The "electrometer" at the heart of the Scientology trial

Angélique Négroni

June 3, 2009 | Updated: 23:15

Billed at 5,000 Euros and supposed to explore the emotions of followers, the device is described as a "hoax" by specialists.

"Here is the apparatus in question." With this introduction on Wednesday by the presiding judge of the 12th Chamber of the Paris Correctional Tribunal during the Scientology trial, the electrometer was placed carefully on a high desk, for visibility. This ochre-colored oval box equipped with two electrodes was at the heart of the debates on Wednesday. In the framework of this organized fraud affair, the purpose was to enable the magistrates to verify if this machine of modest size with pretty rounded forms possesses real powers, as claimed by Scientologists.

Indeed, for Scientologists, the electrometer is essential to the progress of followers and is considered as a religious instrument imbued with scientific value. When a follower holds the two electrodes, the auditor measures his distress zones and emotional charge. It all begins with the auditor saying "Remember a time you were happy (or unhappy)". This continues for two solid hours of dialogue during which the needle swings from left to right. A charming ballet that sets a rhythm for what Scientologists consider similar to "a confession". "The electrometer allows tuning of the questionnaire," stated one member of the organization. "It also allows a member to better know himself, to improve, and to grow." A machine to explore personal emotions which has a real cost: nearly 5,000 Euros.

"Lack of seriousness of this technique"

Philippe Ripoche, a legal expert on electronics, approached the witness stand to give his opinion. "I observed things that surprised me," he began. One of the things he did to acquire a good understanding of the device's function was to try it on himself. While testing, he spoke out a recollection of an unpleasant moment and the needle fell to the right. For other test subjects, the effect was the same. "During recollection of painful memories, the electrical resistance fell by 10 to 30 percent," he explained. "When they relax, the resistance climbs back up." The specialist's verdict: "There is a correlation between painful memories and the drop in resistance. The measurements are perfect." Note that this expert was called by the defense.

His conclusions are in total contradiction with those of other specialists who were interrogated in other cases and whose reports were reintroduced for this trial. One report emphasizes "the lack of seriousness of this technique". Another, more caustically, says, "It clearly appears that this device is nothing more than a hoax designed to give a scientific look to a procedure that has nothing scientific about it." Curiously, the former president of the Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology in Paris, Sabine Jacquart, one of the six defendants, stated that she has never used it. She had indeed bought one, but the magical machine always remained in a closet.

Damning testimony by former Scientology head

Anne-Cécile Juillet | June 8, 2009, 21:42 | Updated: 21:59 [Paris time]

It was a trying morning for the representatives of the Church of Scientology, on trial for organized fraud since May 25. Monday morning, they faced two witnesses called by the civil parties before the 12th Chamber of the Paris Correctional Tribunal. In all, only two witnesses were questioned, but these were two longstanding opponents of a movement they do not hesitate to label a "sect": Jean-Pierre Brard, deputy for the Seine-Saint-Denis constituency and, in particular, Roger Gonnet, a former head of the Scientology center in Lyon.

They did not mince their words, accustomed as they are to lawsuits by Scientology and other movements.

Brard: "One of the most dangerous sects"

Called first to the stand, Jean-Pierre Brard has been on every parliamentary commission on the subject since 1995. "Scientology is one of the most dangerous, effective, and greedy sects," he asserted. Its two objectives, he said, are: "Power and money. Money to gain access to power and power to gain access to money." The presiding judge, Sophie-Hélène Château, asked for details, especially when the deputy asserted that Scientology builds opaqueness into its decision-making and financial channels: "It's like a drainage system," he explained, "You don't see all the little subterranean channels, but they function very well and water always goes to the right place," meaning by implication the American headquarters.

Gonnet: "The personality test is rigged"

The real details, however, were presented to the tribunal by the second witness. For eight years until the early 1990's, Roger Gonnet was head of the Scientology center in Lyon. A disagreement with its hierarchy drove him to a complete break with the organization. Since then, he has continued to study and track the abuses of his former movement, whose precepts he knows, whose regulations he has read, and whose developments he has analyzed. On the witness stand, quoting from a stack of documents, he systematically decoded the Scientology jargon and reviewed the key questions raised by the tribunal, in particular concerning the personality test, which is the first contact with Scientology for future recruits.

One of the plaintiffs, Aude-Claire Malton, took the "free" test concocted by Scientology and this is how she was recruited. "It's totally rigged," said the former follower, "the results are computed so that you have no chance that your test will not be criticized." The recommendation is always the same: to improve, one must take courses and, consequently, pay for them. "It's a major way to draw people," assured Roger Gonnet, demolishing the arguments of the accused who, last week, downplayed its impact.

Purification sessions: "There could have been deaths"

The tribunal's attention then turned to the purification sessions. This is one of the first steps to take for a future "clear", a state recognized by Scientology, and consists of an intensive cocktail of sauna sessions, exercise, and vitamins -- sold exclusively by a Scientology dispensary. Recalling the case of one follower who was allergic to the required products, the former Scientology head, who has no medical training, admitted: "I was unaware of the risks I was making people take. There could have been deaths..." The presiding judge asked probing questions about the fees charged, "called 'donations' to provide a religious flavor", according to Gonnet.

The electrometer: "A lifetime revenue stream"

The next subject was the electrometer, the tool used to detect, by electrical variations, the mental state of a follower, which is sold for about 5,000 Euros and which "is worth twenty times less, but guarantees a lifetime revenue stream because, every two years, each Scientologist, who must own one, sends it in for 800 Euros of maintenance charges."

Finally, on the remuneration of active members: "Their pay is calculated according to their results, which must improve continually. On occasion, some of the officials you see there (referring to Alain Rosenberg, current director of the Celebrity Center) do not report to the head office all the refund requests they receive, for a simple reason. For each refund, all active members are deprived of their salary for a certain period..."

Seated one beside the other, the seven [sic] accused from time to time raise their eyes upward, burst out laughing, or express indignation. The testimony of this "apostate" has little value in their eyes. On Tuesday, more witnesses will be called, this time by the defense. About thirty are expected.

Seated one beside the other, the seven [sic] accused from time to time raise their eyes upward, burst out laughing, or express indignation. The testimony of this "apostate" has little value in their eyes.

On Tuesday, more witnesses will be called, this time by the defense. About thirty are expected.

Former head scientologist and critic Roger Gonnet testifies in court....

Le témoignage accablant de l'ex-patron scientologue - Faits divers - 08/06/2009 - leParisien.fr

Source text also available in the WWP French thread on the same subject.

Quick translation:



LOL:



Is that any way to behave in court? Arrogant retarded fuckwits.

I remember a US TV talk show ages ago (should be archived on XenuTV) with I think Steve Hassan as guest and a large selection of the audience let out this stupid cackle of laughter when Steve told of the cults crimes/abuses. I was just so surreal and is clearly meant to intimidate but just makes them look fucking insane.



"About thirty"? Really? Can you say overkill?
Will this be like a live version of their letter writing campaigns where they all say slight variations on the same fucking theme?
Quantity =/= quality.

Another Church of Scientology recruiter, Jean-François Valli, was also questioned about his commission on sales of the church’s products and services. He tried to justify his payment by supplying documents to the court, one of which was an internal financial document dating from 1998 and containing figures relating to cash payments which were expressed in euros. That which surprised the court, which reminded Valli that the euro didn’t come into existence as a hard currency until 2002.

I hope France has perjury laws or obstruction of justice laws to nail that guy with his "euro" evidence. What a moron!

Here's a real classic footbullet....

Oops! LOL hahahahahahaha

In the Church of Scientology, "No one receives a cent of personal profit"

Paris (AFP) - The representative of the Celebrity Center, a showcase for the Church of Scientology in France, assured the Paris Correctional Tribunal on Wednesday that the members of the association, which is on trial for organized fraud, never got rich personally.

"No one receives a cent of personal profit," insisted Eric Roux, adding: "We are not saying we are not happy when a member makes a large contribution, but these funds benefit none of us financially: Scientology can help humanity to progress and all funds are devoted to this."

Yes, Scientology does require "contributions" from its members, he conceded, but it is not the only religion to do so: the same is true for the Hindu religion and the Anglican Church, which also list "fees" for the religious services they offer their followers.

"I imagine you've been well trained ...", presiding judge Sophie-Hélène Château commented a few minutes earlier, at the beginning of the hearing, referring to several instances of testimony indicating that, "in Scientology, we were trained to lie in court."

"What you heard is absolutely false," retorted Mr. Roux, "the truth is a very important component in Scientology."

For three hours, the presiding judge attempted to peer through the Scientology nebula in matters of accounting and organization by the many questions she aimed at the representative of the Spiritual Association of the Church of Scientology - Celebrity Center (ASES-CC).

Asked about the personality test, considered as a promotional tool by the complainants, Mr. Roux insisted that "99% of people do not come to Scientology through this test, but directly."

"What about hard sell techniques?": "There were never any directives to that effect," he said.

Regarding refund requests from dissatisfied members, they are, he said, "reimbursed 100%" and the allegations of the accusers are nothing but "lies".

The prosecution is expected to sum up on Monday, before the defense delivers its closing arguments on Tuesday and Wednesday.