TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: At one time the Narconon drug rehabs were one of Scientology’s most visible arms, and leader David Miscavige had ambitions for huge clinics. We’re reminded of how that dream died, now that one of the key figures behind it has faded away himself. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“One of the reasons very right, slightly right, very wrong, slightly wrong, very true, rather true are used here instead of circumlocutions with new words—such as, for very right, ‘containing more right factors’ — is that the scientist who, after all, fairly well runs this present world, has long since cleaved from metaphysics. Hegel, great man though he was, and Kant, with their metaphysical ABSOLUTE went so far as to deny Piazzi’s discovery of the eighth planet, inhibited the acceptance of Ohm’s law, proved Newton ‘wrong’ and generally did things which, if they were necessary to maintain the Great God Absolute, nevertheless hindered scientific progress. ‘Truth beyond the realm of human experience’ sounds well and is an authentic route for some things, but it doesn’t make washing machines run or raise better chickens or send any rockets to Mars: in short, Absolute Truth is a foreign substance in this highly integrated scientific society. Grammar lags back with the metaphysician’s Absolute Truth. The modem scientist is prone to apologize because his data is workable, rather than true. If the data is uniformly workable, it most certainly is true. Grammar, in trying to hold with metaphysics, impedes, as did metaphysics, science. So there are things very right, very true, very real, very accurate and very variably relative in general. Until a bright mind discovers a way to obtain and use data which cannot be sensed, measured or experienced, grammar had better regulate itself to the driving force of the society, science.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1951
——————–
“Somebody made a horrible mistake over at the FCDC the other day, by mentioning ‘between lives’ during the church service and learned immediately that he should have kept his mouth very shut.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 25, 1963
——————–
“MIRACLE: In an org a man with fatal Hodkins Disease got a 25 minute touch assist, went back to the hospital and the disease was totally gone. They’d get many more if they just cut out the flubs!” — The Commodore, September 25, 1970
——————–
“The USA Democratic supporters have got the R6 implant keyed in. And to think that some people want to skip OT III.”
——————–
1999: Scientology celebrity John Travolta fled France this week to avoid being called to testify at the trial of French Scientologists. From the Independent: “The actor and scientologist John Travolta has cut short a visit to Paris apparently because he feared he might be called to give evidence in the trial of seven French members of the Church of Scientology in Marseilles. Members of his entourage told the French news agency, Agence France Presse, that Travolta feared that he might be forced to give evidence at the fraud trial of seven French Scientologists. The judgment on the seven, accused of claiming sums of up to pounds 15,000 for bogus treatment, has been delayed until 15 November.”
——————–
“I’m guessing the Urban Land Institute isn’t aware they’re dealing with a posse of lunatics.”
——————–
Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Sentenced to 30 years to life on Sep 7, 2023. Appeal now fully briefed, oral arguments scheduled for June 25. 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. Now serving time in 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 June 19.
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, which is now fully briefed. Oral arguments hearing set for July 23.
— 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 upheld on appeal. Scientology expected to file additional petitions before case can return to Kalra’s court.
— Jane Doe 1 v. Scientology, David Miscavige, and Gavin Potter: Case unsealed and second amended complaint filed. Scientology moves for religious arbitration. 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] Fact-checking the Scientology mentions in Priscilla Presley’s new memoir
[TWO years ago] EXCLUSIVE: Former Hollywood madam sued Tom Cruise in 2021 — and then dropped dead
[THREE years ago] Scientology gets another journalist fired for daring to print the truth
[FOUR years ago] How Scientology manufactured New York Times bestsellers for L. Ron Hubbard
[FIVE years ago] Oregonian newspaper names Scientology prep school best small employer in the state
[SIX years ago] Serve Miscavige in an ad? Scientology honcho: ‘But you haven’t tried hard enough to find me!’
[SEVEN years ago] Hiding in plain sight: how Scientology nearly got away with its 1970s espionage campaign
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology rewards the celeb who bolted when her co-star went rogue
[NINE years ago] Paul Haggis: Rathbun does what I feared, and outs ex-Scientologist we vowed to keep secret
[TEN years ago] Scientology in Ireland is nearly dead: Here’s how Tom Cruise & the gang plan to bring it back
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology’s showdown in Belgium: Here’s our plan to cover an epic battle
[TWELVE years ago] What the Boston Globe left out of its story on Scientology yesterday
[THIRTEEN years ago] Scientology Catechism: Claire Headley Puts Our State of Clear to the Test!
——————–
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 3,762 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,266 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,772 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,322 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,698 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,193 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,499 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,148 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,366 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,920 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,261 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,831 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,748 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,915 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,501 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,760 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,508 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,077 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,388 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,563 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,245 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,582 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,435 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,551 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,913 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,712 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,596 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,171 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,672 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,932 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,036 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 25, 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, 1995-2025 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
