INSIDER: Scientology has been devastated by the pandemic and is coming apart at the seams

 
For several days we have been communicating with a new source who claims to have devastating inside information about the current state of the Church of Scientology.

This source is well inside the church itself, and is in a position to continue to bring us information about what is going on. So for that reason, we are going to do our best to protect their identity and position. For now, we wanted to show you a lengthy message they gave us summarizing what they say is the damage the pandemic has done to the organization, and the impossible situation that many current Scientologists find themselves in. We are stunned by this information, and we are looking forward to reactions from our longtime experts in the field. Here is this source’s summation of Scientology’s current chaos.

 
When the pandemic struck, the Church’s response was a program which laid out “protocols” that all staff and all public Scientologists had to follow. These included wearing a mask and gloves at all times while not in your own home, as well as other rigid mandates, some of which bordered on impossible to follow.

The most ridiculous mandate was that the staff of Class V orgs had to keep a statistic of “Number of Sick or Ill public and staff.” In order to advance to the “second phase” of the program, there had to be a continuous statistic of ZERO sick staff or public. I’m not just talking about Covid. It demands zero illness of any kind. The program claims that if the protocols are followed, there’s no reason anyone would get sick. Additionally, the local area had to show a reduced number of Covid cases.

I know of no Class V org in the US that has advanced to the next phase of the program.

As an addendum to this, the staff were required to clean the building with Decon 7, from top to bottom, every single day. They still do this to this day. The chemical which they are using is safe when used as per its instructions. That’s not what they’re doing. They’re overusing and misusing it.

People are having severe reactions to being exposed to this chemical. Fainting, rashes, diarrhea, epileptic seizures, migraines, strokes. All of that has happened to staff and Sea Org members. The church ignores or actively covers it up.

Any staff or public found to have been “violating the protocols” were hit with Justice. I know of many people who were comm eved because they got sick. [A “committee of evidence” or “comm ev” is Scientology’s version of a court martial — ed.]

There are people who have been torn off of the OT levels I-III (the supposed “non-interference zone”) to be comm eved for getting sick.

The Chase Wave stuff was basically put an end to officially by COB two years ago, just prior to the pandemic. [Scientologists refer to leader David Miscavige as “COB,” for “Chairman of the Board.” — ed.] Every reg on the planet, save one or two, was removed from post. Many were declared. And honestly, it wasn’t just Chase. It was every and any financial institution that would give them money. All of the Ideal Orgs were funded with money obtained under false pretenses. The credit fraud is one thing, but the bank fraud will sink the ship.

I mention this only to illustrate this point: prior to the cancelation of this stuff, pretty much all donations were being done this way. That’s for Bridge, IAS, Ideal Org, everything. All of my donations (which are considerable) were done this way.

The reality is, Scientology is exorbitantly expensive. Your average Joe Scientologist doesn’t have the cash.

So, if that’s not happening any more, where’s the money coming from?

All the Class V orgs actually shut down for seven months in 2020. This was, in some cases, due to local government mandates. But most orgs were not required by law to shut down. This is unprecedented. Never in Scientology’s history have all Class V orgs been shut down, until now. And it was done by order of COB. (Which ironically LRH said was an act of Treason.)

This was particularly egregious because the Sea Org bases were never closed down. They were allowed to continue delivering services. So, all the public who would have been doing services at their orgs, bringing them what little pittance of an income they would get, vanished.

Now of course, like with anything in Scientology, the Sea Org didn’t make it easy. If you wanted to go do your Bridge at LA org or Flag, you had to quarantine for two weeks, at your expense, in their hotels. Some were made to sign a document stating that they would be comm eved if they got Covid. [“Flag” is a reference to the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida, one of Scientology’s “Advanced Orgs,” along with Los Angeles. The “Bridge to Total Freedom” is the increasingly expensive progression of auditing levels offered at these locations. — ed.]

You have to walk around the base with a mask and gloves at all times, living in more fear than usual. But the public had it easy when compared to the staff. As I said, I know of many who were comm eved.

One example of this is a guy who was a staff member himself and ran a business which employs several staff. A customer of the business was diagnosed with Covid. No one else got sick from the encounter, and yet the Owner/ Staff member was comm eved for having “endangered the org” because all of those staff had to quarantine for two weeks. Basically you’re not allowed to earn money at the org because we’ve closed the doors and stolen all your public, but you’re not allowed to make money privately either, because you’re endangering the org.

But the Sea Org have it worse. At PAC, prior to the vaccine mandate, all the protocols applied. Masks, gloves, D7. But their quarantine was a little different. [The “Pacific Area Command” or “PAC” is the name for Scientology’s headquarters in Los Angeles on Fountain Avenue, also called “Big Blue” — ed.]

You are made to stay in a room alone for a minimum of two weeks. There’s no reading material provided, you have no communication outside of written letters (which may days to get answered). In some cases, water wasn’t even provided unless specifically requested, and paid for, by the Sea Org member! After the two weeks, you take a Covid test. If it’s negative and you have “no symptoms” then you get back to work. If you still have “symptoms” you’re stuck in there indefinitely.

Now of course, the use of a quarantine to mitigate the spread of disease is a perfectly reasonable idea. But Scientology has a way of turning the reasonable into insane. They will send you to quarantine if you so much as sniffle. Not only that, but if someone in an office of 20 people didn’t feel good (Not had Covid, just didn’t feel good!) the entire office would be sent to quarantine for two weeks, just to be safe. Some people spent months in quarantine. MONTHS. With no contact other than someone bringing you food, and the daily spraying of toxins.

As a side note: per the Decon 7 instructions, any room cleaned with the spray or fogger is meant to be allowed to off-gas for several hours and all surfaces must be wiped with water to ensure no Decon 7 residue remains. They didn’t do that. It’s spray spray spray, get back in your room. It’s just basically a very heavy-handed method of control. And virtually no one is getting time off. Most of them haven’t left the PAC base for almost two years.

Then the vaccine mandate comes out. You have to understand that most Scientologists, especially the Sea Org, are incredibly antivax.

Someone I know, a Sea Org member, was once written up and seen in ethics for “supporting big pharma” after she encouraged someone to get their kids the polio vaccine.

These people are seriously against vaccines.

Just imagine. Ordering them to get vaccinated is to them like ordering them to commit “out tech.” Many refused.

All who refused were sent into “quarantine” because by not getting vaccinated, they were “endangering the group.” Someone could have followed every protocol and mandate to the letter for almost two years, and then because they refuse the vaccine suddenly they’re a danger to the group and need to removed from it? It’s imprisonment.

Most broke after a week. The entire time, they’re being yelled at and berated by their seniors for not “doing the right thing” so they come back on post. They were told it was THEIR FAULT they were in there. After everyone broke, and it was reported that every Sea Org member had been vaccinated, PAC base lifted its “mandatory quarantine” for public. The registrars were very happy to use this as a grab for the public. Which is basically just extortion.

If you went to Flag, in Florida, you’d have to pay almost $2,000 just in accommodations, in order to quarantine. So it became “Come to AOLA and save money because you don’t have to quarantine.”

Of course, if anyone asks why only PAC base has this, no one will give you an answer (that the Sea Org staff are vaccinated). The Sea Org staff are instructed to lie if asked about it.

My own family, when I asked them if they had been vaccinated, lied to me. I’m not even anti vax! They lied because if it became known to Scientologists, there would be outrage.

I want this to be seen by those on the fence. Those who are fed up with this bullshit, but haven’t quite made the leap.

Seeing it will make these people realize that they’re being lied to. How they feel about vaccination doesn’t matter. It’s the lying about it.

You said that Scientology is on a precipice. I couldn’t agree with you more.

In my estimation, there three things which in combination could result in the total destruction of the organization in less than a year:

1) the outcome of the Masterson case.

If it is demonstrated in court that Scientology scripture forbids the reporting of criminal activity among members, the door will open to litigation like never before. And they probably wouldn’t be able to go the arbitration route either.

2) the Bank Fraud being committed.

I know about a lot of bank fraud committed. Credit Fraud is one thing, but this a federal crime. One single case would be enough to demand the IRS revoke tax exemption

3) the Church’s handling of the pandemic.

This is what’s happening RIGHT NOW in Scientology and has never happened before. You hear the same kind of stories of abuse over and over again. This is different. This is new. And it’s destructive.

— An Insider

 
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Jon Atack and Jeffrey Augustine

 
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Source Code

“Let’s take the ant kingdom. The ants have been granted beingness. The ants themselves are not a beingness — that is, an independent beingness, such as a thetan. And here we get an oddity; we get an oddity in behavior in terms of ants. You go around and trifle with an ant. As a thetan, you go around and you start pushing around an ant: put a beam through his head, short-circuit out some of the working parts, make him walk in small circles, and you immediately start getting this, the idea that there’s something someplace that is getting awfully mad at you. Funny, isn’t it?” — L. Ron Hubbard, December 18, 1953

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“MISSION ACCOUNTS UK: COMMANDER HANA ELTRINGHAM and FELICE GREEN are very much welcomed back. They did a fine job straightening up accounts at WW, SH and Pubs. As an added bonus they found Pubs was owed about £300,000, nearly 3 times what it owes and that SH was owed over £90,000 and £50,000. SMERSH is noted as active in Edinburgh in the form of our being worked on to make us unpopular. Well, they can try. The Mission did a great and very long job. They are highly commended.” — The Commodore, December 18, 1968

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Everyone’s postulates work. They are all working. Old postulates, present time postulates, and future postulates. Problem is, people don’t always know what their postulates are, they are busy convincing themselves that their latest show is the ‘true me’ to the point they don’t even realize they are lying about their own postulates. It isn’t about changing reality according to your will, that is just a side show for an OT showing off when done overtly. When done covertly, it is just painting a false picture around a person by feeding them false information. Future is determined by individual and individual+majority placing their agreed upon ideas of the future there. Individuals mostly not know what their postulates are, many exceptions to this of course, and also they not know that their first postulate is not know. You have to be able to not-know that you are not knowing in order to keep the game (with all its random factors) of life in motion.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published an article including mention of the PR activity for the L. Ron Hubbard book A Very Strange Trip. “The very late L. Ron Hubbard had a best seller for a week. His book, A Very Strange Trip, was published in July and oddly enough appeared on The New York Times best-seller list, then vanished. And did I ever get into trouble with the Church of Scientology for poking a bit of fun at the book and the church. The church doesn’t have a sense of humor and never gives up on its critics, first writing a letter to the editor about me, then demanding a meeting with the boss. Even then, they had the last word (or do I?). Just so I wouldn’t forget, the church in St. Louis sent along two of its big books that now take up space on the end of my desk just in case I need to know quickly what Scientology is and how L. Ron’s e-meter works. A columnist for another newspaper wrote about the book and reports that he received the same treatment, first telephone calls to his editors seeking his home telephone number, then letters and demands for equal time. Then he wrote a sequel, ‘How rigor-mortis affects penmanship,’ or ‘How dead is he?’ and the fur fairly flew again. He’s sworn off L. Ron and the Scientology L. Ronnettes for good. It’s not worth the grief, he says.”

 
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Random Howdy

“I think it’s safe to say at this point in the proceedings that the reason things are so bad in the unchurch of Scientology aren’t due merely to Miscavige being dumb or incompetent. It’s obvious that he is a purposeful sadist who actively enjoys plotting new ways to torment his captive flock. He’s King Joffery, he’s Ivan the Terrible. He’s freaking nuts.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Next hearing set for February 8. Trial scheduled for August 29, 2022.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), false imprisonment, aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Next hearing scheduled for December 21.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Pretrial conference December 17 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for February 11.
— Joseph ‘Ben’ Barton, Medicare fraud: Pleaded guilty, awaiting sentencing.

Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Eleventh Circuit affirmed ruling granting Scientology’s motion for arbitration. Garcias considering next move.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ US Supreme Court denied Valerie’s petition Oct 4.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: California Supreme Court granted review on May 26 and asked the Second Appellate Division to direct Judge Steven Kleifield to show cause why he granted Scientology’s motion for arbitration. Oral arguments held November 2, awaiting a ruling.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach tax debt: Eleventh Circuit ruled on Sept 9, 2020 that Feshbachs can’t discharge IRS debt in bankruptcy. Dec 17: Feshbachs sign court judgment obliging them to pay entire $3.674 million tax debt, plus interest from Nov 19.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for June 28, 2022.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: Trial concluded, Cannane victorious, awarded court costs. Case appealed on Dec 23. Appeal hearing held Aug 23-27. Awaiting a ruling.

 
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links, including our four days in Los Angeles covering the preliminary hearing and its ruling, which has Danny facing trial and the potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. 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 a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Oof: Jane Doe #1’s own attorneys flubbed and ID’d her and her IP address in court documents
[TWO years ago] Why the IRS will likely do nothing about Mormon and Scientology illegal slush funds
[THREE years ago] Leah Remini asks ‘Where is Shelly’ as the Church of Scientology turns 65!
[FOUR years ago] When love triumphs over Scientology: A fairy tale of New York for the holidays
[FIVE years ago] Oh look, Scientology started a blog, and it already won an award
[SIX years ago] Compton scam rehab clinic definitely a Church of Scientology operation, witnesses say
[SEVEN years ago] Rick Ross has a new book that will help you get someone out of Scientology
[EIGHT years ago] Happy Birthday, Church of Scientology!
[NINE years ago] Joel Sappell Finds Former Scientology Enforcer Marty Rathbun To Be a Reluctant Whistleblower
[TEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: In the Sea Org at 18 and on Top of the World!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 18, 2021 at 07:00

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The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2020 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2020), 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, 15 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…

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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

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast