December 20 in Scientology history

Our insider sent over another communication, this time to help explain the rise and fall of the "Chase Wave" racket in Scientology that we've been describing here thanks to a previous source who leaked us a document. In that document, Scientology registrars ("reg" or "regges" for short) were encouraged to lie to Chase Bank in order to open up massive zero-interest accounts for Scientologists and burden them with debt. This led to a backlash and the ending of the practice just a couple of years ago. Here's the insider with more. I just wanted to better explain how the Chase Wave started, and how and why it ended. I don't remember the exact year, but it was probably 2013 or 2014, when LA Ideal Org was taken over by the Sea Org. Prior to this, it had been Class V staff. The staff were given the option of being released from their contract immediately, or finishing the contract but not being allowed to re-sign at LA org. Most chose to leave. Shortly after being taken over by the SO, LA became the top producing Ideal Org on the planet.

Tags: 1961, 1970, 1980, 2001, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, Bill Horne, Chairman of the Board, Chase Bank, Chris Shugart, Christmas, Class V, Clearwater, David Miscavige, Erika Christensen, Flag Building, Fort Harrison, Fractured Journey, Hollywood, Ideal Org, Jenna Elfman, L. Ron Hubbard, LAPD, Michelle Stafford, Mike Rinder, Nancy Cartwright, Oak Cove, Osceola Avenue, PAC Base, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Sea Org, St. Petersburg Times, Super Power, Suppressive Person, USA, Xenu

Some links to Q-related items today… Arizona continues to be a hotbed of patriotism. Marjorie Taylor Greene defends those who stormed the Capitol on Jan 6th, saying they were just protesting for "election integrity" but then she ends her speech claiming it was actually a "fedsurrection." pic.twitter.com/2vATnRK1WV

Tags: Alt-Right, Arizona, Coronavirus, Dark Roght, Hatewatch, Marjorie Taylor Greene, New York, Nicholas Fuentes, Proper Gander, QAnon, Right Wing Watch, Travis View, White supremacist

It's another social media Sunday here in the Bunker, and we once again thank our source who lets us in on what Scientologists are telling each other as their planetary takeover proceeds at record speed. You'd never know from this week's items that many of the orgs in the US are boarded up. We didn't see a mention of it anywhere. Hm. Instead, we have the usual mix of miracles and postulates and calls to action, and we'll start with the celebration of a sporting exploit...

Tags: 1961, 1970, 1992, 1998, A&E, ABC, Boston Herald, California, Clear, Clearwater, David Miscavige, Germany, Isaac Hayes, John Travolta, OT, Quicky, South Africa, Stuttgart, Tampa, Ted Koppel, Time magazine, USA, Wall of Fire

Our thanks this holiday season to Phil Jones for sending us this dispatch from the frozen north… Willie and I were in Toronto for the weekend so we decided to check on the Scientology Toronto building at 696 Yonge Street to see how (or if) their renovations were coming along. I met up with the building caretaker, Blair Sisson, at the property. Blair is an old time Scientologist whom I've known for more than 35-40 years. Nice guy but still 100 percent committed to Scientology. He had no idea that Willie and I were out of Scientology. I did tell him we were out during our conversation at which time he seemed to become anxious and left. The building shows no signs of any improvements and actually looks worse than the last time I saw it. I asked Blair if he'd give us a tour of the inside but he said no. I asked him several times whether the renovations had started on the inside but each time he didn't answer so I'm pretty sure they haven't done anything inside either.

Tags: 1961, East Grinstead, England, Ex-Sea Org, Facebook, Knowledge Report, L. Ron Hubbard, Mace-Kingsley Ranch, Mike Rinder, Phil Jones, Sea Org, The Hole, Toronto, Willie Jones

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Tags: Facebook, Quicky, Regraded Being, Twitter

New court documents indicate that the Church of Scientology has asked for an emergency "ex parte" hearing on Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court so that it can ask that Valerie Haney's lawsuit alleging kidnapping and slander be stayed so the church can force her to take her grievances to an internal Scientology arbitration panel instead. The church also indicated that it will ask for additional time so that it can file an anti-SLAPP motion, which, as we pointed out in the case of Monique Rathbun's Texas lawsuit in 2013, is ironic that Scientology, known for its bullying tactics, would seek the protection of an anti-SLAPP motion which is intended to keep private citizens from being bullied by large corporations filing frivolous lawsuits in order to silence them. Scientology's legal bullying is part of the reason anti-SLAPP laws were developed in the first place, so Scientology saying it's going to seek protection of an anti-SLAPP against the big bad bully Valerie Haney is exactly the kind of scorched-earth legal strategy Scientology is known for.

Tags: 1961, 2013, California, Danny Masterson, David Miscavige, Int Base, Judge James Whittemore, L. Ron Hubbard, Leah Remini, Los Angeles Superior Court, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Monique Rathbun, Philadelphia, SLAPP, Tampa, Texas, Valerie Haney

We spoke with Bill Franks a few weeks ago on the phone after we heard he had entered hospice care. We wanted him to know how much we appreciated the help we got from him on our book about Paulette Cooper. He was characteristically humble about it, saying that he hadn't done much. In fact, Bill Franks was one of the longest tenured whistleblowers of Scientology, a top former executive who tried time and again to help get the word out about what he'd seen during his meteoric rise in the organization. He joined Scientology in 1968 and met L. Ron Hubbard aboard the yacht Apollo two years later. Hubbard vanished early in 1980 in the turmoil after the disastrous "Snow White Program" that had church operatives infiltrating US and foreign government agencies, resulting in eleven top Scientologists being prosecuted and eventually going to prison. As Jon Atack explained in his book A Piece of Blue Sky, major reorganizing after the Snow White debacle was needed, and a young Bill Franks suddenly found himself elevated to the organization's highest spot…

Tags: 1946, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1991, A Piece of Blue Sky, Apollo, Bent Corydon, Bill Franks, Boston, California, Chairman of the Board, Church of Scientology International, Class VI, Clear, Clearwater, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Mayo, David Miscavige, DC, Dianetics, Don Purcell, England, Executive Director International, FBI, Flag Land Base, Guardian's Office, International Training Org, Janis Gillham, Jeffrey Augustine, John Travolta, Jon Atack, Kerry Gleeson, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Org, Madeira, Mary Sue Hubbard, Mission, Mission Holder, Paulette Cooper, Rehabilitation Project Force, Saint Hill, Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, Scientology organization, Sea Org, Snow White Program, Suppressive Person, Time magazine, Washington, Watchdog Committee

An unexpectedly mirthful moment during Tuesday night's Scientology and the Aftermath episode about Shelly Miscavige was Tom DeVocht's explanation that remaining wretches like Norman Starkey put up with imprisonment and abuse from Scientology leader David Miscavige because they are waiting for L. Ron Hubbard to return and put things right. Hubbard died in 1986, and church members were told at the time that he had decided to leave his body to pursue his studies elsewhere. But it made for awfully good television to see Leah Remini react to the news that some high-level Scientologists are waiting for Hubbard to return to Earth. It was a great moment, but we were also struck by the big reaction from the audience (judging by what we saw online). Was this really a surprise? Have people forgotten how much Scientology comes from a tradition of spiritualism gussied up as midcentury science, of ghost stories passed off as advances in "technology"?

Tags: 1972, 1986, Advance!, African-American, Auditing, Cincinnati, Dave Foster, David Miscavige, England, Fred Hare, Freedom Medal of Valor, Inglewood, International Association of Scientologists, Italy, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, Ministers Course, Nancy Cartwright, Norman Starkey, OT, OT 8, OT Phenomena, Pat Broeker, Reverend, Saint Hill, San Fernando Valley, Scientology and the Aftermath, Shelly Miscavige, Tom DeVocht, Tone Scale, Xenu

A lawyer representing Shelly Miscavige, the wife of David Miscavige, Scientology's leader, has demanded that Jezebel remove a story we ran yesterday on Shelly's alleged disappearance. The attorney, Jeffrey K. Riffer, writes "Mrs. Miscavige is not missing" and that she is "appalled" by claims that she has disappeared. He adds that in running our piece, Jezebel furthered the harassment of one woman by another. The allegations that Shelly Miscavige has disappeared come from Leah Remini, an ex-Scientologist turned one of the church's most prominent critics, via her show Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Our blog yesterday featured a recap of the most recent show, which dealt entirely with the fact that Miscavige hasn't been seen in public since 2007, as well as how Scientology responded to the airing of the program. Remini filed a missing persons report in 2013, asking that Shelly's whereabouts be investigated, which Riffer correctly says was closed and labeled "unfounded" by the Los Angeles Police Department. Jezebel contacted an attorney connected with Scientology and their media relations department yesterday and didn't receive a reply. After several hours, we ran our post, with a note that they had been contacted for comment and we would update if we heard back. About 30 minutes after the post went live, we received a response from the media relations department, asking only when our deadline was. When I replied that the story had gone live and I would update it with comment from them as soon as they provided it, I did not receive a response. The legal letter was sent at 9 p.m. California time, via email, about six hours after the post went live.

Tags: 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016, Andre Barkanov, Brandon Reisdorf, California, Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige, Disconnection, Int Base, Jeffrey Riffer, LAPD, Leah Remini, Los Angeles Times, Marty Rathbun, Monique Rathbun, Religious Technology Center, Scientology and the Aftermath, Sea Org, Shelly Miscavige, Suppressive Person, Tax exempt, Tony Ortega, Twin Peaks

Wait, you are a Cause Resurged Super Powerful Being... And you need to go on Facebook to find a job? Do it for Ron!

Tags: Beverly Hills, Carmen Muntean, Clearwater, Craig Heck, Cuba, David Petit, Durban, Facebook, Hamish Bulger, Ian Clarkson, Joanie Sigal, Joke Reeder, L. Ron Hubbard, Mission, OT, Portland, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Sherman Oaks, Sunday service, Super Power, Thursday Funnies

Gosh, we not only had a correspondent at the New Year's event at the Shrine Auditorium on Saturday who heard David Miscavige's claim that Mexico has officially recognized Scientology as a religion, but we also have audio to prove it. Some of our readers were pretty skeptical of our report on Sunday that Scientology has achieved such a thing. Well, there should be no doubt now that Miscavige at least made the claim. As you can hear in the audio, he's very specific about it being federal recognition, and our correspondent said Miscavige showed a document from Mexico's Secretary of the Interior to prove it. But does that document back up what Miscavige is claiming? We have no confirmation from the Mexican government itself yet, but we figure Miscavige is going to hold back that document until video of Saturday's event can be shown in the orgs around the world on New Year's Eve itself.

Tags: 2016, David Miscavige, Mexico, New Year's Eve, Scientology Media Productions, Shrine Auditorium, Tax

The Howard Stern Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Howard Stern. It gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1986 to 2005. The show has been exclusive to Sirius XM Radio, a subscription-based satellite radio service, since 2006. Other prominent staff members include co-host and news anchor Robin Quivers, writer Fred Norris, and executive producer Gary Dell'Abate.

Tags: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, Canada, Connecticut, DC, Detroit, Howard Stern, Leah Remini, Michigan, NBC, New York, New York City, Washington

I like to keep tabs on the largest and most important Ideal Org on earth — especially as it is my local org when I am in Los Angeles. At least it can rightfully lay claim to having the largest and emptiest parking lot of any scientology org on earth (others are just as empty, none are nearly so big...) First, they sent out this terrific Holiday Greetings card: Interesting they selected this particular sentence from the "Ideal Org" Policy Letter. It's so nebulous. People come there to get freedom, they have confidence in the fact it will happen and then they run smack into reality and find out there is no such thing happening in this activity. Hell, check out the picture they selected to highlight their accomplishments and holiday cheer. An empty room that looks like a set design from Six Feet Under.

Tags: Burbank, CCHR, Google, Ideal Org, Los Angeles, Nancy Parodi, Org Board, OTC, Quicky

The Reddit AMA ("ask Me Anything") special has now aired, and now it's on to Episode 4 tomorrow (The Rise of Miscavige). As always, I am interested in your views - including criticisms and things you think might be better explained or covered. I also suspect there are quite a number of new people who are coming to this blog for the first time. To all of you, welcome.

Tags: A&E, Congress, Critic, David Miscavige, Dead Agent, Disconnection, IRS, Leah Remini, Quicky, Reddit AMA, Scientology Aftermath, Scientology and the Aftermath, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker

The Underground Bunker has obtained court documents which describe a stunning attempt by a Milwaukee attorney to secure secret government-held documents that are potentially crippling to the Church of Scientology. That attempt came very close to being successful. In June of last year, the attorney, Jeremy P. Levinson, arrived at the West Allis, Wisconsin Police Department, demanding to see the department's then chief, Charles Padgett. Levinson had with him a court order instructing the police department to turn over to him a trove of information that had been collected as evidence in a criminal investigation from a couple of laptop computers. Levinson said he wasn't going to leave without the entire collection of evidence.

Tags: 1977, 1986, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, A&E, Becky Bigelow, Charles Padgett, Chicago, Daniel Powell, David Miscavige, Dwayne Powell, FBI, Florida, Hollywood Reporter, If He Dies, He Dies, Jeremy Levinson, Judge M. Joseph Donald, Karin Pouw, Leah Remini, Lisa Marie Presley, Lisa Wesley, Los Angeles Times, Mike Rinder, Milwaukee, NBC, New York, Police, Private investigator, Provable bullshit, Ron Miscavige Sr, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, Scientology and the Aftermath, Tennessee, TMZ, West Allis, West Allis Police Department, Wisconsin

The weekly show where I answer questions from viewers in the comments of my Q&A videos or by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I take up are: (1) My question has to do with the comments that you have made throughout you Q&A sessions about COS. In particular with the downfall of the COS. I think that the only way to have any hope of a real (soon) solution is to have the FBI/CIA/HS raid Big Blue, CC, Gold, Flag, Freewinds (hard, int waters) and CST at the same time and get all the evidence at once to make any impact. What do you think about this and what advice do you have so any potential law/department if they want to really do something about COS? (2) I never knew that the method of rote memorization you described was a) called "Chinese school", b) a cult technique or c) foreign to most people. I was taught that way in school for everything from grammar lists (prepositions, being verbs, etc.) to Bible verses. I went to a fundamental Christian school which taught a lot of propaganda-like theories which I always questioned (and received negative responses for doing). It has always confused me that my teachers were so defensive and refused to discuss doctrines of other faiths. It shows an insecurity in one's own faith to turn a blind eye to different opinions. Do you think that insecurity in belief could be one reason why Scientologists are so closed-minded? In your experience, is there something that can be done to help someone so engrossed in any one way of thinking to learn to think critically??

Tags: Big Blue, Carl Sagan, Chinese, Christian, Church of Spiritual Technology, CIA, Critic, David Miscavige, FBI, Freewinds, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Ku Klux Klan, Quicky, Russia, Texas, Westboro Baptist Church

(Isaac Hayes (1942-2008) tells an audience about becoming the international spokesman for the World Literacy Crusade ) We could not have broken the big story of felony charges against Scientologists operating a Scientology drug rehab clinic in Compton without the help of our sources. We've had invaluable help here in New York with the Underground Bunker's man on the scene, Jeffrey Augustine, who lives in Los Angeles. This week, he volunteered to get some looks at the venues we've been talking about. The story we revealed on Thursday was that several Scientologists are accused of running a Narconon clinic out of the World Literacy Crusade, a longtime Scientology front in Compton. Arrangements were made with three prominent local educators (since fired) to provide high school kids to the "clinic," where they were put through Scientology exercises, and the clinic then billed Medi-Cal as if the students had been treated for drug addictions. According to court documents, this scam was running at least from 2010 to 2013 (but we found evidence that it had been using foster children as early as 2005). The clinic was raided by a state law enforcement agency in March 2014. But what's happened to the clinic, and the World Literacy Crusade, since then? Jeffrey Augustine is our man on the scene.

Tags: 1942, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, Africa, Alfreddie Johnson, AmeriBest, American Health and Education Clinics, Australia, Bruce Moore, California, Celebrity, Clearwater, Community Learning Center, Company, Compton, Delaware, Denice Duff, Dianetics, Eslov, Facebook, Florida, Greece, Hanan Islam, Holly Haggerty, Ideal Narconon, Ideal Org, Inglewood, IRS, Isaac Hayes, Jeffrey Augustine, Jim Meskimen, Legoland, Los Angeles, Medi-Cal, Nancy Cartwright, Narconon, New York, Pennsylvania, Reverend, Sweden, True Faith Christian Center, United Arab Emirates, US Secretary of State, WISE, World Literacy Crusade, Youth for Human Rights International

Jon Atack is the author of A Piece of Blue Sky, one of the very best books on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. He has a new edition of the book for sale, and for more than a year on Saturdays he helped us sift through the legends, myths, and contested facts about Scientology that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet. He was kind enough to send us a new post. Jon, it's been another great year with you here in the Underground Bunker. What better way to head into the holidays than with another deep dive from you into what challenges people face when they leave the Church of Scientology... JON: I wanted to start this week by thanking the comments crew at the Bunker for the many stimulating remarks these last few weeks. Let me admit that when I came back to the fray, 18 months back, I was very apprehensive. So much so that I have only actually read the comments on about seven or eight of my pieces, just in case the hounds of the Thunderdome were on the prowl.

Tags: 1950, 1952, 1959, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1984, 1995, 1996, A Piece of Blue Sky, Academic, Bare-Faced Messiah, Bent Corydon, Brown McKee, Buddhism, Buddhist, Chairman of the Board, Chinese, Clear, David Miscavige, Dianetics, Elizabeth Loftus, E-meter, Garcia v. Scientology, Gerry Armstrong, Guardian's Office, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin, Hypnosis, Independent, International Justice Chief, Janet Reitman, Jon Atack, Journal of Scientology, Judge James Whittemore, Knowledge Reports, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Luis Garcia, Mental Health, Mike Ellis, Mike Rinder, OCA, Office of Special Affairs, OT, OT V, Personality test, Potential Trouble Source, Registrar, Richard Ofshe, Richard Reiss, Robert Vaughn Young, Rocio Garcia, Russell Miller, Saint Hill, Science of Survival, Scientology staff, Stacy Brooks, Suppressive Person, Tampa, Tone Scale, UK

Here is another chapter in the sad tale of the demise of Jobur Ideal Org. To begin, let me remind you that this is the second "ideal org." Dear Leader himself made the long trip to bless the "new org" and in finest shermanspeak, pronounced this the beginning of the new age in Africa and THE thing that would make S. Africa the first cleared country. And the goodness would spread from there and overtake the entire continent. Of course, no such thing happened and Jobur has struggled since. So much so that a Sea Org "Command Team" was dispatched to get things back "under control." They rolled into town and proceeded to declare the main opinion leaders in the area and as a result, things have gone from bad to worse. They even have a local blog that documents the demise of organized scientology in S. Africa with a steady stream of information exposing the ugly truth about just what a fail the orgs are in S. Africa and Zimbabwe. Of course there are no other orgs in the entirety of the African continent — an area nearly 4 times bigger than the contiguous United States, with a population that now exceeds 1 billion — this despite the promises of Miscavige with his little arrows springing out of his ideal org graphic to indicted how they would "in turn" generate more and more groups and eventually more orgs. There aren't even any new missions or groups in South Africa in 11 years since its opening, let alone new orgs. And of course, NOTHING in all the rest of the vast expanse of Africa.

Tags: Africa, CCHR, Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, Johannesburg, OT, Planetary Dissemination, Pope, Quicky, Sea Org, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Starting today, we're beginning a new weekly feature that we think is going to impinge. (That's Scientology talk for "have a big effect.") The Underground Bunker has heard from a source who has access to a large number of Scientology's internal videos. We believe that some of the videos have never been online before. Others, like today's, did make it to the Internet, but then were pulled down by threats from Scientology. We're not getting a lot of information from our source about the videos except where to find them online. But we did some quick research and so we know that today's piece, "Boots in the Sky," is something that Scientologists know very well. The words you will hear are spoken by L. Ron Hubbard — it's from a lecture he gave as part of the Philadelphia Doctorate Course in December 1952.

Tags: 1950, 1952, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, Adam Reuveni, California, Clearwater, DC, Dianetics, Florida, Freewinds, Int Base, Jefferson Hawkins, Jon Atack, Marc Headley, Mark Bunker, OT, Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Quicky, Scientology executive, YouTube

Things are degenerating quickly inside the bubble. How many more "statuses" can they come up with to use to beg for money? I wonder if these people are going to be presented with red tights and cape? They could then really show off their new found hero status....

Tags: 2014, Ideal Org, Jedi, New Year's Eve, Quicky, UK

"For me, this matter is over with," Mike Kasem told PEOPLE outside the courtroom. "I just pray that my father's younger brother will get to say goodbye to him. It'll be great for them to see each other." Mike, in addition to a lawyer for daughter Kerri, declined to specify why Kasem has been hospitalized. Troy Martin, Kerri's attorney, clarified that the settlement reached applies only to Julie and Mike, but not his client. "We think the visitation terms are too restrictive," Martin said after the hearing. "There hasn't been an agreement reached between Kerri and Jean. It could require us to file another conservatorship. We're still in negotiations."

Tags: Andrew Katzenstein, Casey Kasem, Charles Kreindler, Jean Kasem, Julie Kasem, Kerri Kasem, Los Angeles Superior Court, Mike Kasem, Settlement, Troy Martin

Local chiropractor Dennis Nobbe, a rotund, ruddy-faced Scientologist allegedly forced employees to scream at ashtrays, perform lengthy staring contests, and convert to his church. Now, the man who says he "used L. Ron Hubbard Technology to build the largest chiropractic office in all of South Florida." is backtracking. After former employees filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Nobbe's Dynamic Medical Services signed a consent decree agreeing to pay $170,000 and to stop dictating employees' religious beliefs.

Tags: Ashtrays, Chiropractor, Dania Gomez, Dennis Nobbe, Dynamic Medical Services, E-meter, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Hubbard Management, Maikel Ruz, Religious harassment, The Way to Happiness, Tony Ortega

The next book preview follows, working title Deconstructing Scientology: Mental Therapy or Thought Reform? Reference, Antidote to Scientology Slavery. This book traces and contextualizes the origins of Scientology's cosmology. Topics of treatment:

Tags: Aleister Crowley, Dianetics, Quicky

For five years Marty Rathbun and his wife's lives have been made a 'living hell' by The Church of Scientology furious that he stepped down from his lofty position inside the powerful organization and then dared to speak out against it. Their house was besieged by minions, known bizarrely as 'Squirrel Busters', harassing them at every turn. Private investigators were allegedly hired to follow them and monitor their movements, renting neighboring properties and setting up surveillance cameras trained on their home.

Tags: 1952, 1978, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012, Armageddon, Battlefield Earth, Berlin, California, Catholic Church, Celebrity, Clearwater, David Miscavige, E-meter, Fair Game, Florida, Freedom magazine, Hamburg, Houston, Ingleside, Inspector General, John Travolta, L. Ron Hubbard, London, Los Angeles, Marty Rathbun, Monique Rathbun, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Nicole Kidman, Private investigator, San Antonio, Seattle, Squirrel, Squirrel Busters, Steve Arvin, Steven Gregory Sloat, Tampa, Texas, Tom Cruise, Twitter, Washington

A handful of employees - now ex-employees - of a South Florida chiropractic office say they got more than a paycheck for their labors. The workers say they were force-fed an indoctrination in the rituals of the Church of Scientology. Those rituals, the workers complained, included occasionally having to sit perfectly still in a spare room at the office, facing one another for an eight-hour staredown - as well as yelling at ashtrays and talking to the walls.

Tags: 2010, Ashtrays, Beatriz Andre, Clearwater, Dennis Nobbe, Dianetics, Dynamic Medical Services, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, First Amendment, Florida, Maykel Ruz, Medical, Miami, Miami Herald, Rommy Sanchez, The Way to Happiness, WISE, World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, Yanileydis Capote

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news today: Tom Cruise has finally given up on his dumb lawsuit against In Touch and Life & Style magazines. He was seeking $50 million in damages because the magazines had claimed that Cruise had "abandoned" his daughter Suri after his 2012 divorce to Katie Holmes. But then, after a tough year of discovery, it turned out that the magazines had done their homework, and the facts showed that Cruise had only seen his daughter a handful of times over a 110-day period. After that, any chance of convincing a jury that the magazines had lied about Cruise with malice were pretty much nil. So, no big surprise that he gave up the suit. It only brought him waves of additional media laughter based on some of the things he'd said in a deposition that was put into the court file.

Tags: 1991, 2004, 2007, 2012, Bauer Media, Bauer Publishing, Bert Fields, David Miscavige, Hollywood Reporter, Katie Holmes, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Quicky, The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power, TIME, TMZ, Tom Cruise

With the year winding down, we thought we'd ask several fellow Scientology watchers to give us their thoughts on how the church fared in 2012. Here are their responses, and we're looking forward to reading your reflections about 2012 in the comments. Tell us what were your highlights, and how you think 2012 fits in the 60-year history of the church. First up, BBC journalist John Sweeney, who has a book coming out on January 7, The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology. John Sweeney: Five years on since I lost my temper so spectacularly with the Church, the world's take on Scientology seems to have changed beyond recognition. Back in 2007, the Church's power to intimidate people was strong and I felt, if not alone, then there were not very many people who would take it on, openly. By 2012, that has changed. The Church's apostles, Tom Cruise and John Travolta, are under pressure as never before to explain their support for Leader David Miscavige. The number of people leaving has become a flood. In 2013, three books on the Church will come out, but Lawrence Wright's publisher in the UK has pulled out — proof that the Church, though wounded, remains powerful. My book, The Church Of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology, will be published, come hell or high water. The Church says that I am psychotic, etc, etc, etc...

Tags: 1971, 1977, 1990, 1991, 1995, 2007, 2009, 2013, Academic, Anonymous, Australia, BBC, California, Carnegie Mellon, Census, David Love, David Miscavige, David Touretzky, Debbie Cook, Fair Game, Florida, Hollywood, Ideal Org, Infinite Complacency, Int Base, Jamie DeWolf, Jason Beghe, Jedi, John Sweeney, John Travolta, Jonny Jacobsen, Katie Holmes, Ken Dandar, Knowledge Report, L. Ron Hubbard, Lawrence Wright, Lisa McPherson, Los Angeles Times, Manhattan, Mark Bunker, Mark Ebner, Marty Rathbun, Mary McConnell, Mike Rinder, Milton, Narconon, Nazanin Boniadi, Paris, Pat Broeker, Paul Noble, Paul Thomas Anderson, Paulette Cooper, Pinellas County, Quicky, Rastafarian, Reaching for the Tipping Point, Richard Behar, Scott Pilutik, Steve Cannane, Tax exempt, The Church Of Fear, The Church of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology, The Master, The Scandal of Scientology, The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power, TIME, Tom Cruise, Truth Revealed, UK, Wiccan, Wise Beard Man

The mother of a boy who killed himself cannot sue his father and the Church of Scientology for taking away his antidepressants, a federal judge ruled. Victoria Britton filed suit in 2009 over the death of her 20-year-old son, Kyle Thomas Brennan, after he visited with his father in Clearwater, Fla., in February 2007.

Tags: Denise Miscavige Gentile, Ethics officer, Flag Service Organization, Gerald Gentile, Judge Steven Merryday, Kyle Brennan, Suicide, Thomas Brennan, Victoria Britton

On Sunday, we published a disturbing new document which was produced by Scientology recruiters in Australia. It purports to be the testimony of an 18-year-old named Denny Chang, who extols the virtues of Scientology's most hardcore contingent, the Sea Org, and urges other young church members to join. After talking with experienced former Sea Org members, it's now clear that young Chang, judging by his own words, probably started his career in the elite troop at only 14 or 15 years of age. And now at 18, when his former schoolmates might be heading off to college, Chang is convinced that Scientology provides an answer for everything: "I started to realize that Scientology is really the only way out," he writes. The mailer Chang appears on was not one of Scientology's advertisements to the general public. It was an e-mail flier sent out to church members -- the Voice regularly obtains such mailers from various Scientology organizations around the US and Australia, and we publish three of them each Sunday morning.

Tags: 1996, 2007, Abortion, Australia, Class IV, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Denny Chang, England, Freewinds, Hubbard's estate, Melissa Paris, Paris, Quicky, Ramana Dienes-Browning, Scientology organization, Sea Org, UK, Valeska Paris

Here's a little something in response to the handful of cur dogs who criticize our efforts to cease the spiritual carnage that has become in the public mind Scientology. It is something from L Ron Hubbard, the Founder of the subject. This is likely so obvious that it goes without saying to the majority involved in this grassroots movement called Independent Scientology. But, I re-iterate as there are OSA bait dupes on the fringe who expend a lot of energy on attempting to drag down folk who are taking responsibility for this thing called Scientology. As confusion is their stock in trade, let us have a little stable data as remedy. Excerpts from L Ron Hubbard lecture, Formative States of Scientology - Definition of Logic. Let's take the subject of Scientology and let's see if there's any logic involved with it at all. There isn't a mathematics that can embrace the subject of Scientology, because it is an invented mathematics. It's an invented mathematics that accepts gradient scales and "absolutes are unattainable." And it is a method of thinking about things. And it is just as true as it is workable. And no truer. And is not, in itself, an abitrary, fascistic police force to make sure that we all think right thoughts. It's a servant of the mind, and servo-mechanism of the mind. It is not a master of the mind. Scientology will decline and become useless to man on the day when it becomes the master of thinking. Don't think it won't do that. It has every capability of doing that.

Tags: David Miscavige, Dianetics, Golden Age of Knowledge, Independent Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, Office of Special Affairs, Quicky

Rahdert and Hollingsworth, a former vice president of the now-defunct Triangle Development, met in 2005 when Triangle paid Rahdert $6.5 million for 2 acres of his family's land on the Clearwater waterfront. Two Triangle partners, both Scientologists, sold the land to the Church of Scientology when their plans for an upscale condo development failed. The land remains vacant. Hollingsworth, a Scientologist for more than 30 years who has publicly criticized press coverage of the church, has helped with the Fenway's redevelopment since Rahdert's purchase, attending site visits, meeting with city staff and seeking condo buyers and financiers.

Tags: 2005, 2006, 2008, California, Clearwater, Dunedin, Ed Armstrong, First Amendment, George Rahdert, Jessica Hollingsworth, North Carolina, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Times, Triangle Development, Washburn Academy

Alexander Godelman and Marc Le Shay, two Diskeeper employees (Godelman was CIO and Le Shay hired as the Automation Planning Officer) have filed a complaint in the Los Angeles Superior Court alleging that Scientology training was a condition of employment and that their refusal to participate led to their dismissal. According to the complaint, "[t]he working conditions and work environment at DISKEEPER were inextricably intertwined with the Scientology religion such that a non-Scientologist cannot escape constant impositions of said religion." When Godelman complained that these programs ran counter to his own religious belief (Judaism), former Diskeeper CEO and current Chairman Craig Jensen told Godelman that his attendance at the "training courses" was "not negotiable," adding that Godelman would become more intelligent and his personal life would "improve drastically." Jensen also warned Godelman to not "complain about the process" in emails, which Jensen feared would be "misconstrued" and/or "taken out of context." Le Shay was eventually fired after he refused to attend and participate in a course series entitled "Basic Study Manual" and after Godelman interceded on Le Shay's behalf, Godelman was also terminated. The complaint alleges five causes of action–three based on Diskeeper's alleged violation of California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA): namely, discharge due to religious discrimination, discharge in violation of public policy, retaliation against persons opposing wrongful practices. A fourth cause of action claims that Diskeeper violates California Labor law, which prohibits employers from retaliating against persons refusing to participate in activity which would result in a violation of a federal or state statute or regulation. A fifth cause of action alleges that Diskeeper failed to maintain its statutory obligation to prevent discrimination.

Tags: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2021, ACLU, Alexander Godelman, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, California, Copyright, Craig Jensen, Criminal, Cult, Diskeeper, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Facebook, Free Speech, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Google, Hubbard Management, Labor law, Laura DeCrescenzo, Lawyer, Los Angeles Superior Court, Manhattan, Marc Le Shay, New York, Politics, Religious harassment, Riverside County, Scientology organization, Sklar, Study Tech, Study Technology, Trademark, Twitter

What about Scientology's reputation for proselytising and recruiting and the cyber campaign of "Anonymous", the group of ex-Scientologists protesting its activities. Isn't it a form of thought-control religion? "Do I look brainwashed to you?" he said, as if life for him has been more than the answer to a trivia question.

Tags: Anonymous, Australia, Chris Guider, Sydney

The Ramona building, a 78-year-old former hotel at Sixth and J streets, will be converted into Sacramento headquarters for the Church of Scientology. Two years after it paid $4.75 million for the downtown Ramona building, the Church of Scientology is about to gain full control of the property.

Tags: Mike Klagenberg, Real estate, Sacramento

Goodwill spokeswoman Michael Ann Harvey said Wednesday that the purchase is still "uncertain." The nonprofit won't know whether it will buy the property until next month. Goodwill has not received all building inspection reports from its due diligence, she said. And some completed reports show potential problems with the condition of the buildings. The 3-acre site, assessed at $3.06-million for tax purposes, is listed for sale at $6-million. The proposed purchase price has not been disclosed.

Tags: Clearwater, Real estate

The city's Development Review Board approved a request Tuesday from the Church of Scientology to transfer the development rights for 82 residential units at its power plant on Court Street to the Oak Cove building. Oak Cove is a 13-story waterfront high-rise on the west side of Osceola Avenue that the church intends to develop as a 252-room hotel. The church is in the midst of renovating Oak Cove, once an assisted living facility, but which has been vacant since 1999. The church plans to use the building for activities during the renovation of the Fort Harrison Hotel and the massive Super Power building across the street. When those two projects are completed, which the church said will be in mid 2008, Oak Cove will be converted into a hotel for visiting Scientologists.

Tags: Clearwater, Fort Harrison, Oak Cove, Super Power

The Church of Scientology has purchased a vacant 13-story high-rise downtown that will house more than 600 new staff members in another step in Scientology's unprecedented expansion in the city.

Tags: 1975, 1980, 1990, 1999, 2003, Ben Shaw, Bill Horne, Clearwater, David Jones, Flag Building, Fort Harrison, Hacienda, Hacienda Gardens, Oak Cove, Real estate, Scientology staff, Sherwood Gardens, Super Power, Tom DeVocht