In 2010, Louis Farrakhan formally made the call for his followers in the Nation of Islam to embrace Dianetics. A year later, at the Village Voice, we remarked for the first time on what a bizarre idea it was — that two small but such different groups would be getting into bed with each other.
Farrakhan himself had been interacting with Scientology for far longer than that — as far back as the early 1990s, according to some sources. But definitely by the mid-2000s he was seen attending events at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre, and in tonight’s episode of Scientology and the Aftermath Leah Remini tells us that things started when Isaac Hayes bugged David Miscavige about how white Scientology was and what was he going to do about it.
Leah herself played a role in the coming together of these two odd groups, which we wrote about earlier and which makes up a good portion of tonight’s episode. She admits to not really knowing what she was doing when she helped fund Scientology courses for people like the Nation of Islam’s Tony Muhammad, who has become such a part of Scientology he was given the church’s highest honor last year, the Freedom Medal.
We’ve seen evidence that many of the Nation of Islam’s members have responded to Farrakhan’s call by embracing introductory (no E-meter) Dianetics courses, and a smaller number have pursued Scientology itself, going well up the “Bridge to Total Freedom.” But we still hesitate to call this interaction a “merger.” We aren’t seeing Nation of Islam people joining Scientology’s controlling inner corps, the Sea Org, and we don’t see any white Scientologists joining the Nation of Islam.
So what is going on, and what kind of interaction is taking place? For tonight’s episode, Leah and Mike Rinder bring on a couple of very interesting guests, Ishmael Bey and Hector Falu-Muhammad, who help us understand what’s in it for Farrakhan, and how they were dismayed to see the Nation change the more it interacted with Scientology.
Last year, Farrakhan reacted to Leah Remini’s series by saying he was standing by Scientology, although he seemed to have a hard time remembering her name, calling her “Ms. Remmy.”
The other part of Miscavige’s strategy to attract more black members into Scientology was to build “Ideal Orgs” and commmunity centers in Inglewood, California and in Harlem. We were happily surprised to see Tiponi Grey join the program to talk about what it was like to be recruited by Scientology in Inglewood and join staff there.
Thankfully, the African American community has largely been uninterested in Scientology’s recruitment efforts. But a show like tonight’s can really help keep it that way.
Extra note: Some television cable systems are listing tonight’s show as “The Disappeared,” about executives at Gold Base. A&E’s website indicates that tonight’s episode is about the Nation of Islam. So we checked with the production company, who told us it was definitely the Nation of Islam episode. We assume they know which one is actually airing, and our fingers are crossed. Ha.
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Ewan McGregor’s star turn on Scientology TV
One of our readers pointed out to us that last week’s featured documentary at Scientology TV was about whales, which was humorous when you think about the way we characterize the church’s large donors. We got a chuckle out of it, but then realized that this was a film narrated by Ewan McGregor, who now becomes the first big name to make an appearance on Scientology’s new television network. When the channel began its documentary series, we tried to get a statement from the director of the first film, The Empowerment Project, but heard nothing back. After that, we stopped paying attention. But no doubt David Miscavige considers it quite a coup that he is playing these films on his DirecTV channel, and especially now that one of them featured a star of McGregor’s stature.
We kind of doubt that Ewan even knows he was featured on Scientology’s propaganda network. We sure would like to ask him about it.
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!
We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. 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!
Scientology’s sneaky front groups, spreading the good news about L. Ron Hubbard while pretending to benefit society!
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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] DOX: An inside look at how Scientology gets what it wants at ‘Ideal Org’ events
[TWO years ago] Scientology: Not very effective in Washington politics, but it tries, tries again
[THREE years ago] Jon Atack: Scientology’s notion of ‘case gain,’ and how it reinforces the prison of belief
[FOUR years ago] The questioner: Scientology brings in its legal ringer for a Florida showdown
[FIVE years ago] TEXAS SKIRMISH: Mike Bennitt is on the scene as Monique Rathbun’s lawsuit is back in court
[SIX years ago] Tiziano Lugli Releases Non-Nazanin Boniadi Version of “Blown for Good” Rap
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,295 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,426 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,928 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,408 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 471 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 359 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,666 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,534 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,308 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,082 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,428 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 10,994 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,914 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,081 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,662 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,922 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,962 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,674 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,200 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,289 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,429 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,749 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,605 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,724 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,080 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,382 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,488 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,891 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,762 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,345 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,840 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,094 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,203 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 11, 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 Underground 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
