Scientology | The Underground Bunker

Mike Rinder on “The Hole” and How He Escaped Scientology

Last March, we visited former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder at his home in Florida. The result of our visit was a series of videos that we posted at the Village Voice website in April. However, since leaving the Voice our YouTube account was shut down. Thankfully, with help from a loyal reader, we managed to […]

Lawrence Wright’s Scientology Book Gets Some Thrashing from Cult Expert Steven Hassan

Well, not everyone loves Lawrence Wright’s book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, & the Prison of Belief. The Church of Scientology isn’t very happy about it, but neither is Steven Hassan, who writes about cults and mind control. He wishes Larry had said more about undue influence in Scientology, and we’d like to hear what you […]

Sunday Funnies: Africa is Done!

It’s time for another look at the fundraising fliers and other come-ons that Scientologists received this week. On Sundays, we like to post the items that our tipsters have forwarded to us, so we can get a snapshot of what church members are getting hit up for at the moment.

This week, there are so many […]

Kima Douglas, 1942-2013

On January 14, Kima Douglas died in Scottsdale, Arizona after fighting a battle with pancreatic necrosis. She was 70 years old.

Nothing was reported in the local media about her passing. And except for some Facebook testaments written by friends and family, there has been little notice online that she is gone.

But Kima Douglas was well […]

Newsweek Confirms It: L. Ron Hubbard Was a Blowhard

[Adrian Gaut for Newsweek]

In a delicious new story by Tony Dokoupil at Newsweek/The Daily Beast, a trove of new L. Ron Hubbard documents was found where no one thought to look before — at The Explorers Club here in New York City.

As Dokoupil points out, “the club was more than Hubbard’s watering hole. […]

Blogging Dianetics, Part 4: Dynamically Speaking

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.

This week we have a short chapter in which Hubbard defines the four dynamics. Yes, four. Later, he […]

L. Ron Hubbard: Still Surfing the Galaxy in 2013

Note: We’re posting the same item we published a year ago as an annual tribute to an amazing event. Hip, hip, hooray.

Twenty-seven years ago today, L. Ron Hubbard decided to leave his body after using it for 74 years.

A young David Miscavige, a Sea Org member who behind the scenes had been clearing the way […]

Lawrence Wright: "Scientology Is Heading for a Reckoning"

Last night, like many of you, we watched Lawrence Wright’s appearance on Anderson Cooper 360, which not only featured a rapid-fire interview of Wright by the CNN host, but also some looks back at Cooper’s 2010 show on Scientology. That four-part series explored accusations about church leader David Miscavige and violence that were first revealed […]

SCIENTOLOGY SUED FOR FRAUD OVER REFUND SCHEME, MORE PLAINTIFFS TO COME

Luis Garcia, seen in a recent video by Tiziano Lugli

In what appears to be the most serious legal challenge to Scientology in several years, former high-level Scientologists Luis Garcia and his wife Rocio of Irvine, California today filed a federal lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, alleging fraud over the way their contributions […]

Scientology Scrambling to Deal with Bad Publicity

This report from CNN today gives you an indication of how the Church of Scientology is fighting back at Larry Wright’s book, Going Clear. It’s really quite entertaining. And should be even more so when, we hear, Wright appears on Anderson Cooper 360 tonight. Let’s all tune in! (Go here if you can’t get enough […]

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