Cyril Vosper
Encyclopedia
Cyril Ronald Vosper was a Scientologist and later a critic of Scientology
. He wrote The Mind Benders
, which was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published (narrowly beating Inside Scientology by Robert Kaufman).
, Middlesex
(part of Greater London
) and lived his early life in Britain. He joined the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International
(the overseas arm of the Church of Scientology
) in 1954 at the age of 19. He soon became a Scientology auditor
. In 1956, he was personally cited by L. Ron Hubbard
for his "test work and the wonderful results [he has] obtained on pcs[ preclears] processed under various directives." Vosper joined Hubbard's staff at Saint Hill Manor
in the 1960s, working as the Dissemination Secretary, World Wide and Dissemination Secretary, Evening and Weekend Foundation. He was expelled in September 1968 for alleged disciplinary offences.
In 1971, Vosper published The Mind Benders, a highly critical account of Scientology. The book contained a significant amount of inside information about Scientology including quotations from a number of Hubbard's works. The Church of Scientology sued for breach of copyright
and breach of confidence but its case was rejected by the courts. At one stage in the litigation, a High Court
judge was reported as saying of applications by the Church that Vosper and a newspaper editor be committed to prison for contempt of court
, that these actions were deliberately taken "to try to stifle any criticism or inquiry into their [the Church of Scientology's] affairs". The Church was permitted to appeal the case but the Court of Appeal
rejected the Church's appeal, finding "fair dealing
in The Mind Benders in criticising scientology and that it was in the public interest to investigate and disclose."
Following the outcome of the case, Vosper asserted that he had been subjected to "dirty tricks" carried out by the Church. According to him, a copy of his manuscript disappeared from his lodgings and, while on holiday in Spain
, he was questioned by the police when they opened a parcel addressed to the place in which he was staying, containing obscene caricatures of the Spanish dictator General Franco
.
Vosper subsequently became a deprogrammer, working to assist people exiting from cult
s. In November 1987, while a committee member of the British
cult-awareness group, FAIR
, he was convicted in Munich
on charges of false imprisonment and causing bodily harm to German Scientologist Barbara Schwarz in the course of a deprogramming attempt. He received a five month suspended sentence.
In 1988, after moving to Melbourne
, Australia
, he was an exit counsellor with the Australian anti-cult
group CultAware. He also did frequent press, radio and television interviews as an expert on Scientology from the 1980s through to his death, and demonstrated against the Church of Scientology in the late 1990s. Working as national co-ordinator for Prostate Assist, he became a committed spokesman on men's health issues, in particular, prostate cancer.
He died in 2004 of a heart attack
and advanced cancer
.
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
. He wrote The Mind Benders
The Mind Benders
The Mind Benders was written by Cyril Vosper, a scientologist of 14 years who had become disillusioned, Published in 1971 and reprinted in 1973 , it was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published The Mind Benders was...
, which was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published (narrowly beating Inside Scientology by Robert Kaufman).
Biography
Vosper was born in 1935, in HounslowHounslow
Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.-Etymology:...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
(part of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
) and lived his early life in Britain. He joined the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International
Hubbard Association of Scientologists International
The Hubbard Association of Scientologists or HAS was the original corporation founded in 1954 by L. Ron Hubbard that managed all Scientology organizations. The HAS evolved from the Office of L. Ron Hubbard located in Phoenix, Arizona...
(the overseas arm of the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
) in 1954 at the age of 19. He soon became a Scientology auditor
Auditing (Scientology)
Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...
. In 1956, he was personally cited by L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
for his "test work and the wonderful results [he has] obtained on pcs
Saint Hill Manor
Saint Hill Manor is a country house at Saint Hill Green, Mid Sussex, near East Grinstead, West Sussex, England that serves as the location of the head office for the Church of Scientology in the United Kingdom.-Early history:...
in the 1960s, working as the Dissemination Secretary, World Wide and Dissemination Secretary, Evening and Weekend Foundation. He was expelled in September 1968 for alleged disciplinary offences.
In 1971, Vosper published The Mind Benders, a highly critical account of Scientology. The book contained a significant amount of inside information about Scientology including quotations from a number of Hubbard's works. The Church of Scientology sued for breach of copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
and breach of confidence but its case was rejected by the courts. At one stage in the litigation, a High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
judge was reported as saying of applications by the Church that Vosper and a newspaper editor be committed to prison for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
, that these actions were deliberately taken "to try to stifle any criticism or inquiry into their [the Church of Scientology's] affairs". The Church was permitted to appeal the case but the Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
rejected the Church's appeal, finding "fair dealing
Fair dealing
Fair dealing is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work, which is found in many of the common law jurisdictions of the Commonwealth of Nations....
in The Mind Benders in criticising scientology and that it was in the public interest to investigate and disclose."
Following the outcome of the case, Vosper asserted that he had been subjected to "dirty tricks" carried out by the Church. According to him, a copy of his manuscript disappeared from his lodgings and, while on holiday in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he was questioned by the police when they opened a parcel addressed to the place in which he was staying, containing obscene caricatures of the Spanish dictator General Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
.
Vosper subsequently became a deprogrammer, working to assist people exiting from cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
s. In November 1987, while a committee member of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cult-awareness group, FAIR
Family Action Information Resource
In November 2007, FAIR , Britain's main "anti-cult" group, re-established itself as The Family Survival Trust ....
, he was convicted in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
on charges of false imprisonment and causing bodily harm to German Scientologist Barbara Schwarz in the course of a deprogramming attempt. He received a five month suspended sentence.
In 1988, after moving to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, he was an exit counsellor with the Australian anti-cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
group CultAware. He also did frequent press, radio and television interviews as an expert on Scientology from the 1980s through to his death, and demonstrated against the Church of Scientology in the late 1990s. Working as national co-ordinator for Prostate Assist, he became a committed spokesman on men's health issues, in particular, prostate cancer.
He died in 2004 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and advanced cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
Additional sources
- Cyril Vosper, The Mind-benders: Scientology, Mayflower (April 19, 1973), trade paperback, 176 pages, ISBN 0-583-12249-3; hardcover, Neville Spearman Ltd (September 9, 1971), 190 pages, ISBN 0-85435-061-6
- Warrior Against Sect And Prostate Cancer (obituary, The Age, 12 May 2004)
External links
- The Mind Benders (complete book)
- Cyril Vosper interview, 3-RRR Liars' Club, 10am-11am Sun 03 Sep 1995 (transcript)
- Researching New Religious Movements: Responses and Redefinitions by Elisabeth Arweck, p. 114 (required Google login)
- Hubbard v. Vosper (1972) 2 QB 84 - seminal copyright case