Here in the United States we are celebrating our independence, and we hope you are too, wherever you are.
As usual, we mark Independence Day by asking readers to tell us about their own declarations of freedom from Scientology indoctrination. What first led you to question your involvement in the organization? How did you negotiate the tricky path of leaving if you still had family members in?
If you’ve told us before about how you left Scientology, what’s changed for you in the last year or two? Has your conception of your Scientology experience changed over time? Would you have done things differently to leave the group if you could?
And for the never-ins, tell us which of the escape stories you find most illustrative, most exciting, most devastating.
And maybe most importantly, what advice can you offer to those under-the-radar types who today are sneaking a peek at this website as they consider whether it’s time, finally, for them to declare their own independence and dissolve the bands which have connected them to David Miscavige and the Church of Scientology?
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Bonus items from our tipsters
A/K/A Judy Norton, of The Waltons fame…
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“Moral codes are solutions to problems which aren’t announced. And you can therefore define a moral code, technically. A moral code is a series of solutions to problems which have not been confronted or analyzed. And you get upset about moral codes. ‘Thou shalt not drink pitchers of milk after three P.M. before thy parents,’ or something like this. Do you realize that almost all of those commandments which are in the Bible at this particular time, that we call the Ten Commandments, are prompted by some obsessive crimes that existed at that state of the game, and that several of these commandments are solutions to venereal disease? Isn’t that interesting? I think it’s fascinating.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 4, 1961
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“What a messed up group of people who just steal, lie, talk shit all day about nothing and getting no where doing it. Causing upset to really good people. I don’t get it. There is nothing in you people I am interested in. I hate the day I got on Facebook and accepted friend requests from ‘Scientologists,’ people far from being friendly, I know now they just want your money. You should be ashamed, I know I’m disgusted. This is not LRH. It’s criminal. I actually have more respect for a criminal, at least you know what you get and they don’t pretend to be Holier-than-thou instead of mentally deranged posers thinking you represent LRH! The nerve.”
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“There aren’t enough Scientologists left in the world to fill a sports arena, let alone a stadium.”
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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] On this day of declaring independence, we want to hear about your own fight for freedom
[TWO years ago] It’s ‘Declare your Independence of Scientology Day’ here again at the Underground Bunker
[THREE years ago] Images from spy camera show Clearwater bar owner not only target
[FOUR years ago] Tell us how you declared your independence of Scientology on this glorious Independence Day
[FIVE years ago] Jon Atack: Looking back on a week of Scientology enturbulation in Toronto
[SIX years ago] Scientology’s ‘Disconnection’ policy foiled as Jeremy Powers reunites with his family
[SEVEN years ago] The Declaration of Independence: When Did You Join the Sons of Liberty?
[EIGHT years ago] Scientology Marriage Counseling Comes Down to This: “What Have You Done to Tom?”
[NINE years ago] Scientologists: How Many Of Them Are There, Anyway?
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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 1,988 days.
Katrina Reyes has not seen her mother Yelena in 2,492 days
Sylvia Wagner DeWall has not seen her brother Randy in 2,012 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his grandson Leo in 1,032 days.
Geoff Levin has not seen his son Collin and daughter Savannah in 923 days.
Christie Collbran has not seen her mother Liz King in 4,230 days.
Clarissa Adams has not seen her parents Walter and Irmin Huber in 2,098 days.
Carol Nyburg has not seen her daughter Nancy in 2,872 days.
Jamie Sorrentini Lugli has not seen her father Irving in 3,676 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 2,992 days.
Dylan Gill has not seen his father Russell in 11,558 days.
Melissa Paris has not seen her father Jean-Francois in 7,477 days.
Valeska Paris has not seen her brother Raphael in 3,645 days.
Mirriam Francis has not seen her brother Ben in 3,226 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 3,487 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 2,525 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy and daughter Jessica in 2,238 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 1,763 days.
Charley Updegrove has not seen his son Toby in 1,293 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 5,853 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 2,993 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 3,313 days.
Roger Weller has not seen his daughter Alyssa in 8,168 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 3,288 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 1,643 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin and daughter Taryn in 5,946 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 2,052 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis in 2,454 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 2,326 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 1,909 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike and daughter Emily in 2,404 days.
Mary Jane Barry has not seen her daughter Samantha in 2,658 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 13,767 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 4, 2020 at 06:00
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
