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PODCAST: Apostate Alex exposes English mayor for sucking up to Scientology

 
Alex Barnes-Ross, a/k/a ‘Apostate Alex,’ continues to be on a roll.

Fresh off of his success with his three days of protest at Scientology’s IAS weekend, he dug into one of the details of the third day, the Sunday charity concert.

Images showed that East Grinstead’s mayor was there to pick up a large charity check, and then later at Twitter he defended his cozy relationship with Scientology.

In particular, the mayor pointed to Scientology’s large presence in town.

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But Alex crunched the numbers and showed that Scientology’s percentage of the population in East Grinstead is well less than 1 percent. So why is the mayor going out of his way to keep Scientology happy?

We discussed this, as well as the upcoming event in Los Angeles, and once again we found Alex a delight to have on the podcast.

 

 
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Technology Cocktail/

“We bought an awful lot of time with the discovery of the exact nature of between-lives implants and how it’s worked. Using this data it is possible to keep any Scientologist from ever getting another one of those implants. As the general course of living is therapeutic, it takes violent implants such as Earth people get at every death to keep people unaware of former lives and aberrated. Just by omitting those implants and using their reporting technology to keep in touch amongst ourselves, we would salvage the lot in a few hundred years in any event. Our data is too widely disseminated to be recollected and burned.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1963

 
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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?

[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

— The first Danny Masterson trial and beyond

[18] Trial special with Chris Shelton [19] Trial week one [20] Marc Headley on the spy in the hallway [21] Trial week two [22] Trial week three [23] Trial week four [24] Leah Remini on LAPD Corruption [25] Mike Rinder 2022 Thanksgiving Special [26] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part One [27] Jane Doe 4 (Tricia Vessey), Part Two [28] Claire Headley on the trial [29] Tory Christman [30] Bruce Hines on spying [31] Karen de la Carriere [32] Ron Miscavige on Shelly Miscavige [33] Karen de la Carriere on the L’s [34] Mark Bunker on Miscavige hiding [35] Mark Plummer [36] Mark Ebner [37] Karen Pressley [38] Steve Cannane [39] Fredrick Brennan [40] Clarissa Adams [41] Louise Shekter [42] John Sweeney [43] Tory Christman [44] Kate Bornstein [45] Christian Stolte [46] Mark Bunker [47] Jon Atack [48] Luke Y. Thompson [49] Mark Ebner [50] Bruce Hines [51] Spanky Taylor and Karen Pressley [51] Geoff and Robbie Levin [52] Sands Hall [53] Jonny Jacobsen [54] Sandy Holeman

 
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Source Code

“I remember trying to pick a little girl up out of a bombed carriage one time, about 1685, and I had quite a lose because I didn’t succeed in making her get on her feet, she was half blown to bits. And mechanisms didn’t work, and so forth, and tried to pick her up and dust her off, you know, as a thetan. And it didn’t work and it gave me a big lose and I got all confused and upset about the thing and then that was an overt not to have done it, you get the idea? But I was guilty of an overt in the first place, I eventually realized and found out, in that I was riding as the, as a bodyguard on this particular carriage, see, and I didn’t do it, you know. Something bad went wrong, see, something bad happened. Well, that’s guilty of an overt act right then. Don’t expect to control a situation that you’ve caused to that degree. Got the idea?” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 25, 1959

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

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“CLASS X: We have now graduated two Class X Internes. This is a good win and breaks the log jam. It takes quite a while to make a Class X in view of the intervening courses such as SHSBC, Class VIII, Class IX, to which are currently added a long Interneship of Class VII. There has been a very slow making of auditors in the field. The New York Org has just telexed that it has made its first Class IV in a year and a half…We are putting a new regulation into HCOs that 50 percent of all its recruits must go to Tech. In other words, for every two recruits, one of them must be put into full time training. Recent HCOs have had a tendency to neglect the establishment of Tech and Qual Divisions with qualified personnel.” — The Commodore, November 25, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“OMG i finished Mission Earth! Jesus christ that took ages. Theres no way i could have done it without listening to it while i was working. It woffles on, I could tell LRH was just amusing himself with it, really should have been 8 books long and would have made for the best ever, still totally awesome, love the data, i really know now the type of stuff Hubbard would talk about if he went on the Joe Rogan podcast. The most entertaining bits are when the storys on Earth and mocking our abberated society and when Sultan Gris does his outrageous out ethics behaviour. This story would make for a great games of thrones type tv series, somebody please make it!”

 
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Past is Prologue

2000: Jeff Jacobsen reported conditions in downtown Clearwater in the week prior to the annual Lisa McPherson memorial events. “I went to the Sandcastle to take pictures of the shelving Scientology is putting up along their bushes next to the sidewalk. These shelves will be used to place Christmas tries shoulder to shoulder to keep parishioners from seeing any potential picketers. I then took a few pictures of the half-built Winter Wonderland. Then to finish off the roll I went to the Super Power building. As I was taking pictures of several people going into the Super Power building on the south side, a Scientology security guy on a bike came up and asked what I was doing. ‘Taking pictures.’ Who was I taking pictures for. ‘Why, is it illegal?’ No. ‘Are you a policeman?’ No, but I can call them. ‘OK, call the cops and tell them I’m taking pictures of your building. Why do you care?’ Well we don’t get many people taking pictures of our buildings. ‘Well that’s all I’m doing right?’ Right.”

 
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Random Howdy

“I’ve always wanted to move to Australia. I could hang out at the pub all day with Nick Cave and the Cosmic Psychos, get a dingo, collect funnel web spiders and tiger snakes and swim with white pointers and salties. Send me a ticket and a few thousand dollars to tie up lose ends and I’ll be right over.”

 

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

Criminal prosecutions:
Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Found guilty on two counts on May 31, remanded to custody. Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7.
‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Next pretrial hearing October 30.
David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, Scientology submitting anti-SLAPP response Oct 26.
Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration. Plaintiffs allowed interlocutory appeal to Eleventh Circuit.
Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Discovery phase.
Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration.
Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Ordered to mediation.

 
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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] There she blows! More Scientology whales spotted, including some surprises
[TWO years ago] As Thanksgiving begins to get back to normal, it’s time to pass the Source again!
[FOUR years ago] Leah Remini calls Beck’s sudden Scientology defection a ‘pussy move’
[FIVE years ago] Kirstie Alley calls on her fellow Scientologists to pounce on another disaster
[SIX years ago] After a landmark court case, Scientology watchers should be celebrating, not sniping
[SEVEN years ago] That time when Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard didn’t invent surfing in California
[EIGHT years ago] Lisa McPherson and the doctors: Hamstrung by the ‘spiritual’ needs of a thetan
[NINE years ago] Scientology Armageddon: Now Sears — yes, Sears — is piling on the embattled church
[TEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY DECLARES ACTRESS LEAH REMINI A “SUPPRESSIVE PERSON”
[ELEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology Braces for the Holidays!

 
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Scientology disconnection, a reminder

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 3,224 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 3,739 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 3,289 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 2,279 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,160 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 5,464 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 3,335 days.
Doug Kramer has not seen his parents Linda and Norm in 2,440 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 4,887 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,229 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 12,795 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 8,714 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 4,881 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 4,463 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 4,724 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 3,760 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 3,476 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 3,040 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 1,355 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 2,530 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 7,081 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,212 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 4,550 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 9,405 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 4,524 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 2,880 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 7,183 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 3,289 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 3,687 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 3,563 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,128 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 3,641 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 3,895 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,004 days.

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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 25, 2023 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, 1995-2022 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2022), 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

 

Tony Ortega at Rolling Stone

 

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