I’m going to St. Petersburg, Russia to participate in a conference May 15 and 16 on “Destructive Cults and Human Rights” organized by FECRIS, the European Federation of Centers for Research and Information on Sectarianism. My paper, which will be published after the conference, is entitled “Scientology, the Dangerous Environment Racket.” The term “dangerous environment” comes from cult founder L. Ron Hubbard, appears many times in Scientology “scripture,” and is a key concept in the “Suppressive Person” doctrine. The conference is a great education and media opportunity, and will forge and strengthen North American-European-Russian alliances on the cult fronts.
FECRIS is covering costs for my flight, hotel and meals in SPb. I’m asking for help to cover some other related costs. Caroline and I live humbly, on a very tight budget, and in a situation that doesn’t allow us right now to change that. Expenses outside our budget include a visa to Russia, courier (Ru Consulate insists), travel insurance, buses Chilliwack – Vancouver airport, handling an emergency dental incident, and some travel cash for other emergencies. I haven’t had a credit card since Scientology bankrupted me in 1995. I’d like to get $800 or so to make the trip sensible and get us through this next period.
Here’s a report from a 2002 trip to Ekaterinburg, Russia.
Here’s my paper from Novosibirsk in 2004: Scientology Cult of Total Espionage.
UPDATE: Our heartfelt thanks to the generous donors who have made this trip possible.
