This is a recantation after a suppressive declare. I want to communicate the following as widely as possible:
I was a (certified) founding Scientologist, who first took a course while a medical student in 1964. I subsequently quit my medical studies in 1968, joined the Sea Organization, and went to the ship "Apollo", while L. Ron Hubbard was aboard as Commodore of the Scientology fleet. I worked hard, learned a lot and had a good time. I also got into ethics scrapes, was assigned low conditions by LRH himself, but was also commended a couple of times. It was said in those times, by LRH himself, that if you didn?t get into some trouble, you weren?t doing anything!
I progressed to the upper levels of the Bridge. I served ashore in the UK "land base" just outside Edinburgh. I finally took leave on my wife?s second pregnancy and went back to medical school, where I completed my studies and became a fully qualified doctor.
In 1972 my wife and I were persuaded by the Sea Organization to become active once again. We determined upon starting a Class IV organization in Manchester. This we did, starting up in our own home, using the kitchen and parlour as first classrooms, spare bedroom as the HGC, etc. Within a year we had our own building. I naturally became the CO (executive director) of this organization. I loved LRH and Scientology and considered I served "the old man" loyally, within my capabilities.
However, I am a far from perfect being and eventually, after 5 years at the top, screwed up so badly I was cashiered off post, out of the Sea Org and off lines (quite justly). I went back to being a doctor.
In 1981 my wife and I started a medical centre we called the "Dianetic Health Centre", which with hindsight was a misuse of the name and logo and we should not have done it. It was ignorant and foolish. But the centre flourished greatly. I sold hundreds of Dianetics: Modern Science of Mental Health (Book One), we ran Book One workshops with my patients and at one stage we had so many PCs on lines, we looked like yet another organization on the way. I did a Book One demo on one reporter, which was nicely written up. And I did a Book One session live on BBC local radio (Radio Manchester)! I was sufficiently encouraged by this to feel I had found a niche and that I could promote Scientology (actually more Dianetics) heavily within the framework of my medical practice. I looked forward to huge expansion.
However, it was not to be. In 1982 we were called to answer before a comm. ev, charged with a number of serious matters, chief among which was the accusation that we did not have the authorization to use Scientology materials in the way we were doing. My first wife and I were declared SP and expelled, without recourse (it said). In the words of one current Continental Justice Chief, The wind of change blew hard throughout Scientology in 1981-2 and I did not change quickly enough. I was always stubbornly independent and this flaw has got me into trouble many times in the past. It is a weakness I have worked hard to correct.
After the expulsion, we simply turned our back on Scientology, asked for a refund, and got on with our lives. I went back to being a doctor and wrote health books. While I was on the outside, I engaged in all kinds of mind technologies, some legitimate, some simply squirrel derivatives of Scientology. I wrote and taught my own courses. I was boastful, vain and felt I could re-invent many of the technologies which already existed. I singularly failed to achieve anything like the success I had when disseminating the proper technology.
All those years I also felt something was missing. The mountain of upset seemed irredeemable and I let thoughts of Scientology fester, without really looking at the true position. Whatever my protestations about the validity of my declare, I had allowed it to keep me off lines. I had not used what I knew to put matters right. I had not owned up to what possible misdeeds I had committed. I was guilty of condoning actions I disapproved of, by mere inaction. I never even tried to put matters right and therefore cannot claim I was hard done by. This was only a justification
Standing outside the LA Celebrity Centre, just before going back in, I saw 22 years had gone by and I had been disconnected from that which I had loved so much and worked so hard to spread. I spoke to the ethics officer and started my A- E steps.
I hope that those reading this open letter will realize what this means to me. Step B requires that you understand my actions and motivation. Although I was not permitted to disseminate, in the years I have been "out", I have distracted people from Scientology by offering them alternatives. This applies, even if the individual has never heard of Scientology. There has not been, to my personal knowledge, a conspiracy against Scientology. But there are a number of out-ethics, disaffected and in some cases frankly criminal people looking to keep the technology going, even though they are off-lines. But they are creating the same situation I did --- using re-cycled tech and offering alternative hope for something they cannot, in the end, deliver. I did not "further" any of these squirrel groups, though I have taken some auditing services with 2 of them, but I have fully debriefed to IJC and, ultimately legal, about who was doing what at the time, on the understanding that they may be able to use some of the knowledge to protect the Church and the technology.
I humbly and sincerely wish to re-enter the church and heal this ancient wound. I am dependent on the good will of others, and the acceptance that this communication denotes a major change of heart, in order for that to take place. I will of course be submitting an amends project, as an earnest of my good intentions. This will take some time and you may not hear from me again until later steps.
Signed by Keith Scott-Mumby
AB ChB, MD, PhD,FRCP (MA)
(note for those who knew me, I changed my name to Scott-Mumby after the break up of my first marriage. The "Scott" is my mother's maiden name.)