DOX: Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s nutty scheme to strong-arm America’s psychologists

 
Wow, what a couple of days of reporting we’ve had. Big stuff is coming, but for now we have to keep a lid on it. In the meantime, our old friend Mark “Warrior” Plummer sent over a couple of nice items we thought you’d want to see.

The first item is from 1958, and it’s one of L. Ron Hubbard’s bolder scams. We wrote about it a couple of years ago, but Mark has sent us scans of the full document, a pamphlet put out by Hubbard in Washington D.C., trying to bully the country’s psychologists into signing “loyalty oaths” in order to make them subservient to Scientology. He even claimed that Vice President Richard Nixon supported the plan, which Nixon didn’t like at all. Read our earlier story to hear how Nixon apparently never forgot Hubbard’s attempt to use his name in this wacky scheme.

During a lecture, Hubbard explained how he wanted the scheme to work, as we explained previously…

Hubbard told his listeners at the Ability Congress that he wanted them to take copies of the loyalty oath and send it to every psychologist and psychiatrist in the country. The goal was “to place under the noses of every person in mental practice in the United States whether graduated from universities or anything else, a copy of this code and ask them to sign on the dotted line, whether it is done by mail or in person, and to carefully note down all those who refuse to sign it. Very important that last step,” he said.

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Those people who signed the oath would be considered “safe.” They could then pay $80 in order to become “certified,” card-carrying NAAP members (Scientologists would pay only $25). Those that refused to take the loyalty oath would be labeled “potential subversive,” and those that “rail against it” would be labeled “subversive.”

Soak up the audacity of this document, and imagine that Hubbard actually thought he might convince the country’s psychologists to submit…

 
We asked Mark if he had anything else fun in his collection to send our way. Here’s what he said about the item below…

“This is one of my favorites because it’s so fucking wacky and cultish. It’s an insert (full size poster) to Auditor 14 World Wide (spring of 1966). Poster design by ‘Tom Esterbrook,’ one of Hubbard’s pseudonyms.”

 
That’s actually pretty creative and sure beats the crap they put out these days, seems to us.

 
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Ron Miscavige on the Joe Rogan podcast today

We played a small part in bringing together Ron Miscavige and Joe Rogan, and so we hope things go well today as the father of Scientology’s leader gets the Rogan experience.

Watch live here.

 
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Bonus items from our tipsters

Clearwater celebrity sighting — actual caption: “One of my favorite actors and so so nice .. lol I was just going to the porta potty and there he was.”

 
Actual caption: “Hi my friends!!!! I just got back from the International SMI convention aboard the Freewinds and it was just extraordinary!!! Lots of tools, excitement and exhilaration for the expansion that is coming!!! Look for Ocala Mission name! It is going to just absolutely big!!! I inviting you to be part of this adventure. Call me!!!”

 
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Countdown to Denver!

 
HowdyCon 2017: Denver, June 23-25. Go here to start making your plans.

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 18, 2017 at 07:00

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The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2016 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2016), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)

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