Scientology’s own publication shows how much David Miscavige worship is growing

 
Something interesting is going on in Scientology. For years, we’ve been telling you that the movement has been shrinking, and more recently we’ve said that the church’s gravitational center has moved from Los Angeles to Clearwater, Florida.

The pandemic has contributed to that concentration, and so has leader David Miscavige’s relocation to the Florida headquarters.

A couple of years ago, we started hearing reports that the famously reclusive Miscavige had begun making appearances at Friday night graduation ceremonies at the Fort Harrison Hotel, the centerpiece of the Flag Land Base in Clearwater. Then Scientology’s own publications confirmed it, and those publications also celebrated that Miscavige had hosted the past two New Year’s Eve celebrations in the hotel ballroom.

And now, along with that focus on “Flag,” Scientology’s publications are more openly celebrating Miscavige as a sort of demi-god whose appearances at the hotel are nearly miraculous occurrences.

For evidence, we have the latest issue of Source magazine, which expresses awe that, a few weeks after the LRH Birthday Event in March, Miscavige made an unannounced appearance at a Friday night graduation. Just get a look at the language that’s used to describe how the audience swooned…

Flag was still pulsating with pride after hosting the first International Event in over two years. The epic LRH Birthday Celebration introduced the Golden Age of Administration — a monumental advance that is the final component of our Ideal Org movement — and ignited Scientologists around the world to put the pedal to the metal. A few weeks later, as if to underscore our status as the center of the Scientology universe, Chairman of the Board RTC, Mr. David Miscavige, made an encore appearance at the Flag Auditorium.

As he walked onstage, the Graduation audience was on its feet for a prolonged standing ovation, the thunderous applause reverberating throughout the Auditorium. When he finally settled the audience down, Mr. Miscavige said, “Why am I here? I guess the main reason is I just wanted to see you.” And with that, the crowd was back on its feet, unable to contain their excitement at being in the right place at the right time.

In this impromptu appearance, Mr. Miscavige gave a globe-spinning roundup of expansion news, with an overview of strategic advances, including a preview of orgs speeding down the Ideal runway. Then he circled back to Flag, saying, “I am here for big news that concerns you,” and with that he introduced a new phase of our protocols. Suffice it to say, it was a thrilling announcement that widens the Bridge and has led to an avalanche of people arriving from around the world. Flag — it’s always the place to be.

Watch the entire series of COB Flag Graduation briefings when you come to Flag.

 
And what was the big news? Back on May 8, we first heard the news from a couple of our tipsters that Miscavige had announced changes at Flag, some lifting of pandemic protocols and a seven-phase program to “fully open” the compound. Mike Rinder, at his blog, also covered some of these changes.

They sounded like pretty familiar changes that many businesses are going through now as the pandemic subsides somewhat. But of course Miscavige must make it sound like monumental news.

And what did the audience think? Well, glad you asked. The magazine also included this great collection of quotes.

“That was awesome! I love COB’s sense of humor. It was so great to get the news on things he has been working on.” — D.O.

“My God, talk about motion and expansion. Very exciting stuff on the runway!” — L.B.

“I already have messages from friends and family asking me, ‘What’s the big announcement at Flag?’ I have to call them all back and tell them the great news!” — C.B.

“The new protocols are going to blow the doors of Flag wide open.” — C.A.

“This is very, very exciting! We are totally moving in the right direction.” — D.G.

“This was so wonderful! I am leaving this Graduation invigorated, excited and inspired.” — M.A.

“I had an inkling that maybe it would be COB coming out tonight. I am so in awe of what he’s doing to expand Scientology.” — S.F.

I loved this so much. The way COB tells us about what is happening, he is so open and so cool!” — M.L.

“Seeing COB again was the cherry on top. The update on what’s happening around the world, all of it… just phenomenal!” — L.C.

“This was fantastic, brilliant! COB is just amazing and I love every time he briefs us.” — S.M.

“Getting the update from COB directly was really special” — A.B.

“I am so happy about the protocols! I’m very happy I came and am totally blown away by tonight. Wow!” — L.V.

The worship of Miscavige seems to be getting a lot more out in the open than in past years, don’t you think?

 
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Coming today: A bonus for our supporters

A week ago we started an experiment with Substack, and the results so far have been very exciting. We asked our longtime readers to sign up for free emails so that each morning the Substack feature arrived in their email inbox.

Not only have many of you done so, but some of you also took out paid subscriptions without being asked to. We are humbled by your generosity, and we wanted to show our appreciation.

So, to that end, we finally decided to put together something that people have been asking us about for a long time: Yes, we recorded the first Underground Bunker podcast this week.

 
It features a super special guest, and will go out at noon today to our paid subscribers as a heartfelt thanks for your investment in the Underground Bunker. We hope you find it worth your time.

 
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Chris Shelton and John P Capitalist

 
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Source Code

“How would you like to go into the archives of some space opera society, all of which is delivered to your hand. And these, by the way, are quite interesting as archives. Operated one about 612 million years ago, something like that, which was quite interesting. Card-file systems were all stored in a basement. And I think the basement of that computer room was about the size of Chicago. And the machines which read that occupied an area — just the machines which read it — that’s, you know, the final results appeared on and so forth, looked like seven or eight Grand Central Stations. You know, just the banks of machines. And the reanalysis machines on that were all composed in a little hut that was about a thousand feet long by about four hundred feet wide. And everything was all done on automatic card shuttles, and pneumatic tubes and comparisons. And these IBM machines down here look something like a child’s hurdy-gurdy or something, compared to one of these other machines. These machines could get the finest, tiniest difference between a umph and a umph. And then they could get all things that had the tiniest association with umph and umph. You talk about your smallest and your largest magnitude of comparison — tremendous, see.” — L. Ron Hubbard, June 25, 1963

 
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Avast, Ye Mateys

“SOUTH AFRICANS: Ever since SA refused me a visa South Africans aren’t allowed to enter this country and many others. This of course is pure coincidence? Anyway, we’re routing them now to EULO which has orders to start an OEC. Why doesn’t somebody tell people we’re trying to better SA? That country needs friends, man. And so does its populace. Did you know that only in those countries where Nazis infiltrated have we had any trouble. Yes. You read that right.” — The Commodore June 25, 1971

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“I think Auditors are very valuable and courageous, so no one has a right to fight any Auditor at this point. I also think that the world is in a dire spot. AI is moving in at incredible pace and together with it Automaticity. Supposedly we are fighting Automaticity with Analyticalness. This is what Philosophy does. Wisdom finds ways to handle situations in safe and swift ways. We have moved out from a Church which has lost its grip on that Wisdom. We are all courageous enough to do that. We should grant that beingness to each other and especially to the Auditors. The problem of the Freezone is a problem of Management.”

 
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Past is Prologue

1999: Star magazine reported this week that Scientology celebrity Lisa Marie Presley is planning a wedding ceremony at Flag. “Thrilled Lisa Marie Presley is pulling out all the stops for her wedding to Luke Watson — and no one’s happier than her mom Priscilla Presley. It will be the first full-scale wedding for Elvis’ little girl, who will be walking down the aisle for the third time. Sources say the couple plan to wed in August at the Scientology Celebrity Center in Clearwater, Fla. The handsome Watson, 30 – who is one of her ex-hubby Danny’s best friends – originally entered Lisa Marie’s life when he was assigned by the Church of Scientology a year ago to watch her kids. ‘It started out as an employer-employee relationship, but it quickly blossomed into a full-blown love affair,’ says a source close to the couple. In May, the couple were spotted holding hands and cuddling at a Scientology function held in Palm Desert, Calif.”

 
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Random Howdy

“I understand where you’re coming from, but the bottom line is that Scientology is a con, and conning people is illegal regardless of whether the victims are dupes and suckers.”

 
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Full Court Press: What we’re watching at the Underground Bunker

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Next pretrial conference June 30. Trial scheduled for October 11.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Last hearing was on January 18, referred to grand jury. Additional charges also referred to grand jury after January 5 assault while in jail.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court.
— Luis and Rocio Garcia v. Scientology: Eleventh Circuit affirmed ruling granting Scientology’s motion for arbitration. Garcias considering next move.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Valerie’s motion for reconsideration denied on March 15.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Next hearing scheduled for June 29.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Third amended complaint filed, trial set for December 6.
— Author Steve Cannane defamation trial: New trial ordered after appeals court overturned prior ruling.
— Chiropractors Steve Peyroux and Brent Detelich, stem cell fraud: Lawsuit filed by the FTC and state of Georgia in August, now in discovery phase.

 
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THE PROSECUTION OF DANNY MASTERSON

We first broke the news of the LAPD’s investigation of Scientology celebrity Danny Masterson on rape allegations in 2017, and we’ve been covering the story every step of the way since then. At this page we’ve collected our most important links, including our four days in Los Angeles covering the preliminary hearing and its ruling, which has Danny facing trial and the potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

SCIENTOLOGY: FAIR GAME

After the success of their double-Emmy-winning, three-season A&E series ‘Scientology and the Aftermath,’ Leah Remini and Mike Rinder continue the conversation on their podcast, ‘Scientology: Fair Game.’ We’ve created a landing page where you can hear all of the episodes so far.

LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH

An episode-by-episode guide to Leah Remini’s three-season, double-Emmy winning series that changed everything for Scientology watching. Originally aired from 2016 to 2019 on the A&E network, and now on Netflix.

SCIENTOLOGY’S CELEBRITIES, from A to Z

Find your favorite Hubbardite celeb at this index page — or suggest someone to add to the list!

 
Other links: SCIENTOLOGY BLACK OPS: Tom Cruise and dirty tricks. Scientology’s Ideal Orgs, from one end of the planet to the other. 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 a weekly series. How many have you read?

 
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THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology 50 & 21 years ago today: The strange deaths of Susan Meister & Stacy Moxon
[TWO years ago] Danny Masterson finds himself in a changed era, but his victims came forward before #MeToo
[THREE years ago] Scientology is desperate to get its clutches on your children. Here’s proof.
[FOUR years ago] Did a little sunlight send Scientologists scattering for cover? An international update.
[FIVE years ago] Claire Headley on growing up in Scientology, and other HowdyCon highlights
[SIX years ago] Megan Shields, the physician Scientology used to vouch for its drug rehabs, dies of cancer
[SEVEN years ago] MIKE RINDER AND REPORTER: MAN CONVICTED OF HACKING WAS WORKING FOR SCIENTOLOGY
[EIGHT years ago] Mike Rinder takes on Scientology’s uneven ‘Disconnection’ rules
[NINE years ago] SCIENTOLOGY ASKS U.S. SUPREME COURT FOR EMERGENCY STAY IN FORCED-ABORTION CASE
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Implosion: Commenters of the Week!

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on June 25, 2022 at 07:00

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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, 1995-2021 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2021), 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, 15 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

 

Tony Ortega at The Daily Beast