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"The only important thing is that I love you"
Metzinger Südwestpresse, Germany
September 14, 1999
Results of a drug withdrawal in a program by Scientology founder Hubbard
In the past, an establishment by the name of Narconon was always advertising with leaflets for a drug therapy in Itzehoe (we reported). The offer sounded attractive, although places for drug addicts were offered with no waiting period. Naturally, a rapid success was guaranteed, at a daily rate of between 120 and 150 marks.
Narconon-Neckar-Alb, according to its own statement, is one of the most effective rehabilitation programs of the world. Despite that, branches had to be closed down in Berlin and Schliersee, Bavaria, after spectacular lawsuits, because they were violating the medical practice law. The director of the institution was sentenced in 200 cases because he did not have any evidence of education in the medical profession.
The organization also accepted a serious defeat in Baden-Wuerttemberg. In Narconon's lawsuit against the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Narconon was not able to produce a single, cured patient. Although Narconon often disputed belonging to Scientology, that has turned out to be a verified fact. In one written communication which the establishment published, it said, "Our activities can be seen to contribute to the expansion of Scientology." It has also since become clear that most members are ruined financially, physically and psychically with the drug therapy which is seemingly so convincing and which is supposed to gain new members for the sect.
Case history
Henriette (Name changed by editorial staff) was 16 years old when she was sent to the Narconon establishment in Itzehoe by her mother, a professed Scientologist. When the father telephoned his daughter, he got the impression that she was feeling "right as rain." In spite of that, he tried to get some background on the institution; in doing that he came across the connection with Scientology. When Henriette showed up at her father's for the first time after six weeks, she had a skin condition which covered her entire body. Her fathered traced this back to the method of treatment at Narconon. He had found out that vitamins were distributed at the Scientology offshoot which exceeded the daily dose of an adult by 250 times; on top of that, large quantities of niacin were handed out. Along with that were daily sauna sessions for from four to five hours. According to Narconon and the writings of L. Ron Hubbard (the founder of Scientology), these were "completely normal symptoms," because "not only was drug addiction overcome by the therapy, but also past sunburn reappeared and was healed and, in addition, the therapy makes one immune against radioactivity."
When the father talked to his daughter about the machinations of the institution, he heard sentences like, "I do not condemn your actions, therefore, do not condemn mine. My mother is doing nothing that could harm me. The only important thing is that I love you." At the time, the father was flattered by these sentences. Today he knows that they come directly from Hubbard's "Ethics Book," which describes how to handle Scientology opponents. Because the mother could not be spoken with any more, the father filed at the municipal office to get custody rights and put an end to his daughter's stay at Narconon.
Permanent Escort
To the father's surprise, the hearing at the Youth Office was attended by an assistant from Narconon, whose side Henriette never left. Moreover, the Youth Office judged the therapy was good, thereby showing its incompetence in dealing with Narconon. The father's battle with the organization lasted over nine months. After one long legal dispute, an attempt was made to end things good-naturedly. Henriette was to be put in custody of the Health Office at Itzehoe and the office was to have the power of supervision at all times. Besides that, a date was set for the end of the therapy. Despite that, the office could not guarantee Henriette's safety. "There have been subjects taken in without having had previous physical withdrawal, that means, with all the physical risks which could also be life-threatening under certain circumstances. Due to a lack of medically trained personnel/doctors, a constant escort of the patient by the same is not possible," wrote the Health Office.
Trouble Sources
The dealings by the Narconon staff correspond to a high degree with the instructions which Hubbard gave for "confrontation with potential trouble sources." The more critical the father got with Narconon, and the more he tried to talk it over with his daughter, the stronger the accusations against the father became. His estranged wife told him, "...you will end up as a broken man in the psychiatric ward." When he continued nonetheless, unswayed, against Narconon, he received a fax which told him that Henriette would like to stay at Narconon and be adopted. Because the father did not show understanding for Narconon and Scientology, in accordance with the recommendations of L. Ron Hubbard, contact to him was broken off completely.