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‘Based on the Works of L. Ron Hubbard’ publications  or
     ‘The ‘A Scientology Life Improvement Course’ series
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Please note that words with an asterisk (*) are defined at the bottom of this page! Only first appearances are indicated.

        
“7. Has it been altered from the original? ...
        
 
9. IF IT CAN'T BE RUN THROUGH AS ABOVE IT'S FALSE! CANCEL IT!”
 
  L. Ron Hubbard            
  (from HCO PL 9 Feb 79R II “How to defeat Verbal Tech Checklist”)  


An overview of various examples where original text of L. Ron Hubbard has been reproduced in altered form in Church of Scientology publications.

 
Index:

   
Back to Main Index ‘Based on the Works of L. Ron Hubbard’

There always have been various other persons writing and publishing about the principles as laid out in the subject of Scientology. This even as early as 1950. Back then this was caused by the publication of the book ‘Dianetics’ in 1950. People got interested and started groups applying these principles as found in that book. Various of these groups were also changing or misduplicating these principles. For purpose of making the materials actually available to people (by printing them up), but also for keeping the materials pure (get some control over that) the Hubbard Association of Scientologists (HAS) was called into being in 1952. Later this was replaced by the Hubbard Association of Scientology International (HASI) in 1954. Anyway publications compiled or written by others continued to be released. The publication ‘What Is Scientology?’ (1978 edition) lists a whole variety of these. The ‘Basic Study Manual’ (1972) for example was an adapted shorter version of the study technology which was based on the larger course the ‘Student Hat’ and Ruth Minshull wrote ‘How to Choose Your People’ (1972) which was about this thing called the Tone scale*. Most of these publications listed in this ‘What Is Scientology?’ (1978 edition) indicated this by saying that it was “based on” or “taken from the works of L. Ron Hubbard”. The name of the person or the group that was responsible for the particular publication may be given but is often left out in the listing in this book. Ruth Minshull for example has written a variety of these publications listed, but her name does not appear in that listing, although she is clearly indicated as the compiler of these in the publications themselves. Mary Sue Hubbard on the other hand is being indicated as the writer of her publication ‘Marriage Hats’ (1974) in this listing.

In contrary to the impression made by the present Church of Scientology many parts of the technology which is now known as Scientology has been helped developing by many individuals. For example we find on the inside flap of the dust wrapper of the publication ‘The Scientology Handbook’ (published 1994) the following text: “SCIENTOLOGY is the work of one man: L. Ron Hubbard.”. Let us be perfectly clear about this that not all of Scientology in fact had been developed and written down by L. Ron Hubbard. The general line however and the final word about things were set by him. Also persons were to study or gather data about various subjects at his directions, later this information may then have been put together by L. Ron Hubbard. Since the early ’80s in particular these older book publications that were issued prior to 1980 appear somehow got abandoned or ended up on some kind of black list.

'The Scientology Handbook' (1988)Ironically in 1988 we see the release of a new series of “based on L. Ron Hubbard” publications. These were the ‘A Scientology Life Improvement Course’ series. Some questions can be asked about this series. In 1994 we see a continuation of this initiative that actually promoted a variety of these ‘A Scientology Life Improvement Course’ series in form of ‘The Scientology Handbook’ (published 1994). This is what it says on a Scientology promotional website about this Handbook: “The Scientology Handbook contains the technology of living. It is the handbook for anyone who wishes to be successful in any and every area of life. Broken down into 19 separate aspects of human endeavor, it not only addresses the most common problems in society, it provides the exact solutions.”. These “19 separate aspects” (devided in equally many chapters) are also issued separately in 19 small pamphlets. Each of these are also being offered as small courses based on these pamphlets in the Scientology organizations. There exists even a whole website dedicated to this Handbook, visit here (external link) (last checked: 10 Apr 2013).

‘The Scientology Handbook’ is as it clearly says on the front cover (see illustration on the right) and on the title page: “Based on the Works of L. Ron Hubbard”. And in fact it truly is “based on”, for the larger part it is just reworked writings from L. Ron Hubbard adjusted for publication in this book volume. They are taken from his book publications arsenal, his HCO PLs and his HCOBs of which the original source where it is taken from is not indicated in this book itself. Some dangers are involved with this which we will see in the following chapters.

Go to index

 
Back to Main Index The ‘A Scientology Life Improvement Course’ series

In December 1988 there was a release of a series of courses. They were called ‘A Scientology Life improvement Course’. It was part of a “Scientology marketing campaign, spearheaded by the slogan: Scientology: Improving Life in a Troubled World.” (from ‘International Scientology News’, Issue 20 (mid 1988). It was introduced as:
        
“Simple basics of Scientology technology which bring immediate improvement in a specific aspect of an individual's life. Rapid improvement in a person's life is possible with these services in such areas as relationships, marriage, parenting, the workplace, personal values and others. Most can be completed in 1 week.”
(from ‘What Is Scientology?’ (1992 edition))
        

And ‘Keeping Scientology Working News 27’, (early 1988) says:
        
“All of the Life Improvement courses are based on surveys which were done on non-scientologists all over the world. Through these surveys, peoples’ most common “ruins” were located, on other words those things people want handled that are “ruining” their lives. Courses were then developed, using only LRH data, to give people the LRH technology and data to handle their ruins in life.”
        

Originally there were 10 of these courses as follows:
  “Overcoming Ups and Downs in Life”
“How to Be a Successful Parent”
“How to Maintain a Successful Marriage”
“How to Improve Relationships with Others”
“The Dynamics of Money”
“Personal Values and Integrity”
“Starting a Successful Marriage”

“Financial Success
“How to Live Though an Executive”
“How to Make Work Easier”

Later were added:
  “How to Improve Conditions in Life”
“How to Improve Your Marriage”
“Introduction to Scientology Ethics”
“The Way to Happiness”

They all have a very simple layout and there were a lot of explaining drawings which help to get a correct concept of the contents of the course and help your understanding. Now, this all sounds very good indeed. All these courses as it said on the cover (see also illustration on the right) were “Based on the Works of L. Ron Hubbard”. So, what does that actually mean? Well, in this particular case it meant that whole chapters of applicable LRH references were copied and the text adjusted as one saw fit. Sometimes these were very minor, sometimes no change at all, and sometimes the alterations seem to change the meaning of the original LRH text.

Another observation one can make is that it is not mentioned anywhere where these LRH quotations are deriving from. In fact quite a few are taken from HCO Policy Letters, so if you would know the dates of when these policy letters were issued you can make a comparison. But to be able to do that you have to do some research as no dates nor issue-types are given in the “Life Improvement Courses” themselves.

During the history of Scientology we know about a variety of publications which in fact were “based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard”. The introduction courses for new public naturally have to be adjusted to this kind of public that is not familiar with the Scientology terminology, the procedures and so on. One has to take it on some gradient, this speaks for itself.

HCO PL 21 Nov 62 “Reissue of Materials” says:
        
“It is forbidden to reissue Scientology technical data in bulletins and policy letters, by a Central Org or office, over some other signature than mine.
        
 
If you excerpt tapes or notes, do so over my name, not somebody else's.
 
 
Materials for dissemination to the public can be of course rewritten and published so long as no confusion as to origin is generated.”          LRH
 

Ordinarily if you do some course within the organization you will receive a checksheet. This will list all the references to be studied, which drills to be performed or any other action required and this in a certain sequence. If there is some HCO Policy Letter you need to read, then the date and title is given and in the courseroom you will find a series of books, ‘The Organization Executive Course’ volumes, containing all of these HCO Policy Letters. You look into the index, find the issue and study it. In this way you will get the original LRH writing exactly as he wrote it. This however is not the case with the “Life Improvement Course Series”.

It is a sensitive thing issuing courses like “Based on the Work of L. Ron Hubbard”. Let's have a closer look at it!

Go to index

 
Back to Main Index ‘A Scientology Life Improvement Course: The Dynamics of Money’

'The Dynamics of Money' (1988)One of these courses that appeared in this series of ‘A Scientology Life Improvement Course’ was “The Dynamics of Money”, this publication is copyrighted ©1988. When we go to pages 92-96 it appears that almost the complete contents of HCO PL 28 Feb 80 “Production and One's Standard of Living” is quoted here. It is skipping the introductory note, further some sentences have been left out, some words added here and there, rephrasing, words substituted.


Example 1:

L. Ron Hubbard says:
“Products are the basis of a standard of living. They don't appear from midair. They come from work truly done. Not from the hope or false data.”          LRH

In the course the first 3 sentences are the same, the last sentence however became (page 93):
“Not from the hope or false data about the relationship of production to one's standard of living.”


L. Ron Hubbard says:
“When a whole society demands a high standard of living and yet doesn't concentrate on the personal production of VFP*s, it is finished.”          LRH

In the course it became (page 93):
“When a whole society demands a high standard of living and yet doesn't concentrate on the personal production of exchangeable products, it is finished.”


Example 2:  (a more major ‘adjustment’)

L. Ron Hubbard says:
“In an org or management unit in Scientology, the real VFP is valuable fine people who produce valuable fine products who then make up a valuable fine public. Every piece of work and duty in a management unit or an org contributes to that.”          LRH

In the course it became (page 96):
“In any business every piece of work and every management action contribute to the eventual products produced by that business.”


The following example is taken from HCO PL 10 Sept 82 “Exchange, Org Income and Staff Pay”.

Example 3:  (here it starts to mean something else!)

“We could isolate four conditions of exchange.
 
1.  First consider a group which takes in money but does not deliver anything in exchange. This is called rip-off. It is the ‘exchange’ condition of robbers, tax men, governments and other criminal elements.”          LRH

In the course it became (page 45):
“Conditions of Exchange
 
The concept of exchange can be subdivided into four different conditions which cover a range of what one can give in return for money.
1. First consider a group which takes in money but does not deliver anything in exchange. This is called rip-off. It is the ‘exchange’ condition of robbers, most tax men, many governments and criminal elements.”

If you have watched this closely you will have noticed that in the original LRH writing it said: “tax men, governments and other criminals” whereas in the course it says “most tax men, many governments and criminal elements”. Alright now, this is changing its actual meaning!

The question is why this was done, who decided upon this alteration and who authorized this?

Go to index

 
Back to Main Index Some references

Alright then! We have it confirmed that these references in this particular course are in actual fact deriving from HCO Policy Letters. Even if you don't designate them being HCO Policy Letters by removing the headings saying so, they are still HCO Policy Letters! Now L. Ron Hubbard has a specific reference about HCO Policy Letters:

HCO PL 9 Aug 72 “Seniority of Orders” says:
        
“No Aides Order or Flag® Bureaux Data Letter or Executive Directive, Directive or Base Order of any type, written or verbal, may alter or cancel any policy letter or HCOB. These remain senior.
        
 
Only Policy Letters may revise or cancel Policy Letters.”          LRH
 

Now how do we deal with such if confronted with it?  The following reference seems to be usable:
        
“1.  
If it isn't written it isn't true.         
 
2.  
If it's written, read it.  
 
3.  
Did the person who wrote it have the authority or know-how to order it?  
 
4.  
If you can't understand it, clarify it.  
 
5.  
If you can't clarify it, clear the Mis-Us.  
 
6.  
If the Mis-Us won't clear, query it.  
 
7.  
Has it been altered from the original?  
 
8.  
Get it validated as a correct, on-channel, on-policy, in-tech order.  
 
9.  
IF IT CAN'T BE RUN THROUGH AS ABOVE IT'S FALSE! CANCEL IT!
    And use HCOB 7 Aug 79, FALSE DATA STRIPPING, as needed.
 
 
10.  
Only if it holds up this far, force others to read it and follow it.”          LRH    
  (from HCO PL 9 Feb 79R II “How to defeat Verbal Tech Checklist”)  
Step #7 says: “Has it been altered from the original?”  Alright it appears it has been! Step #9 seems to be applicable to this. Step #10 speaks for itself.

It seems very obvious that when issuing courses like this that errors can creep in so very, very easily, and you will not even notice it as no data is given where this LRH data derives from. In my opinion one could compile introduction courses like this, however one should change as little as possible and always note the reference where this has been excerpted from. In this way one can avoid very easily that alteration of the actual technology takes place at any given period of time.

Also keep in mind the following:
        
“Our technology has not been discovered by a group. True, if the group had not supported me in many ways, I could not have discovered it either. But it remains that if in its formative stages it was not discovered by a group, then group efforts, one can only assume, will not add to it or successfully alter it in the future.”          LRH
(from HCO PL 7 Feb 65 “Keeping Scientology Working”)
        

        
“It's hereafter firm Church policy that LRH ISSUES ARE TO BE LEFT INTACT AS ISSUED. ...
        
 
No one except LRH can revise his issues whereby changes are incorporated into the text and then reissued. ...
 
 
..., the original LRH issue (regardless of type) shall remain intact so that the original wording is kept. In this way his writings retain their integrity and there is no mystery as to what he wrote and what the revision stated and why.
 
 
The only occasion for any revision of an LRH issue is if a typographical error was found in the original.
 
 
Already existing issues stand intact and valid. ...
 
 
This policy will allow the integrity of Source to be reinstated.”
(from ‘Scientology Policy Directive 19’, 7 July 82 “The Integrity of Source”)
 

You can express your thoughts and ideas about all this towards the Church of Scientology. This would be Religious Technology Center (RTC). We should not forget that we all have the responsibility to see to it that we are “having the correct technology” (Keeping Scientology Working 1, point #1)

The address is:
        
Religious Technology Center
1710 Ivar Avenue, Suite 1001
Los Angeles, California 90028
USA
        

 

Vocabulary:

     ..R, ..RA, ..RB (etc) or #R, #RA (etc):
For example: ‘HCO PL 24 Sept 70R’ & ‘HCO PL 24 Sept 70RA, etc. The given date denotes the first time it has been published in issue-form. The R, RA indication may also follow after an issue-number. The R stands for ‘Revision’ and would refer to that it has been revised since it was first published. If it is revised a 2nd time it is indicated as RA, a 3rd time RB, then RC, and so on.
    HCO PL:
Hubbard Communication Office Policy Letter’. Color flash–green ink on white paper. Written by LRH only, but only so starting from January 1974. These are the organizational and administrative issue line. For more information go here (separate window).
     LRH:
An usual abbreviation for ‘L. Ron Hubbard’.
     Mis-U(s), MU(s):
Miss Understood(s)’. See at that entry in vocabulary.
     misunderstood(s) - Mis-U(s) - MU(s):
Refers to a word or words that have not been properly understood, and therefore one is unable to duplicate, understand or apply.
     ‘The Organization Executive Course’:
Subtitled in the 1970-74 release: ‘An Encyclopedia of Scientology Policy’. This is a series of books that contain the HCO PLs, and any references that are primarily dealing with administrative matters. They are divided up division wise. The HCO PLs are printed in green ink on white paper, and the volumes themselves come in green bindings. These books may also be referred to as the ‘green volumes’ or even ‘OEC volumes’. The ‘old green volumes’ then would refer to the 1970-74 release, the ‘new green volumes’ instead to the 1991 release. See a listing of published volumes here (pop-up window).
     tone scale:
1. Essentially an assignation of numerical value by which individuals can be numerically classified. It is not arbitrary but will be found to approximate some actual governing law in nature. (Dianetics: The Original Thesis, p. 59)  2. A person in apathy rises through various tones. These tones are quite uniform; one follows the next and people always come up through these tones, one after the other. These are the tones of affinity, and the tone scale of Dn and Scn is probably the best possible way of predicting what is going to happen next or what a person actually will do. The tone scale starts well below apathy. In other words, a person is feeling no emotion about a subject at all. On many subjects and problems people are actually well below apathy. There the tone scale starts, on utter, dead null far below death itself. Going up into improved tones one encounters the level of body death, apathy, grief, fear, anger, antagonism, boredom, enthusiasm and serenity, in that order. There are many stops between these tones. A person in grief, when his tone improves feels fear. A person in fear, when his tone improves feels anger. (Problems of Work, pp. 77-78)
     VFP:
Valuable Final Product’: By definition it is something for which you can exchange the services and goods of the society.


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