Our tipster Communicator I/C keeps trying to convince us that the Nation of Islam/Scientology mashup is more substantial than we’ve given it credit for. And we have to hand it to him this time for digging up a new piece of evidence that bolsters his point of view.
For years, we’ve been writing about Louis Farrakhan’s bizarre revelation that L. Ron Hubbard, the whitest person who ever lived, had some ideas that Farrakhan wanted his Black Nationalist followers to check out. According to NOI’s official publication the Final Call, on May 8, 2010 Farrakhan called for all NOI members to get Dianetics training to become auditors. Previously, we reported that Leah Remini actually played a significant role in helping the two groups come together with the use of her donations.
But that was “Book One” auditing, without the use of E-Meters, and we wondered if NOI members would actually move on to the more expensive courses that make up Scientology itself.
Over the years, we have seen a few NOI figures ascend Scientology’s “Bridge to Total Freedom,” but we still wouldn’t call what’s going on a “merger” between the two groups. We usually think of it as more of a side show than a key part of Scientology evolution.
There’s a new sign, however, that more and more Nation of Islam adherents are fully embracing the idea of being “Scientologists,” and not just flirting with Dianetics. Communicator I/C provided the proof of that by pointing us to a closed Facebook group which calls itself “Black Scientologists.”
The group has more than 200 members who include executive directors of Scientology Ideal Orgs, Nation of Islam workers, NOI ministers, Scientology staffers, as well as non-Nation of Islam figures like singer Stacy Francis, huckster Alfreddie Johnson, and a fire inspector at the Los Angeles Fire Department. There’s even a Farrakhan.
We asked Communicator I/C what he made of it.
“It appears evident that it was part of a plan to gradually suck in NOI members in the usual manner. First with Dianetics, then Life Improvement courses, and now I’m seeing NOI members using the hashtag #OT8. This was all carefully orchestrated,” he says. “I may be naive, but I wonder if Louis Farrakhan really knew what he was getting into. It appears he may have lost a bit of control. Then again, maybe he is making commissions on everything and doesn’t give a crap.”
In March, former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder had some thoughts on Nation of Islam/Scientology members holding a conference of Black Scientologists — renamed “Ebony Awakening” — on the Freewinds: “Scientology is notoriously white. But in recent times it has used Alfreddie Johnson to cozy up to the Nation of Islam, even going so far as to award the head of the NOI Western US, Tony Muhammad, its highest recognition, an IAS Freedom Medal…I guess the Freewinds is hoping to cash in on the NOI audience like Applied Scholastics did when they rented out their facility to an NOI weekend get together,” he wrote at his blog. “Scientology and the Nation of Islam are NOT compatible. Sooner or later this whole thing is going to explode.”
Well, that might be interesting actually. We’re glad Communicator I/C is keeping such a close watch.
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HOWDYCON IS UPON US!
Hey, we’re just three days from this year’s HowdyCon in Chicago, June 21-23. Here’s what we have in store for you…
Thursday evening: At 6 pm, we’ll kick things off at our main hotel (see the website), where Chee Chalker, our coordinator, will be checking you in and handing out packets of information about the location of HowdyCon events and other things to do in town. That evening, Author Alec Nevala-Lee joins us for a casual round of discussion. We’ve read his forthcoming book, Astounding: John W. Campbell, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, L. Ron Hubbard, and the Golden Age of Science Fiction, and it has some wonderful insights about how Hubbard moved from the pulps to Dianetics. Take this opportunity to get to know him and hear about his book before it makes waves in October!
Friday afternoon: Friday is Fly Day at HowdyCon Chicago! Our buzzing insect can only join us for this event, so plan to hang out with us. Bring your own LEGOs.
Saturday evening: Our big event this year features Chicago Fire actor Christian Stolte, who tells us he’s cooking up a good show for us. It takes place in a theater, and you need to reserve a seat by dropping a note to the proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail as soon as possible.
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,149 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,752 days
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 295 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 183 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,358 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,132 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 2,906 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,252 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 10,818 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,486 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,746 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,786 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,498 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,024 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,113 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,253 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,573 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,548 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 904 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,206 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,312 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,715 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,587 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,169 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,674 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 1,918 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,027 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 18, 2018 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, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2017), 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 | 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 non-Scientology stories: Robert Burnham Jr., the man who inscribed the universe | Notorious alt-right inspiration Kevin MacDonald and his theories about Jewish DNA | The selling of the “Phoenix Lights” | Astronomer Harlow Shapley‘s FBI file | Sex, spies, and local TV news
