1980's – European Free Scientology Conferences
| 1980's – European Free Scientology Conferences | |
|---|---|
| Topic | Scientology History |
| Author | Antony A Phillips |
| Type of Article | Category:Event |
| Website | http://www.antology.info/index.php |
| Ant-phillips@post8.tele.dk | |
I ran across a 1989 letter from a friend (who wishes to be anonymous) about Free Scientology conferences in Europe. Here is an exert from that letter.
- "The last general European Independent Conference took place in Switzerland in 1986. During that conference a schism occurred between those who had aligned themselves with David Mayo and (a minority) those who were with Captain Bill Robertson's group, promoting his new technical materials, including Excalibur and forty new upper levels. At that conference, David Mayo was severely criticised by the Excalibur contingent for his skeptical attitude towards the C of $ technology and his irreverent attitude towards Hubbard."
I was at that conference. It took place up in the mountains and most people got to it on a hanging cable car, though there was a single track road to it, open for half an hour each way. That location, "far from the madding crowd" made it special. It was a conference centre and the facilities were good.
I remember well the atmosphere after David Mayo dropped his "bomb". What I remember (and it would be nice to hear a tape of the lecture) was that David told of an occasion where he audited Ron, who wanted to be exterior with full perception, thought he had achieved it, describing what he saw as a cloudless night sky with stars visible. Then Ron and David went outside to see if he was right and it was overcast (no stars visible). It was that, so far as I can remember, that accounted for an atmosphere of fury. I regarded it as rather odd, as I remember a tape of Ron's where he says that when a preclear first becomes exterior, he may not do so in present time, and thus not see what is there at the moment. It had happened in recent years (of course before David left the "Church"). I also puzzled as to why Ron should be bothering about that at that stage in the game.
That and a Swiss conference the year before were probably the first Scientology conferences outside of the "Church", at any rate in Europe
There have been conferences since. There was a short series that featured Ray and Pam Kemp (in Copenhagen, East Berlin just after the wall fell and Holland). In England there was a yearly series that ran for about ten years. We have had a few in Denmark, RONS Org have held conferences which were restricted to RONS Org.
Whether it is a good or bad thing that we do not have twice a year Congresses, as occurred in the 50's, when Ron Hubbard was the star, live or by tape, in both London and Washington and (in all but one case) the sole lecturer is a matter of opinion. We have more channels of communication (Skype, webinars, and more) and I don't think we have really forgotten how important communication is. New times, new media, but always communication is the universal solvent.
Ron always had new things to say, each time a congress came along. He is gone, leaving an enormous legacy. And perhaps the task at hand is for individuals to use the bits of the technology they are confident in using, and producing results with. The world, and individuals you know, could benefit from it.
An, unwanted, legacy we have from the "Church" is failure to grant beingness. In the fuss resulting from what David Mayo said at that conference, there were sadly little signs of granting beingness. A pretty poor example for non-Scientolgists!
Antony Phillips, June 17 2014