There has been plenty of commentary about "The Hole" since it was first disclosed by Joe Childs and Tom Tobin in the St Petersburg Times in 2009, and again famously featured in Lawrence Wright's Going Clear book and Alex Gibney's HBO film based on the book. Scientology has asserted the Hole "does not exist and never has." But the numerous people who have witnessed it first hand and spoken about it have, to any objective observer, put scientology's denials to the sword. Miscavige even had a sign made and hung on the outside of the building to identify it clearly as "The Hole." (Where he got … [Read more...]
SuMP Mystery Solved!
They are making fundraising videos.... This is the ONLY thing that has emanated from the Sump since the grand ribbon yanking ceremony. The irony is amazing. Even for scientology. Miscavige decides he wants to be a Hollywood mogul and purchases and old studio lot. Let's not forget he already HAS a "state-of-the-art" studio at Golden Era Production with "the largest free standing sound stage in California" and a purpose built "Film Lab" to process film (of course that is like his specially built CD line -- horse and buggies in the digital age). Nevertheless, the … [Read more...]
Mariette Lindstein’s Prize Winning Crime Novel Based on David Miscavige
Some great news from our long term friend, Dan Koon about his wife (Mariette Lindstein)'s prize-winning, best-selling book. For those unfamiliar with Mariette, I asked Dan to provide us with a short biographical sketch. I have known Mariette for many, many years, in fact it was me that brought her to "Int" to become Watchdog Committee Scientology in 1983. Mariette grew up on Sweden's southwest coast in Halmstad. She became involved in Scientology after graduating the Swedish equivalent of high school around 1978. Soon, she was working at the Malmö Org where she and a couple other Div 6 … [Read more...]
The Young Turks
The Young Turks is a VERY popular source of news for millennials (and others) on YouTube. This is their take on SuMP -- and while they still repeated some of the falsehoods that appeared in the Mail Online story, their take on scientology in general is a pretty good reflection of how it is viewed in the world. You will see they recommend everyone view Going Clear. Miscavige's Latest Ribbon Yanking Though the Underground Bunker covered the ribbon yanking in Clearwater this morning, I had a couple of points to note. I happened to drive by Flag yesterday on my way home and was … [Read more...]
Cause Over Life Demonstration
Here is a perfect example of scientologist cause and confront from a posterchild for OTishness, our old friend Barbara Dews. A Special Correspondent sent me this email exchange and if you read down the thread (earliest at the top) you will see BD going from a shark smelling fresh blood, to a somewhat concerned deer caught in the headlights to a rabbit that scurried down her hole in abject terror. This is cause over life. This is how to confront and shatter suppression. This is how to be OT so you can go OT. Barbara epitomizes fundamentalist scientology. So dead certain that she knows … [Read more...]
The “Golden Age” of Narconon and Idealiness
Everything in scientology these days is about "ideal" and "golden age" -- terms that are bandied about constantly. Narconon is apparently experiencing a "golden age" that appears to be a measure of how many people die in their facilities, multiplied by the number of lawsuits filed against them, plus the total of zoning variance application rejections x inches of entheta media. It's straight up and vertical. Hip hip hooray. We have seen the magnificent "grand openings" of "ideal" Narconons in Clearwater, Baton Rouge and yesterday on the Bunker it was Eslov in Sweden -- apparently a one man … [Read more...]
Going Clear Oscar News
Despite the "best efforts" of the church of scientology, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today their "short list" of films up for selection in the Documentary category for this year. Dave's footbullets seem to have had the appropriate effect. Going Clear is one of the 15 included in the short list. Looking forward to January 14th to see if Going Clear is one of the final nominees. Regardless -- this is the first time in history that any scientology related film has been on anyone's list for anything -- let alone an Academy Award (after already having won … [Read more...]
Leah Remini, Shelly Miscavige and Tom Cruise
What can Miscavige do to respond to Hurricane Leah? She is blowing his house down and it is a storm that comes on top of severe damage already inflicted on the once apparently impregnable fortress of scientology. It has been building throughout the year -- Going Clear at Sundance got the ball rolling. Followed by the revelations from the PI's tailing his father which thrust scientology back into the headlines. Losing tax exemption in the Netherlands. Tony Ortega's Unbreakable Miss Lovely, a never ending stream of Narconon bad news. And much more. And now Troublemaker has stepped it up … [Read more...]
Going Clear Paranoia
An article in THR today: As usual, Scientology is shooting itself in the foot. They send goons to screenings and have Freedom "reporters" doing clumsy, noisy investigations. Contacting Academy Members to try and influence them not to vote for Going Clear is such typical ham-fisted Miscavige "PR". He never ceases to amaze. HBO should send him a large fruit basket when Going Clear is nominated. And they should take out a full page as in the NY Times thanking him for his contribution if it wins Best Documentary. And if it does win, and I get a chance to say anything about … [Read more...]
Going Clear Is Everywhere
The hits just keep on coming. From the LA Times: This is the FilmRise webpage: And it is also available on Vimeo: And if you want to do it the old-school way, as of today, you can buy the DVD on Amazon for $16.99. So anyone who has not been able to see the film on HBO or in a local theater can now order it from Amazon or watch it as a streaming video. Miscavige's annus horribilis is just not getting any better. Next up: Louis Theroux's My Scientology Movie at the London Film Festival on October 14. Followed by Leah Remini's … [Read more...]