How the Danny Masterson trial looks inside the Church of Scientology

 
We’ve had a couple of good pieces this year from a former Scientology Sea Org manager who is still “under the radar” and maintains relationships with many current, active Scientologists. They wrote about the development of service contracts in the church and also how bestsellers were made of Hubbard books. And this time, we thought we’d ask them about the Danny Masterson trial while we wait for it to resume, and how it’s playing among the members they know.

What are people you know inside the church saying about the trial?

I’m not hearing a ton about it, but that’s not surprising. News about the trial has really only been hitting mainstream media in the past couple of weeks. Outside of your emails and various podcasts there wasn’t much there and you have to search for it. As a Scientologist you have it pounded into you that you are not to search out any “entheta” (bad or upsetting news that will detract from the “goodness” of Scientology). If you happen to come across it, you close whatever it is before reading it. You really don’t want it to come up that you looked at something negative.

The second aspect is that you aren’t supposed to spread entheta about Scientology or Scientologists in good standing. Many Scientologists will not forward news about it, not even if it is an important issue that they’ve spoken out on before such as the #metoo movement. A classic example is Mike Rinder’s daughter Taryn. She is “all about the #metoo movement” when attacking her dad, but I looked at her Instagram and there wasn’t a peep about the Danny Masterson situation. She’s not going to forward the bad news about a Scientologist despite the fact that it would strengthen her message and prove that she does give a shit about the abuse of women.

That being said, there are pockets of chatter but it’s just between people, not groups of people if that makes sense. Some say that Danny is innocent and that these girls are just trying to ruin him. There is word that Leah Remini brought the whole thing about – orchestrated it. There were a couple of people who realized that back in the day they had heard about the sodomy of either Jane Doe 1 or 3 (I forgot which) and it didn’t hit them until this case that it was actually rape and that they actually knew about it at the time. These two are of course second-generation Scientologists, and when that’s the case you definitely don’t grow up with the point of view that someone is the victim of rape but rather the person obviously did something to “pull it in.” Especially if it’s another Scientologist, then more than likely the person “claiming” it is really just trying to stir up trouble or get the person in trouble. If they didn’t want sex they wouldn’t have been in that situation, etc. In other words you’re the cruel one or the tease so what did you expect?

What is your reaction to what Masterson’s accusers are saying, that Scientology tries to cover up crimes committed by its members, and that it shames victims for being victimized?

As the world changes so does Scientology but mainly in the way of how they will cover their ass if something of this nature comes up. For example, back in the early 1990s a friend of mine was raped by another new Sea Org member. She reported it to the Ethics section as well at the Sea Org Security section. She was first told that she was lying and making it up. She then wrote reports and if anyone could find her old file they would see the report of the rape that took place. She persisted that her story was true. Later they acknowledged that she and the person had sex but that she was using rape as an excuse so she wouldn’t get in trouble for violating the 2D rules. (The “second dynamic” or 2D, has to do with family and the act of sex). She was very upset and was fitness-boarded out (a Fitness Board reviews qualifications when needed and determines if someone is fit for duty or not). The consensus was that she knew what she was doing and she was what Scientology called “2D flowy,” which is the same as saying someone is super flirty and leaning toward provocative. The guy was allowed to stay in the Sea Org since he was new, and that he just “fell for her bad behavior” and “her leading him on.”

The word “rape” being thrown around was not really a big deal back then. Today you’d be hard pressed to see that word anywhere on reports, or session papers, etc. Sometimes they will literally black out the word or similar words with a black marker. You get the gist by the rest of the report but there is deniability because the word in not actually there. Sometimes when the attacker goes to the Ethics department to get handled the Ethics Office will verbally be told as well as modified version of the report so that they know what to handle with the person.

So the above example now would be like how Julian helped Jane Doe 1 write her report. It is careful to leave out the damning verbiage and will likely be made to include her own “out-ethics” or “involvement” in the matter.

Another thing done while I was still in the Sea Org was starting to mark all HCO type files as “CONFIDENTIAL: CONTAINS PRIEST-PENITENT PRIVILEGED MATERIALS.” It used to be that only PC folders were marked this way. It was actually one of the Legal statistics to make sure all such files were marked this way. This was an attempt to prevent any legal or law enforcement from being able to access and use the contents of these files. However, in Scientology these are not priest-penitent materials, and they contain what Scientology calls “actionable,” basically non-confidential. You can act on what is in those files.

In general, Scientology’s dirty laundry is supposed to be kept within Scientology. You don’t want to let anything out that would taint or harm Scientology’s reputation. This is a very big deal. Even on the way to becoming a Sea Org Member you will listen to a lecture from Ron called “It’s a PRO World.” PRO = Public Relations Officer. So, PR is HUGE. They believe that they are man’s only salvation and so are the only ones who can truly rid a person of their sinful desires and actions. They tell you that falling into the wog legal or justice system opens the door to bad handlings leading to an unrehabilitated person who will continue committing crimes, or they could end up in the very evil hands of psychiatry where they will forever lose their minds. Scientology is the only thing that will rehabilitate a person.

This idea of condemning another to this is quite enough for most to not report something to wog authorities. You don’t want to completely destroy someone when you have the only technology to save them. This would make you just as evil as the person who committed the crime. Of course, in the case that this doesn’t weigh on your conscious enough you face the fact that Scientology considers these high crimes and so you will be excommunicated (declared suppressive) and that means any of your family, friends, co-workers, etc. that want to remain connected to the organization will have to cut ties with you. The longer you have been in Scientology the more you have to lose. Also if it moves into the category of an attack on the organization, such as hitting the media, you are now subject to attacks back from Scientology (Fair Game, as you have heard). Scientology will view many things as an attack as I am sure you know.

So listening to the women say they didn’t come forward due to Scientology, I think it’s hard to really understand when you haven’t been in that headspace before. To get the courage to go outside of Scientology to seek justice, if you haven’t already lost everyone you have to be prepared for that to occur and for a second generation like Jane Doe 1 that could be everything you’ve known and just about everyone you are related to, friends with or acquainted with. You have to be prepared to have your own family publicly attack you. You have to be ready for them to take things that you brought up in counseling that you understood to be confidential and use it to portray a bad characterization of you. I have seen things get exaggerated or twisted to make them sound worse. It’s a lot to have to experience.

Another way Scientology has come in during the trial is the way Jane Doe 3 describing that she was “out-exchange” for not giving Danny sex whenever he wanted it.

There is a booklet that was written by Mary Sue Hubbard called “Marriage Hats,” and it would get brought up from time to time but was phased out since it was not from LRH and also she was removed off the lines after she was sent to prison for the Snow White Program prosecution. I can’t quote it because it has been so long but it really does talk about it being the wife’s hat to keep the husband happy, to support him, do things for him and so on. Later it would just get brought up whenever there was a disagreement on the subject of sex (man wanting it, woman not). It was the woman’s hat and what was the big deal with just giving it to him if it’ll make him happy?

Exchange is a big issue in Scientology. If someone is your support or even the breadwinner then you do need to be in exchange with them for supporting you financially. It is sort of equivalent to a job. You hire someone and are paying their salary and benefits then you expect them to do work for you in exchange for that. So in a marriage if your significant other does something for you or it your financial support, it is proper to exchange back. It is not that illogical until it comes to trying to “exchange” with a sociopath.

Can you offer any thoughts about why Scientology seems so protective of Danny?

The treatment of celebrities varies depending on how new they are to Scientology and how much of a celebrity they are. In general they are handled with kid gloves. They get special treatment, special course rooms, special auditors, handlers, etc. There is policy and I believe advices on dealing with celebrities. Celebrities tend to be in the news, they are often well connected to other celebrities or opinion leaders so what happens to them will spread.

So you want whatever permeates through their connections to be good, to have Scientology well thought of.

 
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Black Friday special: The Whales!

After seeing the questions readers had about the IAS donors list, we figured we ought to do a little more explanation of Scientology and its ‘whales.’ This morning we’re releasing it to everyone. And here’s also the version at our YouTube channel.

 
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Technology Cocktail

“Perhaps it requires a lot of auditing to get an individual over the idea that he cannot withdraw from MEST, but this is dependent upon the fact that the preclear is dependent upon MEST. Those things upon which the individual is depending are those things which have a command value over him. This would include father and mother, and it would also include, more importantly, the MEST universe. That thing upon which the individual most depends is that thing upon which the individual has the greatest amount of aberration.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1953

 
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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 as Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison. NOW WITH TRIAL INDEX.

 
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THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

— The Underground Bunker Podcast

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— SPECIAL: Your Proprietor’s updates on the Danny Masterson trial

[1] Sep 21 [2] Sep 28 [3] Oct 4 [4] Oct 10 [5] Oct 11: Day One [6] Oct 12: Day Two [7] Oct 13: Day Three [8] Oct 17: Day Four [9] Oct 18: Day Five [10] Oct 19: Day Six [11] Special interview with Chris Shelton, Oct 19 [12] Oct 20: Day Seven [13] Oct 21: Day Eight [14] First week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [15] Oct 24: Day Nine [16] Oct 25: Day Ten [17] Oct 27: Day Eleven [18] Oct 28: Day Twelve [19] Second week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [20] Halloween special [21] Nov 2: Day Thirteen [22] Nov 3: Day Fourteen [23] Nov 4: Day Fifteen [24] Third week in review [25] Nov 5, Saturday special [26] Nov 6, Sunday special [27] Nov 7, Day Sixteen [28] Lisa Marie Presley breaking news [29] Nov 8, Day Seventeen [30] Nov 9, Day Eighteen [31] Nov 10, Day Nineteen

 
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Source Code

“Once in a while, you will exteriorize a thetan and he will try to steady himself by putting a beam on the wall, and the wall will eat up the beam. The beam, you see, is very, too close to the wavelength of that wall, and the, he’ll stick….It isn’t that he’s drifted down in combating the wavelength forever, he just mocks up on that level with great ease, and he’s got a real body. He’d be visible, to some slight degree, even to MEST eyes. They’re, scare people stiff if they happen to turn around and see one of these boys, because they’re real rough-looking characters, there’s no doubt about it. Of course, they have a sort of a humor about their roughness. I ran into one, one time, that had a beautiful tail. This solid black, sort of furry, with a beautiful tail, and a cat’s face, and long electronic — this sounds like something out of a nightmare, I know — and long electronic claws. And, I asked this character a few questions, one way or the other, I mean, I exteriorized him just that way, you see, exteriorized him in his body, and I asked him to knock a piece of paper off the desk, and he simply reached over and he knocked the piece of paper all right, but he also charred it! And, he reached around a moment later and took hold of the sofa and stuck to it. He couldn’t get his hand free instantly, startled him, and he did an immediate flip back into the body. But he was quite visible to MEST eyes. It was like a dark shadow standing in the room. If you can imagine a shadow, a quite plain shadow, standing upright in the room with a quite bright set of streamers coming out of its hands, you’d have this. This is very, very strange. This fellow, by the way, was quite afraid of demons. And he’d mocked his, he had mocked himself up this way because for many centuries he had fought demons. And of course he went in and mocked up, then, the winning valence: the demons.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 26, 1953

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“LRH COMM FLAG: Norman Chouinard is appointed LRH Comm Flag, part of the double hat Ken Urquhart had been wearing in addition to LRH Personal Comm. LRH Comm Flag continues the duties of LRH Comm FAO but now for all Flag internal LRH projects and Eds and orders. The FAO LRH Comm post simply broadens. All LRH Comm actions aboard, internal and External come under LRH Personal Comm Flag.” — The Commodore, November 26, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I think LRH’s own case got the better of him ultimately. Researched alot of processes, but did he GET ALOT? (Hell, even Hubbard’s own auditor tapes of him auditing SUCK!…he double and triple acks….invalidateive and even supercilious.) He put FAR TOO MUCH ATTENTION on NAYSAYERS. You DON’T ACKNOWLEDGE them or give them credence. ACT as if ALREADY disconnected from them. If Arnold Schwarzenegger listened to all naysayers, he’d still be in Bavaria somewhere parking trucks or driving tanks!”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: The St. Petersburg Times reported that Medical Examiner Joan Wood will re-examine some of the evidence in the death of Lisa McPherson. “Lawyers for the Church of Scientology have given Wood new evidence that, they say, casts doubt on Wood’s original opinion: that McPherson was severely dehydrated when she died while in the care of Scientology staffers. Scientology’s evidence includes sworn statements from laboratory employees involved in the original testing of McPherson’s eye fluid, a clear, jelly-like substance used by medical examiners to assess a body’s condition at death. It includes other scientific information that, according to the church, shows McPherson’s death had nothing to do with dehydration.”

Random Howdy

“Third party law was specifically created by Hubbard to handle mothers-in-law.”

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Trial began October 11 in Los Angeles.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Arraigned on August 29.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 28.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.
— Yanti Mike Greene, Scientology private eye accused of contempt of court: Found guilty of criminal and civil contempt.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2. Hearing scheduled November 17 to argue the arbitration motions.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: February 2, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through December 13.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Case settled ahead of scheduled Dec 6 trial.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.

 
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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] A triple BONANZA of Scientology vids promoting its rockin’ cruise ship, the Freewinds!
[TWO years ago] On a Thanksgiving like no other, we’re thankful again for people we will never forget
[THREE years ago] David Miscavige: Valerie Haney’s lawsuit is a publicity stunt and I want no part of it
[FOUR years ago] When the person who certified Scientology ‘Clears’ discovered that there were no Clears
[FIVE years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Scientology interrogated Danny Masterson and accuser, didn’t notify LAPD
[SIX years ago] ‘Radar’ magazine latest to peddle ‘Tom Cruise leaving Scientology’ fake news
[SEVEN years ago] We’re giving thanks here in the Underground Bunker, and we hope you’ll help us out
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology asks court in Monique Rathbun’s case to take note of Vance Woodward’s loss
[NINE years ago] Bizarre and Pricey! Auditing Scientology’s Operating Thetan Level 2 with Claire & Bruce
[TEN years ago] Florida Court Hears Scientology Testimony in Strict Secrecy
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Leftovers: Commenters of the Week!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 26, 2022 at 09:00

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, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), 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…

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

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast