TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Sure, we had a great time at HowdyCon last weekend. But now we’ve learned the best part: How much we raised for the Aftermath Foundation! ALSO: More hype about Scientology’s next big tent party, and it’s Auditor’s Day! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
——————–
Technology Cocktail
“So here we have the formidable article, logic. It is computed, not dreamed and intuitively plucked from some ether. If a man, a group, a race or Mankind does its thinking on a sufficiently rational plane, it survives. And survival, that dynamic thrust through time toward some unannounced goal, is pleasure. Creative and constructive effort is pleasure. Some pleasure destroys more than it creates and so it is ‘immoral’ (and by future prejudice becomes irrationally immoral, traveling as a social aberration; superstition is a parallel channel with immorality, no other proof of harm than prejudice). Some pleasure creates more than it destroys and that is ‘moral’ or good pleasure. If a man, a group or a race or Mankind does its thinking on a sufficiently irrational plane—out of lack of data, warped viewpoint or simply aberration — the survival is lessened; more is destroyed than is created. That is pain. That is the route toward death. That is evil.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1951
——————–
“You could teach people quite a bit about just any one of these Security Checks, you see. Like the children’s check. Teaching them how to use a children’s check. That’s quite interesting. You, of course, mustn’t ask a question which the child can’t understand because you will have an immediate ARC break. He thinks he’s being accused of something; he doesn’t know what you’re talking about. So you have to rephrase all of the questions in the child’s Security Check, you see, so as to reach the comprehension level of a child.” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 26, 1961
——————–
“PARTY: That was a great party. The actors in the skits were marvelous. Bill’s Apollo Elastic Band was surprisingly competent. Didn’t know we had that many real musicians and Bill has been hiding a very low and dirty clarinet.” — The Commodore, September 26, 1970
——————–
“This is my 50th year on the bridge and most sessions are best ever! Up to OTVIII in the Church, Ron’s Org. Grenchen these days. Just translated LRH lecture Beingness (Dec. 1953) into German and highly recommend it. Lot’s of OT data in there!”
——————–
2000: Jeff Jacobsen reported on a Scientology sponsored jazz concert in Clearwater, Florida this week. “I called the phone number and what did the voice say? ‘Welcome to AMC.’ Yes, AMC Publishing, the Scientologist run company that Lisa McPherson worked for. Bennetta Slaughter, one of the owners, is very active in community activities here. So I found out there would be a latin band playing last night right on Cleveland Street, which was closed from Ft. Harrison Ave. to the railroad tracks. I was shocked to see perhaps 50 people listening to a great 9-piece band. There were a few food vendors looking dazed at the low turnout. Rev. Al Buttnor was there lurking on the edges of the throng. Ben Shaw came by and gabbed with Al a bit. Bennetta Slaughter was walking around here and there. The Scientology photographer was around taking pictures of the band and the crowd. One woman in Scientology staff uniform was there the whole time talking to different people. I got the impression that the Scientologists I know were NOT there to listen to the music but to work the event somehow. There were probably 100 people max there.”
——————–
“Vallarrr use to blather on about how if someone had an irrational fear of spiders and they did some auditing and that fear was gone that was proof of auditing working.”
——————–
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 3,763 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,267 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,773 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,323 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,699 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,194 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,500 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,149 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,367 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,921 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,262 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,832 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,749 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,916 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,502 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,761 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,509 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,078 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,389 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,564 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,246 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,583 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,436 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,552 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,914 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,713 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,597 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,172 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,673 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,933 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,037 days.
——————–
Posted by Tony Ortega on September 26, 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
