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More early sci-fi fanzines dunking on L. Ron Hubbard and ‘Dianetics’

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: One of our helpers had a brainstorm and checked sci-fi fanzines about Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and his book Dianetics in the months after it was published in 1950. We have more examples showing that as the months went by, resistance to this ‘science’ was growing. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading More early sci-fi fanzines dunking on L. Ron Hubbard and ‘Dianetics’

Scientology & the Feds: Why the church is celebrating despite news of an SEC probe

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: What a great result for a recent Wall Street Journal investigation, evidence suggesting an SEC probe is happening as a result. But Scientology is feeling good about the feds this week after the Department of Justice announced a new focus on protecting ‘houses of worship.’ [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology & the Feds: Why the church is celebrating despite news of an SEC probe

When the evil psychs secretly paid for information about Scientology!

[Patty gave them the lowdown about CCHR, all right]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Now it can be revealed: When the psychiatrist’s association secretly paid for a presentation about Scientology’s war on their profession, and heard from some of the best in the business! Another great tale from Patty Moher, the wonderful addition to our Group Therapy podcast. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading When the evil psychs secretly paid for information about Scientology!

New documents reveal Scientology’s earliest battles against naysayers

[L. Ron Hubbard, charmer]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We’re going way back today to the very start of the Scientology movement, in the weeks and months after L. Ron Hubbard’s book ‘Dianetics’ was first published. New documents show us who went crazy for this book, and who were among the first to denounce it! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading New documents reveal Scientology’s earliest battles against naysayers

Scientology’s plans run into ecological quagmire: Meet the Great Crested Newt!

[A great crested newt, just minding its own business]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: With this year’s IAS gala looming, Scientology’s back-door attempt to get permission to erect its giant tent for the three-day annual event at its UK headquarters, Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, England, has run into yet another obstacle, and this one is warty indeed! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology’s plans run into ecological quagmire: Meet the Great Crested Newt!

Scientology posts photo of Shelly Miscavige (if you know where to look)

[In Spain, Dave lies mainly in the plain]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: One of the things we do is keep an eye on Scientology’s latest press releases. It’s a thankless task, but sometimes amid all the rah-rah notices there’s occasionally something to pay attention to. Like this week, we did a double take: Hey wait, isn’t that Shelly? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology posts photo of Shelly Miscavige (if you know where to look)

Scientology and oiliness: More renderings from the Super Power Building

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Even more bizarre features from Scientology’s ‘Flag Building’ that were leaked to us in 2012, a year before the building opened. What do these space cadets need with a ‘pain station’ or ‘infinite pit’? We don’t know, but these renderings are still fun to see. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology and oiliness: More renderings from the Super Power Building

Scientology: Secrets of the Super Power Building

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: One of our favorite series at the Village Voice was based on renderings of Scientology’s ‘Flag Building’ leaked to us in 2012, a year before the building opened. We managed to recover the images from those old stories to find a place for them at our Substack. They’re still dope! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

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Scientology strikes out again as another local authority says no to tent plans

[Dave’s circus, 2018]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: More bad news for Scientology as it waits to see whether it will get permission for a car park it wants to build and also its giant tent that it puts up every year for its IAS gala. Alex Barnes-Ross alerted us to this latest stumbling block, and shared his thoughts with us. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology strikes out again as another local authority says no to tent plans

When Scientology tried to sway coverage with Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner

[Wenner and Hunter S. Thompson in 1996]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology was in a panic: It was 2005, and they knew that Rolling Stone was digging into a story. What to do? They had Tom Cruise call Jann Wenner and ask him to talk to Mike Rinder. When Wenner called, Scientology was taping, and now we have the transcript. It’s fascinating. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading When Scientology tried to sway coverage with Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner