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church's good graces. Though this might have sounded reasonable, it set off alarms. In Scientology, the inability to resist another person's wishes signifies a lack of "certainty" about one's commitment to the church. "Never let anyone be half-minded about being Scientologists," Hubbard wrote in Keeping Scientology Working. "When somebody enrolls, consider he or she has joined up for the duration of the universe—never permit an 'open-minded' approach." To counter "open-mindedness," Hubbard advocated control, which registrars like Greg Barnes were encouraged to exert over their clients, for, as Scientologists called it, the "greatest good" of the particular individual and of the organization. Hubbard wrote extensively about control: "Control equals income," he said in an HCO policy letter dated February 21, 1961. "As any control we exert upon the public brings about a better society, we are entirely justified in using control ... One must discover what is best for the applicant and then control them into obtaining it." Ultimately, Lisa changed her mind and did not ask for any money back; instead, she moved ahead with disconnecting from her husband.

[>] "automatically and immediately": Hubbard,Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary, p. 415, originally stated in the St. Hill Special Briefing Course 1973, tape #6608CO2.

[>] Originally conceived of in the 1960s: According to the Church of Scientology, Hubbard came up with study technology after attempting to study photography via a correspondence course (see the Ron series, "The Humanitarian: Education," at education.lronhubbard.org /page34.htm). However, in an interview with Alan Walter in 2007, I learned that the Berners, loyal Scientologists, had in fact brought their ideas of "study technology" to Saint Hill, where, prior to meeting with Hubbard, they explained much of it to Walter over dinner. "They were excited about it and wanted to give it to Hubbard," he recalled. "That next day, Hubbard gets up and during a lecture introduces them to the [group], and then claims he's discovered this technology and has done this and that, and the two of them were in shock. They got no recognition, nothing. And from that moment on, nobody discovered anything but L. Ron Hubbard."

[>] "word clearing": Hubbard, Basic Study Manual, Effective Education Publishing, 2004, pp. 157–59.

[>] nine distinct types of word: A critical analysis of word clearing can be found at the "Scientology v. Education" site (www.studytech.org). Scientology's own explanation of word clearing can be found in HCO Bulletin, January 30, 1973, revised December 19, 1979: "Method 9 Word Clearing the Right Way," HCO Bulletin, July 1 1971, revised January 11, 1989; and "The Different Types of Word Clearing," Basic Study Manual, pp. 188–95.

[>] "aggressive without being obnoxious": Clearwater Police Department interview with Craig Burton, March 10, 1997.

[>] called "blowing": Church of Scientology staff or Sea Org members (with the exception, reportedly, of those at the International Base) are allowed to quit their jobs, provided they complete the proper steps, a process known as "routing out." The standard procedure is to submit to a security check, followed by "lower conditions," the formulaic process Hubbard designed by which the staff member evaluates the harm he or she may have done to the group. They are also required to do a written assessment of their transgressions—overts and withholds. This process can take months, and even years, reportedly. To ensure that a Sea Org member does not "blow," which connotes an unauthorized or sudden departure, other Sea Org members are often recruited to sleep outside such a person's door, sometimes with wrists tied to the doorknob, to prevent an unauthorized departure during the night. Even though a true "blow" is defined as "leaving without permission," the term tends to be used colloquially for anyone who leaves the Scientology staff. Departure is generally seen as negative, caused by overts and withholds, or hidden crimes. To inform anyone other than a superior that