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Why Scientology’s petition to the Texas Supreme Court mentions a dildo, and other surprises

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[El Cinco Supremo: Dave Lubow, Steve Sloat, Ed Bryan, Monty Drake, and CSI]

As our experts predicted, Scientology’s attorneys met their deadline yesterday and petitioned the Texas Supreme Court in an attempt to have an appellate decision reconsidered in Monique Rathbun’s harassment lawsuit against the church, even after the case has been put into some question since Monique fired her own set of attorneys three weeks ago and is without counsel.

Continue reading Why Scientology’s petition to the Texas Supreme Court mentions a dildo, and other surprises

DOX: A former L. Ron Hubbard business partner dishes on Scientology to the feds

For more than a year now we’ve been bringing you previously unseen and often startling documents that our friend and researcher R.M. Seibert managed, with the help of the MuckRock website, to pry out of the hands of the Food and Drug Administration in a Freedom of Information Act request.

Continue reading DOX: A former L. Ron Hubbard business partner dishes on Scientology to the feds

David Miscavige wastes no time once the stay is lifted in Monique Rathbun’s lawsuit

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As we expected, as soon as the Texas Supreme Court temporarily lifted the stay in Monique Rathbun’s harassment lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, a motion was filed this week in Dib Waldrip’s Comal County court, and we have a copy of it for you. And sure enough, there was a surprise — the motion asked for substitution of counsel.

Continue reading David Miscavige wastes no time once the stay is lifted in Monique Rathbun’s lawsuit

When will academics acknowledge that the Scientology ‘apostate’ theory is finished?

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We’re deep into reporting several cool stories coming your way, so we just had time for a quick thought for you today. We noticed over at the forums that Scientology has put out, among its flood of recent press releases, an announcement about its newest pet academic.

Continue reading When will academics acknowledge that the Scientology ‘apostate’ theory is finished?

Science Fiction smackdown: L. Ron Hubbard, the pith helmet-wearing ‘pipsqueak Prometheus’

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[Hubbard in pith helmet, Puerto Rico, 1932]

Yesterday, we had fun exhuming L. Ron Hubbard’s bad science fiction by looking at a telling 1940 short story, “One Was Stubborn.” In it, Hubbard’s main character, Old Shellback, reveals that the downfall of the United States would come as a result of nefarious religious cults protected by tax exemption. Spooky, right?

Continue reading Science Fiction smackdown: L. Ron Hubbard, the pith helmet-wearing ‘pipsqueak Prometheus’

Chuck Beatty is right: L. Ron Hubbard lofted culty cosmic ideas a decade before ‘Dianetics’

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[Chuck Beatty]

We have finally done something that former Church of Scientology member Chuck Beatty has been asking us, or really anyone, to do for the longest time. Yes, Chuck, we have finally read L. Ron Hubbard’s 1940 short story, “One Was Stubborn.”

Continue reading Chuck Beatty is right: L. Ron Hubbard lofted culty cosmic ideas a decade before ‘Dianetics’

Karen de la Carriere: Scientology is smearing me again, and this time is hitting below the belt

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Just in time for Valentine’s Day we have a not so heartwarming story of Scientology Fair Game. You may be aware that BBC presenter Louis Theroux premiered a new film in London last October titled “My Scientology Movie.” We were there, and so was Karen de la Carriere, who happens to be a neighbor of Theroux in Los Angeles.

Continue reading Karen de la Carriere: Scientology is smearing me again, and this time is hitting below the belt

SCIENTOLOGY’S SPACE MAN: As of 2013, active Scientologists fewer than 20,000 worldwide

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[Paul Burkhart and fellow Sea Org survivor Camilla Andersson at Mt. Rainier]

Yesterday, we began telling you about Paul Burkhart, the newest defector from Scientology’s international management to go public with what he experienced after joining the church in 1980, joining the Sea Org in 1985, and then leaving a little over two years ago, in August 2013.

Continue reading SCIENTOLOGY’S SPACE MAN: As of 2013, active Scientologists fewer than 20,000 worldwide

SCIENTOLOGY’S SPACE MAN: The newest defector from church management opens up

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In 2009, Scientology’s fortunes took a major hit when several of its highest ranking former officials talked to the St. Petersburg (now Tampa Bay) Times for a blockbuster series titled “The Truth Rundown.” Led by Mark “Marty” Rathbun, who at one time ranked second only to Scientology leader David Miscavige himself, these former executives gave the public its first glimpse into a bizarre world that included a private Scientology prison named “The Hole.”

Continue reading SCIENTOLOGY’S SPACE MAN: The newest defector from church management opens up

The disgraced sheriff, the Holocaust survivor, and Scientology’s most unhinged front group

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This may be one of the saddest photos we’ve ever posted here at the Underground Bunker. It shows the scene on January 31 at the Church of Scientology in Pasadena, California, and it was included in a press release put out by the church itself.

Continue reading The disgraced sheriff, the Holocaust survivor, and Scientology’s most unhinged front group