Blooms & Barbs
BLOOMS & BARBS
Phoenix, Ariz., 5 Sept., 1954
Attendance at Church of Scientology sessions, in response to Operation Phoenix, has been much more encouraging the last two weekends. There were eight and 11 newcomers respectively, plus several repeats.
I had a definite feeling at the three sessions I attended as receptionist last we ekend of much more acceptance and much less resistance -- as though, in spite of the presentation, they sensed that it was much more scientific than religious, and this was what they wanted.
The attendance for this weekend was eight new ones on Saturday and two today with several repeats both days. This is important, because the ones who return usually bring their husband, wife, or a friend with them.
The percentage predicted for this operation was one-half of one percent and so far (from a 25,000 mailing of "The Golden DAWN") is about one-tenth of one percent. However, I feel more optimistic than I did two weeks ago.
The free processing of a group of children up to age 12 will be resumed on Saturdays.
In addition to the retraining classes conducted by Bob Sutton four nights a week at 50 cents per person, a new "First Aid Course" for anyone not yet acquainted with Scientology is in progress three nights a week at a fee of $2.50 per night, three nights for $5, or two weeks for $10.
Another innovation is the availability of a minister every Wednesday from 2 to 5 for private consultation. No fee.
L. Ron Hubbard has rewritten the Auditor's Handbook and supplemented it so there are now 40 steps. It has gone to the printers and will be put out in pocket size on India paper.
Bob Churchill has been giving Bud Eubank an intensive intensive: 78 hours to date on Route 2 of Intensive Procedure, with 32 hours of Opening Procedure by Duplication.
Jim Pinkham took off on his motorcycle to attend the science fiction convention in San Franciso but went to sleep and hit a bridge at Blythe, Calif. Damage to the motorcycle was considerably more than to Jim, who got only a badly sprained ankle.
Edd Clark, here to get his case improved, reports a great advance in tone, but not much in perceptics. He has made several recordings with his accordion, and these are being used at Church services as background music instead of Bach et al.
The Bob Suttons were in Dallas recently to transfer their household effects to Phoenix.
It is understood the HASI, at a recent board meeting, decided to "get tough", and institute suits against "any person, magazine, or organization that it considers to be defaming, misrepresenting, slandering, harming, etc." Scientology. Jim Struckmeyer has been named legal counsel to expedite such actions.
(Ed. Note: One of the first to be singled out for attack was the practice of Concept Therapy.)
In connection with this a gradient scale of ex-communication has been set up, and auditors who fail to meet certain requirements of the Committee of Examination, Certification, and Services are being notified that they have been evaluated and invalidated by the Board.
