Jeffrey Augustine reminds us what the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are really all about now that they have more publicity opportunities in California…
With the incredibly destructive, lethal, and unprecedented wildfires in California, Scientology’s ambulance chasing Volunteer Ministers have been out in front of the cameras getting their photo ops. For years, we’ve been documenting here at the Bunker how the VMs descend on disaster scenes pretending to be helpful when all they really want to do is get in the way and take their pictures and videos.
We were reminded of that when we saw a post that showed up in the comments here about Chico, California, where people are dealing with the apocalyptic Camp Fire.
Scientology leader David Miscavige for many years claimed that the Volunteer Ministers were the “world’s largest independent all volunteer relief force.”
After so much exposure of Scientology’s Volunteer Ministers by critics, however, Scientology has had to backpedal on that claim and downgrade it to stating that the “Volunteer Ministers have emerged as one of the largest independent relief forces on Earth.” However, even this downgraded statement is not true as the Volunteer Ministers are not independent in any way whatsoever. Rather, the VMs are a part of the Church of Scientology International and the VM program is wholly managed by CSI officials. The domain for the Volunteer Ministers is registered to the Church of Scientology.
Given the inherent evasiveness of the Church of Scientology we must ask what the Volunteer Ministers are from a legal perspective. For example, in my previous articles I have covered how the Sea Org does not actually exist in any legal sense. Do the Volunteer Ministers actually exist?
For answers we first turn the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Searching for “Volunteer Ministers” we learn that the actual copyrighted term is “Scientology Volunteer Minister.” We further learn that the trademark is owned by the Religious Technology Center. RTC has two separate trademarks on the term. It is in the trademark language where we learn the Scientology Volunteer Ministers exist specifically to promulgate the Scientology religious services.
1. The first USPTO trademark shows that Scientology Volunteer Ministers exist to deliver Scientology religious services, classes, and pastoral counseling; we note that these services are equally trademarked and copyrighted by RTC:
2. The second USPTO claims shows the religious nature of the Volunteer Ministers. From a legal perspective, then, it is impossible for Scientology to claim that its VMs are either independent or nonsectarian in nature given RTC’s legal filing information with the United States Patent and Trademark Office:
The reason we cite trademark information is to put the lie to the claims Scientology’s Volunteer Ministers that they are at disaster scenes merely to offer humanitarian assistance. On the contrary, the express intent of the VMs is to appear at the scenes of disasters in order to introduce Scientology principles and practices – and to introduce them to psychologically vulnerable disaster victims.
The Volunteer Ministers exist for the purposes of public relations and the dissemination of Scientology. Any volunteer work the VMs do is not based upon altruism. Likewise, the Church of Scientology is not altruistic inasmuch as it makes its VMs pay their own expenses. As a result, VMs engage in fundraising and asking for supplies to be donated. The VMs are on their own when it comes to money; the Mother Church does not pay any expenses. However, the Church wants all of the VMs PR photos and will send out teams from Scientology Media Productions to do location filming and photography.
At the Volunteer Minister website we see the photo below in which the charts on the wall of the VM tent show a diagram of the Reactive Mind and engrams and promote the Scientology Volunteer Minister program. The photos also show a Volunteer Minister sharing information with police officers from the L. Ron Hubbard book entitled The Cause of Suppression:
The yellow tents used by Scientology’s Volunteer Ministers are all based upon a specification in which every VM tent must feature a front sign which reads “Something Can Be Done About It.” This is the official slogan of the Volunteer Ministers. The specification also calls for promotional posters of L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology to be affixed to the walls of the tent as we see in this photo. Hubbard is ubiquitous in Scientology and his visage must even be in the tents at disasters:
If one is interested in Scientology and wants to learn more, the VM website sells the Scientology handbook for $100 USD:
$100 is an outrageous price for this Scientology doorstop. A used copy of the book can be had for $7.21 on eBay:
At the next major event, Miscavige will tell his followers that the Volunteer Ministers provided crucial aid for Californians affected by the fires. But the VMs are only effective when they are spreading the good word about Scientology itself.
—Jeffrey Augustine
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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 Advanced Org’: ASHO/AOLA/Pacifica Bridge, California!
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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.
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Most remote large city in the world won’t be overlooked by Scientology’s zeal to be ‘ideal’
[TWO years ago] EXCLUSIVE: See the letter Scientology sent to scare A&E out of airing Leah Remini’s series
[THREE years ago] ‘Babywatch,’ day one: Lisa McPherson raves out by Scientology’s holiest swimming pool
[FOUR years ago] L. Ron Hubbard, deadbeat dad ALSO: Former members of Scientology show off their stuff
[FIVE years ago] The Oiliness Table, For Real! A Look Inside Scientology’s Super Power Building
[SIX years ago] LA’s Sheriff Lee Baca and Simpsons Actress Nancy Cartwright Shill for Scientology
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,273 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,906 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,386 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 449 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 337 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,644 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,512 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,286 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,060 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,406 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 10,972 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,892 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,059 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,640 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,900 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,940 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,652 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,178 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,267 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,407 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,727 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,583 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,702 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,058 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,360 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,466 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,869 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,740 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,323 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,828 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,072 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,181 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 19, 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…
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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
