We want to thank the people at YouGov for bringing us a holiday present and a chuckle as the year 2022 goes into its last week.
The British market research company, which has a branch in the US, recently polled Americans about their feelings about 35 different religious groups.
A sample of 1,000 people were asked to judge the “favorability” of organizations as disparate as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and others.
As you might expect, Christian denominations tended to do well, with “Christianity” and “Protestantism” coming in first and second, with the highest favorability to non-favorability ratio.
Amish, Judaism, and Buddhism rounded out the top five.
At the other end of the scale were groups that had more non-favorability than favorability, such as Islam, Mormonism, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
But those scores were vastly exceeded by the two groups who were tied at dead last: Scientology and Satanism.
Yes, the Hollywood-friendly group that boasts such familiar faces as Tom Cruise and John Travolta has as much revulsion from the public as an organization whose only recognizable face is Satan himself.
The chef’s kiss, of course, is that Scientology prides itself on public relations methods designed by founder L. Ron Hubbard.
We could go on and on about this result, but we thought some congratulations were in order. Scientology, take a bow.
“My congratulations to Scientology. With so many hard-working Scientologists, it must be a tough blow. If anyone could tie for last place with Satanism, it would have to be you. Great work!” — Sunny Pereira
“Congrats Tony on helping to position Scientology on par with Satanism for the least-liked religious group. Your continuous exposure of the abuses and fraud in Hubbard’s church have made a huge difference. I’d say Scientology’s PR stats are ‘lowest ever’.” — Geoff Levin
“Scientology in popular culture is synonymous with abuse. Day after day some new horror story emerges. Sometimes the abuse is splitting up the family as in disconnection, sometimes it’s another Fair Game hit. Then on top of all this after finally reaching ‘OT Levels,’ spending $400,000 to reach the secret Holy Grail, the client is trained to talk to his attached spirits and exorcise or jettison them. Laughter.” — Karen de la Carriere
“Congratulations & thanks to Tony and every person who has taken the time to expose the abuses of The Church of Scientology! They are last because of their own insane actions and the people exposing them. Once more….tick tock.” — Tory Christman
“L. Ron Hubbard said that news media are Merchants of Chaos. That was just another ad hominem attack on those who would expose his con. When hard-working journalists with integrity endeavor to report (like every single day for years) the abuses and craziness of Scientology, aided by the long arm of the Internet, the public at large, to greater and greater extent, see that cult for what it is. This poll is evidence of that fact.” — Bruce Hines
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Continuing our year in review: The stories of July 2022
July started out with news from Australia: Between 2016 and 2021, the country had gained 2 million in population. But over that same period, the number of Scientologists had gone down by 26! Another census poked holes in Scientology’s “expansion” myth.
As long as Valerie Haney was going to be forced into Scientology’s “religious arbitration,” she nominated actress and Scientologist Elisabeth Moss to be one of her arbitrators.
For our podcast, Claire Headley told us some things we hadn’t heard before about what she had seen for her own eyes about Tom Cruise in Scientology.
Bruce Hines brought us another gripping narrative about his time in the Sea Org, this time about a harrowing stint at the filmmaking studios at Int Base.
As we expected, Scientology tried to derail a new labor trafficking lawsuit with motions to force the case into arbitration, and we had their documents for you to look at.
Bruce Hines also did a podcast with us and told us a wild Shelly Miscavige story we hadn’t heard before.
On July 17, we published a photo of Danny Masterson during his DJ Donkey Punch days that we thought would have more impact on the media.
Two days later, Pete Griffiths regaled us with a fun tale about how he’d run a Scientology mission after he was declared suppressive!
Scientology filed its petition in the Bixler case to the US Supreme Court, and we had it for you to look at.
Jon Atack got married, and Paulette Cooper came out with a memoir.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2021: Chris Owen on Scientology’s war with psychiatry. New court documents in Brian Statler’s shooting death. Our motion to quash a subpoena served on us by Tom Mesereau in Danny Masterson’s criminal case. And more accounts about life in Scientology from Sunny Pereira, Pamela Nickel Williams, and Cathy Mullins.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2020: Covid bailout loans went to Scientology churches, front groups, and schools. Some LAPD emails demonstrating a cozy relationship with Scientology were released. Kelly Preston died at 57 and Lisa Marie Presley lost a son to suicide. Bryan Seymour’s ‘Black Ops’ series was cancelled and Leah Remini blamed Tom Cruise. Leah Remini and Mike Rinder began a new podcast series. And Leah gave us her unpublished chapter on Tom Cruise to post here at the Bunker. And a potential Biden VP pick, Karen Bass, gets called out for her Scientology support.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2019: Brendan Tighe and Sunny Pereira told us more shattering disconnection stories. Chris Owen unearthed what was really behind the 1960s FDA investigation of Scientology. Miss New York would no longer shill for a Scientology front organization after our reporting. Mike Rinder made public an LAPD report about a woman who fled Scientology after being lured in by Jason Dohring at the Celebrity Center.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2018: Photos from Maiden Voyage included what would become an infamous shot of David Miscavige getting pinned with a medal. A witness in the Danny Masterson investigation provided proof that they were being subjected to frightening harassment. With trial nearing, Laura DeCrescenzo served David Miscavige with a notice to appear. A stunning new story of Scientology financial crime begins to unfold in the tale of Efrem Logreira and an ice cream party. Chris Owen reconsidered the UK ban on Scientology on its 50th anniversary. We reported the puzzling suicide of a young Scientologist visiting the Flag Land Base. And Sunny Pereira treated us to her Scientology passport!
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2017: Clay Irwin snagged images from the spy camera aimed at his house. L. Ron Hubbard explained how you could crush a planet between thumb and forefinger with OT powers. Scientology billionaires yoked the fortunes of the world’s biggest-selling drug to an ongoing windfall for Scientology. Tommy Davis’s Hollywood dream ended, and so did his marriage. Paulette Cooper turned 75.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2016: How the parents of a Kazakh woman got her back from the Sea Org. We marked the passing of Steve “Sarge” Pfauth at 70. We found that Joey Chait’s story was more complex than some had it. Rebecca McKee told us how she reunited with her high school sweetheart. And we said goodbye to Arlene Cordova.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2015: We wrote about Scientology’s day care from hell. Brian Sheen’s full Scientology story turned out to be pretty fascinating. Chris Shelton emceed us in Denver. And Nick Lister dished on Tom Cruise ruthlessly putting ethics in on his own family.
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2014: Our Independence Day special, when Jeremy Powers defied disconnection and came home. We said goodbye to John Joseph, a man who cared. Camilla Andersson went public after 29 years in Scientology. And we live-blogged ID network’s show on Elli Perkins (which featured your proprietor).
A LOOK BACK AT JULY 2013: Leah Remini defects, Shelly Miscavige speaks, Jim Lynch exteriorizes, and Christian Stolte rocks.
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Technology Cocktail
“There is no doubt any longer in my mind that a postulate made by an awareness of awareness unit is a higher manifestation than any energy-space manifestation and that the postulate is totally and entirely in control of space-energy manifestations, a thing which would be news to a nuclear physicist, but which could be proven to him. It would probably make a very old man of him. Now we have that fact, that postulate. A thought is the most senior thing there is. It is senior to any and all masses because thoughts can handle masses, as I hope you will see in the group processing here to your abundant knowledge.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1954
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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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“Some people have been awfully mean to us. Now let’s knock them down the emotional curve. The way you do it is to define a miracle and then turn them out, because you can turn out a certain percentage of miracles. The lame aren’t good enough — you want somebody who can’t walk. The blind are fine, but don’t get people blind in just one eye; you want a seeing-eye-dog type of blindness. And if you follow out that line of advance you will then, as a third-, fifth- or tenth-echelon reaction, help all the others….All of a sudden it starts word of mouth all over: ‘Dianetics is turning on people’s sight.’ Everybody who is blind, who really wants some help and objects to being blind and isn’t basing all the approval of his life upon being blind, will be on the other end of a telephone, as far as you are concerned….Let’s set up shop and undo three specific problems. I know you have a lot of preclears that are hanging on your skirts and so forth. Give them the book and tell them to give you a call, and you go to work on blindness, arthritis ‘can’ts’ and children in bed with the aftereffects of polio. Just work on those categories. Don’t take children that have been all chewed up by surgery. You can make them better off but they are not spectacular.” — L. Ron Hubbard, December 27, 1951
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“We are moving toward AD 21 with all aces. The sequence of (1) Put Flag here (2) Put Coninental Liaison there (3) Put orgs there is working out very well. We have been about 14 months on this sequence of actions already. We’re about 2/3rds through No. 1, 1/2 through No. 2 and, assisted by the FEBC student pgm are already begun on No. 3. The targets I’m working toward is every SO tripled in size and every Scn org in the world the size and activity of SH 1967. As we have now proved out that we have the only fast effective tech on the planet that handles the sick and insane as well as everything else we have had, it is obvious that if we just keep on going the way we’re going and our people have and wear their hats, we’ll make it!” — The Commodore, December 27, 1970
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“53 new people have gone and viewed our website in the past month. Non Existence condition is going good so far.”
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1995: The newsgroup alt.binaries.scientology was created this week. It is intended as a place for uuencoded photos, sounds, and other binary files. Robert Clark reported: “Since david guntner is located on netcom, i forged a newgroup message from ‘miscavige@flag.sea.org’ in honor of the original forged newgroup message from scott goehring which originally created alt.religion.scientology, which issued from ‘micaviage@flag.sea.org’ in either case, further booster newgroups for alt.binaries.scientology would be appreciated, as it is likely that, as with most new alt.* newsgroups at this stage in the history of the net, it may receive spotty propagation.”
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“When I first read about ‘TR-Alice’ I was stunned because to me it was so obviously Hubbard laughing at his marks and laying out a huge clue that he was scamming them.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Mistrial declared November 30. Status conference scheduled January 10, retrial scheduled March 27.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Plea deadline scheduled for December 16.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff scheduled to time served with three years supervised release, restitution of $9.7 million.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial hearing December 9.
— 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 November 17 to argue the arbitration motions, awaiting ruling.
— 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 February 7.
— 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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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] After leaving Scientology, the 1960s band People! has a new album out!
[TWO years ago] The expensive set of nutty experiences Scientology is pushing hard right now
[THREE years ago] This year’s best Scientology shoops by readers of the Underground Bunker
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s humanitarians will continue to salvage this planet in 2019
[FIVE years ago] Looking back at July ’17: How a billionaire set up psych drugs to fuel Scientology into the future
[SIX years ago] Tonight on ‘Leah Remini’: Marc & Claire Headley on forced abortions and Sea Org escapes
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology’s 2015 in review: Our July travels, and the day care story we can’t forget
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s 2014 in review: For July, a stunning story of independence
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s 2013 in review: The appeals of May and the blunts of June
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Shoop of the Year — The Vote Is In!
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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 2,891 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,396 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,946 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,936 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 1,827 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,132 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,002 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 2,107 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,580 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 3,896 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,462 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,381 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,549 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,130 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,391 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,427 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,142 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 2,707 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,022 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,197 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 6,748 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 3,879 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,217 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,072 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,191 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,547 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 6,850 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,956 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,354 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,230 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 2,813 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,308 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,562 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 14,671 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on December 27, 2022 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, 1995-2021 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
