Robert Vaughn Young

Robert Vaughn Young (April 23, 1938 - June 15, 2003) commonly known by his initials RVY, was a whistleblower against the Church of Scientology after working high inside their organization for over twenty years.

In Scientology

Of his years with the Church, RVY said:

I have held nearly every type of position at every echelon. I have worked at the local, the regional, the national and the international levels. I have been a Scientology representative and spokesman before governmental bodies, the media and the courts. I have trained others on how to handle the media and governmental agencies. I have been the most senior public relations executive for Scientology world wide. I worked for years at the echelon that handles critics, "enemies," the media, judges, the courts and the government. I have been privy to documents and tactics of the most secret nature, including illegalities committed by Scientology executives and the means of cover-up.cite web | url = http://www.xenu.net/archive/go/legal/rvy.htm | title = Declaration in the case Church of Scientology International v. Steven Fishman and Uwe Geertz | accessdate = 2007-05-18 | author = Robert Vaughn Young | date = 1994-03-09]

He was a national spokesman for the church. [cite web | first = Wendy M. | last = Grossman | title = alt.scientology.war | url = http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.12/alt.scientology.war.html?pg=7 | page=7 | work = Wired 3.12 | publisher = Wired | date = 1995-12-01 | accessdate = 2007-11-04 ]

RVY edited L. Ron Hubbard's ten-volume "Mission Earth" series. Young said that Hubbard had written the main text of the series, but that he had ghostwritten the introduction of each volume, as well as other writings in Hubbard's name. [cite web|url=http://www.holysmoke.org/rvy/rvy2.htm|accessdate=2007-08-09|title=Hubbard's "Mission Earth" - the rest of the story] [cite web|url=http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/declaration-vaughn-10-25-93.htm|title=Declaration of Robert Vaughn Young|date=October 25, 1993|accessdate=2007-08-09]

After leaving

After leaving the Church of Scientology in 1989, Young became prominent as an expert in court cases regarding Scientology such as CSI v. Fishman and Geertz, BPI v. FACTNet, [cite web | first = Alan | last = Prendergast | title = Nightmare on the Net | url = http://www.westword.com/1997-03-06/news/nightmare-on-the-net/full | work = Denver Westword News | publisher = Village Voice Media | date = 1997-03-06 | accessdate = 2008-02-01 ] the Lisa McPherson civil trial, [cite web | first = Thomas C. | last = Tobin | title = Scientology had woman in isolation | url = http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/17002208.html?dids=17002208:17002208&FMT=FT | work = Scientology | publisher = St. Petersburg Times | date = 1997-02-21 | accessdate = 2007-11-04 ] , cited by the press, [cite web | first = Joseph | last = Mallia | title = Scientology group reaches kids through PBS videos | url = http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s04a10.html | work = Inside the Church of Scientology | publisher = Boston Herald | date = 1998-03-05 | accessdate = 2007-11-01 ] [cite web | first = John | last = DeSio | title = The Rundown on Scientology's Purification Rundown | url = http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news&columns/feature.cfm | work = | publisher = New York Press | date = 2007-05-30 | accessdate = 2007-10-30 ] and as an Internet-based critic of the organization. His ex-wife, Stacy Brooks, was a member of the Lisa McPherson Trust. This frequently resulted in tension with his former organization. [cite news | first = Jennifer | last = Bjorhus | title = Scientology critics claim harassment for using Internet | url = http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/Scien3.html | publisher = The Seattle Times | date = 1995-08-26 | accessdate = 2007-05-18]

Young was diagnosed with prostate cancer on November 23, 1999 and turned his energies to Phoenix5, a non-profit organization that runs a website on the disease. He died on June 15, 2003.

References

Books

*

External links

* [http://www.xenu.net/archive/go/legal/rvy.htm RVY's affidavit] of March 9, 1994
* [http://www.phoenix5.org/ Phoenix5 home page]
* [http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/Robert_Vaughn_Young.html Robert Vaughn Young writings] (Factnet)
* [http://www.holysmoke.org/rvy/rvy.htm Scientology Versus Robert Vaughn Young] (RVY's writings on alt.religion.scientology)
* [http://www.xenu.net/archive/go/quill.htm Scientology from inside out] , Quill magazine, Volume 81, Number 9, Nov/Dec 1993.
* [http://www.holysmoke.org/cos/trementina-vault3.htm Article includes quotations from a short telephone interview with Young]