It’s time again for Rod Keller’s Scientology Social Media Review. He’s made a specialty of hunting down the odd and wonderful things Scientologists post to the ‘net. He’s a chronicler who piece by piece builds a highly detailed assessment of what Scientology is doing around the world, and this is what he found for us this week…
Today at 1 pm, Harlem will get its own Scientology Ideal Org when church leader David Miscavige presides over a ceremony at the twin buildings on 125th St. We say “twin” because Scientology is not only opening its Ideal Org but also a community center two doors down on 125th between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. This project is a long time coming — the buildings were purchased way back in 2007, and Scientology has been talking about opening them for years. If this event is like other Ideal Org events, Scientologists will be flown in from around the country, but curious local onlookers will be kept far away with the use of closed streets and sidewalks, barriers made up of potted plants, and other techniques.
We’ll be interested to see which local figures Miscavige manages to convince to speak at the event. If you happen to be in the area, please send us a photo or two.
The Tampa Ideal Org hosted an evening with Tony Hitchman this week in which he discussed his 1966 filmed interview with L. Ron Hubbard in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Hitchman has been out of sight since 2002 when convicted con artist Reed Slatkin identified him as his partner in the Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of wealthy investors, many or most of them fellow Scientologists. Slatkin claimed that Hitchman once held him prisoner in a Santa Barbara house, demanding he sign over his remaining shares of Earthlink, an early Internet provider. Slatkin also claimed Hitchman provided cover, using his connections to Scientology leadership to deflect investigations into falsified brokerage records, and in return received up to $20,000 per month in payments from investor accounts.
To avoid efforts by the trust administrator Hitchman fled to South Africa a month after a lawsuit was filed to recover more than $4 million he received from Slatkin. Other participants returned funds to the trust, such as Scientologists Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, who agreed to return $700,000. Scientologist Daniel W. Jacobs was ordered in a similar lawsuit to return $450,000. Calls to the administrator were not returned, but there is no public record that Hitchman ever returned any money.
(PS: Reed Slatkin is still dead. But you wouldn’t know it from any media source besides this one.)
Scientology is holding a Purple Heart Day banquet at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater on August 6. The Purple Heart is awarded to U.S. service members killed or wounded in battle. Scientology has falsely claimed that L. Ron Hubbard was awarded the Purple Heart during World War II, and displays a set of his medals that are mostly fake. Hubbard was awarded only four campaign medals (and none for combat, which Hubbard never saw) rather than the 27 that Scientology shows in its exhibit.
In recent years, Scientology has blamed the rise in suicide among service members on access to mental health treatment and Psychiatrists.
Field Staff Member Clifford Woods will give a seminar at his home in Valley Village, California on August 11th on FSMing and Recovery. FSMing is the process of getting others to pay for Scientology services, of which the FSM gets a percentage. Recovery means that the seminar focuses on selling to former or inactive members, under the theory that they already know Scientology works, and are easier sales targets. The Deadly Quartet he mentions is from the Hubbard Dissemination Course, and is a series of steps used to close a sale, and is used throughout Scientology. The quartet is: 1. Contact 2. Handle 3. Salvage 4. Bring to understanding.
This seminar is for anyone who has thought that recovering people is tough, hard work or has had some failures in the area. You get the hatting and drilling you need to overcome the “not knowing” what to do! You find out how to easily and effortlessly recover others!!
You will get a lively! Fun! Presentation that is easy to understand. The hatting and drilling will be on the use of investigations tech, the Dissemination Drill and Deadly Quartet. Help yourself and others find the REAL reason they are not making progress.
ARC
Clifford Woods
Narconon Moscow has moved to a new location, South of the city. This is the smaller of two Narconon locations in Moscow – the larger being Narconon Standard.
Scientology’s anti-Psychiatry group CCHR will open their traveling museum to the public at the Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, or UACM, from August 10 to the 23.
Bernard and Meghan Fialkoff gave a presentation of Scientology’s anti-drug message from the Foundation for a Drug-Free World at the Samuel J. Tilden Educational Campus in Brooklyn, New York this week.
The Foundation also distributed literature at Diversity Day at New York University this week.
Scientologists held seminars and distributed anti-drug literature at the Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival this week. The concert is sponsored by the New Taipei City Government, and features Indie music. Organizers say they want attendees to let themselves go and become “drunk on music.”
These posters promote the “L’s,” a series of rundowns delivered only at Flag Land Base in Clearwater. A high level Scientologist might describe her level as “New OT-8, 3 L’s” to indicate they have completed all of the highest courses. They are traditionally described as “Doingness, Havingness and Beingness,” and the posters show the End Phenomena, or “EP” of “No Limits, New Life, Immortality.”
The new Atlanta Ideal Org would like opinions on which sign staff members should hold as they stand on the sidewalk to entice drivers to stop in. “Open House” or “What is Scientology?” Open House is the favorite among Scientologists so far.
Scientology has appropriated the photo of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to promote its front group Youth for Human Rights.
Scientology front group Youth for Human Rights held a night-time bicycle ride through the streets of Puebla, Mexico this week in which riders held posters describing the rights listed in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Non-Scientologist attorney Carmen Bland presented a seminar at the Criminon headquarters in Clearwater, Florida this week on juvenile delinquency.
A lanyard for holding keys has the logo of Saint Hill Manor, and proclaims “I am going OT.” More than a slogan, wearing such a keychain can be seen as putting your postulates into the physical universe, which is the first step towards achieving a goal.
Student Minister Tony Muhammad is one of the most visible leaders of the Nation of Islam, and the heir apparent to Minister Louis Farrakhan. This week he completed Super Power at Flag Land Base in Clearwater.
— Rod Keller
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 31, 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
