After the readers of this website once again came through for former Scientologists Phil and Willie Jones, contributing several thousand dollars for another “Call Me” billboard to raise awareness of Scientology’s “disconnection” policy, the Las Vegas couple are announcing that they have signed a contract for a billboard in Clearwater, Florida.
On July 21, the new billboard will be dedicated, and Phil wanted us to announce the news so he can get the biggest crowd possible.
“Willie and I are putting up one of our ‘Call Me’ billboards in Clearwater and will be heading out there for a few days for the official launch. We definitely would love to see any and all Clearwater people there. The billboard launch is on July 21 at 11am. I’ll announce the exact location shortly. This is the next major step in our campaign to bring awareness to Scientology’s toxic practice of enforced disconnection. This message represents all those who have suffered the abuse of Scientology disconnection. Let’s work to end this horrible practice,” he says.
We pointed out to Phil that on two separate occasions when he announced news of contracts being signed for his first billboard, in Los Angeles, Scientology managed to pressure those companies, who each rescinded their agreements.
Phil signed a third contract with Lamar Media, and didn’t ask us to announce the news until the billboard was actually posted in Echo Park.
Despite that experience in L.A., Phil says he wanted the public to know that he’s signed a contract in Clearwater so people can plan to be at the dedication ceremony.
“It’s very likely Scientology already knows when and where the billboard is happening,” Phil tells us. “It is a risk but at this point I think it’s one we should take. We want as big a crowd as we can get.”
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If it’s Russia, it must be a raid on Scientology
We’re getting a lot of excited emails about stories that have appeared in the Guardian and elsewhere about yet another set of raids by Russian authorities on the Moscow Scientology org and others, such as in St. Petersburg.
We’ve lost count how many times the Moscow office has been raided. Scientology staff there must be getting pretty used to it by now.
Our translators tell us that according to Russian media, the FSB, successor to the KGB, conducted searches at 14 locations in St. Petersburg, Moscow and other areas. In St. Petersburg, 10 people were detained for questioning. In Moscow, meanwhile, exits to the building were blocked and Scientologists were required to give their identification details before leaving. The raids were part of a criminal investigation of Scientology’s practices after it was found that a businesswoman named Ekaterina Zaborskih had defrauded investors of 130 million rubles (about $2 million) in bogus real estate deals and had funneled some of the money to the Church of Scientology.
Russian law describes Scientology as a “totalitarian sect,” and since 2012 some written works by L. Ron Hubbard have been banned as extremist literature. After recent raids, it was clear that law enforcement was focusing on the way Scientology gathers information about its members — through hidden cameras, for example — and sends that information to the U.S.
Scientology’s Moscow spokeswoman, Natalya Aleksandrovna Alekseeva, issued the following statement:
The church of Scientology in Moscow marked 22 years of official registration, while St. Petersburg scientologists have been practicing their religion for 30 years in the Northern capital. Somebody in our country doesn’t like this and gives a command to the law enforcement authorities to break doors and ruin clean and beautiful buildings of the Church of Scientology in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities. Today, law enforcement authorities broke into the Scientology churches as if equipped for war, the very law enforcement authorities that are supported through our taxes. In the beginning the staff and parishioners of Scientology did not understand what happened, they were upset by the position of the investigative authorities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg who decided to demonstrate their “might” over law-abiding citizens, by stopping the services and the giving of help to parishioners. Our parishioners work for the betterment of our country, actively participate in educational anti-drug campaign, thanks to which many thousands of young people and teenagers refuse to take drugs. Hundreds of young people volunteers participate in the cleaning of the streets, parks and public gardens. This is just a small part of what we do for our country. It remains a mystery why somebody is using law enforcement authorities to try to stop this useful work for society. The management of the Church of Scientology is confident that the current situation was created with the purpose to “score points” in the fight with religious minorities. After all, it’s easier to fight with law abiding peaceful citizens than with terrorists, and easier than uncovering corrupt officials – the real enemies of the people.
What’s becoming clear, our experts tell us, is that President Vladimir Putin wants Scientology out of Russia. But on the other side, Scientology leader David Miscavige has found in Russia a steady stream of new recruits to help staff his faltering facilities in the US, particularly the Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida. And our experts tell us that Scientology has a special appeal for Russians because they associate it with America and Hollywood.
While it’s refreshing to hear Scientology described in the Russian media as a destructive business masquerading as a religion — because it’s true — Putin’s heavy-handed methods have run afoul of the European Court of Human Rights in the past, which has sided with Scientology.
We’re going to go out on a limb and make a prediction for what’s coming for Scientology in Russia: More raids.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 22, 2016 at 07:00
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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten 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 | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
