From International Viewpoints (IVy) Issue 11 - April 1993
See Home Page at http://www.ivymag.org/
A View from the Bridge

Introduction

Editorial note: We are serialising the book 'A View from the
Bridge, 'by Eric Townsend, and here is the first instalment.

This book is about Scientology and Dianetics. It is written for people
who have had some personal experience of Scientology and Dianetics.
It does not try to sell the subjects but to provide a framework into
which the individual can slot those bits of knowledge that they have
acquired about the subject over the years.


It is desirable to have such a framework because these two subjects
are so wide ranging that many people have wandered in and out without
getting a clear overall picture of what it was all about.


This book attempts to give an outline of the main things that were
not often explained clearly to newcomers to Scientology and Dianetics.
It aims to give a broad outline of fundamentals of the two subjects
as a framework into which you can fit the various bits of data that
you have already about the subjects. In addition, I hope that it will
answer some of the questions that you felt unable to ask in the old
days.

Two things should be said about what is stated in this book. Firstly
nothing of substance in this book is the opinion of the author. All
discoveries, statements, axioms, and principles in this book are based
on the writings and recorded lectures of L. Ron Hubbard. At the end
of each chapter, and sometimes in the text, reference is made to where
the statement or principle can be found.

The second thing to say is that whatever you read in this book is
not true because Ron Hubbard said it was. The ultimate and only
decider
of truth is YOU. The writings and references here are submitted for
you to consider and then decide for yourself if any or all of them
are valid to your highest self.

You have to be responsible for truth yourself. That also means not
letting any 'authority' decide for you. Something is not true because
the White House, the Vatican, the American Medical Association or
the University of Wyoming says so. The most that Ron Hubbard would
want to do is submit information to you. Only you can decide if it
is true.

Finally a practical point. All words that are themselves references
are written in CAPITALS on the first occasion they appear in this
book. You should have access to a copy of the Dianetics and
Scientology
Technical Dictionary while you read this book. Those words are also
listed at the end of each chapter.

If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable at any time, apply the
basic study technology with which you may be familiar. The main thing
is that you should feel good while reading this book.
I enjoyed writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it.



Eric Townsend









Tue Jul 11 19:22:44 EDT 2006