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Scientology Responds

In order to present both sides of the controversy involving the Church of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard Sr. to our readers, Penthouse Contributing Editor Allan Sonnenschein conducted a lengthy interview by telephone with the Rev. Heber Jentzsch, president of the church. Excerpts from that interview follow.

Jentzsch: Let me say this: The media have been hyped by a number of people who are criminal - extortionists - perverts - etc. - and they make all these claims, and then you're supposed to respond to them. The credibility of the individual is just out the bottom. And I don't find it instructive for us to just sit and respond to a bunch of allegations.

Penthouse: Is it true, as DeWolf claims, that Scientology is an extremely expensive and time-consuming process?

Jentzsch: It isn't expensive if one is looking at something that works. And Scientology is an extremely workable system. The churches that I know of - and I deal with religious leaders all across the country - some of them have a tithing system, and they pay it for their entire lifetime. That can be quite a bit of money, and it's also worthwhile. But let's move it out of the religous field and look at the psychiatrists, and they're running all this crazy stuff, you know? You've got psychiatrists who are essentially charging an arm and a leg for electric shock psychosurgery, drugging, all kinds of things which really are destructive to the individual. And they're funded by the state for those activities, into the billions. So Scientology comes along. First of all, it can be done from a person picking up a book like Dianetics as I said. And it costs them the price of the book. Or it can be done from the standpoint of the professional counselors and so forth. Mr DeWolf hasn't been with the church for twenty-four years, so he's hardly an authority on where we are at the present time. But it's like yo say - is it expensive or time consuming? Well, long before I joined the staff, I did Scientology extensively. I didn't find it time consuming. I found that I was able to do it and still carry on at a profession and do both.

Penthouse: Can a poor man go through Scientology counseling?

Jentzsch: Sure.

Penthouse: He can?

Jentzsch: Sure. I mean he can go on the staff, and for that he receives his counseling, and he can do the whole thing.

Penthouse: Is it true that the media have been intimidated by church members when they try to report on the organization?

Jentzsch: Ha! Well, I just say, look with your own eyes. If they're intimidated, boy, how do you explain Time magazine, 20/20 on ABC TV, Cable Network News national, ABC TV's World News, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times, reporting all in one day on Scientology? I mean, how do you explain that? I mean, give me a break!

Penthouse: The allegation has been made that the Church of Scientology has hounded ex-members who have spoken out negatively about the church.

Jentzsch: Can you give me the names?

Penthouse: Gerald Armstrong is the first that comes to mind.

Jentzsch: Mr. Armstrong is my step-son-in-law. I know him quite well. He was a clerk, and he also drove a car. And that's all he ever did. When he left, he sort of tried to raise his status. If he thinks he's been hounded by Scientologists, I'll offer this: he says he's getting phone calls? We'll go to the police and put a tap on the phone. You know what a tap is, right? It just traces the phone call. So let's find out where the phone calls are coming from, because it isn't coming from our people. And I want to know. So to every guy who's screaming that, that's the thing I offer.

Penthouse: How do you respond to charges that L. Ron Hubbard, Sr. may no
longer be alive?

Jentzsch: Mr. Hubbard wrote me a letter last week. He wrote the court that has the records under seal and is keeping them in safekeeping, per our request. Now, he wrote, and he carboned me, with a very well-documented, extensive kind of forensic background in this letter. What it is is one of the top forensic scientists in this country put together an ink that could have been formulated by the second of February, 1983. He put that ink in a pen, and sent it to Mr. Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard wrote a letter to the court, carboning me, and he also placed his fingerprints on that letter underneath the ink and to the side. And top forensic analysts have proven that, that is the ink that was formulated the second of February 1983. Number two: that is his writing. Number three: those are his fingerprints. End of theme. But this letter establishes, in terms of forensic science and in terms of court-acceptable records, that Hubbard Sr. is very much in control of this whole scene and his own monies, his own life, his own activities...

Penthouse: Is it possible to speak to Mr. Hubbard?

Jentzsch: I...I don't think that Penthouse magazine, given its past activities, would ever do a decent article on Mr. Hubbard. I think they would do everything they could to try to denigrate, to try to impugn the man, to try to destroy any credibility he has... I've read Penthouse and the hate they have for anyone who is opposed to psychiatry, anyone who is opposed to electric shock and psychosurgery, as we have been... I have only to characterize it; that's the only reason they're opposed to it --that Hubbard has instituted an incredible educational capability. They hate it. Absolutely hate anything... [Editor's note: Reverend Jentzsch is not as familiar with the editorial content of Penthouse as he thinks. Among the very many critical articles on psychiatry the magazine has published are " Psychiatric Holocaust" (January 1979), "Psychiatry Kills" (April 1981), and "Electroshock: The Horror Continues" (June 1982)] My current frame of mind is that the media will have to prove to us that they have some sort of modicum of ethics and integrity... At this current point, I have no reason to trust them. None at all. I find them rapacious. I find them to be not interested in anything... Six and a half million people who are living good lives, with a tremendous capability...but I don't find the media wanting to cover any of that...

Penthouse: We feel that Mr. Hubbard has a right to respond to the allegations made by Mr. Hubbard, Jr.

Jentzsch: What you're saying is that you give a man who's a criminal the same right as a man who is not.

Penthouse: We're just trying to determine the truth.

Jentzsch: I've got to tell you, I've heard the same thing from every major media that has talked to me. And every one of them had just not one modicum of integrity.

Penthouse: We would be willing to work out any problems you might have before we meet with Mr. Hubbard.

Jentzsch: Well, I don't know that you could meet him, because I have no idea where he is... I will tell you this: if I were ever asked by Mr Hubbard, I will make sure that all of the media who have currently interviewed him will never, ever, ever, get a personal interview. I mean, I can guarantee you that Time magazine will not... I can guarantee you ABC-TV will not: I can guarantee you that all the others will not. I will promise that, and I will campaign for it if he ever decides that he wants to do a major media event of any kind or an interview of any kind. I will make sure that every one of those gentlemen never, ever, ever, ever, ever, gets an interview with him.
-END- of Penthouse article