It’s time again for Rod Keller’s Scientology Social Media Review. He’s made a specialty of hunting down the odd and wonderful things Scientologists post to the ‘net. He’s a chronicler who piece by piece builds a highly detailed assessment of what Scientology is doing around the world, and this is what he found for us this week…
Yesterday, Phil and Willie Jones dedicated their new billboard in Largo, Florida, just a few miles from Scientology’s spiritual mecca in Clearwater. Phil sent us this report about how the day went…
It was an amazing day. The launch was at 11am so we headed down early to make sure to be there for anyone who might arrive before that. We got the car parked in the lot right under the billboard, and put one of our magnetic Call-Me signs on the door. At 10 am it was already Florida hot. It was going to be a steamy day. I hoped the rain would hold off.
We kept looking up at the billboard, so happy that we made it this far with the campaign. The huge amount of support we’d gotten had really made this happen.
For starters we thought we’d look around the area a bit to see if there was a Scientology presence. Sure enough, there was. Across the road, on top of a trailer behind some bushes was a guy with an enormous camera pointed right at us. He was wearing camo gear that wasn’t really hiding him very well. There was also a private eye we recognized sitting at the bus stop across the street. He happened to stay there all day long in spite of the heat, and we watched periodically as he waved the buses on by.
AdvertisementPlanted around the billboard site were tiny portable cameras pointed in our location. I left a Call-Me business card under each.
People started arriving between 10:30 am and 11 am. Some friends and supporters who we hadn’t met in person. It was great to meet them. We chatted in groups for a while, then I said a few words to the group. After that we all got together for a group photo underneath the billboard. And there were some of our favorite Bunkerites there. Even Baby showed up. (I got a big hug)
Before dispersing from the photo I had everyone sing happy birthday to a good friend’s son. She was there to support our cause and her son, whose birthday it was today, is in the Sea Org and disconnected. While we were singing, Willie brought out the cake we had gotten for her in celebration. May her son’s next birthday be with her. That was my wish.
We chatted for a bit more and took lots more photos. Then headed off to Flag to do a little protesting. Parking at the northeast corner we got out and with signs in hand we walked south along Garden Avenue, down to Franklin, and over to Ft Harrison. There were a few PI’s/Security who stayed close and at one point got into a conversation with some of our guys. They also had their own cameraman with a huge camera.
Taking our time we completely circled the Super Power Building. Our super powers were in evidence as Scientology had all their people scurry for cover inside closed doors.
After a while we headed back to the cars. The heat was getting a bit much.
As soon as Willie and I drove off we noticed two vehicles following us. I made a few turns and the one disappeared but the other one, a bright blue pick-up truck, stayed on us like an IAS reg on a pending inheritance. After a bit I’d had enough and turned onto a side street. The truck turned with us but I had pulled over right around the corner and he had to pass us and go a bit down the street. He couldn’t turn that big truck around very easily so he had to go a little ways down to find a driveway to swing into. I swung around in a u-turn, back to the end of the street and right onto Ft Harrison. In my rear view I saw the truck turning around. I drove one small block, made a right, then right again into a parking lot to a spot behind a big tree.
Within seconds, through the trees we saw the blue truck speeding south on Ft Harrison. A few minutes later we saw him fly by northbound. That was the last we saw of him.
All in all the launch was a success. We got the billboard up. We had a really good crowd of supporters. Our Flag protest created an effect. The only shortfall was local Tampa area news. There wasn’t any. We talked about this a bit afterwards and realized that when we lived here there wasn’t all that much Scientology news done locally except by the Tampa Bay Times. The main two Scientology writers there were away this weekend so they couldn’t make it. We did have an introduction to the billboard by the Tampa Bay Times previously so I’ll contact them once either of those two writers are back and see if we can get a follow up article done.
We still have plans for Clearwater and will continue to work on those in the coming months. This doesn’t end until Scientology Disconnection abuse ends (for all).
Scientology front group the Foundation for a Drug-Free World has signed an agreement with the International Human Rights Commission to provide drug awareness training in Latin America. The IHRC is a non-governmental organization created in 1998, created to monitor elections, advocate for displaced persons and monitor human rights violations in conflict areas.
IHRC-Relief Fund Trust Executive Director, Ambassador Carlos Garcia and Dr. Bernard Fialkoff, President of the Foundation for a Drug Free World, the Americas Chapter, subscribe a Memorandum of Understanding on July 19,2016 where agreed to partner together to provide drug education, prevention and awareness training to the Latin American and the Caribbean countries, beginning with a pilot project in El Salvador, on a nationwide level for the year 2016-2017.
The IHRC-Relief Fund Trust is a non-governmental organization with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and comprise a team of more than 2,500 volunteers from around the world who are fully committed to the promotion of Human Rights, in particular the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights around the world.
Copenhagen is the home of Advanced Org Saint Hill Europe, or AOSH EU. Scientology is planning a new Class 5 Ideal Org, which would be the first in the city. As was done with many other Ideal Orgs, Scientology has announced a customized edition of Dianetics to get the org out of “non-existence.” Copies numbered 1-10 are twice as expensive as copies with higher numbers. Renovations have been continuing for several years at the Nytorv square building that will house the new org.
BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!
DENMARK IDEAL ORG NON-EXISTENCE CAMPAIGNHelp bring true spiritual freedom to Scandinavia with your support for the promotional campaign to introduce the millions in Denmark to LRH technology!
This unique edition is limited to 500 individually numbered copies. Each book includes a slate silk ribbon to mark your place and bears the Little Mermaid debossed on the back cover. And while every volume is beautifully crafted, the true reward for owning this remarkable book is the personal satisfaction of knowing you are guiding millions onto the road to Clear.
Price: 4300 DKK
600 Euro
Premier #1-10: 8,600 DKK
1,200 Euro
DONATE NOW!
Narconon International uses photos of accused rapist and drug dealer Ismail Tezemir in its Twitter promotions. Tezemir is the former Executive Director of Narconon Turkey, and has been imprisoned on charges of providing heroin to Narconon patients and having sex with female patients under the premise that sex will help with the withdrawal process. Tezemir is the staff member in the center wearing a beard. He is also accused of polygamy, which is illegal in Turkey and can carry a two year prison sentence.
Finishing touches are being made to the exterior of the Harlem Ideal Org, scheduled to open on July 31.
Mike Rinder broke the news of the date of the grand opening, but Suzy Rowe, In-Charge of organizing volunteers thinks the date is a secret, not to be sent out via email.
The United for Harlem Alliance Honor Roll shows points earned by Scientologists for donations towards the Ideal Org.
The Toronto Org has moved from temporary offices at 77 Peter Street to offices in the 2 College Street building. The former org building at 696 Yonge Street remains an eyesore, and no renovations have been completed.
The Nashville org will hold a joint Friendship Day event with Corinthian Baptist Church in Nashville on July 28.
The American Saint Hill Organization (ASHO) in Los Angeles will hold a State of Man conference on August 6th and 7th with Class VI Lead Case Supervisor Cosimo Sherman.
The head of Narconon Southern Europe Ugo Ferrando has written to Italian President Sergio Mattarella to oppose efforts to decriminalize marijuana. Excerpts translated by Google:
In our modest experience, we have also noticed direct correlation between the use of cannabis and school performance, the social and cognitive skills, the achievement of scholastic titles and, certainly not for last, the development of serious Psychiatric diseases.
Security also will not increase with the legalization of cannabis. Crime and mafias continue its traffic while the petty crime will expand like wildfire to the total collapse of the Individual responsibility, typical of any drug.
Legalizing cannabis means defeat for the state and shows a deep and general inability to plan and manage a policy of prevention, prevent dependency, and promote a culture of sobriety and freedom in responsibility.
Huston Huddleston, director of the Hollywood Sci Fi and Horror Museum, poses with Scientologists John Goodwin and Emily Jones at San Diego Comic Con this week.
Emily posed earlier in the week with pop artist and producer will.i.am at the Inglewood org. She presented him a copy of the “Declaration of Peace” from the novel Battlefield Earth.
Grammy award winning jazz keyboardist Chick Corea and Guardian’s Office Snow White Program unindicted co-conspirator Arte Maren at the Maiden Voyage event in Clearwater, Florida.
The Vancouver, Canada org has placed a staff member on the sidewalk dressed as a Tyrannosaurus rex to hand out Scientology literature to passers-by.
Several times each year Narconon in Nigeria conducts tours of Lagos in which they urge residents to pose with their banner and pledge to live a drug-free life.
The Maiden Voyage at the Valley Org featured photo ops with Supergirl, Batman, and Thor. The superheroes wore tool belts to indicate they are almost ready to start renovations, when in reality they are millions of dollars away from that.
— Rod Keller
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 24, 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
