Dear Editor

"Every now and then -- midst all the gobbledygook -- someone talks sense and presents something worth while,

"In your February issue you have two such articles -- your editorial and Rev. Davis's concept of meditation.

"You can repeat these two articles in each issue for the balance of the year and not overdo it.

"Fundamentals, when well presented, are ever fresh -- and it so happens we only absorb by repetition (ask Prof. Volney Mathison),

"Keep the pot boiling." -- Carl Hughes, White Plains, N.Y.

"Obviously, The Aberree is a labor of love. At the end of 12 months, I am embarrassed by the discrepancy in the ratio of cost to value. However, the law of compensation rewards you; how else could you enjoy the ability to do editorials as good as the one, 'Let's Analyze Motive Back of Our Goals'?" -- Jerry Ross, New York.

"We have a group here in North Jersey which is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, organizations remaining of those which sprang up with the advent of Hubbard's first book. It's the Valley Dianetic Association, formed in January, 1951, and which has continued to hold regular meetings ever since. The name is now inappropriate as we do work in other fields, too, but we have kept it for lack of a better. We meet every Wednesday and do some group therapy work at each meeting -- either Group-E or Analytical Procedure." -- Bill McKeen, West Englewood, N. Jer.

"I am now a full-fledged member of United Air Lines' 100,000-mile Club, completely equipped with a fancy wall plaque, gold-filled wings (af12 ter all tnese years I have finally 'gotten my wings' luggage tag, and identification tag, plus a personal letter from Prexy Patterson, welcoming me on board. To say I'm pleased and vain about it is the understatement of the year. I am having the plaque (it's about six by eight and weighs 2 pounds) made into one of those modern neckties that are so symbolic of being hung by a rawhide riata in the old west." -- Bob Arentz, Boulder, Colo.

"The March Aberee received today... I always mispell that damned word 'Aberree'. Probably because I dislike it as a title of your sheet. The word has an unsavory flavor with the general public. The dictionary defines aberration as 'mild insanity'. The public, or rather individuals of 'man on the street' classification, refuse to consider the idea that they themselves are somewhat insane altho willing enough to admit that anyone who is interested in psychotherapy is insane. (ED. NOTE -- Our dictionary also says 'aberration' means a 'deviation from the normal course' -- and that's us, brother ! To be 'normal 'is to be an animated rubber stamp.)

"Yet there are approaches which can be made to the general public which could prove acceptable, could that proper approach be found, I believe.

"The ancient wisdom, which constitutes the backbone (with some contradictions and distortions, of course l of all the major religions, is psychotherapy pure and simple.

"The letter of Paul to the Corinthians, from which you quote in this issue of the aberree (I liked the editorial), is in its entirety the greatest masterpiece of psychotherapeutic theory in existence. It is a distillation of the wisdom of the Vedas and all the sages of ancient times. In it there is no contradiction to the teachings of Buddha, Lao Tse, or Confucius.

"Man's ability to love his fellow man, which is called charity in the King James version, is a yardstick of man's sanity. The Dynamo has said this, in different words. But I find that Hubbard agrees with it in his Tone Scale. The Bhagavad Gita agrees also; I cannot quote the words, but it's the place where the man who holds a grievance against his neighbor is said to be on the way to losing his reason.

"Anyway -- and let me make it plain that I am not trying to The ABERREE force my opinion on anyone and that I certainly don't give a hoot whether anyone agrees with me or not -- the search for 'techniques' and rituals which ignore this basic fact that sanity is a matter of one's FEELING toward the rest of the world, are a waste of time. No quick road to sanity will ever be found except something like Hubbard's hanging of the individual from the yardarm of a ship, and of course this method is contrary to the laws of seif - determinism and could prove only a temporary lift.

"The individual has to decide, uncoerced and entirely by himself, that he will exchange attitudes of hate for attitudes of love.

"After that this person, if he really meant it, will set about little by little to take his inventory and make these changes of attitude when and where necessary. It will always be a matter of growth and gradual change. It will never be a matter of sudden transformation. That is simply impossible. The old house has too many bricks in it. The architect's decision to rebuild must be followed by the rebuilding. It doesn't happen automatically, and you have to keep the old structure largely intact while you replace small parts of it. Self-esteem has to have a place of refuge. Self-esteem holds the personality together. But self-esteem is not vanity. Vanity is dishonest and therefore must go to the chopping-block." -- Paul O'Neill, Marrero, La.

"Might I suggest that you have a look at the first epistle of Paul the apostle to the Corinthians, Chap. 13. This entire chapter is devoted to the incomparable magnificence of the virtue or attitude displayed by man to which we have applied the term QIARITy. Look at verse 7 -- 'believeth all things -- '! Now, it may well be that Ron (L.R.Hubbardl is the first great intellect in history who is offering man a series of mechanical procedures whereby he may escape from the tyranny of centuries by reaching an intelligence level where he can indulge the action of belief, and know that he is believing. At this stage he can change his beliefs at will in the full knowledge that any belief is as 'good' or as 'bad' as any other belief. He may even believe that Ron is 'good' or 'bad' and in the same instant he can know that Ron, like himself, is fundamentally good. I met Ron,