Back 
Home 
Forth
2021
1 year ago
2021-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
On Tuesday, attorneys for Danny Masterson's accusers will get the chance to argue to a California appellate court that a lower court ruling forcing them into Scientology's "religious arbitration" and derailing the lawsuit they had filed against Masterson and the Church of Scientology is unfair and a violation of their rights.
Scientology and Danny Masterson's attorneys will also get their turns to present their oral arguments supporting the ruling.
Fortunately for us, the court is putting the hearing online in a live stream that you will be able to listen to along with us and the rest of the news media. And despite the arcane nature of what's going to be argued — dense legal concepts about arbitration and obscure references to case law — we expect a pretty big media interest in the proceeding.
Tags: 1952, 1971, 1999, 2003, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, Andrew Brettler, Bobette Riales, Boston, California, California Supreme Court, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Chris Shelton, Chrissie Carnell, Christian Right, Danny Masterson, David Miscavige, FBI, Fifth Invader Force, First Amendment, Fourth Invader Force, Hamilton, Jon Atack, Judge Charlaine Olmedo, L. Ron Hubbard, LAPD, Los Angeles, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Marci Hamilton, New Hampshire, New York, Police, Private investigator, Ray Jeffrey, Robert Minton, Scientology practice, Tom Mesereau, US Supreme Court, Valerie Haney
2020
2 years ago
2020-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
2020-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Yesterday, Deadline announced that Riley Keough will be joining Dakota Johnson to star in a limited television series based on an upcoming memoir of a woman who escaped the "Children of God" cult.
Johnson will play the Children of God escapee who will team up with her friend, played by Keough, to "investigate and document contemporary cults existing in America today."
Oh, where do we start.
Tags: 1952, 1996, 1997, 2014, 2015, 2016, Abortion, Bijou Phillips, California, Celebrity Centre, Celebrity magazine, Children of God, Christian Right, Clearwater, Coronavirus, Dakota, Danny Masterson, David Miscavige, Deadline, Elisabeth Moss, FBI, Fifth Invader Force, Flag Land Base, Florida, Fourth Invader Force, Handmaid's Tale, Hollywood, Hollywood Police Activities League, LAPD, Lisa Marie Presley, Los Angeles, Margaret Atwood, Martin Ottmann, Michael Lockwood, Police, Private investigator, Riley Keough, Ron Miscavige, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, Sea Org, Sexual assault, Wogs, YouTube
2019
3 years ago2019-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Before delving into this latest piece to be found on the STAAD fiction site, let me proffer a more honest answer to the question.
How does it feel to be a scientologist?
Superior — after all nobody else has the "tech" of life, they are all ignorant,misinformed or both
Tags: 1984, David Miscavige, DEA, Dianetics, Facebook, George Orwell, IRS, John Logothetis, Keep Scientology Working, OT, Quicky, Twitter
2019-10-30, John Cedars, YouTube
(Cedars' vlog no. 305) Jehovah's Witnesses are at risk of being devoured by Satan and the demons, so Governing Body helper Joel Dellinger is here to offer helpful advice on how they can cling to their holiness.
Puerto Rican estate agents web link... https://www.clasificadosonline.com/m/PartnerListingM.asp?ID=32172&CID=1
All Watchtower/JW.org videos featured in my rebuttals can be found on jw.org
2019-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
So, there's some good news and some bad news for Hanan Islam, the Scientologist who is accused of running a sophisticated $3.8 million fraud scheme out of a Scientology Narconon clinic in Compton and is facing trial next month.
On the one hand, she made bail this week, and considering that she has been in the Los Angeles County jail system since October 1 and her bail amount was set at $250,000, she must be feeling pleased to be out of custody.
On the other hand, we just got our hands on a copy of the charges filed against her and three of her children, which have been updated and augmented since the four defendants went through a preliminary hearing and were bound over for trial.
Tags: 1952, 2010, 2013, Bayon Beverly Washington, Canada, Compton, Fifth Invader Force, Fourth Invader Force, Fraud, Hanan Islam, Jeffrey Augustine, Judge Michael Pastor, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Superior Court, Medi-Cal, Narconon, Rizza Islam, Tax, Theft, World Literacy Crusade
2018
4 years ago2018-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The Cult Shopping Network (aka ScientologyTV) seems to be in desperate straits.
The Flag OT Committee is begging for help to try to bolster the failure.
They need to know right now if all members have "gotten others to watch," "downloaded the App," "forwarded links to non-scientologists," and "invited people to attend showings."
2018-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Recently, one of our correspondents forwarded us a press release put out by Scientology's drug rehab outfit, Narconon, which was boasting about a new study finally providing some scientific evidence to back up L. Ron Hubbard's ideas about treating drug abuse.
Our correspondent sounded crestfallen that Narconon had finally managed to get a peer-reviewed study published which seemed to confirm what Scientology has been saying all along about its cold-turkey, sauna-based treatment regimen.
Well, hang on, we said. Let's make sure someone who actually knows something about scientific studies gets a look at this. We turned to Carnegie Mellon University Professor Dave Touretzky, who has been keeping an eye on Narconon for far longer than we have, and who maintains extensive web pages about how Narconon really works. We're glad we did, because Touretzky had plenty of questions about the study. We'll let him take it from here…
2017
5 years ago2017-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Some interesting information here.
Plenty of evidence things are not all peachy at Flag.
Just a few comments:
They are trying to double the number of IAS members by reducing the annual membership fee and sending a mailing to everyone who has ever bought a book! Ha. Good luck with that. Although they disclose the REAL intent — to get people to higher statuses and that is ONLY about money.
2017-10-30, Growing Up In Scientology, YouTube
Nathan Rich and I discuss his experiences growing up in Scientology.
Nathan's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSzC...
Nathan's video response to Scientology's hate website:
2017-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
We're glad to have back Chris Owen, author of the important work Ron, The "War Hero." Few people are as dedicated to nailing down details of L. Ron Hubbard's history as Chris. And he has another fine addition to his work for us today.
L. Ron Hubbard (in)famously claimed to have had a distinguished wartime career as a member of the United States Navy. He also claimed distinction as a member of the National Guard and US Marine Corps, in both of which he served briefly in the 1920s and 1930s. But the US armed forces were not the only uniformed services to be graced by Hubbard's presence.
The official Scientology version of Hubbard's biography states that he served in the late 1940s "as a Special Officer with the Los Angeles Police Department" (LAPD). The same assertion is made on the website of Criminon, the Scientology "anti-crime" front group. In 2015, the City of Los Angeles issued a resolution recognizing Hubbard for serving "communities as a Special Officer of the LAPD where he further studied the criminal element which was the foundation for the many humanitarian and social programs which are in use throughout Los Angeles today." The LAPD's Operations-West Bureau also presented the Church of Scientology with a police badge mounted on a plaque dedicated to Hubbard "in appreciation for his services as a Special Officer of the City of Los Angeles." So what is the truth behind the story of "Ron the Cop"?
Tags: 1930, 1936, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1980, 1983, 2015, Alaska, Australia, California, Chris Owen, Colorado, Criminon, Dianetics, Dianetics Foundation, FBI, Georgia, Hollywood, Humanitarian, Interpol, L. Ron Hubbard, LAPD, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Metropolitan Detective Agency, Mexico, Pasadena, Police, Quicky, Ron DeWolf, San Luis Obispo, Savannah
2017-10-30, Mary McDonnell, Irish Independent
The Church of Scientology opened their doors to the public yesterday to host a 'kid-friendly' Hallowe'en event.
Volunteers at the centre in Firhouse, Tallaght said the event was not held to sign up new members.
They said the church wants locals to avail of their building like any other community centre in the area.
2017-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Well, we should have known it was too good to be true. On October 19, we reported that Maryann Carter, a woman in Kentucky, had posted to a Facebook group that Tom Cruise, through a family member, had requested that photos of Suri Cruise no longer appear on the group. "She is no longer part of his life," Carter said.
When we contacted Maryann, she told us that she had known Cruise when he lived in Kentucky, was five years older than him, had had long phone conversations with him, and had remained in contact with a cousin on his mother's side who lived in Kentucky.
None of that, it turns out, is true. After other members of the Facebook group complained that Maryann had fooled them as well, we talked to Maryann today and she confessed that she had made up virtually all of it.
2017-10-30, Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker
Gabbard recalls her childhood as lively and freewheeling: she excelled at martial arts and developed a passion for gardening; she was a serious reader, encouraged by her parents. But a number of Butler's former disciples recall a harsher, more authoritarian atmosphere. Defectors tell stories of children discouraged by Butler from attending secular schools; of followers forbidden to speak publicly about the group; of returning travellers quarantined for days, lest they transmit a contagious disease to Butler; of devotees lying prostrate whenever he entered the room, or adding bits of his nail clippings to their food, or eating spoonfuls of sand that he had walked upon. Some former members portray themselves as survivors of an abusive cult. Butler denies these reports, and Gabbard says that she finds them hard to credit. "I've never heard him say anything hateful, or say anything mean about anybody," she says of Butler. "I can speak to my own personal experience and, frankly, my gratitude to him, for the gift of this wonderful spiritual practice that he has given to me, and to so many people."
A number of those people have businesses. One of Butler's followers is Wai Lana, a yoga entrepreneur who is also his wife. Her company, which produces yoga videos, has helped fund the Science of Identity Foundation. Another person who seems to be a follower is Joseph Bismark, the co-founder of a global multilevel-marketing company called QNET, whose products include a small disk meant to protect users from "the harmful effects of electrosmog." (A decade ago, Indonesian police, alerted by Interpol, reportedly arrested Bismark on charges of fraud; the charges were eventually withdrawn.)
Tags: Abraham Williams, Anya Anthony, Bill Penaroza, Chris Butler, Democratic Party, Donald Trump, Eddie Tamayo, Federal Election Commission, Hare Krishna, Hawaii, Independents for Godly Government, India, Joseph Bismark, Kainoa Penaroza, Mike Gabbard, Richard Bellord, Rick Reed, Rupa Bellord, Science of Identity Foundation, Sunil Khemaney, Toby Tamayo, Trey Gowdy, Tulsi Gabbard, US Senate, Wai Lana
2016
6 years ago2016-10-30, Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large
The weekly show where I answer viewer questions left in the comments section of my Q&A videos or sent by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I take up are:
(1) Back when LRH was sailing about on the Apollo, what were the big established land bases? Please talk about some exciting and interesting missions.
(2) What do you think of the Wikileaks documents on Scientology? I've read some of the OT materials and they seem legit (and Hubbardian) however as a never-in I want to know if are they good sources in your eyes?
2016-10-30, Yahoo7 News
The children, who attend Newtown's Athena School, appeared in the promotional video released in July by the church featuring principal Fiona Milne.
A number of children are in the ad, but Fairfax reports Ms Milne declined to comment on whether their parents had given consent.
In the video Ms Milne explains how she became a Scientologist while studying as she suffered in the classroom.
2016-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Rod Keller keeps an eye on social media for us, and this week he dives into another Scentology infiltration that was hiding in plain sight.
On October 19 Westside Christian High School held a drug education seminar. Westside is a small bible-based private school of about 250 students located in Tigard, Oregon, a suburb of Portland with about 50,000 residents. The presenter was John Bitinas, who is a Scientologist on staff at the Portland Ideal Org. The students were not told of his affiliation, only that he represented "Obstacle Champion LLC," an entity that does not appear on the Oregon Secretary of State's web site of registered corporations.
School officials did not return emails or phone calls for comment, but students I spoke to were surprised to learn of his affiliation. "He spoke at a Christian school. I think he's a Christian, is he not?" asked one. At last report Bitinas is a Case Supervisor, or "C/S" at the org, a position for a senior auditor who supervises and reviews the work of other auditors working there. In January, 2015 he attested to the state of Clear, meaning that he no longer has his own reactive mind.
Tags: 1990, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, Anete Gueron, Bobby Wiggins, California Department of Education, Case Supervisor, Christian, Clear, Clearwater, Critic, Detox, Facebook, Florida, Fort Harrison, Ideal Org, John Bitinas, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, Mission, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon staff, Oklahoma, Oregon, Oregon Secretary of State, Portland, Potential Trouble Source, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Rod Keller, Success rate, Tone Scale, Yoav Gueron
2016-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The next Terra Cognita essay. See earlier Terra Cognita: The Is-Ness of Is-Ness, Cause Over Life — Really?, BT's in the Belfry, Two New Conditions!, The Condition of Liabilitiness, Condition of Doubtfulness The Mind, The Way To Happiness: Really? A Story, Auditing: a PC's Quest for the Holy Grail, The Knowledge Report, Integrity, The Almighty Stat, The Reg, The Horrors of Wordclearing, Why Scientologists Don't FSM, Respect, The Survival Rundown - The Latest Scam, Communication in Scientology... Or Not, Am I Still A Thetan?, To Be Or Not To Be, An Evaluation of Scientology, Fear: That Which Drives Scientology and Justification and Rationalization.
The E-Meter
I've "cleared" the definitions of watt, volt, ohm, and current a million times—everything to do with electricity—and I still don't get the full concept. Just so you know, electricity's never been my thing.
2015
7 years ago2015-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
(Journey's end — with What'sup in Perth)
When this post pops up at 7 am New York time, it will be 7 pm in Perth, Australia, and your proprietor will be starting the final event on our book tour with the help of Channel 7 journalist Bryan Seymour.
Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, came out in May, and we then started our travels, beginning our tour in California. Since then, we've wandered around the US, Europe, and now even Australia. And wherever we went, no matter the size of the crowd, there were always people who had taken the time to see us — some traveling huge distances — who told us that they read this website every day, and who tried to make us understand what it means to them to be a part of this community.
2015-10-30, ABC News
Church of Scientology International's statement to ABC News regarding the "20/20" interview with Leah Remini.
2015-10-30, Jethro Nededog, Business Insider
Apparently, one of the officials turned her in for the comment by writing a "knowledge report," which details when members break the rules. The accused then must deal with the accusation in auditing sessions, meetings in which an auditor questions and listens to an individual address their mistakes.
"You can assume that if you say something that is critical to the Church, you'll be written up," Remini, 45, said. "Husband, wife, mother, daughter. It's what the group does to regulate itself."
Remini readily admits that she wrote many knowledge reports during her years in Scientology, even about her own husband.
2015-10-30, Alex Rees, Cosmopolitan
Cancel all your Halloween plans, seriously, because this is a treat greater than all the candy you'd be pulling in. Or, OK, if you've put a lot of time and effort into your costume, at least set your DVR, because Katie Holmes will appear during a special 20/20 interview with Leah Remini tonight, offering her first public comment on Leah's decision to leave the Church of Scientology and reportedly also Scientology in general.
Leah had been a Scientologist since her childhood but left the church in 2013, and has since frequently spoken out about what she now labels its damaging practices. And during the 20/20 feature, which is to promote her forthcoming memoir Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, she will be discussing Scientology poster boy Tom Cruise in particular.
2015-10-30, Daily Mail
Three years after quitting Scientology and breaking up with Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes has reached out to fellow ex-church member Leah Remini.
ABC is set to air an interview with Remini on 20/20 Friday night, and while Katie Holmes declined to be interviewed for the program, she did issue a statement apologizing for the way she treated Remini while the two were both members of Scientology.
'I regret having upset Leah in the past and wish her only the best in the future,' Holmes said in the statement.
Tags: 1979, 20/20, 2005, 2006, 2013, ABC News, Amazon, Angelo Pagan, BuzzFeed News, China, Clearwater, Critic, David Miscavige, Facebook, Flag Land Base, Florida, Hollywood, Howard Stern, Italy, Jenna Elfman, Jennifer Lopez, John Travolta, Katie Holmes, Kelly Preston, King of Queens, Kirstie Alley, Knowledge Report, LAPD, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, New York, Oprah Winfrey, OT, Quicky, Rome, Shelly Miscavige, Suppressive Person, Tom Cruise, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, Vicki Marshall
2015-10-30, Jodi Guglielmi, People
As Leah Remini speaks out about leaving Scientology after more than three decades in the controversial church, Katie Holmes provided a statement to ABC for Remini's 20/20 interviewIn response to a request for comment from 20/20, Holmes issued the following statement, which was provided to PEOPLE by her publicist:
"I regret having upset Leah in the past, and wish her only the best in the future," Holmes says.
VIDEO: Former Scientologist Leah Remini Shows Support for Scientology Doc
2015-10-30, Esther Lee, US Weekly
Set those DVRs! ABC News revealed on Friday, Oct. 30, that Katie Holmes, former wife of famed Scientologist Tom Cruise, will speak out about ex-Scientologist Leah Remini during the King of Queen star's much-anticipated 20/20 special.
Holmes -- who divorced Cruise in June 2012 after nearly six years of marriage -- has never before spoken about Remini, let alone anything related to Scientology. ABC News' Dan Harris, who conducted the interview with Remini, told Robin Roberts and the co-hosts of Good Morning America on Friday morning that the Dawson's Creek actress will make an appearance on the special.
2015-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
What a day it's already been as the community at the Underground Bunker prepares for tonight's big event. As we wait for Leah Remini's interview with ABC's Dan Harris, bits and pieces have leaked out, only whetting our appetite.
Apparently, during the interview Leah shows the "Knowledge Report" that Katie Holmes wrote about her after the problems at Katie's 2006 wedding with Tom Cruise. ABC apparently blocked out the information on that KR, but earlier this week we gave you detailed information from other Knowledge Reports that were written about that wedding and then later, about Leah's disaffection with Scientology.
On Good Morning America today, Dan Harris got everyone worked up by saying that we would hear from Katie Holmes for the first time — but it turned out to be only a brief statement put out by Katie's press people, not an actual interview, and simply an apology to Leah, not anything about Scientology. (But that didn't keep some news organizations from biting hard on the notion that Katie was coming forward. Oops.)
2015-10-30, Jodi Guglielmi, People
In a new clip from Leah Remini's upcoming 20/20 interview about her new tell-all book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, in which she discusses her separation from Scientology, the actress opened up about one of Scientology's most famous faces: Tom Cruise.
"Being critical of Tom Cruise is being critical of Scientology itself," she said in the clip that first aired on Good Morning America Friday. "You are a person who is anti the aims and goals of Scientology, you are evil."
Remini, 45, claims that she when she first met Cruise within the church, he came off as friendly and accepting.
2015-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
Reminder
Tonight at 10pm ABC 20/20 hour long special with Leah Remini.
2015-10-30, News.com.au
Now the King of Queens actress is saying the controversial religion unfairly places high demands on kids.
"Because Scientologists view children as spiritual beings, you're not treated as a kid," Remini, 45, said in a sneak peek of her tell-all interview with ABC's "20/20".
"You're given a lot of responsibility, your ego becomes extremely inflated."
2014
8 years ago2014-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Mark Bunker has sent us another interesting clip from the many interviews he's conducted for his upcoming documentary, "Knowledge Report."
One of the things Bunker is documenting is the exodus of people who have left the Church of Scientology in recent years, many of whom grew disillusioned with church leader David Miscavige, but not with the ideas of Scientology itself and its founder, L. Ron Hubbard.
Rey Robles puts on a "Free Zone" convention every year in Las Vegas, where people who have left the church - but haven't left Scientology - gather to talk about their "wins" and help each other continue to audit and do courses. Here's a short excerpt that Mark sent over...
2014-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
"We are actually running governments!"
It is astonishing the level of self-delusion that these people engage in.
It would be VERY interesting to find out which government(s) they are referring to and check in with them — "Are you aware that you are being "run" by scientology?"
2013
9 years ago
2013-10-30, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
Contemplating the toxic waste that has come from the tortured mind of David Miscavige and relayed to the world by Scientology Inc and their ethics-challenged attorneys of late, I thought it might be a good time for some clarification.
During my hiatus from the subject of Scientology – 05-08 – I spent a great deal of time studying the abolition movement of the 19th Century. That included a lot of reading of the works and about the lives of the leading lights of America's second revolution; including Paine, Emerson, Garrison, Thoreau, Harriett Tubman and Frederick Douglass. I worked during '06 with an educational entertainment teacher I met at the Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Houston. She recruited me to play Old John Brown to her Harriett Tubman. We were invited to perform at the 2006 NAACP convention in Washington D.C. We traveled with all NAACP delegates by chartered train to Harper's Ferry for the NAACP's special commemoration to Brown and W.E.B. Dubois. Here is "Harriett" and me at the reconstructed old fire house at Harper's Ferry where Brown made his last stand:
During this period, probably the most influential work that directed my attention back to Scientology and contemplating the effects it had had on me and others was Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave. Particularly compelling to me was Douglass' description of his childhood realization of the first – and most viciously enforced – mechanic of slavery. That rule was that slaves were prohibited to learn. It is understandable. The slave holders correctly reckoned that if a slave learned to read it might lead to independent thinking. It might also lead to reading books and learning about the world outside the plantation. And of course that could lead to notions about expanding one's horizons and leaving slavery in order to do so.
Tags: 2006, 2009, Buffalo, Daniel Montalvo, David Miscavige, Garrison, Houston, John Brown, NAACP, Quicky, Washington
2013-10-30, Tampa Bay Business Journal
The city of Clearwater is asking the Church of Scientology to take down a massive sign draped on top of a five-story tent it erected for an upcoming event for the International Association of Scientologists.
The sign has the letters "KSW" which stands for "Keeping Scientology Working," the Tampa Bay Times said. It also includes the phrase: "The Golden Age of Tech." The church has said that the banner is a religious symbol, but the city says it is a sign and is covered by Clearwater's sign ordinance.
2013-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
(Source) Charlie Frago of the Tampa Bay Times is keeping the Church of Scientology's plans in Clearwater, Florida under a microscope as church leader David Miscavige prepares for a series of large events.
Yesterday, Frago was like a cat on a hot tin-colored tent with at least three versions of a news story showing up at the Tampa Bay Times website. He reported that the giant "KSW" mural ["Keep Scientology Working"] on Scientology's massive event pavilion had fallen afoul of Clearwater's fire marshal, but then said Scientology had managed to mollify the fire department that its draping met fire codes. But then he said the city's strict signage codes had been violated, and the church was told it would be fined up to $250 a day until it took down the mural.
That's chump change for Miscavige, and we'll be interested to see if he caves and brings down the draping, which clearly cost him a pretty penny.
Tags: 1995, 1998, Charlie Frago, Christopher Hubbard, Clearwater, Critic, David Miscavige, E-meter, England, Flag Building, Florida, Freedom Medal, Golden Age of Tech, Independent Scientologists, International Association of Scientologists, Keep Scientology Working, New Year's Eve, Quicky, Super Power, Super Power Building, Tampa Bay Times, Tent
2013-10-30, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
The disasters just keep on rolling. These three emails came in this morning.
Larry, Moe and Curly Joe couldn't make this more slapstick....
First, after years in the "planning" SMI is sending out an URGENT email that must be answered TODAY to give information about delivering "GAG II." Wonder what happens to the Missions that DONT have trained C/Ses, Co-Audit Sups and Auditors (ie practically every "Mission" listed on Scientology.org)? With GAG II "imminent" this is like asking at the altar whether your bride is a virgin. It's a bit late for that sort of "Oh, I forgot to check...."
2013-10-30, Paula J. Caplan, Psychology Today
For five minutes I felt gratified, thinking my report that many psychiatric diagnostic categories are unscientific had been helpful. Then I saw that what the Clark v. Arizona decision, the last in the Court's most recent term, included was a serious mischaracterization and misapplication of my work. I wondered how the Court had heard of my book and soon discovered that the writer of an amicus curiae brief had cited it in a way that, through implication and omission, was misleading.
When I discovered that the "Citizens Commission on Human Rights" (CCHR) had submitted that brief, it struck me that a Justice would be unlikely to know that the [so-called] Church of Scientology founded and remains closely tied to the CCHR.
I wondered: Does the Supreme Court have mechanisms to find out the nature of groups that submit amicus briefs, and does the Court have mechanisms to figure out whether scientific research and clinicians' opinions in briefs are of good quality and accurately presented?
Tags: CCHR, US Supreme Court
2012
10 years ago2012-10-30, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
Sometimes, we are simply in awe of Scientology's effectiveness and power as it marches onward, turning this prison planet into the sanest place in the galaxy.
Today, we can barely contain ourselves as we present to you more evidence that David Miscavige is leading Scientology into a golden age.
We present to you this photograph, which appeared recently at a website the church maintains in order to get out the truth that the media tries to suppress. Ladies and gentlemen, gaze upon a church's good works...
2012-10-30, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
Excerpt from Chapter nine of The Scientology Reformation: What Every Scientologist Should Know:
The Reformation
Reformation ends not in contemplation, but in action.
2011
11 years ago2011-10-30, Rasmus Baastrup Nielsen, DR
Inden mødet har 21Søndag udfyldt en stress-test på Scientologys hjemmeside. Testen er en række personlig spørgsmål, og med test-resultatet kan en scientolog angiveligt finde ud af, hvordan man har det i livet.
Men ifølge tidligere Scientology-medlem Robert Dam er testen designet til at gøre folk sårbare, så man kan sælge dem kurser og andet fra Scientology.
- I sidste ende er formålet med testen at få dig med i Scientology, fortæller Robert Dam, der selv har stået for de møder, som 21søndag er til.
2010
12 years ago
2010-10-30, Jefferson Hawkins, Leaving Scientology
Among the latest to leave the corrupt Church of Scientology are Jim and Meshell Little, daughter Heather Powers, and Meshell's mother Edie Fields, all long term Scientologists who have contributed much to the Church over the years.
This is their story, as told by Meshell.
Why We Publicly Left the Church of Scientology
Tags: 1968, 1982, 2004, 2008, Abortion, Amy Scobee, Anderson Cooper, Basics, CCHR, Class V, CNN, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Mayo, David Miscavige, DC, Disconnection, Edie Fields, Ethics, Ethics Officer, Facebook, Geir Isene, Heather Powers, Ideal Org, INCOMM, Inspector General, International Association of Scientologists, International Management, IRS, Jason Beghe, Jeremy Powers, Jim Little, Karen de la Carriere, Keep Scientology Working, L. Ron Hubbard, Larry Anderson, Lisa Hamilton, Marty Rathbun, Meshell Little, Mike Rinder, Missouri, Office of Special Affairs, Orientation, OT, Paul Haggis, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Ron Miscavige Jr, Scientology: A History of Violence, Sea Org, Sec Check, Sherry Katz, St. Louis, St. Petersburg Times, Student Hat, Suppressive Person, The Truth Rundown, Tom DeVocht, Tommy Davis
2009
13 years ago
2009-10-30, Dennis Ferrier, WSMV Nashville
A college student is suing the Nashville Church of Scientology, a security company and three off-duty Spring Hill police officers for $6 million. Thomas Parker said he was knocked to the ground, handcuffed and arrested, for nothing more than attempting to peacefully protest.
2009-10-30, outtech's channel , YouTube
2009-10-30, Hana Gartner, The Current, CBC Radio
Despite the upbeat tones of its advertising campaign, it's been a tough week for the Church of Scientology. First, Canadian Movie Director Paul Haggis -- one of the church's oldest and most respected members -- quit over what he says is the church's refusal to denounce an anti-gay marriage bill in California. He outlined his reasons in a letter to the Church's spokesperson, Tommy Davis.
A few days later, the Church of Scientology's French branch was found guilty of fraud and fined half-a-million euros about a million Canadian dollars. And this all came less than a week after the Church's spokesperson, Tommy Davis, walked out in the middle of a high-profile television interview on Nightline.
2008
14 years ago
2008-10-30, AAP, ABC News (Australia)
"If someone starts talking to me negatively about something they've never actually studied that actual text of, I don't really admire them very much because it shows they don't have much integrity, so I just kind of ignore them," Elfman told AAP in Sydney.
"I'm not going to listen to gossip and hearsay about something that's affected my life so tremendously in such a tremendously positive way."
Tags: Jenna Elfman
2008-10-30, Jeff Overley, Orange County Register
City negotiators are offering to cut legal deals with nine drug rehab home companies in an effort to preemptively derail potential challenges to a tough new city law on addiction-treatment housing, according to court documents and interviews.
At least two companies - Narconon and Ocean Recovery - have inked tentative agreements, according to court papers filed Wednesday by the city, although city officials denied that there's a deal with Ocean Recovery. Neither company returned calls for comment.
2007
15 years ago2007-10-30, Brittan Moncrease, The Hilltop, Howard University
The Founding Church of Scientology sits just blocks from the Dupont Circle metro station. Tony Bokas, a member of the Scientology Church and Maryland resident, described the area as an essential spot in the District that attracts a huge number of politicians.
"Important people come by all the time with police squads guarding them," he said.
Tags: DC, Tony Bokas
2007-10-30, Bartley Kives, Winnipeg Free Press
IN a booklet called The Way To Happiness, it appears as if Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz officially endorses the musings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Katz's image and the official City of Winnipeg logo appear on the back cover of the 68-page booklet, which implores readers to observe life lessons such as "do not take alcohol to excess," "don't be promiscuous," "preserve your teeth" and "don't do anything illegal."
The booklet purports to be "presented by Sam Katz, mayor" and even includes Katz's 2006 re-election slogan, "our city, our future" above a bogus letter laden with Katz slogans such as a "climate of opportunity."
2006
16 years ago
2006-10-30, Justin Stares, Daily Telegraph
To the annoyance of the church's senior officials, a newly purchased three-storey property earmarked to become their Brussels HQ has been invaded by squatters.
But their anger with the illegal lodgers is nothing compared to their beef with the Brussels authorities, who have declared the church persona non grata and say they will not enforce eviction orders.
2006-10-30, Kurt Opsahl, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Today, EFF announced that it is fighting back against Landmark Education's attempts to abuse DMCA subpoenas to Google Video, YouTube and the Internet Archive to identify people who posted a video documentary critical of the organization.
The French documentary, entitled Voyage Au Pays Des Nouveaux Gourous (Voyage to the Land of the New Gurus), is not copyrighted by Landmark, but it does contain hidden camera footage from inside the Landmark Forum. To the extent that Landmark has any copyright at all at issue, such limited and transformative use of a copyrighted work for purpose of criticism, commentary, and news reporting is self-evidently fair use. While Landmark may believe that the documentary is unfair (as asserted in its letters), the DMCA is not an appropriate way to identify critics.
2006-10-30, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Landmark Forum Violates Constitution and Federal Law by Trying to Chill Speech
San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is fighting a controversial self-help group's coordinated, illegal campaign to silence Internet critics.
2005
17 years ago
2005-10-30, Robert Farley, Tampa Bay Times
The concepts aren't unusual for a Christian teen group, but the author is. The Way to Happiness is a moral code written by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology.
And the Way to Happiness class is just part of a relationship between the Glorious Church of God in Christ and the Church of Scientology.
About 20 Glorious Church members have been schooled on Hubbard's study technology at Scientology's Tampa facility on Habana Avenue. Soon Glorious Church parishioners plan to teach Hubbard's so-called "study tech" to children in their neighborhood, where one in five live in poverty.
The Glorious Church also hopes to host Narconon and Criminon programs based on the teachings of Hubbard and aimed at drug treatment and criminal rehabilitation.
Tags: 1972, 1980, 1997, Africa, Applied Scholastics, Boys & Girls Club, Boys & Girls Clubs, Brendan Haggerty, Bright Sky Learning, Carl Lavender, Charles Kennedy, Chris Wright, Christian, Clarence Davis, Clearwater, Criminon, Dell deChant, Ebony Awakening, Ed Best, Glorious Church of God in Christ, Hazelwood School District, Jesus, Johanna Lemlech, Joy Tabernacle Cathedral, Lynn Irons, Missouri, Nancy Sardinas Lambert, Narconon, No Child Left Behind, Study Tech, Tampa, The Way to Happiness, University of South Florida, University of Southern California, Word Clearing, Ybor City, Yolanda Kennedy
1997
25 years ago1997-10-30, Daniel B. Wood, Las Vegas Sun
In the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which devastated this community, Johnson planted seeds to change that. Already active in the neighborhood with an eight-year-old outreach program for youths, he founded the Compton Literacy and Learning Project. A year later, it was named the World Literacy Crusade (WLC) and has since become so successful that chapters have been cloned in 30 other cities around the world.
The curriculum Johnson uses is a simple system from a controversial source. In the 1930s, L. Ron Hubbard, who later founded the Church of Scientology, designed a way to help potential readers of all ages overcome their own barriers to learning: He stressed that readers must know where, when, and how they become confused.
FrontCite 11/01/2022 07:53p
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