Information and Opinion

In this section I'm trying to delineate recent FreeZone developments and provide some background information for context.

FreeZone Background

Before the mission holders conference of '82 there were a number of Scientology offshoots, (such as Paul Twitchell's Eckankar and Werner Erhart's EST), but none of these efforts made any attempt to identify closely with Scientology, and hence are not considered relevant parts of the current Scientology FreeZone. Subsequent to 1982 many attempt have been made to organize and practice Scientology with a variety of tactics and approaches. Most organized approaches have resulted in legal failures, however, there remains a variety of individualistic efforts that have enjoyed some limited successes.

Current FreeZone

The current FreeZone consists of a patchwork of individuals and practitioners, who occationally group into transient and loosely organized confederations, but generally maintain independent and modest activities that tend to fall below the threshold of church legal interest.

In terms of Standard Tech the 'organizations' are really field practices - where an individual Auditor has attempted to create some organizational structure, almost entirely with unpaid volunteers.

Ralph Hilton has started the FreeZone Advanced Organization International - which has about 5 posts filled and a handfull of associated auditors. Their web site can be found here.

Tommy Thompson has started the ICAUSE Church. It is an even looser association without membership requirments and hence difficult to quantify.

Rey Robles has graduated to a leased building in Reno Nevada. I heard a few were joining his staff full time but haven't heard how well it is going. His web site is here.

Victor is still taking PCs down in Mexico. Internet isn't that useful to him and he doesn't maintain a web site, however I think he monitors some of the conservative e-mail lists without posting much.

The newest and most interesting organizational effort has been intitiated by a group of non-Auditors. This is a departure from the normal FreeZone pattern of Auditors starting things. I think an Australian is leading the charge and it is all unpaid volunteers so far. I'm thinking of joining but am still fence sitting trying to decide.

Another new group has sort of splintered off in Southern California. They seem to have an interest in maintaining a local focus and have some well trained leaders. They fit more the Auditor getting organized model though. No web site, low profile. Understandable when you operate in the Church of Scientology's backyard.

Updated June 25 2004