Wikileads

UPDATE, May 13: The contract referenced below only applies to members of the Sea Org, an elite fraternal Scientologist group. For more info, see this post.

In order to become a Scientologist, you have to sign away your right to sue the Church.

You also must swear you have never been committed to a mental institute or convicted of a felony, and that no one in your immediate family has ever embarrassed or attacked — or even threatened to embarrass or attack — Scientology.

You also cannot be “connected to” any person you know is hostile toward the religion.

All this from a contract people are required to sign before attending a Scientology service. Wikileaks released the document yesterday.

Some highlights:

Should I or anyone acting or purporting to be acting on my behalf ever sue, or otherwise seek legal recourse with respect to any dispute, claim or controversy against the Church, any other Scientology church, any other organization which espouses, presents, propogates or practices the Scientology religion, or any person employed by any such entity, regardless of the nature of the dispute, claim or controversy, I intend for the submission of this Contract to the presiding judicial officer to be a complete and sufficient bases for the immediate dismissal of any and all such proceedings with prejudice to further proceedings of any kind.

Whoa. Strong words. This does not seem legal.

Another interesting segment. Especially parts e and f:

This Contract is my good faith application to participate in Scientology Religious Services. By signing this Contract, I promise, covenant and represent that:

a. I am applying to participate in Scientology Religious Services to achieve spiritual betterment because I truly believe that persons can be helped to gain greater understanding and happiness in life.

b. I am applying honestly and in good faith to derive all possible personal gain from Scientology Religious Services.

c. I have no record of being committed in an institution for mental or emotional disorders.

d. I have no criminal record that includs a felony offense.

e. I am not connected with any person, such as by marital or familial ties, of known antagonism to spiritual treatment or to Scientology.

f. Neither I nor any member of my immediate family has ever sued, embarrassed or attacked, or threatened to sue, embarrass or attack, Scientology.

g. I am not attempting to investigate Scientology as a representative of any news media, government agency or entity, or any other organization, entity or person.

To any lawyers out there reading this post: Is this even legal? Can Scientology prevent its members from suing it? Isn’t it your legal right to sue a group that has wronged you?