We have some major stories coming for you soon. In the meantime, we wanted you to know that Scientology is having an open house! Yes, a week from today, our friends in Clearwater, Florida have the opportunity to visit the fastest growing church in the world to see how they do it.
And even better, the event will be held in that new little Potemkin village of storefronts that church leader David Miscavige opened along Fort Harrison Avenue recently. Here’s the full announcement, as it was posted in the little local Clearwater Beacon…
Scientology center to host open house
CLEARWATER — The Scientology Public Information Center will host an open house from 5 to 10 p.m. on Jan. 29 as a part of Blast Friday activities on Cleveland Street in downtown Clearwater.
AdvertisementThe Scientology Information Center, located at 500 Cleveland St., will invite guests to peruse audio-visio and informational displays in the center and sample a variety of festival-style refreshments.
The center is housed in the lobby of the historic Clearwater Building. It is open for residents and visitors to learn about basic Scientology concepts. The center includes a full biographical display of the life and legacy of L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology’s founder.
The center hosts a variety of receptions for local groups and organizations. It is open to the general public from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for tours, and makes its conference room available to social, civic and nonprofit groups.
For more information, please contact Amber Skjelset at 467-6966 or by email at amber@cos.flag.org
Audio-visio — cute.
Now, assuming the readers of the Underground Bunker are considered welcome public at this event — and were on their best behavior (which we must insist on) — what sorts of questions might it be most fun to ask at such an event?
Let’s keep it friendly, but fun. What sorts of questions would elicit the most fruitful responses?
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Narconon Turkey puts out a statement about the arrest of its Executive Director
As we noted Wednesday, the press in Istanbul reported that Ismail Karakas, the leader of Scientology’s Narconon drug rehab center there, had been arrested on drug possession charges. Just a few days earlier, the newspaper Milliyet had written a puff piece about Karakas and the Uyuşturucu Madde Bağımlılıkları ve Alkolizm ile Mücadele Federasyonu, the UBAM Federation, some kind of cooperative effort between Narconon and the local government. Today, Narconon Turkey put out a statement at its Facebook page.
We painstakingly typed the message into Google translate, but the result was almost incomprehensible. So we have done our best to suss out what we think the message means. We cannot guarantee that we are not really far off here, but for what it’s worth, this is what we came up with:
UBAM Federation general manager Mr. Ismail Karakas was detained on January 16 by the Ankara Police Narcotics Branch, and it shocked all of our friends who developed the federation. Mr. Karakas has cut relations with our organization while legal proceedings decide his guilt or innocence.
Operating in 48 countries, the Narconon program will continue to fight drug addiction and alcoholism.
We will be working side by side with UBAM and it should be clear that the news media displayed malicious ethics by publishing this malevolent attack intending to do harm.
We welcome any Turkish speakers to help us improve this translation.
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Bonus photos from our tipsters
The Underground Bunker’s newest reader, Fian, born to our own Panopea Abrupta and mom Natasha. Says Pan: “He won’t stop feeding, he has a remarkably efficient pair of lungs, sleeps like a trooper, complains loudly if he’s not getting good service, likes music and talk, is curious and alert, tries to turn his head in all directions and is adorable – OK, that last one doesn’t come from me for sure.”
Posted at Facebook by friend of the Underground Bunker, Jeffrey Augustine: “I was at Barnes & Noble shopping for yet more books when I saw Leah Remini’s Troublemaker in “The most talked about books of 2015.” Leah’s book was right next to a book about President George H W Bush. Very impressive. Out of curiosity I asked the reference desk for Dianetics and was told they didn’t stock it but could order it. Same thing with all other books by L Ron Hubbard. The store manager had walked up by this point and told me that corporate policy was to not stock books that won’t sell in 90 days or less.”
Hey, girl. We have the formula to set Venezuela on fire.
Kate Ceberano has completed OT 8! Oh, all of Australia must be proud. Actual caption: “We did it ! All 4 of NEW OT8 ! We had a blast !!! @therealkateceberano , Valentina and Mikel BAM NO stopping us now !”
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 22, 2016 at 07:00
E-mail 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. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated 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 L.A. 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
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | 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 | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | 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
