In Touch sold out to Enquirer’s parent, so now it starts up with the Tom-foolery

 
Last year, German publishing giant Bauer sold In Touch magazine to American Media Inc., the company that owns the National Enquirer.

The sale of a supermarket tabloid from one company to another probably didn’t mean anything to the vast majority of its consumers, but we can remember spending a long time on the telephone a few years ago with a smart and competent In Touch journalist who truly wanted to understand Scientology’s relationship to its celebrities and what that meant for Tom Cruise and his daughter Suri. When the ensuing story came out, it showed a respect for the truth.

Sadly, that’s no longer the case. The most recent issue of In Touch now demonstrates the really dishonest trick that its sister publications love to play on readers (and that we’re surprised its readers seem to put up with).

On the cover, the magazine says in no uncertain terms that Tom Cruise has “quit” Scientology, an operation that supposedly took six months to plan.

But when you turn inside and read what’s there, it’s a completely different story. Some quotes:

“…he may be about to commit the biggest sin of all…”

Cruise “is considering cutting ties with his faith…”

“If he ever were to escape Scientology…”

“Tom’s defection would send a major message…”

Sigh. Why, we wonder, do readers put up with this kind of dishonesty?

Yes, it would be significant if Tom Cruise left Scientology, but we’ve seen evidence this year that he has actually increased his dedication to the organization.

In March, he and John Travolta were front row at Scientology’s L. Ron Hubbard birthday event in Clearwater, Florida, and in October we believe he personally attended the annual IAS event in East Grinstead, England along with his son Connor and daughter Isabella.

We’ve never before seen Tom attend two of Scientology’s major events in a single year, and we’ve never seen him attend one with his kids.

Also, he has built a double-level penthouse in Clearwater, Florida literally inside the footprint of Scientology’s spiritual headquarters, the Flag Land Base. This would be like a Catholic being so dedicated to his church he buys a condo at the Vatican.

And when In Touch reached out to us several days ago with some questions for its article, we told them in no uncertain terms that we’d seen no evidence that Tom is leaving Scientology.

Before the magazine’s sale to American Media, that might have mattered.

 
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Beck’s out, but Bob Duggan is still in

Tracey McManus at the Tampa Bay Times does it again! Reporting on Trish Duggan’s interest in turning Clearwater, Florida’s old City Hall building into a museum featuring her glass art collection, McManus also called up Trish’s ex, billionaire Bob Duggan, who told her that although he’s kept a low profile lately, he’s still a dedicated Scientologist. Also, he said that he’s given far more than the $360 million to Scientology that Forbes had cited.

So, Beck is out, Bob’s still in, and Trish wants to turn another downtown property into a quasi-Scientology acquisition. Just another wild day for Scientology Watching.

 
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RTC wants sanctions from Valerie Haney, too

We described to you the other day how the Religious Technology Center, Scientology’s nominally controlling entity with David Miscavige as its “chairman of the board,” has filed a motion to quash and is seeking sanctions after it was served papers “fraudulently” in a lawsuit filed by four women who allege they were violently raped by Scientologist actor Danny Masterson.

Now, we have the motion that RTC filed in another lawsuit, the one filed by Valerie Haney, Leah Remini’s assistant who had to escape Scientology’s secretive “Gold Base” by hiding in the trunk of a car, and it is almost identical.

Once again, RTC says that the process server went to the wrong address (without pointing out to the court that the two addresses are in the same building), and that the process server didn’t mention RTC by name.

These seem like minor discrepancies that the court will take care of eventually. (Although it will take a while, this document calls for a hearing in June.)

The document we really want to get our hands on is David Miscavige’s motion to quash his service in Valerie Haney’s lawsuit, because he really can’t make the same argument in the one he filed in the Masterson case, that the plaintiffs didn’t know him. Haney worked literally in Miscavige’s private quarters for years, and knew his private life intimately. She is in an excellent position to get him brought in for a deposition about her allegations that he kept her at the base as a prisoner because she knew too much about him. As soon as we get Miscavige’s answer to that, we’ll let you know.

 
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Leaked document of the day

From the Mace-Kingsley Ranch documents release comes this item.

Someone dumped at the ranch for three years by their parents is bad-talking the place? Release the hounds!

Dear Sir,

I was doing an interview with a family who was having trouble with their teenage son [redacted]. The handling I thought would be the best would be to send their son to the Ranch.

I brought this up and [redacted] said that he had heard about this Ranch from Kyle [redacted] (who was very resentful about the Ranch). According to [redacted], Kyle said that his Dad dumped him there for 3 yrs and he didn’t get anything out of it except resentment and that it cost $1,700/mo. [Redacted] said Kyle was very angry about the Ranch and that he wasn’t interested in anything like that for his son. [Redacted] is considering sending his son to Charter (psych) facility instead.

I gave them the promo anyways and told them (the parents) to check it out for themselves. Their son is now on PV&I [the Personal Values & Integrity course] but he really needs to be at the Ranch and this 3rd party needs to be handled.

This is true,
[Redacted]

 
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Source Code

“You will normally find that semen and money cause the biggest commotion on a meter dial.” — L. Ron Hubbard, November 23, 1953

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“In our role as Scientologists and opinion leaders, some of us know that the use of thetans as actual non-material thetans, those who don’t depend on MEST to accomplish their goals, is the way to go and the way towards spiritual freedom. Whereas others clearly want to buy into MEST extension, development, and advances at the expense of our innate theta abilities and our own thetan usefulness, which is far above MEST activities, and so my position is that we thetans should or only need to accept MEST solutions at an even decreasing amount. We must beat MEST and MEST lovers at their own game. I am using my smartphone to comm with you but we must not let AI and 5G self-coordinate and run our society automatically — the direction already begun.”

 
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Random Howdy

“All along the Bridge, in the lectures mainly, LRH drops all sorts of clues, inferences, asides that the whole thing was a game and that there was an inside joke. Unfortunately a certain percentage of the faithful failed to pick up on this.”

 
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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] Here is what’s in the documents that are prompting a new look at Casey Kasem’s death
[TWO years ago] We’ve cooked up for you a special Scientology Thanksgiving — so pass the Source!
[THREE years ago] Before Leah Remini burns it to the ground, here’s Scientology’s side of the story
[FOUR years ago] Another Scientology rehab death — and why this one is particularly bad for David Miscavige
[FIVE years ago] VIDEO: Watch a Scientology spy get busted by Marc Headley in Las Vegas last night
[SIX years ago] Jon Atack: Why do Scientologists Find it So Difficult to Apologize?
[SEVEN years ago] Scientology Interviews John Travolta: Oddly, Massage Therapy Not Discussed
[EIGHT years ago] Chill EB and Me: Rappin’ About Scientology

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on November 23, 2019 at 07:00

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