Scientology Literature - Jan Gronborg

This bibliography is not a complete list of books written about Scientology by non-Scientologists, but it covers the books and reports that we have found most useful. If our readers have further suggestions, please let us know.

GOVERNMENT REPORTS OF SCIENTOLOGY:
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA:
"Report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology".
By Kevin Victor Anderson, Q.C. Melbourne 1965. 202 pages.

Mr. Anderson, now a judge of the Victoria Supreme Court, has done a very thorough piece of work, in his hearing of 151 witnesses. The transcript of their evidence came to 8,920 pages, and in addition many thousands of other documents form the basis for his conclusions, in which he says, among other things: "Scientology is not.... a religion." "Scientology is a grave threat to family and home life." "The Board has been unable to find any worth-while redeeming feature in Scientology. It constitutes a serious medical, moral and social threat to individuals and to the community generally."

The "Anderson-report" has been and still is atArichod hysterically by Scientologists all over the wm1d. A lampoon against the state of Victoria was published by Scientology ("Kangaroo Court" East Grinstead, Sussex 1967). Here the "Church" calls the state of Victoria "a society founded by criminals, organized by criminals and devoted to making people criminals".

The weakness of the Anderson-report lies in its composition. Most of the documentation is not in the report, which is mainly a conclusion. One has to trust the Supreme Court Judge that he is not falsifying evidence. Scientologists do not trust him. But both the Canadian and the British boards of enquiries have done.

NEW ZEALAND:
"Hubbard Scientology Organisation in New Zealand"
Report of the Commission of Inquiry. Wellington 1969. 67 pages.

This report is mainly of local interest. Like the other official reports this one expresses anxiety that Scien-tology auditing is potentially harmful especially to children and very young people.

ONTARIO, CANADA:
"Sectarian Healers and Hypnotherapy" By John A. Lee. Toronto 1970, 173 pages. 40 pages deal with Dianetics, Scientology and Electropsychometry.

This is a study for the Committee on the Healing Arts, the report of which was published in three volumes plus this study. John Lee is a professor at the Dept. of Sociology of the University of Toronto. In his study he deals mainly with the therapeutic claims and practices of the sect. His conclusions are generally pessimistic.

The book is a good supplement to e.g. the British report.

UNITED KINGDOM:
"Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology."
Report by Sir John G. Foster, K.B.E., Q.C., M.P.
Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1971. 192 pages.

This is the most useful of the official reports. In it, Sir John has been able to take advantage of the Australian and the Canadian reports. The report contains a large amount of documentary material but little evaluation. It deals with the history, the theory and the practice of the sect. Of course, the main emphasis is on the British situation, but the report can be used all over the world.

Highly recommended.

SOUTH AFRICA:
"Report of the Commission of Enquiry into Scientology."
Published by Authority, Durban 1973. 232 pages plus appendices.

This report contains less documentary material than the British. Nevertheless it is very useful, dealing with all aspects of the practice of the sect. The drawback of the South African report is that every time it is referred to confidence is expressed in the otherwise questionable system of justice in South Africa.

"The Road to Total Freedom".
A Sociological Analysis of Scientology. By Roy Wallis.
Heinemann, London 1976. Price in UK £6.50. 282 pages.

Highly recommended. The book is based on Roy Wallis's doctoral work as a sociologist. Dr. Wallis has interviewed over eighty former and present members of the sect. Based on these interviews and a large number of written sources, this book is the most thorough and sober presentation of the sect. A considerable part of the book deals with the early history of Dianetics/Scientology, which is very important for an understanding of the present situation.

Roy Wallis is now the head of the Department of Social Studies at the Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

"Cults of Unreason". By Dr. Christopher Evans. Harrap, London 1973. 264 pages, on Scientology 120 pages.

Besides Scientology (called the "Science Fiction Religion") the book deals with the flying saucer cults, black boxes, and Eastern Mysticism.

Dr. Evans is an experimental psychologist, but the book is not a strictly psychological analysis. It reads like a novel while at the same time providing a good historical introduction to Scientology. Since the publication of Roy Wallis' book this one may be outdated. It is useful as a brief and easily read introduction. Evans is humourous and now and then sarcastic, but the presentation of Scientology is sober.

"The Hidden Story of Scientology" by Omar Garrison.
Arlington Books, London 1974. 231 pages.

On the first page of the book the author writes that he is neither a scientologist, nor has he been brainwashed by Scientology. Without this disclaimer, the reader would have drawn the opposite conclusion. This book tells the history of Scientology the way Scientologists want to hear it which is quite different from a scholarly historical presentation.

Omar V. Garrison is the only "non-Scientologist" author whose books are on sale from the Scientology headquarters in England. The book has no historical value.

Can be ordered from any Scientology office.

"Was ist Scientology?" Information caber die Scientology-Kirche Deutschland e.V. mit einer Beurteilung aus evan¬gelischer Sicht. Publ. by Arbeitskreis fur Freikirchen and Sekten der VELKD, 1975. 28 pages. For copies write to: Lutherisches Kirchenamt, Postfach 51o4o9, D 3000 Hannover 1, West Germany. No fixed price.

The booklet is directed to the churches. The language is German. As much information as can possibly be contained in 28 pages is given here. Pages 1 - 24 consist merely of information, pages 25 - 28 give a Christian evaluation of Scientology.

C. H. Rolph: Believe What you Like. What happened between the Scientologists and the National Association for Mental Health. Andre Deutsch, London 1973. 172 pages.

Mr. Rolph, staff writer and director of the New Statesman, describes some of the conflicts in which Scientologists have been involved in Great Britain. Though this book explicitly deals with the British situation, it is worthwhile reading for anyone who wishes to examine the methods and motives of the sect's aggressive behaviour. The style is descriptive and leaves the reader to draw his own conclusions about the sect.]

"Dianetics in Limbo". By Helen O'Brien. Whitmore, Philadelphia, Penn. 1966. 80 pages.

Mrs. O'Brien was one of the leaders in the early years of Dianetics/Scientology. The book is not only a sad story of a person who was a faithful and confident disciple who became disillusioned. It is also an important piece of source material, helpful for understanding the transformation of the Dianetic movement into the Scientology sect.

George Malko: "Scientology, The Now Religion."
N.Y. 1970. 205 pages.

George Malko was never a Scientologist himself. He is interested from a journalist's point of view. His book reads like a novel, yet it gives satisfactory amount of basic information. This book is recommended as supplementary reading.

Paulette Cooper: The Scandal of Scientology. Tower Publications, New York 1971. 220 pages.

A very interesting book, not unlike Malko's. For some reason, however, Mrs. Cooper has later made a statement withdrawing many of the statements in her book. As a result it is difficult to tell how far she can be relied on.

Robert Kaufman: "Inside Scientology. How I Joined Scientology and Became Superhuman"
Olympia Press. London 1972. 279 pages.

Robert Kaufman, himself a former Scientologist , tells a rather personal account of Scientology. The book has been much quoted, and Scientology has made a tremendous effort to prevent its distribution. Kaufman is not neutral, but he appears reliable. Nevertheless one should not base too many conclusions merely on Kaufmann's book. Read in conjunction with one of the more neutral presentations his book gives a comprehensive and vivid picture of the sect.