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As on past Memorial Day holidays, we think it’s important to remind readers about Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s ‘stolen valor,’ because part of his legend were the tall tales he told about his experiences in the Second World War. Historian Chris Owen, a regular contributor here at the Bunker, took apart Hubbard’s war myths with his excellent 2019 book Ron the War Hero: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard’s Calamitous Military Career, an updated and rewritten version of his 1999 work. Today we’re reprinting an excerpt of Chris’s excellent book, looking at Hubbard’s claims about being injured in war versus the actual record. Also, please see Chris’s amazing investigation into Hubbard’s disastrous command in Australia that resulted in several deaths caused by his bungling, as well as a new series about Hubbard’s bogus medals by a military veteran. Continue reading For Memorial Day: Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s bogus war injuries
[Leni Riefenstahl in London and L. Ron Hubbard in South Africa in 1960]Over at The Daily Beast today we have a lengthy feature we’ve been working on for some time: A piece that dives into one of the oddest collaborations of the 20th century, the brief partnership of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and Nazi Germany’s favorite documentary filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl. Continue reading Today at The Daily Beast: Ron and Leni, a Scientology mystery solved
[Stuck in a leaky boat together: Danny Masterson and David Miscavige]Our loyal readers know what a daily slog it’s been for the last nine years at this website as we’ve covered Scientology as a daily news beat. You’ve been with us as remarkable stories about the church and its controversies have produced winners and losers, perpetrators and victims, and arcane questions about totalitarian policies in a modern world. Continue reading Ten Days That Shook The (Scientology) World: Dave and Danny’s very bad predicament
[The California Supremes]The California Supreme Court has granted the petition for review submitted by Danny Masterson’s accusers after their lawsuit was derailed by a decision by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Steven Kleifield. Continue reading CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT GRANTS REVIEW OF ‘ARBITRATION’ RULING IN DANNY MASTERSON SUIT
Valerie Haney, the former Sea Org worker who says she escaped from a Scientology compound by hiding in the trunk of a car, has petitioned the US Supreme Court over the ruling that derailed her lawsuit against the church, denying her right to trial and telling her to take her complaint to Scientology’s internal ‘religious arbitration.’ Continue reading VALERIE HANEY PETITIONS SCIENTOLOGY ‘ARBITRATION’ RULING TO US SUPREME COURT
How much has Bob Duggan given the Church of Scientology? At one point, Forbes magazine said he told them it was more than $300 million. But that was years ago. Bob and his wife Trish split in 2015, their divorce was final in 2017, and between the two of them the Duggans may be nearing half a billion in cash gifts to the church. Continue reading Scientology billionaire donor scores Kobe Bryant’s rookie jersey
[Jay and Jeff Spina with a Scientology award]We got home yesterday from our fun time in Los Angeles last week covering Danny Masterson’s preliminary hearing, and we thought we’d catch up on other Scientology legal matters that have been going on since we were gone. Continue reading Scientology chiros make pilgrimages to Clearwater before heading to prison
Yesterday, we asked former Sea Org official Chris Shelton for his thoughts on the Danny Masterson preliminary hearing and its heavy Scientology content. He provided us an overview of how the Scientology mindset was reflected in the hearing. We also asked another former Sea Org official, Sunny Pereira, for her thoughts on some particular Scientology moments in the hearing. Here are her thoughts. Continue reading Is Scientology protecting Danny Masterson or is it protecting itself? A Sea Org perspective.
[Attorneys Sharon Appelbaum and Tom Mesereau with Danny Masterson during his Sept 18 appearance]We asked Chris Shelton to look at the Scientology highlights we pulled out of Danny Masterson’s preliminary hearing. We wondered how these concepts being raised in a criminal rape proceeding might look to someone who was actually a former Sea Org official. Here’s what he sent us. Continue reading How the Scientology drama in Danny Masterson’s prelim appeared to a former Sea Org official
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