Scientology’s weirdly detailed shrine to L. Ron Hubbard in Florida even has ocean sounds

Our thanks again to Rasha, who rushed to us the newest Source magazine out of Scientology’s spiritual mecca, the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida. Most of it is the usual drivel, encouraging members to drop large sums on a visit so they can achieve Super Power or the L. Rundowns. But among the usual blather, one item really caught our attention.

It was a piece specifically about the shrine they’ve erected to the Commodore himself, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, in the Flag Building (i.e. “Super Power”), which was opened in 2013 to much fanfare.

Now, all Scientologists know that every Scientology “org” around the world — whether “Ideal” or not — has an office for Hubbard, all kitted out for the day when the Commodore steps back in to take over the operation again once he’s back from Target Two or wherever he currently is. But the LRH Office at Flag is something special. It’s more of a museum to the man than just an office, and it attempts to replicate the experience of visiting the Commodore while he was running Scientology from sea aboard the Apollo, which took place from 1967 to 1975. There are even sea sounds! Here, take a look at the description as it appears in the magazine…

Step Into The Commodore’s Office

It was LRH’s command central on the Apollo, and at Flag you can see exactly what it was like. Welcome aboard.

Before there was the Flag Land Base, there was the Flagship Apollo. In those seafaring days, LRH was the Commodore of a flotilla of ships that included the Diana and Athena. Today, you can go back in time right here at Flag by stepping into the Office of the Commodore.

Located just off the Atrium, and part of the Sea Org Museum, it is filled with artifacts from LRH’s time at sea. It was in this office — the command central and research room — that the Commodore wrote HCO Bulletins and Flag Orders (Policy Letters for the Sea Organization) — by hand. As you peer into the room, you’ll be struck by its stately decor, which includes a massive art deco fireplace, beautiful Spanish marble floors, wood paneling and plush leather furniture. Not your typical seafaring furnishings. But then again, the Apollo was no typical ship. From his office, perfectly replicated here, LRH researched the upper levels of the Bridge and developed special rundowns (such as the legendary Ls) that you can avail yourself of today at Flag.

Helping to recreate the ambience aboard the Apollo, you’ll notice the sounds of the sea — waves crashing, the wind whipping and the warning of distant foghorns. And if you were to take a peek out the windows, the scenery would make you believe you were sailing the Caribbean

Then there’s LRH’s desk, with its in and out baskets, his personal stationery, a Steuben Excalibur Sword and Stone letter opener and a handwritten Orders of the Day (OODs) dated 6 Oct 1970, that makes you imagine LRH is taking a stroll on deck, and will be back at any moment. Throughout the office you’ll see many of his personal items, from the Sanyo Transworld Radio to a pair of binoculars to a shelf lined with books that display his wide-ranging interests, with titles on sailing and navigation. There’s a striking transparent globe behind his desk that depicts the Earth in the center and the location of the stars surrounding the planet.

In his days aboard the Apollo, the Commodore made daily walks around the Ship, visiting his crew on their posts (you can see life-size photo of him doing just that in the Sea Org Museum). Those who were aboard at that time recall being asked such questions as, “How are you doing?” “How is your mother?” or “Did you manage to get that thing fixed?”

LRH wasn’t merely engaging in polite conversation. He truly wanted to know. And it was not uncommon for LRH to call for their pc folders and personally program them to assist the staff in attaining top-notch performance in life.

Scientologists who traveled to the Apollo for services, hoping to overcome obstacles that had held them back — sometimes for decades — also had their auditing personally supervised by LRH from this very office. And of course, their cases would be cracked. They’d return home raving about their experiences. And as more and more people began to arrive, it became inevitable that more space was needed to accommodate them. And that’s why the Flagship moved ashore.

Today, LRH’s legacy of Flag-only Rundowns and the upper reaches of the Bridge are available to you here at Flag. And when you journey to Flag for services, be sure to stop by the Commodore’s Office to see where it all began.

 
Wait just a minute: The Orders of the Day for October 6, 1970? Hey, we have that!

While they were at sea, Hubbard put out a daily dispatch for his crew, known as Orders of the Day, or OODs in typical Scientology acronese. We have copies for several of the sea-going years, and we ran excerpts of them in a series at the Village Voice.

When we saw that reference to a particular OODs, we checked our inventory and sure enough, we have that particular dispatch. Here it is in typed-up form…

Orders Of The Day: October … by on Scribd

 
It’s fun to see that the Commodore was pleased with the fan mail he was getting, particularly about Hymn of Asia. Good stuff.

We asked Sunny Pereira if she saw anything particular about this OODs that made it stand out. Why would they choose such a run-of-the-mill OODs for the shrine?

“A handwritten copy? I would think only the parts that he wrote would be on that page. So the other sections of your copy would not be in it. For sure Bill Robertson’s would not be in it. He was later a major SP.”

And how!

Sunny tells us that this particular OODs was probably chosen not for what it said but that because it was the handwritten version in the best physical shape. And looking at a glimpse of it from Scientology TV’s program on the Flag Building, that looks about right…

 
Sunny also reminded us that LRH Offices are blocked off with rope so you can look inside but not actually walk around in them. She figures it’s the same in this case, so no one is going to get close enough to actually inspect that handwritten OODs.

“The LRH Communicator, or someone designated by that post, is assigned to clean the office. It is considered an honor and privilege to be trusted with this task,” she says.

 
——————–

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: Tel Aviv, Israel!

 
——————–

Now on sale: Twice the Miss Lovely!

 
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. What a pleasure it is for us to work with her on this after we wrote about her ordeal as a victim of Scientology’s “Fair Game” campaigns in our 2015 book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, which is also on sale in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions.

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology plan to shut road through its secretive ‘Int Base’ in California foiled again
[TWO years ago] It’s Election Day, but screw that — Chick Corea is finally superhuman thanks to Scientology!
[THREE years ago] Up next for Scientology: Sending out Tom Cruise to put on a grand performance?
[FOUR years ago] The Heinlein Letters: What L. Ron Hubbard’s close friends really thought of him
[FIVE years ago] The Tom Cruise Smear Machine: Accusations From His Deposition You Haven’t Heard
[SIX years ago] Scientology Excommunication: Documents the Church Usually Keeps Under Wraps

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on November 8, 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