TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: After allowing an empty building to rot for decades, Scientology finally gets to work creating a new ‘Ideal Org’ in a place that shows no interest in what David Miscavige is selling. Enjoy this field report from one our favorite people who checks out the scene firsthand. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Based on heuristic principles and specifically on the postulate that the mission of life is survival and that the survival is in several lines rather than merely one, Dianetics contains several basic axioms which seem to approximate natural laws. But regardless of what it approximates, it works. Man surviving as himself, as his progeny, as his group or race, is still surviving equally well. The mechanisms of his body and his society are evidently intended to follow this axiom since, by following it in a scientific manner, several other discoveries came about. That Dianetics is of interest to medicine — in that it apparently conquers and cures all psychosomatic ills and that it is of interest to institutions where it has a salutary effect upon the insane—is beyond the province of its original intention. What was wanted was a therapy which could be applied by expedition commanders or doctors which would work easily and in all cases to restore rationale to party members unduly affected by hardship and, more important, which would provide a yardstick in the selection of personnel which would obviate potential mental and physical failure. That goal was gained and when gained was found to be relatively simple.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1952
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“Frankly it’s pure idiocy to cure somebody of an illness. This is idiocy. They just go and get sick again. You talk about a thankless task! It’s actually thankless, endless, does nothing for the society, gains nothing for the individual or anything else to amount to anything. This guy’s got an earache. So you work like mad to get this guy to recover from this earache, see. And so you cure him from his earache. Well, great day in the morning, he has now not got an earache. Great. How to raise society heroically onward and forward! Now, if you cure his earache, if you’re foolish enough to cure his earache, and work in just-in no direction but to cure his earache, you’re working exactly against his hidden standard. And, you aren’t really trying to remove the causes of having a hidden standard. So what’s he going to do? Well, next day he’s got ulcers. See?” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 13, 1963
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“SHORE STORY: Crew are reminded of our shore story — to know it and use it. QMs are reminded of our handouts — to use them (French ones). All crew are reminded that PR actions must also take security into mind. Some things you as Crew know about and should — that doesn’t mean “everyone” should know about them. Our operations in any country should be known by all crew and officers but only crew and officers. You are all now very aware of PR. Thank you — it’s really great and we can even improve it more — but lets become more aware now that security goes along with it.” — Lt. Barry Watson, PO, June 13, 1970
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“When I would not continue delivering services due to the out-tech of the situation, the C/S took it upon himself to ‘revoke’ my certs and deny, after 223 sessions (with a 98 percent VWD rate) with him C/Sing my NOTS repair auditing to another Pre-OT the previous summer, that I had never done the NOTS auditor course or any other for that matter, and had to be retrained on every course I had ever done. (Most of my training has been at the FSO). If he couldn’t get out-tech applied to his now girlfriend, he was stripping me of my certs, as if he could or had any authority, or had done a Comm EV in the field. But yet HE was not an executive and HCOPL Executive Misbehavior did not apply to HIM in anyway, as he is ‘in love with the PC,’ love trumps LRH Tech. This is a true paradox.”
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2000: A transcript of the May 20th broadcast of John McLaughlin’s One on One TV show was posted to a.r.s this week, on the subject of religious discrimination and mentioning Scientology. MCLAUGHLIN: At the dawn of the 21st century, one of mankind’s age-old curses still afflicts us. It is religious intolerance. In China, Christians and so-called ‘cults’ are the targets of brutal government crack-downs. In the Sudan, antichristian riots have killed hundreds. In Russia, antisemitism is rearing its despicable head. SEN. BROWNBACK: The Religious Commission report on international religious liberty and they’re putting forward three countries that they’re particularly citing that have some of the worst cases of religious abuse, such as in the Sudan and China, and one that we hold some of the most promise, but some of the problems are rearing their head, in Russia. MCLAUGHLIN: And let’s move on to Scientology. It’s called a cult, which is kind of a dismissive word, which almost invites a certain amount of oppression, doesn’t it? To those who practice Scientology, a true faith. SEN. BROWNBACK: It is. And where I get concerned is, like the First Amendment, when you start cutting somebody’s speech out somewhere, I get concerned anywhere about it. What people choose to do with their own souls is their right, and it should be protected. MCLAUGHLIN: You know, in Germany, the Scientologists take an extra-heavy hit. Why do the Germans find Scientology so obnoxious? MS. SHEA: They don’t consider it a religion, and I guess they feel threatened by it. And I don’t think governments, especially Germany, should be in the business of saying, you know, what’s a religion or not. And I find it very disconcerting.”
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“Hubbard was already in the process of killing the golden goose before he croaked.”
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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, 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 March 9.
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. Awaiting the setting of an oral arguments hearing.
— 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. Oral arguments hearing on March 3.
— 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.
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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?
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THE WHOLE TRACK
[ONE year ago] Scientology gushes about the inroads made by its new media strategy!
[TWO years ago] Trish Duggan, Scientology’s richest, is keeping another donor in jail in… Switzerland?
[THREE years ago] A cry for help: Disturbing handwritten letter found outside Scientology ‘mecca’
[FOUR years ago] Brighton rocks! Joy Villa provides her version of some great days of Scientology outreach
[FIVE years ago] LEAKED: Watch Scientology ‘OTs’ pressured to donate tens of thousands in wild video
[SIX years ago] A strange and unsettling update to one of Scientology’s most awful recent scandals
[SEVEN years ago] Jon Atack: Seduction, recruitment, and Scientology’s hard sell
[EIGHT years ago] Why are New York politicians such easy marks for Scientology?
[NINE years ago] Photos shot by L. Ron Hubbard in 1975 capture how the founder wanted Scientology marketed
[TEN years ago] Karla Zamudio on Scientology, and capturing Marc and Claire Headley in the short film ‘Escape’
[ELEVEN years ago] Google helps Scientology billionaire Bob Duggan hide a dark family secret
[TWELVE years ago] Why Giovanni Ribisi told Marc Maron there are no aliens in Scientology: A theory
[THIRTEEN years ago] This is Your Dianetics on Drugs: The Nitrous Engram
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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 3,658 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,162 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,668 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,218 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,594 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,089 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,393 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,044 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,262 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,816 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,157 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,728 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,644 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,811 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,397 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,656 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,404 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 3,973 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,284 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,459 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,141 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,478 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,331 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,447 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,809 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,608 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,492 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,056 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,568 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,828 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 15,932 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 13, 2026 at 07:00
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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)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
