On Monday we posted a report from Phil Jones about how dead the Cambridge, Ontario “Ideal Org” is. Among the reactions to that piece were a couple of additional dispatches from our tipsters. Is Scientology dying? And how fast?
First, we’ll share with you a similar report we received from a reader who went by the org (not Ideal, but still an org and not a mission) in New Mexico.
Scientology purchased a former department store in Albuquerque in 2007 for an Ideal Org, but Rod Keller tells us they sold it and purchased an awful looking office building in the suburbs. It could take years more for its transformation into an Ideal Org, but in the meantime, the old, original org really seems to be hurting.
Here’s the report from our tipster…
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I was recently going through Albuquerque on a trip and stopped by the Church of Scientology New Mexico. I grabbed my phone and took a few pics and thought I would share them with you.
The interesting thing is that all the signs from the outside have been removed. They were there a year ago, so I’m not sure if they are moving or just wanted to get them out of the public eye.
It was Sunday at 10:40 am and there was a total of three cars in the parking lot. The windows were covered with a reflective film so I couldn’t see in, but I decided to approach and see if it was open.
As soon as I opened the door a man stepped up and asked what I was doing.
He kept back out of view as long as I had my phone up filming and in the corner you could see the signs that had been removed.
I asked why the signs weren’t up and he said they blew down. I said, “Are you sure you aren’t hiding from the public because of all the bad press?” To which he responded, “You need to leave, I’m going to call the police.” He then tried to get the door to close as quickly as possible.
We went through the obvious rhetoric and I eventually left to continue my trip. He followed me to the car filming me on his phone.
It seems obvious that the New Mexico church isn’t doing all that well. The parking lot is all but vacant and there is absolutely no outward sign that the Church of Scientology is open there.
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Thank you for that report, kind reader.
Now, on the other hand, while things look grim in New Mexico, over in Dublin, if you put on a fun fair for Easter, the locals actually show up, as these photos posted by Scientology reveal…
Does this mean that the Dublin Ideal Org and its Community Center are thriving? We’re not sure how many of those people will come back for a course. But we have to wonder if family entertainment options are so meager in that part of Ireland that folks would flock to such an event without caring that it’s on the grounds of a Church of Scientology.
Perhaps our Irish friends could help us understand why this strategy seems to bring in the public as well as it does.
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Bonus items from our tipsters
The power of Canada is the power of you!
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HowdyCon 2019 in Los Angeles
THURSDAY NIGHT OPPORTUNITY: This year’s HowdyCon is in Los Angeles. People tend to come in starting on Thursday, and that evening we will have a casual get-together at a watering hole. But we also want to point out that Cathy Schenkelberg’s “Squeeze My Cans” will be running at the Hollywood Fringe, and we encourage HowdyCon attendees to see her show on Thursday night, June 20. Tickets and more dates available here.
Friday night June 21 we will be having an event in a theater (like we did on Saturday night last year in Chicago). There will not be a charge to attend this event, but if you want to attend, you need to RSVP with your proprietor at tonyo94 AT gmail.
On Saturday, we are joining forces with Janis Gillham Grady, who is having a reunion in honor of the late Bill Franks. Originally, we thought this event might take place in Riverside, but instead it’s in the Los Angeles area. If you wish to attend the reunion, you will need to RSVP with Janis (janisgrady AT gmail), and there will be a small contribution she’s asking for in order to help cover her costs.
HOTEL: Janis tells us she’s worked out a deal with Hampton Inn and Suites, at 7501 North Glenoaks Blvd, Burbank, (818) 768-1106. We have a $159 nightly rate for June 19 to 22. Note: You need to ask for the “family reunion” special rate.
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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!
Scientology Lit: Books reviewed or excerpted in our weekly series. How many have you read?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Kim Poff, finally free to speak: ‘I want this story out. I want people to know what Narconon did.’
[TWO years ago] Scientology retaliates against Clearwater land deal by trying to shiv a beloved dolphin
[THREE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY LEADER DAVID MISCAVIGE THREATENS TO SUE FATHER OVER BOOK
[FOUR years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Secretly taped briefing uncovers precarious state of Scientology right now
[FIVE years ago] Selling out, and other strange side-effects of Scientology watching
[SIX years ago] Dianetics is Not Hypnosis — Well, Except For That “You Are Feeling Sleepy” Part
[EIGHT years ago] Is Tom Cruise Worthy of a Simon Wiesenthal Award?
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,428 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,557 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,061 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,541 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 604 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 492 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,799 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,667 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,441 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,215 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,561 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,127 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,047 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,214 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,795 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,056 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,095 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,807 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,333 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,422 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,562 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,882 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,738 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,857 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,213 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,515 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,621 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,023 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,895 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,478 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 1,973 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,227 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,336 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on April 26, 2019 at 07:00
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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. Our book about Paulette, 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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Other links: BLOGGING DIANETICS: Reading Scientology’s founding text cover to cover | 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 | 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, or 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 | Battling Babe-Hounds: Ross Jeffries v. R. Don Steele
