From time to time, we post mailers from the Church of Scientology that indicate how desperate the organization has become because of declining membership. But this is twice now that we’ve seen this particular mailer go out, targeting children, and the desperation here is off the charts.
Here’s the actual email that went out with the flier…
Do you have kids? Grandkids? Friend’s kids?
Bring them to Sunday School at 10:45am where they will be taught Scientology basics while you attend Sunday Service in the Garden Pavilion (address and map link below).
And here’s the flier…
This kind of targeting of kids is especially repugnant when we think of the ways people who grew up in Scientology as children can spend so many years trying to recover from it. Sunny Pereira has written numerous terrific pieces for us about dealing with her mother abandoning her and seeing the way other children were treated, and many others.
And now Rolling Stone has a really great piece about some former Scientology kids as they get together to help each other cope. The story features people we’ve seen on Leah Remini’s show, like Christi Gordon and Nathan Rich and Chris Shelton. We thought this description was particularly vivid…
Gordon was never taught how to be a kid. Instead, she was expected to be what Scientologists like to call an “adult in a small body,” taking care of herself, by herself, and repressing the fear, grief and loneliness that came with that. She says the experience is like bending over your whole life, trying to avoid hitting a ceiling someone assures you is there. And once you realize there is no ceiling, you’ve already grown up crooked.
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HowdyCon in the Hollywood Reporter
Hey, our annual meetup got a little publicity.
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Meanwhile, in Toronto…
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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] Did a little sunlight send Scientologists scattering for cover? An international update.
[TWO years ago] Claire Headley on growing up in Scientology, and other HowdyCon highlights
[THREE years ago] Megan Shields, the physician Scientology used to vouch for its drug rehabs, dies of cancer
[FOUR years ago] MIKE RINDER AND REPORTER: MAN CONVICTED OF HACKING WAS WORKING FOR SCIENTOLOGY
[FIVE years ago] Mike Rinder takes on Scientology’s uneven ‘Disconnection’ rules
[SIX years ago] SCIENTOLOGY ASKS U.S. SUPREME COURT FOR EMERGENCY STAY IN FORCED-ABORTION CASE
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Implosion: Commenters of the Week!
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,488 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,617 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,121 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,641 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 661 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 552 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,859 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,727 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,501 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,275 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,621 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,187 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,106 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,274 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,855 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,116 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,155 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,867 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,393 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,482 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,622 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,942 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,798 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,917 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,272 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,575 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,681 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,083 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,955 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,538 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,033 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,287 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,396 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 25, 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
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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
