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I won't get into all the details of my evaluation of the grassroots movement. I will provide a synopsis of what I came up with though. In 1973, Hubbard felt that there was a strong need for a new marketing initiative to get his technical developments, or "properties" (as he referred to them) exploited. He put me in charge of this and designed a special post for me called "LRH Properties Chief". In an hour long, taped briefing, he laid out his ideas for the position. The one idea that he was the most hot on was an idea for a grassroots movement. The idea took the form of something he called the "Volunteer Ministers Program". Basically, we were to recruit volunteer ministers to take the tech out to the general public. This program was to be run OUTSIDE any influence of the orgs, and these ministers would only take their cues from a hierarchy outside Flag management. The only tech materials used by these volunteer ministers would come from a handbook designed, specifically for them. Hubbard was so hot on this idea that he would say to me, "we need this like the desert needs rain". I liked the idea of a grassroots movement outside the existing management and orgs, but thought the volunteer minister idea was somewhat hokey. But since Hubbard was so hot on the idea, we proceeded with it. The program never really got off the ground, and was eventually scrapped. All that remained was the handbook, which just became another book to sell in the Scientology bookstore, and some mini courses, which just became more services sold in Division 6s. In my evaluation, I realized that Hubbard's idea of a grassroots movement was very legitimate, but that his vehicle for accomplishing this was weak. Additionally, why build a new vehicle when you already have one that worked. In other words, Hubbard already had had a successful grassroots movement, once, in the early 1950s, after Book One, Dianetics was published. At that time, Dianetic counseling groups started popping up on their own, people started auditing each other, and pretty soon there was quite a movement occurring. This movement continued until the advent of the organization, with more "advanced" services and training being offered. The organization was only interested in using the Dianetics book to get people "in the door" for services, and its technical value was relegated to "background data" on tech courses. Book One application was discouraged and soon became non-existent, thus ending the grassroots movement of the time. With the above in mind, my program called for the formation of a company, outside the CoS, delivering a correspondence course designed to train fully competent Book One auditors. Being totally separate from the CoS, the purpose of this company would be to simply get people auditing with only Book One application and re-create a similar grassroots movement to the one that occurred in the early 1950s. The concept was simple, yet powerful. Create a geometric progression of people auditing others, the others getting trained and auditing more people, and so on. Eventually, the CoS would be very dependent on this company for its new, qualified prospects, which would give us a strong platform for management reform. Additionally, we would dodge any competition problems with the CoS, as we would be doing something that they weren't. When I completed the evaluation and basic program, Diana flew to Denver and I met her at the airport. She read and approved the program, then got back on a plane and went back to Clearwater. I was now ready to get started on, what would prove to be a very interesting adventure. End of Part 2 of 25 Mike Goldstein |
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