William S. Burroughs
Ali's Smile
Naked Scientology
Expanded Media Editions
Copyright 1972, 1973 und 1978 by William S. Burroughs
Translation and edition: Carl Weissner
Coverdesign: Walter Hartmann
Printed by MaroCruck, Augsburg
2. Auflage 1985
Expanded Media Editions
Postfach 190 136
5300 Bonn 1
ISBN 3-88030-011-9
Scanning and proofreading: Martin Hunt
Proofreading and HTMLization: Cornelius Krasel
CONTENTS
Burroughs on Scientology
(L.A. FREE PRESS, 6.3.1970)
William Burroughs:
Open Letter to Mr. Garden Mustain
(EAST VILLAGE OTHER, 7.7.1970)
William Burroughs on
"Inside Scientology" by Robert Kaufman
(ROLLING STONE, 9.11.1972)
R. Sorrell (Church of Scientology):
Letter to ROLLING STONE, 5.12.1972
William Burroughs:
Answer to R. Sorrell's Letter
William Burroughs:
Ali's Smile
Naked Scientology
An expose of this weird cult
BURROUGHS ON SCIENTOLOGY
Los Angeles Free Press March 6, 1970
In view of the fact that my articles and statements on Scientology may have influenced young people to associate themselves with the so called Church of Scientology, I feel an obligation to make my present views on the subject quite clear.
Some of the techniques are highly valuable and warrant further study and experimentation. The E
Meter is a useful device... (many variations of this instrument are possible). On the other hand I am in flat disagreement with the organizational policy. No body of knowledge needs an organizational policy. Organizational policy can only impede the advancement of knowledge. There is a basic incompatibility between any organization and freedom of thought. Suppose Newton had founded a Church of Newtonian Physics and refused to show his formula to anyone who doubted the tenets of Newtonian Physics? All organizations create organizational necessities. It is precisely organizational necessities that have prevented Scientology from obtaining the serious consideration merited by the importance of Mr. Hubbard's discoveries. Scientologists are not prepared to accept intelligent and sometimes critical evaluation. They demand unquestioning acceptance.
Mr. Hubbard's overtly fascist utterances (China is the real threat to world peace, Scientology is protecting the home, the church, the family, decent morals...positively no wife swapping. It's a dirty Communist trick...national boundaries, the concepts of RIGHT and WRONG against evil free thinking psychiatrist) can hardly recommend him to the militant students. Certainly it is time for the Scientologists to come out in plain English on one side or the other, if they expect the trust and support of young people. Which side are you on Hubbard, which side are you on?
This statement which appears in my forthcoming book The Job needs considerable amplification. I quote from Freedom Scientology number 11... (no date) PSYCHIATRY No. 1 -- beliefs and aims.
Psychiatry: n. a medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of mental Illness and defect and, by extension, of many personal problems of personal adjustment.
Historically, psychiatry grew up within the framework of medicine and dealt with the medical care of the mentally ill. As the Science and art developed, much of its treatment was not specifically medical, and many of those treated were not (in, any ordinary sense of the word) ill, either somatically or mentally. The practice of psychiatry is thus often indistinguishable from that of other specialties that deal with problems of psychological adjustment. The term medical psychology Is fairly descriptive of the practice of psychiatry but not of the curriculum for training in that field, which seldom includes any background in psychology of normal people - adj. psychiatric.
'Mental Health' began promoting and organizing itself after the Second World War. Various mental health groups, societies and committees were set up throughout the world, and pronouncements made as to the future of civilization.
Dr. Brock Chisholm was at that time a prime mover in these organizations. His own pronouncements are of interest - even if they sound unbelievable.
1945 - 'Let us accept our own responsibility to remodel the world' and the remodelling plan is basically very simple. The way to prevent future wars is world government - established by developing world citizens with a 'state of emotional maturity' achieved, as Chisholm put it, by 'the re-interpretation and eventual eradication of the concept of right and wrong which has been the basis of child training...'
Chisholm knew this couldn't be done overnight. People tend to cling to their old 'prejudices about national patriotism, individualism, loyalty to family and friends and their devotion to 'narrow'
religious dogmas. 'There is something to be said for...gently putting aside the mistaken old ways of our elders...If it cannot be done gently, it may have to be done roughly or even violently.'
'We have swallowed all manner of poisonous certainties fed us by our parents, our Sunday and day school teachers...'
'If the race is to be freed from its crippling burden of good and evil it must be the psychiatrists who take the original responsibility.'
'We should begin to teach psychology in the first year in school, at about 5 or 6 years of age, before their ability to think has been entirely spoiled.'
'...to root out and destroy the oldest and most flourishing parasitical growth in the world, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.'
Ten years later Dr. Chisholm was still talking... 'A man who fathers six children is an indifferent fellow who has ignored his responsibilities as a citizen of the world. There is nothing admirable in competing with rabbits...'
These are the views of one of the world leaders in the weird cult of psychiatry. Chisholm is not alone - read Julian Huxley's views on God. 'The advance of natural science...has brought us to a stage at which God is no longer a useful hypothesis. A faint trace of a cosmic Cheshire cat. But the growth of...knowledge will rub even that from the universe - I do not believe in the existence of a god or gods.'
These are not just isolated views. The Kinsey report reached a conclusion on homosexual molesters of children that such molesting may have contributed favourably to later socio-sexual development, and further states that pre-marital sex relations of women help females to adjust emotionally to various types of males - and in hospitals, psychiatric courses have included these teachings:
'Pre-marital and extra-marital relations may be quite useful in establishing good 'mental hygiene', and that masturbation is all right in adolescents, but is 'wrongfully' frowned on in later life.'
The psychiatrist does not stop there. There is one other piece de resistance tucked away that he has been trying to get introduced for years. It is the 'Alaska Mental Health Bill.' It is the most authoritative, undemocratic suggestion to appear so far from the cult of psychiatry. This is what it sets out to do.
A large area in Alaska should be set aside for the 'treatment' of 'mental' prisoners from other states in the U.S.A. Commitment of 'patients' may be upon 'written application of an interested party', or may be by 'any health, welfare or police officer...' Proceeding for commitment may be held in private without event the 'prisoner' being notified of such hearings, RULES OF EVIDENCE DO NOT APPLY
AT SUCH HEARINGS.
This means that you could be lying in bed at night, be awoken by the 'authorities' and be sent straight to Alaska, whether you object or not. Your 'case' has already been heard, without your knowing anything about it, and a decision taken that Alaska is the place for you. And what works in the U.S.A. will work in other countries.