Another ‘Ideal’ grand opening for Scientology! This time, a mission in LA County

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology has quietly been adding more ‘Ideal Missions’ in recent weeks, along with David Miscavige’s other ribbon-cutting ceremonies this year. But does it represent real expansion? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

 
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Technology Cocktail

“It’s the 57 human perceptions. 1. Time 2. Sight 3. Taste 4. Colour 5. Depth 6. Solidity (Barriers) 7. Relative Sizes (External) 8. Sound 9. Pitch 10. Tone 11. Volume 12. Rhythm 13. Smell (The sense of smell has four subdivisions which are categories of the type of odor.) 14. Touch a) Pressure b) Friction c) Heat or Cold d) Oiliness 15. Personal Emotion 16. Endocrine States 17. Awareness of Awareness 18. Personal Size 19. Organic Sensation (Including Hunger) 20. Heartbeat 21. Blood Circulation 22. Cellular and Bacterial Position 23. Gravitic (Self and Other Weights) 24. Motion of Self
25. Motion (Exterior) 26. Body Position 27. Joint Position 28. Internal Temperature 29. External Temperature 30. Balance 31. Muscular Tension 32. Saline Content of Self (Body) 33. Fields/Magnetic 34. Time Track Motion 35. Physical Energy (Personal Weariness etc.) 36. Self-Determinism (Relative on each dynamic) 37. Moisture (Self) 38. Sound Direction 39. Emotional State of Other Organs 40. Personal Position on the Tone Scale 41. Affinity (Self and Others) 42. Communication (Self and Others) 43. Reality (Self and Others) 44. Emotional State of Groups 45. Compass Direction 46. Level of Consciousness 47. Pain 48. Perception of Conclusions (Past and Present) 49. Perception of Computations (Past and Present) 50. Perception of Imagination (Past and Present) 51. Perception of Having Perceived (Past and Present) 52. Awareness of Not Knowing 53. Awareness of Importance, Unimportance 54. Awareness of Others 55. Awareness of Location and Placement a) Masses b) Spaces c) Location Itself 56. Perception of Appetite 57. Kinesthesia” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1978

 
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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

“If you’ve had dreams of just going right straight through to Clear without ever being a Release, why, you might as well come off of it because — That’s all right, you and a lot of others will learn how to do Class VII before you’re through, so. It isn’t too hard to do. But that’s the easiest and safest way. And then you find out R6 materials, they just run like a bomb. My God! There’s nothing to it because you’re just right straight at it and everything as-ises like mad.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 29, 1965

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“A shark swam alongside today and said, ‘Who is it?’ and I said ‘Who is what?’ and he said, ‘Who is petitioning to leave out here in mid ocean?’ And I said ‘How’d you know that?’ And he said, ‘you’re not tearing up your despatches very good before you throw them over.’ He was real put out. Thought I was invalidating him by saying he couldn’t read. I ordered him to Review and get rid of the ARC Break but he hasn’t any priority — and anyway he’ll have to wait for our waterproof E-Meter. He’s out there now muttering. Do I get some Dianetic sessions today or do I put the shark on course?” — The Commodore, June 29, 1969

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Never has there been such an opportunity to go free of unwanted conditions or just the FUN of going up the bridge. It is such a great game. I really don’t understand why people aren’t just flocking to my services. I have the rare experience of having traveled the experimental ‘bridge’ where LRH wrote a PAB (Professional Auditor’s Bulletin) and I/we went and applied the latest process to the preclear. Has the Free Zone become just another disaffected area? I know Clears, happy with being clear, not interested in taking the next step on the bridge. Is it an ARC broken field? I have such a gift to offer you at a price almost everyone can afford. While preclear + auditor are greater than the bank, c/s + solo auditor is greater that whatever is there that distracts you and I can get you through the bridge. My hat on Div 3, finances, says I charge $150 a month plus $100 programming one time, to find out what is needed and wanted by you. From my hat as a c/s, auditing is for you. If you aren’t getting auditing or giving auditing and ever wanted to, the the stops on the line are really just out rudiments. If you’re trained to solo audit you can fly your ruds, then make a plan with me to get way up the bridge with flying colors! What I’m telling you is that the bridge is so possible still. Take advantage of it.”

Past is Prologue

2001: The Oklahoman reported that Narconon is moving its Oklahoma facility from Newkirk to a new location near Canadian, OK. “Narconon is closing its Newkirk branch in favor of combining the entire treatment site at Arrowhead Lodge near Canadian in Pittsburg County. The center is expected to open in the next couple of months. The Narconon Chilocco New Life Center began accepting patients in 1990 under the premise that it didn’t need state certification, since the site near Newkirk was on tribal land. Residents heard stories that the center would have 1,000 beds and that the treatment used was one developed by L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. Some residents helped the few clients who wandered into Newkirk wanting to leave Narconon. There were stories about what some thought was an unorthodox treatment using vitamins and saunas. Things have quieted since then in the Kay County community of 2,200 people. The fear that the drug treatment center would become a recruiting machine for Scientology seems to be gone. Although Narconon uses Hubbard’s techniques and received donations from the church, it isn’t and never was intended to be a recruiting tool for the church, said Gary Smith, executive director. ‘Here it’s 11 years later, and we’re still Narconon,’ he said. Narconon has had 2,029 clients since it opened the Chilocco site. Of those, 199 Indians have gone through a special program at no cost, Smith said. Non-Indian clients pay a flat fee of $17,000 to $20,000 for a stay of three months to a year. Last year, 352 students enrolled and 185 completed the program, Smith said. Thus far this year, 350 entered and 189 have graduated. In the last study of clients who completed the program two years ago, 70 to 74 percent were still off drugs, Smith said. The Association for Better Living and Education bought the Arrowhead Lodge for Narconon last summer. Residents of nearby Canadian and Arrowhead Estates, a housing addition less than a mile away, circulated petitions against the drug treatment facility. Mike Hall, who said he had 250 names on a petition against Narconon, said he doesn’t believe Arrowhead is the proper place for the drug treatment center. ‘I don’t feel that it’s good for our development. I don’t feel it’s good for the state,’ he said. But Narconon also submitted a petition and gathered 437 signatures of support to submit to the health department. A recent petition in favor of Narconon had 2,000 signatures, Smith said. The organization received a certificate last summer authorizing it to have 75 beds at the lodge, but Smith said he is working to increase that to 230. Canadian Mayor Danny Arterberry said some residents were concerned or curious in the beginning, but Narconon officials have proven they will benefit the community. ‘They try to get involved in the community as much as they can,’ he said. ‘They kind of put (suspicions) at ease. They’re just like the rest (of us).'”

 
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Random Howdy

“I want a cheap E-meter so I can sec-check my cats and I can get to the bottom of mysteries like, why do you chew on plastic bags? Why do you eat your own hair? Why do you refuse to help me do the dishes?”

 
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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. DA’s response to appeal brief due July 14.
— ‘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 July 7.

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 and ‘dropping the body’: More reactions from our readers
[TWO years ago] Jane Doe 1 attorney asks for leaked evidence in Danny Masterson case, Scientology pushes back
[THREE years ago] ‘Top Gun’ event brings Scientology huge donations from deliriously happy pilgrims
[FOUR years ago] Can someone let Tom Cruise know that his Scientology bandleader has died?
[FIVE years ago] Scientology’s global virus playacting was supplied by giant California slave labor plant
[SIX years ago] David Miscavige’s pet projects result in constant fundraising pressure
[SEVEN years ago] In Scientology, going Clear is like leasing a car, and David Miscavige is Repo Man
[EIGHT years ago] HowdyCon: Aussie journalist Steve Cannane’s response to Marty Rathbun
[NINE years ago] Why Lisa Marie Presley’s custody battle likely has nothing to do with Scientology
[TEN years ago] Augustine: Taking a hard look at Scientology’s slush fund, the unlicensed and unregulated IAS
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: The Nancy Cartwright freak-out edition
[TWELVE years ago] When Jon Atack Declared David Miscavige a Suppressive Person

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 29, 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