Check out the Scientology propaganda handed out at Saint Hill on New Year’s Eve!

 
We’ve paid considerable attention to David Miscavige’s November appearances at the IAS gala in England and the taping he made of the New Year’s event on December 16 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

But of course, most Scientologists probably experienced that New Year’s speech at their local orgs on the night of New Year’s Eve itself.

One of our readers attended the December 31 party at Saint Hill Manor in England, and told us that all attendees received a pamphlet that they thought we’d like to see.

We’re always interested in the propaganda that Scientology hands out to its members, and since this particular piece of literature was handed out at Saint Hill, we asked former London staffer Alexander “Apostate Alex” Barnes-Ross to give us his thoughts about it.

Alex: “The first page is a contact form, “We want to hear from you” – but if you look carefully at the copyright statement, this is a data capture for the Church of Scientology International. Only current Scientologists would have been invited to attend the New Year’s event at Saint Hill, so most of the data will already be known to the Org. However, this is clearly a data capture for reges (registrars, salespeople) across the pond to scope out UK prospects they can poach for the Sea Org, Ideal Org fundraisers, and course sales.”

Alex: “The letter from Lavinia Vos, Saint Hill’s Director of Training, takes an interesting approach, focusing on not just the parishioner’s progress up the Bridge but ‘your family and your friends.’ Although this is nothing new, it could be a nod toward Scientology’s aging demographics: The big whales are getting old and Ms. Vos is trying to shift the focus and secure the next generation of Scientology donors.”

Alex: “This theme continues through the pack with success stories and photos of children standing on the steps of Saint Hill Castle holding course completion certificates under the heading ‘Next Generation moving up the Bridge at Saint Hill.’ Most of the staff I worked with at London Org were third generation and now in their early 30s – and many of them are now having children of their own and starting families. It’s clear to me Saint Hill are also trying to engage this audience and get kids indoctrinated and up the Bridge as young as possible.

“I was a teenager when I joined Scientology and was on a ‘project prepare’ to arrive in the Sea Org at Flag and start a new life fully dedicated to working for the Church. If I’d have finished the program, it would have amounted to child trafficking, and there are several families I know of that have been torn apart by Scientology. Charlie Wakley’s brother Jason, for example, was Director of Inspections and Reports (Dir I&R) at London Org as a teenager and now works for the Sea Org in Los Angeles. He hasn’t seen his family in years.

“When you consider the reality of what practicing Scientology means — interrogations, ethics handlings, and punishment for (god forbid) yawning in a course room — it’s sickening Saint Hill are starting 2024 on this note, and it just highlights the urgent need for the authorities to step in and protect these children from what is nothing short of abuse.”

Thank you, Alex, for that crucial perspective.

And thanks again to our reader for passing along the pamphlet!

 
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Technology Cocktail

“When you see somebody having a ball getting everyone to take peyote because it restimulates prenatals, know he is pulling people off the route. Realize he is squirreling. He isn’t following the route. Scientology is a new thing—it is a road out. There has not been one. Not all the salesmanship in the world can make a bad route a proper route. And an awful lot of bad routes are being sold. Their end product is further slavery, more darkness, more misery.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1965

 
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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

“You can, by the way — it’s quite curious — if you were sailing down the street exteriorized and you take a look at somebody, you look over his anchor points, you’ll find those big wing anchor points. They’re way out there, great big gold balls way out in front. You can take one of these, one of this guy’s anchor points, you know, in front and pull it sideways and he’ll start to walk in a circle without knowing why he’s walking in a circle. And you push it out of position and he’ll start to lean. Oh, it’s a very obvious sort of structure.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 5, 1955

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“VISITORS: Only 250 Greek visitors came to the ship today. I am sure they were well handled. But it shows, (a) a lapse of advertising in Div VI and (b) insufficiently interesting ship tour. We should do better next time.” — The Commodore, January 5, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“There is really no more satanism in Scientology than there is actually in the Catholic church. Only the protestant Christians tried to get away from symbol and ritual and authoritarianism — all elements of satanism — but even they did not do nearly well enough….The slavemasters of the planet (Vatican & British nobility — ‘Priests & Kings shall rule’ — the double-headed eagle) have pushed only extremes in order to divide & conquer.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2000: The doors of the Lisa McPherson Trust opened this week in downtown Clearwater. From the St. Petersburg Times: “An organization that says it wants to reform the Church of Scientology has followed through with its plans to open a headquarters at the epicenter of the Scientology world. The group, led by New England
millionaire Robert S. Minton, on Wednesday purchased a small office building at 33 N Fort Harrison Ave., just 30 feet from a major Scientology building downtown. Minton and a five-member staff say they plan to educate local residents — including existing Scientologists — about abuses within the church. Scientology reacted Wednesday with strong words. ‘These guys are nobodies,’ said church official Marty Rathbun. ‘They bring absolutely nothing to this community.’ He compared it to the Ku Klux Klan opening an office in North Greenwood, a Clearwater neighborhood with mostly black residents. He said the notion that a group of outsiders needs to reform Scientology is absurd. Support for the church is higher than ever among its members, Rathbun said. He also said Scientology has worked hard to normalize relations in Clearwater, where city officials have included the church in discussions about downtown redevelopment for the first time since its controversial arrival in Clearwater during the late 1970s. Minton’s group has a different view. He and a staff that includes four former Scientologists say they have been embraced by locals, including some current church members. ‘Everywhere I go I’ve met people in the community saying, ‘Thank God you’re here,’ ‘ said Stacy Brooks, a former Scientologist who will help Minton lead the new group. ‘People are starved for information about Scientology: ‘What are they doing? Why do they act so secretive?’ At a closing Wednesday afternoon, an enthused Minton agreed to pay $325,000 for a two-story, 7,500-square foot building. The phones were hooked up and an Internet Web site was to be installed this week. A neighboring restaurant owner who supports Minton welcomed him to the block with a festive basket of bruschetta and a 1998 bottle of merlot. The new headquarters is two doors north of Scientology’s Clearwater Building, a renovated bank facing Cleveland Street that was one of the church’s first land purchases in the mid-1970s. The new group, called the Lisa McPherson Trust, is named for the 36-year-old Scientologist who died in 1995 while in the care of Scientology staffers. Her death has resulted in criminal charges against the church and a wrongful death lawsuit by McPherson’s family. Minton, a 53-year-old retired investment banker, is financing the lawsuit and says he has donated $2.5-million to anti-Scientology efforts. He said the trust has no quarrel with Scientology’s beliefs. ‘What we are opposed to,’ Minton said, ‘is the way they handle criticism.’ He also said the church’s ethics system is abusive and harmful to members. Minton said he hopes to prod Scientology into ‘acting like a church.'”

Random Howdy

“Well, Hubbard did say that the thetans created the MEST universe so that they would have a place to play, but that eventually they forgot they had done so. The idea that Hubbard saw this whole thing as a game has always seemed pretty obvious to me.”

 
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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 January 29, 2024.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Complaint filed August 2, motion to strike/anti-SLAPP motions by Scientology to be heard January 9, 2024.
— 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] While dodging process servers, Scientology leader asserts that all is well
[TWO years ago] Here’s proof that David Miscavige’s real estate approach to Scientology leadership pays
[THREE years ago] The wealthy people getting Scientology through the lockdown with their donations
[FOUR years ago] Does Mexico really need a Scientology ‘Advanced Org’? We’ll soon find out.
[FIVE years ago] A Scientologist murdered: Our experts try to make sense of Australia’s ‘Advanced Org’
[SIX years ago] Court magician? Scientology attorney can now affect matter with thought, levitate, read minds
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology cash-in! Top church attorney puts her beach bungalow on market for $2.4 million
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology posts the new ad that will likely be its Super Bowl entry this year
[NINE years ago] Former spokesman Mike Rinder describes Scientology’s dismal options in 2015
[TEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology charges into the new year!
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Drug Rehab Program’s Newest Victim: A New York 15-Year-Old

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 5, 2024 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