Glendy Goodsell, Executive Director of Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Florida, wants to send 150 volunteers to join relief efforts in the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian. She recorded a video (below) from the VM center on Fort Harrison Ave. in Clearwater this week.
One of Scientology’s many press release outlets reports that 30 VMs have already left and earthquake experts Los Topos “The Moles” from Mexico City are expected to arrive as well as the National Circle of Aid Technicians of Colombia (CINAT).
We haven’t seen anybody leave for the Bahamas yet on social media. We’ve covered the connection between Los Topos and Scientology before but this is the first time we have covered CINAT joining the VMs. The director of CINAT spoke at the opening of the Bogota Ideal Org in 2015 (above). Galindo accompanied a small VM team to Nepal following an earthquake there. It remains to be seen if they send a significant team or just their leader to the Bahamas. We’ve been unable to find a web site for the group and all media we see covering CINAT comes from Scientology.
Scientology claims the VMs are a major force for disaster relief but they are not. They rely on local Scientologists shopping at Walmart, dollar stores and wholesale clubs for toiletries. These are assembled into zipper top bags for distribution in the affected area. It’s incredibly inefficient and not the way large relief agencies work. The Red Cross pre-positioned supplies and over 200 trained volunteers on the islands to be ready as soon as the storm passed.
Royal Carribean cruise line is sending ships to the islands and promises to deliver 20,000 meals per day to residents. “So far, we have delivered 47,000 bottles of water, toilet paper, 7,500 lbs of pet food, 250 tarps, 25,000 square feet of plywood, 55,400 diapers, 53,000 boxes of cereal, 500 flashlights, and 362 generators. We will ship more supplies in the coming days.”
It’s not that somebody made homeless in Freeport or Nassau wouldn’t appreciate soap, towels, and toilet paper. They would if the supplies eventually arrive. With 20 dead and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed any help is better than none. But it’s a small effort and Scientology’s help comes with promotion of the healing technology of L. Ron Hubbard — touch assists.
The VMs exist for two reasons. The first is to improve the public’s perception of the church as cheaply as possible. Scientology sometimes provides cash, but donation of goods from Scientologists is the majority of the program. The reason Scientology doesn’t purchase items in bulk, warehouse or pre-position supplies is that it can generate a public relations benefit without funding a real relief effort. The second reason the VMs exist is to promote the technology of touch assists, in which injuries are claimed to be cured by getting the person in communication with their body. Glorification of Hubbard as a genius in all fields of human activity is one of the most important purposes of Scientology as a whole, not just the VMs.
There was a briefing at the Fort Harrison on the effort to aid the Bahamas on Friday. We’ll be checking social media to see if anybody goes to the islands or not. We don’t think 30 volunteers have already gone, we don’t think 150 will ever go. If past efforts are a guide we expect 10 or 12 yellow shirts distributing sanitation kits sometime this week.
— Rod Keller
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Steve Cannane makes the case against L. Ron Hubbard’s ‘science’
Go here to listen to excellent Australian journalist Steve Cannane (author of “Fair Game”) make the case against L. Ron Hubbard’s understanding of science in a new radio broadcast.
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Overheard in the FreeZone
“My feeling is that the strongest beings in this galactic cluster are OTs who were implanted by technologically advanced but more aberrated and weaker beings and sent here. It makes sense to me that this would be the easiest place to introduce Scientology and that the task elsewhere will be much harder.”
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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] New Scientology escape book ‘Perfectly Clear’ leaves some important questions unanswered
[TWO years ago] ‘Leah Remini’ show prompting more ‘ranch kids’ to come forward with agonizing family drama
[THREE years ago] Drone footage of Scientology’s secretive Int Base: The reaction from former base employees
[FOUR years ago] More proof (from Scientology) that it’s never been a better time to be a Scientologist!
[FIVE years ago] Lyman Spurlock, 1945-2014: Imprisoned and abused, a loyal Scientology executive to the end
[SIX years ago] The 1979 Clearwater Sun Editorial the Tampa Bay Times Should Run Today
[EIGHT years ago] A Scientology Countdown Announcement: Before We Start the Top Ten, a Programming Note
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 5,562 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,691 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,195 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 1,715 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 735 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 626 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 3,933 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 1,801 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,575 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,349 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,695 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,261 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,180 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,348 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 2,929 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,190 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,229 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 1,941 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,467 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 993 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,556 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,696 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,016 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 7,872 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,991 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,346 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,649 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 1,755 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,157 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,029 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,612 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,107 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,361 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,470 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on September 8, 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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