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Leaked Scientology Documents Reveal Church Values

KnightVision

Gold Meritorious Patron
http://scienceblogs.com/primatediaries/2009/07/leaked_scientology_documents_r.php

Leaked Scientology Documents Reveal Church Values
Category: Labor • Religion
Posted on: July 22, 2009 10:52 AM, by Eric Michael Johnson

Earlier this week a classified Scientology contract was leaked (full pdf document here), revealing the paranoid nature of the Church. The document is entitled Application, Declaration and General Release Declaration of Religious Commitment and Application for Membership in a Scientology Religious Order and for Active Participation on Church Staff. This contract must be signed by anyone who wishes to engage in "active participation as a staff member within the Church of Scientology" as a Class V Org member.

Among the items they must agree to are:

8. I am not related to or connected with any intelligence agency, either by past history or immediate familial connection.
9. I do NOT have a parent or a guardian who is an antagonist of the Scientology religion, or of any organization devoted to Scientology applied religious philosophy.
10. I am not seeking a staff position to obtain material for dissemination to the public via press, radio, television, motion picture or other media. I do not seek to obtain data for any other organization or to disrupt the Church organization.
11. I do not have personal debts of a magnitude such that efforts to satisfy them would immediately disrupt or cause me to pull back from my commitment to the Church.
The document continues by insisting that the following points be individually signed, making clear that the Church is not obligated to follow state or federal labor practices:

I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT ALL CHURCH STAFF MEMBERS INCLUDING MYSELF, ARE MEMBERS OF A RELIGIOUS ORDER; THAT THEY SERVE PURSUANT TO THEIR RELIGIOUS OBLIGATIONS AND NOT IN CONTEMPLATION OF RECEIVING ANY COMPENSATION WHATSOEVER, AND IN DOING SO THAT THEY ARE FORSAKING ALL COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL MOTIVATION. PLEASE INITIAL __
EACH CONSIDERS HIMSELF/HERSELF A VOLUNTEER TO CREATE A BETTER WORLD, AND UNDERSTANDS THAT HE/SHE IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE, I.E. IS NOT ENTITLED TO RECEIVE SECULAR BENEFITS SUCH AS A MINIMUM WAGE OR OVERTIME COMPENSATION. PLEASE INITIAL __

As if that weren't enough of an incentive to join, the document then goes on to warn the applicant of what will happen if they break their agreement:

7. BREACH OF COVENANT. If a staff member . . . breaks his agreement either by leaving staff before completing his commitment [either 2 1/2 or 5 years] or by violating his good standing as a Scientology staff member so that he is dismissed in accordance with policy, he or she shall remit forthwith to the Church a penance for violation of this covenant in accordance with the ecclesiastical policy of the Church if such person is declared a "freeloader". [...]
9. ENTIRETY OF COVENANT. The Church shall not be obligated to honor any verbal promises or any other terms or conditions not specifically covered in this Covenant. This Covenant forms the entirety of the Church's agreement with the Church staff member, and promises no specific counselling, training, posts or other benefits to any Church staff member.

So the Scientologists make you honor your promise to shill for them and receive nothing in return (and then pay a "penance for violation" if they are in any way dissatisfied with you) but they don't have to honor any of their promises to you. How nice of them. Then, in the event that you might be dissatisfied with how they exploited you and kicked you to the curb, they make clear that any legal action is off limits:

B. I HEREBY RELEASE AND DISCHARGE THE RELEASES from all actions, claims or demands I, my heirs, distributees, guardians, legal representatives or assigns ever had, now have or may hereafter have for injury or damage resulting from or any way connected with my membership in the Scientology Religious Order, active participation on Church staff or association with the Releasees. [...]
I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY, COVENANT NOT TO SUE AND INDEMNITY AGREEMENT BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE CHURCH AND/OR ITS AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS AND/OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS, AND I UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT BY PLACING MY SIGNATURE AT THE END OF THIS DOCUMENT I SHALL BE BOUND BY ITS TERMS. PLEASE INITIAL __

So how about it? Want to be a Class V staff member in the Church of Scientology? Sign below in the comments to complete this legally binding agreement. May Supreme Galactic Overlord Xenu grant you a pleasant audit.
 

RogerB

Crusader
Wow!

WOW! KV,

Thanks for posting this.

I am a little amazed they would be pulling big shit like this. In some respects this "contract" would appear to be a) unenforceable b) in violation some laws governing the generality of matters these issues treat.

The other side of the coin is that any idiot subjecting him/herself to these "conditions" is seriously deluded, and self-sacrificial.

The effrontery of these people to be pulling shit like this is amazing.

I can see this becoming another "nail in the coffin" of the "church."

RogerB
 

Gadfly

Crusader
WOW! KV,

Thanks for posting this.

I am a little amazed they would be pulling big shit like this. In some respects this "contract" would appear to be a) unenforceable b) in violation some laws governing the generality of matters these issues treat.

The other side of the coin is that any idiot subjecting him/herself to these "conditions" is seriously deluded, and self-sacrificial.

The effrontery of these people to be pulling shit like this is amazing.

I can see this becoming another "nail in the coffin" of the "church."

RogerB

This isn't a nail in any coffin. The Church has been having members sign some sort of affadavits and releases (and even bonds) for MANY MANY years (at least 25 years that I know of). While the exact content has changed over time, the fact of there being releases has not. I don't think that this is "new data" to most people.
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
I loved one of the comments there. Namely:

Perhaps a signatory could get this contract voided on grounds that s/he was not of sound mind while signing it. Something along the lines of "Your Honor, that I signed this contract proves I wasn't of sound mind when I signed it".​

Paul
 

Operating Wog

Patron with Honors
since this is the "Ex-Scientologist" message board, it doesn't seem like too many should be blown away by seeing - OMG! - a staff contract. Those who didn't sign them probably spent many hours with one in front of them, listening to reasons why they should. And, yeah, that's the identical wording that's been used for decades. Old news.
 

Operating Wog

Patron with Honors
it's not much of a major leak either. there's supposed to be a stack of them on the reception desk at all times. just walk into any church and take one.
 

Blue Spirit

Silver Meritorious Patron
Atmosphere of Terror

Paul (DOF), your comment above is so true and funny too. :lol:

Think of the vulnerable people who sign this ! Too young in many cases,

and parents or guardians who sign them into the Slave system. :angry:


An SP goes into TERROR (LRH says) when he thinks anyone may get out

of the trap and FIND HIM OUT.

That same TERROR is what feeds this whole mentality of Lawyer think and

actions and alert guards at all "Church" locations.

Also, the punitive Ethics applied to everyone. INSANITY TO THE HIGHEST

DEGREE.

THERE MUST BE A LOT OF MOTIVATORS AROUND FOR THESE THINGS TO

BE HAPPENING LIKE THIS.
 

FinallyFree

Gold Meritorious Patron
I signed one or two of these. You think it is bad reading it as a scientologists (or EX rather), try explaining it to a brand new "public" you are working on "hiring".
 

everfree

Patron Meritorious
Yeah, that's been around for many years, I signed one similiar if not the same and I've been out for 10 years.

You think that one is bad, you should see the release form after Lisa McPherson. As I recall, it had you agree that an officer of the church at their discretion could have you locked away from friends and family as long as they wanted, and if you died you didn't hold the church liable.

I was still in at that point but it still caused the hair on the back of my neck to prickle. I was still staff so I had to sign it anyways or I would have drawn unwelcome attention to myself.
 

Gadfly

Crusader
I was still in at that point but it still caused the hair on the back of my neck to prickle. I was still staff so I had to sign it anyways or I would have drawn unwelcome attention to myself.

Isn't it amazing what any of us will do when stuck in such an "over-controlled" situation? I signed some of those stupid forms myself years back.

Never Again. Wake up lemmings!
 
The fact that it "not new" doesn't mean it should not be put up here. A lot of people have never seen it. I signed somthing like it long time ago. But I am still quite shocked to see it now.
 

HCObringOrder?

Silver Meritorious Patron
Does this recent upgrade of staff contract help Marc Headleys
case?

More likely it as a result of Marc's case.
There is parts of this document that are similar to what I signed, but the wording has been changed and additional parts have been added.
I can see each of these changes and additions were meant to prevent former problems such as Marc presents now.
It just goes to show what amateur lawyers were used to make the document and update it each time.

So line up and sign away your right to get payed for working as a slave.
Now the drive must be on to get every staff member to re-sign the contract to meet the new legal threat.

One wonders how far a person can walk with so many holes in their feet?
:yes:
 
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