Drug flashbacks from one million years B.C.? It’s time for Scientology’s New OT 4!

What groovy substances was Raquel dosing herself with a million years ago?

Claire Headley and Bruce Hines are taking us on our journey to train as Scientologists. Claire spent years working with Scientology’s “tech,” and was trusted to oversee the auditing of Tom Cruise. Bruce was in Scientology for 31 years and spent about half that time as a senior case supervisor. Go here to see the first part in this series.

Bruce and Claire, last time we reached Operating Thetan Level Four on our trip up the Bridge to Total Freedom, but it was an early version that was later superseded by “New OT 4.” So let’s see what New OT 4 has in store for us.

Continue reading Drug flashbacks from one million years B.C.? It’s time for Scientology’s New OT 4!

More fallout in France: Scientologist who asked for damages ends up paying instead

Scientology protests its prosecution by France, February 2012

Our man in Paris, Jonny Jacobsen, has another update for us related to France’s prosecution of Scientology for fraud.

A Scientologist convicted in France’s landmark fraud case against the movement has failed in a bid to get counter-cult group UNADFI and its lawyer fined for their role in the case.

In what amounts to a legal rap on the fingers, the Paris court that heard her complaint decided instead to award damages and legal costs against her.

Sabine Jacquart, a former president of Scientology’s Celebrity Centre in Paris, was convicted with others of organised fraud in a landmark 2009 trial.

Continue reading More fallout in France: Scientologist who asked for damages ends up paying instead

Sunday Funnies: CCHR’s annual gala — time, place, form, and event!

We have another fun collection of Scientology fliers for you this week. As usual, we’re getting a glimpse into the church’s unrelenting fundraising gimmicks.

But there’s also some news here. One of our tipsters managed to snag for us a CCHR flier about this year’s gala. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is one of Scientology’s oldest front groups, and it’s engaged in a comical attack on the psychiatric profession. If you were with us last year, you may remember that we managed to obtain some CCHR fliers, but for some reason they never stated the time and place for the annual gala.

This time, for some reason CCHR was less shy.

Continue reading Sunday Funnies: CCHR’s annual gala — time, place, form, and event!

Jon Atack: Do Scientology’s training routines turn you into a sociopath?

Jon Atack is the author of A Piece of Blue Sky, one of the very best books on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. He has a new edition of the book for sale, and on Saturdays he’s helping us sift through the legends, myths, and contested facts about Scientology that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet.

Jon, last week’s piece about Scientology’s thousand-yard stare really kicked up some great comments. You wanted to address something that came up in that conversation?

Continue reading Jon Atack: Do Scientology’s training routines turn you into a sociopath?

Scientology wins damages from French court, but it’s not the victory they were hoping for

Jonny Jacobsen

Once again our man in Paris, Jonny Jacobsen, has another dispatch for us with late-breaking news. Take it away, Jonny…

Scientologists were celebrating this week after a French court awarded the movement damages for delays in the court case that ended in fraud convictions against the organisation last year.

The court acknowledged in part their complaint that the judicial process, in a case that stretches back to a complaint filed in December 1998, had at times been unacceptably slow.

But the sums involved are a far cry from the one million euros they were seeking. And the court rejected their most serious accusation: that the state had committed gross negligence (faute lourde) at the original trial.

Continue reading Scientology wins damages from French court, but it’s not the victory they were hoping for

Eric Idle and Kirstie Alley discuss Scientology!

We’ve been discussing some awfully serious issues this week. From the suicide of a talented young woman who was memorialized at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre, to the odd disappearance of a prominent 40-year member of Scientology, to the grinding arguments of a court hearing in Texas.

Oh, how we’d love a little comedy to lighten the mood. And thankfully, one of our all-time favorites of comedy was there to supply it for us!

Continue reading Eric Idle and Kirstie Alley discuss Scientology!

Ray Jeffrey on Scientology in the courtroom: ‘Constantly getting tripped up on the facts’

We had a chance to talk with Monique Rathbun’s attorney Ray Jeffrey about Wednesday’s court hearing in Monique’s harassment lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige.

The most important result of the hearing is that Scientology’s attempt to quash a deposition of Miscavige was unsuccessful. Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip said that he could see more reason than ever why Monique’s legal team should get the opportunity to question Miscavige, and he even suggested it might take place in his courtroom because he anticipated that Scientology’s attorneys would object to virtually every question.

“He didn’t order that, but he indicated that he would consider that,” Jeffrey tells us.

Continue reading Ray Jeffrey on Scientology in the courtroom: ‘Constantly getting tripped up on the facts’

Jeff Hawkins on Scientology’s brand of court martial — the ‘Comm Ev’

Jefferson Hawkins was once the top marketing executive for the Church of Scientology and helped it reach its greatest extent with the famous “volcano” TV ads in the 1980s. He’s told his tale of getting into and out of the church with his excellent books Counterfeit Dreams and Leaving Scientology, and he’s helping us understand the upside-down world of Scientology “ethics.”

We’re nearing the end of this series, Jeff, but you’ve saved one of the best for almost last. We’ve always wanted to know more about Scientology’s brand of court justice. Tell us about it.

JEFFERSON: We’re now on Chapter 12 of Introduction to Scientology Ethics, and we’re going to be taking up every Scientologist’s favorite subject — Comm Evs! Of course, I’m being facetious — I think every Scientologist, and certainly every staff member, has their own horror stories about Comm Evs. It’s a system that is particularly prone to abuse and misuse.

Continue reading Jeff Hawkins on Scientology’s brand of court martial — the ‘Comm Ev’

Monique Rathbun seeks sanctions, Scientology tries to kill Miscavige deposition in court today

The BBC’s John Sweeney sets up today’s court clash for us

Monique Rathbun is back in court today in New Braunfels, Texas for her harassment lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige. Several different issues may come up for discussion today. Monique filed a notice to depose David Miscavige on January 29, and Scientology responded with a motion to quash the deposition. Scientology also asked Judge Dib Waldrip to reconsider his order allowing Monique to depose Miscavige. But the main action today may be Monique’s motion for sanctions. She’s asking Judge Waldrip to punish Scientology because its employees, she says, have been dishonest in depositions and because Scientology has not turned over evidence.

Continue reading Monique Rathbun seeks sanctions, Scientology tries to kill Miscavige deposition in court today

Where is Scientology keeping Barbara Cordova Oliver?

In December, a 56-year-old woman who had long been a prominent presence at Scientology’s Hollywood Celebrity Centre, Barbara Cordova Oliver, flew home to Los Angeles from Clearwater and suffered a nervous breakdown.

Her mother, Arlene Cordova, 80, called police to her home, where Barbara was staying. (Arlene has never been involved with Scientology.) Barbara was taken by police to Olive View-UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar, where she was held for observation. Arlene visited her daughter in the facility, but on December 12, she says that Barbara’s Scientologist husband Robert Oliver and a Scientology attorney attended a court hearing that enabled them to get Barbara out of Olive View.

Continue reading Where is Scientology keeping Barbara Cordova Oliver?

Search