Tomorrow December 16 in Scientology history

Back in July, I wrote about how lawmakers from both parties were backing a COVID relief provision that, in effect, is a massive, unnecessary bailout for America's richest business owners. Congress never managed to come together on that particular bill, so the effort was tabled for a while, but guess what: It's back, and even better for the big fish. The bipartisan provision, which is opposed by the IRS and also, oddly enough, by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, is known as a "double-dip" benefit. It allows businesses that get PPP loans—which the new COVID bill aims to expand—to not only have those loans forgiven, but to be able to deduct the loan amount spent on business expenses from their taxable income. Getting one benefit or the other seems reasonable, but allowing both would be a major departure from accepted policy and an unprecedented waste of taxpayer money, critics say, that would primarily benefit wealthy law firms, accounting practices, and other well-to-do "pass through" businesses that have dominated the process.

Tags: 2019, Brookings Institution, Congress, Donald Trump, Goldman Sachs, IRS, Lloyd Doggett, Marc Kasowitz, New York Times, Quicky, Steven Mnuchin, Tax, Texas, Twitter

Leah Remini sent us this statement about Tom Cruise's on-set rant that was caught on tape and released by the Sun yesterday... Tom Cruise claimed he does not get so much as a cold because of Scientology. All Scientologists believe that if they aren't connected to what they label "suppressive persons" they will not get sick. According to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, "All illnesses to a greater or lesser degree stem from a PTS situation." PTS stands for "Potential Trouble Source."

Tags: 1954, 1968, 1997, Abuse, Bullbaiting, Comm Course, David Miscavige, Ethics, France, Hollywood, Katie Holmes, Kirstie Alley, Leah Remini, Parker Stevenson, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Sea Org, Shelly Miscavige, Suppressive Person, Tom Cruise

The delusion is real in scientology. Here is a promotional video for the infamous "Solo NOTs" level that all scientologists must go to Flag to participate in. And though it is a "solo" level, meaning you use an e-meter to audit the invisible thetans in, on and around your body yourself, they require you to pay to do the auditing at home and also you must return to the "Mecca" every 6 months so you can pay them to sec check you on the meter to see if you have been good. It is one of the more lucrative (for scientology) levels on the Bridge. This video states right at the beginning that Solo NOTs auditors have the "Responsibility to change the outcome of the planet."

Tags: 9-1-1, Berlin Wall, Clearwater, E-meter, Quicky, Sec Check, Solo NOTs, Super Bowl

One of the most surprising turns in Scientology litigation in a generation occurred a few weeks ago when Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven Kleifield took matters into his own hands and challenged the Church of Scientology over its "religious arbitration" legal strategy. Underground Bunker readers know that Scientology has been on a roll in recent years with this gambit, derailing two important lawsuits by claiming that former Scientologists should be denied the right to trial and should take their grievances instead to Scientology's own internal religious arbitration procedure. Both times it worked, courts appeared helpless to stop it, and we saw a couple of important lawsuits thrown into limbo. That appeared to be about to happen in an even more important lawsuit, the one brought by Danny Masterson's rape accusers, who are suing the That '70s Show actor and the Church of Scientology and its leader David Miscavige for what they say has been a years-long harassment campaign since they came forward to the LAPD with their sexual assault claims. (Masterson was charged criminally this June for raping three of the four women who sued him, but that is a separate matter from the lawsuit.)

Tags: 1926, 1954, 1968, 1981, 1997, 2011, 2014, 2021, Andrew Brettler, Arbitration, Bobby Thompson, California, Celebrity Centre, Chrissie Carnell, Christian Right, Church of Scientology International, Clearwater, Colorado, Danny Masterson, David Miscavige, Dayton, Establishment Clause, Fair Game, First Amendment, Florida, France, Georgia, Hamilton, Jeffrey Fritz, Jewish, Judge Steven Kleifield, Kirstie Alley, LAPD, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Superior Court, Marci Hamilton, Miami, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Orlando, Parker Stevenson, Religious Technology Center, Robert Mangels, Sexual assault, Stewart Ryan, William Forman

I recently finished reading Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow. It was an excellent, if horrifying read. Being familiar with the tactics scientology uses against victims of sexual abuse or "enemies" I didn't learn any new techniques or methods used by the unscrupulous to protect their crimes. But I was struck again at the similarities between Harvey Weinsten and scientology. I wrote about this in an earlier post Harvey Weinstein & Scientology — Separated at Birth? All the tactics are described in this book:

Tags: Company, Conspiracy, Facebook, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Harvey Weinstein, NBC, New Yorker, Paul Haggis, Private investigator, Quicky, Sexual assault, Spies, Threats, Twitter

Fascinating report in the Washington Post today about the Mormon church having much more money than anyone seems to have imagined. The Post was given a secret whistleblower report that was submitted to the IRS, which claims that the Mormon church has an entity, Ensign Peak Advisers, that is supposed to find ways to make use of surplus tithing that would meet IRS requirements for charitable giving, but instead has sat on a fortune now reaching $100 billion, in violation of tax law. According to the report, the church is amassing rather than spending the money in preparation for "the second coming of Christ." The complaint was written by an Ensign employee, David A. Nielsen, who left the non-profit company in August and then submitted his detailed and confidential report, with a 74-page narrative and a thumb drive containing images of Ensign documents, to the IRS. But Nielsen's twin brother, Lars Nielsen, who helped him write up the narrative, decided against his brother's wishes to give a copy of the report to the Post.

Tags: 2008, IRS, Mormon, Mormons, Quicky, Washington Post

Scientology leader David Miscavige welcomed in the new decade Saturday night at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles as the church, per its usual custom, celebrated New Year's Eve a couple of weeks early so it could be filmed and then shown at its facilities around the world on the evening of December 31. And in another annual tradition, we had someone inside watching the festivities. We are grateful that they have delivered us this detailed and objective report about what they saw. It's almost like we were there. (Photos of the event are from social media, posted by the participants, and not from our correspondent, except for the image of the wristband.) Pre-Event Party

Tags: 1954, 1978, 2010, 2020, ABLE, Applied Scholastics, Chairman of the Board, Columbus, Criminon, David Miscavige, FBI, Field Staff Member, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, Golden Age of Tech, Hamburg, Hubbard College, Ideal Mission, Ideal Org, International Hubbard Ecclesiastical League of Pastors, Irving Sorrentini, Jamie Sorrentini, Kansas City, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, Mission, Music, Narconon, Nation of Islam, Nayyirah Tivica Muhammad, New Year's Eve, Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Pizza, Portland, Potential Trouble Source, Power FSM, Quicky, Scientology Missions International, Scientology TV, Sea Org, Shrine Auditorium, St. Louis, Super Bowl, The Way, The Way to Happiness, Tony Muhammad, Truth About Drugs, WISE, World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, Youth for Human Rights International

The weekly show where I answer viewer questions. This week, the questions I take up are: (1) If everything LRH said or wrote was, in effect, law and the final word on the subject how can you explain that OT8 was issued and when it was deemed a disaster, a new version appeared, yet LRH had been dead for 2 years. How on Earth can that happen as clearly Hubbard didn't write it, Miscavige did. How did he get the ok to re-write the words of LRH? (2) When I was in Scientology back in the early 1970s, St Hill Orgs had several things that were unique to them: delivery of Power and Power Plus (Grades 5 & 5A), the Briefing Course (Class 6 auditor), and Class 7 auditor training. From what I know now, Grade 5 is Dianetic auditing, often resulting in Clear. If Dianetic clear is achieved, then the next step for the confirmed Clear is at an Advanced Org to do OT 1. Also, as I understand it, the Briefing Course is no longer offered to non-SO public. It this is true, what do the St Hill orgs do these days?

Tags: 1970, 1980, Advanced Org, Clear, Critic, David Miscavige, John Travolta, L. Ron Hubbard, Office of Special Affairs, OT, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Quicky, Sea Org, Writers of the Future

Rod Keller keeps his eagle-eye on David Miscavige's building efforts around the country... We reported in April that the org in Columbus, Ohio was nearing their target to pay for renovating their Ideal Org. That target has been reached and they are asking for volunteers for organizing the central files. It's an important step towards opening, but city records show they're just starting on construction. The plans are being reviewed for fire safety before the permits are issued. Columbus is moving from a small downtown location to a large office building in a suburban setting with little foot traffic. We think Columbus will join three other Ideal Orgs in the U.S. opening in 2019.

Tags: Albuquerque, Austin, Big Blue, California, Columbus, David Miscavige, George Hakopiants, Honolulu, Ideal Org, Janet Weiland, Kansas City, Ken Long, LAPD, Los Angeles, Lynn Campbell, Mitch O'Farrell, Ohio, Philadelphia, Rod Keller, Ruben Arrellano, Santa Barbara, Sea Org, Susanna Furios, Tess Fraser, The Way to Happiness, Tracy Walker, University of Texas

The show where I answer your questions. Please leave any comments or feedback in the comments section here below. I see everything and want to hear from you. SHOP FOR CRITICAL MERCHANDISE http://shop.spreadshirt.com/chrisshelton

Tags: Quicky, Scientology: A to Xenu

Sarah Edmondson said she thought she was getting a tattoo when she willingly participated in strange initiation ritual for a sorority that she says is associated with NXIVM.

Tags: NXIVM, Quicky

A read—very basically the movement of an e-meter needle from left to right—is what auditors use to determine whether an item in their PC's mind is "charged" and should be addressed. LRH wrote in HCOB 5 Aug 78, that "the correct definition of instant read is that reaction of the needle which occurs at the precise end of any major thought voiced by the auditor. All definitions which state it is fractions of seconds after the question is asked, are cancelled. Thus an instant read which occurs when the auditor assesses an item or calls a question is valid and would be taken up and latent reads, which occur fractions of seconds after the major thought, are ignored. Additionally when looking for reads while clearing commands or when the preclear is originating items, the auditor must note only those reads which occur at the exact moment the pc ends his statement of the item or command." He defined major thought as "the complete thought being expressed in words by the auditor. Reads which occur prior to the completion of the major thought are prior reads. Reads which occur later than its completion are latent reads." Prior and latent reads are not taken up.

Tags: E-meter, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin, L. Ron Hubbard, Terra Cognita

(Ron DeWolf at the 1982 Clearwater hearings) Earlier this week, we wrote about a 15-page 1985 letter written by Ron DeWolf to the IRS that was released by the FBI and became public for the first time. DeWolf was the name adopted by L. Ron Hubbard Jr., who was known as "Nibs" to the Hubbard family. We asked Jon Atack for his thoughts on Nibs and the new letter, and he sent us this piece. I was in touch with Nibs – L. Ron Hubbard Jr. – through an intermediary in 1984. I would write questions, my friend would phone Nibs, and have long and elaborate conversations with him. Nibs sent me a recorded talk at this time.

Tags: 1934, 1941, 1946, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1991, A Piece of Blue Sky, Aleister Crowley, Arizona, Bent Corydon, Brainwashing Manual, Church of American Science, Church of Spiritual Engineering, Clearwater, Clearwater hearings, David Barrett, David Mayo, Dianetics, Fair Game, FBI, Hubbard College, Hubbard Communications Office, Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin, IRS, Jack Parsons, John Sanborn, Jon Atack, London, Messiah or Madman?, Office of Special Affairs, Omar Garrison, Operating Thetan, Ordo Templi Orientis, Penthouse, Penthouse magazine, Phoenix, Quicky, Robert Vaughn Young, Rocky Mountain News, Ron DeWolf, Sara Northrup, Scientology operation, Scientology organization, Upper Indoctrination Training Routines, US Navy, Washington

Since I left the Sea Org, I spent a lot of time studying the subject of websites and internet marketing. I decided to start a new blog on a Scientology-related subject and I was trying to figure out my domain name (if you are not familiar with this subject, it's the address of a website). I recalled seeing a website a long time ago, it was called TheTruthAboutScientology.com, which would have been a proper domain name, and when I typed in, I saw that it didn't have a website connected to it. I looked up the recent history and I found the following: Expires On 2018-08-12

Tags: 2008, 2012, 2018, AboutScientology, Australia, California, Church of Scientology International, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Memphis, Quicky, Sea Org

Tags: Quicky, Regraded Being

The wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige has reportedly been spotted twice in public looking 'thin', 'frail', and 'almost like she was homeless' after she has not been seen publicly for nearly a decade. Shelly Miscavige was spotted twice in the past year in a small town near the Church of Spiritual Technology (CST), journalist and Scientology expert Tony Ortega claimed on his website Thursday in which several media sites reported. An anonymous source claims to have spotted a woman who closely resembles Shelly in Crestline, California near the CST headquarters.

Tags: 1982, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, California, Chairman of the Board, Church of Spiritual Technology, Crestline, David Miscavige, LAPD, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, Police, Quicky, Radar Online, Religious Technology Center, Ron Miscavige Jr, Ron Miscavige Sr, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, Shelly Miscavige, Tony Ortega, Twin Peaks, Underground Bunker

(Claire Reppen, left, with Carol Kramer, circa 1994; and Claire about five years later, on the RPF) We have another disturbing document to share with you today. It contains private details that you may find difficult to read. But the person who brought us the document, the son of its author, wants the public to see what Scientology put his mother through. Her name was Claire Reppen, and she was well known among our readers who were longtime Scientologists. She was a Class XII auditor, the most technically superior Scientology counselors on the planet, and she worked at the organization's spiritual mecca in Clearwater, Florida. But Claire eventually fell afoul of Scientology's leader, David Miscavige (as so many do), and she was sentenced to heavy manual labor at 64 years of age in the Sea Organization's prison detail, the Rehabilitation Project Force.

Tags: 1932, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1981, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2010, A&E, Assists, Brian Juss, Carol Kramer, Claire Reppen, Class XII, Clear, Clearwater, Commodore's Messenger Organization, David Miscavige, Dorothy Cosby, Elder abuse, E-meter, England, Ethics, Feshbach, Flag Land Base, Flag Service Organization, Florida, Glen Stilo, Golden Age of Tech, Green card, Hacienda, Katie Botha, Knowledge Report, Leah Remini, Lisa McPherson, Los Angeles, Magnolia Manor, Marty Rathbun, Master at Arms, Medical Liaison Officer, Medicare, Mike Rinder, Morton Plant Hospital, Office of Special Affairs, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Religious Technology Center, Saint Hill, Saint Hill Manor, Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, Sandra Litchfield, Scientology and the Aftermath, Sea Org, Shelly Miscavige, Sherri Rabey, Social Security, Stephanie Bruneau, Tampa, Toronto, Toronto Star, UK

A special one-hour episode has been added to A&E's hit series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, and it will air this Monday night at 10 pm. Titled "Ask Me Anything," the show was quickly put together after the series, which debuted on November 29, turned out to be A&E's most-watched in two years. Filming for the special episode took place last week, and we know that Leah interviewed journalist Paulette Cooper and former Scientologists Karen de la Carriere and Chris Shelton, and perhaps others. In 1971, Paulette published The Scandal of Scientology, one of the first books to expose L. Ron Hubbard, after she first wrote about Scientology in a 1969 magazine article. From the day that article appeared until 1985, Paulette was under constant surveillance and bullying by Scientology's sophisticated "Guardian's Office" spy corps, and the church's various entities filed 19 different lawsuits against her. It's such an outrageous example of what Scientology can do when it is determined to destroy someone, we wrote a whole book about it.

Tags: 1969, 1971, 1973, 1985, 2010, 2012, A&E, Alex Weresow, Amy Scobee, Bomb threat, Chris Shelton, CIA, Daril Cinquanta, David Miscavige, Denver, FBI, Guardian's Office, Int Base, Karen de la Carriere, Leah Remini, Manhattan, New York, Paulette Cooper, Private investigator, Quicky, Ron Miscavige Sr, Ruthless: Scientology, My Son David Miscavige, and Me, Scientology and the Aftermath, The Scandal of Scientology, Wisconsin

We want to thank our friends Down Under, who sent us news early this morning about an intriguing story breaking in Melbourne. Aussie publication The Age has revealed that there are plans for a "super city" development in a suburb west of town known as East Werribee, a massive development that will include huge residential towers and an educational hub featuring overseas universities. It's meant to be an innovation hub built from scratch and flourishing in 20 or 30 years. But hang on, The Age says, the businessman leading the company which has received "preferred bidder" status on the project from the local government, a man named Bill Zheng (pictured above), "has strong links to the Church of Scientology." That certainly got our attention. We're always interested when media talk about "links" to Scientology. No one has "links" to Scientology. They are either in or they are not, right?

Tags: 1960, 20/20, 2001, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, Allison Hope Weiner, Arrest, Austin, Australia, Australian Education City, Bill Zheng, Canada, China, Chinese, Clearwater, Company, East Werribee, Erin McMurtry, Europe, Facebook, Flag Building, Flag Land Base, Florida, Hong Kong, International Association of Scientologists, Investors Direct Financial Group, Leah Remini, Melbourne, Performia International, Quicky, Robin Scott, Ross Martiensen, Rundowns, Super Power, Texas, The Age, USA, Vandalism, Victoria, Vivien Lin, WISE

The New England branch of the Church of Scientology is moving its headquarters to a large office complex in Boston that it just purchased along with several surrounding properties for $15 million. "It gives us a stable place where we can help people with our services while not having to be in the real estate business anymore," church spokesman Kevin Hall told The Boston Globe. The Allston building, which is located in a neighborhood known for its live music venues, bars, students and musician population, is the latest real estate purchase for the Church of Scientology. Hall said they do not have a move-in date yet and will need time to make changes to the interior.

Tags: Alexandra Hotel, Boston, Kevin Hall, Real estate

A little-known consortium that Victorian Finance Minister Robin Scott has awarded "preferred bidder" status to for a huge tract of public land in Werribee is backed by property figures with strong links to the Church of Scientology. And since the Australian Education City consortium was named preferred bidder for the land, three Chinese investment firms have bought into the planned project – lifting the consortium's value from almost nothing to more than a quarter of a billion dollars. Australian Education City last month beat off three of Australia's largest property development companies to begin negotiation with the Andrews government on 400 hectares of public land in East Werribee.

Tags: 2011, Australia, Australian Education City, Bill Zheng, East Werribee, Investors Direct Financial Group, Performia International, Robin Scott, Ross Martiensen, Victoria

Ladies and gentlemen, Calgary "org" in all its magnificence. This is the embodiment of the straight up and vertical, epic and monumental expansion scientology is experiencing under the leadership of the Chairman of the Board RTC, Mr. David Miscavige. It's 47X something or other. And greater expansion in the last year than in 50 years combined previously.

Tags: 2014, Calgary, Canada, Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige, Quicky, Religious Technology Center

Another report on the glorious wonderment of flag and its incredibly impressive statistics (unless you actually think about them rather than just read the exclamation points and assume it's "amazing"). The clubbed seals are applauding loudly. This dose of donkey droppings presented as plum pudding comes from Sabine Peschken, once the CO WISE International. She fell from grace many years ago, but I had not heard of her until she reappeared as a Flag money-grubber in Australia.

Tags: Africa, ANZO, Australia, Cause Resurgence Rundown, Chairman of the Board, Clear, Facebook, Flag Building, Golden Age of Tech, Grade Chart, L. Ron Hubbard, OT, OT VII, Quicky, Religious Technology Center, Rundowns, Sabine Peschken, Sandcastle, State of Clear, Student Hat, Super Power, Sydney, WISE

"All of the materials of the Narconon programme are based on Mr Hubbard's research and advices about this particular area of travail," Nile told IBTimes UK. The story has been different in the past, though. In 1977, the FBI uncovered documents in a raid on Scientology offices that revealed Scientologists were instructed to refer to Narconon and other "front-groups" using code names. "Codes should be used for the names of front groups that we do not want connected with the C of S and for anything that gives specific and actual evidence that the C of S is in legal control of B6 groups [of which Narconon was one]," the report read. Dated 5 November 1976, it was signed by Judy Taussig, a US national official of Scientology.

Tags: 1966, 1972, 1976, ABLE, Battle Creek, Carnegie Mellon, Clear Body, Clear Mind, Danny Porter, David Miscavige, David Touretzky, FBI, Fundamentals of Thought, Gwinnett County, Heathfield, Judy Taussig, Kirstie Alley, Lucas Catton, Michigan, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon Fresh Start, Narconon Georgia, Narconon Stone Hawk, Narconon UK, Nevada, Niacin, Noel Nile, Oklahoma, Per Wickstrom, Pur Detox, Purification Rundown, Ralph Hudgens, Sheila MacLean, William Benitez

We mentioned the other day that Scientology had brought in a ringer for the depositions it plans to take in the next phase of the federal fraud lawsuit brought by former church members Luis and Rocio Garcia. We said that the Garcias, as well as former Scientologists Mike Rinder and Christie Collbran and others expect to be deposed by Scientology's special attorney, Bert Deixler. On the other side, the Garcias will be focusing on one deposition in particular. They're planning on questioning Scientology's "International Justice Chief," Mike Ellis. Ellis submitted a declaration in the lawsuit that was taken apart in a response by Rinder - and we expect that the Garcia team is looking forward to asking Ellis about Rinder's criticisms of Scientology's internal "justice" procedures.

Tags: 1994, 2007, Academy Award, Alex Gibney, Andy Grieve, Bert Deixler, Catholic Church, Chairman of the Board, Christie Collbran, Clear, David Miscavige, Esquire, European Court of Human Rights, Garcia v. Scientology, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, HBO, Hollywood, Human Rights Watch, Infinite Complacency, International Justice Chief, Jonny Jacobsen, Judge James Whittemore, Kristen Vaurio, Lawrence Wright, Legal, LGBTQ, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Luis Garcia, Mike Ellis, Mike Rinder, Moscow, Paris, Park City, Pulitzer Prize, Religious Technology Center, Rocio Garcia, Russia, Salt Lake City, St. Petersburg (Russia), Sundance Film Festival, Utah

Dr Nerida James, a founder of Get Off Drugs Naturally and one of the directors of Narconon, said in response that they had listened to the community and had addressed issues such as traffic and safety. "We have hired professional security who we are paying $4000 a week to be there in those after hours times (when police are not on duty) and who are trained to deal with people who might come around selling drugs, or anyone who becomes disruptive," she said. She said in more than 13 years they had only two incidents at the centre, and none outside the centre.

Tags: Get Off Drugs Naturally, Narconon, Nerida James, Tom Fitzgerald, Tom Wilkinson, Warburton

"DiffiCult To Leave" has been nominated for 2014's Broadway World BEST FEMALE CABARET ARTIST.

Tags: 2014, Broadway World, Cult, FEMA, Quicky

The Underground Bunker is thrilled to have the chance to premiere the video of Roslyn Cohn's recent one-time-only, one-woman performance, "DiffiCULT to Leave." From 1985 to 2008, Roz was a member of the Church of Scientology, and like many others she left the church during a period that's seen a lot of longtime members break away. Some people who leave never speak up, wary of Scientology's legendary reputation for retaliation. Others have dared to speak up, particularly in the last few years. But Roz did something unique: she turned her Scientology story into a musical revue! This show grew out of an acting workshop that produced a poor-quality video several months ago. We never posted that video because we knew that Roz wanted to polish the show and present it at a quality venue with professional recording equipment.

Tags: 1985, 2008, Celebrity Centre, Comal County, David Miscavige, E-meter, Hollywood, Huffington Post, Judge Dib Waldrip, Monique Rathbun, New York Post, Page Six, Quicky, Roslyn Cohn, Texas

If you care to bother, check out the 21 Moral Precepts of Hubbard's booklet on the Foundation's site.

Tags: Astra Woodcraft, Barbara Ayash, Concerned Businessmen's Association of America, Geoff Levin, Hana Whitfield, International Association of Scientologists, Juan Villareal, Mace-Kingsley Ranch, Margaret Grubb, Mike Downing, Nancy Cartwright, Religious Freedom Medal, Sara Northrup, Set A Good Example, Suppressive Person, The Way to Happiness, Tom Solari, Tory Christman, Wally Hanks

"We're in a society that is so psychology-ridden that it's almost hobbled with 'why did I do that and this and that?' Although psychology has a powerful cleansing function, like any method it can become a trap, and it's trapped many of us in the West. But the more we act from the heart, from that deep intuitional space, the less the spinning of the mind will interfere. The more awareness with which we do something, the more heart we act on, the more that self-acceptance will allow us to trust those acts." - from A Gradual Awakening by Stephen Levine That is a very apt and insightful statement that, while not attempting to, precisely describes what might most be wrong with Scientology. I have in the past noted the ingrained proclivity in Scientologists to practice excessive judgmentalism on others. For example, see Sitting In Judgment. .

Tags: Quicky

One of our Special Correspondents sent this in and I felt it worthy of a post: This article is being written specifically for those of you who are still "in" Scientology, still actively "on lines" or around in the orgs (although, of course, I want everyone to read it). I know there are many of you "still ins" who read this blog, probably many more than any of you actually realize. I have been exactly where you are right now. And I wanted to share some things that helped me get to a much better place across all my dynamics.

Tags: 1993, 1996, 2001, 2003, Basics, Chairman of the Board, David Miscavige, DC, Dianetics, Golden Age of Tech, Ideal Org, International Association of Scientologists, IRS, L. Ron Hubbard, OT, Planetary Dissemination, Quicky, Religious Technology Center, Sea Org, Super Power

New Year's Eve is one of the biggest days in the Scientology calendar. The church really pulls out the stops with a big party, and then urges members — and their wallets — to attend. What fun! And this year, the event is coming early! As you'll see in our weekly collection of Scientology fundraising mailers, an interesting date has been set for the church's worldwide party welcoming in 2013. So join us as we look at the items our tipsters sent us this week.

Tags: 2013, Celebrity Centre, L. Ron Hubbard, New Year's Eve, New York, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Sunday Funnies

CHURCH leaders in Tonbridge have questioned why almost a quarter of the library's religious section is dedicated to books on Scientology. Seventeen of the 72 books, written by founder and science fiction author L Ron Hubbard, in the section at the Avebury Avenue library are devoted to the controversial religion.

Tags: Graeme Wilson, Jim Thorneycroft, Kent, Mark Brown, Tonbridge, UK

Even before its appeal opened, Scientology fought back against the 2009 fraud convictions with accusations of judicial bias and suggestions of political pressure. There was a lot of talk during Scientology's 2009 Paris trial for fraud and the illegal practice of pharmacy about the preserving the serenity of the debate. Legal proceedings are in theory meant to shine a light on the events in question: the heat of vigorous debate, past a certain point, becomes counter-productive.

Tags: 1988, 1996, 2009, Celebrity Centre, Christian, Escape, France, Georges Fenech, Judge Sophie-Hélène Château, Legal, Maisonneuve, Miviludes, Olivier Morice, Paris, Patrice Vic, Patrick Maisonneuve, Quicky, Rome, Wall Street Journal, William Walsh

Gotta keep your eye on the comments on this blog. Sometimes some pretty wicked wit and wisdom appears. When I saw what follows lined up in the "comments" queue, I asked the author whether I could publish it as its own post. Though he was hesitant to stand on the dais, for reasons he makes clear within the post, he agreed to my request. I just think these words are too direct and true not to be highlighted and discussed in their own right. Tim has been a great supporter of the truth being revealed. I want to thank him for everything he has done for us over the past two years. This cat walks the walk and though he doesn't ask for it he has earned our admiration. Tim Swanson and his better half Karen Hi Marty, I started writing and this is what I got. It's kinda long and if you want to edit it down feel free to do so.

Tags: ASHO, Australia, Canada, Disconnection, France, Germany, Independent, Independent Scientologists, Int Base, International Association of Scientologists, Israel, Italy, John Allender, L. Ron Hubbard, Master at Arms, Mission, OT, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Russia, Spain, Squirrel, Squirrel Busters, Suppressive Person, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tim Swanson

On November 18, we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from 1968 to 1971, and this time we're looking at what was happening the week of December 11 through 17 during those years. After the jump, LRH plows past OT VII to OT VIII...

Tags: 1968, 1970, 1971, Adelaide, AFF, AOLA, Apollo, ASHO, Australia, Baron Berez, Clear, Fred Hare, Guardian's Office, Ira Chaleff, Janet Guilford, L. Ron Hubbard, Marijuana, Mission, NDA, Orders of the Day, OT VII, OT VIII, SMERSH

Well, in addition to anything else, I like to keep up with what's happening with my local Portland Idle Org. To recap, in 2008, after regging every public they could find to empty their bank accounts, take out second mortgages and rob their children's college funds, the Church bought the historic 12-story Stevens Building in downtown Portland in an all-cash deal for $5.38 million. Of course, they emptied the building out, encouraging the existing tenants of the building to move out before their leases expired. It was all rush, rush, rush to start the renovations.

Tags: 2008, Portland, Quicky, Stevens Building

More seriously, Clarke spent a significant part of his career investigating an array of superstitious beliefs and pseudo-scientific practices, from creationism and scientology to astrology and fire-walking. In these endeavours, he sometimes partnered with the likes of scientists Carl Sagan and Stephen Jay Gould and magician James Randi.

Tags: Arthur C. Clarke

The church wants to sell the site, which it bought more than 25 years ago, to consolidate operations in its downtown Clearwater properties, said Scientology spokeswoman Pat Harney. About 200 church families who lived at the U.S. 19 property, a former Quality Inn in unincorporated Pinellas County, have relocated to Sherwood Gardens, which the church bought in 1999.

Tags: 1999, Clearwater, Fort Harrison, Goodwill Industries, Oak Cove, Pat Harney, Pinellas County, Quality Inn, Real estate, Scientology staff, Sherwood Gardens

Forget about seeing a doctor about your respiratory issues -- make like a scientologist and pump your body full of cooking oil and niacin. Then enjoy a nice sauna. Yes, that would make Tom Cruise very, very happy. The New York Post reports that the actor put in an appearance at a Church of Scientology on Wednesday night. Ticket price? $6,250. But, hey, that gets you dinner and a photo with Cruise. So it's totally worth it! He claims that the New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project has helped detox more than 500 emergency personnel who breathed in toxic fumes on and after Sept. 11.

Tags: Detox, New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, Purification Rundown, Tom Cruise

German states plan to end their surveillance of the Church of Scientology after a Berlin court ordered intelligence agencies to stop using spies to monitor the organization, a German magazine reported yesterday.

Tags: Germany