This is a recent posting on the Patheos website -- which is really just an outlet for any content the scientology propaganda machine can generate. Some of it offers good insight into the minds of scientology. This article, by T. Riggs Eckleberry (ex-SO -- he was just Riggs back then) is another of them. It starts with a premise that is entirely false. Namely that scientology is "truth" and proceeds to build on that false assumption from there. His first sentence asserts that of course scientology is true: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. … [Read more...]
Mark Bunker’s New Scientology Hit Squad
Clearly scientology is worried that Mark Bunker is proving to be a viable candidate for the Clearwater City Council. They are now resorting to one of their tried and true tactics against those who worry them the most (see below in this blogpost for earlier examples of the same playbook). Following is a series of short videos of a recent candidates forum. Scientology sent along a gaggle of hecklers to disrupt Mark's statements -- pursuant to the policies of L. Ron Hubbard. Unfortunately, there is no video showing their faces -- perhaps next time when both Aaron Smith-Levin and I … [Read more...]
“New” Scientology Churches in the Last Decade — “Expansion” Debunked
This is an article that recently appeared on scientology.org -- and it proves scientology "expansion" is slower now than it was 10 years ago, even when measured by their ridiculous standard of number of buildings renovated. Here is what is listed in this article of the scientology churches around the world (not the CLO's or AO's): 2010 JAN 23, 2010 -- Brussels JAN 30, 2010 -- Quebec City FEB 6, 2010 -- Las Vegas APR 24, 2010 -- Los Angeles (not even a new building?) JUL 10, 2010 -- Mexico City JUL 18, 2010 -- Pasadena JUL 24, 2010 -- … [Read more...]
Scientology’s Decade
Dan Sherman conjured up a verbal orgasm of gushing babble to hype the sheeple at the scientology New Year's Celebration. No need to attend the event, you can read all about it at scientology.org in 10 minutes and spare yourself the pain of "Standing O" calisthenics every time Dear Leader actually completes a run-on sentence. At the outset, let's remember that the "turn of the decade/century" event in 1999 was held at the LA Sports Arena -- a FAR larger venue than the Shrine Auditorium. Given the unprecedented, massive, straight up and vertical expansion they claim to have … [Read more...]
Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Scientology
Marlow Stern has written an excellent piece in the Daily Beast concerning the relationship between David Miscavige, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman: How Nicole Kidman Almost Got Tom Cruise to Leave Scientology. It is the 20 year anniversary of Eyes Wide Shut, the Stanley Kubrick film that was the catalyst for them nearly breaking away from scientology. There is little to add to Marlow's excellent reporting other than to reiterate that this piece highlights the inhumane practice of disconnection in scientology. Scientology claims disconnection is a "personal choice" -- but in reality the … [Read more...]
Catch and Kill
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: Hiring high … [Read more...]
STAAD Resurrects “#WhereIsShelly”
We don't hear much from STAAD any more. Seems Fast Eddie has gone back to stuffing envelopes in the basement or whatever it is that he usually does. He has been silent on Twitter -- one post since 22 October and that could have been written by any of the STAAD flunkies and posted on his behalf. Even the STAAD League itself has been pretty dormant, every now and then sending out a retweet promoting Marty Rathbun like the last Japanese soldier on a Pacific Island firing into the air in an act of defiance to keep the fight going. This is one of their most recent retweets from a year or … [Read more...]
Scientology TV — What’s Missing?
Scientology is making a really big deal about their new episode featuring Chick Corea. Chick is an interesting story that has been mentioned before. He got into financial troubles when his wife was hammering his credit cards. David Miscavige had known Chick for a long time because his father, Ron, was good friends with Ron Moss, Chick's manager. (Ron Moss is father of Elisabeth Moss of Handmaid's Tale fame). Miscavige was alerted to the problem and not wanting a "flap" with one of scientology's longest term celebrities, brought in Lyman Spurlock as a CPA to look through his finances. … [Read more...]
Rev. Alfraudie Johnson
Recent posts on Tony Ortega's site include some excellent first-hand reporting from Jeffrey Augustine on the ground in criminal court in Los Angeles. Hana Islam and her son Rizza are in deep hot water. They have allegedly been engaged in a massive fraudulent scheme, bilking the government out of millions at the World Literacy Crusade. The always dapper Rev. Alfreddie Johnson is the founder and big cheese of the WLC. He was married to Hanan and claims credit for raising Rizza as his "son." Somehow, like a Teflon Don, he has managed to escape indictment. I have written about him … [Read more...]
More on Miscavige and Clearwater
Further on the blog post from yesterday (Miscavige Schmoozing City Officials) -- some important points I omitted to mention and an update. First: Why were these 3 city officials at the meeting? As I said yesterday, Miscavige considers Bill Horne and Pam Aiken to be his buddies. But the real reason is that they are not ELECTED officials. If there were two ELECTED officials in the room it becomes a "public meeting" subject to the Sunshine Act laws. Bill Horne and Pam Aiken are very well aware of this. They were complicit in making sure this meeting was not one that had to be … [Read more...]