2018-06-10, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Rod Keller brings us a great update on Scientology's claims that it's opening a new "
Advanced Org" — sort of like finishing school for space cadets — in a place that can't possibly use it.
South African Scientologists are being pelted with news that the Advanced Org Africa will be opening soon. It could be true this time, but Scientology has been announcing the new AO for almost 10 years. The massive
Castle Kyalami near
Johannesburg was built in
1992 by Greek millionaire Demos Dinopoulos, who lived in it until
2001.
After the builder departed, the castle operated as a hotel until it was purchased by Scientology in
2008. It's a wacky Arthurian fantasy castle completely out of place in South Africa, but Scientology loves wacky castles. L. Ron Hubbard built one at
Saint Hill, Cine Castle is home to a film studio at Gold Base, the
Super Power building in
Clearwater has
Mediterranean Revival castle-like turrets, and several
Ideal Orgs have elaborate arched entries, turrets or grand staircases. They remind one of Hubbard's unpublished book
Excalibur, the precursor book to
Dianetics. Arthurian themes are common in Scientology and each Ideal Orgs has a ceremonial longsword for special occasions.