Who was Ian Tampion? | Print |
Sunday, 31 July 2011 01:12
by Chris Guider (ex IG MAA RTC)

In the late 70's Scientology Australia was really in deep trouble and got itself banned in both Victoria and South Australia by the Australian High Court.  With the ruling against them, Scientologists in both Melbourne and Adelaide went underground with meters and materials hidden under floor boards and in attics. They would pull them out when the coast was clear and carrying on behind drawn curtains unbeknownst to the powers that be. But there was one man that stood up and took the fight on in broad daylight, carrying the entire weight of responsibility on his shoulders. His name was Ian Tampion, a member of the local Guardian Office, he filed suit in his own name and got delivery going again by establishing the Church of the New Faith. Ian was the man on the ground and the internationally directed legal battle relied heavily on his actions. Eventually Scientology got the rights  to operate again but only after a lengthy series of strategic steps with Ian leading the charge.

Ian was a born and bred Victorian and had excelled through school and in his chosen sport of Australian Rules. His career peaked while he played for his beloved South Melbourne Swans (Now the Sydney Swans) in the early 70's and notably he is known for having kicked a drop goal of over 60 meters in length. Athletic, and a gentleman by nature who was always neatly dressed, Ian presented well and with a bright intelligent mind was effective.

Later with the legal battle out of the way, he and his wife Judy together teamed up to run many successful tours throughout Australia for the Advanced Org United Kingdom — rounding up Aussie Clears and shipping them off to St Hill for their OT levels prior to the Sydney Advanced Org opening in 1984. The Tampions, were widely known and respected throughout Australia but like many others that had served so devotedly in the Guardian Office, they suddenly had a black mark that would never wash off, affixed to them by the coup initiated and led by David Miscavige that saw the world-wide network that was the GO disappear almost overnight.  Judy, who had been the Communicator for Jane Kember, the Guardian International, and Ian were both pushed into a corner and when Ian refused to toe the line it was RPF.

It was 1984 and after being disciplined for getting case correction ahead of sec checking he'd had enough. He got Judy and their two young daughters and headed back to Melbourne, out of the Sea Org and out of the mess that had once been a bright and successful staff career for himself and Judy. They took what meager possessions they had and started over renting a small weatherboard house in Box Hill, Melbourne.

Over time they re-built their lives with Ian working in the local bank as an investment officer and doing tax returns at night and on weekends. Their daughters were put into local school and things started on a steady climb forward for the family. Eventually they got their own place and with things stable Ian could take time to enjoy his favorite past time on the golf course. So, with things moving forward it was time to get moving up the Bridge. A seemingly straight-forward economic and ethical process of earning enough money and having enough sense to do things that forwarded and not cut across your livelihood.

Being ex-GO meant they had to run the gauntlet through a myriad of ethics handling and sec checks to resume moving up the Bridge. Ian payed up and in the way of stops and delays he got more than he bargained for. In the end, despite a good 10 years of trying, he never made it back on the Bridge. He was also under fire with his youngest daughter now in the Sea Org calling home and wanting to leave and yet when he did his duty as a father and supported her desire, the tables were turned and it was he who they blamed as an “external influence.”

Ian had a healthy respect for LRH and had communicated to him many times over the years. In particular he had done a bit of a review on study tech and came up with an additional point on words which LRH was delighted with and even had the information issued in an HCOB which included Ian's name.

As time went on, with David Miscavige purging and plundering, taking out all the international structure, and any other identity that may have had some cause or responsibility in making Scientology effective in assisting people with their lives, Miscavige made sure that all names of such well-intentioned people who had contributed to creating Scientology were removed. All recorded lectures were edited to delete each mention of students, auditors, staff or Scientologists names. The same went for HCOBs and other issues and even now as of 2007 Miscavige has edited all the books and publicly proclaimed what a travesty LRH left behind that he now had to painstakingly handle. The target was to eliminate any power that had been bestowed or shared on others by LRH and then after that was to supplant Source with Dave. The program was very wide in scope including the star of trust given to Ray Mithoff or the Trustee responsibility given to Norman Starkey or the hat of Executive Director International given to Leserve or the responsibility of Commanding Officer Church of Spiritual Technology given to Russ Bellin, and of course the mere mention of Ian Tampion by name in an HCOB had to go!

Ian Tampion was an intelligent person and the removal of these names including his own after LRH had left did not go unnoticed as the violation that it was.  He did not complain openly but in his heart he knew something was severely wrong. If they are changing this HCOB and that lecture after they had been around for decades with LRH still alive what else was going on now that he had left. He would never find out the full extent but that knowledge isolated him.

With both his daughters now in the Sea Org and in the upper levels of the church he came to experience more heart break than he could stand. Rarely seeing them and then having ethics reports written on Ian painting him as a “disaffected external influence” cost him dearly. If you were ex-GO and “disaffected” the nearest you could ever get to getting back on the Bridge was the door to the ethics officer.

By 1997 and still a relatively young man he was battling cancer. There was no real assistance for him from the church and he battled on with Judy but he was a dying man. It should not have ended up this way for someone who was in fact a Scientology hero — a man acknowledged by L. Ron Hubbard for technical contribution, a man of genuine heart and conviction, a leader of the old guard who worked for the broad-scale betterment of others in contrast to parasites that infest the church these days.

Judy would say from time to time if anyone should have a freedom medal it was Ian Tampion.

But Reverend Ian Tampion was amputated from the scriptures of Miscavige's corporate Frankenstein and the blood ran down the drain.

Chris Guider

Epilogue


I did a little Google research on Ian Tampion and turned up the following article from 1973 that not only mentions Ian Tampion, but includes LRH's comment on Ian's achievement of reopening Australia to Scientology. Also included is an incredibly prophetic quotation from Reverend Tampion himself... today serving as the last word on the self-appointed dictator who tried to destroy him. — Thoughtful

“The point has been reached when truth is revealed, when suspicion, propaganda and slurs stand revealed as shadows with no substance.”  — Ian Tampion, 1973


from Nation Review, 28 Apr 1973-03 May 1973, p845

Religion on the march
Scientology's new reverence

By JOHN MAY

ONE OF the federal Labor government's many decisions in the past four months - recognition of scientology as a religion - has passed with little, if any, coverage by the Australian press. However, the move has been more than popular with the nation's 3000 active scientologists and has received rave reviews in the movement's press, both here and overseas.

The government's proclamation, gazetted on February 15, recognized as celebrants of marriage fifty-five religious bodies, including the Church of the New Faith Incorporated - the name adopted by the Church of Scientology following the 1963-65 Anderson inquiry in Victoria.

According to the Victorian president, the reverend Ian Tampion, federal recognition under the Matrimonial Causes Act has embarrassed the Victorian government and made all parties wary of the issue with the election so close. Mr Tampion wrote to Messrs Hamer, Thompson, Rossiter and Ross-Edwards following the federal move and asked that the repressive clauses of the Psychological Practices Act be repealed because they were no longer enforceable. All four parliamentarians refused to discuss the matter - thereby giving tacit approval for any boom in the fringe religion.

The Australian edition of the movement's paper Freedom (published in Britain but printed in East Malvern, Victoria) gives banner headlines to the Murphy decision. The front-page story gives credit to Lionel for the repeal bills on anti scientology legislation now being processed in both Western Australia and South Australia.

An editorial in the same paper written by the Australian leader, Michael Graham of Perth, declares Murphy a responsible public figure in speedily implementing promises made in opposition last year. Graham draws the conclusion that apparently Murphy agrees with scientologists in not accepting the "conduct, findings and bias of the Anderson inquiry".

More praise is laid at the senator's feet for advising the English world headquarters of the Australian recognition when he was in London recently. Mary Sue Hubbard, controller for the founder, says Lionel's action means "honest politicians do exist and Australia can look forward to an exciting future under the Labor government".

Both reverends Graham and Tampion agree that Murphy's decision followed a legal precedent set by a Western Australian magistrate in 1970. The magistrate upheld an appeal by the reverend J. Gellie against his conscription on the grounds that he was a full-time minister of religion. Mr Tampion is quick to point out that Ivor Greenwood refused to acknowledge that legal judgment.

Continuing Graham's editorial, he asserts that today in Australia "the point has been reached when truth is revealed, when suspicion, propaganda and slurs stand revealed as shadows with no substance. Australia is a country which has probably more potential for expansion than any other in the west today".

Fighting words indeed, and words backed up by L. Ron Hubbard, who, in a recent letter circularized through Australian branches, urged his brethren to greater activities with these words: "A hard fight is over. Now that there are no bans on scientology in Australia I want to congratulate you on having your country back. I also want you to throw the doors wide open now."

In Victoria, Tampion is more than eager to talk about the future plans of his church. He admits his past reticence was a mistake and has adopted a more open approach to public scrutiny.

He says the catch-22 aspect of recognition (the Victorian legislation exempts ministers of religion from the provisions of the Psychological Practices Act which ban the teaching and practice of scientology for fee or reward, but the federal move, in effect, makes ministers of scientology ministers of religion) has opened the way to resume former practices. These include advertising, mainly of the literature distributed from England and the States; and use of the E-meter, an electrical resistance device used by scientologists when counseling and now recognized as a religious artifact in America.

Tampion and his brethren are doubly happy at present because they've just won another victory. The Caulfield city council has for the past twelve months been refusing to issue a permit for the church to use its Inkerman road premises as a place of worship. However an appeal by the scientologists has been upheld by the Town Planning Appeals tribunal.

For the uninitiated, the Church of the New Faith Incorporated, operates in four capital cities - Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney. Although 20,000 members have passed through the books, officials agree that 3000 would be closer to the actual number of practicing brethren. A supreme being is acknowledged but scientologists believe that God is in oneself, that inherent Godlike qualities may be suppressed and that processing a preclear will improve his wellbeing etc. The only symbolism apparent is a cross.

Ian Tampion says the new era now being heralded in Australian scientology will hopefully involve recognition by other churches and government backing for some of its projects - particularly Narconon, a No-to-Narcotics scheme which is being financed by thirty-nine state prisons in America and by the Swedish government. Based on scientology practices Narconon claims an 80 percent success rate.

Finance for scientology is by donation and fees - according to Tampion who stresses that he receives nothing above his salary for being a secretary and director of a group of building industry companies. Small stipends are paid to the six full-time staff at the Melbourne church.

Perhaps the greatest sign of things to come, not only in Victoria, is the advertisement placed in the latest issue of Church news. It calls on those interested in working in a safe, happy environment to consider full or part-time work, trained or untrained, in expanding scientology in Victoria.

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