Back
Home
Forth
2018
2018-06-19, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We've been watching Scientologist singer Stacy Francis for a long time. At the Voice, we covered a controversy over the stories she was telling about herself in order to become an X-Factor contestant. It was obvious even then that for years she had downplayed her extensive connection to Scientology when it suited her, and that she was someone who would turn on just about anyone if it meant advancing her "career."
Since then, we've watched as she became an attack dog for the church against her former close friend Leah Remini, and in a 2013 article Mike Rinder laid out some fascinating background on how that relationship blew apart.
From serenading Tom Cruise aboard the Freewinds in 2004, to feting Louis Farrakhan at the Celebrity Centre in 2006, to attacking Leah Remini in 2013, Stacy has a very colorful history of advancing Scientology's interests while crying and caterwauling her way for the cameras.
Tags: 2004, 2006, 2013, Alec Nevala-Lee, Celebrity Centre, Chicago, Chicago Fire, Christian Stolte, David Miscavige, DC, Dianetics, Donald Trump, Freewinds, Greg Mitchell, HowdyCon, Isaac Asimov, John W. Campbell, Joy Villa, Leah Remini, Lobbyist, Louis Farrakhan, Mike Rinder, Paul Coyer, Politics, Quicky, Stacy Francis, Tom Cruise, Washington, White House
2017
1 year ago2017-06-19, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We have some follow-up information for you in the case of Clay Irwin and the camera he found facing his house in Clearwater, Florida.
On Saturday, we told you that Irwin, owner of the Lucky Anchor Irish Pub on Cleveland Street, had sent us some photos of a time-lapse Brinno camera he found on the property next door.
Irwin opened his pub at the beginning of the year, and at the time he expressed an eagerness to get along with the Church of Scientology, whose "Flag Land Base" surrounds his bar. But since then, he's had some run-ins with the church, which began in February after he made an impromptu visit to the unfinished penthouse being prepared for Scientology celebrity Tom Cruise just down the street.
2017-06-19, Growing Up In Scientology, YouTube
Tags: Aaron Smith-Levin, Quicky
2017-06-19, J. Swift, YouTube
Proof from L. Ron Hubbard's own mouth that he was blinded and crippled & claimed he used Dianetics to heal himself. This video is excerpted from the film "The Secret Lives of L. Ron Hubbard." See:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4HI3...
This video puts the lie to Part 20 of Marty Rathbun's claim that Hubbard never said any such thing.
2017-06-19, Scott Campbell, Daily Mail
Scientologists have been branded 'vultures' who are 'trying to capitalise on people's heartbreak' after setting up an enormous tent at the scene of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Members of the controversial religion were seen offering massages and handing out promotional leaflets from the bright yellow structure just days after the horror blaze.
They were first outside the sports centre on Friday but came back on Sunday with their huge tents and flags which read 'communication' and 'conflicts'.
2017-06-19, Growing Up In Scientology, YouTube
This video discusses the sophistication and scope of Scientology's surveillance of downtown Clearwater.
2017-06-19, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
This is "sea org" command.
Here, "Command" means assuming an unearned position of authority (bestowed strictly by signing a billion year contract) where you order people around as if they are all your personal slaves. "I am counting on you" and "I am expecting" etc etc. The email below from the "CO FSSO" is a perfect example of the entitlement such people feel.
Of course, no one would want to miss these events.
2016
2 years ago
2016-06-19, Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large
The weekly show where I answer questions posed by readers in the comments section of my Q&A videos or sent in by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I take up are:
(1) My questions have to do with your thoughts on the Independent Scientology movement. You probably need to know most of my knowledge of this comes from YouTube videos, and a few books on the subject, not exactly representative but all I have available. In many of them, the independent scientologists seem to be saying that Hubbard's Scientology is valid and that Miscavige has perverted it. Does this mean that they still believe in fair game, no psychologists, disconnecting, SPs, policies on homosexuality, mind control etc? Someone said this was just an evolutionary process and that in the future, they will change. Has that happened? Why does no one confront them about these questions? Again I didn't want to betray my ignorance because I can hardly get a good picture from my limited media. Is there any worry that some of the people who enjoyed power might want to recreate it in Independent Scientology? Ok sorry that was an earful. I don't want to sound judgmental about people I don't know but this kind of thing has historically been frequent. Thanks for your time.
(2) Nice work on the channel. Having been involved with Scientology for over 30 years myself I do respect the work you are doing. I am interested in learning critical thinking skills. What's out there that you recommend?
2016-06-19, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
I usually publish these after I have accumulated a few and add some points to the long term graph.
But it has been more than a month now, and no word from either Jeff Mintz or Sandy Dodwell about ANY "good news" at Flag. It's a pretty good indicator that things are not going too well at the top of the Bridge. They ONLY put out these things when they have something THEY think is "good news."
Remember back when they first put these out they included all of the following completions? Purif, Objectives, Running Pgm, Super Power, Clears, L's, OT's, OT VII's. They long since dropped mentioning Purif and Objectives Completions. Then they dropped the Clears. Then the "OT's".
Tags: 2013, Clear, Golden Age of Tech, Jeff Mintz, OT, OT VII, OT VIII, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Sandy Dodwell, Super Power
2016-06-19, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
It's time again for Rod Keller's Scientology Social Media Review. He's made a specialty of hunting down the odd and wonderful things Scientologists post to the 'net. He's a chronicler who piece by piece builds a highly detailed assessment of what Scientology is doing around the world, and this is what he found for us this week...
Scientology followed its dramatic Hollywood Boulevard book launch last week with promotions at individual Barnes & Noble bookstores yesterday. Phil Jones, of "Call Me" billboard fame, showed up at one store, where a life-sized cutout of Terl, the book's villain, invited people to purchase the 34-year-old novel.
In 1990, as part of its landmark series about Scientology, Los Angeles Times reporters Joel Sappell and Robert Welkos revealed that the church had relied on individual members to buy books by the armful in order to get Hubbard's works on New York Times bestsellers lists. More than 25 years later, the strategy is apparently the same, but with social media, Scientology is much more open about what they're doing...
Tags: 1990, Albania, Amy Newman, Andrea Grubbs, ANZO, Astra Woodcraft, Bernard Fialkoff, Call Me, Camille Sims, Captain Howdy, Caracas, Celebrity Centre, Chick Corea, Clearwater, Concerned Businessmen's Association of America, Croatia, DeeDee O'Malley, Dianetics, Elaine Havel, England, Florida, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, France, Freewinds, Hollywood, Hollywood Boulevard, HowdyCon, Ideal Org, Ireland, Joanne Baker, Joel Sappell, Kansas, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Lynn Posyton, Maiden Voyage, Marseille, Matt Lorentzen, Meghan Fialkoff, Miss New York, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, New York City, New York Times, Oklahoma, OT, Paris, Pat Seegmiller, Patrick Clouden, Phil Jones, Puerto Rico, Quicky, Robert Welkos, Rod Keller, Russia, Slovakia, Social Media Review, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tampa, Tina Yarolem, Tulsa, Turkey, Venezuela, Wichita, Willie Jones, Yekaterinburg
2015
3 years ago2015-06-19, Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large
When you start to look at the main things that are wrong with dangerous cults, or any kind of mass movement in general, you quickly find your attention going to the nature of belief itself and what is real versus what is fantasy. What I'm talking about doesn't just apply to religion, although that's one of the easiest things for most people to see. This also works out in politics, economics, consumerism and even civil rights and gender issues.
How many times have you been caught out trying to fake knowing all about something which you really knew very little or nothing of? How many times in life do we pretend in order to impress, to try to entertain or at least not appear foolish? It happens all the time. We delight in catching people out when they do this, but hate it when we meet someone smarter or more experienced or who can just see through our shenanigans.
Now imagine doing that all the time. Habitually pretending you know all about everything -
2015-06-19, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Andres! It's time to take your final bow! Today we have the last section of the lengthy, secretly-recorded briefing that Scientology Sea Org official Andres Rodriguez gave to a gathering of Scientologists at an org recently somewhere in the United States.
This is our sixth and final portion of the recording of Rodriguez. (Previous sections can be found here: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth.) He's also notable because he was married at one time to Jessica Feshbach, who became notorious as the aggressive "handler" of actress Katie Holmes during her first years married to Tom Cruise. Jessica is now married to former Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis, and they are no longer in Scientology's elite Sea Org.
Rodriguez is the Senior Case Supervisor West US, which means he oversees the delivery of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's "technology" for half the country. But as we've seen, his description of that technology is not familiar to oldtime Scientologists who have left the church.
Tags: 1980, 1996, Aaron Smith-Levin, Andres Rodriguez, Blown for Good, Chris Shelton, Clear, David Miscavige, Denver, Dianetics, Ethics Officer, Florida, Golden Age of Tech, Ideal Org, Jessica Feshbach, Katie Holmes, Knowledge Reports, Marc Headley, Mike Rinder, Miss Lovely, PAC Base, Quicky, Sea Org, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, Tom Cruise, Tommy Davis
2015-06-19, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Tags: Quicky, Regraded Being
2014
4 years ago2014-06-19, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The hype is rolling out for Maiden Voyage...
Our Whole New Universe is the one that only we can perceive I guess. The one where scientology is saving the world and clearing the planet and flourishing and prospering like never before with the real LRH tech available for the first time ever...
And now, some reports from on the scene, with a liberal sprinkling of "awesomes," "incredibles," and exclamation points and a very large YUK factor.
Tags: Author Services Inc, Caribbean, Cause Resurgence Rundown, Celebrity Centre, Chairman of the Board, Clear, Crystal Ballroom, David Petit, DEA, Flag World Tour, Freewinds, Golden Age of Tech, Hollywood, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, International Management, Kaye Champagne, L. Ron Hubbard, L. Ron Hubbard Way, Maiden Voyage, OT, OT Ambassador, OT Committee, OTC, Quicky, Religious Technology Center, Saint Hill, Shermanspeak, Shrine Auditorium, Super Power, UK
2014-06-19, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
With his new film, Third Person, opening on Friday night, Paul Haggis is on a media blitz, and he's being asked, naturally, about his defection from Scientology.
He provided a particularly interesting answer during an interview at HuffPost Live yesterday, which we've posted below. Haggis had predicted, in a Rock Center segment more than a year ago, that he might be smeared by Scientology. That hasn't happened, but Haggis mentioned that it's been happening to other people he knows — and he uses Jason Beghe as an example.
Haggis mentions that Beghe faced Scientology's legal onslaught, and faced bankruptcy. At the time it was happening, Beghe wanted no publicity about it. (We did write about the conclusion of that episode.) He survived the attempt to silence and destroy him, and today Jason is the lead of his own series, Chicago PD. Here's the clip of Haggis talking about Scientology harassment...
Tags: Australia, Chicago, Chill EB, Dallas, Golden Age of Tech, Ideal Org, Jason Beghe, Kendrick Moxon, Manhattan, Mike Rinder, New York, Paris, Paul Haggis, Perth, Quicky, Rock Center, Rome
2014-06-19, This Exists, YouTube
Subscribe for new episodes every Thursday: http://bit.ly/thisexists
Watch my episode about jihadist rap: http://bit.ly/1Jb3DaG
Every religion has its own music. Chants, or hymns, or MXPX. But not every religion is Scientology.
2013
5 years ago
2013-06-19, Amber Ryland, Radar Online
According to a new report by the National Enquirer, the Fat Actress star settled quietly with a customer of her products who claimed they were fraudulent, paying her $130,000.
"This is a major setback not only to Kirstie's profitable business enterprise, but also to her reputation," an insider told the magazine.
Tags: Kirstie Alley, Organic Liaison
2013-06-19, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Fellow Scientology Watchers, we're really looking forward to your thoughts about today's document leak.
We want to thank the tipster who forwarded this item. It's a script for introducing the latest rah-rah videos that Scientology leader David Miscavige is having sent around to local "orgs" in the hopes that church members already exhausted with years of high-pressure fundraising can be amped up to give just a little more.
It's part of a trend we've noticed in recent months. Miscavige doesn't seem to trust his own people to deliver Scientology's message, whether it's statements to the press, or introductory videos for the public, or fundraising stemwinders for the membership.
2013-06-19, Miss Fortune, Glistening, Quivering Underbelly
It's an instrinsic part of Per Wickstrom's public mythology -- his claim that he'd started drinking at age 13, and by age 15 he had been kicked out of his house for using marijuana. While he was still in high school, Wickstrom claimed he was introduced to cocaine. Believing he had no other means to support himself, Wickstrom began dealing cocaine to make money.
Wickstrom says his drug dealing career culminated when he was 27, when he was arrested in a sting operation on "COPS" in front of a national audience. He claimed he spent eight months in jail before his case came up for trial. Facing a likely sentence between 2 and 5 years, Wickstrom says he was lucky enough to convince the judge that he did not need to be sentenced to jail. Instead, the judge put Wickstrom on probation for five years and gave him a hefty fine of $20,000.
But the truth is way more mundane than the myth.
2013-06-19, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
This is the St Petersburg "Life Improvement Center" of the Tampa Org on Tuesday afternoon.
Yes, the doors are closed, the lights are off and there is nobody home.
Similarly, the "Mission of Old Tampa Bay" that was opened with great fanfare, closed up shop more than a year ago.
2013-06-19, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Well, it turns out that the reason students are getting through the "Student Hat Tapes" in "record" time is that the lectures were EDITED.
To remove "all the unnecessary technical data" that would cause them to bog.
Dave himself personally oversaw this effort.
2012
6 years ago
2012-06-19, Joe Childs, Tampa Bay Times
Former Scientology officer Debbie Cook, who rocked the church early this year with damaging testimony before agreeing to stay silent forever, will move this week to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, friends say.
She and her husband, Wayne Baumgarten, have sold their car, their furniture and many other household possessions, said Jon Donley, a Web designer and media consultant who worked for the couple in 2010 and 2011 at their now-defunct marketing company in San Antonio, Texas.
The couple is keeping their home on the outskirts of that city and will rent it, Donley said.
2012-06-19, Dan Whisenhunt, Reporter Newspapers
The Sandy Springs City Council has deferred approving a zoning change that would settle the Church of Scientology's lengthy religious discrimination lawsuit against the city.
2012-06-19, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
The following is an excerpt from chapter eight of What is Wrong With Scientology:
'Reason,' as L. Ron Hubbard first defined 'ethics,' has become the prohibition of reasoning. Self-determinism, the restoration of which is the goal of all Scientology processes, has been replaced by the enforcement of group-determinism. In short, a culture whose members once reveled in the restoration of their liberty to think freely is now forced to think "our way or the highway," "the ends justify the means," and "by any means necessary."
In precisely this manner, ethics in Scientology has been replaced by enforcement of Scientology Inc. morals. The morals in play are the policies and mores of Scientology Inc. Those morals have evolved over the past three decades, increasingly influenced and dictated by the arbitrary decisions of one, single, rather ruthless individual. That one person is Scientology Inc. Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige. Here are some of the most commonly observed, tacitly-enforced tenets of Miscavige's new moral code within Scientology Inc.:
2012-06-19, Tony Ortega, Runnin' Scared, Village Voice
The second trailer to Paul Thomas Anderson's upcoming film The Master was just released, and this time we get a look at Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams along with Joaquin Phoenix.
We gave PTA credit for being wily with his first trailer -- for years, we've all been waiting to see how much The Master parallels the life of L. Ron Hubbard in the early years of Scientology, but Anderson managed to dodge that question with our first glimpse of the film, which featured Phoenix's character before meeting up with Hoffman's Hubbard.
Now, in this second trailer, there's really no doubt who Hoffman is portraying.
2011
7 years ago2011-06-19, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
This has been a long time coming. A lonnnnnng time coming. I have been heartily "out of the closet" since Michael Fairman was descended upon by the undead, but I hadn't figured out where to begin to unfold my story - so I procrastinated.
After meeting with Marty and Mike a few Tuesdays ago here in L.A., witnessing the keystone-cop-esque ABSURDITY (to be kind) of "the squirrel-buster" brigade and after being part of the conversation which encouraged Michael to write his latest post, I decided I had done enough procrastinating.
My name is Joy Graysen. Some of you know me as Joy Stimmel, Joy Veikley, Joy Fairman, Michael's wife, Sky's mother. Some of you know me as the voice of Flag's anthem "Flag Is Here". Some of you know me from all of the church events I have sung for over the last 25 years. And some of you don't know me at all. After this open letter, hopefully you will just know me as Joy — one of you.
Tags: 1964, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1993, 2009, Basics, Brooke Shields, Celebrity Centre, CIA, Clear, David Miscavige, Dianetics, Disconnection, Ethics, Facebook, Freedom Medal, Hollywood, Ideal Org, Independent, Italy, Jenny Butler, Joy Graysen, Keep Scientology Working, Knowledge Report, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, Matt Lauer, Michael Fairman, Mike Sutter, Mission, New York City, Office of Special Affairs, Org Board, OT V, OT VII, OT VIII, Paul Haggis, Quicky, Religious Technology Center, Sea Org, Shrine Auditorium, Squirrel, Suppressive Person, Texas, Tom Cruise, Tommy Davis, Volunteer Ministers
2011-06-19, Mark Bunker, YouTube
www.knowledgereport-themovie.com
2011-06-19, SoUpstat, YouTube
[[Image:WeStandTallCast.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The main executive cast.]]
BEHOLD, a hilarious pile of fluff that was dug up and leaked to the internets. *Make sure you watch it quick, before David Miscavige's minions have it yanked down*.
Speaking of Dave, he can be seen right at the front of this "We are the World"-type singalong that was put together in 1990. We can't see how many phone books he's standing on, but all around him are some famous names from Scientology's past and present:
Tags: 1980, 1990, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Copyright, David Miscavige, David Pomeranz, Ethics, Gawker, Greg Wilhere, Guillaume Lesevre, Heber Jentzsch, Independent, Inspector General, Int Base, International Association of Scientologists, International Management, Leah Remini, Mark Fisher, Mark Ingber, Mark Yager, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Music, Office of Special Affairs, OT, Peter Schless, Ray Mithoff, Rehabilitation Project Force, Religious Technology Center, Shelly Miscavige, The Hole, Tom Cruise, Video, Watchdog Committee, We Stand Tall
2010
8 years ago2010-06-19, Tiziano Lugli, YouTube
More than 50G a day was spent for weeks to track JB down. Sorry DM, I think you didn't know who you were messing with ;)
2010-06-19, liekmudkip, YouTube
This is the first Part of an longer Interview with Hana Whitfield taped by Anonymous.
Anonymous met her in Hamburg with her Husband on an event of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior.
2010-06-19, liekmudkip, YouTube
This is the second Part of an longer Interview with Hana Whitfield taped by Anonymous.
Anonymous met her in Hamburg with her Husband on an event of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior.
2010-06-19, liekmudkip, YouTube
This is the third Part of an longer Interview with Hana Whitfield taped by Anonymous.
Anonymous met her in Hamburg with her Husband on an event of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior.
2010-06-19, liekmudkip, YouTube
This is the fourth Part of an longer Interview with Hana Whitfield taped by Anonymous.
Anonymous met her in Hamburg with her Husband on an event of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior.
2010-06-19, liekmudkip, YouTube
This is the fifth Part of an longer Interview with Hana Whitfield taped by Anonymous.
Anonymous met her in Hamburg with her Husband on an event of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior.
2010-06-19, liekmudkip, YouTube
This is the sixth Part of an longer Interview with Hana Whitfield taped by Anonymous.
Anonymous met her in Hamburg with her Husband on an event of the Hamburg Ministry of the Interior.
2008
10 years ago
2008-06-19, Dane Hamilton, Reuters
During the 1980s, Feshbach and his two brothers, Kurt and Joe, built up a $1 billion Feshbach Brothers investment fund that specialized in short selling -- or betting on stock declines -- winning him praise and vilification on Wall Street.
Feshbach Brothers generated rich returns over 30 percent from 1982 to 1990, but later suffered a reversal of fortunes and liquidated in 1992.
Tags: 1980, 1982, 1990, 1992, 2001, 2006, 2007, Feshbach, Feshbach Brothers, Florida, Largo, Matt Feshbach, MLF Investments
2008-06-19, artoo45, YouTube
The pulp fiction origins of $cientology are not just batshit crazy, but danceable batshit crazy. Space is WILD!
Tags: L. Ron Hubbard, Lulz
2007
11 years ago2007-06-19, Business, Daily Southtown
A former employee of a Southland telecommunications company claims the company's required training included courses "designed to indoctrinate employees" in Scientology, and when she objected to the religious aspects of the training she was fired.
Margaret Warfield, of Montgomery, filed her religious discrimination lawsuit in federal court Monday against BTI Communications Group.
2007-06-19, Tampa Bay Business Journal
New housing is now available for members of the Church of Scientology's staff after $1.7 million in renovations were completed at Sherwood Gardens, a 106-unit apartment complex located three miles east of downtown Clearwater.
Tags: Clearwater, Real Estate
2001
17 years ago
2001-06-19, Christina Headrick, St. Petersburg Times
Negotiations involving the city, the Church of Scientology, Pinellas County and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority failed to produce a deal to make the project work. Several months of talks ended last week, after one last-ditch effort to save the project.
1992
26 years ago
1992-06-19, Michael McNutt, News OK
Oklahoma County District Judge Leamon Freeman on Monday upheld the decision by the Oklahoma Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to deny certification and licensing for the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
Narconon Chilocco, about six miles north of Newkirk in Kay County, had eight patients as of Thursday. It has been allowed to continue operating because the Oklahoma Supreme Court last week issued a stay that postponed a ruling from a Kay County district court judge that the center be shut down.
Pat Ryan, a lawyer for the state mental health board, said new regulations that take effect July 15 allow some facilities to ask for exemption from state certification if they win accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
1992-06-19, Toronto Star
Referring to the Church of Scientology as "this little church," defence lawyer Clayton Ruby yesterday said its Toronto members were "regular parishioners" unaware of any crimes that were committed.
In his closing address in the breach-of-trust trial of Scientology's Toronto branch, Ruby urged the 12-person jury to judge Scientology as they would their own church.
1991
27 years ago
1991-06-19, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) _ Some subjects of unflattering magazine profiles are content to write a letter to the editor or cancel their subscription. The Church of Scientology, pilloried in Time as "The Cult of Greed," is fighting back with a $3 million ad campaign.
After several weeks of taking out full-page color ads in USA Today, the church has released a glossy, 28-page booklet that purports to refute Time's charges and expose its motivation for the May 6 cover story.
Titled "The Story that Time Couldn't Tell," the booklet was inserted in Friday's editions of the newspaper.
FrontCite 06/19/2018 08:07a
See also:
FrontCite Mediawiki
UmbraXenu - The Home Game
xenu-directory.net: Scientology in the news
Scientology in the UK Media
See also:
FrontCite Mediawiki
UmbraXenu - The Home Game
xenu-directory.net: Scientology in the news
Scientology in the UK Media