This week's episode of Fair Game podcast features my old friend Alex Gibney. This is not an episode to miss. Alex is one of the greats in the world of documentary filmmakers. His credits include: The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (won 3 Emmy’s) Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (Oscar nom in 2005 for Best Doc) Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer Taxi to the Dark Side (winner of the 2007 Oscar for best Documentary) about the war in … [Read more...]
Scientology, Lying and the FBI
Recent articles at Tony Ortega's blog and the Tampa Bay Times recount the stillborn scientology FBI investigation based on FOI documents obtained by RadarOnline. There is not much else to say about the investigation itself, it has been covered at length by Tony Ortega, the Tampa Bay Times and Lawrence Wright, first in his New Yorker article then more extensively in Going Clear. What is interesting is to look back at how scientology responded when asked about the investigation in earlier years. A number of people who had been interviewed by the FBI (including me) had confirmed that an … [Read more...]
Scientology Homophobia
Is scientology homophobic? There has been considerable discussion about this. In today's world, where it is no longer socially acceptable to be anti-gay, scientology has taken steps to attempt to portray itself as tolerant and welcoming of the LGBT community. But similar to scientology's claims that disconnection "doesn't exist" or is simply a "personal choice," the PR smokescreen hides an ugly and unpleasant reality. At its heart, scientology IS very homophobic. Here is the truth as I experienced it, growing up in scientology and then being a senior official in the church for many … [Read more...]
Going Clear: The Prison Of Belief
I am late to the party with my thoughts about Alex Gibney's Going Clear The Prison Of Belief, not being as diligent as Tony Ortega, who despite NOT being a "former Scientologist" nevertheless has the work ethic of a dedicated Sea Org member. There are numerous media accounts of the film and the premiere and I will not try and recount everything, because I don't want to spend hours rehashing what has already been said by others. And frankly, nobody else's take on the movie is going to have the same meaning to you as you will get when you have the opportunity to see it. Which is itself high … [Read more...]
Scientology Sockpuppet Speaks (Sort Of….)
Corporate Scientology has mastered the art of speaking out of both side of its mouth and keeping a straight face at the same time. See Tony Ortega's article about the Laura DeCrescenzo case this morning. While pleading that the CHURCH is being "discriminated" against (they have also mastered the art of playing victims -- everyone including the courts, psychiatrists, governments, SPs, media, the internet, drug companies, cyberterrorists, anyone who dies in their care and the martians are out to "get" them) and how turning over Laura's pc folders will prejudice "other religions," they don't … [Read more...]