FOLLOW ME ON
Daily Notifications
Sign up for free emails to receive the feature story every morning in your inbox at tonyortega.substack.com

Categories

Joy Villa’s Scientologist husband shamed into dropping elephant skin bags from luxury line

[Thorsten von Overgaard and the photo dropped from his site]

The photography website PetaPixel is reporting that Thorsten von Overgaard, a wealthy Danish photographer, got into hot water with his fellow camera enthusiasts when he offered super-luxury camera bags made not only of alligator skin but also elephant hide.

Continue reading Joy Villa’s Scientologist husband shamed into dropping elephant skin bags from luxury line

Scientology’s greatest lecture of all: It’s finally time we look closer at Xenu in all his glory

[L. Ron Hubbard, surrounded by the crew of the Apollo]

Over the last few months, we’ve made an occasional series out of bringing you Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard in his own words. On its new television network, Scientology itself has a program it calls “L. Ron Hubbard: In His Own Voice,” but that’s the safe stuff, Hubbard’s recollections of his travels that helps to perpetuate his myths about himself.

Continue reading Scientology’s greatest lecture of all: It’s finally time we look closer at Xenu in all his glory

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.

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

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 genuine.

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

Scientologists, gullible? Would they fall for a felon saying he’s the returned L. Ron Hubbard?

[He is risen?]

Secrecy is one of the things that most makes Scientology what it is. Although we know plenty about the origins of Scientology, its underlying materials, and much of its controversial history thanks to countless media exposes and court cases and defections, Scientologists themselves are still very tight-lipped about what Scientology is and how it works.

Continue reading Scientologists, gullible? Would they fall for a felon saying he’s the returned L. Ron Hubbard?

Scientology’s space opera ideas aren’t just for the upper levels, as one key early book shows

 
Rod Keller reminds us that space opera is not just for the upper levels in Scientology, and it’s actively part of what Scientologists learn today, as much as David Miscavige wants to promote a more businesslike, self-help image.

Continue reading Scientology’s space opera ideas aren’t just for the upper levels, as one key early book shows

Another Scientologist runs for office in Nevada — but her campaign says she’s not a member

 
The other day we told you that Brent Jones, a Scientologist who served as a legislator in Nevada for one term, 2015-2017, is now running for lieutenant governor in that state.

Continue reading Another Scientologist runs for office in Nevada — but her campaign says she’s not a member

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 parishioner named Lisa McPherson who had died on the other side of the country. Jeff was also known for an excellent backgrounder on L. Ron Hubbard’s “technology,” and for being one of the members of the Lisa McPherson Trust in Clearwater, Florida. He made a trip back to Clearwater this week, and we asked him to send us his thoughts about it…

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

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 Scientology’s ideas about mental health. We think you’re going to find it very interesting. Here’s what Chris has to say about today’s first installment…

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

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 it.

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