April 14 in Scientology history

The other day we told you that Brent Jones, a Scientologist who served as a legislator in Nevada for one term, 2015-2017, is now running for lieutenant governor in that state. An alert reader pointed out that Brent's wife Aimee Jones is also running for office, trying to win the seat that Brent lost to a Democrat in the 2016 election. Aimee Jones has a campaign website, Facebook page, and a GoFundMe going, and in her bio she talks about working with her husband at their business that sells "Real Water" — a company that uses L. Ron Hubbard technology for its business administration concepts.

Tags: 1990, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, Affinity Lifestyles, Aimee Jones, Brent Jones, CCHR, Chicago, Chicago Fire, Christian Stolte, Class XII, David Miscavige, E-meter, Facebook, GoFundMe, Grade IV, Holocaust, L Rundowns, Laurel Fee, Mike Rinder, Nevada, New Life Rundown, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Real Water, Rundowns, Sunny Pereira

Shastina Sandman is running in the GOP primary to nominate the Republican candidate for Congress in the 48th District of California. As part of her platform, Shastina opposes the widespread psychiatric drugging of children. Upon learning of her position on psychiatric medications, Scientology sent in an operative from its notorious front group Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR). The CCHR agent met Shastina at a political meeting and gave her a CCHR package of materials. The agent never told CCHR was a part of the Church of Scientology. Rather, the CCHR agent played upon Shastina's opposition to drugging children and got her to support CCHR on her podcast. In the podcast, Shastina and Jeffrey also discuss Scientologist Joy Villa and her foray into politics. Of note is Joy Villa's insistence that she is a Christian and a Scientologist when, in fact, Scientology does not allow its members to engage in other practices and considers all other religions to be implants. Article on Shastina on the Scientology Money Project: https://scientologymoneyproject.com/2018/04/14/scientology-meddling-into-shastina-sandmans-us-congressional-campaign/

Tags: California, CCHR, Christian, Congress, Joy Villa, Quicky, Republican, Scientology Money Project, Shastina Sandman

Shastina Sandman is running in the GOP primary to nominate the Republican candidate for Congress in the 48th District of California. As part of her platform, Shastina opposes the widespread psychiatric drugging of children. Upon learning of her position on psychiatric medications, Scientology sent in an operative from its notorious front group Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR). The operative made it a point to attend a political event he knew Shastina would be attending. There, he gave her a CCHR package of materials. The CCHR operative never disclosed to he that he was a Scientologist or that CCHR was a part of Scientology. Shastina thereafter discussed and supported CCHR on her podcast. Scientology's goal is to surreptitiously infiltrate itself into various sectors of society through its front groups.

Tags: 2016, California, CCHR, Christian, Clay Bock, Congress, Garden Grove City, Joy Villa, Pauline Lombard, Quicky, Republican, Sebastian Gorka, Shastina Sandman, Tony Ortega

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Tags: Fraud, Jeff Wasel, Quicky, Refund

Truth is stranger than fiction (though the Mission Earth series might disprove this old saw - it's hard to dream up weirder than that). I wonder if any of the WOTF contest winners understood that within a few weeks of being paraded on stage and handed a trophy and a check, their speeches would be being touted at the weekly "graduation" of scientology orgs? Like the people who are tricked into saying something positive about the "social betterment activities" and posing for pictures — nobody warns them in advance that they will be being used to try to bestow legitimacy on scientology and the writings of L. Ron Hubbard.

Tags: David Miscavige, L. Ron Hubbard Way, Mission Earth, OT, Quicky, Writers of the Future

Tags: Quicky, Regraded Being

On Tuesday, Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige invited the business and property owners of Clearwater, Florida's Cleveland Street for an unusual private presentation at the Fort Harrison Hotel, centerpiece of the church's Flag Land Base that takes up much of Clearwater's downtown area. Tracey McManus of the Tampa Bay Times revealed that Miscavige had invited the Cleveland Street "stakeholders" to pitch them on his plans for a revitalized downtown, and he'd even brought along top Scientology celebrities John Travolta, Kelly Preston, and Kirstie Alley to bolster his pitch. (And we spotted Scientology billionaire Bob Duggan in photos of the event as well.) Miscavige is trying to throw a wrench into the city's $55 million, 10-year redevelopment plan it calls "Imagine Clearwater," the city's latest attempt to resuscitate a town that was invaded by the church (operating under a fake name) in 1975, and that has been strangled of life in the decades since by Scientology's presence. One of the elements of that plan is a 1.4-acre parcel that an aquarium company has committed to sell to the city for $4.25 million, pending a vote by the city council next week. But Miscavige wants to derail that transaction, offering not only $15 million for the parcel, but also promising to spend some $8 million for new facades on the buildings along Cleveland Street.

Tags: 1975, Bob Duggan, Clay Irwin, Clearwater, Cleveland Street, David Miscavige, Denver, Facebook, Flag Land Base, Florida, Fort Harrison, John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Kirstie Alley, Leif Oskarsson, Lucky Anchor, Quicky, Tampa Bay Times, Tom Cruise, Tracey McManus

In this 4-part series, I interview my Mom about Scientology, our mutual history with it and how she helped me to escape. In this third part, we talk about disconnection, my life in the Sea Org and why we did not see each other a lot when I was in but how we stayed connected despite every reason Scientology was giving me to get her out of my life.

Tags: Disconnection, Quicky, Sea Org

TAMPA — In an attempt to resolve their $1.3 million fraud case against the Church of Scientology, a federal judge last year required Luis and Rocio Garcia to submit to the church's internal arbitration process. That is easier said than done, the couple says in a new motion that accuses Scientology of obstructing the process for months. It also argues that the church, by throwing up barriers, has effectively waived the right to have the matter arbitrated and asks U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore to get on with their lawsuit. The Garcias, who live in California, are seeking the return of $1.3 million in donations they made to various Scientology causes during their 28 years in the church — most notably a sum of more than $420,000 that went to the church's massive "Flag Building" in downtown Clearwater.

Tags: 1982, 2010, 2011, California, Clearwater, Dianetics, First Amendment, Flag Building, International Justice Chief, Irvine, Judge James Whittemore, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Mental Health, Mike Ellis, Palm Beach, Quicky, Scientology practice, Squirrel, Suppressive Person, Ted Babbitt, Wally Pope

Luis and Rocio Garcia filed a new motion in their lawsuit yesterday, asking federal district Judge James D. Whittemore to lift the stay in their case and allow them to get on with suing the Church of Scientology. We have the document for you and its set of exhibits. Last August, the Garcias lost an appeal in the case and then had to face the music: If they were going to get their money back from Scientology, they would have to submit themselves to Scientology's internal arbitration procedures. The Garcias first filed their federal fraud lawsuit in January 2013, alleging that the church had deceived them in order to obtain donations, including $340,000 towards the construction of the Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida, also known as the Super Power Building. The Garcias had been longtime Scientologists and frequent donors, and Scientology argued that they had signed multiple contracts which required them to submit disputes to the organization's internal arbitration system. The Garcias argued, however, that the contracts were a sham. There were no internal arbitration rules, they said, and an arbitration had never been performed in the history of the church — all of which the church admitted in court was true.

Tags: 1965, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, Arbitration, Chris Shelton, Church of Scientology International, Church of Scientology Religious Trust, Clearwater, David DeMichele, Disconnection, Flag Building, Florida, Garcia v. Scientology, Garth Lombard, Ideal Org, Int Landlord Office, International Association of Scientologists, International Justice Chief, Irvine, Jasmin Buchele, Joy Graysen, Judge James Whittemore, Katrina James, Laura Quintero, Los Angeles, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Luis Garcia, Marty Rathbun, Mike Ellis, Mike Reppen, Mike Rinder, Orange County, Paul Bove, Quicky, Ray Barton, Sec Check, Squirrel, Super Power, Super Power Building, Suppressive Person, Susan Crane, Ted Babbitt, Tim DeWall

Rep. David Jolly, whose ties to the Church of Scientology have generated recent news coverage, is pushing church-backed legislation to study the relationship between psychiatric drugs and veteran suicide. "I know this type of opioid abuse has been a concern to the church and they have approached me about it as constituents," the Pinellas County Republican said in an interview. But he said the church, which is headquartered in Clearwater, did not write the legislation and that veterans groups have raised the issue, too, including Fleet Reserve Association and AMVETS.

Tags: 2014, CCHR, Clearwater, Congress, David Jolly, Florida, Pam Bondi, Pinellas County, Quicky, Suicide, Wikipedia

HUGE News! But then again, has there EVER been a scientology event that is not huge, epic, monumental blah blah blah Of course, the huge news is: a) we need your money now and b) you need to get busy on our backlogged CF.

Tags: Andromeda Edison, Atlanta, Christy Rose, Class VIII, Disconnection, Edinburgh, Gavin Potter, Hollywood Guaranty Building, Human trafficking, International Association of Scientologists, Maiden Voyage, New Mexico, New Year's Eve, OT, OT IX, OT VII, OT VIII, Phoenix, Quicky, Tampa, Thursday Funnies

A year ago, we brought you the story of a family ripped apart by Scientology's 'disconnection' policy. Gayle Smith had been a longtime staff member in the Philadelphia org who found herself "declared" a "suppressive person" in 2011, cutting her off from the church and everyone in it. That included her son, Aaron Smith-Levin, and his three children. But she defied the church, continued to see her son and grandchildren, and that ended up getting Aaron tossed out of the church and his kids kicked out of a Scientology school. Also last year, Tampa Bay Times journalist Joe Childs reported another stunning case of disconnection. A woman named Sara Goldberg was forced by church officials to choose between her son, Nick Lister, who had been declared, and her daughter, who remained in the church. Her dilemma became a key highlight of Alex Gibney's documentary, Going Clear, which began airing on HBO last month. Now, the two young men from those stories, Aaron Smith-Levin and Nick Lister, are teaming up to create a new YouTube channel that will feature the stories of other young Scientologists who grew up in the church and believe they have a unique view of it.

Tags: 2005, 2008, 2011, Aaron Smith-Levin, Alex Gibney, Bob Duggan, California, Cameron Crest, Clear, Disconnection, Ex-Scientology Kids, Florida, Gayle Smith, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, HBO, Joe Childs, Mexico City, Narconon, Nick Lister, Nora Crest, Philadelphia, Russia, Sara Goldberg, South Park, Suppressive Person, Tampa Bay Times, Trapped in the Closet, Washburn Academy, YouTube

In his outstanding op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times, director Alex Gibney took a bold public stand in demanding that the IRS and the US Congress hold the Church of Scientology accountable for its sweeping and documented abuses of tax exemption. Gibney knows whereof he speaks for he and his colleagues experienced firsthand the malicious and vindictive conduct of Scientology while making and releasing his acclaimed documentary Going Clear on HBO. Gibney's call to end Scientology's tax exemption is now spreading as websites across the globe begin to report the story. The Guardian story.

Tags: Alex Gibney, CCHR, Church of Scientology International, Clearwater, Congress, Dallas, David Miscavige, Flag Service Organization, Flag Ship Service Organization, Florida, Fort Harrison, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Google, HBO, Hollywood, International Association of Scientologists, IRS, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, New Hampshire, Office of Special Affairs, Private investigator, Quicky, Religious Technology Center, Squirrel Busters, The Guardian, Tony Ortega, US IAS Members Trust, Washington

The scam of the ideal orgs rolls on... After 12 YEARS, the western US region is by far the most advanced area of scientology with respect to creating "ideal orgs." This promo piece doesn't even mention the very non-ideal, tiny and getting tinier Hawaii, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Albuquerque "orgs."

Tags: Albuquerque, AOLA, ASHO, Atlanta, Basel, Boston, Chicago, David Miscavige, Detroit, Hawaii, Houston, Ideal Org, Inglewood, Miami, Orange County, Pasadena, Pittsburgh, Quicky, San Diego, San Fernando Valley, Santa Barbara, Silicon Valley, Sydney, Zurich

Another accidental disclosure of stats you would never see at an International Event where all graphs look liked they have been neutered. But the first interesting thing about this is the LRH quote. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the ENTIRE justification for the Holy Grail of getting 10,000 on Solo NOTs. That is everything there is on the subject that is not just hype. But here we go — this is by FAR the largest Class V org on earth. It dwarfs all other Class V orgs and outside of St Hill Fdn (which hardly exists) it is the only Sea Org Class V org (though Tampa is a semi-SO Class V org with SO members from Flag there as virtual staff members).

Tags: Class V, L. Ron Hubbard, Mission, OT, Quicky, Sea Org, Student Hat, Survival Rundown, Tampa

This is a desperate email sent out at 5:15pm on Friday evening. As the Special Correspondent who sent this to me noted, recently AOSHUK was crowing over the fact their "courserooms are full" of people on the Student Hat and "GAG II line-up". If so, where did they all go? I wonder if this song is going to be in the fine tradition of other infamous songs — from AOSHEU to Birmingham to Valley. Shudder at the thought. Probably the only truth in here is "being able to sing is not a requirement."

Tags: AOSHEU, AOSHUK, Birmingham, Craig Mathieson, International Association of Scientologists, OTC, Quicky, Sea Org, Student Hat, UK

For the first time in at least 20 years, probably longer, the May 9th event is not going to be at the Shrine Auditorium. In fact, it's not even going to be an "event." It's going to be a "weekend" of "igniting the fire" in Los Angeles on L. Ron Hubbard Way. With "Dianetics cars and motorcycles" and a Dianetics "volcano climbing wall." Wonder if they will have carnival rides and sideshow attractions (a "Dunk The COB" attraction would generate a lot of interest I am sure and I bet they could make some serious money). There must be NO news worthy of an event. The walls are caving in. This is a SIGNIFICANT indicator of the sorry state of affairs inside the bubble.

Tags: Chairman of the Board, Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard, L. Ron Hubbard Way, Los Angeles, Quicky, Shrine Auditorium

« Nous avons remporté une victoire, déclare M. Love. Après des années d'enquête, ils ont conclu que nous avions dit la vérité. » Narconon lui a offert un dédommagement représentant environ 20 % du montant établi par la Commission des droits de la personne, précise-t-il. Au surplus, on lui demande de signer une clause de confidentialité, qui l'empêcherait ensuite de parler de cette affaire. Et cette entente doit être acceptée par les trois victimes pour être effective, ajoute-t-il, outré.

Tags: David Love, Mauricie, Narconon, Narconon Trois-Rivières, Quebec Human Rights Commission

Four years after he left Narconon Trois-Rivières, and two years after the so-called drug rehabilitation centre was shut down by the public health agency, David Love has been vindicated by the Quebec Human Rights Commission, which concluded the centre exploited and abused him - financially, physically and mentally - along with two other complainants. Love, who was first a patient then an employee at Narconon until he realized it was closely linked to the Church of Scientology, said the commission's recent decision was a "global win" against Narconon, which continues to run drug rehabilitation centres in several countries - putting patients' lives at risk.

Tags: CCHR, David Love, Hockley Valley, IQ test, Marc Lacour, Michel Ménard, Narconon, Narconon Trois-Rivières, Non-disclosure agreement, Patricia Poirier, Purification Rundown, Quebec, Quebec Human Rights Commission, Quebec Human Rights Tribunal, Quebec Labour Tribunal

We've been keeping an eye on Ryan Hamilton's lawsuits against Scientology's Narconon drug rehab facilities in part because they're so thorough. The Las Vegas attorney has obviously done his homework, and in the complaints he's filed, he lays out the history of Narconon and its many deceptions with detailed citations. With references to testimony in other cases, he's clearly trying to anticipate all of the objections and moves that Scientology has made previously. So what does Narconon do? You're going to love this. In one of the four federal lawsuits Hamilton recently filed, Narconon's attorneys have complained that Hamilton's complaint is too detailed. This Complaint consists of over 100 paragraphs, nearly 120 pages including exhibits, a full deposition transcript from a distinctly separate lawsuit filed in Dekal[b] County, Georgia, numerous conclusory statements, prolonged unnecessary quotes from books, "scientific" opinions, etc. The Complaint is argumentative, prolix, largely irrelevant, and is not "simple, concise, and direct" as required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(d).

Tags: Georgia, Las Vegas, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, Michael Tarr, Narconon, Nevada, Quicky, Ryan Hamilton

Remember the earlier post about the "Flag Alliance" to raise money for all the orgs in the "Southeast US" (all 4 of them) to "go Ideal"? An Ideal Org IQ Test Well, the most "powerful OT Committee in the world", with 253 members at last count (not much of a percentage out of the claimed 10,000 Scientologists in the Tampa Bay area or 2 1/2%) is having a tough time getting people to confirm attendance. With this "Command Intention" — in fact the MOST IMPORTANT program according to "Chairman of the Bored", David Miscavige — event less than a week away, they have a less than impressive total of 29 confirmeds. Or about 0.25% of the local Scientology population (this is based on the church figures — in fact there are probably a maximum of 2,000 Flag Public in the Tampa Bay area, with more than half not on lines and not attending ANY events). I think people are catching on.

Tags: ABLE, Arthur Maren, Atlanta, CCHR, Chairman of the Board, Clear, Command Intention, David Miscavige, DEA, Delon Wilson, Dusti Woodbury, George Mesmer, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Jack Dirmann, Jim Bridgeforth, Kaye Champagne, Miami, Orlando, OT, OT Ambassador, OT Committee, OTC, Planetary Dissemination, Puerto Rico, Quicky, Super Power, Susan Moore, Tampa, Volunteer Ministers

We have so much for you today, we hardly know where to begin. On Sundays, we bring you the latest wacky Scientology fliers and mailers and other things that our worldwide tipster network has brought us during the week. And today is special — tonight, Scientology is holding its annual posh gala for science fiction writers and illustrators, and like last year, we're going to live-blog the ceremony as it streams on the 'net! Please check back here later today for our live-blog entry, which we'll post at around 7:30 PM Eastern/4:30 PM Pacific (12:30 AM London/9:30 AM Sydney) to get the conversation started. The event itself begins at 9:30 PM Eastern/6:30 PM Pacific (2:30 AM London/11:30 AM Sydney). As for this morning, we have a great collection of weird stuff for you. Let's start with the Writers of the Future contest itself...

Tags: 2003, 2011, Anonymous, Arizona, Author Services Inc, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Clear, David Miscavige, Dianetics, England, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Hollywood, Hugh Urban, Ideal Org, Janet Reitman, Jenna Miscavige Hill, Johannesburg, Lawrence Wright, London, Mike Rinder, New York, Ohio State University, Phoenix, Plymouth, Quicky, Rachel Denk, Scotland, Sea Org, Sunday Funnies, Sydney, Texas, The Hole, Tim Powers, Vance Woodward, Writers of the Future, Xenu

Reference: What We Are Doing Here Some people get mixed up in Scientology with its sometimes obsessive attempted attainment toward and assertion of 'total certainty.' It would seem such folk may have jettisoned some basic Scientology axioms and laws in pursuit of later claims and emphases. Consequently, I find a lot of former and independent Scientologists are mixed up on the Know-to-Mystery scale. They can't seem to understand why it is that 'Not Know' is the second highest rung on the scale. This conundrum was addressed in an earlier post, What We Are Doing Here. Of late, we have been examining the subject of judgmentalism on this blog - most recently its relationship to sociopathy, The Psychopath Test. In reviewing one of the texts from the recommended reading section of this blog, The Sociopath Next Door, I came across a passage that sheds a little light on this subject of 'total certainty' particularly as it relates to judgmentalism. It gives some idea why it can seem untoward or uncomfortable or even anti-survival to obsess with attainment of total certainty. From Chapter Five, why conscience is partially blind:

Tags: Quicky

Karen Black at last year's gala The tuxes have been fitted, the limos have been rented, the speeches have been written, and the strange dances have been choreographed. And now it's time to party the way only Scientology knows how! Well, we don't actually know if this year's Writers of the Future gala will feature odd interpretive dancing like last year, but we can only hope. Please join us as we watch the live Internet stream of tonight's celebration — it's the 29th annual contest celebrating talented new science fiction and fantasy writers and illustrators, with help from an illustrious list of established artists as well as Scientology celebrities!

Tags: Angry Gay Pope, Auckland, Author Services Inc, DC, Honolulu, Istanbul, Karen Black, Karen de la Carriere, London, New Delhi, OT, Paris, Perth, Quicky, Sydney, TIME, Writers of the Future

By Mike Rinder Remember the FIRST "Ideal Org." It was NOT Buffalo. Buffalo was bought with money obtained from a suit the church filed against an eminent domain action to demolish the old org building to make way for a freeway off ramp. But Buffalo did set the wheels in motion that unleashed Miscavige's Masonry Frankenstein, now terrorizing cities everywhere. In fact, the first "Ideal Org" was Tampa.

Tags: 2003, Angie Blankenship, Buffalo, Chairman of the Board, Clear, Clearwater, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Miscavige, Dianetics, Field Staff Member, Flag Service Organization, Ideal Org, IRS, Jennifer Linson, Johannesburg, Lynn Irons, Mormon, OT, Plant City, Quicky, Salt Lake City, Tampa, The Independent, UK, Universe Corps, Ybor City

By Mike Rinder Remember the FIRST "Ideal Org." It was NOT Buffalo. Buffalo was bought with money obtained from a suit the church filed against an eminent domain action to demolish the old org building to make way for a freeway off ramp. But Buffalo did set the wheels in motion that unleashed Miscavige's Masonry Frankenstein, now terrorizing cities everywhere. In fact, the first "Ideal Org" was Tampa.

Tags: 2003, Angie Blankenship, Buffalo, Chairman of the Board, Clear, Clearwater, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Miscavige, Dianetics, Field Staff Member, Flag Service Organization, Ideal Org, IRS, Jennifer Linson, Johannesburg, Lynn Irons, Mike Rinder, Mormon, OT, Plant City, Quicky, Salt Lake City, Tampa, The Independent, UK, Universe Corps, Ybor City

Three months after the aborted Comini plot, the commune collapsed and the Rajneeshees' darkest secrets tumbled out. Hand-picked teams of Rajneeshees had executed the largest biological terrorism attack in U.S. history, poisoning at least 700 people. They ran the largest illegal wiretapping operation ever uncovered. And their immigration fraud to harbor foreigners remains unrivaled in scope. The revelations brought criminal charges, defections, global manhunts and prison time. But there was much more.

Tags: Assassination, Rajneeshee

Let's get a little bit of perspective here on all the brouhaha over the past couple days on this blog. I was not attempting to dictate how people think. I was merely serving as an iconoclast of those "icons" who have sought (and it appears achieved in some quarters) that lofty status by acting themselves as iconoclasts of L Ron Hubbard. I've seen them come and go and return and remain. Those that claimed to have the inside track to L Ron Hubbard, or they knew Ron so began to know better than him, or were channeling L Ron Hubbard, or even the one who claims to have a gigantic tunnel full of L Ron Hubbard. Let us not lose sight of one significant fact - so obvious as to constitute an elephant in the room - none of those iconoclasts even exist without L Ron Hubbard.

Tags: David Miscavige, Jesus, L. Ron Hubbard, New York, Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Quicky, The Age, Tom Felts

Ava drove the team east on the freeway to The Dalles and about midnight dropped off Yogini and Anugiten just blocks from Durow's office. The two pried open a window, crawled inside and closed the drapes. For about an hour, Yogini and Anugiten rifled through cabinets and desks, scattering government papers all about. To start the fire, they placed eight candles inside cardboard squares soaked with lighter fluid. The pair intended the candles to act as timers, igniting the cardboard once they burned down. The two arsonists lit the candles, crept back out the window, and closed it. But that starved the candles of oxygen, and only two fires started.

Tags: Arson, Oregon, Rajneeshee

The Wasco County commissioner ran for the bathroom, vomiting. His worried wife insisted he go to the hospital, where doctors admitted him as they tried to diagnose what was wrong. Two hundred miles away in a mountain cabin at Camp Sherman, a second Wasco County commissioner awoke, ill. Ray Matthew stayed in bed, alone, for two days, unsure what was causing his violent sickness. But a handful of Rajneeshees knew. The men had been poisoned the day before as they toured the religious sect's ranch, drinking down potent bacteria stirred into their water.

Tags: Oregon, Poison, Rajneeshee, Terrorism

Tags: Rajneeshee

Representatives of the Church of Scientology appeared before Mono council Tuesday night to give a presentation about their plans for the Hockley Highlands Inn & Conference Centre property it purchased in 2009 on Mono's Third Line EHS. Angela Ilasi, community programs director for the church's national office, told council the property will become a national retreat for those in the "more advanced" levels of study in the Church of Scientology, once renovations to the 159,000- square-foot conference centre are completed. While she couldn't give a specific date for the project's completion, Ms. Ilasi said it could be toward the end of 2012.

Tags: Adam Holland, Advanced Org, Angela Ilasi, AOSH Canada, Bruce Trail, Canada, Fred Nix, Hockley Highlands Inn, Nan McLean, Ontario

Of course, it's possible Cruise is one of those "quiet givers" who donates munificently to a plethora of organizations. According to the Website looktothestars.org, an online organization that tracks celebrity giving, Cruise has supported the Children's Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition, the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation and Mentor LA; he also serves as a board member for the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project, a position for which he received an Excellence in Mentoring Award, in 2003, from the National Mentoring Partnership.

Tags: FBI, Hollywood Education and Literacy Project, Lawrence Wright, New Yorker, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Tom Cruise

About that time, Hulse and two other Wasco County commissioners arrived at the ranch for a tour. They parked Hulse's car outside the commune's welcome center and loaded into a commune van for their visit. When they got back, Hulse's car had a flat. The Rajneeshees arranged a repair on the spot that would cost Hulse $12. As the commissioners waited in the hot August sun, Puja approached, offering each a glass of water. Her gesture was odd, for Puja was in her medical whites and had no role as a greeter. The thirsty men took the water.

Tags: Rajneeshee, Salmonella

Mike Rinder and Marty Rathbun in search of Mike's son Benjamin at the Church of Scientology's Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida

Tags: Clearwater, Florida, Fort Harrison, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Quicky

"I am afraid to tell my father where I am today. I am afraid to tell him what I am doing." A member of "Anonymous," who uses the online handle "PokeAnon," spoke those words on Saturday before a crowd of fellow anti-Scientology activists who have gathered at the East Meadow of Central Park for "Operation Reconnect." Organizers said they orchestrated the event to draw attention to the Church of Scientology's practice of "disconnection," a practice by which Church members are forced to distance themselves from critics of Scientology, even family members. Though the Church states that the practice is rare, critics say that is a lie: Scientologists are forced to disassociate from anyone who speaks out against the Church. PokeAnon's dad is a Scientologist, and he is afraid that his actions as part of Anonymous will cost him his father forever. "This is not some fanatical Scientology sect which has perverted the church's doctrine. This vile policy, known as the disconnection policy, is inherent in their dogma," he said. "And now, because I demand action against a criminal organization, I am afraid to speak to my father. So a disconnection of sorts has already begun."

Tags: Anonymous, Disconnection, Fair Game, Michael Vitale, Scientology staff

In 2005, Beghe appeared in promotional spots for the Church of Scientology. But now Beghe has escaped the Church after taking courses since 1994. He's made a video that's up on YouTube.

Tags: Jason Beghe

SAN FRANCISCO, April 14 (UPI) -- A California judge has ordered a former member and longtime critic of the Church of Scientology to pay it $500,000 for criticizing the group. Superior Court Judge Lynn Duryee issued the order in a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Scientology defector Gerald Armstrong, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday. The Scientologists had sought $10 million from Armstrong, who joined in 1969, left in 1981 and later became a prominent critic.

Tags: 1969, 1981, California, Gerald Armstrong, Quicky, San Francisco Chronicle

The Church of Scientology is seeking permission from Los Angeles County to open a boarding school for 250 students on the site of a former juvenile detention camp near Green Valley. The proposal has worried some of the 1,200 residents in the rural community, who voiced concerns about it at a public meeting Monday night. About 40 people attended the meeting. "They're a cult," Kimberly Flores, a 19-year-old Green Valley housewife, said before the meeting. "I'm afraid for the children in the community and of what they're going to do."

Tags: Cadet Org, Canyon Oaks, Leona Valley, Stephen Frank