During the worldwide shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic Scientologists have been encouraged to enroll in extension courses — online courses that one pays for just as if they were studying in the orgs and missions.
Scientology is obsessed with recording statistics and they tell us a lot about the current state of their membership. Tampa org is among the largest in the world and they have fewer than 1,000 active Scientologists doing courses…
The UK is proud to announce a target of 2,000 active Scientologists, but they need about a 50 percent increase to reach that.
Scientology bet heavily when it established the Dublin Ideal Org. Previously there was only a small mission there, so the funds to buy and renovate the building came almost entirely from abroad, as were the staff. That bet isn’t paying off. Dublin has 76 active public Scientologists.
Europe is holding a contest to beat the entire United States for the number of active Scientologists doing courses. Their goal is 6,000. That probably doesn’t include the UK, which is a separate “continent” in Scientology. We think the US total of 6,000 comprises 1,000 from the Tampa area, 1,000 from Los Angeles and 4,000 at all the other Class V orgs. With 30 US Ideal Orgs other than Tampa and LA that’s about 130 members each. If that number is the same in the remaining 14 Ideal Orgs in Canada, Latin America, Africa and Asia let’s estimate no more than 2,000 active Scientologists in these continents combined.
Of course, there are some who consider themselves Scientologists who are not active on an extension course, despite the pressure being applied to keep revenue flowing during the pandemic. Some of them haven’t made donations or done any courses in years and their status as active is questionable. Others still are “under the radar.” They don’t want to lose contact with friends and family and make an occasional appearance at an event in the org to keep up the pretense. The trend for Scientology is steadily downward and the Ideal Org program has not stopped the bleeding. Real estate holdings continue to expand, while membership keeps shrinking.
— Rod Keller
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Scientologists Tim Sabatino (right), and Kerri Kasem joined the anti-lockdown protesters in Los Angeles…
And our old friend Clay Bock made the scene in Huntington Beach…
“Now we take eating and condense it down. That is to say, let’s make food scarce and let’s make it very hard to get — and we got a condensation, you might say, which completely escapes time itself. And you go outside of time and get sex. That is to say, the outside of present time and you get future time, which is sex. An individual goes right straight off the time track between eating and sex, and there’s nothing will float on a time track like a sexual engram. They just float all over the time track; they don’t nail down at all. They’re very mobile. Believe me.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 3, 1954
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“More than a year and a half ago now, an incident happened with my daughter. Her teacher sent home from 5th grade a VERY disturbing writing she had done in class. This prompted removing all sharp objects and placing them in a lock box. I emailed Ron to ask for some remote help. He asked for her name and our location. A few weeks later he emailed me he’d done what he could and hoped it was helpful. (Now, for those here who have no understanding of the spiritual universe, this is very normal. Static, after all, has no location, but Thetans attach themselves compulsively to bodies. The GE seems to have the function to RUN a body. Others are NOT the ‘owners’ but they think they are!) Ron ran various Infinity procedures and the BT’s that were planting bad ideas in her went on to productive spiritual activities elsewhere. Is this a win? Beyond words.”
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“The only people who don’t adore me are the people who abhor me, and that’s just how I want it. You’re either in or you’re out.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Jay Spina: Sentencing was set for April 3 in White Plains
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members: Trial set for October 7 in Los Angeles
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Waiting for an appellate decision from the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Hearing on motion for reconsideration set for June 17
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: May 1 (Masterson new demurrer due), July 8 (plaintiff attorneys pro hac vice), August 31-Sept 1 (CSI/RTC demurrer against Riales, Masterson demurrer), Oct 7-19 (motions to compel arbitration)
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe’s attorneys have asked for discovery, depositions (Warren McShane, Lynn Farny), amended complaint filed
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach bankruptcy appeal: Oral arguments were heard on March 11 in Jacksonville
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Amended complaint filed.
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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] Scientology measles ship Freewinds ditches St. Lucia quarantine for Curaçao, its home port
[TWO years ago] How Scientology’s mental health ideas end up enabling the worst compulsions
[THREE years ago] Scientology fires again at Clearwater aquarium and calls county commissioner ‘shameful’
[FIVE years ago] Whale watching: The wealthy donors keeping Scientology afloat, 2015 edition
[SIX years ago] Ken Dandar gets another day in court after his $1 million Scientology judgment
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology is Staking Everything On Portland Like It Actually Matters
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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 1,926 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,430 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,950 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 970 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 861 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,168 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,036 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,810 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,584 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,930 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,496 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,415 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,583 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,164 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,425 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,463 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,176 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,701 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,231 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,791 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,931 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,251 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,106 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,226 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,581 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,884 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,990 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,392 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,264 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,847 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,342 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,596 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,705 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 3, 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, 1995-2019 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2019), 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
