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Tom Cruise at the IAS gala with his kids Connor and Isabella? We think it’s likely.

Is this our best evidence that Tom Cruise, was, in fact, at Saturday night’s Scientology Patron’s Ball at Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, England?

We’ve been getting calls and messages from publications who were intrigued by our statement Monday that if Tom Cruise and his son Connor were in London over this past weekend, it was likely that they attended Scientology’s International Association of Scientologists (IAS) event at Saint Hill Manor.

We base that on past years, when Tom Cruise sightings in London coincided with his appearances at the IAS gala (one time we even saw him wearing his Freedom Medal of Valor!).

And adding to the speculation: Friday afternoon, Connor posted a photo of himself in a spiffy suit without saying where he was headed.

Our hard-working researchers have been scouring the Internet looking for evidence that Tom and Connor attended IAS events Friday or Saturday nights, and perhaps with Connor’s sister Isabella Cruise, who is local.

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So far, we’ve found nothing definitive. But we did turn up one very intriguing item.

It’s a photo from Saturday’s Patron’s Ball that was posted to Instagram by Joost Griffioen, a Dutch musician and producer.

 

And this was his caption:

the @scientology patron ball was weer top! 1000en(!) donateurs ❤️ die kiezen om met hun eigen zuurverdiende geld niet een nieuwe audi of range rover te kopen maar anderen te helpen💪🏻! and THANK YOU @tomcruise 🙏🏻 #hero #heroes

Which we think translates to, “The Scientology Patron Ball was top again! Thousands of donors who choose not to buy a new Audi or Range Rover with their own hard-earned money but to help others! And THANK YOU, Tom Cruise.”

Would he have said that if Cruise hadn’t appeared and thanked the crowd? Well, yeah, perhaps. We sent Joost a message to clear that up, and we’ll let you know what he says if he gets back to us.

So, we’re leaning toward the conclusion that Tom and his kids did make a show of support for David Miscavige over the weekend. And if that’s the case, why is it such a big deal?

Two reasons. First, because the tabloid press for some reason is DYING to tell the story that Tom and his kids have ditched Scientology, or that his kids have rebelled against him and left the church. That story pops up at least once a year, usually in garbage publications like the Star, and are just as quickly debunked, usually by us.

Figure it out, people. Tom Cruise is not trying to leave Scientology. He is not being kept in through “blackmail.”

Tom Cruise is a true believer. As John Brousseau told us way back in 2012, “Tom Cruise worships David Miscavige like a god.”

Cruise sold his homes in Los Angeles, Colorado, New York, and England, and has built a double-level penthouse in a building that is located inside the footprint of Scientology’s Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida. This is like someone so dedicated to Catholicism they literally built a new condo in the Vatican.

It’s long been obvious that his kids Isabella and Connor have also dedicated themselves to Scientology. Isabella even allowed the London Ideal Org to put out her “success story” about becoming an auditor, which you saw here first.

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The other reason why it’s a big deal that Tom and his Scientology kids made the scene (but without the bad seed, the kid he hasn’t seen in five years): Because David Miscavige and Scientology are in big trouble.

Scientology continues to shrink, it’s getting tougher for Miscavige to staff his new “Ideal Orgs,” what members are left are exhausted from all the extreme fundraising, and the church and Dave are now facing some serious new lawsuits that will bring a tsunami of negative press about the way Scientology treats children.

For Cruise to make a show of support at such a time is huge for Miscavige. It will keep those exhausted church members hanging in there a little longer, hoping somehow that things begin to get better after just one more Ideal Org opening, or just one more intensive of auditing.

Cruise isn’t bringing in new members, but he’s helping Dave hang on to the few he’s got left.

 
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Scientology’s biggest whale beaches herself in Toronto

If Tom Cruise showing up at the IAS is a big deal for Miscavige, so is Trish Duggan throwing her support behind the fundraising effort in Toronto.

Trish is the world’s richest Scientologist, and she’s been recognized repeatedly by Miscavige as his biggest donor. Before she split up with her billionaire husband Bob Duggan, Forbes reported that Bob said he’d given more than $300 million to the church.

In this case, Trish has dropped $500,000 (“Gold Humanitarian”) in the effort to pay for a new “Ideal Org” in Toronto.

 

 
Trish, and before he split, Bob, have spread millions around to help Ideal Orgs get built. So it’s not a surprise that she’d help in Toronto. But it strikes us just how much Miscavige is relying on these wealthy followers right now, Tom Cruise and Trish Duggan.

We sure wish they’d get asked some questions about it at some point. We would if we could get within shouting distance of them.

 
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Sands Hall on the Portland crusade

In anticipation of her book, ‘Flunk. Start.’ being published in paperback, author Sands Hall has put out another evocative exploration of her time in Scientology, in this case what it was like to go to Portland for the Freedom Crusade when she was feeling doubts about Scientology itself. It’s great stuff.

 
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Source Code

“The fellow who says, ‘Well, all right, all right, so they’re fighting in M-ghanistan. I can’t do anything about it.’ You’ve suddenly — you’ve suddenly had him admit that he couldn’t, he couldn’t have the space of M-ghanistan. And now, this is the biggest trick that your real entheta boys use. They get people to go around admitting they can’t have any — can’t do anything about things.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 16, 1953

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Something else is operating the matrix and it can all be re-arranged in a moment — so it wouldn’t matter then, what one did, would it? That is the intention of the Time implants — the most basic on the track and always the most insidious of modern-day psychological operations. To drive one into apathy and plant the seeds of defeat before even moving into implanted suggestions, which depend on this confusion to even take hold. I think Hubbard was one of those who made the greatest strides in seriously breaking that mystery down.”

 
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Random Howdy

“The only sexual magick Crowley had came from an opium pipe or a syringe loaded with smack that let him keep it up all night. In street parlance it’s called ‘dope dick’.”

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

[Elisabeth Moss, Michael Peña, and Laura Prepon]

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] Growing up in Scientology, and growing together outside of it: An appeal
[TWO years ago] Crashing a ‘Mace-Kingsley’ event in Pasadena to get some answers about Scientology and kids
[THREE years ago] Our story last week about Narconon deaths kicked up a fuss — and news of two more deaths
[FOUR years ago] Scientology on trial in Belgium: An update from our man in Europe
[FIVE years ago] The Garcias answer Scientology’s ‘International Justice Chief’ with an affidavit by Mike Rinder
[SIX years ago] SCIENTOLOGY’S FRAUD CONVICTION UPHELD BY FRANCE’S HIGHEST COURT
[SEVEN years ago] Rumors That Tom Cruise is Breaking with Scientology: “Bullshit With a Capital B”

 
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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,599 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,728 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,232 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,752 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 772 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 663 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,970 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,838 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,612 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,386 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,732 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,298 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,217 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,385 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,966 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,227 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,266 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,978 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,504 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,030 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,593 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,733 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,053 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,909 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,028 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,383 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,686 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,792 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,194 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,066 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,649 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,144 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,398 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,507 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on October 16, 2019 at 07:00

E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post 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 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, 14 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

 

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