TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology opened up three new shrines to founder L. Ron Hubbard last year, renovating places where Ron had lived in the past. It turns out that the church’s former film director, Mitch Brisker, was involved in those projects and gives us some key insights about them. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“Whatever you’re doing as an auditor, if you’re doing it through a colored beingness you’ve got a mis-attitude and your pc becomes unwilling. You start developing session withholds in the pc. These will be innocent withholds, such as ‘I don’t have any interest in that but I won’t tell him so,’ or ‘I didn’t really think that read……’ They will most likely be innocent withholds, but you now have a pc who isn’t in there pitching. And that’s the point at which the session deteriorates. If you’re not sure of your beingness, if you haven’t decided upon your beingness, if your beingness is wobbly, then your attitude toward the pc will be uncertain and wobbly. And your attitude toward the pc will then color your TRs. In that case you can ask ‘Do fish fly?’ until hell freezes over and drill and drill and drill continuously and religiously. And you are not going to get anywhere until you get your beingness and your attitude settled.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1980
——————–
“Now, I have actually seen auditors get jealous of their preclears simply because the preclear did so well. And the auditor couldn’t rest till he dropped a vase on the preclear’s foot or upset the ashtray or did something. I know of one case — very, very remarkable — of a guy very highly connected, and in fact the source of trouble in the Wichita Foundation, who had a blind man with his sight on and who forcefully and violently kicked the foot of the bed on which he was auditing this blind man. You know, the sight came on and he kicked the foot of the bed. And the shock was considerable there and it took the blind man’s sight off. Nobody else processed the blind man, either. As far as I know he’s blind to this moment.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 6, 1955
——————–
“WRITING: My writing hat has backlogged due to storms and ship reorganization. I am trying to get onto it. So much new data has been developed that the recording of if would be 10 full time jobs. Fortunately it is simple in structure.” — The Commodore, January 6, 1971
——————–
“I was audited by a class 8 auditor. Further processing something else, I took over the session using her and her meter to guide me to answer some questions I had. I went to the days of the crucifixion and went inside Christ body and some very heavy forces was hitting the spirit of me, not the body. I left the body, looked from a distance, and saw an oval of gold light in front of him and this oval went up into the sky and it was a UFO implanting the area and running beams on the being of Christ. I yelled, it was a trick. Whoever was in that ship tricked Christ into doing that crucifixion for what reasons I don’t know, but the being in me knows.”
——————–
1997: A letter from Downbeat Magazine was posted this week, from Jim Beebe, a reader familiar with Scientology. “Chick Corea should be publicly caned for his shameful hustling of the Scientologist cult (‘On The Beat’ Oct. ’96). For years, every interview with Corea was a plug for Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard. Many of Corea’s recordings had tributes to Hubbard and an address to write for more information. I, and who knows how many other musicians and fans took the bait. Thanks, Chick, for those wasted, brainwashed years and all of the money blown on quack courses and counseling. For some of us, too many years have gone by–but the public should be informed that those of us who have been lured into this destructive cult by Corea, can sue him and this cult and win legal redress.”
——————–
“Scientologists have had a King Arthur fetish going back to day one. LRH moving to England buying a ‘castle,’ very expected and cliched to say the least. Knights of the Three Card Monte Table, here to save the world.”
——————–
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 now fully briefed, waiting for 2nd Appellate District court to set a hearing date. Masterson has also submitted a habeas corpus petition.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Pleaded guilty on Nov 10 to a 17-year prison sentence (eligible for parole in two to three more years). Awaiting transfer to state prison.
— Aaron Matthes charged for SA of child under 12 years old: OT Scientologist facing multiple mandatory life sentences. Next pretrial court hearing set for Feb 2.
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. Leah’s respondent’s brief is due February 11.
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ 15 days of arbitration completed, Val waiting for further word from the IJC.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson. Judge Upindra Kalra’s ruling denying Scientology’s motion to strike is on appeal. Appeal fully briefed. Motion to replace Jane Does’ AI-tainted brief denied by court. Awaiting a court hearing date.
— 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. Trial has been set for January 10, 2028.
——————–
Other links: The prosecution of Danny Masterson. Leah Remini’s Fair Game Podcast. Leah Remini’s A&E Series. Scientology’s Celebrities, from A to Z. Bryan Seymour’s suppressed series, 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?
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Memories of Mike Rinder from people who knew and admired him
[TWO years ago] PODCAST: Remembering Andreas Heldal-Lund with Tory Christman
[THREE years ago] Danny Masterson wants rape charges thrown out, citing our jury foreman interview
[FOUR years ago] Another Scientology ‘Chase Wave’ eyewitness drops by, and brings a check
[FIVE years ago] Danny Masterson’s attorneys scheduled to enter not guilty plea for him today
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s ‘Purif’ detox gets the ‘Reckless Ben’ treatment in video debuting here today
[SEVEN years ago] Scientologists told to seize on Australian stabbing death as a recruiting opportunity
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology actress Jenna Elfman fully stoked by church’s new expansion push!
[NINE years ago] Scientology’s disgusting secret: Young teens used to interrogate adults about their sex lives
[TEN years ago] Scientology becoming a ghost town; ALSO: Illinois man arrested for threatening Miscavige
[ELEVEN years ago] Ryan Hamilton makes it 26 lawsuits against Scientology’s drug rehab scheme
[TWELVE years ago] VIDEO LEAK: Scientology’s November IAS Gala, featuring a slimmed-down David Miscavige
[THIRTEEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology Finds a Better Use for ‘Dianetics’!
——————–
Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Joe Reaiche (1958-2024) did not see his daughter Alanna Masterson in his final 6,999 days.
Mike Rinder (1955-2025) did not see his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in his final 7,589 days.
Tammy Synovec has not seen her daughter Julia in 3,500 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,004 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,510 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,060 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 3,050 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,436 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 2,931 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,235 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 4,886 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,104 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,658 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 4,999 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,570 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,486 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,653 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,235 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,494 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,246 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,811 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,126 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,301 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 4,983 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,320 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,173 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,289 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,651 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 4,062 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,450 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,334 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 3,899 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,410 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,670 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,774 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on January 6, 2026 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter.
Our book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is 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, 1995-2024 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2024), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates.
Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
