and making
some of them
follow the same route. How long before he had altered the whole
character, ability and
effectiveness of the police force and through that how long before he
would have
civilized the whole approach to law enforcement in that area?

For, once we have
created an opening, we always avalanche to fantastically swift gains.
That's the Special Zone Plan. Several hundred thousand are ready
for the first
steps. Those that aren't trained as pro HPAs and HCAs could start in
soon. There are
special ways to get training at an Academy now. And even while
awaiting this training
and working toward clearing such Scientologists could begin to
determine their zone
goals and work on them.
Our impact on the society is already weighty. With special Zone
Plans we could
move that impact up thousands of times greater and have in our present
lifetimes our
goals at least in part accomplished and a decent world to come back to
again.
What do you think of it? Write to me in care of Central
Organization HCO in your
area to give me your views on the Special Zone Plan.
When you write please advise me as follows: whether you like or do
not like the
idea. If you like it tell me the zone you are in or would like to be
in (what area do you
want to help?). But whatever you say please write as your letter will
be considered as a vote. We have arrived at a cross roads where our action now could well affect the future history of this Planet" - L. RON HUBBARD

_________________
"There is nothing as wild in the books of Man as will probably happen here on Earth...it will happen and be allowed to happen simply because all this is so incredible that nobody will even think of stopping it until it is far, far too late"~LRH
 
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MrNobody

Who needs merits?
I wouldn't like to get pulled over by a scientologist with a real badge. I would guess that they are running your name through the OSA files at the same time they run your ID through government files. I don't think a known critic, Sp or anyone on scientology's enemies list would have much chance of being treated fairly by that guy, he is obviously drinking a LOT of Cult Kool-aide.

I would like to comment that scientologists, though few in number, are operating under LRH orders 24/7, and have the cult threatening them with disconnection from their family, friends and jobs and everlasting hell by being kicked off the bridge if they don't toe the cult line and get their stats up. OTs have to go through "eligibility" and prove how dedicated they are each step of the bridge. One deluded adherent will work 24/7/365. Especially Sea Org.
<snip>

:hmm: This is why I'm a little torn about this issue: Of course no one should abuse their privileges as a law enforcement officer, judge, whatever, for the benefit of the cult - but as long as the cult publishes this kind of illegal collaboration, every one who has to deal with such a person has a good standing, I think.

At least in an ideal world, that'd be the case.
 

Mick Wenlock

Admin Emeritus (retired)
that guy blew 350 grand in 13 months? :omg:

Edit: Just a thought: If that deputy catches you speeding, you just tell him that you'd rather spend the money for the ticket for your bridge.

now thats good thinking...

Could also start asking everyone in the sheriffs department if they have gone clear yet and "how about those Marcabs eh?"
 

Petey C

Silver Meritorious Patron
I don't know whether a condo in Burbank would do it for me, but a trip to Europe I would definitely see as an investment in myself!

Very interesting story.
 

Kookaburra

Gold Meritorious Patron
I knew someone named Ben Ring when I was in Scn. Back in 1985/86. He was an SO kid about 3 years old at the time. I wonder if it is the same person. Does anyone have a picture of this flyer?
 

Jachs

Gold Meritorious Patron
23 JUNE 1960 said:
The Scientologist's Role in Life


Ten years ago, on about this date, I was up against "third dynamic confusion" of such magnitude that within a few months, I was to decide to forget
organization

Dianetics became an immediate bestseller when it was published in May 1950. Only two months later, over 55,000 copies had been sold and 500 Dianetics groups had been set up across the United States

money was pouring out as fast as it was coming in


By October [1950] Hubbard became increasingly paranoid and authoritarian due to "political and organizational problems with people grabbing for power"

Victim of a takeover from his own urges

was Hubbard selecting the wrong target? ,

I wonder who chose the word "target" ?
 

Jachs

Gold Meritorious Patron
I knew someone named Ben Ring when I was in Scn. Back in 1985/86. He was an SO kid about 3 years old at the time. I wonder if it is the same person. Does anyone have a picture of this flyer?

DepRing-thumb-250x227.jpg
 

PTSPal

Patron with Honors
:no::nervous:Actually, good PR for the Church! That clip will probably make the next event. Right next to the deputy getting some award from the church. I'm sure Baca will make sure this guy is taken care of once the heat is off.....:confused2:
 

apocalyptic

Patron with Honors
The snowball starts rolling . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHzCjussTXw&feature=player_embedded#at=43

(Hat tip Sponge at WWP)

Rupert Murdoch owned the British Police Department ('and' Scotland Yard). While David Miscaviage merely owns the Los Angeles Police Dept. ('and' the Riverside County Board of Supervisors).

David Miscaviage is small potatoes (not counting his owning of a huge portion of all three branches of the United States Government).

The only thing on par with Scientology's evil, is Scientology's brilliance, in terms of it's near-unparalleled ability to corrupt government individuals by way of the carrot, or by way of the stick. In the secret & silence of darkness for cover.

We say 'unparalleled' though Murdoch's media empire came close.

Thank goodness Scientology would never even imagine hacking private phones or bribing government officials, or blackmailing judges and juries and the like.

Whew. We may have just dodged a real bullet.

Apocalyptic
 

AnonKat

Crusader
Rupert Murdoch owned the British Police Department ('and' Scotland Yard). While David Miscaviage merely owns the Los Angeles Police Dept. ('and' the Riverside County Board of Supervisors).

David Miscaviage is small potatoes (not counting his owning of a huge portion of all three branches of the United States Government).

The only thing on par with Scientology's evil, is Scientology's brilliance, in terms of it's near-unparalleled ability to corrupt government individuals by way of the carrot, or by way of the stick. In the secret & silence of darkness for cover.

We say 'unparalleled' though Murdoch's media empire came close.

Thank goodness Scientology would never even imagine hacking private phones or bribing government officials, or blackmailing judges and juries and the like.

Whew. We may have just dodged a real bullet.

Apocalyptic

before anonymous happened the cult owned the britisch police too
 

apocalyptic

Patron with Honors
looks like his bridge just got closed

True story. But then again, he pulled it in. 'Obviously' he was secretly trying to completely destroy the church scientology, and prevent every single human being from ever going free.

A scientology background check will reveal he has crimes of unimaginable proportions. His great grandfather was one of the original group of 12, in fact.

Unsavory fellow. Thank god scientology officials discovered his true being, just in time.

Apocalyptic
 

Karen#1

Gold Meritorious Patron
David Miscavige and Sherrif Lee Baca Head Honcho of LA Sherrif's department

009-speakers-church-of-scientology-los-angeles-opening.jpg


Nancy Many posts on Tony Ortega site ~~
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/benjamin_ring_l.php#Comments
Dear Tony,
This is great. With a little more digging you will find a pile. The Sheriff's wife has completed Scn Courses (Lee Baca of Los Angeles )source Kirsty Watchers Scientology names site) I also read on the internet that he has actually brought some of the Scientology "business models" into the Sheriff's office to
train some of his men.
I know he supports Scientology on a float of theirs every year at the Hollywood Christmas Parade. Can't remember if he is in full uniform, But I do believe he is.
 
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Karen#1

Gold Meritorious Patron
David Miscavige one on one with Sherriff Lee Baca

BacaMiscavige.png


Oh for friends in high places to help cover up all the assault and batteries....
 
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