Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism

Responses to my Anti-Scientology sites

Conversation with a Second-generation Scientologist

Some of the face-to-face discussion I've had with scientologists has been very hostile, but some, like this, has been civil. This is a write-up of a long and wide-ranging discussion.

Email responses

"Go overdose on prozac, you psychiatrist-loving asshole" writes one modern-day Oscar Wilde. Other email responses were more helpful. A selection is presented here.

Legal threats

Like dozens of others posting on the internet, I received a threat of legal action from attorney Helena Kobrin in June 1995. Her claim was that by quoting a couple of lines from an OT document I was violating their "religious trade secrets". See BBC World Service coverage, The Times coverage. This prompted me to create the Helena Kobrin Love Page. The "trade secret" status of OT documents has been denied by the courts (external link).

I also received another threat from lawfirm Forresters in connection with the online version of the offical government report on Scientology. I did not have much to do with that site, but my email address was on it. They objected to Scientology internal documents being quoted in the report, which is surely the fault of the UK government, not me.

I've had other comebacks from scientologists which, for privacy's sake, I don't like to write about on the 'net.

Sending me feedback

I haven't time to respond to the emails I get about this topic: please consider posting to the Operation Clambake message boards or the alt.religion.scientology Usenet group. If you have a problem such as a friend or family member's involvement in Scientology, I may not be able to help you, but you can find help through these fora.

I will read, but won't necessarily have time to respond to, comments on this site emailed to m.l.poulter@bris.ac.uk . I am very keen to receive:

Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism