For Veterans Day: Why does Scientology lie about L. Ron Hubbard’s supposed war wounds?

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Why does Scientology claim that founder L. Ron Hubbard was seriously wounded during WW2 when that was debunked decades ago? As historian Chris Owen explains, it isn’t just another of Hubbard’s many tall stories. It’s a claim that is foundational to Scientology itself. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“A technical advance has been made in relation to the inactivity, slowness or incompetence of human beings. This discovery proceeds from a two and a half year intense study of aberration as it affects the ability to function as a group member. The ideal group member is capable of working causatively in full cooperation with his fellows in the achievement of group goals and the realization of his own happiness. The primary human failing is an inability to function as himself or contribute to group achievements.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1972

 
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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 [55] Mark Bunker [56] Trish and Liz Conley [57] Trish Conley [58] Alex Barnes-Ross [59] Alex Barnes-Ross [60] Alex Barnes-Ross [61] Alex Barnes-Ross [62] Alex Barnes-Ross [63] Alex Barnes-Ross [64] Tory Christman [65] Tammy Synovec [66] Dennis Erlich [67] Alex Barnes-Ross [68] Valerie Ross [69] Kat in Austin [70] Mark Bunker [71] Phil Jones

 
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Source Code

“Actually, you can exteriorize a dog. You can process them. It’s very peculiar, but you can. They exteriorize as a mass. Did you ever run a preclear who exteriorized with a theta body? Hm? Well, you will someday. You will say, ‘Be three feet back of your head,’ and the fellow is there in a black shape with claws, or something of the sort. And then you have to exteriorize him from that black shape. Well, you’re already into the field of demonology when you say ‘Be three feet back of your head’ and you’ve got something which is a black energy mass which the individual conceives himself to be. You can’t see him. He’s invisible to you with your naked eye. But he’s not invisible to you with your theta vision. You can be 18 feet back of your head, leaning up against the molding strip, something like that; you say to this fellow, ‘Be three feet back of your head,’ and you’re looking at a demon….I’ve exteriorized a dog, much to his surprise. And pushed him back in again. Something on the basis of reaching in, grabbing hold of him as a theta body, pulling him out, and pushing him back in again. I’ve also exteriorized a coyote the same way. Coyote body lay there deader than a mackerel, while this process was going on. He’d been in full flight, and I reached from three feet back of his head and pulled him out of his body. All right. This may sound like a fairy tale to somebody who’s nailed down very solidly in Dianetics and is practicing man for the betterment of man. In Scientology we’re not very much interested in the betterment or the worsenment, and that is something which people have not yet completely isolated or noticed, and I haven’t mentioned very much in the field of Scientology. Get the idea? Scientology is an understanding of. That’s not necessarily a betterment of. You follow me?” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 11, 1954

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“Nov 11 was Armistice Day, the end of World War I. Whistles blew and mobs screamed with joy because ‘the world had been safe for Democracy.’ Then Smersh really moved in, babied Bolshevik Socialist Russia, later spawned National Socialist (Nazi) Hitler. And a hundred million war dead later, the world is only safe for Smersh. Ah well, enough to make anyone cynical! But in all this time only ourselves has been burying Smersh top cats one by one. So there’s no need to be cynical. Get industrious. We’re winning whatever else is happening!” — The Commodore, November 11, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“It is clear that the ‘experts’ and ‘insiders’ on the secrets of this planet don’t have a f***** clue of what the real traps are in the Matrix that makes this a prison planet. Only those doing the Scientology advanced levels would know the most invidious traps of the R6 implant and could do something about it. And of course, only they can control, manage and govern the implanted R6 population here. The idea that advanced level Scientologists manage the planet was LRH’s idea. Either they do that or this rock in space will keep on being a ‘caveman’s paradise’.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1995: The David Letterman show included a sketch on Scientology. “Regular Dave-watchers are familiar with Rupert, the owner of the
Hello Deli next to the Ed Sullivan Theater where Letterman usually hosts his show. Rupert, in a tacky Hawaiian T-shirt and sunglasses, asked people if they wanted to learn more about Dianetics. He told people that he was Elron! One of the Scieno-dudes asked him if he wanted to know more about
Dianetics, or what Rupert wanted Dianetics to do for him. Rupert said that he wanted more success with girls. The dude asked him what was holding him back; Rupert said that girls think he looks creepy. I hate to admit that I was a little shocked when I saw Rupert in front of the Dianetics center, which inevitably meant an L. Ron Hubbard joke. It should be mentioned that guest Jerry Seinfeld, who was once courted by Scientology (according to Tilman’s celebrities FAQ), didn’t seem to be adversely affected by it.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Sunny is definitely Bunker Hall of Fame material after this. As long as she doesn’t get caught doing ‘roids or shooting an associate down the road from her house, she’s a first ballot shoo-in.”

 
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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 November 15.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Leah seeking to amend her complaint.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to arbitration.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: motion to file new complaint, hearing on May 29.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, on hold until appeal over new judge heard.
— 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] PODCAST: Fresh off protest success, getting into a Scientology org to judge its futility
[TWO years ago] PODCAST: Looking back at the fourth week of testimony in the Danny Masterson trial
[THREE years ago] Is Danny Masterson adding an OJ Dream Team lawyer to his defense? Also: trial set for Aug 29
[FOUR years ago] Scientology still driving away talented people and ripping apart their families
[FIVE years ago] Scientology snags an elected official (and JAG!) for its Central Ohio ‘Ideal Org’ ceremony
[SIX years ago] Michigan Catholic couple appears to open a Scientology drug rehab without a permit
[SEVEN years ago] ‘Scientology is dying’: John Brousseau on the decline of Int Base and fate of Shelly Miscavige
[EIGHT years ago] Leonard Cohen: This awful year strikes again with the loss of a transcendent genius
[NINE years ago] Under oath, Narconon official lets slip that drug rehab organized just like Scientology
[TEN years ago] Kim Poff fired by Oklahoma agency after stories (including ours) described Scientology dispute
[ELEVEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY SUPER POWER COUNTDOWN: Six Days to Blast-Off!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 11, 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, 1995-2023 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2023), 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