Scientology Lies

by Thomas C. Tobin and Jon Wilson

A book logo linked to the Church of Scientology has been removed from the car of racer Mario Andretti, who said he did not want to be associated with the book when he drives in the GTE World Challenge of Tampa.

A logo for the best-selling book, Dianetics, was taken off Andretti's high-performance Porsche on Friday night. But the veteran driver said Saturday he "had nothing to do with (the Dianetics sponsorship) in the first place. It's not something I believe in, so I don't want to make it appear like I'm endorsing it."

Andretti and his son, Michael, are competing for the Kremer Racing Team this weekend in the GTE World Challenge of Tampa. Achim Stroth, manager of the team, said Saturday that Andretti objected to the logo immediately after seeing his car.

"He was not happy," said Stroth, adding that it was rare for a driver to order a sponsor's logo from a car.

Logos are a matter between race promoters and sponsors. That's why Andretti did not know until he came to town that his car would be decorated with seven Dianetics decals, Stroth said.

"He does not believe in Dianetics. He's not supporting the ideas," Stroth said. "He wanted to make it quite clear to the public that he has no cards in that game."

Dianetics is a self-help book authored in 1950 by the late L. Ron Hubbard, who also founded the Church of Scientology. The church has its spiritual headquarters in Clearwater and its business center in Los Angeles.

The book says that Hubbard's science of the mind could unseat deep-rooted psychological problems and lead to a better planet filled with "clear" individuals. That science - Dianetics - provides the philosophical foundation for the Church of Scientology.

On Saturday, the Dianetics logo remained on another car competing in the Tampa race. The car is to be driven by George Fouche of Pretoria, South Africa, and Volker Wiedler, of Heidelberg, West Germany.

Meanwhile, the track in Tampa was abuzz Saturday with talk of the controversy. During qualifying of the prototype cars - high-tech models from Europe and the United States - a race official joked that the car retaining the logo was faster than Andretti's.

One man hawking race programs was yelling in jest that they were written by L. Ron Hubbard.

Stroth said that after Andretti objected to the logo, the promoters of the World Challenge consented to a "gentleman's agreement" allowing Andretti to drive without the logo. He said the agreement was made "without any conflict with Dianetics."

Stroth said the move probably would draw more attention to the book than if Andretti had simply kept the logo. Stroth quipped that it was "the perfect promotion."

Dianetics is published by Bridge Publications of Los Angeles, which is the for-profit publishing arm of the non-profit Church of Scientology. In an interview last week, a Bridge spokesman sought to distance the publisher and the book from the church, which recently has run into legal trouble.

This week, authorities in Spain jailed Heber Jentzsch, president of the Church of Scientology International. Jentzsch and 10 other church members are being held pending charges.

In addition, a Spanish judge also ordered $1.75-million of the church's assets frozen until the case is resolved.

Scientologists immediately protested the actions and said they would sue. They claimed the judge acted illegally.

The raid on Scientology was the culmination of a nine-month investigation involving 30 wiretaps and searches of church offices in seven Spanish cities.

Scott Welch, vice president for public affairs at Bridge, said last week that the publishing company sponsored the cars after discovering that many potential Dianetics buyers are racing fans.

He has said that although Hubbard was responsible for Dianetics and Scientology, the two are not linked to each other. Hubbard, he said, managed to separate the two interests.

Welch arrived in Tampa late Saturday but said he knew nothing about Andretti's decision.

Hal Kelley, director of the World Challenge race, also could not be reached for comment.