Vote for the most startling statement on the ‘Scientology and the Aftermath’ finale

 
Wow, did Leah Remini and Mike Rinder finish off their run at A&E with a dynamite special episode last night.

And before we go into specifics, we want to say it again: It seems like a miracle that Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath happened at all. Three full seasons of revelations about Scientology, never shying away from telling things in detail, and trusting viewers to absorb Scientology’s most arcane and most sickening aspects. And last night’s finale episode was no different.

But we want to hear from you about your thoughts after watching the episode. We’ve collected what we felt were the most important things said during the 2-hour episode. Which had the most impact on you, and which do you think will go on and resonate long after this series is gone?

1. Serge Gil on auditing a pedophile. We’ve reported before how Serge Gil, at only 14 or 15, was a highly-regarded auditor at Scientology’s “Flag Land Base” in Clearwater, Florida, and it was his job to interrogate older men about their sex habits. In last night’s show, he went into more detail about how, when he was punished by being put into the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), he was twinned with a man who had already admitted to him that he had raped a child. Once on the RPF, the two of them were tasked with auditing each other, and the man claimed to Serge that he had raped Serge in a previous lifetime — and as his auditing twin, Serge had no choice but to interrogate him for the details. They were also required to be roommates, and Serge says the man sexually assaulted him. Also, when he was auditing other men, Serge would have an earpiece and had to hear adults telling him what questions to ask. “They would say, ask him if they put a banana up their ass,” Serge said. “They’re charging $500 an hour for a child to do this to them, so [Scientology] is monetizing it.”

2. Why Serge didn’t even know he was a victim. Retired FBI agent Jim Ellis was asked about Serge’s awful stories about being molested and having to quiz pedophiles. Why can’t the FBI do something about it? Ellis answered that it is difficult because people like Serge don’t even realize that they’re victims at the time it’s happening, and it may take years for them to realize it, making things difficult for law enforcement. “Scientology has created such an insulated community, and I don’t think law enforcement can really fathom what goes on in there,” Ellis said.

3. Joey Chait on having to forgive a molester. Joy Chait has had quite an ordeal after leaving Scientology, and he has told us about his own molestation at the hands of another Scientologist aboard the Freewinds cruise ship. On last night’s show, he also talked about being 13 or 14 and auditing a man in his 30s. In session, the man admitted to molesting his own 5- or 6-year-old niece. Joey says he had to ask for details about it, as he had been trained. And then, following Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, he was required to forgive the molester at the end of the auditing session. Not just keep from reporting the incident to law enforcement, but to forgive.

4. Experts say lawsuits help. Marci Hamilton of Child USA and Jim Ellis, the former FBI agent, both said that civil lawsuits can help bring about change. No institution like the Church of Scientology will change on its own, Hamilton said. But in a civil lawsuit, you can refuse to settle unless the organization stops doing these things to children. She says that approach has produced positive results in other organizations, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Jewish ultra-Orthodox. And Ellis, the former FBI agent, said that civil lawsuits can open a “breach” that law enforcement can then step into. While we were heartened to hear both of these experts put their faith in litigation, it troubled us to hear that private individuals (such as Valerie Haney and Chrissie Bixler) will have to put themselves at risk in court because law enforcement has simply not done its job.

5. Scientology required Victoria Locke to hug her molester. Victoria explained that beginning when she was 11 years old, she was being repeatedly raped by an older man, a friend of her family. But when her grandmother tried to get her help from a psychologist, her Scientologist brother stepped in and prevented it, and brought her into the church as well. A year later, when she was 12, Victoria was made to “handle” her problem by requiring her to apologize to her molester, and actually give him a hug. She was 12. Her rapist was 39.

6. Chrissie Carnell Bixler told to stop using the word ‘rape.’ Finally, Leah got to air footage shot in 2017 of Chrissie Carnell Bixler, one of the women accusing Danny Masterson of rape. We’ve been reporting about her allegations since March 2017, and you probably already knew that she believed she was anally raped by Masterson while she was unconscious after a night of drinking. When she reported her allegations to a church ethics officer, however, she was told to stop using that word. “The first thing she told me was to stop using the word ‘rape.’ You were in a consensual relationship…You’ve done something to pull this in. She told me I must have done something to deserve this.” Additionally, in Scientology terms, she was fortunate to be victimized by a church celebrity. “I was out-exchange with him….My job as his girlfriend was to give myself to him whenever he wanted. I cannot say no, I lay there and take it,” Chrissie said.

7. Mike Rinder on how Scientology reacts. Leah asked Mike, as the former leader of Scientology’s secret police the Office of Special Affairs, what OSA does when someone like Chrissie Bixler brings such allegations. They look for “buttons,” Mike answered. They look for vulnerabilities like the target’s children, or their job. And then a program is written to try and destroy them using those impact points. The goal, Mike says, is a “dismissed attacker.”

8. Mike and Leah vow to go on. But Leah Remini and Mike Rinder won’t allow themselves to be “dismissed attackers.” They both said that the television series ending was not the end of their mission.

“This isn’t the end. We’re not stopping,” said Mike.

“This is not the end, it’s just the beginning,” added Leah.

So, which of those moments did you find most effective? Or was it something else? We want your thoughts.

 
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Scientology’s celebrities, ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and more!

We’ve been building landing pages about David Miscavige’s favorite playthings, including celebrities and ‘Ideal Orgs,’ and we’re hoping you’ll join in and help us gather as much information as we can about them. Head on over and help us with links and photos and comments.

Scientology’s celebrities, from A to Z! Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

Scientology’s ‘Ideal Orgs,’ from one end of the planet to the other! Help us build up pages about each these worldwide locations!

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 our weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Hey, Colombia: Here’s the video of Scientology’s David Miscavige you’ve been looking for
[TWO years ago] How dishonest is tabloid media about Scientology? Here’s a pretty good example.
[THREE years ago] Scientology wastes no time taking over Florida sign after ‘disconnection’ billboard expires
[FOUR years ago] ¡Ay, caramba! Nancy Cartwright has a whale of a time in Mexico to raise money for Scientology
[FIVE years ago] The Document: When Scientology canceled ‘Family Time’
[SIX years ago] Monique Rathbun vs. Scientology: Temporary Injunction Hearing Set for Sept 12
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Cyclone: Commenters of the Week!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 27, 2019 at 07:00

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The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, 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 | 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

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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