Last night, Alex Gibney’s documentary about Scientology, Going Clear, began a theatrical run at the Muvico 10 in Palm Harbor, Florida, just a few miles from Scientology’s own “spiritual mecca” in Clearwater. And after the 7 pm showing, two of the people who appear in the film, former Scientologists Sara Goldberg and Mike Rinder, engaged in a Q & A that was moderated by WTSP Channel 10 television reporter Mike Deeson.
Filmmaker Mark Bunker attended the event, and afterwards called us to let us know that a couple of Scientologists — one of them Sara Goldberg’s former husband — had launched personal attacks on Sara and Rinder, leading to a chaotic shouting match.
Bunker captured it on video for us, and we’ll let you tell us who got the better of it. The excitement begins at about 18 minutes in.
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The most sedate Scientology “testimonials” video we’ve seen
We can’t get enough of the hyperactive testimonials videos that Scientology leader David Miscavige puts together for big church events. But of all the ones we’ve seen, this new one that turned up has a strangely slow quality to it, even with the pounding, thumping soundtrack that you will no doubt find familiar.
This video is from 2006, and we’ll have more to say tomorrow about where it comes from. For now, enjoy how much the Congresses — reissued lectures L. Ron Hubbard gave in the 1950s and early 1960s — are changing lives!
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Nice timing, Scientology Mission of the Foothills…
Hey, girl. Let’s teach Denver how to learn!
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BOOK NOTES
We didn’t get a chance to include photos in our book, so we’ve posted them at a dedicated page. Reader Sookie put together a complete index and we’re hosting it here on the website. Copies of the paperback version of ‘The Unbreakable Miss Lovely’ are on sale at Amazon. The Kindle edition is also available, and shipping instantly.
Tony Ortega’s upcoming appearances (and check out the interactive map to our ongoing tour)…
Oct 23: Sydney, Giant Dwarf Theatre (with Sen. Nick Xenophon)
Oct 25: Melbourne, venue secured (announcement coming later)
Oct 28: Adelaide, Wheatsheaf Hotel, (with Sen. Nick Xenophon)
Oct 30: Perth
Past dates: Santa Barbara (5/16), Hollywood (5/17), Orange County (5/17), San Diego (5/20), San Francisco (5/22), New York (6/11), Chicago (6/20), Toronto (6/22), Clearwater (6/28), Washington DC (7/12), Hartford (7/14), Denver (7/17), Dallas (7/20), Houston (7/22), San Antonio (7/24), Austin (7/25), Paris (7/29), London (8/4), Boston (8/24), Phoenix (9/15), Cleveland (9/23), Minneapolis (9/24), Portland (9/27), Seattle (9/28), Vancouver BC (9/29)
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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 3, 2015 at 07:00
E-mail your tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. Here at the Bunker we try to have a post up every morning at 7 AM Eastern (Noon GMT), and on some days we post an afternoon story at around 2 PM. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
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 mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill
The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
