Mike Rinder's Blog

Something Can Be Done About It

Scientology’s Clearwater “Interfaith” Pitch

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Hubbard policy (HCOPL 3 Feb 1969 PUBLIC IMAGE) states:

“…you have to go civic, go outside Scientology, get support, organize committees, plot out campaigns, work for outside finance, etc.

“In handling the above public image policy, you don’t announce the policy.

“You can and must ally with real humanitarian and civil-rights groups (getting press coverage for every such contact.”

The question to be asked is, why would ANYONE wish to attend an event like this and be used by scientology in their attempt to gain credibility?

Are the people who might participate in this (if there are indeed any at all) ignorant of what they are getting themselves involved in?

Have they been promised financial or other support as a quid pro quo?

Are they involved in an organization that has even less credibility than scientology (is that possible?)?

None of the above — just plain stupid?

People need to understand that scientology is NOT compatible with any other religion. They are all “wogs” and have “no tech”. There is only ONE way to salvation and that is by “ascending the Bridge to Total Freedom.” The ONLY value other religions have to scientology is to gain credibility by association and as a bulwark against “attacks”. When scientology has been exposed for its abuses it has used other “religious allies” to come to its defense, proclaiming “attacks” on scientology are motivated by religious bigotry and hatred. STAAD still uses this — lining up protesters and speakers to go after The Aftermath  and scientology victims. But their ranks are shrinking and the apologists have been having a harder time justifying their positions.

Scientology is desperate to try to gain acceptance and credibility in the Clearwater community. Their stock has plunged since they declared war on Winter the Dolphin along with the constant exposes in the media over the last few years.

In keeping with this theme, I was sent two snapshots of the “Block Party” hosted by scientology on Saturday in downtown Clearwater.

There are other “block parties” sponsored by the city and associated organizations and they are PACKED. Only scientologists are brave enough to attend a “scientology sponsored” event on Cleveland St. And most of those probably only show up because they are trying to get out of Ethics or earn themselves a commendation for future visits to Ethics.

Things are not looking rosy for scientology in Clearwater.

 

Comments

  1. “You can and must ally with real humanitarian and civil-rights groups (getting press coverage for every such contact.” LRH

    Does this mean that LRH is acknowledging that CoS is NOT a “real humanitarian and civil rights group”?

    Reply

  2. Wow so disappointed that people in my own state can’t see the wood for the trees, this is happening in Adelaide, South Australia and I just hope they don’t get a foothold here, not sure what the next step is on my part, maybe get a local member of parliament involved? any suggestion would be warmly welcomed

    please read the following news release:-

    The controversial Church of Scientology will move its South Australian operations from Adelaide’s CBD to Port Adelaide.

    The church, which boasts a vast global real estate portfolio, has bought the former home of Messenger Community News on Baynes St, Port Adelaide, for $3.24 million – almost double what property magnate Hans Ehmann paid for the building six years ago.

    The church, which currently operates from Pulteney St, completed the sale after securing planning consent to redevelop the property into a place of worship and community centre, said Colliers International’s Tom Isaksson.

    The current Church of Scientology office in Pulteney St, Adelaide.
    The current Church of Scientology office in Pulteney St, Adelaide.
    “People are starting to recognise the tide of investment surge into Port Adelaide and surrounding areas on the back of significant defence expenditure, namely the Osborne Naval Shipyard,” he said.

    “It was an off-market deal and the client saw an opportunity.”
    A church spokesman confirmed the relocation.

    Scientology has an estimated global membership of up to 15 million people, among the most famous being Hollywood actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

    best wishes to all those people fighting this insidious ideology ~ Brian

    Reply

    • Smudge – The cult continually publishes nonsense numbers about membership in the hope that the public and current members will accept them as factual, which apparently you have. Using available factual evidence the current worldwide membership is estimated at about 25 to 30 thousand maximum. When the building is renovated a small group of people will keep the doors open. These days the cherch is essentially a real estate holding company.

      Reply

  3. Jere: all Christian organizations that I give to are members of ECFA. That is an auditing firm that prevents funds from being misspent. There are others. I think another good one is Navigator. Copies of the audits are available to anyone. Hardly anyone gives money to an organization that isn’t enrolled with an auditor to avoid a scandal.

    Reply

    • Hello Kati. Very useful and important information. Thank you. I will certainly save the name “ECFA”.

      Reply

    • Religious non-profits should be required to at least have outside auditors like that – as you point out, it’s a necessary check against fraud and abuse if nothing else. But unfortunately much of the religious establishment and their political allies fight any sort of accountability, allowing the bad operators to go unchecked. Thus we end up with Scientology, prosperity gospel ministries, and the like, operating in fraudulent and abusive ways, and pushing if not breaking the law, while operating under enough secrecy that no one can tell quite what is going on.

      Reply

  4. “A frank discussion on pluralism” If they were REALLY frank,scn would admit that scn won’t share anything with anyone, so with them involved, pluralism is off the table….
    scientology is the ONLY group which deserves anyone’s support as it’s the SOLE hope for humanity’s future, so everyone else should just effing eff off and let them do what they want.

    Reply

  6. John: I was there when scn moved in. It was a pretty empty downtown even then, and I remember only a few stores and one club worth frequenting within easy access. As I recall, I spent a bit of time at a pawn shop on Cleveland, and a second-hand store not too far away from the Bank building. There was also a pretty high-end (for the area) department store that my girlfriend dragged me to when we were given some enormous amour of cash ($200?) and were charged with getting new, presentable clothes, as most of what we’d come with was getting tattered.a few years later, after I’d gotten a second-hand bike, I believe I went a few blocks, maybe a mile away, on Sundays for the only laundromat we could find. Most of the towns I’ve been in since which had an identifiable “downtown” were happening’ places in comparison. I don’t remember there even being a proper Pizza joint, usually the first business established in small towns.

    Reply

  7. Dang, I gotta review my posts better before punching “post Comment”. Sometimes, I let some awful sentence constructs in place, don’t I?

    Reply

  8. John, the way it happened was slowly, with lots of CASH, making the operation seem irresistible, at least by a sleepy little beachfront village. IIRC, it seemed to them that fighting the cult was akin to their thinking they could single-handedly battle the Mafia — which was pretty close to the mark, as the ‘ethical’ underpinnings are equivalent.

    Reply

  9. “You can and must ally with real humanitarian and civil-rights groups (getting press coverage for every such contact.”

    Just another case of stolen valor, attempting to prop scientology up as ACTUALLY accomplishing something. It’s sad that Tubby didn’t bother trying to produce an actual product valuable to any but his own self. He weren’t dumb — could have done SOMEthing to help mankind, but his eyes were only set on the prize of money, more money, PILES of money he could visit in Lichtenstein or wherever (IF he weren’t so paranoid that “THEY” might catch him that way, of course.) He also maintained that dishonesty being the ONLY policy, rather than clean his act up, possibly act at least as well as the rest of us humans.

    Reply

  10. Here are the kinds of questions I would like these church groups to answer, in hopes they can justify their tax exemptions.

    Does your church have a specific budget designed to provide assistance to the sick, the elderly, the poor, and those in need?

    Are there church plans to provide income assistance for its long-term employees during their retirement years?

    How involved is your church in community activities such as the local Food Bank, Meals On Wheels, Habitat For Humanity, Hospice Services, Grief Counseling, or Crisis Intervention Counseling?

    Does your church help working parents by providing free or low-cost Day Care or After-School Care for children?

    Are there provisions to help those in financial need with temporary assistance for utilities, prescription costs, and the like?

    Does your church keep records of the services it provides to the community, especially to those among us who are less fortunate? Are those records available to the public?

    If a family or individual claiming to be in dire need walked into one of your churches, how could they expect to be treated, and what sort of help could they expect to receive?

    Reply

  11. They all look SOOOO happy to be there. No one looks like they are enjoying themselves- they all look miserable. I just really hope Cruise was high above watching this epic fail and starts to question everything he’s been told- If he were to publicly leave, it might be the final death knell. Can’t imagine how miscavige would explain that to the sheep…
    Miscavige may be regretting that move. It’s easy to see the lack of public involved in the cult from that penthouse.

    Reply

      • Michelle,

        I HAVE to join you! I would love to see their faces if enough of us got together and crashed their “open to the public” event while wearing the anti-scientology tees!

        BTW- I am blatantly inviting myself to stay with you!

        Kat

        Reply

  13. I have a friend who went with her boyfriend to Clearwater for her 50th birthday. I think she said they went to the aquarium? Anyway, we were having a girl’s night and I overheard her saying “they have bought up most of the town!” I Just asked are you talking about scientology/Clearwater. She said yes. She said their driver (bus?) was actually pointing all that out to them. I really don’t think scientology was anything she ever really thought about, probably the extent she knew about it was that TC was a member.

    Reply

  14. Scientology damaged Clearwater downtown beyond repair. While other surrounding downtown areas are bustling and full of opportunities, Clearwater downtown looks like a town that closed down during financial depression. I always wonder how the City of Clearwater allows(ed) this to happen. Were there Scientologists in the City leadership to assist with the total take over? How can it not be reversed?

    Scientology hijacked Clearwater downtown and now just sit on it and do nothing with it besides operate their few businesses for own access and gain only.

    Reply

    • Cultwaters is the new name for Clearwater, Florida. It is the Mecca of Technical Extortion, Fraud, Abuse, Human Trafficking, Lying, Cheating and pretending to be a religion that helps people.

      Cultwaters, Florida – LAND OF THE WALKING DEAD.

      Reply

  15. I hope that people are working behind the scenes to contact the “faith leaders” involved and explain to them that there’s no dealing with the devil – more or less literally, given Scientology’s occult roots and Hubbard’s inspirations taken from his claimed “very good friend” Aleister Crowley.

    However, in previous cases the people involved have often turned out to be more or less shills for hire, supposed clergy with diploma mill ordinations looking for validation themselves, and so on, and others with no qualms about playing along.

    Reply

    • Also, Scientology staff are quite good at “creating ARC” when they have a specific purpose in mind, i.e., to get money out of someone, get them to sign a staff contract, or to “safepoint” themselves in an area, or to position themselves with “opinion leaders”…they are really good at making people think that they are liked, respected and admired. Its all very calculating; whomever is being targeted with “affinity, reality and communication” is someone who is merely “useful” to the cult in some way. The ARC is all phoney baloney, tailored to fit love-bombing, dished out arfully, coldly and very calculatingly. Cult people don’t really love, like, admire or respect anyone, including each another.

      Reply

  16. It’s quite telling that Hubbard identified those groups as ‘real humanitarian and civil-rights groups,’ distinct from Scientology, which implies even he was aware that Scientology was not a ‘real humanitarian and civil-rights group.’

    Reply

    • That stood out to me, as well! Surprising to me that more of those still-in don’t notice these things, as much as they’re required to word-clear these statements.

      Reply

  17. Scientology: the world’s most vanishingly tiny religious cult fraud:
    * Scientologists are 0.00045% of the world population! But they’re going to clear the planet … sometime.
    * For every Scientologist there are at least 220,500 non-Scientologists!
    * Every year the world population increases by more than 80 million, more than 2,350 times the total number of Scientologists.
    * Each day’s population growth is 6.5 times all Scientologists alive!
    * Scientology is continuously racing backwards towards oblivion at rocket speed.

    Estimated 2019 World Population, in Millions
    * Christian: 2,400
    * Muslim: 1,800
    * Secular/Nonreligious: 1,200
    * Hinduism: 1,150
    * Buddhism: 521
    * Jewish: 14.7
    * Baha’i: 7
    (…) (dozens of religions skipped)
    * Scientology: 0.035

    Reply

    • Scientology is a cult, not much different than Jonestown. Hungry lost souls taken advantage of by money hungry control freaks. Lots of corruption and blackmail of government officials led to their success in achieving religious organization status. Definitely needs a fresh look and new investigation.

      Reply

      • Hello Robin. You have certainly hit the nail on the head. As a matter of fact, you hit it several times and you hit it good and hard as well. Well done.

        Reply

  18. I used to live in Florida, and I went to Clearwater Beach without ever knowing that Scientology owned Clearwater. We drove around and noticed the Flag building and the Ft. Harrison and other sites, drove right under the skyway over the street to the hotel, not realizing at all what the buildings were. We only noticed that downtown was totally dead at all hours of the day and night, even in tourist season.

    What does that say, Miscabbage, that a tourist can pass directly through the heart of your religion’s Mecca, without even realizing it?

    Reply

    • Congrats Mike and Leah- you both deserve this as well as all of the people involved in producing such a groundbreaking show.

      Lot of love and admiration!

      Kat

      Reply

    • Just saw your tweet, Mike and had to reply here. SO FABULOUS!!! You guys rock! Keep up the good work – or I should say, in addition to the Aftermath Foundation, I hope that you are able to keep up the good work through the Aftermath Show! I hope you and Leah get to do another season! In any case, you two deserve the honor of this nomination! Hope y’all win!

      Reply

    • Applause! Applause! Applause! Applause! Applause! Applause! Applause! (I don’t have access to any Emojis 🙁 ).

      Reply

  20. Hi I am from Clearwater.While growing up there the Downtown was really busy and we went down every Saturday morning to the the neat shops .When i go back now it looks like ghost town.You see only a few people walking around there.Sad that the Scientologist own most of the downtown area.Also they pay no taxes.They brain wash alot of needy people looking for something to believe in.They hook you in and they own you.They break up familys and children from parents.They need to be investigated again .I hope i live to see thier fantasy land for what it reay is.Money and power for the pelple who own it.

    Reply

  21. “You can and must ally with real humanitarian and civil-rights groups (getting press coverage for every such contact.”

    Real humanitarian and civil-rights groups…not the pseudo, flaky ones like Volunteer Ministers. Nice that LRH had to make that distinction in his policy letter. It was and is always about getting press coverage…a narcissistic leader leading the way. Truthfully, scientology has such a lousy reputation that they will never recover from, because they keep reinforcing it every step of the way.

    Reply

  22. I must admit that when I’m faced with writing a post on a topic like this, I just can no longer take it seriously. The reasons abound. They are a plenty.

    I’ve never experienced this kind of thing before. It’s like my mind went “on strike” or something similar.

    For some reason, my mind just refuses to treat this topic seriously and refuses to even attempt to create some humor that is sarcastic in a serious way. Now, I must admit that sounds plenty ludicrous and so I think it’s only fair to make an attempt at some kind of explanation.

    As soon as I stumbled on the very first word, which is “pitch”, I realized that could not use that word in its usual way. My mind just balks – just like in baseball. Have you heard of the baseball term, “balk”? It means something very similar to the usual meaning. The baseball pitcher begins to “wind up” and pitch the ball. But before he actually releases the ball from his grip, he stops – dead in his tracks and just freezes. It’s as if he refuses to throw the ball. That is called a “balk” and most everyone who has ever played a game of baseball, knows exactly what that means.

    Now, in terms of my post using a baseball analogy, I must admit the number of choices I can see are sharply limited. I’m trying to lampoon the word “pitch”. But I certainly cannot treat the word “balk” in the usual way. I can’t use it to mean any kind of business proposal. I can’t even use it as if it had some meaning in baseball. Oh dear. Oh dear. What to do? I suppose that I just must admit I do not know what to do. This creepy criminal cult has got me stymied and I just no longer have any road to hoe. No road to hoe and how!

    Holy Moley! It would appear that somehow I am just beat. Beaten like a Miss Cabbage victim with a sign around my neck stating, “I am a traitor.” or maybe “No one will help me because I gave up my special relationship with my Fuhrer and this is what I got in return. I got a noose around my neck. For Shame! For Shame!

    You know, I truly did try to raise a few dollars on the job for dear leader (my Chief Corn on the Cob). But no one was listening anymore. I couldn’t fool anybody anymore. They’ve all heard that same phony story too many times now. No one was listening any more. It just seems like no one is ever listening any more. I blame that Damnable “Aftermath” TV show. Before they started showing that program, don’t you know that people used to take us seriously. Damn it! Even if then didn’t take us serious, at least they use to listen. But they just dont listen yo ud anymore. Oh, Boo Hoo. Snippety Snappety. Sob and Whimper. Bippety Bappety!

    I’m just so pissed off right now. I could just spit up. For all the damnable tea in China, no one listens anymore and I just don’t know what to do anymore. Lemme ask you. What do you do anymore?

    Reply

    • All of this is behind you, Skyler. Every single moment of it. You’re fine. Actually, you’re extremely fine! Everyone here is with you.

      Reply

      • Thank you kindly OSD. I really appreciate your kind words. Today has been a very chaotic day for me.

        Eileen, moving is certainly one good way to escape. For some reason, they never seemed to get very adept at “skip tracing”.

        Reply

    • Skyler-

      one day at a time. I make it a point to try to do one thing every day- no matter how big or how small- to try to bring to light the evil that this cult does. Even if it’s just a random tweet, a drive to DC, helping to erect a billboard or opening an LAPD case- one thing every day.

      I feel guilty some days when I don’t get to post here, but I can promise everyone I’m not gone-and I’m not going to stop until it’s over!

      Kat

      Reply

  23. The problem with anyone in Scientology is very simple. They are very low on the Bridge and do not know how stupid OT VIII really is. They are given a carrot and asked to advance. Hubbard was one of the most stupid men while he lived. He claimed that his fantasy implants were superior to all religion. So History of Man is the key to religion. But you can flatten every one of these implants on OT VIII as I did. There is no thetan powers that emerge. All of the people in Scientology are hanging on to a lie. Hubbard ended up in real contradictions. His last years proved that. Hubbard lived his entire life thinking that he had ultimate solutions. The solutions were in his own head and had no relation to reality.
    Christians especially should run away from Scientology

    Reply

    • I do not know about Christians.I know about OT VIII because I am one. Scam.
      The idea is that all of your past life memories were just the ones of the space cooties. I am still my very imperfect self albeit a much poorer version. I do not have a clue who I was before this life.

      Reply

      • Xenu’s Son-
        I do not know about OT VIII. I know about Mormon’s because I Was one. Also a scam. The idea is to follow all the man made and overseen Mormon rules so that maybe- just maybe you can be a God with your own world that you populate with your own spirit babies after you die.
        I’ve been following Mike’s blog for a couple of years now, and it seems to me that you write with purpose and thoughtfulness.
        My daily goal is to be the best me that I can be. And I’m often not very successful. But I refuse to allow the teachings of Mormonism to have control of my best life today.
        All the best to you—

        Reply

  24. Been watching “Aftermath” for all 3 seasons. You guys need to continue the show to expose these charlatans. Miscaviage is a dragon who must be slayed.

    Reply

    • Hello Scott. There are millions of people who feel exactly the same way you do. Mike and Leah’s TV show is one of the most wonderful examples of how some underdogs touch the entire nation and come out smelling like a rose.

      So many people want to see another season and maybe several more seasons. I sure do.

      Reply

    • At some point…Miscavige WILL be gone. All we have to do is to wait patently. Time is in our hands.

      Reply

    • Hey Scott:

      I feel the same way. I’d love to see more seasons of “Aftermath.” People with some influence need to keep hammering at scientology until they go away. If only the IRS would help, too!

      Reply

      • “If only the IRS would help, too”. I’m right there with you on that. Let’s just see what happens.

        Reply

      • Hey Mike? I’m sure that you must have thought of this before. But even if the network does not want to do more seasons of Aftermath, surely there would be other stories of oppression that you and Leah could tackle.

        The two of you working together have this natural chemistry that just seems to “work”. There have been all kinds of other TV shows that I believe you and Leah could you could do a better job than the original hosts did.

        Have you ever seen the show called, “American Greed”? The subject matter involves people who swindle others and do great harm. Many of the same elements are present in a criminal cult as are present in swindlers. I believe there are many concepts that you and Leah could tackle and do a really good public service by exposing the individual crooks as well as the kinds of things to watch out for. For example, if only you could teach the public that “If something appears to be too good to be true …… ” Well, you know the rest.

        You could do so much good in that general area. There is no limit to the number of people who pursue greed as a cause in and of itself. You and Leah could do a really great job together or even separately if she is pursuing something else.

        Reply

        • Skyler, I agree that they’d be great tackling other (possibly related) subjects. We even already saw that with the JW special. I think Mind Control/undue influence in general would be a great topic ala Steven Hassan’s books.

          Reply

  25. Can you blame people for not showing up to a Scientology block party? You could consider the Law of the Spicy Chicken Wing – if there’s food, it’s a reg event. Then consider, if there are bouncy houses and other expense items, get ready for heavy regging

    Reply

    • People should get the message when they find out that being invited to a Scamology Block Party includes the following requirements:

      . You bring your own food.
      . You stay to clean up afterwards.
      . You “donate” all the money in your wallet or purse.
      . You “donate” all the money in your bank account, retirement savings plans, childrens’ college funds.
      . You “donate” all the other money you have or can borrow or steal or get by lying, stealing or cheating.
      . If you fail to “donate” all your money, you go to “The Hole” (a kind of prison) for an undetermined amount of time where you are subjected to daily beatings and all manner of filthy humiliations.
      . You must add several more items to this list.

      I once went to a Scamology block party and now I’m living in The Hole and writing items to add to this stupid list.

      Reply

  26. I drove by that “party” with a friend from out of town. We were headed to Clearwater Beach for lunch. It was a sad a depressing look. No smiles, just zombies. I can’t imagine what the never-ins thought back in the day when the Sea Org members all walked around the streets during the day. Must have looked like the zombie apocalypse.

    Now when I drive down Ft. Harrison, Cleveland street is somewhat bustling again, a few folks always in front of the Hotel and only a handful of Sea Morgue members.

    Reply

    • I have been there, Badafuco. Many years ago, my wife & I flew out to Florida. We were there for the attractions. We made a trip to Clearwater to gaze upon the buildings. There was nobody around. Every so often you’d see someone, but, never more than one or 2. It was spooky.

      Reply

  28. If Scientology was an individual it would probably get locked up(either in jail or in a mental clinic) in most countries.
    Paranoia, delusions of grandeur, confidence games, false imprisonment, extreme level of being anti-social, child abuse the list on.

    Reply

    • He sure does have a whole bunch of “Foot Bullets”.

      He needs them because he’s always shooting himself in the foot.

      “Foot Bullets” are a wonderful and natural concept that is perfect for the kind of job that rat seems to do most of the time.

      Reply

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