North Texas Skeptic - Vol 05 No 02 - 1991

Magazine Overview

Title: The Skeptic
Issue: Volume 5 Number 2
Date: March/April 1991
Publisher: The North Texas Skeptics
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of The Skeptic newsletter from the North Texas Skeptics provides a critical look at Scientology, discusses organizational news, and explores themes of skepticism and rational inquiry.

A Piece of Blue Sky--Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed

This section features a review by Mike Sullivan of Jon Atack's book, "A Piece of Blue Sky--Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed." The book is described as a 400-page chronicle of Atack's personal journey through the Church of Scientology and a documented history of the cult and its founder. Layfayette Ronald Hubbard is introduced as a former pulp science fiction writer who, in January 1950, submitted an article titled "Dianetics: The Evolution of a Science" to Astounding Science Fiction. This article and the subsequent book, "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health," are presented as the foundation of the worldwide cult of Scientology, which the article claims has "destroyed the lives and emptied the bank accounts of tens of thousands of people over the past 40 years." Scientologists are described as promoting their religion under the guise of a science-based self-help therapy, but engaging in "bizarre mental and physical drills, endless and expensive 'levels' of mind-numbing counseling, and fanatical devotion to the writings of their founder."

Jon Atack, a former member of the Church of Scientology from 1974 to 1984, is highlighted for his deep involvement and advancement to high levels within the Church's "tech." The book is noted for its comprehensive documentation of the cult and its founder. "A Piece of Blue Sky" is characterized as two books in one: Atack's personal history and a documented chronicle of Hubbard and the Church's internal workings. Atack's own entry into the Church at age 19 is attributed to seeking comfort after a broken love affair and being drawn in by the claimed scientific basis of Dianetics, presented as an extension of Freudian analysis. Hubbard's fictional personal achievements, including being a "famous world explorer, a double-degreed nuclear physicist and mathematician, and a U.S. Navy Commodore squadron commander who was decorated 27 times and who saw action in all five theatres of World War II," are also mentioned as influences, with the Church claiming he cured himself of war injuries by blending science with Eastern philosophy and Freudian analysis. The review notes that "Part Two" of this review will appear in the next issue.

January Meeting

Election of the Board of Directors and Appointment of Officers

The January meeting of the North Texas Skeptics was held at UT Arlington on January 20, 1991. The primary purpose of this meeting was the annual election of officers as stipulated by the NTS bylaws. All members were invited to attend, nominate, and vote. The following individuals were elected to the Board of Directors: John Blanton, Mark Meyer, Mike Sullivan, Joe Voelkering, Ron Hastings, Laura Ainsworth, and Tony Dousette. Subsequently, the newly elected Board appointed the following official positions: John Blanton as President, Joe Voelkering as Vice President, Mark Meyer as Secretary & Treasurer, Mike Sullivan as Newsletter Editor, and Keith Blanton as Associate Newsletter Editor.

Meeting News

Changes to Meeting Format and Location

The Board of Directors has decided to alter the format, time, and location of the monthly North Texas Skeptics meetings. These changes aim to make the meetings more accessible and to incorporate a social aspect. Beginning with the March meetings, the format will be adjusted. Monthly Board of Directors meetings will now be held in public places, with members encouraged to attend and participate. These meetings focus on planning future NTS public events, discussing newsletter topics, and general business. Previously, these were held on the Monday preceding the regular Sunday NTS public meeting.

March Business and Public Meetings

The March business meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 11th, at Dave & Buster's restaurant in Dallas, starting at 7:30 PM. Members are invited to attend and enjoy refreshments. The March public meeting will be held at the Farmers Branch Manske Library, located at the corner of Webb Chapel and Golfing Green. The Board is seeking a more accessible location for future public meetings, as Dave & Buster's would require food and beverage orders. The March meeting will feature guest speaker Ole Anthony, founder and president of Trinity Foundation, Inc., and CEO of The Dallas Project. Anthony, whose credentials include work on "War on Poverty" and campaign strategy, will speak about his investigations into faith healers, particularly Robert Tilton. The program on March 20th will include a video of Anthony's TV appearances from 7:00 PM, followed by his presentation from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

April Public Meeting

The date and location for the April public meeting are not yet finalized. The planned speaker will discuss hypnosis, its valid uses, and its limitations. A postcard with details will be mailed to members in early April.

Letters to the editor

This section invites readers to submit brief, topic-related comments. Letters must be signed and are subject to editing. The newsletter includes a letter from Joe Voelkering.

Letter from Joe Voelkering

Joe Voelkering, a member of the North Texas Skeptics board and technical advisor, responds to an article by Keith Parsons titled "What is Skepticism?" Voelkering disagrees with the notion that universal skepticism is a dead end. He argues that philosophical skepticism, based on the doctrine that absolute knowledge is unattainable, leads to relative certainty through continuous questioning. Voelkering contrasts this with Parsons' suggestion that skepticism be reduced to a simple yes/no level, advocating instead for evaluating questions and assigning degrees of probability. Drawing on his experience with approximately 10,000 hours of flight time, he states he has often bet his life on evaluating odds but never considered any decision as 100% certain or having a 0% chance of error. He quotes Paul Kurtz: "The quest for absolute certainty must be recognized as alien to the scientific attitude, since scientific knowledge is fallible, tentative, and open to revision and modification." Voelkering draws a parallel to the legal community's standards of probability, listing "Beyond a reasonable doubt," "Clear and convincing," "Preponderance of the evidence," and "Probable cause." He concludes by stating that in his accident analysis work, he seeks the highest orders of probability, but that 100% and 0% exist only in abstract theory, though he has approached these values closely. He humorously notes that "everything I've stated here could be wrong..."

Writing for The Skeptic

This section encourages members to submit material for publication in The Skeptic, including news clippings, cartoons, articles, book reviews, letters, and excerpts from technical journals. Contact information is provided for submissions via US Mail (P.O. Box 111794, Carrollton, TX 75011-1794) and email ([email protected]). Original writing can be submitted on paper, diskette, or via modem.

Notes and announcements

Program Director Needed

The NTS Board of Directors is seeking members to help develop and schedule speakers for monthly public meetings. The role involves selecting topics and speakers that offer a critical evaluation of pseudoscientific topics. Expertise in scientific or professional fields, including degreed professions, scholarship, media, authorship, and research, is sought.

Speakers Bureau

The NTS Speakers Bureau comprises individuals available to speak to organizations interested in expert information and counseling. Members are volunteers who can also address media inquiries in their fields of expertise. Interested individuals should contact NTS President John Blanton.

The Skeptics Challenge

In the spirit of James Randi, the North Texas Skeptics are offering a $2000.00 reward to anyone who can adequately prove the occurrence of a paranormal event. Rules of evidence will be published in the next issue. Details can be obtained from John Blanton.

Congress At Work

This item, submitted by Tony Dousette and sourced from The Washington Monthly (January 1991), reports that C.B. Scott Jones, an aide to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Claiborne Pell, draws a $50,000 staff salary to study "paranormal phenomena." Jones reportedly wrote a letter on Senate stationery to Secretary of Defense Cheney, inquiring about the national security significance of the word "Simone," which Jones claimed to have heard when speeches by President Bush, Secretary of State James A. Baker, and Cheney were played backwards. The note adds that Jones held a press conference for Capitol Hill reporters to play the tapes and highlight what he called "a potentially dangerous signal" hidden in the speeches leading up to Desert Storm.

CSICOP Eyes Dallas for 1992 Convention

This brief announcement indicates that CSICOP is considering Dallas as a potential location for its 1992 convention.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around skepticism, critical thinking, and the debunking of pseudoscience and cults. The newsletter actively promotes rational inquiry, provides a platform for members to voice opinions on skepticism, and engages in scrutinizing claims of paranormal phenomena and controversial organizations like Scientology. The editorial stance is clearly in favor of scientific evidence, reasoned argument, and the questioning of unsubstantiated claims, as exemplified by the review of the Scientology book, the discussion on the nature of skepticism, and the "Skeptics Challenge."