Nation of Islam figure and Scientology Freedom Medal winner Tony Muhammad was apparently pretty unhappy about Leah Remini’s recent episode about the strange relationship between the two groups.
Leah’s show aired on December 11, and she spent part of it talking about how she had been a central part of the interaction between the two groups. A document shows that she was thanked by the church in 2010 for helping to pay for Tony Muhammad’s courses as part of her donations.
Muhammad was apparently unhappy that Leah talked about funding his progress on the “Bridge to Total Freedom.” Five days after the show aired, he told an assembled crowd at the Muhammad Mosque No. 27 in Los Angeles that Remini had lied about him and about Minister Louis Farrakhan.
He also said her show had an ulterior motive: “Now she’s talking against the church, because the Jews want to use that against the Nation.”
You’ll see some other things in these two segments from the talk that should make you wince. Muhammad is quite a piece of work.
Keep in mind, Muhammad is probably the most visible Nation of Islam figure on the West Coast, and as a Freedom Medal winner he’s also a significant figure in Scientology. He’s not doing either of those organizations much of a favor with this kind of talk.
(If you’re not familiar with Nation of Islam, please keep in mind that it is a Black separatist movement of about 20,000 people, it’s been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and it has very little in common with Islam itself.)
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Continuing our year in review: The stories of June 2018
Throughout the year we were fortunate that Sunny Pereira let us into her rich past as a child who grew up in Scientology and served in the Sea Org. In June, she had a truly unique and disturbing episode from that history, when she was parachuted in to help pick up the pieces after a mass shooting in Portland.
We also heard from historian Chris Owen, who in the course of his research ran across a stunning document — a lengthy narrative written by John McMaster, who in the 1960s was an ambassador for Scientology and billed as the world’s first true ‘Clear.’ In two parts, (Part One, Part Two) McMaster’s statement was another damning account of how L. Ron Hubbard betrayed anyone who tried to do right by him.
On June 15, Sunny was back with another devastating look at how children are raised in Scientology, this time with the specific way they are interrogated to keep them under control.
It’s rare for Scientology celebrities to get into any real detail about their involvement, but Erika Christensen did reveal a few interesting things in her otherwise careful interview with her friend Dax Shepard. We gave Dax credit for pressing her, but suggested some ways he could have asked better questions.
This year’s HowdyCon was held in Chicago, and we saved a special announcement for the night of the main event at the Annoyance Theater: coming soon was our collaboration with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology (which is now for sale!).
If you couldn’t make it to Chicago, you can still enjoy the highlight of ‘Chicago Fire’ star Christian Stolte performing a song about Scientology. It’s the best!
And wow, Sunny Pereira provided us yet another small slice of Scientology horror from her past in the Sea Org. We’re so glad she’s giving us these glimpses of her past.
MOST-READ STORIES OF JUNE 2018:
1. Here’s proof that Scientology members have to be forced to watch Scientology TV
2. DENIED: Los Angeles judge rejects Scientology’s latest delay tactic in forced-abortion case
3. First person: Four Scientologists have been shot, and you’re being sent to audit the pain away
4. Coming soon, our collaboration with ‘Miss Lovely’ herself, Paulette Cooper!
5. EXCLUSIVE: The rise and fall of the ‘Pope of Scientology’ — in his own words
A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2017: Leah Remini’s stepmother Donna Fiore was being hounded by Scientology for dirt on her stepdaughter. Handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff stepped up her support of Scientology front groups. Marty Rathbun started posting attack videos against his former allies, prompting responses from your proprietor, Gary Morehead, Victoria Britton, Paul Haggis, and John Brousseau. And HowdyCon 2017 went down in Denver.
A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2016: We marked Muhammad Ali’s passing with a look at a Scientology video he was in. We published Dani Lemberger’s “declare.” And we broke the news that Leah Remini was shooting a television series.
A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2015: We wrote about that time Jim Jones talked about Paulette Cooper from his Guyana compound. We wrote about a person in our book, the inspirational Len Zinberg. We did some live-blogging from the epic Toronto conference organized by Jon Atack. We broke the news that Scientologist Ponzi schemer Reed Slatkin had died. Some poor schlub went to prison after trying to hack Mike Rinder and your proprietor on behalf of Scientology. And we had our biggest audience yet with Paulette Cooper in Clearwater, the belly of the beast.
A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2014: Another distressing disconnection story: Where is Sami Sterne? A rare audio recording captures L. Ron Hubbard and his wife Mary Sue using an e-meter to come up with the space cooties portion of Scientology. Why we think Original OT 8 is not a hoax — the George White story.
A LOOK BACK AT JUNE 2013: Channel 4’s documentary about Marty Rathbun, Scientologists at War, Neil Gaiman’s Scientology history behind his novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and Joe Childs on Denise Gentile’s blunts.
Five of our favorites from the most-upvoted comments of June 2018
June 8: Mat Pesch
Hey Dave, how about a half hour special showing you getting your daily massage, hair, nails and make up done after a hard day of scuba diving. Give the piss ants a glimpse of your greatness and maybe a signed copy of your Dave Magazine for them to cherish. Here’s an idea, maybe anyone who donates over $10 million can be allowed to touch your hair (after thoroughly washing their hands, of course).
June 11: Phil Jones
At one point Scientology offered to let us have contact with our kids if we stopped doing billboards and no longer criticized them. One of the most difficult things I ever did was to tell them “no, not unless all families are reconnected.” When I see the love that Lori Hodgson has for her children it just strengthens my resolve. Though I have to admit I do second-guess that decision at times. Willie and I talk about the kids every day. We dream about them almost every night.
June 16: Panopea Abrupta
Scientology will not survive the Internet. They can put up their smear sites. They can produce a million more bland programs about banjo makers. The can b/s all they want on Twitter. But one guy in New York with a laptop and one guy in Norway who likes truth and one woman in Australia and one woman who is pissed at Narconon and one ex in LA making charming videos and one guy in Clearwater and … and thousands and thousands and thousands more, more and more every day, are putting their crooked shoulders to the wheel.
June 18: John P.
I have continued to marvel at the scam that both the Nation of Islam and Scientology are trying to run by having NOI members do Scientology stuff. I would suspect that Farrakhan is personally raking in the FSM commissions that Scientology is paying. Scientology gets “stats” in return, which are probably more important to them than the cash, as that’s probably pretty minimal. The number of NOI members that have the disposable income to go “up the Bridge” to the OT levels has to be very small and I doubt Scientology is discounting all of the upper level services.
June 19: Geoff Levin
I watched years ago as Stacy Francis arrived at Celebrity Centre and was discovered as a new “tool” by the Gold band to sing at Scientology events to wow the clam audiences. Stacy does have a voice, unlike Joy Villa who has no training and uses what little she has incompetently. Stacy is the opposite end of the spectrum from Joy and represents Davey and friends perfectly in a different way. She is over the top, no real taste in her use of vocal runs and interprets songs much like American Ninja Warriors attack their obstacle courses. This blends right in with Miscavige’s massive golden pillars and ornate gold stage trappings and Davey’s hyperbole and lies. Nothing genuine there.
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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] 2017: In June, Rathbun became Scientology’s attack dog, but we got mile high in Denver
[TWO years ago] Why would an academic speak up for Scientology? Dr. Stephen Kent has an answer.
[THREE years ago] On Boxing Day, we remember the last time Scientology tried to knock out the press
[FOUR years ago] Give Scientology $1,000 and all you’ll get is this lousy T-shirt
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s 2013 in review: Madness set in as spring arrived!
[SIX years ago] Narconon Georgia Facing Closure: It Shouldn’t Have Taken a Death
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,310 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,441 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 1,943 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,423 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 486 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 374 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,681 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,549 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,323 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,097 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,443 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,009 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 6,929 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,096 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,677 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,937 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,977 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,689 days.
Ginger Sugerman has not seen her three children in 1,462 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,215 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,304 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,444 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,764 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,620 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,739 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,095 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,397 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,503 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 1,906 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,777 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,360 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,855 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,109 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,218 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 26, 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
