TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: One of Scientology’s most toxic practices is the way it rips families apart with ‘disconnection.’ And sometimes, the only way you know if your loved ones are still alive is when they show up in church promotions. What is that like? Marc Headley explains. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]
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Technology Cocktail
“Most families have a great many engrams and a great many standard dramatizations in common. In other words, the same irrational patterns which occur in your preclear will also occur, in most instances, in the members of his family. Do not expect rational action from the psychotic’s family. Usually, the best they will be able to do is to take another valence of the same engram. If the preclear is a paranoid, they will only be able to go over and over the other side of some dramatization: “You don’t have to worry. They’re not after you. Why, nobody’d hurt you. Can’t you see there’s nobody wants to hurt you.” This, of course, was originally sound advice to somebody, but reasoning with irrationality is like catching elephants with a popcorn popper: It would be a pleasant way of doing things, but it won’t work.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1950
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“Now, you’ve got the Havingness Process established. And you say, ‘Where isn’t that wall’ or whatever it is, see, whatever the Havingness Process is. ‘Thank you. Where isn’t that wall? Thank you. Where isn’t the ceiling? Thank you. Where isn’t the floor? Thank you. What have you withheld from a home?’ And the guy goes figure, figure, figure, think, think, think, clank, clank, clank, figure, figure, figure, figure, figure, figure, figure, figure, figure, figure. ‘Well, in a past life I used to take all my money down to the pub and I never gave any to the wife. I withheld money from the home.’ And you say, ‘Thank you. Where isn’t the wall? Thank you. Where isn’t that ceiling? Thank you. Where isn’t that floor? Thank you.’ Got the idea?” — L. Ron Hubbard, September 16, 1961
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“More Enormous Events never before seen or held are scheduled for the GRAND WORD CLEARING FESTIVAL! The night of the 22nd, at Sea, at 8PM the Great Radio Show WAR OF THE WORLDS will be played in HCI by LRH Personal PRO. The WORDS that caused riots in the US. These words pouring out of US Radios caused whole towns to empty! Unbelievable bone chilling realism brought direct to this upstat crew. Fantastic, never since heard! Imported at VAST expense solely for this yacht with the express permission of ORSON WELLES himself. Watch this billboard for even further stellar events!” — The Commodore, September 16, 1971
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“Well, if there are a bunch of out of touch retards like yourself who are divorced from the society that you live in, aren’t able to get a large group of people together, and aren’t able to get good results visible to other people, then criticism of Scientology technology is merited. Scientology advanced tech doesn’t matter, and is out-gradient. Get 20 million people to do early processes from 1953 or 1956. Force Scientology to be the state religion. Impose it on the land like Islam. Make there be Cohesion and Unity. Then handle other case factors if you want. A group of 5,000 people (the Sea Org) isn’t saving anyone. A group of 10 million would be far better but still would be too low. Apply the Confusion Formula and figure out how to help people at lower levels.”
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1997: A transcript of the Howard Stern radio show, with call-in guest Senator Alphonse D’Amato was posted this week. “Howard Stern: What?! You’re hanging out with that wacko? Alphonse D’Amato: John Travolta came to Capitol Hill yesterday and testified about the Scientologists who are being persecuted and being denied jobs and being boycotted…. Stern: And what did you do? Did you throw him out of there? D’Amato: His films aren’t being permitted to be shown in Germany because he’s a Scientologist. Stern: All right, do me a favor. Will you blow up John Travolta too? Did you actually hang out with the Travolta? D’Amato: No, but he’s a very nice guy. Stern: And where do you stand on Scientology? That can’t possibly be a religion can it? D’Amato: Well listen, I think you have a right to believe whatever you want. If you want to believe in the sun god I will defend your right, Howard, to believe in whatever you want. Stern: All right, listen to me, Senator. But, in no way I can believe that my senator believes L. Ron Hubbard is god. You should have thrown Travolta right out of there, kicked him down the steps. Do you know John Travolta thinks he can heal people with his hands? D’Amato: No, I don’t know that. If he believes that, that’s his belief. Stern: I can’t believe it. What are you going to do about Germany now? D’Amato: Well, what we have done, our commission, Helsinki Commission, will be looking into a number of the charges–people who have lost their jobs because… Yeah, you know, ordinary working families. One lost her license, she ran an employment center, it was revoked just because it was revealed that she was a Scientologist, and they wanted her to renounce this.”
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“Their only real motivation is to eliminate the competition. All the humanitarian shit is window dressing.”
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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, 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.
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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] Wall Street Journal unmasks startup’s troubling Scientology ties
[TWO years ago] Scientology revives another tradition as it keeps pushing new buildings
[THREE years ago] VIDEO: Russell Miller on how he was targeted by Scientology for his Hubbard biography
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s arbitration contracts are ‘unconscionable,’ say trafficking victims
[FIVE years ago] New witness spills tea on Danny Masterson, ‘The Ranch,’ and attorney Andrew Brettler
[SIX years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 14: The Los Angeles Times
[SEVEN years ago] Charles Barkley becomes a slam dunk photo opportunity for Scientology
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology’s surprisingly weak attempt to turn Hurricane Florence into PR gold
[NINE years ago] Disconnected at birth — another infuriating Scientology saga
[TEN years ago] VIDEO: City council candidate exposed as Scientology spy in live public hearing
[ELEVEN years ago] ‘Fundamentalist’ Scientology means chasing the ideal of Neo while turning your back on family
[TWELVE years ago] Scientology says it’s received $5.7 million from Google in advertising grants
[THIRTEEN years ago] TOM CRUISE IN CLEARWATER: Scientology Gathering Big Names For Product Launch
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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 3,753 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 4,257 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 4,763 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 4,313 days.
Klaus Büchele has not seen his daughter Jasmin in 5,689 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 3,184 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 6,490 days.
Marc Headley has not seen his mother Trudy in 5,139 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 4,357 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 5,911 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 5,252 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 13,822 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 9,739 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 5,906 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 5,492 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 5,751 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 4,499 days.
Marie Poulin has not seen her mother June in 4,068 days.
Julian Wain has not seen his brother Joseph or mother Susan in 2,379 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 3,554 days.
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 5,236 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 5,573 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 10,426 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 5,542 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 3,904 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 4,703 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 4,587 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 4,162 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 4,663 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 4,923 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 16,027 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 16, 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)
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Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast
