Another census, and another country where Scientology is shrinking

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology still claims to be the ‘fastest growing religion in the world,’ without any evidence. In fact, actual census numbers tend to show the opposite. And today, another country adds to that trend. ALSO: More overseas reports, including some seriously confused lawmakers. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“The auditor getting in Triple Flows can also ARC Brk the pc by failing to verify if the previously run flows are flat. All the auditor wants is to see them F/N on the command. If they don’t he runs them. Sometimes when he has ‘run them’ again he finds they are being overrun or run twice and has to rehab them by finding this out. The pc sometimes doesn’t know until he actually starts to run them. Then he finds they are already run. The clue to this is a climbing TA. If the TA goes up, get off that flow and rehab it. Example: Pc at first thinks ‘Pain in shoulder’ F2 was never run. Starts to run it. TA goes up. Auditor must pull him off of it by finding out if it is being run twice and rehab it to F/N. The moral in all these reruns is don’t firefight, keep an L1C List and an L3RD List handy and use them.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1974

 
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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

“One time there was a fellow I knew. He was a mining engineer. A good friend of mine. He was an educated classmate at GW. And then went out west and took a post graduate course at Boseman. And this boy was kicking around the mining camps, and all due respect to womankind at large, the better women do not hang around mining camps. But he decided to get romantic and he got married. And he married a woman straight out of the cribs. That is to say, she was, for sale, and had been for years. But, what do you know? Fantastically enough, she made him a good wife and everybody was very fascinated with this. They went up in the mountains, he did a lot of prospecting for Anaconda Copper and they, looking over old properties and so on, and oh, it went along all right. He was living a rather rough life and a lot of privation in it and a lot of loneliness and so forth, so everything was OK. He finally quit Anaconda Copper on the thought that there were some lodes that went out from a very famous mine which had been closed down, which might still be active. Well that was a very lonely part of the country, too. And he went down there with this woman and he prospected around and by golly, he uncovered the most enormous quantity of five dollar rock. And away he goes. Well boy, he’d exceeded her rate of havingness. Bang! And you talk about a mess. He was in more trouble in less time than he’d been for years. Interesting, oh she went completely haywire. Just went off the deep end. Well what had happened there, he’d all of a sudden become well off. He had about a half a million dollars in the bank. He all of a sudden was driving Cadillacs and she was able to wear fur coats and that sort of thing. That was just the end. Just went completely to pot. Went out, slept with anything that came along. Just stole money, did anything.” — L. Ron Hubbard, January 26, 1954

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“OVERBOARDS: BOB SEWELL is assigned overboard blindfolded for not returning to work until 1100 hrs, after he had gone Overboard at 07.55 hrs. He did not give me an explanation and was reported to me as eating cookies and drinking coffee while he was supposed to be working and still in a condition of Non Existence.” — W.O. Alex Sibirsky P.P.F. I/C, January 26, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Those first days were the best. I remember when I was doing my Comm Course. We had about 14 students on the coffee break. There was a hole in the floor and the place was pretty grotty. But we all had a cup of tea or coffee and we were laughing, celebrating what we were calling the ‘Year of Scientology.’ This was 1977.”

 
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Past is Prologue

2002: The St. Petersburg Times reported that Scientology invited notable Clearwater area residents to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Fort Harrison Hotel at a banquet in the Hotel. “The Church of Scientology, long on the fringe of the Clearwater community, will roll out the red carpet at its Fort Harrison Hotel tonight, staging a black tie gala for the area’s power elite. And while several notables sent regrets, many others are going. Tonight’s party ranks as another indicator Scientology is gaining acceptance in a community historically suspicious of the church, if not hostile. Clearly pleased by the number of acceptances, Scientologists say their volunteerism and other civic efforts are making a difference. Among those attending are politicians and civic leaders who years ago would have had serious reservations about wining and dining with Scientologists. State Sen. Jack Latvala and his wife, Pinellas County Commissioner Susan Latvala, plan to go. Pinellas Sheriff Everett Rice will attend. So will Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst. Pinellas Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark is going. So, too are leaders from the Clearwater YMCA and the local branch of the NAACP. Clearwater businessman Phil Henderson and his wife, Dunedin City Commissioner Janet Henderson, a candidate for state representative, will go and write a check for their dinners. ‘As recently as 10 years ago, I don’t think a lot of people would come to the event, or even consider coming,’ Henderson said. ‘But they (Scientologists) have changed their ways.’ And, of course, the question is on everyone’s lips: Will Scientology’s celebrities be there? Bennetta Slaughter, chairwoman of the celebration, did say, when pushed, that John Travolta and Tom Cruise are filming elsewhere. What about Isaac Hayes? Jenna Elfman? Kirstie Alley? ‘We have to make the anticipation continue,’ Shaw quipped. ‘I can’t tell you.’ Jazz legend Chick Corea, who lives in Clearwater, will be there, Shaw allowed. Scientology’s leader, David Miscavige, who is based in Los Angeles, could be there. ‘He’s invited,’ was all Shaw would reveal.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Miscavige is downsizing the corporation, cutting his overhead to the barest minimum and consolidating his forces in his last two strongholds, L.A and Clearwater. It makes sense. In Pyongyang most of the office buildings and hotels are empty except for a skeleton staff to make it look good for the occasional tourist or journalist they let in. They’re also there to turn the faucets on occasionally and keep the boiler running. It makes the Generals and the Kims happy, and that’s all that really matters.”

 
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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:

 
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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] Scientology leader David Miscavige once again denies he’s been served Leah Remini’s lawsuit
[TWO years ago] We asked a film critic: What are the odds Tom Cruise gets a statue at the Oscars this year?
[THREE years ago] Scientology wants to know: Why haven’t you signed up to work for them yet?
[FOUR years ago] Danny Masterson says he intends to take part in Scientology ‘arbitration’ with alleged victims
[FIVE years ago] Scientology says it’s ‘partnering’ with Miami police for Super Bowl anti-drug quackery
[SIX years ago] Lucas Catton: ‘Narconon and the Church of Scientology are committing fraud daily’
[SEVEN years ago] Clearwater city council candidate gets ringing endorsement from a Scientology front
[EIGHT years ago] The new ‘disconnection’ billboard on Sunset Blvd is going to be a Valentine to Scientology
[NINE years ago] Bryan Seymour challenges Scientology’s ‘Freedom’ magazine to show itself
[TEN years ago] Scientology hits back at Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear’ with predictable smears
[ELEVEN years ago] Sunday Funnies: CCHR’s annual gala — time, place, form, and event!
[TWELVE years ago] Kima Douglas, 1942-2013

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on January 26, 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