I have known Andy Porter for many, many years. I had not heard from him in some time. He was somewhat of a legend due to his work opening Russia and many of its former satellites to scientology. Andy spent many years defining the term “pioneer.” He was an unsung hero who did a lot of the REAL work behind the scenes that ended up being glorified in IAS Freedom Medal winner videos and other event presentations. Andy now hails from the northwestern corner of Washington State where he lives with his wife and son. He is an accomplished landscape photographer focused on capturing the … [Read more...]
A Mission Microcosm
The real state of scientology Missions. This is a mission in the hotbed of scientology -- Los Angeles. This is where scientology has traditionally been strongest and has done the most recruiting. This Mission is surrounded by scientologists, outside of Clearwater, you will not find more scientologists living within a 20 mile radius of this mission. Yet, they have an ex-SO member as their "OES" (in direct violation of Hubbard policy about the hiring of ex-SO) -- and she is the Supervisor. Apparently there is nobody actually posted in the Tech Division who can even be a … [Read more...]
STAND League Goes After Another Journalist
The champions of free speech lash out at another journalist who said something they didn't like. In fact, his article takes the NY Times to task over its puff piece on Rebecca Minkoff -- excerpt below: Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff is a member of a religious cult. She reveals in today’s New York Times that she’s a practicing Scientologist. This is a smart, talented woman raised Jewish. I wouldn’t buy one more thing from her if it was on sale, discounted, or free. She’s crazy. “I think there’s a lot of confusion when people hear the word ‘religion’ — immediately you hear that I pray to … [Read more...]
Scientology Safe Pointing in DC
Our friend ISNOINews provided another interesting article that I felt was more important than being left as a comment on a disrelated topic. This is a lengthy article by Alex Rubinstein on a recent event held in Washington DC that scientology participated in. Alex has some fairly extensive mentions of scientology in the article, which I have excerpted below. The entire article can be found at the link above. Using a friend’s company on my application and adopting a fake persona, I attended a three-day summit on religious freedom where leading … [Read more...]
Scientology: Journalists are Fair Game
I came across this on Twitter. Jeffrey Palmaccio (his twitter handle is @longisland1892), a Masters of Journalism student at Hofstra University, wrote this mini capstone in December 2020 about scientology (I had to look that up: Also called a capstone experience, culminating project, or senior exhibition, among many other terms, a capstone project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students, typically during their final year of high school or middle school, or at the end of an academic program. Similar in some ways to a college … [Read more...]
The Seminar Every Scientologist Needs
Michael Lewis has driven his clown car into town once again to offer up a "seminar" that sheds light on what really happens inside the bubble of scientology. "Flourish and prosper" is a much over-used scientology catchphrase. It is code for "make money" just as they use the strange "we are 1000 steps closer to making our target" instead of saying they got in $1,000. It seems they understand how grotesquely money-oriented they are and are trying to keep this hidden from the world. But Michael Lewis blows it. He uses the right euphemism but then comes right out and says it plainly. What is … [Read more...]
The Conceit of Scientologists
Another STAND League fool offers his twisted take on how scientology is maligned in the press. STAND League should adopt a new motto for themselves, using the wisdom and words of the Bard himself: Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Jim Kalergis has been one of the big FSM's in the LA area for decades. His livelihood depends on people believing that scientology is good. This guy actually thinks scientologists re in a position to complain about how people don't trust them media? Wonder what a Gallup Poll would say about the public … [Read more...]
Scientology Human Rights – An Oxymoron
Scientology attempts to position itself as defenders of Human Rights. They put out a constant flow of propaganda intended to create that image through their front groups, photo ops, slickly produced videos and booklet handouts. They try as often as possible to hitch their PR wagon to legitimate organizations and individuals as they are doing in this event. I wonder if Harry Cohen, Hillsborough County Commissioner has any idea what he is endorsing? Or Jeannette Matta or Rainey Nave for that matter.... And you have to question whether the Children's Board Board members have any idea … [Read more...]
Stupidity is Inherent in Scientology
This is a remarkable promotional item that one of our readers just sent in. Michael Lewis demonstrates his lack of judgment and intelligence right in his own promotional piece. Aren't those the two elements of stupidity? First, the image of himself he is using -- the court jester -- represents the polar opposite of "conquering stupidity." Second, he claims he got a "bombastic" response to his announcement -- like that's a good thing. Apparently he doesn't know the word means "high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated." Then he announces that some people offered to write … [Read more...]
Thought Reform and Scientology
On one of the recent Fair Game Podcast, Chris Shelton recommended Robert Jay Lifton's book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism . Then Mockingbird posted a comment concerning this and I thought it important to include it as a post, as he summarizes the eight criteria for Thought Reform isolated by the author. I should note, there are many excellent articles at Mockingbird's Nest blog. Here is his comment in full. I have highlighted the 8 criteria. Mike Rinder recently pointed out something that most people miss, even experts. He pointed out that the E meter is used … [Read more...]