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Flag Christmas J&D Sing Along

December 27, 2022 By Mike Rinder 28 Comments

  Christi Gordon sent me copies of these pages which were created at Flag, Christmas 1976. They are the lyrics for a musical performance that was part of the annual Bosun's party (I wrote about the infamous first Bosun's Party at Flag in 1975 in my book). The lyrics would be considered horrendous "J&D" now -- Hubbard had not yet invented that term which was announced in his Bulletin Jokers and Degraders in February 1977 (maybe he got a report about this performance?). Some of the notable lines: No need to panic, it's just another bomb threat The citizens of Clearwater … [Read more...]

Filed Under: L Ron Hubbard, Sea Org Tagged With: Flag, J&D, Jokers and Degraders, L. Ron Hubbard, Sea Org

Orders of Magnitude

November 29, 2022 By Mike Rinder 36 Comments

What is so sad about this is that they take themselves seriously. What is the correct estimation of effort to get the job done? The "job" they are referring to is attaining a "Cleared Planet." It's what every scientologist has in their mind as the ultimate objective of their efforts. "Correct estimation of effort" and "Orders of Magnitude" are Hubbard catchphrases that scientologists use routinely. In simple terms, this briefing is purportedly going to explain what they really need to have and do to Clear the Planet. Of course, it would be a momentous thing if anyone in scientology … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sea Org Tagged With: Clearing the planet, Orders of Magnitude, Planetary Clearing

Want to be a Sea Org Parent?

June 6, 2022 By Mike Rinder 39 Comments

Thanks to Christi Gordon for uncovering some new documents that have not seen the light of day before. This one is a fascinating glimpse into the mindset of the Sea Org with respect to children. The basic gist of this issue from 1982 is this. Sea Org members are supposed to produce 5X what it costs to retain them Babies produce no monetary exchange to the Sea Org Babies cost the Sea Org at least $3000 a year To be able to keep a child in the Sea Org you have to prove that you are providing more than adequate exchange for yourself AND for your child(ren) otherwise you are not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Kids, Sea Org Tagged With: Christi Gordon, David Miscavige, Parent Financial Eligibility Review, Sea Org kids

How Many Sea Org Members Are There?

April 18, 2022 By Mike Rinder 41 Comments

  This promotional item claims there are 6,600 Sea Org members. That is the absolute best case scenario -- any figures ever put out by scientology are exaggerated, if not completely made up. It's probably a thousand or more less than that, but we will take them at their word. 1,200,000 people for each SO member to clear is a pretty tall order. Especially as in the entire history of scientology, they have not yet cleared 10% of that number. Yes, in 70 years they aren't even close to 120,000 clears. They continue to hover around half that number. There were this many SO members in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sea Org Tagged With: number of scientologists, Org staff, Sea Org

Neil Sarfati Hits the Big Time

January 26, 2022 By Mike Rinder 22 Comments

My old friend from the Apollo, Neil Sarfati alerted me yesterday that he had finally "made the big time." He didn't mean he had a new number one album of his sax playing, he was referring to becoming a target of the STAND League haters. It's familiar stuff from STAND buffoon Martin Landon. First, if you have not do so, you should listen to the interview Neil did with the BBC Outlook program. I link to it below. It is very even-handed, mild-mannered and rather gentle on L. Ron Hubbard and life in the Sea Org back in the days of the Apollo. But because Neil is a no longer a cult … [Read more...]

Filed Under: L Ron Hubbard, Sea Org Tagged With: Apollo, Apollo Stars, BBC, BBC oultoook, Chris Shelton, L. Ron Hubbard, Martin Landon, Neil Sarfati, STAND League, The Guardian, Tony Ortega

Recruitment Day

November 30, 2021 By Mike Rinder 68 Comments

My old friend Andy Porter sent in another article, and some more of magnificent photography (The last one I published is here)   Recruitment Day It was late 1980 and I had been in Scientology for a few months, I’d completed the Communication Course and the Purification Rundown at the Bellevue Mission and I was doing auditor training when a FLAG World Tour came to town. They were looking for people to work in the Universe Corps! Here was an opportunity to get right to the top of the Bridge. The coolest thing you could do, on the WHOLE planet was to be an auditor, and they were … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sea Org Tagged With: Andy Porter, Bellevue Mission, Flag, Sea Org

The Children Sacrificed to Scientology

July 1, 2021 By Mike Rinder 44 Comments

It is sadly true that many children raised in scientology families, especially those that attend "Study Tech" schools, have a pre-ordained future in the Sea Org. While scientology and Applied Scholastics claim they are NOT scientology, and certainly are NOT Sea Org recruitment pools -- sometimes the truth leaks out. Here they are, thinking they are safe inside a scientologists only FB group, telling it like it is: Their "product" is a graduate who joins the Sea Org.   And here is a parent laying out her "win" that she "made the decision that I was raising Sea Org members. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sea Org Tagged With: AJ Dale, Applied Scholastics, children in Sea Org, Jessica Greenwood, Sea Org

The Incestuous World of Scientology Staff

June 10, 2021 By Mike Rinder 48 Comments

  The shrinking world of scientology.... These days, about the only hope they have of getting new people to join staff or the Sea Org is if they are the children of scientologist parents. Rarely are the "successes" about staff from anyone else, unless it is an old person who says they’ve been on staff for 40 years and are still hoping to make it to Clear. We have had a number of people who were not scientologists recruited for "ideal orgs" with the promise of a job, pay and accommodations that have ended up being helped by the Aftermath Foundation. Typically they have not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ideal Orgs, Sea Org Tagged With: Ideal Orgs, Sea Org, staff

Sign Up For The Sea Org

February 11, 2021 By Mike Rinder 22 Comments

    This "briefing" is clearly a recruitment event (and of course, if they cannot get you to sign up for the SO or staff they will definitely take your money). How can you tell? You don't have Senior HCO there for a straight fundraiser. They are only there to try to get new staff. I suspect this is connected to the post of yesterday where they announced a "big thing coming" -- the orgs will be expected to send staff for OEC training at Flag. Many orgs don't have anyone to send, so they need to recruit someone.  They will use this as a recruitment gimmick. Promising … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Sea Org Tagged With: CO CLO WUS, Lon Kloeffler, Mac McCloskey, recruitment, Sea Org, Senior HCO, Vicki Shantz

“Welcome Home”

November 8, 2020 By Mike Rinder 144 Comments

  How sad is this. "AJ" from  Minneapolis just arrived at Flag to join the Sea Org. He just graduated high school. No doubt the child of some long term scientologist or staff member. This is the age I joined the Sea Org -- wide-eyed and enthusiastic to save the world. It won't be long before the promises he heard when they were recruiting him are forgotten and he becomes another drone in the money machine that is Flag. He will soon find out that he now belongs to the organization and his free will is meaningless. It used to be a thing to say "A mind is a terrible thing to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Flag Service Org, Sea Org Tagged With: Clearwater, Flag, FSO, Sea Org

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Important Reading

Troublemaker - Leah Remini
Ruthless - Ron Miscavige
Going Clear - Lawrence Wright
Bare Faced Messiah - Russell Miller
Counterfeit Dreams - Jeff Hawkins
Blown For Good - Marc Headley
Abuse at the Top - Amy Scobee
Unbreakable Miss Lovely - Tony Ortega
The Church of Fear - John Sweeney
Fair Game - Steve Cannane
Inside Scientology - Janet Reitman
A Piece of Blue Sky - Jon Atack
Beyond Belief - Jenna Miscavige
My Billion Year Contract
Escaping Scientology - Karen Schless
Commodore's Messenger - Janis Grady
Commodore's Messenger - Book II
Scythe Tleppo - Nathan Rich
Expert Witness - Jesse Prince
Perfectly Clear - Michelle LeCaire
Ron the War Hero - Chris Owen
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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
13h

Justice systems are "a cancer," and police and courts are composed of the "vicious and corrupt" according to #scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Bear this in mind as the retrial of #DJDonkeyPunch Danny Masterson unfolds...
https://youtu.be/6pzimgLsPdE

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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
23h

This is destined to be an #SPTV classic comedy moment. @blownforgood and @claireheadley share details of their "first date" in the Sea Org. It's near the end. If you're not subscribed to my channel yet, please do so... There is also important content.
https://www.youtube.com/live/PgQVyoUh1_E?feature=share

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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
29 Mar

How Many Taxpayer-subsidized Mansions, Homes and Offices Does a Dead Man Need? It turns out to be a LOT when it comes to #scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Once again, where is the #IRS? How is this a valid exempt purpose? https://youtu.be/JfmJHiGfevA via @YouTube

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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
6 Mar

The DOJ details what #scientology does to destroy those speaking out about their abuses. Including but not limited to:
@LeahRemini
@blownforgood
@claireheadley
@GrowingupinSCN
@TonyOrtega94
@yashar
@TroMcManus
@ChrisSheltonMsc

https://youtu.be/7bnKEUA4Hh4 via @YouTube

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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
28 Mar

Monday Evening Q&A and Spilling the Tea https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1YpJkgWdQDyJj

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Recent Comments

  • Jen on Thursday Funnies: “I know this is petty (and maybe I’m just from a different part of Ohio), but I have literally never…” Mar 30, 22:28
  • Fred Haseney on Thursday Funnies: “Mary Kahn, It looks like we saw the same video re: that earring. We live in a crazy, crazy world.” Mar 30, 20:32
  • GL on Thursday Funnies: ““There is in fact a final component to the final component…” And it’s a never ending grab for money, cash,…” Mar 30, 19:49
  • Ruth on How Many Taxpayer-Subsidized Mansions, Homes and Offices Does A Dead Man Need?: “Most Public knew that Staff did not get paid a lot. Some that owned businesses either rented rooms out, or…” Mar 30, 19:02
  • Christoph on Thursday Funnies: “Ed Rausch…..no wonder you used to drink alcohol, your name in German literally means being drunk.” Mar 30, 17:45
  • Dawn on Thursday Funnies: “Oh no, Georgina Reilly is a Scientologist? That sucks! She was in Murdoch Mysteries and lots of other Canadian stuff.…” Mar 30, 17:29
  • Mary Kahn on Thursday Funnies: “For sure b Glad you got out of your cult. It takes courage.” Mar 30, 16:49
  • Mary Kahn on Thursday Funnies: “Well considering the church of scientology is promoting members who are part of a highly anti-semitic group (NOI) and call…” Mar 30, 16:47
  • Donna on How Many Taxpayer-Subsidized Mansions, Homes and Offices Does A Dead Man Need?: “OK so if I understand the tax exempt status laws in the USA, ALL of these properties in the USA…” Mar 30, 14:56
  • Francis Khoury on Thursday Funnies: “And that spiral, real as it is, will not be talked about, except in places like this. Cognitive dissonance at…” Mar 30, 14:41

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