We have found that readers, particularly our newer ones, love the wacky testimonials videos that the Church of Scientology puts out about once a year. Featuring dozens of Scientologists in rapid progression, they gush about whatever new lecture or book has been released while a cheesy sped-up infomercial soundtrack jangles behind them.
One of those 5-minute extravaganzas was part of the hour-plus of video that we posted yesterday from Scientology’s New Year’s Eve 2008 celebration. But we thought we ought to pull out the testimonials spot on its own. It’s such a hoot.
Most of the time, we don’t recognize the testifiers in a given video. But recently, we posted the video from 2006 and pointed out that it was punctuated at the end with an appearance by actress Erika Christensen. This time, we recognized three familiar faces in the cavalcade of woo.
There was Scientology whale Jim Mathers, for example, who these days has been traveling in Ukraine looking for new minnows to lure into the Scientology net. In 2008, he looked a little younger and thinner, and he was pumped about The Basics…
The Basics had come out in 2007, and they were one of Scientology leader David Miscavige’s biggest and boldest initiatives in recent years. Miscavige had many of the original books of Dianetics and Scientology re-released in new pricey editions. Even though most Scientologists had earlier editions on their bookshelves, they were required to buy the new set of books, plus lectures, for about $3,000 a set. They were also under incredible pressure to purchase multiple sets, and to convince others to buy them. Miscavige justified the new editions by claiming that there had been transcription errors in earlier versions of the books. He also complained that there had been too many semicolons. Scientologists knew not to ask too many questions about it. Privately, many of them resented being forced to buy books they already had in what seemed like a naked cash grab. We’ve talked to many ex-Scientologists who date their disaffection to The Basics.
But Ale Calcioli was thrilled. He’s not only the nephew of international fantasy and science fiction superstar Neil Gaiman, who grew up a Scientologist before putting it away some time in the 1980s, but Ale also became a news story for his landmark wedding in 2014.
But the star of the video, for us, is Angelo Pagan. We had a chance to meet Angelo last year in Los Angeles, and he’s every bit as charming and genuine as you’d imagine if you’ve been watching him on his wife Leah Remini’s reality show, It’s All Relative. Pagan, a singer, told us he was one of David Miscavige’s favorite entertainers, and he was often enlisted at Scientology events to perform. In this video, he’s adorably over the top.
And what’s actually in The Basics? Why, the wisdom of the ages, as oozed and secreted from the fertile mind of the Great Thetan himself, L. Ron Hubbard in his early books. You get all the genius of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, for example. For a taste of its antediluvian alchemy, check out our chapter by chapter reading of the book. Or there’s Science of Survival, the tome that followed Dianetics and further explored the practices of auditing. Turning randomly to a page in that 1951 treasure, we find this…
The whole future of the race depends upon its attitude toward children; and a race which specializes in women for “mental purposes,” or which believes that the contest of the sexes in the spheres of business and politics is a worthier endeavour than the creation of tomorrow’s generation, is a race which is dying. We have, in the woman who is an ambiguous rival of the man in his own activities, a woman who is neglecting the most important mission she may have. A society which looks down upon this mission, and in which women are taught anything but the management of the family, the care of men, and the creation of the future generation, is a society which is on its way out. The historian can peg the point where a society begins its sharpest decline at the instant when women begin to take part, on an equal footing with men, in political and business affairs; since this means that the men are decadent and the women are no longer women. This is not a sermon on the role or position of women: it is a statement of bald and basic fact.
You can see why these Scientologists are so pumped. With wisdom like that, The Basics are…
Here’s the video itself. Please let us know your favorite parts.
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Willie and Phil Jones — on a mission to defeat disconnection
Last night, Karen de la Carriere posted on Facebook a statement by Willie Jones who, with her husband Phil (known as “Sid” in the Bunker), has made a trip to Los Angeles to try and reconnect with their son and daughter, who each work in Scientology’s Sea Org.
Recently, we wrote about how that activity kicked up a threat letter by Scientology’s attorney Bert Deixler. (Karen was sent one, and so were Phil and Willie.) In that story, we explained that the Joneses are working with Sirens Media on a television series about Scientology. Willie explains a little more here, from the Facebook post, and we thought you’d want to see it.
My name is Willie Jones. Most of you will know my other half, Phil Jones, AKA Sid. He’s a trouble maker but I adore him to pieces! We have been together for 43 years and have three kids, five grandchildren and one great grandchild on the way. Two of our children are in the Sea org and one was never really in. Our son who was never in, David, has given us all the grandkids. Bless his heart!
Emily Jones our daughter currently works at ASI. Before that she worked as David Miscavage’s personal assistant for ten plus years and travelled everywhere with him. Our oldest son is Mike Jones has worked at Celebrity Center for almost twenty years. Both have completely given their entire adult life to the service of the Sea Org. They both joined the sea org for the “right” reason, which was to save the planet, and for that reason I am proud of them. Unfortunately, they have been completely taken over by the church and have disconnected from us. I don’t blame them for doing so. As most of you already know, the programming goes very deep. For all those who have struggled to come to grips with what has done to them and how difficult it can be to sort through, I feel your pain! It is why we fight!
I am not going to go into our whole life story but suffice it to say, our story is most likely similar to your own. I will say however, that even though we have basically been out for more than ten years, we recently changed our operating basis.
We, like many others, played by the churches rules. We stayed quiet, didn’t make any waves and put a smile on our faces just to stay in contact with Emily and Mike. It only took a facebook friend who had been declared (that we did not want to disconnect from) to start us on the road to having our lives turned upside down. We have not seen our SP declare but have been notified that our only terminal is the IJC. We have not had contact with our children going on two years now. Believe me, we have tried.
We went from being good little boys and girls to roaring lions! Turning the kids against us was a bad idea! You may have seen some of the noise we have made on Tony’s blog and Karen’s posts. Well you ain’t seen nothin yet! We have only just begun to fight!
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 5, 2016 at 07:00
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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
