Response to “Today Tonight”, Channel 7

February 15, 2012

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Shane Kelsey moved to live with his mother, a member of the Church of Scientology religious order, the Sea Organization (or Sea Org), after his father Adrian Kelsey sent him from Mexico to the United Kingdom on a plane as a 6‐year old.

Over the next 11 years, Shane’s mother brought him up with no financial support from his father. In addition, there was very little communication to Shane from his father.

The Sea Org, which Shane later joined, comprises the most dedicated Scientologists — individuals who have devoted their lives in voluntary service to their religion. Adrian had also been a Sea Org member in South Africa during the 1980s.

Shane consulted with his mother and requested to take part in Scientology’s Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) program, a voluntary religious program of spiritual rehabilitation to provide a ‘second chance’ to those failing to fulfill their ecclesiastical responsibilities as Sea Org members.

The RPF involves a free religious commitment by the individual to a spiritual discipline. Not everyone can do the program. One has to be accepted into it after proper consideration and evidence that it is the correct and needed action for that person. The alternative is dismissal from the religious order. Shane could have left and gone to live with his father, but he didn’t want to, due to his past experiences.

Shane knew this program could help him and that it was run with discipline and no distractions, so all attention was on resolving his personal issues. He expressed, both in writing and verbally, to numerous people in the Church that he really wanted to do the program and applied to do so.

The program consists of a period of 5‐hours study and religious counseling a day and other team work. It is very therapeutic and is conducted with set discipline so participants complete their studies, with maximum personal benefit. The program is focused on the individual and discovering the reasons behind why they are having trouble. It is a journey of personal realization so that an individual can take charge of their life and change and improve conditions.

Anyone on the program is there because they want to be there and they have to obtain full approval to do the program before they are accepted into it. There is a period of induction where they are educated on the program itself. They are completely free to withdraw at any time during induction or later.

After a successful period of personal counseling, study and helping others, Shane stated that he achieved his goal of fully dealing with the reasons behind his compulsive stealing and that he would never fall back into doing that again. He had many gains and positive successes from doing the program.

When Shane left the Church in late 2010, he simply got his bag and walked out the door of the Church and travelled to Queensland. The Church is very open, with easy access. No one followed him, he was not called. People can come and go with ease.

The only person who contacted him afterwards was his mother who was very concerned for his welfare. In June 2011, Shane contacted the Church in Sydney to ask for assistance with completing his Australian residency to get work. This assistance was given. Shane’s mother has remained in close contact with him and saw him last December when he visited for a concert.

After Shane left the Sea Org in December 2010, he wrote to his mother:

“I still love and respect everyone there and the Sea Org. everything I gained out of the RPF is still with me and I am holding good.”

It is very sad that Shane has changed his story about his time in the Church with claims that are simply fabrications. His father, Adrian Kelsey resigned from the Church in 2009. He now works with a group of former members to harm their former Church. The Church has provided considerable documentary evidence which has proved the falsity of their allegations.

Background: Scientology, which means ʺknowing how to know,ʺ is a religion based on the works of American philosopher and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard (1911‐86). The first Church was established In Los Angeles in 1954. Today there are more than 10,000 Scientology Churches, missions and groups in 167 nations. Scientology was recognized as a bonafide religion by Australia’s High Court in 1983.