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Scientology retaliates against Clearwater land deal by trying to shiv a beloved dolphin

[Scientology attorney Monique Yingling vs. Winter the Dolphin]

Rod Keller sifted through the wreckage of what happened yesterday down in Pinellas County, and it’s not pretty…

Continue reading Scientology retaliates against Clearwater land deal by trying to shiv a beloved dolphin

Someone forgot to notify the Dept. of Defense that Scientology is the world’s coolest religion

 
In October 1983 Sylvia Dewall joined the U.S. Air Force. And when you join the armed forces in this country, you are asked to identify your religion for your dog tags.

Continue reading Someone forgot to notify the Dept. of Defense that Scientology is the world’s coolest religion

Nan McLean in 1973: Rare Scientology documentary goes online, and it rocks

 
Thank you to the Canadian tipster who let us know that the W5 television program recently posted one of its all-time gems, a 1973 documentary about Scientology that featured one of our favorite old-school critics, former church member Nan McLean and her family.

Continue reading Nan McLean in 1973: Rare Scientology documentary goes online, and it rocks

Scientology loves to gladhand Florida politicians, even though it usually has little effect

Rod Keller continues to keep an eye on Scientology’s sneaky front groups. He has another dispatch for us on how the church is trying to influence Florida legislation…

Continue reading Scientology loves to gladhand Florida politicians, even though it usually has little effect

Scientology denied twice in wrongful death lawsuit as parents grieve for Tabatha Fauteux

 
“There’s nothing we don’t miss about her. She was just a lot of fun. Even when you were having the worst day of your life, she could figure out how to get a smile out of you,” Guy Fauteux told us yesterday about his daughter Tabatha. “It’s the worst. And she was doing so good. She wanted to do so good.”

Continue reading Scientology denied twice in wrongful death lawsuit as parents grieve for Tabatha Fauteux

Bunker reader Dee Findlay stole the show as Clearwater stood up to Scientology last night

 
By now you’ve probably heard that the city of Clearwater is the proud owner of a 1.4-acre parcel of downtown land after its city council voted unanimously to purchase it from an aquarium company and defy the Church of Scientology, which wanted the plot for its own uses.

Continue reading Bunker reader Dee Findlay stole the show as Clearwater stood up to Scientology last night

As Clearwater votes, here’s a reminder of how L. Ron Hubbard had Scientology invade Florida

[Hubbard in Queens, NY in 1973, photo by Jim Dincalci]

It’s a big day for Clearwater, Florida as its city council votes tonight whether to purchase for $4.25 million a 1.4-acre parcel of land that’s key to its redevelopment plans downtown, and to defy the Church of Scientology, whose leader David Miscavige has said he’s willing to pay $15 million for the same empty lot.

Continue reading As Clearwater votes, here’s a reminder of how L. Ron Hubbard had Scientology invade Florida

How a recanted John Travolta gay sex allegation led to a bizarre Michael Jackson scoop

[Jackson, Barresi, and Travolta]

Lately, your proprietor has been putting some of his older, non-Scientology stories on pages here at the website after readers expressed an interest in seeing them. And we were reminded of that project yesterday when a particular photo was posted in the comments section, making us think of our old acquaintance Paul Barresi.

Continue reading How a recanted John Travolta gay sex allegation led to a bizarre Michael Jackson scoop

DOX: Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s nutty scheme to strong-arm America’s psychologists

 
Wow, what a couple of days of reporting we’ve had. Big stuff is coming, but for now we have to keep a lid on it. In the meantime, our old friend Mark “Warrior” Plummer sent over a couple of nice items we thought you’d want to see.

Continue reading DOX: Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s nutty scheme to strong-arm America’s psychologists

Before Scientology’s Xenu was a genocidal galactic overlord, he was a … mountain?

[The Supreme Rul-ah]

This doesn’t happen every day: A tipster recently pointed us to something buried in a 1958 L. Ron Hubbard lecture that really knocked us for a loop. And so we showed it to half a dozen of the best experts we know on the subject, and not only had none of them noticed the item before, most of them admitted they were stumped about it.

Continue reading Before Scientology’s Xenu was a genocidal galactic overlord, he was a … mountain?