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Spinning cars, self-healing cuts — more ‘OT’ ghost stories from Scientologists

 Every once in a while, we like to remind readers what it is that keeps Scientologists committed to going up the “Bridge to Total Freedom,” a pursuit that takes years of expensive auditing, brutal interrogations, and extortionate pricing. []

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More proof that L. Ron Hubbard really did want Scientologists to consider him the Antichrist

 Last night, we heard from our old friend Steve Hall after he read our interview with Justin Craig, who claims to be the returned L. Ron Hubbard. During our interview, Craig/LRH denied that the infamous “Original OT 8” materials were []

Returning to Clearwater with a Miscavige cutout and memories of the Lisa McPherson Trust

[Jeff brought a life-size cutout with him, that card]

Way back in 1999, we wrote a story for the Phoenix New Times about a local resident who was getting the full “Fair Game” treatment from the Church of Scientology. Jeff Jacobsen was a knowledgeable church critic who had alerted the world to the plight of a []

Why Scientology has no business pontificating on mental health — a discussion

 Whether it’s about the shocking way people have been treated at a remote Tennessee facility, or the infamous death of a woman in Florida, for years we’ve been writing about Scientology’s poor record of handling the needs of the mentally ill. Now, Chris Shelton and Sunny Pereira are beginning a series of discussions specifically about []

A new academic book takes apart Scientology and pop culture, and the apologists hate it

 We have to apologize to University of Alberta Professor Stephen A. Kent. He sent us a copy of his newest book ages ago, and we simply haven’t had time to do more than leaf through []

Before Scientology was a ‘church,’ L. Ron Hubbard said religion controlled people with lies

[L. Ron Hubbard, circa 1952]

It’s one of those L. Ron Hubbard quotes that gets brought up a lot, especially by those who want to make the point that the “Church” of Scientology really isn’t one at []

Not-ready-for-Scientology TV: L. Ron Hubbard’s fortune telling tricks still being sold today

 Scientology has sent out another precious mailer to its members that includes an amazing L. Ron Hubbard quote, and we thank our tipster who sent it in. Once again, Scientologists are privately getting sent wacky Hubbard material that you aren’t going to see on the new Scientology television []

Mike Rinder answers questions about the new ‘Aftermath Foundation’

 Last week, former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder announced the formation of a new foundation set up to help out people as they leave the Church of Scientology. He tells us the response was almost []

While in hiding, Scientology’s L. Ron Hubbard sent advice to newly elected Ronald Reagan

 Chris Shelton has a fun treat for us today. He tells us that during his Sea Org career, he remembers seeing a letter that Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard sent to Ronald Reagan just after the Gipper was elected to the presidency in 1980.

Now a former Scientologist has given Chris a copy of that []

Is American culture now so hopeless that Scientology’s insanity is no longer notable?

[Kurt Andersen and Christopher Shinn]

In September, former Spy magazine co-founder and New Yorker columnist Kurt Andersen penned a widely discussed essay for the Atlantic with the wonderful title “How America Lost Its []