While we’ve been very busy with the Danny Masterson trial here in Los Angeles, we have managed to keep up on a few other stories that are developing. And one has really hit a critical stage.

Some time ago, we were approached by a young person who is still in the Church [...]]]>

While we’ve been very busy with the Danny Masterson trial here in Los Angeles, we have managed to keep up on a few other stories that are developing. And one has really hit a critical stage.

Some time ago, we were approached by a young person who is still in the Church of Scientology, but who told us that they were having grave doubts about it.

We have been very cautious about this situation, for obvious reasons. As a young second-generation Scientologist, they have been under heavy recruiting to join the Sea Org, and so their every step is being monitored by the church.

The person wants very much for us to tell our readers what is going on, but they know even a story avoiding details about them like this raises the risk that the Office of Special Affairs will figure out who they are.

Like we said, we have been proceeding cautiously for some weeks now, but then things ramped up in the last few days. You see, Scientology had reached out to this young person, asking them to show up at a Halloween event, and to essentially work a shift as a partygoer to help the church give the impression that its event was a successful one.

However, the person responded that they were unable to go, because they had a previous engagement.

What sort of engagement?

A date, actually.

With who?

With a member of the same sex.

Well, you can imagine how that went over. The young person was then called down to the ethics department, where they were shown L. Ron Hubbard’s words in Dianetics that homosexuality is a “perversion,” and other Scientology materials designed to scare them straight.

They sent us screenshots of the conversation they had with an ethics officer and said we could share them with our readers. But out of caution, we thought it would be better to describe the situation than to show you actual screenshots that might allow OSA to trace back who had sent the texts.

Our correspondent understands that even with those details removed, OSA might be able to track them down. But they wanted us to write this story in order to confirm a few things about what’s going on right now — this week — in Scientology:

1. Young people who have grown up in the church are still being targeted for intense and persistent recruiting to sign the Sea Org’s billion-year contract as young as 15.

2. Scientologists are being pressured to show up to events in order to give the impression that Scientology is more robust than it actually is.

3. Scientology is still as homophobic as ever, and comes down like a ton of bricks on a Scientologist who admits to being attracted to the same sex.

We want to thank this young person for risking so much to help us confirm something we have said over and over: Scientology really never changes.

For some proof of that, please see the stories we have written in the past about Scientology and its stance on homosexuality. A decade ago, at the Village Voice, we told the story of a man named Keith Relkin. A gay man, he had tried to make the public believe that Scientology was accepting, but had to admit to his friends before he died that it had actually treated him horribly. And we also told the story of Derek Bloch, who was not only kicked out of Scientology when he admitted that he was gay, but was also kicked out of his family, which has remained “disconnected” from him to this day. We also posted a video by Nora Crest, who explained maybe better than anyone how Scientology treats people who dare to admit that they are attracted to same-sex partners.

Scientology is still stuck in the 1950s because it considers L. Ron Hubbard, a midcentury reactionary, to be “Source,” and the “auditing” (counseling) he developed with Dianetics and Scientology is considered to be a kind of gay cure. Scientology will never change this attitude because Hubbard died in 1986 and his words are sacrosanct.

And so the result is, a young person in Scientology this very week was shown Hubbard’s words from 1950 condemning homosexuality as a “perversion,” and it will subject them to interrogations and auditing in order to correct their aberration.

Some trick, isn’t it.

 
——————–

Technology Cocktail

“Here is an item which all of you might want to tuck into your notebooks: The absence of visio is the assignment of a tremendous amount of CAUSE to another individual. A dub-in is a picture of somebody telling a story, and that somebody is occluded. A dub-in case has been surrounded by persons who constantly evaluated situations FOR the individual. His next step after occlusion is pictures.” — L. Ron Hubbard, 1952

 
——————–

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 as trial begins and Danny faces a potential sentence of 45 years to life in prison.

 
——————–

THE PODCAST: How many have you heard?

— The Underground Bunker Podcast

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker [15] Jon Atack [16] Mirriam Francis [17] Bruce Hines on MSH

— SPECIAL: The best TV show on Scientology you never got to see

[1] Phil Jones [2] Derek Bloch [3] Carol Nyburg [4] Katrina Reyes [5] Jamie DeWolf

— SPECIAL: Your Proprietor’s updates on the Danny Masterson trial

[1] Sep 21 [2] Sep 28 [3] Oct 4 [4] Oct 10 [5] Oct 11: Day One [6] Oct 12: Day Two [7] Oct 13: Day Three [8] Oct 17: Day Four [9] Oct 18: Day Five [10] Oct 19: Day Six [11] Special interview with Chris Shelton, Oct 19 [12] Oct 20: Day Seven [13] Oct 21: Day Eight [14] First week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine [15] Oct 24: Day Nine [16] Oct 25: Day Ten [17] Oct 27: Day Eleven [18] Oct 28: Day Twelve [19] Second week in review, with Jeffrey Augustine

— The Underground Bunker Podcast on YouTube

[1] Marc Headley [2] Claire Headley [3] Jeffrey Augustine [4] Bruce Hines [5] Sunny Pereira [6] Pete Griffiths [7] Geoff Levin [8] Patty Moher [9] Marc Headley [10] Jefferson Hawkins [11] Michelle ‘Emma’ Ryan [12] Paulette Cooper [13] Jesse Prince [14] Mark Bunker

 
——————–

Source Code

“You got a pc who isn’t ARC breaky and you now feel happy about the thing and you can go on auditing and find out what is wrong. This is to get him back into the realm of the living. So you see, that’s a valuable thing to know. If that fails you, well, you’ve always got suicide. You could propose that to the pc. That would solve his problems. ‘R2-45’ by its various . . various other techniques. So don’t think that you just have this one technique to fall back on. Now, that’s a valuable thing to know, that you can probably desensitize the situation . . that is to say, you can resensitize the meter by running the goal.” — L. Ron Hubbard, October 31, 1961

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“A person found on a post who is not fully hatted is liable to ethics action. Awareness of the scene does not seem to exist in the absence of hatting. Thus unhatted persons look sort of blind. Mystery on post equals mystery of environment. You see this as a sort of frightened no confidence. I think hatting even changes eyesight. We ought to test it out. We already know that unhatted people get hurt more than hatted people. We know overts stem from misunderstoods. And we know running overts changes eyesight. it then probably follows that unhatted people couldn’t see a tiger if it was biting them! So, how to be mystified by it all and afraid — remain unhatted. But leave that to the old Catholic Church. They wanted everyone ignorant. So they would be terrified and blind? It figures. So get hatted and see.” — The Commodore, October 31, 1971

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“Big Bangers say that a sort of moronic intelligence has somehow evolved to explain organic biology and the spirit of play (their latest theory is the God Comet). They have no explanation for why life forms bother to survive, and go through all that courtship, white wedding, reception, drunk speeches and a scuffle afterwards. Ron’s statement that ‘extroverting the attention (as in Scientology),’ may sound rather mundane, but we already know that some life forms are more extroverted than others, as in say a whale compared to a dolphin. It isn’t just a case of what jeans and chromosomes and complexity the life form is dressed in, what the fashion is. A whole wealth of interest arises from his statement, such as, what is being extroverted, why does it invariably feel better than introverted, and what is attention, anyway – a certain group of molecules facing the same way?”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

2001: Vibe magazine interviewed Johnny Depp in its December issue about why Hollywood is so involved in Scientology. “Awhile ago, I took over this little apartment on Hollywood Boulevard from a friend of mine. I was dead broke, scrounging. He’d go to Mexico all the time and leave all these pesos lying around. I’d change them at the corner check-cashing place so I could get a meal and some cigarettes. I did that until I found this Scientology place down the street. They’d give you $3 to take this weird fuckin’ test. I’d answer all the questions under different names. I survived that way for quite awhile.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“As Claire pointed out, the whole ‘What is true for you is what you have observed yourself’ is a circular logic conundrum. It should be ‘If something isn’t true for you it’s because you have a M/U.’ I recall reading a paper by Touretzky or Kent that explained how the ‘misunderstood word’ is what everything else in Scientology revolves around. It is the key.”

 
——————–

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Trial began October 11 in Los Angeles.
— ‘Lafayette Ronald Hubbard’ (a/k/a Justin Craig), aggravated assault, plus drug charges: Grand jury indictments include charges from an assault while in custody. Arraigned on August 29.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff scheduled to be sentenced on Oct 28.
— Rizza Islam, Medi-Cal fraud: Trial scheduled for March 1 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for September 19.
— Yanti Mike Greene, Scientology private eye accused of contempt of court: Found guilty of criminal and civil contempt.

Civil litigation:
— Baxter, Baxter, and Paris v. Scientology, alleging labor trafficking: Complaint filed April 28 in Tampa federal court, Scientology moving to compel arbitration. Plaintiffs filed amended complaint on August 2. Hearing scheduled November 17 to argue the arbitration motions.
— Valerie Haney v. Scientology: Forced to ‘religious arbitration.’ Selection of arbitrators underway. Next court hearing: February 2, 2023.
— Chrissie Bixler et al. v. Scientology and Danny Masterson: Appellate court removes requirement of arbitration on January 19, case remanded back to Superior Court. Stay in place at least through December 13.
— Brian Statler Sr v. City of Inglewood: Case settled ahead of scheduled Dec 6 trial.
— 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.

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Kirstie Alley, the Scientology Celebrity Centre, and that time we lost a teenager
[TWO years ago] The Top 25 People Enabling Scientology, No. 10: Political shills
[THREE years ago] How ‘The Kominsky Method’ nailed it: Writer Chuck Lorre’s secret Scientology past
[FOUR years ago] On sale today: Battlefield Scientology — the best of the Bunker, with Paulette Cooper!
[FIVE years ago] Garry Scarff, 1956-2017: A complex figure and dogged researcher
[SIX years ago] Leah Remini reveals that she’s been stalked during production of her new TV series
[SEVEN years ago] Jon Atack: The ‘Axioms’ — L. Ron Hubbard’s attempt to make Scientology sound ‘sciencey’
[EIGHT years ago] A reminder, this Halloween, that Scientology’s tricks tear families apart
[NINE years ago] Honesty in Scientology: Jefferson Hawkins Helps Us With Another Ethical Quandary
[TEN years ago] It’s Halloween, and Narconon is Very, Very Afraid
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology Investigation of South Park the Last Straw for Katie Holmes: Aussie Magazine Report

 
——————–

——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on October 31, 2022 at 09:00

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, 1995-2021 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

Ten years ago this week, we wrote about Derek Bloch for the first time at the Village Voice. He helped us tell the story of how he had been kicked out of the Sea Org as a teenager and then disowned by his own family when he revealed that he was gay. In [...]]]>

Ten years ago this week, we wrote about Derek Bloch for the first time at the Village Voice. He helped us tell the story of how he had been kicked out of the Sea Org as a teenager and then disowned by his own family when he revealed that he was gay. In the years since then he’s helped us expose Scientology’s repugnant and baked-in homophobia. We thought the ten-year anniversary of our first story on him would be a good time to check in with him and see what he’s up to.

 
Honestly, with everything going on in the world around me it feels like my personal problems are so small and irrelevant. I still think back on my time in Scientology. As I get older, I feel more comfortable talking about the experiences I went through with my nuclear family. It wasn’t easy to even think about them for a very long time. Ironically, talking about my experience with Scientology has always been much more manageable than discussing the abuse that I experienced at home. Something that has brought me a lot of solace and peace when thinking about my past is that while my experience is totally unique to me, it’s also not much different from what so many other people have been through.

Detaching myself from Scientology also made me more aware of the world around me. There is a profound amount of suffering out there. Watching the spread of fundamentalist idealism and xenophobia across this country and many others is absolutely the world I was afraid we would live in if Scientology really became as powerful as it wanted. Reading the recent decision by the Supreme Court referring to the “domestic supply of babies” like humans are cattle is exactly the kind of thing I would expect to see from Hubbard and Miscavige. The cult of unfettered capitalism has a lot in common with the cult of Scientology.

I am very happy from a personal perspective right now. I’m almost done with school (16 months or so left). I need to figure out how to bridge a small gap between my federal loans and the actual cost of schooling before then. I’m on track to graduate on time. Sal and I will be celebrating our fourth anniversary this year. I love him more with every passing day. Our cats (Bella – 4 yrs & Ms. Kitty – 1 yr) are healthy and happy. So much so that my friends tell me they wish they were my cats. I moved in with a couple of sisters who bought a house together. I’ve been friends with them for a long time. It’s much more satisfying helping them pay for their house than some LLC that owns 95 apartment complexes. I’ve got a garden going with some watermelons and sunflowers and (of course) cat grass. I hope I can keep it going through the summer. It’s honestly done wonders for my mental health along with our cats. I put up bird feeders in the back yard too. I need to get a nice fountain next. We’re still living in LA county but in the suburbs. The weather here is just unbeatable.

Thinking about the future is really hard for me right now. I feel like in the next 15 or 25 years everyone on Earth will be wishing it was 2020 again. Parts of the Earth are already testing the limits of our survival right now. It’s really depressing and hopeless. I’m trying to focus on enjoying what I can, while I can. On the other hand, a lot of the bullshit problems that we’re forced to focus on right now will start to disappear. Anthropology makes living through life-altering historical events seem so busy. It’s surprising how mundane it all really is.

— Derek Bloch

 
——————–

Labor trafficking lawsuit defendants ask for additional time to respond

More news from the new labor trafficking lawsuit filed recently against Scientology. The first document filed by the defense acknowledges that the five institutional defendants have now all been formally served with the lawsuit. They are:

Church of Scientology International (CSI)
International Association of Scientologists Administration (IASA)
Religious Technology Center (RTC)
Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization (FSO)
Church of Scientology Flag Service Ship Organization (FSSO)

Each of them acknowledge that they were served on different days, but they asked the court for a unified date of July 12 to make their first response to the lawsuit.

Defendants are in the process of reviewing the Complaint, and the complex underlying facts and law relating to Plaintiffs’ claims and allegations that purportedly span several decades. FSO, RTC, FSSO, and IASA require additional time to review the information and documents necessary to provide a thorough response to the Complaint before their response deadlines of May 27, May 31, and June 6, 2022, respectively. Moreover, interests of efficiency and economy warrant a uniform response deadline for Defendants consistent with the sixty (60) day period provided under Rule 4 for CSI waiving formal service of process. Accordingly, Defendants respectfully request an extension of time until July 12, 2022 to respond to the Complaint.

Judge Thomas Barber signed off on that request yesterday.

There’s no mention of the sole individual defendant named in the suit, Scientology leader David Miscavige.

We have a feeling he will be making yet another “special appearance” through an attorney and deny that he should be a part of the litigation, and will then avoid service for as long as he can.

 
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Bonus items from our tipsters

From Miami, another couple of whales are spotted!

 
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Sign up for a daily email when we post a new story on Scientology.

Did you know you can get an email every morning when we post our daily Scientology story? We know some of the folks who come to the Underground Bunker aren’t here to talk about the politics of the day, and that’s why we created a daily politics feature over at our other blog, The Lowdown, and we ask readers to take their political discussions over there. And if you drop us a line at tonyo94 AT gmail, we’ll put you on the list so you get a morning reminder that a new Scientology story has been posted — and only for our Scientology stories.

 
——————–

Source Code

“Some time, by the way, when you haven’t anything else to do, read Gibbon’s ‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.’ That’s quite a thing. I undertook that some years ago because I was having trouble sleeping. But I decided I would read it from one end of that many-volumed volumes to the other — read the whole thing. And it was quite an interesting exercise. I hope I never get so ambitious as to start reading the Encyclopaedia Britannica from one end to the other. But, I will say, I am running out of reading matter now that Ian Fleming has picked himself up another body. May have to do it.” — L. Ron Hubbard, May 18, 1965

 
——————–

Avast, Ye Mateys

“UPPER OT GRADES: By this time there must be about fifteen OT grades above Clear already developed. These exist in research form and have not been released. AOLA is begging for a new one, having delivered 500 OT VIIs. The danger is that an AO or org starts delivering to the same people and disconnects. Jbg broke itself doing this once. Affluent on selling illegal Power Processing, it suddenly used up all its CF. It had not fed in anyone at the bottom — no Testing or HAS or Dn or Lower Grades. It used up its CF hot prospects on Power and that was that. Jbg’s decline dates back to this period. It’s a way of disconnecting from the Public. AOs should be hammering SHs to get people through Solo R6EW and onto Clear and getting Clears onto lower OT grades.” — The Commodore, May 18, 1971

 
——————–

Overheard in the FreeZone

“The insanity that the modern western culture has forced upon me is vanished (e.g, radical feminist and social liberalism and political correctness). The new area of Scientology has taken it away and made it disappear. I feel great today, I feel human again, I feel new. I have my space again, my bigness is restored. Finally I can travel with confidence again, with personal culture and space. The damage a man can have in the east concerns some ‘radical religious Abrahamic fucked up view point.’ In the Neo west there other fucked up insanity (post moderation). Scientology saved me from both pig-fucked philosophies. This journey started with my auditor Bernie and today after I finished the Hubbard Certified new ERA Scientologist, I become free again.”

 
——————–

Past is Prologue

1996: Mark Ebner, who briefly joined Scientology and wrote an article in Spy magazine about his experience, posted a brief description of the response following the article. “I have saved the threatening letters from Scieno lawyers that arrived prior to the publication of my Spy expose. Claiming to be me, they also called the magazine’s printer in Kentucky trying to get advance copies. My credit card was fucked with in a big way.”

 
——————–

Random Howdy

“All the e-meter is capable of is measuring galvanic skin response. It has as much scientific, technical value as X-Ray glasses and Sea Monkeys.”

 
——————–

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

Criminal prosecutions:
— Danny Masterson charged for raping three women: Next pretrial conference May 31. Trial scheduled for August 29.
— ‘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.
— Jay and Jeff Spina, Medicare fraud: Jay sentenced to 9 years in prison. Jeff’s sentencing to be scheduled.
— Rizza Islam and other family members, Medi-Cal fraud: Pretrial conference May 20 in Los Angeles
— David Gentile, GPB Capital, fraud: Next pretrial conference set for June 2.
— Joseph ‘Ben’ Barton, Medicare fraud: Pleaded guilty, awaiting sentencing.

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.

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–
THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Jane Doe 1’s brutal testimony about alleged rape by Danny Masterson on Day 1 of prelim
[TWO years ago] A shocking glimpse inside Scientology’s floating cathedral: ‘All I hear is desperation’
[THREE years ago] Graham Berry does it again: More Scientology financial fraud spelled out in legal demand
[FOUR years ago] Scientology’s founder in 1948: Dianetics was ‘unfrigidizing’ women into ‘nymphos’
[FIVE years ago] To whet your appetite for season 2, A&E airing 2-hour ‘Leah Remini’ special on Memorial Day
[SIX years ago] Scientology responds to Garcia accusations; sexy Virginia congressional candidate visits an org
[SEVEN years ago] Just two blocks from Scientology’s LA headquarters, Paulette Cooper shone
[EIGHT years ago] Sunday Funnies: Scientology fundraising fliers try desperately to hide the truth
[NINE years ago] Jon Atack on the Hypnotic History of Scientology Auditing
[TEN years ago] Scientology: Kiwi Reporter Puts Lisa Marie Presley On the Spot; Playboy Blows Tom Cruise
[ELEVEN years ago] Scientology in Israel: All Holy Hell Breaking Loose?

 
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——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on May 18, 2022 at 07:00

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, 1995-2021 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

Penny Atwell Jones is an OT 8 Scientologist who has a way of drawing attention to herself. She’s appeared in a couple of stories here, and she tends to get a little news coverage these days as one of the president’s most enthusiastic supporters.

We have no problem with her Trump [...]]]>

Penny Atwell Jones is an OT 8 Scientologist who has a way of drawing attention to herself. She’s appeared in a couple of stories here, and she tends to get a little news coverage these days as one of the president’s most enthusiastic supporters.

We have no problem with her Trump adoration, but what originally brought her to our attention was that she was one of several Scientologists who lined up to smear Leah Remini after her television series, Scientology and the Aftermath, proved to be such a hit (and such a thorn in the side of church leader David Miscavige).

If you remember, Scientology quickly lined up numerous former “friends” of Leah to accuse her of being a big meanie. Penny was more than willing to join in…

Leah has never been an A-list celebrity, but she thinks she is. They don’t demand all this extra attention. They’re here like every one of the rest of us are here. But not Leah—she wants to be followed around and just given all this attention. I can remember saying to her at times, “Wow! How much attention do you really need?”

Sounds legit.

Anyway, a reader pointed out that Penny’s latest drama was to protest that Clearwater, Florida had canceled its public fireworks display for July 4 because the city didn’t want to draw a large crowd with the potential for spreading the coronavirus even further in that hard-hit state.

“The city shut down fireworks, but my family didn’t — we had our own!” she uttered at her Instagram account and posted images and short videos showing the family party at her son Demian Mochary’s house on the Intracoastal, where fireworks were going off from the home’s boat dock.

And what caught our eye was this photo of her son Demian, 50, with another member of the family who also attended the party…

 
That’s NCIS: Los Angeles actress Catherine Bell, 51, who is in a relationship with Penny’s daughter Brooke Daniells, 42, who was also at the party.

Six years ago at his blog, Mike Rinder explained how awkward it was for Penny, a Scientologist who is very sensitive about her stature in the church, to have a daughter in a relationship with Bell, who is also a longtime Scientologist.

The notoriously homophobic church makes it very difficult for gay members. Rinder said in 2014, “I heard Penny Atwell Jones cannot stand anyone bringing up the subject of Brooke.”

But we’re happy to see that whatever internal family strife there might have been over the relationship has subsided, and Catherine was welcome at the family’s (slightly illegal) fireworks extravaganza.

How, you may ask, does Catherine Bell retain her own standing in such a homophobic organization? Always remember: Celebrities get to break all the rules.

 
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Danny Masterson lawsuit hearing this morning

There’s a procedural hearing today in the lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and Danny Masterson, who are being sued by his rape accusers. The lawsuit was first filed last August, but nearly a year later the Philadelphia-based legal team that is representing Chrissie Bixler and the other women have yet to be formally appointed to practice law in the case.

Today, Judge Steven Kleifield will probably accept them as a mere formality, but it’s been interesting to see Scientology’s attorneys fighting this normally minor matter. (In Scientology litigation, every hill is one to die on.)

The coronavirus pandemic has delayed things and is causing this hearing to be held virtually. But on the positive side, that gives us a chance to listen in, after we were granted access to the hearing by the court. It’s scheduled to start at 8:30 am Los Angeles time, which is 11:30 am here in New York. We’ll try to do a little live blogging in the comments when the time comes.

UPDATE: We listened in as Judge Kleifield ruled that he would accept the Philly lawyers as long as they submit information about the specific courts they had been admitted to previously, something Scientology had pointed out that they did not do in their applications. Robert Thompson, on behalf of the plaintiffs, readily agreed. So, the powerful legal team is finally admitted to their own lawsuit, nearly a year after they filed it.

Also, Scientology’s attorney Bill Forman suggested consolidating the “demurrer” hearings so that they all take place on September 4, and that was agreed to. That will be the next time we are in court.

 
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Source Code

“One patient, who all morning, every morning, had to be kept in an institution in a wet pack, promptly at noon with a smile would jump out of bed, after having been in a fetal position all morning, very happily get dressed, go around and talk to everybody, as sane as anyone you wanted to meet. But the attendants would come around the next morning and there she would be curled up in a fetal position, so they would again put her in a wet pack until noon. This went on every day, and had been going on for five years — an interesting example of a time clock running on an engram.” — L. Ron Hubbard, July 8, 1950

 
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Overheard in the FreeZone

“Scientology operates on the Organizing Board. It is its own form of government. The Org Board can be used to run an org, the freezone, a country or the planet. The field in Europe has its own authorities. Only the American indies have a cowboy mentality.”

 
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Random Howdy

“Why does any henchman remain loyal to a corrupt leader? It’s because they are reaping some of the rewards also, whether it be money or power, or in Mary Sue’s case, both.”

 
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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 August 27 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 August 27 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, trial set for Nov 9, 2021

 
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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] David Miscavige misses out on $30 billion building project proposed by Scientologists
[TWO years ago] Masterson witness fears for safety as investigation drags on and on
[THREE years ago] Scientology and the Spoonbenders: Jon Atack on a previously unpublished Ingo Swann essay
[FOUR years ago] Our money man takes another look at new (and grim) Scientology financial disclosures
[FIVE years ago] NYTimes reports link between Scientology and hack of two who appeared in ‘Going Clear’
[SIX years ago] Ryan Hamilton files lawsuit 16 against Scientology’s drug rehab network
[SEVEN years ago] SCIENTOLOGY CELEBRITY REBELLION: Leah Remini Dared to Ask, “Where’s Shelly?”
[EIGHT years ago] Prehistoric Aggression: More Reasons Katie Holmes Was Smart to Avoid Scientology Marriage Counseling
[NINE years ago] Tom Cruise Not a Kook! Pfizer Protest Linked to Scientology, But Don’t Tell the Protesters That

 
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Posted by Tony Ortega on July 8, 2020 at 07:00

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

 Scientology is pumping out more propaganda than ever, not only with its DirecTV channel, but also with a steady stream of social media that must be costing the church a fortune to operate.

The church may still rely on Sea Org slaves to write letters by the hundreds, but you can be sure it’s contracting out [...]]]>

 
Scientology is pumping out more propaganda than ever, not only with its DirecTV channel, but also with a steady stream of social media that must be costing the church a fortune to operate.

The church may still rely on Sea Org slaves to write letters by the hundreds, but you can be sure it’s contracting out its social media work to professionals. We’re seeing a lot of slick answers being put out by Scientology’s various accounts which are intended to counter the things the press has uncovered about Scientology’s controversies.

One of those controversies is Scientology’s long history of deep-seated homophobia. L. Ron Hubbard categorized homosexuality as a perversion in his 1950 book Dianetics, and any former church executive will tell you that Hubbard’s view — that homosexuals are “covertly hostile” — permeates the organization. Gay people who somehow end up in Scientology will find themselves subjected to Hubbard’s brand of gay conversion therapy, auditing the gay away.

However, the church today knows that having a reputation for homophobia is not a good thing, so it lies. And it has its social media accounts lie as well. Here’s an example…

 
Notice how that answer is really a dodge. There might be a creed which says that theoretically all people are equal, but the Twitter account avoided answering the question about whether gay people are accepted in the church.

We know from the testimonies of people like Derek Bloch and Keith Relkin that this isn’t the case.

And, to help make this point, we have another short video for you to consider. Once again, it features Nation of Islam minister Tony Muhammad, the key figure in the Nation of Islam/Scientology mashup, and a recipient of Scientology’s highest award, the Freedom Medal.

In this clip, Muhammad is speaking at a NOI mosque in Los Angeles and brings up a Biblical passage that refers to incest and pedophilia.

Muhammad makes sure his listeners understand the depravity of what the Bible has described — grown men sleeping with their daughters — and he asks, “Who do you think controls pornogaphy in Hollywood?” And his audience loudly answers with a refrain of “The Jews!”

But in the Nation of Islam, he says, pedophilia isn’t a problem. First, because if the Nation finds out that someone is sleeping with their daughter, “we’re going to kill you, straight up.”

On the other hand, if someone is a victim of molestation, the Nation is there to help.

“Now, if you fall victim to that, we’ll help you with that.”

Muhammad then conflates being the victim of pedophilia with being gay, which is a common notion among bigots.

In order to explain what he means, Muhammad puts on a swishy walk to the laughter of his audience, and then says that the Nation will march it out of a person. Here, see it for yourself…

 
So, Scientology’s slick social media operation may be spreading a lot of sanitized public relations, but time and again Scientology itself shows its true colors.

While the church denounces anyone who speaks out about its controversies as a “bigot,” David Miscavige has handed the church’s highest award to an outspoken bigot from a hateful organization, the Nation of Islam, that Scientology has hitched itself to.

Funny how you don’t hear about that kind of thing from Scientology social media kingpin Ed Parkin.

 
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Start making your plans!

 
——————–

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?

 
——————–

THE WHOLE TRACK

[ONE year ago] Scientology officials from around the globe called to Florida for news of ‘Scientology TV’
[TWO years ago] Moments in Scientology journalism: When Alex Mitchell blew the lid off ‘Babalon Working’
[THREE years ago] Yes, that was a Scientology ad you saw during the Super Bowl. Here’s what’s in it.
[FOUR years ago] An L. Ron Hubbard island fantasy: The Scientology daydream you haven’t heard
[FIVE years ago] REPORT: Man was hired to keep Shelly Miscavige from escaping Scientology base near L.A.
[SIX years ago] Jenna Miscavige Hill continues her media blitz; more Scientology news in Thursday roundup
[SEVEN years ago] 5 biggest lies in Scientology’s 2-minute TV ad

 
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——————–

Posted by Tony Ortega on February 7, 2019 at 07:00

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, 1995-2018 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2018), 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, ten 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