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Founded: 1968
“For several years, Freedom operated as a cartoonish attack dog, with issues coming out about once a year that were dedicated to smearing journalists like Anderson Cooper, the Tampa Bay Times team, and Lawrence Wright of The New Yorker. It had also taken on former church executives who dared to speak out about Scientology. In 2013, a final issue in this vein had been put out attacking the ‘Posse of Lunatics,’ Scientology’s description for a group made up of the church’s former top executive strata, including Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, and Amy Scobee. Then, Freedom went dark. It resurfaced in 2014 with a new look and approach. Scientology leader David Miscavige had put together a completely new crew, with former Tampa Weekly Planet editor John Sugg holding down things in Florida and one of Sugg’s former Weekly Planet staff writers, Jennifer Lankheim, working out of Los Angeles as the editor of Freedom‘s ‘International’ edition. For more than a year, Freedom went legit, with monthly issues and earnest if dull stories about serious topics, and with enough anti-psychiatry pieces and articles extolling new Scientology buildings to leave no question who the magazine was serving.”
After this relatively brief experiment in pretending to be a current affairs publication, Freedom is now back to doing almost nothing but flogging David Miscavige, the church, and its front groups — and it’s duller than ever. Lankheim is nowhere to be seen, and Sugg is “senior editor.”
LINKS:
May 11, 2016: ‘Freedom’ magazine is back after a six-month absence, and it arrived with a surprise!
March 10, 2016: Reporter’s notebook: Scientology’s latest intimidation attempt is sadly familiar
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Our book, 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. Our collaboration with Paulette Cooper, Battlefield Scientology: Exposing L. Ron Hubbard’s dangerous ‘religion’, is also available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2017 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Underground Bunker (2012-2017), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
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
Other links: 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
