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Megan Shields, the physician Scientology used to vouch for its drug rehabs, dies of cancer

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[Megan Shields and her husband, George Duggan]

We learned last night that Dr. Megan Shields, a Glendale physician and OT 8 Scientologist who had been doctor to many Church of Scientology members in the Los Angeles area, died last week after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 68.

Continue reading Megan Shields, the physician Scientology used to vouch for its drug rehabs, dies of cancer

Scientology stealth opening: Tomorrow, David Miscavige will dedicate two buildings in Florida

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[The West Coast Building on Fort Harrison Ave. Photos by Mark Bunker.]

Scientology leader David Miscavige is getting more and more sneaky about his grand openings, and this time we caught him just in time.

Continue reading Scientology stealth opening: Tomorrow, David Miscavige will dedicate two buildings in Florida

Forced-abortion lawsuit has a new judge as Scientology appeals ruling on religious grounds

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[Laura DeCrescenzo in the Sea Org, circa 1996]

Laura DeCrescenzo’s seven-year forced abortion lawsuit against the Church of Scientology now has a new judge, and a new appeal submitted by the defendant.

Continue reading Forced-abortion lawsuit has a new judge as Scientology appeals ruling on religious grounds

This is your brain on L. Ron Hubbard: Watergate, Scientology, and late-night radio

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[Jim Dincalci says he took this photo of L. Ron Hubbard in Queens in 1973 — or did he?]

We thought we’d toss off a bonus post this evening to let you know about something happening late tonight. Alabama resident and former Church of Scientology member Randy McDonald, who was once the editor of Scientology’s Celebrity magazine and a Sea Org worker from 1971 to 1983, will be appearing on the “Coast to Coast” radio program from 1 am to 3 am, Eastern time.

We plan to be sleeping soundly by that time, but we thought we’d alert our west coast readers that they might tune in and catch what should be a fun treat.

Continue reading This is your brain on L. Ron Hubbard: Watergate, Scientology, and late-night radio

Sailing with L. Ron Hubbard: A Scientology saga of Sea Org dedication

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While Rod Keller was doing his usual rounds looking for Scientology’s footprint in social media this week, he ran across a flier that made him do a double take. And we’re glad he did, because he sent over this entertaining look at a slice of Scientology history we thought you’d want to see.

 
Continue reading Sailing with L. Ron Hubbard: A Scientology saga of Sea Org dedication

CLEARWATER DONE DEAL — Couple seeks big crowd for Scientology ‘disconnection’ billboard

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After the readers of this website once again came through for former Scientologists Phil and Willie Jones, contributing several thousand dollars for another “Call Me” billboard to raise awareness of Scientology’s “disconnection” policy, the Las Vegas couple are announcing that they have signed a contract for a billboard in Clearwater, Florida.

Continue reading CLEARWATER DONE DEAL — Couple seeks big crowd for Scientology ‘disconnection’ billboard

Nearly four years after Stacy Murphy’s death, Scientology files motion to kill much of lawsuit

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It’s been nearly four years since Stacy Dawn Murphy, 20, was found dead at Scientology’s flagship drug rehab center, Narconon Arrowhead, in Oklahoma. Two other patients at the clinic had died in just the previous nine months, but it was Stacy’s death that particularly shocked local and national media, leading to a new focus on the problems at Scientology’s rehabs.

Continue reading Nearly four years after Stacy Murphy’s death, Scientology files motion to kill much of lawsuit

Scientology is holding this Kazakh 20-year-old prisoner, says her media-grabbing mom

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We turn to the Underground Bunker’s Russian-language wing to help us with a story developing in Kazakhstan that has generated some excitement over at WhyWeProtest.net and elsewhere. And even with expert translation assistance, this story is a bit batty and we’d like to get it more completely sorted out.

Continue reading Scientology is holding this Kazakh 20-year-old prisoner, says her media-grabbing mom

Scientology goes big with Barnes & Noble and with the Euro 2016 football tournament

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It’s time again for Rod Keller’s Scientology Social Media Review. He’s made a specialty of hunting down the odd and wonderful things Scientologists post to the ‘net. He’s a chronicler who piece by piece builds a highly detailed assessment of what Scientology is doing around the world, and this is what he found for us this week…

 
Scientology followed its dramatic Hollywood Boulevard book launch last week with promotions at individual Barnes & Noble bookstores yesterday. Phil Jones, of “Call Me” billboard fame, showed up at one store, where a life-sized cutout of Terl, the book’s villain, invited people to purchase the 34-year-old novel.

Continue reading Scientology goes big with Barnes & Noble and with the Euro 2016 football tournament

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When you postulate upon a star: L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology’s funny made-up words

Jon_Atack3Jon Atack is the author of A Piece of Blue Sky, one of the very best books on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. He has a new edition of the book for sale, and for more than three years he’s been helping us sift through the legends, myths, and contested facts about Scientology that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet.

 
Ron Hubbard surely understood the importance of words: While Shakespeare added over a thousand new definitions to the English language, Hubbard left two 500-page dictionaries. However, where Shakespeare’s language is insightful, poetic, and beautiful, Hubbard’s is more usually obfuscating, awkward, and ugly.

Continue reading When you postulate upon a star: L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology’s funny made-up words