If Scientology is hurting, have its ‘expansion’ plans slowed down? Here’s our assessment

 
We see a lot of signs that Scientology is entering a desperate phase. Mike Rinder does a particularly good job at his site gathering evidence that shortages in staffing and at events is a sign that David Miscavige’s dog and pony show is at a breaking point. But even if membership is tanking, is Miscavige slowing down any of his ‘expansion’ plans? We asked the man who keeps an eye on that so well, Rod Keller, to pause and give us his assessment: What’s the outward picture of health that Scientology projects in August 2018?

Today we’ll take a look at the overall apparent health of Scientology, from top to bottom. The top level is the Advanced Org and Continental Liaison Office level. These are the Sea Org orgs that deliver the OT levels and control all Scientology activities in their “continent.” AOs are expanding, both in real estate and population.

While Canada and Mexico seem to be far from opening, others are expanding. A source has identified new construction in Los Angeles for Sea Org berthing, new CLO buildings have been opened recently in Copenhagen, East Grinstead and Australia. The Kyalami Castle is being renovated and we think it will finally open after years of broken promises. The Flag Land Base in Clearwater has opened new facilities for WISE and Clearwater Community Volunteers, and we predict the long planned L. Ron Hubbard Hall and museum will break ground next year.

Scientology Media Productions is the Sea Org org that launched the Scientology Network on DirectTV and the Internet. Staff at every org and mission are being trained in how to use the network to disseminate Scientology and recruit new members. Along with Ideal Orgs, the Scientology Network is promoted internally as vital to expansion and planetary clearing.

At the Ideal Org level, Scientology intends to open five or six per year until every single org is Ideal. Ideal Orgs are usually boom and bust, but the establishment of group housing for new staff has the potential to fight that trend. Dozens of Scientologists have been brought from around the world to staff Dublin’s Ideal Org, and we see a trend that Ideal Orgs are becoming more like Sea Org orgs. For a staffer to blow from Dublin they would need to find new housing. They might not speak English as Scientology now prides itself in delivering the tech in multiple languages in each org. In Europe it’s mostly Russian, in the U.S. Spanish and in Australia they deliver in Chinese, but an Ideal Org may have the staff to deliver in four or five languages. If Detroit and the other new Ideal Orgs have berthings similar to Dublin it becomes much easier to retain staff and avoid the bust.

Each Ideal Org is charged with opening 10 new missions in the surrounding area. That hasn’t been achieved outside of Russia and Taiwan, but new missions are opening elsewhere. Tokyo has opened a number of them including this new mission in the Hongo district.

The Bergamo, Italy Mission has a new storefront, moving up from the former location in an apartment building. Expect the drive for 10 missions for each Ideal Org to continue, it’s a policy Scientology can never change.

 
Narconon has bounced back from the days when facilities closed in Quebec and Georgia. Narconon Ojai recently re-opened after suffering fire damage, and fairly new facilities have opened in Colombia, Mexico, Florida, England, Denmark and Italy. Above is an expansion of Narconon Navojoa where they plan to have 14 beds for female patients in addition to the existing facility for men. It’s not all expansion for Narconon, as the flagship Arrowhead facility seems to be struggling, and planned Narconons in Canada, Australia, South Africa, and Ireland have either been shelved or are facing opposition from neighbors.

 
As we reported last week, Scientology Volunteer Ministers are working at the site of major Northern California fires. Their goal of 500 VMs in Redding hasn’t been met, but we can now confirm they are in the control areas, and administering “touch assists” to tired firefighters. They have partnered with Bethel Church in Redding to provide a center for residents fleeing the fire and have become an accepted part of the relief effort there.

Scientology is expanding the VM program, as well as the other “social reform” groups Foundation for a Drug-Free World, The Way to Happiness, Youth for Human Rights, and CCHR. We think VM tents and CCHR anti-Psychiatry exhibits are poorly attended by non-Scientologists, but Drug-Free World and Youth for Human Rights are receiving more acceptance as Scientology is devoting more resources to social reform programs.

Scientology may be losing overall membership, but it has a well orchestrated plan to reverse that and expand globally. They have devoted members who volunteer to implement it, and certainly no shortage of funds. It may not succceed in the long run, but leader David Miscavige doesn’t intend to see Scientology shrink into nothing without a fight.

 
— Rod Keller

 
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Your proprietor on the airwaves

For some reason, Ron Miscavige has asked your proprietor to be on his videocast today, which goes live at 10 am Eastern. We’ll post the embed here after the show is completed.

 
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MEANWHILE, AT FACEBOOK…

 
Please join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 12, 2018 at 07:00

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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

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