Scientology orgs around the world are reopening as the world continues to struggle with the coronavirus pandemic. Some of them are opening in places where it’s relatively safe, but others may be exposing members to infection.
Flag Land Base in Clearwater is open. Members on course are expected to use masks, maintain social distancing and surfaces are being regularly sterilized. Masks are not being worn during auditing sessions. Clearwater is part of Pinellas County, which is experiencing a surge in infections. Florida has not been keeping safe during the pandemic and is one of several U.S. States that are experiencing exponential infection rates. Despite the precautions, it’s not safe to gather together at Flag.
One Scientologist has taken to social media to oppose the order by County Commissioners to mandate the use of face masks in public places. The order took effect on June 24. Assigning the Commissioners to the condition of treason is a personal decision by this member and was not made on behalf of the church.
The suppressive impulses of bureaucrats and politicians have been given free reign under the current manufactured crisis. Some of those who might have been restrained before by PR or public pressure considerations have plunged into a gleeful festival of oppression. I speak most particularly today of the six Pinellas County Commissioners who voted to suppress their constituents. I hereby assign the lot of them the condition of TREASON. I, as the rest of you reading this, will know who to vote OUT of office next election.
On another note, the fact that our Church is basically being compelled to play along with the masks-mess in order to continue to deliver freedom to beings is testimony to how insane our governments have become. No Church should have to bend over backwards to please a dictatorial government or give-in to its “the environment is dangerous, BE CAREFUL!” SP line.
The Constitution has been effectively trashed by SP, “captive-brain” scientists, lifetime government bureaucrats and the bogus advice they have fed not only to the public but to so-called leaders in government.
Across the bay in Tampa the org there has also reopened. Tampa is part of Hillsborough County, which is also experiencing a surge in infections. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is rethinking his plan to reopen Florida businesses as the number of infections rises. Until Hillsborough can flatten its infection curve it’s not safe to reopen Tampa org.
Scientology’s other concentration of members is in Los Angeles and the PAC base is open for business, with safety precautions. California is also experiencing a surge in infections and Los Angeles represents nearly half of the total number of cases in the state. It’s not safe to reopen any orgs in Los Angeles and there are Sea Org orgs and Class V orgs across the city.
Auckland org is open for business without safety precautions. Based on New Zealand’s infection curve this is probably not dangerous. The country has been aggressive in bringing the infection rate to near zero.
Melbourne and Perth have reopened in Australia. The Executive Directors of the Foundation and Day orgs appear to be practicing social distancing by not being photographed together. It’s relatively safe to reopen orgs in Australia as the curve there is nearing New Zealand’s level of reduction.
Likewise the Rome org is open. While Italy hasn’t achieved the success of New Zealand, the infection rate that was once among the highest in the world has been reduced dramatically. Paris org has also reopened. France has a similar curve to Italy and both orgs should be relatively safe to visit, with safety precautions.
Our final report comes from Sweden, and both Stockholm and Malmo ideal orgs are open. Alone in western Europe, Sweden has resisted implementing safety precautions and was named by the World Health Organization as one of the countries most likely to see a surge in infection rates. Swedish officials claim this is a misinterpretation and due to the extraordinarily high level of testing the country has been performing. This is untrue, as Sweden’s testing rate is below that of the Cayman Islands, the United Arab Emirates and Iceland. While it’s good to see some precautions are being taken, staff members in this photo are too close to each other, and seem typical of the lax attitude the country has taken to social distancing.
We can only hope that Scientology orgs and missions in countries experiencing the highest increases in coronavirus infections are closed. Other than those in the U.S. the Scientology facilities in Russia, Mexico, Ukraine, the UK and Brazil are particularly at risk.
— Rod Keller
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Laura Prepon doing damage control?
The New York Post’s Michael Kaplan has another good Scientology story out today, and quotes the Underground Bunker a few times. It’s a good roundup of the Danny Masterson case and the civil lawsuit, and we think our readers will be familiar with nearly all of it.
However, buried deep in the story there’s a bit of a bombshell:
“(A source noted that [Laura] Prepon, Danny’s co-star on “That ’70s Show,” is not currently active in the church.)”
A source, huh? Sure, sure.
We’ll just point out that as recently as 2015 Laura Prepon was featured on the cover of Scientology’s ‘Celebrity’ magazine, and with a bonkers interview that got a lot of media attention…
Has Laura really backed away from Scientology just recently, or is this media damage control now that the guy who recruited her into Scientology is facing 45 years to life for raping three women?
We’ll put the feelers out to our celeb sources…
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Jon Atack and Eddie Stratton
“What happens when you leave an authoritarian cult? Ed talks with Jon about emotional, intellectual and lifestyle changes after leaving Scientology – with some notes about their love of music and taste in food.”
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“In Dianetics, if you don’t think you could produce ‘therapies’ which would produce convulsions, break people out in rashes, make them walk on the ceiling and have their ears rot off, you are foolish. You definitely could. You are working here with the basic tools; you are working with what is wrong. And when you are working with what is really wrong with the human psyche, you can of course just specialize in making it more wrong. For instance, you can take a preclear down the time track and turn on a fever that won’t turn off for two or three days. That is spectacular! You can actually send him down the time track and get him into a fever engram and take his temperature or see that his skin is very hot to the touch, and he will have a fever.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 28, 1951
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“We all are just being happy slaves without even noticing. I hear Scientologists say ‘In my next lifetime I am going to…’ They actually want a next lifetime with all package included: being born again, not being able to talk or walk for a very long time, having to be taken care of, studying all over again what you already studied, possibly (if you are Pre-OT) getting back in Scientology when you are already an adult and doing some of the services all over again till you cognite you are a past-life Scientologist and even so requiring sometimes long hours of auditing to get your memory back, etc. I know some have been fortunate to discover it fast and even being able to pick up a Scientologist family, but that has not been the norm. Scientology is supposed to end the long cycle of death and birth, not to promote it. Will someone please explain to me where is the freedom in that?”
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“Two eggs over easy, hash browns, and either two Italian sausage or four bangers and dark rye toast. Thanks. Oh, and a double tequila sunrise in a pint glass.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Arraignment scheduled for September 18.
— Jay Spina, Medicare fraud: Sentencing is set for July 6 in White Plains, NY
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial set for October 7 in Los Angeles
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments set for July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Hearing on motion for reconsideration set for August 11
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: 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 dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
— 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] Your brain on Scientology: ‘I am the hurricane’
[TWO years ago] Scientology rock ‘n’ roller goes back to his days with L. Ron Hubbard at sea
[THREE years ago] Federal judge tells Scientology to cool its jets, says arbitration is ‘imminent’
[FOUR years ago] How Google is getting gamed in the fight both for and against the Church of Scientology
[FIVE years ago] Project Normandy, 2015: Paulette Cooper has landed in Clearwater — Scientology’s ‘Mecca’
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s secret plan to take over the world — here it is!
[SEVEN years ago] Blogging Scientology’s Bible: Vance, We’ve Reached the Finish Line!
[NINE years ago] Grant Cardone Takes to the Huffington Post to Head Off “Haters”
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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 1,982 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,486 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,006 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,026 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 917 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,224 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,092 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,866 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,670 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,986 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,552 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,471 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,639 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,220 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,481 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,519 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,232 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,757 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,287 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,847 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,987 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,307 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,162 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,282 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,637 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,940 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,046 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,448 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,320 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,903 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,398 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,652 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,761 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 28, 2020 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, 1995-2019 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
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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
