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2021
2021-10-18, Chris Shelton, Underground Bunker
Chris Shelton continues his look into a new academic volume, an issue of the journal Implicit Religion dedicated to Scientology. Here's his previous piece.
Today we are examining the second article of the recent special edition of Implicit Religion, this one penned by Dr. Bernard Doherty of Charles Sturt University in Australia. He is a religious studies scholar who has published on Christianity and whose interests (according to the university website) are "wide-ranging and include New Religious Movements, Patristics, Australian religious history, Church and State issues, religion and the media." I'll note as I did in my article last week that this man has no qualifications or apparent understanding of psychology or even sociology, and thus is approaching the analysis and criticism of Scientology purely from a religious studies perspective.
This article is interesting because it's an effort to "highlight some of the internal and external factors which work to make the study of Scientology a potential minefield for scholars of New Religions."
2020
1 year ago2020-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Calabasas, California attorney Gary Soter has turned up numerous times in our stories as a legal water carrier for Scientology. We couldn't help picking him out in the New Braunfels, Texas courtroom when he was the tallest attorney in the room, towering over the rest of the lawyer scrum representing the church in its battle against Monique Rathbun. At one point, he showed a flash of anger that a reporter was taking photos in his direction, and he was quite intimidating. But there was nothing he could do about it, it was a public hearing after all.
It was also Soter who had Valerie Haney sign an agreement when she left Scientology, and it came up in her lawsuit that she felt frightened because Soter was accompanied by an armed guard. Scientology denied that this was true.
Soter tried to get attorney Ray Jeffrey in trouble by filing a bar complaint against him that was dismissed. And Soter also jumped into the breach to defend Scientology against Leah Remini and her claims that the church was interfering with her TV series.
Tags: 1956, 1978, 2000, 2016, A&E, ABCmouse, Amy Scobee, Australia, Bellevue, Bryan Seymour, California, Clearwater, David Miscavige, DirecTV, Fair Game, Florida, Gary Soter, Gensler, Google, Graham Norton, James Packer, Jeffrey Riffer, Leah Remini, Los Angeles Times, Louis Farrakhan, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Monique Rathbun, New Braunfels, OT, Ray Jeffrey, Rebecca Dobkin, Scientology and the Aftermath, Scientology lawyer, Sea Org, Texas, Tom Cruise, Tommy Davis, Valerie Haney, Wally Pope, Washington
2020-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
What is needed?
You don't need to tune in to get an answer to this question.
It is IAS Anniversary event month and there is no IAS event. They are scrambling...
2019
2 years ago2019-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Two years ago, we told you that before splitting up, Scientology's richest couple Bob and Trish Duggan set aside $59 million in stock from the pharmaceutical giant AbbVie, maker of Humira, the most profitable drug in the world, so that it would generate about $2.9 million in revenue each year which they planned to grant to various Scientology initiatives.
As long as AbbVie stock continued to keep its value, Scientology would have a reliable source of about $2.9 million a year in perpetuity. At least, that was the plan.
The AbbVie stock was deposited in the foundation in the last week of 2015, too late to show any disbursements from revenue that year. And so for the last two years we've been waiting patiently for the foundation to reveal what it did in tax year 2016, and to show how it distributed any grants to Scientology.
2019-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
2018
3 years ago2018-10-18, Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large
I've spoken on this channel about how cults recruit new members, but there is an aspect of this I have not discussed before which I think might shed some light on not only how smart people can fall for stupid things, but how almost anyone is susceptible to cult recruitment. Why? Because falling for a cult is a lot like falling in love.
Physiologically, I think our brain responds to cult recruitment the same way we respond to a new love interest. Despite what many of us think, our feelings and emotions are what drives our thinking. It's been theorized that our entire thinking process evolved just to rationalize our feelings, rather than the other way around. But regardless of where our feelings and emotions come from, it is an empirical fact that we are predominantly emotional creatures and we let our emotions guide our decisions. We think, and are often told by movies and salesmen and advertisements, that if it "feels good" or "feels right" than it is right and we should just go with it.
So what happens when we fall in love? Well, a lot of things. Here's a breakdown from a Psychology Today article by Maryanne Fisher, an associate professor of psychology at Saint Mary's University in Canada:
2018-10-18, Jeffrey Augustine, Scientology Money Project
Tags: Leah Remini, Quicky
2018-10-18, A&E, YouTube
\"Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath\" returns on November 27 on A&E Network. #LeahRemini #ScientologyAndTheAftermath
Subscribe for more A&E shows:
http://aetv.us/subscribe_ae
2018-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
(Sylvia and Tim DeWall)
Yesterday, Sylvia DeWall made her declaration to friends and family who had turned their backs on her. Today, we're following up with even more about her journey out of Scientology.
One of the things that struck us about Sylvia's story is that her mother also suffered when Sylvia was kicked out of the Church of Scientology.
Tags: 1974, 2007, 2008, 2014, Albuquerque, Clearwater, Disconnection, Facebook, Quicky, Randy Wagner, Sylvia DeWall, Tim DeWall
2018-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
There have been some technical difficulties with the blog.
I have not been able to see any comments since early this morning. They vanished like Shelly Miscavige...
Some bright minds are working to resolve whatever the cause of this is.
2018-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The most important announcement in history...
...until the next event.
And the announcement? "We need more money."
Tags: Advanced Org, Africa, AOSH Africa, Berlin, Carol Nolan, Class V, Clear, Colombia, David Miscavige, Florida, Fraser Scott, Freewinds, Gavin Potter, GPS, Grant Cardone, Jive Aces, Joburg North, Louis Peens, Mike Benetatos, New Year's Eve, OSA Int, OT, OT Committee, OTC, Quicky, Red Cross, Scientology Media Productions, Tampa, Thursday Funnies
2017
4 years ago
2017-10-18, Associated Press, Miami Herald
Hungarian police carried out a search at a Church of Scientology center in Budapest on Wednesday.
Police said the search by members of the National Investigation Bureau was related to an investigation into the suspected misuse of personal information and other crimes.
Police listed the investigation's target as "unknown persons," a common designation when a specific suspect or suspects have not been identified.
Church of Scientology International spokeswoman Karin Pouw called the search "religious suppression under the guise of data protection."
Hysterical Scientology Cult Plays Victim Once Again. Wall Street Journal Assists in the Psychodrama.2017-10-18, Jeffrey Augustine, Scientology Money Project
Even as Scientology has the explicitly stated goals to destroy Psychiatry, take over the world, and conduct a genocide against 2.5% of the global population, the militant Hollywood-based Cult is once again playing victim.
This time, Scientology's bogus "STAND" group — a group populated by several fake Scientologists who are actually nothing more than phony names and stock photos — is demanding that sponsors boycott Leah Remini's Emmy-winning show Scientology and the Aftermath.
A recent Wall Street Journal article covering Scientology's call for a boycott is shockingly sloppy. Without bothering to substantiate even one of Scientology's claims, WSJ columnist Alexandra Bruell uncritically quoted this bit of Scientology hysteria:
2017-10-18, Barry Meier, Albany Times Union
Last March, five women gathered in a home near here to enter a secret sisterhood they were told was created to empower women.
To gain admission, they were required to give their recruiter — or "master," as she was called — naked photographs or other compromising material and were warned that such "collateral" might be publicly released if the group's existence were disclosed.
The women, in their 30s and 40s, belonged to a self-help organization called Nxivm, which is based in Albany and has chapters across the country, Canada and Mexico.
Sarah Edmondson, one of the participants, said she had been told she would get a small tattoo as part of the initiation. But she was not prepared for what came next.
2017-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Continuing its unbroken record for doing exactly the wrong thing every time its reputation is in question, Scientology responded to this week's Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath in characteristic fashion with an overheated slut-shaming of reality TV star Mimi Faust, and by calling Christi Gordon "disturbed."
Faust was a small businesswoman who starred on VH1's Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta, and then capitalized on her notoriety from the show to trade on her celebrity. In 2014, a sex tape of her with a co-star from her show, Nikko London, was leaked, and later Faust admitted to leaking it herself.
All day yesterday, as we waited for Scientology's attack of Leah Remini's weekly guests to show up — it usually appears about an hour before the episode airs — we were mentally taking bets on whether Scientology could resist attacking a prominent African-American television celebrity and businesswoman by slut-shaming her over her sex tape.
Tags: 1982, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, A&E, African-American, Atlanta, Australia, Census, Christi Gordon, Flag Land Base, Hollywood Guaranty Building, Leah Remini, London, Mimi Faust, Office of Special Affairs, Olaiya Odufunke, Paul Burkhart, Peter Nyiri, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath, Sea Org
2017-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
This is another piece that appears on the STAAD site.
They got me to go check it out this site with their silly boycott business.... Otherwise I probably would never have seen it. While nosing around I came across this amazing piece of work.
According to this genius The Aftermath is a plot by....
2017-10-18, Tracey McManus, Tampa Bay Times
CLEARWATER — It's the most aggressive revitalization investment the city has proposed in years and somewhat of a Hail Mary strategy to give visitors a daily reason to come downtown. The $55 million Imagine Clearwater plan unveiled in February calls for reshaping Coachman Park and the waterfront to have more walkable access, gardens, a larger concert green, a gateway plaza and a winding Bluff walk with terraces, paths and views of the Intracoastal. Because the City Charter prohibits anything but open space from the Bluff to the water, much of the plan hinges on voters approving a Nov. 7 referendum question allowing development. Voters will decide whether to allow structures such as playgrounds, water features, restrooms, trails, walkways, benches and other pieces central to the plan.
Imagine Clearwater is a dense 146 pages, but the Tampa Bay Times broke down the main components before it's time to go to the polls.
The big picture
2016
5 years ago2016-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Got a new email from an old fake friend who usually circulates the latest slime about Ron Miscavige.
This time he/she was announcing the wonders of the new "Dublin Office."
Prompting me to instant action, I dutifully followed the link to the scientology site to see what they had to say about this monumental accomplishment that had attendees at the IAS Event gushing about the miracle of being able to set up a whole "ideal org" without anyone even knowing! (As usual, their heads are firmly planted in the sand - it has been the topic of a lot of media and social media coverage over the past month or more).
Tags: 1950, 1956, ANZO, Atomic Energy Commission, Chairman of the Board, Church of Spiritual Technology, David Miscavige, DC, Dublin, E-meter, England, Europe, Harlem, International Association of Scientologists, Ireland, Irish Times, London, National Affairs Office, New Year's Eve, OT III, Quicky, Radiation, Ron Miscavige Sr, Russia, Shermanspeak, UK
2016-10-18, Chris Spargo, Daily Mail
Jim Carrey has submitted court papers responding to the wrongful death suit filed against him by Brigid Sweetman, the mother of his late ex-girlfriend Cathriona White.
In the papers Carrey disputes the accusations being made by Sweetman while also submitting a declaration detailing his relationship with White, who took her own life in September of last year.
The 54-year-old actor claims in these papers that while he was dating White she married husband Mark Burton behind his back and without his knowledge, and at one point grew jealous of the time he was spending with his daughter after she was hospitalized for an extended period.
2016-10-18, Daily Mail
Jim Carrey's ex-girlfriend Cathriona White, who killed herself last year, wrote numerous suicide notes while the couple were together, it has emerged.
Investigators found several notes after her death, the first of which was written in October 2012, two months after she started dating Carrey.
TMZ said the note, written a month after the death of her father, said she did not feel like she fitting into this world and was 'too messed up for anyone to really love'. It went on to apologize to Carrey, who she said she loved.
Tags: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, Cathriona White, County Tipperary, Jim Carrey, Los Angeles, Mark Burton, Quicky, Sherman Oaks, Suicide, TMZ
2016-10-18, Daire Courtney, Irish Independent
A video taken by Andrea Garner, an outspoken critic of Scientology, shows a man holding his flag in front of her camera. She can be heard in the video telling him to get his hands off her.
"I was asked to move out of their camera frame, which was fine, but while I was moving he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the crowd," Garner told independent.ie.
"I believe he was a member of staff told to hold his flag in front of my camera to block me from filming, and he eventually became frustrated and grabbed me," she continued.
2016-10-18, Marvin Ross, Huffington Post
The University of Toronto, ranked as number one in Canada, 16th worldwide with the 12th ranked medical school internationally, has just established a scholarship for anti-psychiatry.
Called the Bonnie Burstow Scholarship in Antipsychiatry, it is being praised by Scientology. As a graduate with two degrees from the U of T, I'm offended as are many others.
What next, a scholarship to study anti-evolution or anti-vaccination?
2016-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
(Federal Judge Ronald A. White)
What started out as a major lawsuit against 82 defendants connected with Scientology — including its leader, David Miscavige — has ended suddenly and will not be going to trial.
According to a document filed by its attorneys, the National Association of Forensic Counselors has reached a settlement with the parties it has been suing for trademark violations at Scientology's drug rehab network, Narconon.
Tags: 2013, 2014, Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor, David Keesling, David Miscavige, DC, Deadline, Eric Tenorio, Florida, Frank Deisler, Indiana, International Association of Scientologists, Judge Ronald White, Judge Steven Shreder, Karla Taylor, Kelly Preston, Kerri Kasem, Lawyer, Lucas Catton, NAFC v. Scientology, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, National Association of Forensic Counselors, NBC, Oklahoma, OT, Paul DeMuro, Quicky, Rock Center, Saint Hill, Texas, Trademark
2015
6 years ago2015-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Hey, Sydney, we hear 2,300 of you crammed into the premiere of Going Clear back in June — that's more people who admitted to being Scientologists in your country's last census!
So this Friday, you'll get a chance to meet one of the people in that film — the proprietor of this website, in fact — which recently won three Emmy Awards and is now angling for an Oscar nomination.
And not only that, but we'll be accompanied on stage by two of Australia's amazing television journalists who keep an eye on Scientology, ABC's Steve Cannane and Channel 7's Bryan Seymour.
2015-10-18, Amardeep Bassey, Birmingham Mail
A rising Labour Party star was the guest of honour at the launch of an exhibition by a Church of Scientology offshoot that blames the 9/11 World Trade Centre terror attack on psychiatrists.
Birmingham's youngest councillor Mariam Khan said she had no idea that the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) preaches that psychiatrists are "terrorists" and mental illnesses do not exist.
The 24-year-old, who Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn recently promoted to the party's national policy forum, cut the ribbon to unveil the group's mobile exhibition stall.
2014
7 years ago
2014-10-18, Charles Rusnell, CBC News
Alberta Health Services issued a sole-source contract to hire an executive "coach" to ensure the "Ways of Being" ideology learned by AHS employees through Landmark Education training was adhered to.
Documents obtained by CBC News through freedom of information reveal Landmark Education Corp., a controversial American personal-development company, so successfully established itself within the AHS IT department that it adopted Landmark's "Ways of Being" as part of its strategic plan.
2014-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Jon Atack is the author of A Piece of Blue Sky, one of the very best books on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. He has a new edition of the book for sale, and for more than a year on Saturdays he helped us sift through the legends, myths, and contested facts about Scientology that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet. He was kind enough to send us a new post.
Jon, thanks for another new post. Tell us about the question Scientologists can't ask each other!
JON: My late friend, Professor Johannes Aagaard, would become agitated at conferences when listening to some sociologist pussyfoot around the activities of a cult group. Like me, he objected to the term "new religious movement" when it was applied to groups that had no religious pretensions, such as the Landmark Education, Amway, or the Larouchies. Like me, he objected to the refusal to discuss the biography of a cult leader, because such "hagiographies" must never be questioned (and, yes, sociologists use this term, which means "the biography of a saint." So, Hubbard's invented exploits are "hagiographies"). If you had video of Jesus changing water into wine at the Wedding at Cana, there was no way that these sociologists would let you watch it. You must simply accept the elaborate deceptions of the likes of Ron Hubbard. On such occasions, the good Professor Aagaard would take a sharp intake of breath and say, "Why don't they ask the truth question?" Why should we not question the usefulness of the doctrine itself?
Tags: A Piece of Blue Sky, Amway, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, Chill EB, Command Intention, David Miscavige, East Grinstead, England, France, Greenfields School, International Association of Scientologists, Jesus, Johannes Aagaard, Jon Atack, Landmark Education, London, Pete Griffiths, Saint Hill Manor, Sam Domingo, Sea Org, UK, Wedding
2014-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The latest scientology/Nation of Islam collaboration front group activity.
This "United in Peace Day" is being promoted in scientology circles as the "first public recognition of TWTH's role in producing LA's historic drop in crime" (what do they put in the water in scientology buildings?)
And here is the "Confidential" briefing about this event (I wonder why this is confidential?)
2014-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Well, so much for those idiotic tabloid reports about Tom Cruise losing his religion. The folks over at ESMB spotted a photograph posted on Saturday on Instagram that shows Tom in London and wearing his Freedom Medal of Valor.
He's posing with Ruddy Rodriguez, who was Miss Venezuela World in 1985, has worked in Venezualan telenovelas since then, and has been a Scientologist since 1997.
According to the caption on the photo, posted by Ruddy's manager, he took the picture in London where there was a "spectacular celebration."
Tags: 1985, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2012, AOLA, Apple, Birmingham, Bob Twaalfhoven, Celebrity Centre, Criminal, David Miscavige, Detroit, East Grinstead, England, Freedom Medal, Freedom Medal of Valor, Happiness Rundown, Hospital, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Katie Holmes, L. Ron Hubbard, London, Marty Rathbun, Nicole Kidman, OT, Philadelphia, Rick Petersen, Roger Friedman, Ruddy Rodriguez, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Scotland, Showbiz 411, Silicon Valley, Sunday Funnies, Sydney, Tom Cruise, Toronto, UK, Venezuela, Vikki Petersen
2013
8 years ago2013-10-18, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
A report from two Special Correspondents about the goings-on (or lack thereof) at the Pasadena "Ideal Org" with pix.
Mad Hatter Studios called the OT Committee into the Pasadena "Ideal" Org for a shoot to "prove" the Org was booming. Well, Cheshire Cat Studios decided we needed to see for ourselves. We posted in the pub across the alley from the Org at 5:50PM on a Friday evening to catch the public leaving after course. Then had a leisurely dinner with a glass of wine as we waited for the 7:00 rush. It was an interesting wait.
We could see clearly down the corridor that runs between the parking lot and the alley. All public would need to come in from one of three directions but cross the corridor to get to the elevators and stairs to courses or the HGC on upper floors. We counted 4 public leaving just after 6:00 and 6 public arriving before 7:00 (actually one was late!) But the fascinating thing is we counted around 15-20 staff. And most of them appeared to be Sea Org (white shirt, dark tie, dark pants and key ring. Maybe 5 looked like regular staff.
2013-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
On January 15, 2011, while being held in the "withdrawal unit" of Narconon Freedom Center in Albion, Michigan, Teague, while exhibiting symptoms of severe benzodiazepine withdrawal, set himself on fire with the use of a cigarette lighter and a spray cologne bottle. With flames engulfing him, he ran outside and extinguished the fire by plunging into the snow.
(In Oklahoma, it was the "withdrawal unit" of Scientology's flagship drug rehab facility, Narconon Arrowhead, where Stacy Dawn Murphy died of a drug overdose in July, 2012, leading to multiple government investigations and the passage of a new state law to regulate rehab facilities in that state more closely.)
Tags: 1979, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2012, A Forever Recovery, Albion, Angry Gay Pope, Battle Creek, Brandon Ogborn, David Miscavige, Division 6, J. Swift, Jeffrey Ray, Karen de la Carriere, Katie Holmes, Los Angeles, Michigan, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon Freedom Center, Oklahoma, Per Wickstrom, Richard Teague, Stacy Murphy, Tom Cruise, TomKat Project
2012
9 years ago2012-10-18, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
PLEASE SEE THE UPDATE BELOW...
Brian Culkin sent over an interesting message this morning. Culkin, a yoga master and business consultant, was featured last year in the landmark Tampa Bay Times investigative series about Scientology's cash-hungry methods, "The Money Machine."
Although Culkin was only in Scientology for about a year, he provided some stunning testimony about how often he was hit up for cash once the church realized that he had a bit of money. In just a year with the church, he estimated that he turned over about $330,000.
Tags: 1950, 1960, 1979, 1987, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2010, Advance!, Brian Culkin, Bruce Hines, Clear, Dianetics, Los Angeles, Operating Thetan, OT, OT 8, OT III, OT VIII, Quicky, Tampa Bay Times, Tiziano Lugli
2012-10-18, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
While I was going through my decompression from Scientology Inc. my wife and I watched Paul Haggis' Oscar-winning film Million Dollar Baby. The movie prompted me to have the first in-depth discussion on the subject of Scientology that I had had since leaving the cult. I pointed out to Monique Haggis' wonderful depiction of a number of elements of L. Ron Hubbard's seminal work, The Code of Honor.
I was to later learn that David Miscavige and his deputy Tom Cruise had quite an opposite reaction to Haggis' award-winning work.
Movie guys Tom and Dave on a date
2011
10 years ago
2011-10-18, Jonny Jacobsen, Infinite Complacency
Even if the sentences in the 2009 Paris trial of Scientology have been widely reported, the court's supporting arguments received less attention. With the appeal starting next month, now is a good time to review the judgment.(1)
Next month a Paris court will begin hearing the appeal against the 2009 convictions of the Church of Scientology for organised fraud.
The judgment and the sentences against the movement were hailed as a victory by many of the movement's critics at the time.[2]
Tags: 1952, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1972, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2009, Aude-Claire Malton, Auditing, Australia, Caroline Letkeman, Celebrity Centre, Chernobyl, Daniel Zagury, Dianetics, Dissemination, East Grinstead, E-meter, Escape, Europe, France, Georges Fenech, Hubbard Communications Office, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin, Lyon, Marseille, Miviludes, Netherlands, Olivier Morice, OT, Paris, Patrick Maisonneuve, Personality test, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Review, Roger Gonnet, Saint Hill, Sheila Gaiman, South Africa, Wall Street Journal, William Walsh
2011-10-18, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
People that have studied the subject of Scientology would understand this statement: "Anything can be overrun and when it does get overrun, it becomes suppressive." In my opinion, this overrun is what we are experiencing on all fronts of Scientology today.
Hi, my name is Robert Almblad and I am an Independent Scientologist. My last "Church" service was New OT V in 2005.
I joined the Sea Org at Celebrity Center in LA in 1971 when I was 23 and began my SO career in Scientology working for LRH on the Apollo in 1972. He discovered I had an innate ability to figure out the source of annoying problems in his physical space and to come up with innovative solutions. For noise, I designed a soundproof auditing room. For the odd smell on the ship, I discovered dirt in the vents and began the ship-wide program to clean the vents… this project became known as CSP (Clean Ship Program). Today, every SO member knows the name" CSP" but probably doesn't know where the name came from. It was me. Now that DM knows where CSP comes from, he will probably ban the use of the term. Ha.
Tags: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1981, 2005, 2010, Advanced Org, Amsterdam, Apollo, Celebrity Centre, Denmark, E-meter, Europe, Heaven's Gate, Independent, International Association of Scientologists, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, Mission, OT, OT V, Quicky, Ray Mithoff, Robert Almblad, Sea Org, Suppressive Person, White House
2010
11 years ago2010-10-18, Shelley Rossetter, Tampa Bay Times
The choice of holding the Nation of Islam's convention in the bay area underscores the organization's growing relationship with the Church of Scientology, based in Clearwater.
Connected by shared interests in improving literacy and ending drug abuse, the organizations forged a bond years ago in which members of the Chicago-based Nation of Islam were trained to administer Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's study techniques and drug-treatment programs.
During the four-day convention, Nation of Islam members had the chance to attend a "study tech" workshop and buy books from World Literacy Crusade, a tutoring program that uses the teachings of Hubbard.
2010-10-18, Jefferson Hawkins, Leaving Scientology
The phrase Potemkin village (or Potyomkin village) comes from a historical myth, now largely discredited. According to the story, Russian minister Grigory Potyomkin erected a bunch of false settlements in Crimea to fool Empress Catherine II during a state visit. The false fronts and hollow buildings were supposed to impress the monarch and her travel party with the "value" of these newly conquered territories.
Apparently, it never happened. Of course, we might say – how could anyone ever be fooled by such obvious chicanery?
Well, members of the Church of Scientology are taken in by similarly obvious fraud every day. In fact, there is an entire myth of "Scientology expansion" that has been built up out of nothing.
2007
14 years ago
2007-10-18, Greg Sandoval, CNET
John Giacobbi, Web Sheriff's president, said that what hasn't been established is whether YouTube's new system can recognize music playing within a video. This is of special interest to one of Web Sheriff's clients, the Village People. (Giacobbi's site even features a clip of them.)
YouTube was already using technology from a company called Audible Magic, which offers copyright holders a way to police music, video, and computer software that is being reproduced without permission. MySpace has also licensed Audible Magic's product.
The Village People band has threatened YouTube with legal action over a clip that features its music combined with archival footage of Adolf Hitler. The clip, which has been removed from YouTube hundreds of times and keeps getting reposted, shows images of German youth and the Nazi leader.
2007-10-18, Parade
Jerry Seinfeld on his commitment to comedy and how martial arts training helped prepare him for marriage
In my early years of stand-up, it was very helpful. I took a couple of courses. One of them was in communication, and I learned some things about communication that really got my act going.
2000
21 years ago
2000-10-18, ABC News
"The bottom line is that I feel really good about it. Here I was taking big chances, breaking a new genre," said Travolta. "I am so thrilled, believe it or not, at the outcome, because I didn't believe I could get it done," an upbeat Travolta told journalists this week, adding that critics have a history of disliking sci-fi movies. Asked whether there would be a Battlefield 2, he said, "Sure. Yeah." Let's hope for an alien intervention before the film's release.
1997
24 years ago
1997-10-18, Jim Heintz, Associated Press
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) _ Under pressure from the United States, Sweden has agreed to stop allowing public access to a Scientology publication that the controversial church guards closely.
The decision comes in a case that placed Sweden's law on open public records in conflict with international copyright regulations and prompted complaints from U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky and Rep. Sonny Bono, R-Calif.
Goeran Schaeder, legal affairs chief at the Swedish Justice Department, said Saturday that the decision was made "to protect our international contacts."
1997-10-18, Associated Press
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) _ Under pressure from the United States, Sweden has agreed to stop allowing public access to a Scientology publication that the controversial church guards closely.
The decision comes in a case that placed Sweden's law on open public records in conflict with international copyright regulations and prompted complaints from U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky and Rep. Sonny Bono, R-Calif.
Goeran Schaeder, legal affairs chief at the Swedish Justice Department, said Saturday that the decision was made "to protect our international contacts."
1996
25 years ago1996-10-18, Associated Press
FRANKFURT, GERMANY FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) _ Germany's top Jewish leader said he was insulted Thursday by a Church of Scientology ad in The New York Times that compared Germany's treatment of Scientologists today to Nazi persecution of the Jews.
Ignatz Bubis, chairman of the nation's Central Council of Jews and a prominent member of the centrist Free Democratic Party, said he denounced the comparison "because it is false."
The ad, placed Thursday, features an imperial eagle and a swastika. Bubis said it was "an insult to German politicians and especially disparages remembrance of the suffering" of the Nazis' victims.
1996-10-18, Seattle Times
Germany said today the U.S.-based Church of Scientology was insulting millions of Jewish victims of the Holocaust by leveling "totally absurd" charges that Bonn uses Nazi tactics against the church's followers.
An anti-German Scientology advertisement in The New York Times yesterday compared contemporary German attitudes toward the religious organization with the Nazi persecution of the Jews.
Tags: Germany, Nazi labelling
1988
33 years ago
1988-10-18, Linda Greenhouse, St. Petersburg Times
In other action Monday, the court: Said it will hear a Reagan administration appeal aimed at making it easier for the government to conduct tax-fraud investigations. The court will use a California case involving the Church of Scientology to settle a dispute over Internal Revenue Service (IRS) powers.
The Church of Scientology and its various affiliates for years have been embroiled in tax lawsuits across the country. In Clearwater, the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, regarded as Scientology's spiritual center, has filed lawsuits every year since 1982 challenging annual property tax bills.
FrontCite 10/22/2021 02:21p
See also:
FrontCite Mediawiki
xenu-directory.net: Scientology in the news
Scientology in the UK Media
See also:
FrontCite Mediawiki
xenu-directory.net: Scientology in the news
Scientology in the UK Media