South Africa: Scientology's Armageddon Bolthole

by Chris Owen

From	Chris Owen <chriso@lutefisk.demon.co.uk>
Subject	South Africa: Scientology's Armageddon bolthole
Date	1998/10/08
Msg-ID	<YjFEqLAE6TH2EwpC​@lutefisk​.demon​.co.uk>
Newsgroups	alt.religion.scientology,soc.culture.south-africa

[URLs updated]

I had speculated some time ago in my essay "Scientology's Fight for Apartheid" (http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/aparth.htm) that the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, intended to use South Africa as Scientology's bolthole in the event of a nuclear war. I have now managed to confirm this speculation, having obtained a copy of a Policy Letter written by Hubbard in 1962 (HCOPL of 24 October 1962, "Emergency Headquarters). In it he declares:

"The International Headquarters of Scientology, in event of Atomic War suddenly occuring will be CAPETOWN …

If atomic bombing occurs and Saint Hill [UK Scientology HQ] does not answer up when called and if Washington DC or London HASI do not answer up, then direct all communications seeking clarification or information to Capetown."

What makes this declaration of present-day significance is that it is contained in the Church of Scientology's encyclopedia of policy, the Organization Executive Course (vol. 7). What's more, Scientologists still believe in the inevitability of a nuclear holocaust. Last September in Canada, I saw members of staff at the Scientology centre in Toronto handing out leaflets on the street which claimed that only Scientologists would survive a nuclear war and that only by joining Scientology could one "proof" oneself against radiation. So could it be that Scientology is still relying on South Africa as its refuge from Armageddon?