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 Spanky Taylor asked The Bunker to observe a special anniversary today.
She and another former Sea Org friend, author Ira Chaleff, sent us a brief remembrance of Diane Colletto, who would have turned 60 today. For readers of Lawrence Wright’s excellent book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, & the Prison of Belief, you may remember Colletto’s appearance. It’s a short and sad tale. Diane Colletto was the editor of The Auditor and held other responsibilities in the church’s publications division. Although she was only 25, she was going places. Until, that is, the night of August 19, 1978, when she was brutally murdered right outside Scientology’s big headquarters in Los Angeles. But even today, nearly 35 years later, Colletto is still remembered fondly by those who knew her well. Continue reading Remembering Diane Colletto, Who Would Have Been 60 Today
 The ultimate auditor? Dianetics , with the help of ex-Scientologist, Bay Area lawyer, blogger, and author Vance Woodward. Go here for the first post in the series.[ALSO TODAY: A federal judge tells Narconon to go fish; an update on the Oklahoma drug rehab bill; more American press outrage about Scientology in Vietnam; and Irish protest against Tom Cruise!] Vance, now we begin Book Three, “Therapy,” and switch gears. First, there’s a brief chapter in which Hubbard assures us that what we’re about to learn is worthwhile and effective. And also, he points out, it’s something for the masses. To emphasize that notion, Hubbard engages in some very characteristic anti-intellectual grousing. If it were up to the professional classes, he complains, nothing as complex and useful as Dianetics would go unlegislated into nonexistence. Continue reading The Secret to Scientology’s “Wins” Revealed? Advertisement
 Gary Smith We can hardly keep up with the documents that former Narconon officials Luke Catton and Eric Tenorio have been making public. The most recent is a stunning e-mail that Catton released yesterday, showing how much Scientology’s flagship drug rehab facility, Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma, has turned to revenue from insurance companies to bolster its bottom line. Catton gave us a copy of the e-mail, which he says he received from Narconon Arrowhead CEO Gary Smith early in 2010. Catton himself was once the president of Narconon Arrowhead, but he had left by this time and was operating numerous websites that directed new clients to Smith’s facility. It was important for Catton to be kept up on what was happening at the rehab center, he says, and Smith’s update was a crucial one. In it, Smith explains that after Narconon Arrowhead had figured out ways to charge insurance companies for parts of its Scientology-based treatment program, revenue had gone through the roof. Continue reading LEAK: Scientology’s Rehab Went from $5,000 to $2.5 Million in Insurance Revenue in One Year
 Robert “Murph” Murphy We just spoke with Robert Murphy, whose daughter Stacy died last July at Scientology’s flagship drug rehab center in Oklahoma, known as Narconon Arrowhead. Murphy had just come out of a legislative meeting in Oklahoma City to tell us that the House’s Public Health Committee had passed an amended Senate Bill which should put the Narconon center in some jeopardy. “It’s a good day,” Murphy told us. The bill’s sponsors told us they were hoping to fend off any amendments so it could quickly get House approval and then get to Oklahoma’s governor, Mary Fallin, for signing into law. But the bill was amended today, which means it will, after House approval, go back to the state Senate, where it originated. But Murphy tells us the extra step is worth it. He says the amendment tightens up restrictions, and will force Narconon to be more up front about its ties to the Church of Scientology. Continue reading Oklahoma Bill Aimed to Curb Scientology’s Drug Rehab Passes House Committee
 Martian invaders! Quick, put on your goggles! Claire Headley has been under the weather, so we’re replacing our “Up the Bridge” installment this week with something we hope will tide you over. Back in October, we posted transcripts from a March 10, 1952 L. Ron Hubbard lecture that proved to be hugely popular with our readers. In that lecture, Hubbard described the origins of humanity on Earth, and it was quite a bit different from what he would say 15 years later when he came up with the notorious “OT III” material and its story about Xenu the galactic overlord (which South Park had so much fun with). Today, we have another fun slice of Hubbard galactic history: audio portions of another lecture from 1952 in which the great scientist explains this solar system’s real political situation! Continue reading Why Isn’t Scientology More Open About Its Space Opera Beliefs? It’s the Best Part!
As smoking guns go, this one is high caliber and billowing. Scientology’s drug rehab program, Narconon, is in serious trouble because of a series of patient deaths, government investigations, and civil lawsuits. And as we’ve pointed out numerous times, former Narconon employees and leaked documents have revealed that nearly every step of Narconon’s business model involves some sort of deception. Now, another stunning disclosure. Former Narconon employee Eric Tenorio has turned over to the Underground Bunker a remarkable e-mail written by a Narconon International legal affairs officer who admits that “we do not have scientific evidence of” the 70 percent and higher rates of success that the rehab programs advertise. Continue reading LEAK: Narconon’s Legal Affairs Director Admits No Scientific Basis for Advertised Success Rates
 On Sundays, we love to bring you the latest mailers and fliers that Scientology is sending to its members. It’s our way of keeping up on what’s happening in the church at any given moment.
And this being a rather grand Sunday of Sundays, we have some fine items that should interest you, including some desperation at Golden Era Studios, a daring plunge into the digital future by the Celebrity Centre, and yet another ads-on-bus sighting. But this is also a special day because we’ve reached the SMERSH Championship after a full month of voting! You’ll find that matchup at the end of this post. But first, we’d like to take note of a story that appeared elsewhere yesterday, and then we’ll get to our usual collection of fun stuff.
Continue reading Easter Sunday Funnies — Also: Our SMERSH Madness Championship!
 Bill Robertson A Piece of Blue Sky . Atack now has a new edition of the book out, and it reminded us what an encyclopedic resource he is. So join us as we rely on Jon’s expertise to 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, a big part of the current Scientology story is the large breakaway group of “independents” who have left the official church but still adhere to the ideas of founder L. Ron Hubbard. Church leader David Miscavige most definitely perceives these “indies” as a big threat, and it seems like this is the most significant schism the church has ever experienced. But there were previous groups of Scientologists who left the church to form their own independent groups, and they formed practically from the beginning, when Hubbard got things going in the early 1950s. Before the present indie scene, probably the biggest breakaway happened in the early 1980s, isn’t that right? Continue reading Independent Scientology: The Ballad of Captain Bill
 For the last couple of years we’ve watched in amazement as a steady stream of longtime, loyal members have ditched the Church of Scientology over the actions of its leader, David Miscavige. These were veteran members not only deeply attached to the underlying ideas of Scientology, but also accustomed to paying huge amounts of money for the church’s course offerings and interrogations.
Miscavige can’t be oblivious to this drain of reliable income, and we’ve noticed that increasingly he seems to be making an effort to hold onto his remaining “whales” — the really wealthy donors who might be feeling nervous about all the bad publicity the church has been receiving lately. Holding onto the whales helps explain the church’s recent high-visibility ad campaigns which don’t make a lot of sense for bringing in new people. (The Super Bowl ad is a good example.) Miscavige is trying mightily to hold onto members with deep pockets. And today, we have an interesting whale-saving success story. Continue reading Scientology’s Job One: Saving the Whales
Welcome to our ongoing project, where we blog a 1950 first edition of Scientology’s bible, Dianetics , with the help of ex-Scientologist, Bay Area lawyer, blogger, and author Vance Woodward. Go here for the first post in the series.[BELOW: The Nation of Islam’s fascination with Dianetics is well known — but are NOI members now starting to take Scientology jobs?] Vance, we’re finally about to get to Dianetic therapy, but before we do, L. Ron Hubbard must once again revisit the subject of pregnancy and childbirth. Sigh. In the chapter, “Preventive Dianetics,” Hubbard makes the point that since engrams — memories picked up during unconsciousness — can be so harmful to a fetus, it’s important to prevent them happening by keeping quiet around women who are pregnant or giving birth. Continue reading In Dianetics, the Uterus is a Frightening Place — ALSO: Nation of Islam Boosting Involvement? Advertisement
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Spanky Taylor asked The Bunker to observe a special anniversary today.
![[Credit: Jennifer Mokren, for the Exquisite Uterus Project]](http://tonyortega.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/UterusFlag.jpg)