Yesterday Mike Rinder and your proprietor were being interviewed about Alex Gibney’s film Going Clear for a well known national news organization when the interviewer asked, what is David Miscavige’s biggest skeleton in his closet?
We had already talked about the Scientology leader’s disappeared wife, Shelly Miscavige, and where we think she has been for the last nine years. And that, certainly, is one of the biggest controversies about David Miscavige. But we thought Rinder had a really good answer.
Miscavige’s biggest skeleton in his closet? That he’s not a Scientologist, Rinder answered.
By that, of course, he meant that many years ago when Miscavige was training to be an auditor (and was known to have slugged one of his subjects), he was something of a tech prodigy for his age. But in recent decades? Rinder and people like former Scientologists Marc and Claire Headley, who worked closely with Miscavige, tell us that he no longer participates in auditing, or progresses up “The Bridge” on the way to spiritual enlightenment.
And that’s really odd. L. Ron Hubbard was chasing away body thetans to the bitter end, just days before he died in January 1986. But Miscavige? When was the last time he picked up the cans?
Anyway, some of our newer readers might be a little lost at this point, but we are too tired to define terms or provide background at this point, the end of a long day that included another screening of Going Clear. If you need any help with the jargon we’ve used so far in this piece, please ask our commenters, who can explain things very well.
There were a few very interesting highlights on Tuesday, but we regret that we have to keep quiet about them for now. We attended a screening of the film at the Director’s Guild Theater in midtown, and after the movie Alex Gibney had a conversation with filmmaker Marc Levin. Meanwhile, we tried to keep an eye on what was happening back here at the Bunker.
We have to admit we were surprised at how big the Times Talk video went over yesterday, but then we remembered, you haven’t seen the movie yet!
If this is how you react to a little conversation between Wright, Haggis, and Rinder in a static talk at the Times, we really are going to have to brace ourselves for what’s coming.
Anyway, to remind you what we found out yesterday, the Friday, March 13 opening of the film in New York will be at the Francesca Beale Theater at Lincoln Center. In Los Angeles, it will play at the Arclight in Hollywood, and in San Francisco at The Presidio.
Hey, this morning, Gibney and Wright are going to be on CBS This Morning — let’s see some live reports in the comments as it happens! Also, Wright is scheduled to be a guest on Bill Maher’s show Friday night.
One additional note: Pictured above is Rinder with Aaron Smith-Levin, who came up from Florida for these events. He was featured in one of our favorite stories last year, but he was unable to participate in it himself because of his family’s precarious situation. Now, however, he’s come out in the open, was willing to be photographed, and wants to tell new details about his own story. We’re hoping to get that to you soon. Today, he told us one of the wildest stories about “freeloader debt” that we’ve ever heard.
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Karen de la Carriere on her former husband, Scientology’s president Heber Jentzsch
Karen de la Carriere has been under heavy attack by the Church of Scientology, and it’s increasing as the broadcast of Alex Gibney’s film Going Clear nears. She’s responding by continuing to make videos. Give this one a look.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on March 4, 2015 at 07:00
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Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of LA attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer
The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
