Rod Keller finds that Scientology’s Narconon scam can get, yes, even sketchier…
Scientology opened Narconon Europe in 2015 in Helsinge, Denmark on the banks of Lake Arresø to serve as a “continental” Narconon that would deliver the drug rehab program but also to train Narconon staff members in Europe. It’s hard to find any mention of Scientology on their website, even the page praising L. Ron Hubbard. If you search for it, you can find this statement:
The Narconon program is based on the discoveries and writings of L. Ron Hubbard, the Founder of the Scientology religion. However, Narconon is non-religious and a person does not become a Scientologist by doing the program. Mr. Hubbard began his research into drug abuse in the 1960s. The resulting discoveries provided the means by which individuals could become free of addiction.
Scientology makes it ambiguous how involved they are with Narconon in order to placate local officials and to attract customers who would be put off by the connection. It’s a false wall of separation between the church and the drug rehabs. They claim the same saunas, vitamins and training routines are religious in nature when done in a Scientology org, but non-religious when done at Narconon.
In Scientology and Narconon salespeople are called “registrars” or “regges.” The regges at Narconon Europe are (left to right) Jörg Carl, Elvis Seko and Carlo Balasini. In a bizarre 30 minute live chat they offer a deal for you that makes it plain that there is no wall of separation between Scientology and Narconon. If you bring a person to the Narconon facility in Helsinge, they will pay for you to take the Survival Rundown at the Scientology org of your choice. “Terra Incognita,” writing at Mike Rinder’s blog describes the SRD process:
The SRD – the Survival Rundown – is a collection of hundreds of objective processes compiled by David Miscavige and his team of minions from HCOBs, lectures, and miscellaneous papers written by LRH. Objective processing has to do with communicating with the physical universe, things which can be observed by our senses – like walls, ashtrays, and human bodies. This is opposed to subjective processing which has to do with what’s inside a person’s mind.
Objectives have to do with putting a person more into present time and into communication with, and in control of, the physical universe. Unlike other rundowns of which I’m familiar, the hundreds of SRD routines all have identical or similar end phenomenon.
Paying for the SRD is better for Scientology than paying a standard commission since the money is never paid out, it goes directly to an org. Prices vary by location, but the cost of the SRD is about US $3,000. Scientology pays a 10 percent commission to recruiters, and Narconon costs $30,000 so the math makes sense.
What makes no sense is that Scientologists are being urged to act as amateur interventionists to get their friends and neighbors into Narconon so they can pay for their SRD. Without any training they are expected to diagnose a medical condition and recommend a course of treatment. In this case the treatment is unsupported by any medical evidence and the recruiter has a conflict of interest in that they benefit by delivering a person to the program.
The regges describe this as a “game.” The concept of a game comes from Scientology. L. Ron Hubbard wrote “What is a game? A game is an activity engaged upon by one or more individuals in order to maintain his interest in communication in life.” The idea is that a person as an omnipotent thetan or spirit has inhabited a body as a game to avoid being bored. The term is used frequently in fundraising for Scientology.
Balasini describes the Narconon program, starting with a non-medical withdrawal in which the patient is under constant supervision and is allowed to sleep and receives vitamins every six hours. Then they move on to the next stage of the program, which he says is “like the Purif” which is the Purification Rundown that every Scientologist needs to complete to move up the Scientology bridge.
Seko describes the benefits of the program including the false claim that radiation from the sun can be stored in the body and can be sweated out during the Purif. He describes himself as “like a doctor” because he has reality on drugs and reality on the person. Reality in Scientology is part of the Affinity-Reality-Communication or ARC triangle.
Balasini describes the “life skills” portion of the Narconon program. It consists of the PTS/SP course to help the patient choose the right people as friends, Overts/Withholds and Conditions in Life. All of these are key concepts and courses in Scientology.
We also have video of the most recent graduation ceremony at Narconon Europe. Balasini introduces Nicholas and Ramon, two patients who have completed the Narconon program. Staff member Thomas Pettersson presents them with their graduation certificates. We wish them both the best in their recovery.
— Rod Keller
——————–
Bonus items from our tipsters
Happening this morning in Hollywood…
——————–
Scientology’s celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs’ — now with comments!
We’re building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs.’ We’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them, in order to build a record and maintain a watch as Scientology continues its inexorable decline — and yes, we finally have comments working on these new pages! Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.
Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!
Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!
Today’s Ideal Org: Mexico City!
——————–
Coming November 1
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Ray Emmons, 1942-2017: Clearwater’s cop who sniffed out Scientology’s secrets
[TWO years ago] Talking with Tiponi Grey, who quit her Scientology job and announced it on YouTube
[THREE years ago] Troublemakers: The women who won’t keep quiet about Scientology
[FOUR years ago] Finally, Scientology has an answer for last year’s Super Bowl power outage
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s Trust Issues: A Possible Garcia Legal Strategy?
[SIX years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology Price Increase!
——————–
Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,251 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,884 days
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 427 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 315 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,490 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,264 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,038 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,384 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 10,950 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,870 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,037 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,618 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,878 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,918 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,630 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,156 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,245 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,385 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,705 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,561 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,680 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,036 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,338 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,444 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,847 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,718 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,301 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,806 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,050 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,159 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on October 28, 2018 at 07:00
E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
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
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates
Join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
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
