December 17 in Scientology history

If you waded through that long court transcript we posted yesterday, you know that one of the challenges Scientology is facing in Los Angeles Superior Court is that Judge Steven Kleifield has some doubts about Scientology's arbitration agreements lasting into eternity. Scientology is trying to force into "religious arbitration" some former members who are suing Scientology and one of its celebrity members, actor Danny Masterson, over allegations of harassment, stalking, and slander that took place years after the plaintiffs were members of the church. In a November 6 hearing Judge Kleifield repeatedly raised the question about whether agreements that members of a church signed for religious services would still be valid years later, after those members had left the organization. Scientology is saying that contracts Chrissie Carnell Bixler, her husband rocker Cedric Bixler-Zavala and two women going by Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 signed when they were members of the church obligate them to take their claims to arbitration before a panel of Scientologists in good standing, and that they have no right to a trial. The women, who claim that Masterson raped them in incidents between 2001 and 2004, say that they were harassed by Scientology and the That '70s Show actor when they came forward to the LAPD in 2016. They have argued that they should not be held to the contracts they signed as Scientologists because now that they have left the church forcing them into what they call a religious ritual would be a violation of their First Amendment rights.

Tags: 1954, 1968, 1992, 2001, 2004, 2016, 2019, Arbitration, Axioms, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Chrissie Carnell, Clearwater, Craigslist, Danny Masterson, Facebook, Fair Game, First Amendment, HBO, Instagram, Judge Steven Kleifield, LAPD, Leah Remini, Los Angeles Superior Court, Michael Jackson, Office of Special Affairs, Scientology organization, St. Petersburg Times, Tom Cruise, US Court of Appeals, Waco, William Forman

You've heard from Mike Rinder and from Leah Remini about Tom Cruise's Covid rant that is the talk of social media. And now we've also heard from Tom DeVocht, a former top Scientology official who worked as closely with church leader David Miscavige as anyone else, and who also closely observed the friendship between Miscavige and Cruise. DeVocht talked about his relationship with Miscavige in HBO's 2015 documentary Going Clear. Here's the message he sent us today:

Tags: 1954, 1968, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2015, Axioms, Chairman of the Board, Clearwater, David Miscavige, Freedom Medal of Valor, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, HBO, Hollywood, Inspector General, International Association of Scientologists, Leah Remini, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Nicole Kidman, Religious Technology Center, Sea Org, St. Petersburg Times, Tom Cruise, Tom DeVocht, UK, Waco

A 23-year-old California man pleaded guilty Tuesday to starting a fire earlier this year at a Washington pizzeria that lies at the heart of the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, in a crime that appears to be linked to bizarre internet claims about the restaurant. Ryan Jaselskis accepted a two-count deal from prosecutors that will send him to prison for four years, if it's accepted by a judge at his sentencing in March. Under the conditions of his guilty plea, Jaselskis admitted to starting a fire on Jan. 23 at pizzeria Comet Ping Pong and assaulting a law enforcement officer near the Washington Monument days later. Security footage taken the night of the arson showed Jaselskis lighting a curtain in the back of the pizzeria on fire before fleeing. An employee put out the fire before anyone in the restaurant could be hurt.

Tags: 2016, Alt-Right, Arson, California, Hillary Clinton, North Carolina, Pizzagate, Police, QAnon, Ryan Jaselskis, Washington, YouTube

Another gem from the STAAD website. Things have really slowed down there. It seems without weekly airings of The Aftermath, their reason for existing has become muddled. They liked to pretend they were some altruistic exercise, but it was clear that was just a cover to be able to attack The Aftermath and its contributors. Nowadays their website is merely a collection of scientology talking points they use to try to convince the world they are "normal" and "like every other religion." But when they are not the subject of discussion, they seem to lose interest pretty quickly in fighting for "others"...

Tags: Course Supervisor, Disconnection, Ethics Officer, Facebook, Farsec, Marcab, OT, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath, STAND, Suppressive Person, Tom Cruise, Twitter, Xenu

Just one month after the Church of Scientology unveiled its new location at a historic bank building at 18th and Grand, it's promoting its family-friendly Winter Wonderland.

Tags: Kansas City, Quicky, Winter Wonderland

Tucker Carlson, the Fox News host denounced as a white supremacist sympathiser by prominent liberals, is facing the ire of a new set of detractors: water conservationists. Potomac Conservancy, the leading clean water advocacy group in its region, has issued a blistering denunciation of remarks in which Carlson blamed immigrants for littering the Potomac River. The group said the comment was not just factually incorrect, "it's racist plain and simple".

Tags: 2018, Alt-Right, Donald Trump, Fox News, Ilhan Omar, Republican, Tucker Carlson, White supremacist

A small but vociferous pack of anti-vaccination protesters deterred New Jersey lawmakers on Monday from voting on a bill to ban vaccination exemptions based on religious grounds. The vote is now postponed. The bill's sponsors plan to whip up support and another vote by the end of the legislative session on January 14, 2020. The bill, S2173 , would ban religious vaccination exemptions for kids attending all schools in the state—preschool through college, public and private—as well as those attending childcare centers. Under the proposed law, the only children allowed to be exempted from vaccination requirements are those who have medical grounds that are consistent with those laid out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Tags: 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020, Anti-vaxx, Associated Press, California, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine, Measles, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, New York Times, Politico, Quicky, Republican, West Virginia

So you've been spying undercover for the Church of Scientology for years. Decades, in fact. You've infiltrated squirrel groups and anti-Scientology protests for the church's spy wing, the Office of Special Affairs (OSA). You've even infiltrated psychiatric facilities in order to feed information to Scientology's most unhinged front group, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. After all that, however, when you try to get some auditing at the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida, Scientology's 'spiritual mecca,' you keep running into questions about family connections to people the church considers enemies — "suppressive persons" or "SPs," in church parlance. If it can be shown that you've had any contact with these SPs yourself, you'll be considered tainted and you won't be allowed to receive services at such a spiritually pure place as Scientology's Gulf Coast mecca, where processing can cost tens of thousands of dollars and take months to complete.

Tags: 1954, 1972, 1980, 2017, Bonnie Woods, CCHR, CIA, Clearwater, Copenhagen, Criminon, Fair Game, FBI, Flag Land Base, Florida, GPS, Leah Remini, Mace-Kingsley Ranch, Marcab, Mike Rinder, Office of Special Affairs, Operating Thetan, OT 7, Quicky, Robin Scott, Sandcastle, Scientology and the Aftermath, Solo NOTs, Squirrel, Suppressive Person, Valley Ideal Org, Waco

Leader of the STAAD League and Westworld extra hopeful "Fast Eddie" Parkin has dropped another foot-nuke in his desperation to smear Leah Remini and me. In late November we aired an episode about the Jehovah's Witnesses. In mid-December an arsonist burned down a Kingdom Hall in Washington State. Ever fast on the draw, Eddie got busy on Twitter, posing the not-so-subtle question whether this could be the latest "A&E and Leah Remini product"? It seems even Fast Eddie was a little worried about what he was saying — it's an old trick to accuse by posing a question, like if I asked "Does Ed Parkin wear a hat like a cowboy and act effected because he is a pedophile?" or "were 11 people murdered in Pittsburgh because ScientologyTV promoted notorious anti-Semite Tony Muhammad?"

Tags: A&E, Australia, Critic, Ed Parkin, Jehovah's Witnesses, Leah Remini, OT, Pittsburgh, Quicky, STAND, Tony Muhammad, Twitter, Washington

For more information please see these stories at The Underground Bunker... https://tonyortega.org/2018/12/17/finally-scientology-spells-out-its-crazy-ideas-in-a-video-you-werent-supposed-to-see/ Music: Trophy Wife by Rondo Brothers

Tags: Music, Underground Bunker

On Thursday, we told you that an Underground Bunker reader in Greece revealed to us that an entire Michael Chan lecture had been uploaded by Scientology to YouTube. This was something we were very excited to get a look at, we explained, because Michael Chan is just about the only thing Scientology has in the way of a circuit "preacher," and his appearances are top secret. In Thursday's story, we focused on something we didn't expect to find in Chan's two-hour lecture: His tantalizing description of a wealthy donor who has given millions to Scientology even with only a minimum amount of involvement in Scientology or its courses. According to Chan's clues, that mystery donor had worked for NFL owner Steve Tisch, and we're still hoping to learn the man's identity. As fun as that tidbit was, however, it wasn't the main reason we were looking forward to seeing a Chan lecture. And that's why we have a second Fair Use video excerpt for you today.

Tags: Academic, Bryan Seymour, David Miscavige, Farsec, Greece, Michael Chan, Nancy Cartwright, Operating Thetan, Quicky, Steve Tisch, Venus, YouTube

The weekly show where I answer viewer questions left in the comments sections of my Critical Q&A videos or sent to me by email to AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I answer are: (1) How does the Church of Scientology decide where to establish a presence in a new area? Scientology critics like yourself, Mike Rinder and Leah Remini state the Church is after money and that one needs a lot of money in order to go up The Bridge. Well Mike Rinder posted a poster of speakers coming from the Cincinnati org to the Cleveland Mission on December 2. The Scientology Cleveland Mission is in Parma, a suburb of Cleveland and as blue collar as you can get. One would think they would try to establish themselves either downtown or in a white collar suburb. If the Church of Scientology has all this money, then renting or paying for property in a high rent/high priced district should not be any problem. (2) I have a question that I hope is not too personal. I mean no disrespect to you Chris. In Scientology statistics are very important, whether you are considered a good person or not is dependent on production and expansion. The work you do now is also very statistics driven: how many views, likes, shares and pledges. Do you have trouble applying old feelings to new circumstances? Do you avoid looking at your stats on Thursdays or have other protocols to avoid doing what Scientology told you to do and think vis-a-vis statistics?

Tags: 2011, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Critic, Hollywood Boulevard, Leah Remini, LGBTQ, Mike Rinder, Mission, OT, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Sea Org, Winter Wonderland

Years of conservative attacks on the Internal Revenue Service have greatly diminished the ability of agency regulators to oversee political activity by charities and other nonprofits, documents and interviews show. The fall in oversight, a byproduct of repeated cuts to the IRS budget, comes at a time when the number of charities is reaching a historic high and they are becoming more partisan and financially complex. It represents a success for conservatives who have long sought to scale back the IRS and shrink the federal government. They capitalized on revelations in 2013 that IRS officials focused inappropriately on tea party and other conservative groups based on their names and policy positions, rather than on their political activity, in assessing their applications for tax-exempt status. Among conservatives, the episode has come to be known as the "IRS targeting scandal."

Tags: 1954, 1970, 1985, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, American Center for Law and Justice, Associated Press, Bradley Foundation, Breitbart, Cincinnati, Citizens United, Cleta Mitchell, Clinton Foundation, Congress, David Horowitz, David Horowitz Freedom Center, Democracy Alliance, Donald Trump, FBI, George Soros, George Washington University, Government Accountability Institute, Hillary Clinton, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service, IRS, IRS Commissioner, Jay Sekulow, John Koskinen, Johnson Amendment, Kevin Brady, Louisiana State University, New York Times, Republican, Ron Wyden, Steve Bannon, Tax, Tea Party, US Department of Justice, Waco, Washington, White House (Trump)

Last night, the Church of Scientology held its annual New Year's event at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles so that video of the proceedings can be shown in Scientology churches around the world on December 31. As usual, the event largely consisted of Scientology leader David Miscavige giving a lengthy address, and during that speech he made one really surprising claim: Miscavige said that Mexico officially recognized the religious status of the Church of Scientology in October. Our correspondent who attended the event tells us, "The letter of recognition shown on the screen appeared to be from Mexico's Interior Ministry, and it was dated October 30. Miscavige presented this as breaking news."

Tags: 2007, 2012, 2014, 2018, Advanced Org, Africa, Austin, Australia, Barcelona, Boston, Bridge to Total Freedom, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Chicago, Costa Rica, David Miscavige, Detroit, Dublin, Durban, Hawaii, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Ireland, Joburg North, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Manchester, Mexico, Mexico City, Miami, Montreal, Nation of Islam, Nayyirah Tivica Muhammad, New Year's Eve, New York, Orlando, Perth, Philadelphia, Port Elizabeth, Power FSM, Quicky, Rod Keller, Salt Lake City, Scientology Media Productions, Shrine Auditorium, Silicon Valley, South Africa, Sydney, Taiwan, Tampa, Texas, Time Warner, UK, Washington

The mighty STAND (STAAD) League pretends to be a group of "concerned scientologists" who "stand up for religious freedom." In fact, they are an Office of Special Affairs front group consisting of selected individuals (many of them are ex-SO/staff/GO like the example below) cleared by OSA who are given direction and authorization to participate in attempts to smear those exposing scientology. The International Director of STAAD is Ed Parkin. He has been in PR OSA Int for more than 20 years.

Tags: Author Services Inc, Ed Parkin, Facebook, Google, Hollywood Guaranty Building, Los Angeles, New York, Office of Special Affairs, OSA Int, OT, Phil Jones, Quicky, Riggs Eckelberry, STAND, Willie Jones

We want the residents of Clearwater to see that Scientology's Sea Org members no longer dominate the streets of downtown Clearwater the way they used to. Ever since the giant Flag building opened up across from the Fort Harrison hotel, the Sea Org members are almost completely absent from the streets of Clearwater because most of the SO members now work and eat in the same building. The city needs the non-Scientologists to start coming back downtown and take back downtown Clearwater!

Tags: Clearwater, Fort Harrison, Quicky, Sea Org

(Note: Mike Rinder's column of 12/17/2016 is so important that I am reposting here in its entirety.) Mike Rinder: THIS IS IMPORTANT Leah Remini: Scientology and The Aftermath is reaching far and wide. As a result, there are a lot of people coming forward with their own stories of abuse in the church. We set up an email for people to report things (knowledgereports@hushmail.com) and soon hope to have a website (if I can find the time to put it together).

Tags: Amy Scobee, Child abuse, Claire Headley, Debbie Cook, Ethics Officer, Jefferson Hawkins, Leah Remini, Marty Rathbun, Master at Arms, Mike Rinder, OT, Passport, Quicky, Sea Org, Sexual assault

If you've ever wondered about whether this website is read by officials of the Church of Scientology, we have a pretty remarkable example to bring to your attention today. What a week it's been here in the Underground Bunker. From digging up what L. Ron Hubbard actually said about space aliens and Scientology, to Leah Remini's new jab at the LAPD about Shelly Miscavige, to Nora Crest's emotional new video about Scientology homophobia, to the stunning news of a possible Shelly Miscavige sighting, and a crushing look at the way older workers are treated in the Sea Org, this place has been on fire. And all of the action wasn't only in the stories themselves. In the comments section of the post about Nora's video, longtime reader Andrei "DodoTheLaser" Organ posted a pretty wild smackdown that hinted at something interesting going on where he is in the Cincinnati area...

Tags: Andrei Organ, Case Bank, Cincinnati, Clear, Credit card fraud, Elder abuse, Florence, Free Zone, Ideal Org, Kentucky, LAPD, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, Moldova, New York, Nora Crest, Quicky, Sea Org, Shelly Miscavige, Suppressive Person

THIS IS IMPORTANT Leah Remini: Scientology and The Aftermath is reaching far and wide. As a result, there are a lot of people coming forward with their own stories of abuse in the church. We set up an email for people to report things (knowledgereports@hushmail.com) and soon hope to have a website (if I can find the time to put it together). But there is one thing that has come up repeatedly that I wanted to comment on publicly. The supposed "confidentiality agreements" many have signed. Though this mostly applies to those signed by Sea Org members, most staff and many public have also signed such agreements.

Tags: Amy Scobee, Child abuse, Chris Shelton, Claire Headley, Confidentiality agreement, Debbie Cook, Ethics Officer, Jefferson Hawkins, Jeffrey Augustine, Karen de la Carriere, Leah Remini, Marty Rathbun, Master at Arms, OT, Passport, Paulette Cooper, Quicky, Ron Miscavige Sr, Sea Org, Sexual assault, Tom DeVocht

Rachel Bernstein is a family and individual counselor and a cult specialist in Encino, California. She has helped over 1,000 people recover from participation in destructive cults. In this last part of my interview with her, we talk about her direct experiences with Scientology and how they stalked her and tried to harass her into giving up helping ex-cult members. Rachel can be reached at 818-907-0036 Rachel's email is rbpsychology@gmail.com

Tags: California, Quicky, Rachel Bernstein

State agency investigating Medi-Cal fraud raided drug rehab center in March 2014 Three Compton educators — including coach of legendary football program — fired for supplying students for fake claims Notorious Scientology front World Literacy Crusade involved, director Hanan Islam charged The Underground Bunker has learned that a California state agency has been investigating and methodically charging numerous Scientologists and others who were allegedly involved in a scam to defraud Medi-Cal with bogus claims at a drug rehab center in the working class Los Angeles suburb of Compton. On October 23 charges were filed against Hanan Islam, 56, who in 2004 founded "American Health and Education Clinics," an entity that was actually run out of the World Literacy Crusade, a well known Scientology front where she was executive director. She has pleaded not guilty to four felony counts, which include grand theft larceny, insurance fraud, Medi-Cal fraud, and failure to file a tax return.

Tags: 1966, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, ABLE, Abuse, African-American, Alfreddie Johnson, American Health and Education Clinics, Applied Scholastics, Arizona, Bayon Beverly Washington, California, Center for Investigative Reporting, Chick Corea, CNN, Compton, Compton Unified School District, Drew Harwell, Facebook, Florida, Fraud, Freedom Medal, George Edward Newby, Hanan Islam, Indiana, Insurance fraud, Internet Archive, IRS, Isaac Hayes, Jesse Jones, Jonathan Little, Kamala Harris, Keith Donerson, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Louis Farrakhan, Lynwood, Medi-Cal, Narconon, Nation of Islam, Nimat Islam, Orange County Register, Passport, Rizza Islam, Rudy Washington, Sacramento, Scientology practice, Seattle, Success rate, Tampa Bay Times, Tax exempt, Tom Cruise, US Department of Justice, Washington, Washington Post, World Literacy Crusade, YouTube, Zakiyyah Islam

Update: the "largest concentration of Scientologists on earth" billboard in Hollywood Quote of the century This is utterly incomprehensible, but they put it out because, like "it's LRH so it must be good." What this has to do with "ideal" orgs is anyone's guess...

Tags: Albuquerque, Applied Scholastics, Bruno Bergeron, Charter Committee, Clear, Colorado, Dallas, David Brier, Denice Duff, Denver, Freewinds, Hollywood, Humanitarian, Isa Totah, L. Ron Hubbard, Las Vegas, Megan McKinley, OT, OT Committee, Puerto Rico, Quicky, Seattle, Sue Anderson, Tampa, Thursday Funnies, Truth About Drugs

A report sent in by a Special Correspondent concerning the reports of LA Org SO members on a bodyrouting binge "bringing in 600 new people for an intro service each week." Surprisingly, that may be a bit of an exaggeration.... On a sunny Sunday afternoon we decided it was time to check out the hunting grounds for LA ORG . We wanted to see what is up with the claimed 600 bodies flooding the org every week. So we took a 40 minute observation sample.

Tags: L. Ron Hubbard, Personality test, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Sea Org, Winter Wonderland

Olivier Morice We have a breaking news story from our correspondent in Paris, British journalist Jonny Jacobsen. What's the latest, Jonny? [UPDATED: See correction, below.] A French investigating magistrate is pressing charges against Scientology's Celebrity Centre after a long-running probe into the movement's activities at a school here.

Tags: 1998, 2015, Arcadia, Celebrity Centre, Créteil, Europe, France, Institut Aubert, Jonny Jacobsen, Olivier Morice, Paris, Paris Court of Appeal, Quicky, Scientology organization, Touch Assist, Vincennes

Clark Carr We have a few legal updates for you today as we do our best to keep track of the many different lawsuits that Scientology is involved in around the country. There's more back and forth between Narconon International's president, Clark Carr, and the National Association of Forensic Counselors. If you recall, the NAFC filed a massive lawsuit - with 82 defendants - against Scientology and its drug rehab network, Narconon, alleging that Scientology had been misusing the NAFC's trademarks and logos for several years in an attempt to make the rehab program appear more legitimate than it is. The ultimate aim of this effort was to attract people into the program and then into Scientology itself, the NAFC alleged. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Oklahoma, because that's where the rehab system's flagship facility is - the ailing Narconon Arrowhead. But then Carr countered by filing a class action lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, saying that he and an undefined number of other people had been harmed by the NAFC's "fraudulent" and useless certifications. Carr said that although the NAFC claimed its certifications for drug counselors were "national" in scope, they aren't recognized by California state government, where Narconon International is headquartered. Carr had apparently just realized this was the case after listing "CCDC" after his name for years - the Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor certification that the NAFC issues.

Tags: 2013, California, Carr v. NAFC, Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor, Clark Carr, David Keesling, DC, Garcia v. Scientology, International Justice Chief, Judge James Whittemore, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Superior Court, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Luis Garcia, Mike Ellis, Mike Rinder, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon International, National Association of Forensic Counselors, Oklahoma, Rocio Garcia

An enterprising tipster passed on this e-mail invitation, which broke records in all sorts of ways for the lamest e-mail from the cult in a while. It even surpasses the single-question e-mail I highlighted a while ago that promised oodles of miracles in two short sentences, but this one does fall woefully short in the area of grandiose promises. As short as the e-mail is, the analytical conclusion at the end suggests that something so brief can actually be quite revealing about how things are going inside the cult at the moment. The Smoking Gun

Tags: American Saint Hill Organization, ASHO, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Class V, Columbus, Dallas, David Miscavige, Ideal Org, New York City, OT, Quicky, Religious worker, Sea Org, The Smoking Gun

Claire Headley is taking us on our journey to train as Scientologists. She and her husband Marc were Sea Org workers who escaped from Scientology's International Base in 2005. She spent years working with Scientology's "tech," and was trusted to oversee the auditing of Tom Cruise. Go here to see the first part in this series. Last week, Claire and tech expert Bruce Hines helped us with the big reveal — the mind-blowing "data" of Scientology's "Operating Thetan Level Three," the stuff of intergalactic genocide and a leader named "Xenu" which became the subject of a 2005 episode of South Park. But we don't want to leave OT 3 just yet. This week, we have more questions for Bruce and Claire about this high-level counseling, which runs about $800 an hour for veteran Scientologists. Bruce, Claire, last week we learned that in 1968, L. Ron Hubbard scribbled handwritten notes which reveal to his followers who reach this level that they are actually infested with the disembodied souls left on earth after an intergalactic genocide which happened 75 million years ago (also known as "Incident 2"). In order to free ourselves of these invisible "body thetans" we must "run" them through Incident 1 (a universe-founding event of 4 quadrillion years ago) and Incident 2 until they "blow" — detach themselves from us and leave us alone.

Tags: 1968, 2005, 2007, 2012, Alaska, Bridge to Total Freedom, Bruce Hines, Canada, Claire Headley, Clearwater, Dianetics, E-meter, Florida, Hawaii, Helena, Indonesia, Int Base, Japan, Kenya, Las Palmas, Oiliness table, Operating Thetan, OT, OT III, Quicky, Sea Org, South Park, Super Power, Super Power Building, Tangier, Teegeeack, Tom Cruise, Village Voice, Washington, Xenu

A former leader in the Church of Scientology - who has since left the controversial church - claims that current leaders setup high-tech surveillance cameras to spy on him and his wife in their rural Texas home, according to a lawsuit the former leader's wife has filed in a Texas district court. Monique Rathbun, the wife of former Scientology leader Marty Rathbun, claims church members - at the apparent directive of church leader David Miscavige - rented property near a home where the couple lives in order to spy on them. According to the suit, filed in Comal County, Texas, church members 'harassed, insulted, surveilled, photographed, videotaped, defamed and humiliated' the couple.

Tags: 2004, Church of Scientology International, Comal County, David Miscavige, DEA, Judge Dib Waldrip, Marty Rathbun, Monique Rathbun, Page Six, Quicky, Ray Jeffrey, Religious Technology Center, Squirrel, Texas, Tom Cruise, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker

New York State Sen. Jose Peralta presented a proclamation to the Foundation for a Drug-Free World Northeast Chapter and the Fialkoff Foundation for a Drug-Free World NYC Program recently at the Fialkoff Dental Study Club. Dr. Bernard Fialkoff, a Queens periodontist and dental implant specialist, founded the study club in the mid 1990s and more recently founded the Foundation for a Drug-Free World Queens Chapter by running the community service program through his office and educational group.

Tags: Bernard Fialkoff, David Tidman, Fialkoff Dental Study Club, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, Jose Peralta, Meghan Fialkoff, Mota Martinez

It would appear that my posting 4 days ago about the failure of the church to update the information about their massive VM relief force in the Philippines caused a stir in the bowels of the beast. Today the church put out a press release to announce to the world the enormity of their actions (all funded of course by an emergency IAS grant). The photo that accompanied the story is at left. It shows a grand total of SIX VMs, apparently there is some mission in Manila who "activated their Volunteer Ministers" and they were joined by someone(s) from the India "Goodwill Tour."

Tags: Assists, Ayal Lindeman, Donation, International Association of Scientologists, Karin Pouw, Mission, New York, Philippines, Quicky, Red Cross, The Hole, United Nations, Volunteer Ministers

Joel Sappell UPDATE: We now have a review of Sappell's full story, which has gone live at the Los Angeles magazine website. One of our highlights of 2012 was getting to know Joel Sappell, the former Los Angeles Times journalist who, with his partner Robert Welkos, produced a series of blockbuster Scientology investigations in the late 1980s, culminating in their giant 1990 series about the church.

Tags: 1980, 1990, BuzzFeed News, David Miscavige, Joel Sappell, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Marty Rathbun, Private investigator, Quicky, Robert Welkos, Scientology executive

Pity poor PIX 11 reporter Hilary Whittier, who had to put together one of those cloying, cliche-filled pieces in the wake of the Newtown massacre, the kind of thing where shell-shocked locals are interviewed talking about hope and prayers in the face of tragedy. Near the end of her report, Whittier wants to give an example of what locals are doing to comfort each other, and she holds up a pamphlet, The Way to Happiness, that "people" were handing out. She was apparently unaware that the pamphlet is a classic come-on from the Church of Scientology, which has quickly descended on Newtown to exploit the mass murder.

Tags: Australia, Gawker, Hollywood Reporter, John Stamos, Newtown, Quicky, Scientology practice, The Way to Happiness, Tiziano Lugli, Volunteer Ministers

by Mike Rinder How ironic is the latest Press Release from the RCS? Once again, you are warned to put down any hot coffee and grab yourself a barf bag. The arrogance of asserted superiority and "facts" in the face of stark evidence to the contrary is not limited to POB at his international circus tent performances. Apparently the assertions know no bounds and are being spewed into the broad public arena too. Like the infamous "Comical Ali" (Saddam Hussein's propaganda spouting spokesman) it seems the RCS thinks that if they pronounce obvious, massive lies with a straight face, the world will believe them. And, like Comical Ali they are oblivious to the fact that everyone is laughing at them.

Tags: 1968, 1981, Church of Scientology International, Criminal, David Miscavige, Freedom magazine, Heber Jentzsch, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin, Human Rights Day, Human trafficking, L. Ron Hubbard, Mary Sue Hubbard, OT, Pope, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

by Mike Rinder How ironic is the latest Press Release from the RCS? Once again, you are warned to put down any hot coffee and grab yourself a barf bag. The arrogance of asserted superiority and "facts" in the face of stark evidence to the contrary is not limited to POB at his international circus tent performances. Apparently the assertions know no bounds and are being spewed into the broad public arena too. Like the infamous "Comical Ali" (Saddam Hussein's propaganda spouting spokesman) it seems the RCS thinks that if they pronounce obvious, massive lies with a straight face, the world will believe them. And, like Comical Ali they are oblivious to the fact that everyone is laughing at them.

Tags: 1968, 1981, Church of Scientology International, Criminal, David Miscavige, Freedom magazine, Heber Jentzsch, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin, Human Rights Day, Human trafficking, L. Ron Hubbard, Mary Sue Hubbard, Mike Rinder, OT, Pope, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

"This Will guy is so cool! I can't wait to tell Dave." We're still taking your votes for Scientology Story of the Year, and in general, things here in the underground bunker are frenetic as we prepare for year-end festivities. We also managed to keep the beat going this week with some interesting tidbits. On Sunday, we started things off with our weekly feature, Sunday Funnies, which looks at recent Scientology mailers and come-ons. On Monday, we posted some highlights from a video leaked to us of the big October gala of the International Association of Scientologists, which was essentially a three-hour infomercial featuring church leader David Miscavige. Yes, we watched the entire thing, and somehow remained awake and sane.

Tags: Abortion, African-American, Anderson Cooper, Apollo, Beck Hansen, Celebrity Centre, Chill EB, CNN, Copenhagen, David Miscavige, DC, Freeloader Debt, Freewinds, Gur Finkelstein, Idaho, Ideal Org, Inglewood, Inside Edition, International Association of Scientologists, Israel, Jaffa, Janet Reitman, Jason Lee, L. Ron Hubbard, Lawrence Wright, Lisa McPherson, Louis Farrakhan, Mark Bunker, Mark Miglio, Martin Bashir, Matt Stone, Mission, Nathan Baca, NBC, Newt Gingrich, Orders of the Day, OT, OT VIII, Paulette Cooper, Phoenix, Quicky, Richard Behar, Sea Org, Squirrel, Sunday Funnies, Sunday service, Synthia Fagen, Trey Parker, Twitter, Valeska Paris, We Stand Tall

A U.S. federal commission that works to support religious freedom around the world was reauthorized Dec. 16 by Congress through 2018, just hours before it was scheduled to go out of existence. In a statement after the U.S. House vote on Dec. 16, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) described the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as "a beacon of hope" for those whose religious liberty is under attack. The latest extension was set to expire at 5 p.m. on Dec. 16. The commission had already begun winding down operations so it could close its doors by the end of the day, before it was reauthorized by Congress on the morning of Dec. 16.

Tags: 1998, 2018, China, Congress, Frank Wolf, Leonard Leo, Pakistan, Richard Durbin, Sudan, US Commission on International Religious Freedom, US Commission on International Religious Freedom Appropriations Bills 2011, US House of Representatives, US Senate, US State Department

I've never met anyone who met Hy Levy who didn't like him. I feel the same way. Hy took the time to write a fairly lengthy account of his decades in the church. He provides a very interesting look at the internal workings of the Flag Service Organization in particular. While longer than most posts, I think it is well worth the read. Welcome Hy! It is great to have you with us. My name is Hy Levy. I was staff at FSO for almost 24 years and routed out in June 2009. I have been "under the radar" since then but now I have decided to take a stand, as my silence has helped to support the current DM regime too long.

Tags: 1970, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 2000, 2007, 2009, AOLA, ASHO, Australia, Ayn Rand, Basics, Big League Sales Closing Techniques, Blow Drill, Brooklyn, Chairman of the Board, Clear, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Conditions, David Miscavige, Europe, FBI, Field Staff Member, Flag Service Organization, Flag World Tour, Freeloader Debt, Hacienda, Harvey Jacques, Hy Levy, Ideal Org, Independent, International Association of Scientologists, Italy, L. Ron Hubbard, Las Vegas, Master at Arms, New York, OT, OT V, OT VII, PC folders, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Refund, Rehabilitation Project Force, Religious Technology Center, San Francisco, Scam, Sea Org, Sec Check, Shooting, Touch Assist

Clerkschilde said he pondered the omens for many hours before he realized the message God was trying to impart. He now says he's converting to Scientology. "I'm just heartbroken over the destruction of the tabernacle, but I'm not going to question God's plans. Obviously, He's plenty ticked off with the LDS over something. Maybe it's all that money they raised to fight gay marriage in California instead of installing fire alarms at the tabernacle. I can't rightly say. At least with Scientology, I'll have similar restrictions about what I can eat, drink, do and think, but I won't have to go see that court-ordered psychologist now. Religious objections and the like, you know."

Tags: Utah

Scientology head David Miscavige has declared victory over Anonymous in an internal church magazine. Miscavige described Anonymous as a group of "mask-wearing subversive and anarchistic internet denizens". He continues: "Having run into the Church of Scientology, they are no longer laughing out loud or otherwise. Nor are they any longer anonymous".

Tags: Anonymous, David Miscavige, Julian Assange, Project Chanology, WhyWeProtest, WikiLeaks

Pressed by the staff of Pinellas Tax Collector Diane Nelson, the Church of Scientology agreed to start collecting the tourist tax a few months ago and pay it monthly to Nelson's office, the St. Petersburg Times has learned. It's a surprising reversal that will generate significant new revenue for Pinellas' tourist promotion efforts. But the change raises questions about another tax that Pinellas hotel guests pay – the 7 percent sales tax. Does the church now collect that tax from its guests too?

Tags: 1976, 1978, 1990, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2008, Clearwater, Diane Nelson, Ed Armstrong, Erin Sullivan, Florida, Fort Harrison, Frank Hibbard, Fred Petty, Gary Gray, IRS, Jonathan Abel, Oak Cove, Peter Mansell, Sales tax, St. Petersburg Times, Tallahassee, Tampa, Tax

Friday, 21 December 2007, 16:46 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HAMBURG 000073 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/AGS AND DRL. SIPDIS EO 12958 DECL: 12/21/2017 TAGS PGOV, PHUM, SOCI, GM SUBJECT: HAMBURG VS. SCIENTOLOGY REF: BERLIN 2211 HAMBURG 00000073 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Karen Johnson, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Hamburg, U.S. Department of State. REASON: 1.4 (b), (d) CONFIDENTIAL

Tags: 1992, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2017, Bavaria, Berlin, Environmental Protection Agency, Europe, Frank Busch, Freedom of Information Act, Germany, Hamburg, Karen Johnson, Los Angeles, Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Office of Special Affairs, SEC, The Way to Happiness, Tom Cruise, Transcendental Meditation, Udo Nagel, Unification Church, Ursula Caberta, US State Department, Valkyrie

Tags: 1951, Dianetics, Irv Lande, John W. Campbell, L. Ron Hubbard, New Jersey, Video

Delayed for more than a year, the grand opening of the Church of Scientology Mission of Richmond Dec. 14 looked a lot like any old ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Tags: A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant, Mat Pastore, Richmond, Susan Taylor

Odd timing, but in the last couple of days, two Friends of Unfair Park have inquired about the for-sale sign in front of the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre on Buckner. Yes, it's for sale -- has been since 2006, matter of fact, says Perry Jones of J&B Commercial, who's repping the 1940s manse. He tells Unfair Park this morning the property's "been under contract a couple of times" -- once, with a developer who'd hoped to scrape the property and rebuild -- but that would-be buyers have backed off for various reasons.

Tags: Celebrity Centre, Dallas, Real estate

Last month, the cult -- which teaches that drugs ooze out the pores in various colors, and that psychiatry is a scourge -- convinced Las Cruces, New Mexico Mayor Ken Miyagishima to allow Scientology programs into schools -- without informing him they were cult backed. This month, a tipster informed Miyagishima of the Scientology connection, and he canceled the program. However, it's unlikely New Mexico schoolchildren have seen the last of the cult. In San Francisco, Scientology infiltrated classrooms for more than a decade unnoticed because they discreetly offered their program to individual teachers, with district-wide administrators none the wiser. It took a 2005 California-government crackdown to finally drive the cult out of schools.

Tags: Ken Miyagishima, Nanette Asimov, Narconon, New Mexico, Richard Henley

He also gave a combined $122,500 to the Church of Scientology, broken into these donations: $67,500 to the New York Rescue Workers Detoxication Fund, $50,000 to the group's Celebrity Center in Hollywood and $5,000 to ABLE, another Scientology offshoot. Smith and his wife have also supported a private school called New Village Academy they opened this fall in suburban Los Angeles that uses Scientology learning concepts.

Tags: ABLE, Celebrity Centre, New Village Leadership Academy, New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, Will Smith

He also gave a combined $122,500 to the Church of Scientology, broken into these donations: $67,500 to the New York Rescue Workers Detoxication Fund, $50,000 to the group's Celebrity Center in Hollywood and $5,000 to ABLE, another Scientology offshoot. Smith and his wife have also supported a private school called New Village Academy they opened this fall in suburban Los Angeles that uses Scientology learning concepts.

Tags: ABLE, Celebrity Centre, Jada Pinkett-Smith, New Village Leadership Academy, New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, Tom Cruise, United Artists, Valkyrie, Will Smith

The interior ministers of Germany's 16 states have launched an investigation into the activities of the Church of Scientology, hoping to assemble the evidence to support banning the U.S.-based organization from operating in Germany. But skeptics question whether such a move is politically and legally tenable -- or wise.

Tags: Germany, Ralf Stegner, Ulrike Sweden, Wolfgang Schaeuble

On Tuesday, the Church of Scientology will go before the city's Community Development Board to request a transfer of development rights from the site of its power plant on Court Street to the Oak Cove Building, a 13-story waterfront high-rise that the church intends to develop as a 251-room hotel for visiting Scientologists.

Tags: 1975, 1999, 2001, 2008, Ben Shaw, Clearwater, Fort Harrison, Frank Hibbard, Oak Cove, Real estate, Sherwood Gardens, Super Power, Super Power Building

Once a haven for Hollywood moguls, a former resort near Hemet is now a major Church of Scientology base of operations. (PDF)

Tags: Int Base

Wood resigned in September 2000 after prosecutors blamed her for the collapse of a high-profile criminal case against the Church of Scientology. In that case, Wood originally concluded that Lisa McPherson died of complications from dehydration in 1995 after spending 17 days in the care of fellow Scientologists. She later reversed her findings, ruling that McPherson's death was an accident.

Tags: 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, Florida, Joan Wood, Lawsuit, Lisa McPherson, Panama, Pasco County, St. Petersburg

The Narconon center in northern Oklahoma has started a petition drive protesting a state Mental Health Board decision to deny certification for the operation, the group said Monday.

Tags: Gary Smith, Narconon, Narconon Chilocco, Oklahoma Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

The CIA may have conducted open-air tests of whooping cough bacteria in Florida in the mid-1950's when state medical records show a whooping cough outbreak killed 12 persons, according to a Church of Scientology analysis of agency records. The Scientologists said their examination of about 150 pages of financial records released in recent years by the Central Intelligence Agency indicates that the agency conducted at least one open-air biological test along Florida's Gulf Coast in 1955. In a report the Scientologists are scheduled to make public today, the group said the CIA documents show that shortly before the test someone in the agency signed out a specimen of whooping cough bacteria known as Hemophilus pertussis from the Army's biological warfare center at fort Detrick, Md.

Tags: 1950, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1973, American Citizens for Honesty in Government, Brian Anderson, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Florida, MK-ULTRA, New York, Quicky, San Francisco, Tampa, Washington