Arnaldo Lerma
Encyclopedia
Arnaldo Pagliarini Lerma (born November 18, 1950) is an American writer and activist, a former Scientologist, and critic of Scientology
, who has appeared in television, media and radio interviews. Lerma was the first person to post the court document known as the Fishman Affidavit
, including the Xenu
story, to the internet via the Usenet
newsgroup alt.religion.scientology
.
's exaggerated account of his military career and scientific credentials.
Lerma joined Scientology's Sea Org
and was assigned in 1976 to a post working alongside Hubbard's daughter Suzette. He claims they became romantically involved and planned to elope
, though others have disputed this. Lerma alleges that other Sea Org officers discovered their plans and threatened to mutilate him if he did not cancel the marriage. Lerma quit Scientology soon afterward.
, alleging he was in possession of copyrighted documents. A lawsuit was filed against Lerma and his Internet service provider by the church's Religious Technology Center
, (RTC), claiming copyright infringement
and trade secret
misappropriation.
The Washington Post and two investigative reporters were added to the lawsuit, as an article written about the raid contained three brief quotes from Scientology "Advanced Technology" documents. The Washington Post, et al. were released from the suit when USDJ Leonie Brinkema
ruled in a memorandum on November 28, 1995:
The Memorandum Opinion acknowledges what Scientology practices to this day: the "Fair Game"
policy, a written directive by L. Ron Hubbard that encourages harassment of anyone who speaks out against the church. In conclusion, the court awarded RTC the statutory minimum of $2,500 for five instances of non-willful copyright violation.
Arnie Lerma is also noted for discovering an altered picture on a Scientology website on New Year's Eve in 1999, one that appeared to inflate the number of members attending a millennial event at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in California. He posted the pictures to his website identifying the alterations, with the most prominent feature being the "man with no head." The story appeared on national television and in the press.
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
, who has appeared in television, media and radio interviews. Lerma was the first person to post the court document known as the Fishman Affidavit
Fishman Affidavit
The Fishman Affidavit is a set of court documents submitted by ex-Scientologist Steven Fishman in 1993 in the federal case, Church of Scientology International v. Fishman and Geertz The Fishman Affidavit is a set of court documents submitted by ex-Scientologist Steven Fishman in 1993 in the federal...
, including the Xenu
Xenu
Xenu ,also spelled Xemu, was, according to the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs...
story, to the internet via the Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
newsgroup alt.religion.scientology
Alt.religion.scientology
The newsgroup alt.religion.scientology is a Usenet newsgroup started in 1991 to discuss the controversial beliefs of Scientology, as well as the Church of Scientology, which claims exclusive intellectual property rights thereto and is viewed by many as a dangerous cult...
.
Time in Scientology
Lerma started in Scientology at the age of 16 at the urging of his mother, an executive director for the Washington, DC church. He was impressed by L. Ron HubbardL. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
's exaggerated account of his military career and scientific credentials.
Lerma joined Scientology's Sea Org
Sea Org
The Sea Organization or Sea Org is an association of Scientologists established in 1968 by L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer and founder of Scientology. Its members are found in the central management organizations of the Church of Scientology as well as in individual churches...
and was assigned in 1976 to a post working alongside Hubbard's daughter Suzette. He claims they became romantically involved and planned to elope
Elope
To elope, most literally, merely means to run away with a girl and to not come back to the point of origination. More specifically, elopement is often used to refer to a marriage conducted in sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving hurried flight away from one's place of residence together...
, though others have disputed this. Lerma alleges that other Sea Org officers discovered their plans and threatened to mutilate him if he did not cancel the marriage. Lerma quit Scientology soon afterward.
RTC v. Lerma
After Lerma posted the Fishman Affidavit in August 1995, his home was raided by federal marshals and lawyers from the Church of ScientologyChurch of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
, alleging he was in possession of copyrighted documents. A lawsuit was filed against Lerma and his Internet service provider by the church's Religious Technology Center
Religious Technology Center
The Religious Technology Center is a Californian non-profit corporation. RTC was founded in 1982 by the Church of Scientology in order to control and oversee the use of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of Scientology and Dianetics, including the copyrighted works of Scientology founder and...
, (RTC), claiming copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
and trade secret
Trade secret
A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers...
misappropriation.
The Washington Post and two investigative reporters were added to the lawsuit, as an article written about the raid contained three brief quotes from Scientology "Advanced Technology" documents. The Washington Post, et al. were released from the suit when USDJ Leonie Brinkema
Leonie Brinkema
Leonie M. Brinkema is a United States District Court judge, in the Eastern District of Virginia.-Early life and education:...
ruled in a memorandum on November 28, 1995:
- "When the RTC first approached the Court with its ex parte request for the seizure warrant and temporary restraining order, the dispute was presented as a straightforward one under copyright and trade secret law. However, the Court is now convinced that the primary motivation of RTC in suing Lerma, DGS and The Post is to stifle criticism of Scientology in general and to harass its critics. As the increasingly vitriolic rhetoric of its briefs and oral argument now demonstrates, the RTC appears far more concerned about criticism of Scientology than vindication of its secrets."
(Memorandum Opinion of November 28, 1995, by U.S. District Judge Leonie BrinkemaLeonie BrinkemaLeonie M. Brinkema is a United States District Court judge, in the Eastern District of Virginia.-Early life and education:...
; Religious Technology Center v. Arnaldo Lerma, Washington Post, Mark Fisher, and Richard Leiby)
The Memorandum Opinion acknowledges what Scientology practices to this day: the "Fair Game"
Fair Game (Scientology)
The term Fair Game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church of Scientology towards people and groups it perceives as its enemies. Founder L. Ron Hubbard established the policy in the 1960s, in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization...
policy, a written directive by L. Ron Hubbard that encourages harassment of anyone who speaks out against the church. In conclusion, the court awarded RTC the statutory minimum of $2,500 for five instances of non-willful copyright violation.
Lermanet
Arnie Lerma started a website "Lermanet" which concentrates on news about Scientology and on documenting lawsuits by Scientology.Arnie Lerma is also noted for discovering an altered picture on a Scientology website on New Year's Eve in 1999, one that appeared to inflate the number of members attending a millennial event at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in California. He posted the pictures to his website identifying the alterations, with the most prominent feature being the "man with no head." The story appeared on national television and in the press.
Writings
- The Internet is the Liberty Tree of the 90's
- Copyrights and Why Scientology Hates Arnaldo Lerma
- Scientology Gag Agreements - A Conspiracy for Silence
- The art of deception, 1996
External links
- Lermanet.com: Exposing the con (Arnie Lerma's Website) Media, Documentation and Pictures of 1995 Raid
- Church of Scientology protects secrets on the Internet CNN, Washington, August 26, 1995
- Affidavit by Arnie Lerma dated September 6, 1995.
- Brinkema, Leonie M. Civil Action No. 95-1107-A: Memorandum Opinion Alexandria: US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia-Alexandria Division, November 28, 1995
- alt.scientology.war by Wendy Grossman, Wired Magazine, December, 1995