Welcome back. This is David Aden with the Church of
Scientology's "Freedom Magazine." We're talking about religious
freedom today, and in particular we're talking about a case
involving the Church of Scientology. Actually we're talking
about several cases. But we're talking about one in particular
involving the Church of Scientology in Portland, Oregon.

Phil Profit, who's the public affairs representative of the
Church of Scientology in California was in Portland, was
involved in covering the case out there, and dealing with the
issues surrounding it, talking with the clergy who come to
protest that particular decision. He's here with us today. If
you'd like to give us a call, we have a few minutes left. From
Boston we can be reached at 969-1060. From Metro West
651-1060. Again, we're talking about the issue of religious
freedom.

Phil, almost as a wrap-up on this, it's obvious that the
Portland case represented some situation where a government
agency was trying to dictate to a religion what it should and
should not do.

PP:
Oh yes, absolutely. In fact, it's interesting you should
mention that government agency. I don't know if you're aware,
but during the trial it was brought out that a government agent
was actually planted within the Church and was involved in a
plot to basically overthrow the Church. Gerald Armstrong who's
a witness in the trial in Portland was filmed on video
conspiring with another individual whom he thought to be within
the Church and conspiring to overthrow the Church. The video
tape showed Gerald Armstrong basically plotting to create false
documentation which he said he could easily create and had done
so in the past; to create false documents and plant them within
the Church and then at a later date when the IRS or the FBI or
somebody came to raid the Church would find this false
documentation which would be very damaging to the Church, and,
you know, there you go. Why it's all history then.

Gerry Armstrong was found to be working with the IRS, CID,
Criminal Investigation Division, and the Department of Justice.
And, in fact, on the video tape he gave the names of his
contacts and their phone numbers.

So it was a very interesting revelation, and just that by itself
coming out in the case made it worth going through all of that.

DA: So in more ways than one the government had its fingers into this

-page break-

case.

PP:
Absolutely. Absoloutely.

DA:
What was the final goal of this plan that he was laying out?

PP:
Basically to obtain financial control of the church, and its
assets.

Gerald Armstrong was represented by and working with an attorney
in Boxford here named Michael Flynn who has had a personal
vendetta against the church since 1979. And we find that
Michael Flynn has a number of suits against the church, with
ex-parishioners of the church which he has solicited, not just
in the Boston area but around the country. And the sum total of
these suits is in the neighborhood of like two billion dollars,
I think. It's like totally insane.

So you can see, it's obvious that obtaining financial control of
the church from an outside source and then settling all of the
suits would be, of course, financially advantageous.

DA:
We've got to begin to wrap up now. Maybe thirty seconds. What
do you see as the end goal of the coalition that came together.

PP:
I see as the end goal a restoration of our First Amendment
rights, okay. Our rights as guaranteed to us under the
Constitution. The right of a religion to believe as it will, to
practice as it will its religious beliefs, free from government
harassment, government control. I should hope that we will
achieve that in the very near future. I'd like to see a growing
awareness on the part of Americans of the Constitution, of the
Amendments thereto, and their rights under the Constitution.
And I'd like to see them aware of the fact that religion is
under attack in this country.

DA:
Thanks very much for being here.

PP:
Absolutely, my pleasure.

DA:
We really appreciate it. We've been talking with Phil Profit
who's a public affairs representative of the Church of
Scientology of California. We've been talking about religious
freedom, and its ramifications. This is David Aden of the

Church of Scientology's "Freedom Magazine." We're here every
Tuesday from one to two in the afternoon. We'd like to hear
from you. We enjoy you joining us, either through the phone, or
writing. If you'd like to get in touch, you can reach me at the
Church of Scientology, 448 Beacon Street, Boston 02115.
266-9500. I'd like to hear from you. If you have suggestions
about the program, please give a call.

WTTP 244-7680

Scientology's "Freedom Magazine"

Tuesdays 1-2 p.m.
Host David Aden
Producer Andy Epstein
Receptionist - Lisa

ABC Affiliate

address: 24 West Central
Natick, MA 01760