In 1965 and onwards I issued Policy Letters designed to help us create a calmer environment in which Scientologists could pursue their religion.

These were our Ethics Policy Letters. Scientologists have used them to improve conditions in their own lives. The proper application of ethics has brought relief from personal suffering for many. It has made it possible to attain a greater spiritual freedom and understanding where previously this had not been possible.

When a contra-survival or out-ethics situation exists unhandled, the individual. is held back from realizing all that is possible with the technology. The advances made in Scientology have now made our bridge surer and faster than ever before. It is then vital that there be an understanding of the subject of Ethics.

The chief stumbling block, huge above all others, is the upset we have with POTENTIAL TROUBI.E SOURCES and their relationship to Suppressive Persons or Groups.

A POTENTIAL TROUBLE SOURCE is defined as a person who, while desiring to remain active as a Scientologist, yet remains connected to a person or group suppressive to the individual or the religious beliefs and practices of Scientology.

A SUPPRESSIVE PERSON or GROUP is one that actively seeks, by action or statement, to suppress or damage Scientology or a Scientologist by Suppressive Acts.

SUPPRESSIVE ACTS are acts calculated to impede or destroy Scientology or a Scientologist in his studies or counseling, or to affect adversely his well-being.

These definitions would apply to the study and practice of Scientology by the individual.

There are people who suppress. They are few. HCOB 27 September 1966 gives the characteristics of the anti-social personality and the social personality. An understanding and ability to recognize the anti-social can bring about major change in life and livingness.

The social personality is in the vast majority. It is not momentary misconduet which determines the anti-social nor is it mere prejudice or dislike. One cannot honestly and accurately identify the anti-social without examining the pos­itive side of his life as well as the negative.

All men have committed wrongs or failed to aet when they should have. Men are not perfect. But there are many who try to do the right thing and there is a much smaller number who specialize in wrongdoings.

All discipline must be based on truth and must exclude acting on false reports.

A Scientology parishioner caught in the situation of being active in Scientology while still connected with a Suppressive Person or Group is given a Present Time Problem of sufficient magnitude to prevent ease gain, as only a PTP can halt progress. Only ARC breaks worsen it. To the PTP is added ARC breaks with the Suppressive Person or Group. The result is no-gain or deterioration of a case by reason of the suppressive connection in the environment. Any Scientologist, in his own experience, can probably recall some such cases and their subsequent upset.

The pressure from a Suppressive Person can thus stop an individual from making any progress. In fact, the constant ARC breaks and malicious intent can be very hard on the individual who can begin to feel worse. The Suppressive Person or Group may then exploit this by making an example of the individual to others. The individual becomes a person manipulated by the Suppressive Person or Group who may well portray their actions as "for your own good" but who in fact have only their own interests in mind.

Unless the Potential Trouble Source, the Scientologist caught up in this, can handle the situation, he will suffer hardship. He may eave in or squirrel because his personal prog­ress is halted in the face of the hostile environment.

This policy letter gives the means and provides the policy for getting the above situation handled.

A Potential Trouble Source receives pastoral counselling which has been specifically developed to help him or her handle the situation. To give the PTS individual other forms of pastoral counselling would be to deny him the full benefit of it.

In the Church of Scientology Suppressive Acts include: public disavowal of Scientology or Scientologist in good standing with Scientology Churches; public statements against Scientology or Scientologist but not to Committees of Evidence duly convened; proposing, advising or voting for legislation or ordinances, rules or laws directed towards the Suppressionof Scientology; pronouncing Scientologists guilty of the practice of the religion of Scientology; testifying hostilely before state or public inquiries into Scientology to suppress it, reporting or threatening to report Scientology or Scientology or Scientologists to civil authorities in an effort to suppress Scientology or Scientologists from practicing or receiving standard Scientology; bringing civil suit against any Scientology organization or Scientologist including the non payment of bills or failure to refund without first calling the matter to the attention of the Ethics Officer who would inform senior and legal advisors of the concerned Church of Scientology; demanding a refund of donations from a Church or mission without adhering to the policy and procedure of the Claims Verification Board (information about which is freely available to all members of the Church) or seeking to create or cause upset for others in making the request; attempting to settle a personal internal dispute with a Scientology Church or mission to personal advantage through the use of external agencies without seeking redress through the Chaplain's Court; continued adherence to a person or group accurately pronounced Suppressive Person or by HCO; organizing splinter to, confuse people about the true beliefs and practices of Scientology or to deceive them into considering that they will be able to study part or all of Scientology or receive standard pastoral counseling from the splinter group; organizing splinter groups which take and pervert Scientology materials or practices, in whole or in part, still calling it Scientology or calling it something else; infiltrating a Scientology group or organization or staff to stir up discontent or protest at the instigation of hostile forces; seeking to splinter off an area of Scientology and deny it properly constituted authority for personal profit, personal power or to "save" Scientology; engaging in malicious rumor-mongering to the authority or repute of one's fellows or executives of Scientology Churches or missions or organizations; falsifying records that then imperil the liberty or safety of a Scientologist; knowingly giving false testimony to imperil a Scientologist; receiving money, favors or encouragement to suppress Scientology or Scientologists; sexually destructive conduct to the well-being or good state of mind of a Scientologist in good standing or any individual for which a Scientology Church, mission or organization has responsibility for or towards; blackmail of Scientologists or Scientology organizations threatened or accomplished - in which case the crime being used for blackmail purposes becomes fully outside the reach of Ethics and is absolved by the fact of blackmail unless repeated.

Suppressive Acts are clearly those covert or overt acts knowingly calculated to reduce or destroy a Scientology Church or prevent individual betterment of a Scientologist.

Scientologists are expected to abide by the laws of their Land. This rule is invariable. In any dispute or relationship with an expelled person, a Scientologist is expected to obey the 1.aw fully. Violation of the law by a Scientologist in such a case would additionally be a very serious violation of the codes and policies of the Church.

Acts of violence and destruction in violation of these laws are in particular considered to be Suppressive Acts. Aiding or cooperating in covering up any such activity should also be con­sidered a Suppressive Act. While it would be a rare ease indeed for such acts to occur, an individual having knowledge of such would report it to the Ethics Officer who would inform senior and legal advisors of the Church. Care must be taken that such reports deal in facts only, with no assumptions, misleading or false information, all of which can be the source of needless injustice.

If a person or a group that has committed a Suppressive Act comes to his, her or their senses and wishes to set things right and make up for damage done and seek the forgiveness of his fellows, the HCO Secretary:

A. Tells the person or group to stop committing present time overts and to cease all destructive acts so that he, she or they may be able to get ease gain and increase their awareness and understanding.

B. Requires a public announcement to the effect-that they realize their actions were senseless and stating where possible the influences or motivations which caused them to act in the way they did; gets it signed before witnesses and published broadly, particularly to persons directly influenced or formerly associated with the former offender or offenders. Should the individual or group be honestly aware of any conspiracy to destroy or cause harm to Scientology or Scientologist con­nected to his, her or their actions, the letter should indicate suchwith specifies. This is not an excuse to fabricate information.

B(1). Requires that all debts to Scientology Churches or missions or organizations are resolved.

C. Requires training beginning at-the-lowest-level without financial aid if the Ministers in charge of training will ac­ceptthe person or group members for such.

D. Makes a note of the matter with copies of the statement and files in the Ethics files of those concerned, and forwards copies to those network seniors concerned.

F. Informs the International Justice Chief and forwards a duplicate of the original copy which shows signatures.

Identification of a Suppressive Person or Group is not done lightly because of suspicion or rumor or opinion. An understanding of HCOB 27 September 1966 THE ANTI-SOCIAL PER­SONALIIT; THE ANTI-SCIENTOLOGIST is requisite. It is the ac­tions of an individual or group which ate the criteria, the positive and. the negative.

The Scientologist is at all times expected to follow the Code of a Scientologist and the Creed of the Church. This ap­plies fully to dealings with Suppressive Persons or Groups. The fact that a person or group has been declared Suppressive does not justify mistreatment of that person or group.

There is no other policy which takes precedence in the handling of Suppressive Persons or Groups than this Policy Letter.

Until a Suppressive Person or Group is absolved, but not during the period when the person requests and has a Commit­tee of Evidence, or an amnesty occurs, no Scientology Ethics other than this HCO Policy Letter applies to such persons.

The individual or group may not avail themselves otherwise of Scientology justice procedures. Having acted destructively towards his fellows, he is no longer entitled to the service and protection of the group, This of course has no effect upon the individual or group's recourse on normal legal channels available to any citizen although in matters of the person's membership in the Church such avenues would have no influence.

Such persons are in the same category as those whose certificates have been cancelled, and persons whose certificates, classifications and awards have been cancelled are also in this category.

A Committee of Evidence may be called by any Convening Authority who wishes more concrete evidence of efforts to suppress Scientology or Scientologists but if such a Committee's findings, passed on, establish beyond reasonable doubt Suppressive Acts, this Policy Letter applies.

Outright or covert acts knowingly designed to impede or destroy Scientology or Scientologists is what is meant by Acts Suppressive of Scientology or Scientologists.

The greatest good for the greatest number of dynamics requires that actions destructive of the advance of many, by Scientology means, overtly or covertly undertaken with the direct target of destroying Scientology as a whole, or a Scientologist in particular, be summarily handled due to the character of thc reactive mind and the consequent impulses of the insane or near insane to ruin every chance of Mankind via Scientology.

A Scientologist closely associated with a person who has committed Suppressive Acts is known as a Potential Trouble Source or Trouble Source. The history of Dianetics and Scientology is strewn with. Confused by emotional ties, dogged in refusing to give up Scientology, yet invalidated by a Suppressive Person at every turn they cannot, having a PTP, make case gains. If they would the situation, they make gains and recover their potential. If they make no determined move, they eventually succumb.

Therefore, where the well-being and happiness of a Scientologist is at stake., the influences of Suppressive Persons, must be considered. The effects of a Suppressive Person upon a closely associated individual are the same regardless of the nature of the Suppressive Person's to Scientology.

The validity of this is borne out by the fact that in the past contrived actions against the Church by official agencies were instigated by individuals who were actively suppressing a Scientologist, or Scientology. The suppressed Scientologist did not act in good time to avert the trouble by handling the suppressive source.

There is no practice of "disconnection" allowed in the Church of Scientology. The first step in handling anything is gaining the ability to face it. Perhaps it will seem too much to handle but the Scientologist who continues to confront and handle the situation will gain more than. the increased under­standing with the other person. He will know that he has han­dled, despite all invitations to do otherwise.

The materials of the PTS and SP Detection, Routing and Handling course, which are mandatory for the individual with a PTS situation, provide the technology for handling.

Communication is the universal solvent. Understanding a situation permits one to handle it.

A truly Suppressive Person or Group has none of the rights and privileges accorded one as a member of the Church.

However a Person or group may be falsely labelled a Sup­pressive Person or Group. Should the person or group claim the label to be false, he, she or they may request a Commit­tee of Evidence via their nearest HCO. The executive with the power to convene a Committee of Evidence must do so if one is requested for recourse or redress of wrongs.

The Person or representative of the group labelled Sup­pressive is named as an Interested Party to the Committee-. They attend it where It convenes.

The Committee must pay attention to any actual evidences that the person or group that is accused of being suppressive may produce particularly to the effect of having helped Scien­tology or Scientologist or a Scientologist and if this is seen to outweigh the accusations, proof or lack of it, the Person is absolved.

Any knowingly false testimony, forgeries or false witnesses introduced by the person or group accused of being suppressive can result in an immediate finding against the Person or group.

Any effort to use copies of the testimony or findings of a Committee of Evidence called for this purpose outside of the Church immediately reverses any favorable finding and automatically labels the or group suppressive.

Failing to prove guilt of Suppressive Acts, the Commit tee must absolve the person or group publicly.

If the findings, authorized by the Convening Authority, prove guilt beyond doubt, the person or group is so labelled a Suppressive Person or Group. Should a person wish to re­enter the Church after this, he would apply steps A-E of this policy.

No damages or costs may be borne by or ordered by a Com­mittee of Evidence in cases involving Potential Trouble Sour­ces or Suppressive Persons or Groups.

When the Suppressive Person or Group representative fails to appear before a Committee of Evidence on a Bill of Particulars labelling persons as Suppressive Persons or Groups at the published time of its convening, the Bill of Particulars stands as proven and the Convening Authority is bound so to declare. This is standard procedure in any Committee of Evidence.

It must be remembered at all times that Justice must in­clude a refusal to accept any report not substantiated by ac­tual, independent data, seeing that all such reports are in­vestigated and that all investigations include confronting the accused with the accusation and where feasible the accuser, BEFORE any action is decided upon or taken. This is the primary breakdown of any justice system - that it acts on false reports, disciplines before substantiation and fails to con-­front an accused with the report and his accuser before any discipline is assigned, or which does not weigh the value of a person in general against the alleged crime even when pro­ven.

An individual who is knowingly PTS and who seeks to con­ceal this or to avoid handling the situation is subject to disciplinary action. In severe cases this can result in a Committee of Evidence.

The Ethics Officer who seeks to avoid the handling of PTS individuals or who seeks to handle individuals in a non­standard fashion or in violation of issues on PTS handling is subject to disciplinary action. This can result in a Comm Ev, depending upon the gravity of the situation.

A Case Supervisor or Auditor who fails to see that stan­dard pastoral counselling procedure as laid out in HCOBs is applied in resolving a case of PTSness is subject to disciplinary action. This can result in a Comm Ev, depending upon the gravity of the situation.

It is wise for any Scientologist, HCO Secretary or Com­mittee of Evidence in matters concerning Suppressive Acts to obtain valid documents, letters, testimonies duly signed and witnessed, affidavits duly sworn to and other matters and evi­dences which would have weight in a court of law. Momentary spite and false reports are then guarded against.

Expullsion from the Church of Scientology results where Suppressive Acts have been duly proven beyond doubt and where the individual concerned has refused to apply steps A-E as noted early in this HCO PL.

Scientology training or pastoral counseling may not be given to an expelled individual. Their only terminal in a Scientology Church or mission is the Ethics Officer.

It must be noted however that no matter how severe the case we never close the door entirely. As stated in HCO PL 16 March 1971 Issue IT IMPORTANT - AN OPERATING STANDARD RULE:

"YOU MUST KEEP THE DOOR OPEN ONLY IF ITS JUST A CRACK."

A Suppressive Person expelled from the Church is not otherwise disciplined. A Suppressive Person lives in his or her own private hell. He or she is not beyond help but it is not a small job.

There are many many more people who are not suppressive and who wish to survive and for others to survive, for all their failings. To them we owe our time.

We must make the way safe for those who enter Scientology to realize the full potential which can be theirs. To permit Suppressives to destroy people and deny them happiness, is at best gross cowardice.

Expulsion orders are not to be treated lightly. In keeping with traditional religious practice it is the last meas­ure of the group to safeguard its own existence and inner peace against former members who not only no longer agree with our religious tenets but are also engaging in destructive activities against the Church and its members.

We have decided to take on the responsibility of lift­ing ourselves from the mud, to a civilization of which all can be proud. Let us not lose this way through inattention to the matters contained in this Policy Letter.