For months now we’ve been getting reports from readers on several different continents that Scientologists have been out in their neighborhoods, clad in PPE and looking like government or medical officials, and are handing out booklets about the coronavirus while wearing masks and gloves and other protection.
We’ve discussed here that it’s a naked attempt on Scientology’s part to grab some good publicity, and that Scientology’s actual beliefs about illnesses being psychosomatic, and generally being critical of western medicine, and refusing to wear masks when they’re not drumming up good PR, belie the image that the church is trying to put out during the pandemic, that it’s a force for good and not just an opportunistic sham of a church on the make.
Well, this week one of our readers in England found something that helps prove what a put-up job Scientology’s COVID response has been.
Reader ‘Once Born’ noticed that there were a lot of empty boxes out behind his local org in Plymouth, England.
“Five of them had contained large amounts of different kinds of PPE, and at a time when it is at a premium for medical services,” he says. Looking at the labels, he saw a list of contents as well as an address.
That address, in Commerce, California, is of course Scientology’s massive “International Dissemination and Distribution Center” that we’ve written about many times.
The last time we wrote about this place it was in regards to how it is yet another Scientology monument to indentured servitude and destroyed families, as we focused on Charley Updegrove, whose son Toby is a lifer Sea Org worker at the plant and was made to disconnect from his father for leaving the church.
Our thanks to Once Born for bringing us yet another example that anytime Scientology is trying to curry favor with the press and public, there’s always a connection to its abuses and horrors.
We want to thank another reader, Richard in Italy, who recently went by the site of Scientology’s future “Ideal Org” in Brescia, Italy, an area that was hard-hit by the coronavirus crisis. As you can see, it’s a long way off from opening its doors.
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Scientology’s COVID cosplay is wearing thin. As our tipster says, the caption to this one in Athens might be, “Just take the damn thing!”
He lives! Tom Cummins apparently did survive his barnstorming of the COVID hot zone in Italy, and was seen participating in a Zoom meeting this week…
Hawaii is moving into gear with some Sacramento donors.
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“If you’ve had dreams of just going right straight through to Clear without ever being a Release, why, you might as well come off of it because — That’s all right, you and a lot of others will learn how to do Class VII before you’re through, so. It isn’t too hard to do. But that’s the easiest and safest way. And then you find out R6 materials, they just run like a bomb. My God! There’s nothing to it because you’re just right straight at it and everything as-ises like mad.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 29, 1965
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“I see there is just no use in reasoning with you. I’m convinced you’re quite literally insane (as per LRH’s version). The one thing that I’ll leave here is that if we don’t at least try to reach for awareness through becoming more Theta and less entheta, we all become objects. You will become part of MEST as will I if I don’t at least try. Your stuckness will literally make you stuck in MEST. It’s funny Because you’re trying so desperately to control the world around you, and in the end the world around you and Thetans will end up controlling you. There is still time. Consider this the last time you have to make changes, because you know what I say is true if you believe in the whole time track. I feel sorry for you, sincerely.”
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“Tommy must shudder whenever he hears Leah’s name and he imagines what D.M. would be doing to him, if he could, considering his ‘you don’t have the fucking rank’ was a major catalyst in her defection.”
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker
Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Arraignment scheduled for September 18.
— Jay Spina, Medicare fraud: Sentencing is set for July 6 in White Plains, NY
— Hanan and Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial set for October 7 in Los Angeles
Civil litigation:
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Oral arguments set for July 30 at the Eleventh Circuit
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Hearing on motion for reconsideration set for August 11
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: July 8 (plaintiff attorneys pro hac vice), August 31-Sept 1 (CSI/RTC demurrer against Riales, Masterson demurrer), Oct 7-19 (motions to compel arbitration)
— Jane Doe v. Scientology (in Miami): Jane Doe dismissed the lawsuit on May 15 after the Clearwater Police dropped their criminal investigation of her allegations.
— Matt and Kathy Feschbach bankruptcy appeal: Oral arguments were heard on March 11 in Jacksonville
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Amended complaint filed.
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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] David Miscavige’s pet projects result in constant fundraising pressure
[TWO years ago] In Scientology, going Clear is like leasing a car, and David Miscavige is Repo Man
[THREE years ago] HowdyCon: Aussie journalist Steve Cannane’s response to Marty Rathbun
[FOUR years ago] Why Lisa Marie Presley’s custody battle likely has nothing to do with Scientology
[FIVE years ago] Augustine: Taking a hard look at Scientology’s slush fund, the unlicensed and unregulated IAS
[SIX years ago] Scientology Sunday Funnies: The Nancy Cartwright freak-out edition
[SEVEN years ago] When Jon Atack Declared David Miscavige a Suppressive Person
[NINE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY ABANDONED BY L. RON HUBBARD’S GRANDDAUGHTER AND DAVID MISCAVIGE’S FATHER
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Bernie Headley (1952-2019) did not see his daughter Stephanie in his final 5,667 days.
Valerie Haney has not seen her mother Lynne in 1,983 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,487 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,007 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,027 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 918 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,225 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,093 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,867 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,671 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,987 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,553 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,472 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,640 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,221 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,482 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,520 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,233 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,758 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,288 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,848 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,988 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,308 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,163 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,283 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,638 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,941 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,047 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,449 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,321 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,904 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,399 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,653 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,762 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 29, 2020 at 07:00
E-mail tips to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We also post updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our new book with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’ is now on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. Our book about Paulette, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2019 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2019), 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, 14 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
Watch our short videos that explain Scientology’s controversies in three minutes or less…
Check your whale level at our dedicated page for status updates, or join us at the Underground Bunker’s Facebook discussion group for more frivolity.
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
