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California is going ‘Ideal,’ and Scientology is on fire about it

[Ventura’s new org, almost ready for its closeup]

On Saturday at 1pm, Scientology leader David Miscavige will preside over another “Ideal Org” grand opening, but this one is extra special.

The old Santa Barbara org is being replaced by an Ideal Org in nearby Ventura, but what may draw big crowds from Los Angeles (which has, after all, the largest concentration of Scientologists in the world, as it were), is that this grand opening will complete the state of California as fully ideal!

From San Diego to Sacramento, from Orange County to San Francisco, the Golden State will now have a full complement of Ideal Orgs, and will become a paradise of Scientology salvation! Can you feel the excitement?

These people certainly can…

 

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And with only three days to go until Saturday’s big party, there’s still a mad rush to sucker in new recruits to staff the facility…

 

The Ideal Church of Scientology Ventura

In the Good Fortune City of America
Directly off the Public Information Center, the cafe will serve as an after-event space seating 52 at a time. It will be the gathering place for Scientologists and passersby to enjoy the fare of this final California Ideal Org.

Join staff — be part of the Ideal Org team of Ventura!
Contact Robert Chapman 323-203-9313

 
Wait, did he say “passersby”? Well, that’s interesting. As you can see from the renderings, the Ventura Ideal Org is, like orgs in Perth and Columbus and the upcoming one in Boston, based on a newer idea, the renovation of old business park monstrosities that are far, far away from anywhere that “passersby” might be walking.

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Scientology leader David Miscavige has largely given up on the old approach of buying historic buildings in key downtown locations with a lot of foot traffic. (The one they recently opened in Kansas City, and upcoming orgs in Chicago and other downtowns were actually purchased more than a decade ago.) All Ideal Orgs quickly go dead after their openings, but the newer ones that are located in out-of-the-way business parks are truly destined for isolation.

Another angle on the Ventura facility shows you just how uninviting the location is…

 

 
For those who might be somewhat new to the Scientology ‘Ideal Org’ phenomenon, we’ll once again run through some basics about them…

— Scientology wants you to believe it has purchased, renovated, and now is opening this new facility because the church is expanding and it needs more room for all the new people. This is completely untrue. Scientology is shrinking. This building is opening Saturday simply because David Miscavige wants to hold a grand opening somewhere at this time. He spends millions on these projects so he can convince his wealthy donors that the church is moving forward.

— Scientology tells its members that an Ideal Org is designed to create a boom in new membership, leading to the expansion of a number of other Scientology initiatives in the area. But more than 15 years after the Ideal Org program began, and with more than 60 of the new churches opened, there is no evidence that they are helping Scientology grow. In fact, evidence suggests that the church has continued to shrink since 2003, and is down to only about 20,000 members around the world.

— Scientology will pretend that its new facility will benefit not only Scientologists but the local area as a whole. But if that were true, why does it keep the public away from the event with the use of strategically placed potted plants or other temporary boundaries, and bar reporters from attending? If the Ventura org follows form, within a few months it will be nearly always empty and will have no effect on the local area at all.

— How does Scientology get local political figures to take part in the grand opening? Some emails obtained by a reporter in San Diego show how Scientology starts working on local politicians months before the event, trying to get them to participate. In past years Scientology has managed to convince some big city mayors and a few members of Congress to take the bait, but that’s getting tougher in more recent years. Expect a former city manager to make a short speech Saturday and maybe a couple of “interfaith” figures.

For 2018’s opening in Detroit, we put together a video which goes over the basic facts about an Ideal Org ceremony. Every point we make in it also applies to Ventura, and it’s only a little over two minutes long…

 

 

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While much about Saturday’s event will be the same old dog and pony show, there is something that could make the Ventura event more interesting than the others. And no, we’re not referring to the notion that California is going “ideal.”

We’re talking about the opportunity to serve David Miscavige with court papers.

As far as we know, the national legal team that served three big lawsuits against Miscavige last year is still trying to find him to serve him the court papers and officially make him a defendant. In a document in the third of those lawsuits, filed in Miami, they asked for an extension of time all the way into May to find him, admitting that after months of trying, they still had no idea what Dave’s home address was.

After more than 60 Ideal Org shindigs, Miscavige has only missed a single grand opening, so it’s most likely he’ll be at the ceremony this Saturday. Sure, he’ll be surrounded by tight security, but this will be the best opportunity to hand him a pile of papers, and so close to Los Angeles where two of the lawsuits are filed.

Will the legal team take a shot at it? Already, one of the their three lawsuits, filed on behalf of Leah Remini’s assistant Valerie Haney, has been neutralized by Scientology’s “religious arbitration” strategy, and the other two are facing similar fates in hearings scheduled for March 27 in Los Angeles and April 20 in Miami.

Is it still worth trying to serve Scientology’s maximum leader on his big day of making California ideal? We can’t wait to find out.

 
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Source Code

“We’re not in the business of whether people are crazy or not crazy. It’s just a method of calling dirty names anyway. The psychiatrists have no idea who’s crazy and who’s sane, and so forth. It’s just a matter of saying, ‘This fellow’s no good, and the US government wants to get him out of the way so he’s crazy.’ It’s just a matter of expediency. It says en masse, ‘We don’t agree with this particular person. He sees spiders on the ceiling and we don’t. Therefore he’s crazy.’ Has nothing to do with anything we are doing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Just forget those classifications. We don’t care how potty this guy’s ideas of the physical universe are, you know, he just might have come down here from the Martian scout command or something like this, and they probably have very, very odd ideas, you see? The quality, the significance of the fellow’s ideas are no business of the auditor’s.” — L. Ron Hubbard, February 19, 1963

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“We need auditors well trained. When I went through the upper sections no one could get on the solo course without the Briefing Course first — that was (and is) the level of understanding it takes to make happy, successful OTs. Unfortunately that no longer seems an option either in the independent field or in the Church of Scientology. No Saint Hill Special Briefing Course offer there, I have heard. I offer it, but so far, no takers, not in 20 years. So how do we get OTs functioning and happy? It takes a lot of personal attention, helping the student solo auditor fill in his missing data, helping him through his levels.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Confiscating people’s passports is a classic Eastern European sex trade/slave tactic.It doesn’t get more obvious and sinister.”

 
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Start making your plans…

 
Head over to the convention website and meet us in St. Louis!

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

[The Big Three: Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Kirstie Alley]

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] Leah Remini accuses former Scientologists of sabotaging an episode of ‘Aftermath’
[TWO years ago] Atack: What David Mayo told me about L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, and the upper levels
[THREE years ago] Disconnecting from the dead: Another employer accused of forcing Scientology is taken to court
[FOUR years ago] DOX: A former L. Ron Hubbard business partner dishes on Scientology to the feds
[FIVE years ago] HBO moves back ‘Going Clear’ to March 29 and TV’s most coveted spot: Sunday night
[SIX years ago] SCIENTOLOGY’S PRAYER: The Hail Mary petition to keep David Miscavige from being deposed
[SEVEN years ago] SUPER POWER UPDATE: Scientology Has Even More Excuses Not to Open Its Boondoggle
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: There’s a Chill Down Under!

 
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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,853 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,357 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,877 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 897 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 788 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,095 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,963 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,737 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,511 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,857 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,423 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,342 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,510 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,091 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,352 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,390 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,103 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,628 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,155 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,718 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,858 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,178 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,033 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,153 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,508 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,811 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,917 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,319 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,191 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,774 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,269 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,523 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,632 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 19, 2020 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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