December 13 in Scientology history

This "success story" caught my attention for a couple of reasons. First, the idea that it could be considered a "win" to decide that you could now help with fundraising is rather comical. Tells you what is important in the world of scientology. It is obviously a point of shame to NOT be participating in fundraising for ideal orgs. But there is a larger point here, concerning scientology "success stories" in general.

Tags: AOSH ANZO, Barbara Dews, Cause Resurgence Rundown, E-meter, Ideal Org, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, OT, OT Committee, OT VIII, Perth, Quicky, Sydney

Journalist Emma Best, at the Muckrock website, has convinced the FBI to cough up even more documents about the Church of Scientology, and in the latest batch there's a pretty interesting 15-page letter written by Ron DeWolf to the IRS in 1985. "Ron DeWolf" was the name that L. Ron Hubbard Jr. adopted in order to distance himself from his famous father after he turned away from the senior Hubbard and his Scientology movement. DeWolf's family nickname was "Nibs," and he was a fascinating and problematic figure in Scientology history. In 1952, Hubbard pulled his son out of high school to help as he was regrouping from a disastrous year of bankruptcy and divorce to start something he called "Scientology" after the failure of his "Dianetics" movement.

Tags: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991, Annapolis, Arizona, Australia, Author Services Inc, Bavaria, Bent Corydon, Boston, Bremerton, California, Canada, Carson City, Charles Manson, Chris Owen, CIA, Clearwater, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Company, Criminal, David Mayo, David Miscavige, Denmark, Dianetics, Emma Best, England, Fair Game, FBI, FDA, Gabe Cazares, Gene Denk, Germany, Guardian's Office, Harry Ross Hubbard, Independent, Internal Revenue Service, Interpol, IRS, Journalist, Julie Titchbourne, L. Ron Hubbard, Lawrence Wollersheim, Legal, Long Island, Los Angeles, Mary Sue Hubbard, Mexico, Michael Flynn, Muckrock, New York, Paulette Cooper, Penthouse, Phoenix, Police, Pope, Portland, Potential Trouble Source, Religious Technology Center, Reno, Riverside, Robert Vaughn Young, Ron DeWolf, Russia, San Francisco, Scotland, Sea Org, Snow White Program, Suppressive Person, Sweden, Synanon, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely, Toronto Org, US Department of Justice, Washington, Wellspring

In 2013, The King of Queens actress Leah Remini filed a missing person report on Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who has not been seen in public since the summer of 2007. Three years later, Remini has never received a formal response to her report from the Los Angeles Police Department, which instead leaked news to reporters that it had checked on Shelly and closed the case. Now Remini, through her attorney Douglas E. Mirell, has made a formal records request with the LAPD regarding her 2013 missing person report, asking the department to respond with detailed information about how it determined that Shelly Miscavige was alive and well. Remini's request comes as her docu-series about her former church, Scientology and the Aftermath, has become a hit for the A&E network, where its first episode drew 2.1 million viewers and was the most-watched series premiere for the network in two years. Tonight, the third episode of the series airs, and press interest in the show is running high — Remini's records request is well timed to produce pressure on the LAPD to give her answers that she didn't get three years ago.

Tags: 1986, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, A&E, Amy Scobee, Andre Dawson, California, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Miscavige, Douglas Mirell, Florida, Hemet, Hollywood Reporter, Italy, Katie Holmes, Kevin Decker, King of Queens, LAPD, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Mediterranean, New Jersey, Police, Quicky, San Bernardino County, Scientology and the Aftermath, Shelly Miscavige, THR Staff, Tom Cruise

Things keep popping up showing the desperation within the bubble. This is one of the strangest in recent memory. Sharron Weber, the Captain FSSO — the woman responsible for moving every human being on earth through OT VIII, the first "true OT level" has so little to keep her occupied that she is sending out letters begging people to come in to do filing at Valley Org.

Tags: A&E, Central Files, Flag Ship Service Organization, Mary Kahn, OT, OT VIII, PC folders, Quicky, Sharron Weber

Last night, A&E fed the huge fascination for its new series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath with a remarkable sneak peek of tonight's third episode. The network played the first fifteen minutes of the episode, which featured Remini and Mike Rinder explaining to executive producer Alex Weresow how Scientology's "Bridge to Total Freedom" was laid out, including the ludicrous prices that Scientologists are expected to pay. We're super impressed with how Remini and Rinder have convinced a bunch of reality-TV folks used to less serious fare (Weresow's previous credits include Celebrity Wife Swap) to create a show that is methodically and systematically taking apart the Scientology story, from how it sucks people in and takes over their lives to how it rips families apart. In tonight's episode, Remini and Rinder keep the education going with their explanations about how Scientologists must pay enormous amounts, often for courses that they've been forced to redo, or for books that they already own copies of. Members also pay ridiculous amounts to be interrogated so that the church has a file of their most damaging secrets. "You may be paying someone $800 an hour to sit and interrogate you," Rinder says. "If you keep doing that to someone, you get them to the point where they will say basically anything in order to put an end to it."

Tags: 1973, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, A&E, Alex Weresow, Belleair, Bridge to Total Freedom, Celebrity, Clear, Clearwater, David Kahn, David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Divorce, Estates Project Force, Florida, Freewinds, Leah Remini, Mary Kahn, Michael Kahn, Mike Rinder, OT, OT 8, Paulette Cooper, Quicky, Sammy Kahn, Scientology and the Aftermath, Sea Org, Suppressive Person, Virginia

Leah Remini isn't done battling the Church of Scientology, which she left in 2013 and has been criticizing publicly ever since. Following a bestselling book — Troublemaker, in which she details her life growing up in the church — and her popular A&E series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, the 46-year-old is still working to combat the organization she claims brainwashed and indoctrinated her and abused other members. Speaking in a new essay in the latest issue of PAPER magazine, the King of Queens star repeats her claims that Scientology is a nefarious organization, adding that she hopes the FBI will open a new investigation into its activities.

Tags: 1989, 2005, 2013, A&E, Academic, American Medical Association, Brooke Shields, David Miscavige, Facebook, FBI, John Travolta, Katie Holmes, King of Queens, Leah Remini, Nicole Kidman, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath, Tom Cruise, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology

The weekly show where I answer questions from the comments section of my Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I answer are: (1) How do the ranks work in the Sea Org? I understand some are permanent and other's temporary based on your job level. How does one get promoted in rank and when do you get real rank? I understand the former President of Scientology had a low Sea Org rank. Are their others who share the rank of Captain with David Miscavige? (2) How does a Scientologist feel when the promised "super powers" fail to materialize after attesting to Clear or an official OT Level?

Tags: Apollo Stars, Clear, Critic, David Miscavige, Italy, L. Ron Hubbard, Marty Rathbun, OT, Quicky, Sea Org, Tommy Davis

The saga at Trout Run continues as Scientology's property arm produced another court filing and let loose with a whine of epic proportions. We've been following developments in Frederick County, Maryland where Scientology tried a stealthy move to put one of its Narconon drug rehab facilities in a rustic location through an end-around of local zoning rules. Scientology, through its property-buying front group, Social Betterment Properties International (SBPI), paid $4.85 million for a location known as Trout Run, a decaying fish camp that had stood in for Camp David on The West Wing. Although the parcel was not zoned for a drug rehab center, SBPI learned that if the property could be put on the county's list of historic places, it could get a special exception as a group home.

Tags: Australia, Canada, Frederick County, Historic Preservation Commission, Maryland, Narconon, Quicky, Social Betterment Properties International, Trout Run

Here is yet ANOTHER "seminar" on making money pushed by the "church" of scientology. It's thrust upon the world by the "Senior Administrative Consultant" (whatever that is?) of the "new" LA Org. Obviously a Sea Org member, as everyone in LA Org is now SO, which makes this guy an expert on money — he rakes in and manages an annual income of $2500 in a good year. Of course, what would a scientology promotional piece be without a glaring typo — commonly in the headline as here (also check out the copyright notice).

Tags: Bruce Wiseman, Gavin Potter, Henry Ospitia, Michael Chan, OT, OT Ambassador, Patrick Valtin, Quicky, Sea Org

Intended to be read from bottom to top, this is the latest draft copy in my series of wall charts that attempt to explain the Church of Scientology. Chart 4 argues that the weak link in the Church of Scientology is the Sea Org. Jpeg on top; scroll down for PDF version.

Tags: Quicky, Sea Org

Jonny Jacobsen Once again we have a special report from our man in Paris, British journalist Jonny Jacobsen. He has news of three new developments: Scientology's maneuvering has been cleared away so that a Belgian prosecution of fraud against the church can occur, an attempt by Scientology to sue one of its biggest critics in France for libel has been denied, and Holland's highest court has reversed and remanded a ruling about Scientology's tax exemption in Amsterdam. Jonny, take it away... Belgium's highest court has rejected Scientology's last appeals and sent 13 senior members and two of its organizations there for trial, a Belgian newspaper reports.

Tags: 1977, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, Alexandra Hotel, Amsterdam, Appeal, Arcadia, Belgium, Boston, Boston Business Journal, Boston Globe, Brussels, California, Celebrity Centre, Charity, Chicago, Clearwater, Cour de Cassation, David Miscavige, Detroit, Division 6, Dutch, Europe, France, Happy Valley, Ideal Org, Jenna Miscavige Hill, Jonny Jacobsen, Netherlands, Olivier Morice, Paris, Philadelphia, Purification Rundown, Rehabilitation Project Force, Scientology organization, Sea Org, Tampa, Tax exempt, The Hague, Tom DeVocht, UNADFI, Ybor City

Ex-Narconon Trois-Rivieres staff member reveals how he had to fight and scream with Narconon executive, Thérèse Sansfaçon, to help save a Patient's life and send him to the hospital before he died. Narconon Policy evidence and witness list is being compiled for Lawsuit filed against Thérèse Sansfaçon, Yvette Shank (OSA CANADA), Narconon Trois-Rivieres Corporation, Scientology Montreal, Jean Larivière, and others. This short Audio File is edited from a lengthy interview, and only one of numerous ex-Narconon staff coming forward willing to give statements and evidence.

Tags: Audio, Jean Larivière, Lawsuit, Montreal, Narconon, Narconon staff, Narconon Trois-Rivières, Office of Special Affairs, Thérèse Sansfaçon, Trois-Rivières, Video, Yvette Shank

The Church of Scientology is putting the Hotel Alexandra on the market after deciding to pull the plug on its long-stalled plans of restoring the blighted South End landmark into its new Boston headquarters, church officials announced yesterday. Just recently we've had some changes in our programs - some upgrades have caused a need for more space for course-rooms. With that, our international office told us that the Hotel Alexandra will not work because we need at least 50,000 square feet," said Kevin Hall, a spokesman for the Church of Scientology Boston.

Tags: Quicky

Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige must submit to a deposition in a lawsuit filed against him and two church entities by Monique Rathbun, wife of high-profile church critic Marty Rathbun, a Texas judge ordered Friday. The ruling was a blow to Scientology's legal team, which had tried to keep Miscavige distanced from the contentious action. Miscavige has testified in only a handful of cases during his 27 years as the church's leader.

Tags: 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, Comal County, Corpus Christi, David Miscavige, First Amendment, Germany, Judge Dib Waldrip, Marty Rathbun, Monique Rathbun, Ray Jeffrey, San Antonio, Sea Org, Squirrel, Texas, The Truth Rundown

A report from one of our Bay area Special Correspondents with some perspective on the recent events replayed in the local orgs. Not a lot of detail about the contents of the events, but an interesting overview of the state of these "ideal" orgs and their public. One thing is certain — I recently listened to an audio recording from one of these events — the Shermanspeak has reached absolutely mind-numbing levels. Voldemort never utters a simple sentence. Long, run on, convoluted wordplay peppered with "if that wasnt enough" and "not withstanding" and "not to mention" and all manner of other contortionist twists and devices. You literally move from one seal clapping pause to the next wondering what just happened and what, if anything, He said. Word are coming out but they seem to be some strange foreign language (Shermanspeak?) that has its own rules of grammar, sentence structure and meaning of words. Although I did catch Him proclaiming that GAG II "is the greatest recovery of lost tech ever" and it is "busting open eternity."

Tags: Chairman of the Board, Golden Age of Tech, Grant Cardone, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Mission, Office of Special Affairs, OT, Photoshop, Purification, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Stevens Creek, Student Hat, Underground Bunker, Visa

For three months prior to the celebration, city officials had butted heads with church leaders over permits, illegally cutting trees and other violations. The church paid fines and was cited by the city's Code Enforcement Board for a massive tent wrap that the city deemed a sign. Cretekos said he wanted a fresh start.

Tags: 1996, 2002, 2004, 2012, Belleair, Clearwater, Clearwater Police Department, Code Enforcement Board, David Miscavige, Facebook, Flag Building, Florida Holocaust Museum, George Cretekos, Mark Bunker, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Pat Harney, Pinellas County, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, Police, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Twitter, University of South Florida, YouTube, Zoning

UPDATE: Judge Dib Waldrip has decided that Scientology leader David Miscavige will be deposed in Monique's lawsuit. See our new story for the latest updates. Monique Rathbun's harassment lawsuit against Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, resumes today in the Comal County courthouse in New Braunfels, Texas, and we should be getting dispatches from both Mike Bennitt and Derek Bloch. Judge Dib Waldrip will continue to consider Monique's request for a continuance — a delay in the case — so she can depose Miscavige, who has asked to be let out of the suit because he says the court has no jurisdiction over him. And that means both sides will continue to argue whether Miscavige was the kind of hands-on leader who would have obsessed over every aspect of the years of surveillance and harassment Monique and her husband Mark "Marty" Rathbun experienced (Monique's version of events) or Miscavige's version, that he's the spiritual leader of a thriving church and had nothing to do with the surveillance that was being run by one of Scientology's entities he has little do with.

Tags: 2011, Bert Leahy, Chairman of the Board, Comal County, David Lubow, David Miscavige, Derek Bloch, Ed Bryan, Joanne Wheaton, Judge Dib Waldrip, Marty Rathbun, Mike Bennitt, Monique Rathbun, New Braunfels, Office of Special Affairs, OSA Int, Private investigator, Quicky, Scientologists at War, Scott Pilutik, SLAPP, Squirrel, Squirrel Busters, Suppressive Person, Texas

Ray Jeffrey We talked to Ray Jeffrey, attorney for Monique Rathbun, who confirmed that Judge Dib Waldrip has granted Monique's motion for a continuance in her harassment lawsuit against the Church of Scientology so she can have the time to depose its leader, David Miscavige. And although Scientology attorneys asked that it be a written deposition, Jeffrey tells us the judge did not agree to that. "He has ordered the deposition of Miscavige with no restrictions. It will be a regular deposition like any other," Jeffrey said.

Tags: 2005, 2007, Austin, Catholic Church, Church of Scientology International, David Miscavige, Judge Dib Waldrip, Linda Hamel, Los Angeles, Monique Rathbun, Office of Special Affairs, Pope, Quicky, Ray Jeffrey, Religious Technology Center, Ricardo Cedillo, Shelly Miscavige

The Church of Scientology announced that it is about to begin renovations its Yonge Street location, according to Urban Toronto. No word yet on when the renovations will start or when they are expected to be completed. Whatever one's opinion of Scientology is, it's hard to deny that the building the church occupies is in need of rejuvenation (contrast the rendering to a picture below of the building's current facade). Plus, a better Scientology building also means a more beautiful Yonge Street. So, um, praise Xenu, I guess? Those wishing to get their Thetan level tested can still do so at the church's temporary location at 77 Peter Street.

Tags: Rotting building, Toronto, Toronto Org

The Church of Scientology announced that it is about to begin renovations its Yonge Street location, according to Urban Toronto. No word yet on when the renovations will start or when they are expected to be completed.

Tags: Toronto

One of the primary dangers of Scientology is the potential for, and its proclivity toward, the abuse of the confidences its members entrust the organization with. It is a most insidious operation. Scientology counselors are drilled for months – and sometimes years - on communication skills that are designed to make a seeker completely comfortable with sharing her innermost feelings and every detail about all of her frailties and shortcomings. Scientology counselors are trained to overcome their own possible misgivings about invading the privacy of another in order to ensure they probe every dark corner of another's mind. The seeker is carefully indoctrinated that in order to achieve any gain in Scientology it is first and foremost necessary that she willingly discloses every secret, dark or light, she may possess. Scientology counselors are trained to naturally and thoroughly note for posterity every detail of the confessions that their counselees so disclose. Scientologists are indoctrinated to fully believe that the ends of the Scientology organization justify whatever betrayal of an individual's rights might be considered necessary for the organization's survival.

Tags: Fair Game, Quicky, Scientology organization

For at least eight months, the US Department of Homeland Security has been investigating allegations of human trafficking in the Church of Scientology, TONYORTEGA.ORG has learned. Since at least the spring, agents with Homeland Security working out of its Tampa office have been interviewing former members of the church who have information about the way children are used as laborers in Scientology's "Sea Organization" and other matters. We put in a call to the lead investigator of the probe at the Tampa office, Justin Deutsch, who has been questioning former church members. We have not received a reply.

Tags: 1990, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2011, Abortion, Apostate, Burbank, Claire Headley, David Miscavige, Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Human trafficking, Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain, Lawrence Wright, Los Angeles, Marc Headley, New Yorker, Paul Haggis, Quicky, Scientology executive, Sea Org, SEC, Tampa, Tom Cruise, US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Village Voice

That meany Jon Stewart and just about everyone else has made fun of this video from America's favorite cute movie couple, Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson. But we know that our readers will have special affection for this darling Christmas carol that features so many of the things that make the holidays special. There's the lovely holiday tradition of flying your private jet to see the kids, for example. Which of course reminds us of the heartwarming time when John Travolta gave up his private jet so Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige could use it to keep a church member, Ann Tidman, from reuniting with the man she loved in a daring 1994 caper, as explained by former Scientology exec Marty Rathbun.

Tags: 1994, Ann Tidman, David Miscavige, John Travolta, Jon Stewart, Marty Rathbun, Quicky

If you're going to be in NYC this Saturday, NYCanon will be holding its third annual Xmas caroling operation at the Church of Scientology in Times Square. It will be vulgar and effective.

Tags: Anonymous, New York City, Quicky

While I was out of town once this summer, Mosey had a lengthy, frank, off-camera conversation with the non-Scientologist minders of the corporate Scientologists who harassed us every day for one hundred and ninety nine days straight. Monique asked them "what do we need to do to make you people go away?" The answer was "Marty needs to stop talking to the media." Besides the fact that that unguarded, presumably honest answer put the lie to the entire "Squirrel Busters" front of being here to burn heretics, Mosey did not hesitate for a moment to inform the hired guns that their answer demonstrated the double-digit IQ mentality of their boss, David Miscavige. Mosey informed them that "Marty hadn't spoken to any media for months, until you goons showed up and made it an ongoing hard news story." Apparently so much so, that Village Voice Editor in Chief Tony Ortega listed it first in introducing a year-end poll on the top Scientology story of the year. Here's Tony's summation: 1. Marty Rathbun besieged by the Squirrel Busters

Tags: Corpus Christi, David Miscavige, Ingleside, John Allender, Quicky, Scientology executive, Squirrel Busters, Texas, Tony Ortega, Village Voice

Just a quick note. An OT VIII recently had a meeting with their local DSA and a prominent field Scientologist. The message? "You will attack the Church. If you leave, you will attack the Church because that's what always ends up happening." Desperation? Or maybe apathy? Makes you wonder if the DSA or the field Scientologist ever connected the dots. Maybe people leave because they are tired of the lies, fraud, abuse and pressure. And maybe they "attack" the Church because the only way to effect any reform these days is to go outside the Church and speak up about the abuses. One certainly can't express any criticism inside the Church!

Tags: OT VIII, Quicky

The Ninth Circuit yesterday affirmed the Tax Court (125 T.C. 281 (2005)) in holding that a couple's tuition and fee payments to their children's Jewish day schools do not qualify for the charitable deduction because they received a substantial benefit from their payments and lacked charitable intent. Sklar v. Commissioner, No. 06-72961 (9th Cir. Dec. 12, 2008). From the DOJ press release:

Tags: IRS, Sklar, US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

But the Fire Department has no use for Downtown Medical and its disputed detoxification program. FDNY officials are concerned that many of the 120 firefighters who sought help at the clinic stopped using inhalers and medications prescribed by department doctors. Fire officials also say the department has no proof that the clinic's regimen of moderate exercise, vitamins and saunas removes toxins from the body. "Our doctors went down there and checked it out," said Deputy Commissioner Frank Gribbon. "Their opinion was this was not a detoxification program. We don't endorse it."

Tags: Clear Body, Clear Mind, Detox, FASE, Frank Gribbon, HealthMed, Israel Miranda, James Dahlgren, Jim Woodworth, Joe Higgins, Kwabena Nyamekye, New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, Ooze towel, Rick Ross, Ronald Gots, Tom Cruise

Van Susteren and Coale are Scientologists. But unlike members of established religions, whose own beliefs might seem improbable if they weren't so widely held, these part-time Clearwater residents are not exactly eager to draw attention to this fact. "Washington is an extremely conservative place. Anything that starts to go out of the ordinary in one's personal life doesn't make it," said Coale, dressed in a green knit vest and red-striped tie. Van Susteren declined comment.

Tags: Bill Clinton, Chairman of the Board, Clearwater, CNN, Cult Awareness Network, Florida, Greta Conway, Greta Van Susteren, Hillary Clinton, Hollywood, John Coale, John Travolta, Lisa Marie Presley, Loretta Miscavige, Michael Jackson, Mike Rinder, Teegeeack, Washington, Wellspring, White House, Xenu

A state representative says he will look into a Church of Scientology organization's claims that the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health is condoning or covering up the deaths of mental patients. Sanford Block, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights' executive director, made the allegation in a letter to Rep. Jeff Hamilton, chairman of the House Committee on Health and Mental Health. Meanwhile, the Mental Health Commission was scheduled today to decide whether to grant a permit to Narconon-Chilocco New Life Center near Newkirk. Both the Citizens Commission on Human Rights and the Narconon center are affiliated with the Church of Scientology.

Tags: CCHR, Jeff Hamilton, John Chelf, Judge Leamon Freeman, Narconon, Narconon Chilocco, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Oklahoma House of Representatives, Sanford Block, Sarah Dunn

A Church of Scientology organizationis urging the Oklahoma Legislature to establish a stateagency to investigate abuse of psychiatric patients. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights issued a news release Thursday, accusing the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health of condoning or covering up the killing of mental patients. The commission said the Mental Health Department refuses to investigate thoroughly 11 suspicious deaths at state mental institutions.

Tags: CCHR, Jeff Hamilton, John Chelf, Judge Leamon Freeman, Narconon Chilocco, Oklahoma, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Sanford Block, Sarah Dunn