Anonymous fought ‘disconnection’ — but Scientology never stops destroying families

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: On Tuesday, the 17th anniversary of Anonymous declaring war on the Church of Scientology will arrive, and we wanted to mark the occasion with a story that recently came up thanks to Alex Barnes-Ross, and with help from Pete Griffiths and Wise Beard Man himself, Mark Bunker. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“When auditing a flying pc or a Clear or OT the auditor who sets the Sensitivity too high gets weird impressions of the case. ‘Latent reads’ on such a case are common. They aren’t latent at all. What happens is that the F/N is more than a dial wide at high Sensitivity and a started F/N looks like a read as its sweep is stopped by the pin on the right of the dial. In this way uncharged items are taken up, the case is slowed, overrun and general upsets requiring repairs occur.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974

 
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Jon Atack on Scientology

 
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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

“The technology we have, without any thought at all we can make the sane saner and the insane sane, and the breakthrough which exists here technically is so strong that it actually cuts though the normal protective mechanisms of the mind, wham, wham. And that the use of this material by any but a well organized, well disciplined group would be very fatal, quite lethal. And therefore we’re in the peculiar position now of not being able to export all the technology we have, because the areas into which we would export it, and the orgs into which we export it are insufficiently organized to be able to handle and control it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 18, 1971

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“‘CHILDREN’: By FO No. 301 a Condition of non-existence is assigned to any member of the ships company that obstructs a child from doing his or her work, deprives the child of his possessions or his job. This applies to all cadets and Middies as well.” — The Commodore, January 18, 1971

Overheard in the FreeZone

“The ‘heaviness’ of the world’s problems and issues is held simply by the intentions of a few beings with which others are in agreement through ignorance and apathy driven by past experiences and little education in the realities of life. So how can we change this? Reality is agreement. The more agreement there is the more real something becomes. The MEST universe, for example, has more agreement than you can throw a stick at and it is certainly persisting and is more real to most people than their own beingness. The current agreement for the future for this planet is not of the best. It currently lies in irresponsibility and not-is-ness. The reality of an individual’s beingness is being buried in the enforced reality of MEST.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2001: The Marin Independent Journal reported on January 18th that a California court has found Gerry Armstrong in contempt for speaking out against Scientology. “Marin Superior Court Judge Vernon Smith ruled that Armstrong, a former Scientology archivist, violated an earlier settlement agreement that he stop criticizing the church and discussing the experiences he had within the organization. Smith also issued an arrest warrant for Armstrong, who did not attend yesterday’s court hearing. Reached at his home in British Columbia, Armstrong said he intentionally stayed away from court for fear he would be thrown in jail. Armstrong said he also has no intention of curbing his criticism, which most often takes the form of writings he posts in Internet discussion groups. ‘This is about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, the whole gamut. I will fight this to the ends of the Earth.’ In making their case for a contempt order against Armstrong, attorneys for the church submitted a sheaf of messages Armstrong had posted on the Internet between March 1998 and last July. Quiros, the Scientology spokesman, said ‘We’ll probably never see a dime from Mr. Armstrong,’ he said. ‘And I doubt he’ll do any jail time because he will probably never come back to California.'” Gerry Armstrong posted his comment on the ruling to a.r.s. “They are still faced with the same problem they had, only it’s bigger. This little big win may have cost them a million. And nothing happened. Their need to lie only serves to convince me that I am without the slightest doubt correct in my studied assessment and judgment that Scientology’s ‘contract’ is legally unenforceable, that Judge Thomas’s injunction is unlawful, that $cientology has unclean hands throughout this litigation, and that $cientology and their lawyers know these facts to be true. For my first contempt, which was for sending Judge Whyte my declaration about being threatened by attorney Andy Wilson after I was served by Grady Ward in $cientology v. Ward, Judge Thomas sentenced me to 2 days in jail and fined me $2,000. For my next 13 contempts, which were mainly talking about my religious experiences to people in Germany, Judge Thomas sentenced me to 26 days in jail and fined me $2,600, or $200 each. In this latest effort by $cientology, having me charged with 133 contempts, Judge Smith has not sentenced me to any jail time nor fined me. The clear message to me is that by continuing to communicate more and more about my religious experiences and religious beliefs, and committing more and more violations of the unlawful Thomas injunction, I have brought the price of contempt down to zero. And continuing the trend, $cientology will now be paying me to speak and write. I’m inspired.”

 
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Random Howdy

“I’ve already exteriorized three times today…without coffee!”

 
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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, 2023. Appeal brief due by December 23.
— ‘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 February 24, 2025.
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, convicted of fraud, awaiting sentencing.

Civil litigation:
— Leah Remini v. Scientology, alleging ‘Fair Game’ harassment and defamation: Some defamation claims were removed by Judge Hammock. Judge Hammock’s ruling is on appeal.
— 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. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration, gets ruling to depose Jane Doe 1.

 
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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] VIDEO: Apostate Alex’s MP calls for government investigation of Scientology!
[TWO years ago] ‘WHOA’: Scientology selling ‘Total Immortality’ in slick new video!
[THREE years ago] Leah Remini interviews one of the original online troublemakers: Andreas Heldal-Lund
[FOUR years ago] Scientology nostalgia: Never-before-seen photos from a 2001 celebrity wankfest
[FIVE years ago] Narconon whistleblower Lucas Catton puts out a new memoir about his Scientology nightmare
[SIX years ago] Filmmakers tell us why they decided to help Scientology with its new TV network
[SEVEN years ago] A new chapter for one of the best Scientology books of all time? Yes, and we have it!
[EIGHT years ago] Leah Remini has changed Scientology forever — which episode was your favorite?
[NINE years ago] Stalked in New Orleans cemetery: Scientology’s secretive defectors getting more open
[TEN years ago] VIDEO LEAK: See former Scientology official Marty Rathbun interrogated under oath
[ELEVEN years ago] Jon Atack on Scientology’s fundamental feature: the thousand-yard stare
[TWELVE years ago] Blogging Dianetics, Part 3: The Meaning of Life!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 18, 2025 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