Over The Editor's Shoulder

OVER THE EDITOR'S SHOULDER

"Sincere thanks for your forthright statement of opposition to 'false, bombastic claims about the science...' and what follows; for your validation of Scientology, coupled with your opinion that it's not the ultimate. We've all needed this, from somebody who is as widely known as you are, who has been closely associated with central activities and personalities over a period of several years.

"I've held these opinions, and have stated them, less clearly and forthrightly, a number of times; still, they were opinions based on limited observations. They seemed sometimes to be in direct contradiction to statements from 'official' sources.

"A long series of statements about the ultimateness of Dianetics and Scientology as it reached various stages of development has been very confusing to some people and has sometimes, I think, lost us friends and supporters. Each statement has been a little ultimater than the last. This is 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf' inside out; it's lily-gilding, and it's unnecessary and harmful.

"Please duplicate -- restate this theme from time to time. Harp on it. It's high time to have it said, repeated, and emphasized." -- Bill Bradner, Winter Park, Fla.

"Enclosed is two bucks to encourage you...$2.00 is easier to write than $1.71, and besides, you'll probably have to raise the price some day when you learn how to add and subtract." -- Stan Grady, Greensburg, Penn. (Note: We're learning, issue by issue.)

"We are organizing the Free Mind Guild, which is to be composed of laymen of all walks of life, together with members of our own profession. It will be the supporting organization for the Free Mind Foundation, serving at the present mostly as a communication channel to assist us in getting in touch with the community. It is pretty much in the embryo stage as yet, but will be a functioning group soon. I don't intend to take any particularly active part in it, but will put it up to the members to figure out their own ways of being useful. They will be mostly people who have had good experience with Scientology, and therefore willing to help put it over. Later there may be some members who haven't experienced Scientology, but I doubt that they will ever be a large part of the membership." -- Edd Clark, Seattle, Wash.

"Remove my name from your mailing list and do not send me any additional literature." -- Stanley H. Abrons, New York, N.Y. (Definition -- 'Literature: The written or printed productions of a country or period, especially those that are notable for beauty or force of style.' Thank you, Mr. Abrons!)

"Congratulations, Alphia Hart, for surviving... May you never change." -- Dave Cysewski, Spokane, Wash.

"When the first issue arrived, it came as a bit of a shock. Maybe it was the title: 'Aberree', reminding me of my host of excess baggage, discarded so slowly and reluctantly. Besides, being an ardent fan of 'the Ghost' I jumped to the conclusions that your publication was replacing it. I knew Clem was busy with the Clinical Course, and wondered; for the 'Ghost' hadn't appeared for some