Historical – Effects of ban in entering UK to study Scientology - 1969
| Historical – Effects of ban in entering UK to study Scientology - 1969 | |
|---|---|
| Author | Antony Phillips |
| Type of Article | Category:History of Scientology |
| Website | http://www.antology.info |
| ant.phillips@post8.tele.dk | |
In early 1969 a UK government minister banned people from entering UK to study Scientology and this changed the organisational structure of Scientology.
The Ban[edit | edit source]
In early 1969 A UK government minister issued an edict which prevented non British nationals entering the United Kingdom to study Scientology. [Reference and details needed]
Up to that time an auditor could only get advanced training at Saint Hill, East Grinstead, UK (in the 50s advanced training was held occasionally with ACCs, which mainly took place in London and Washington, though there were a few in Australia and South Africa, and lasted 6 weeks). Additionally the upper levels of the so-called Bridge could only be obtained at Saint Hill, East Grinstead. This covered Power Processing (with the exception of staff members if the organisation they worked for had an auditor trained at Saint Hill to deliver them), Clearing Course and all the OT levels – Saint Hill had a monopoly.
Pubs Org[edit | edit source]
At that time Pubs Org, which had a monopoly on supplying and producing books, tapes, emeters and insignia, was situated in Edinburgh, Scotland (part of the U.K).
Pubs Org was ordered to be out of the country with all its books within 24 hours. We were not told where to go. We managed it within a week, relocating in Copenhagen, Denmark. The date I, as a staff member of Pubs, entered Denmark was 14th Feb. 1969 (according to my passport).
After that time a Pubs Org was established in USA (partly due to US restrictions on importing to the US more than a certain quantity of a book title).
Service Orgs[edit | edit source]
Due to the ban (which in the authorities eyes also included auditing) an advanced Org and Saint Hill was set up in Los Angeles, and in Greece. The Greek AOSH ran foul of the Greek authorities [data needed, please add if you know or can find out] and was moved to Denmark, probably because we already had two service orgs and Pubs org in Copenhagen. It first went to a manor house in the country (called Abilund) but quite soon moved to central Copenhagen.
Ban Revoked[edit | edit source]
I visited England a year or so later, at the time when the news had just been released that an enquiry on the ministers ban had released its findings. The findings were that the minister had no authority to make such a decree which bypassed normal procedure. So one was now free to enter U.K. to study – but Scientology organisational structure had been changed. [date and reference welcomed]
Don Maiers experience[edit | edit source]
Don Maier was a Scientologist who in the early 50's had received a demonstration Dianetic session (lying on a couch) from L. Ron Hubbard. Earlier, during World War One, he had been stationed as a bomber pilot in the US air force and taken parts in and survived a number of bomber raids on Germany.
At the time we are talking of here he was an electronic engineer, working in Germany with a contract to service the US armies electronic equipment. In his spare time when travelling to different US bases he visited all the Scientology orgs in Germany, and made necessary repairs to peoples e-meters. Later I was in touch with him (having a part time voluntary job at Pubs org Denmark of supervising meter repair). He told me that earlier he had wanted more data on e-meters and planned to go to Saint Hill for more data. He travelled with his car on the night ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich in England. When he got to England he was asked what he intended to do and he told them. He was refused entry, was held alone in a room (he said he did not try if the door was locked) and sent back with his car on the same night boat to Hook of Holland.
Others going to Saint Hill to study, had been warned of the situation, and invented other reasons to tell the authorities for visiting England.
Antony A Phillips 09:21, December 13, 2014 (MST)