Mike Rinder on Scientology’s pathetic PR, and the Freewinds welcomes a famous clown

Let’s start off the work week with Surviving Scientology’s newest podcast as host Jeffrey Augustine has back former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder.

We really like the question Jeff starts off with — he asks Rinder’s opinion of the performance by another Scientology mouthpiece, Sylvia Stanard at this summer’s Chautauqua, which we featured here.

Continue reading Mike Rinder on Scientology’s pathetic PR, and the Freewinds welcomes a famous clown

Scientology Sunday Funnies: The Sea Org full regalia edition!

On Sundays, we enjoy sharing with you the best Scientology fundraising fliers that have been forwarded to us during the week by our excellent tipsters. We have another great collection of items for you this morning.

For some reason, this week we’re seeing more Sea Org people in their dress uniforms. We don’t know if that means they’re getting ready to go down with the ship or something, but it’s awful fun to see L. Ron Hubbard’s pretend navy looking so snappy.

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Jon Atack: Escaping the trap Scientology sets for the mind

Jon 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 a year on Saturdays he helped 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. He was kind enough to send us a new post.

Jon, over the past couple of years, you’ve written for us about the struggle Scientologists go through to escape the kind of thinking that comes with deep involvement in the writings of L. Ron Hubbard. But this time you’ve really outdone yourself. We’re looking forward to responses from our readers on this one. Take it away, Jon, and help us pierce Scientology’s veil.

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DOX: Here’s Monique Rathbun’s response to Scientology’s appeal of its anti-SLAPP defeat

We’ve got Monique Rathbun’s brief that was filed yesterday with the Texas Third Court of Appeals, and it’s a fascinating read.

The appeals court ruled recently that Monique can’t depose Scientology leader David Miscavige in her harassment action against him, but that was for a jurisdictional matter that didn’t affect the overall lawsuit.

This time, she’s opposing Scientology’s appeal of Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip’s denial of the church’s “anti-SLAPP” motion. And if the appeals court sides against Monique this time, the lawsuit is over.

Continue reading DOX: Here’s Monique Rathbun’s response to Scientology’s appeal of its anti-SLAPP defeat

The axiomatic L. Ron Hubbard, and legal counterclaims from Scientology in Oklahoma!

Our video source came through again, bringing us a short film you normally have to be in a Scientology “org” to view. This one is a treat, because we get to hear L. Ron Hubbard in 1954 telling us to learn and understand Scientology’s “Axioms.”

The short “quote video” is meant to help sell a collection of Hubbard’s talks known as the Phoenix Lectures: Freeing the Human Spirit. Scientology’s Bridge Publications has the series for sale to church members for $350.

And here’s what Bridge says about the Phoenix Lectures…

Continue reading The axiomatic L. Ron Hubbard, and legal counterclaims from Scientology in Oklahoma!

Camilla Andersson on Tom Cruise, and a gift for the Scientologist who has everything!

Tom Cruise, KSW!

Karen de la Carriere continues her series of interviews with Camilla Andersson, a longtime Scientology Sea Org member who only left the organization in the last two years.

Last time, we told you that Camilla had been put on a round-the-clock project to put together a wedding photo album for Tom Cruise when he married Nicole Kidman. Camilla provides more details in this segment.

The job meant sleepless nights, and the excuse was that having the work done on the Scientology base was for “security” reasons.

Continue reading Camilla Andersson on Tom Cruise, and a gift for the Scientologist who has everything!

Maybe the saddest Scientology promo video ever, and a history lesson from Mark Bunker!

We have a potent set of videos for you today. First, we’re going to show you the very latest Scientology promotional message that’s been smuggled out to us. Then we’re going to go back in time thanks to filmmaker Mark Bunker.

To begin, wasn’t it just the other day that we remarked how Scientology seems to be focusing so much attention on its “Ideal Org” program in the western United States, and the eastern half of the country is almost an afterthought?

Continue reading Maybe the saddest Scientology promo video ever, and a history lesson from Mark Bunker!

Mareka Brousseau compares growing up in Scientology to The Hunger Games

We’ve talked to Mareka Brousseau numerous times for stories at the Village Voice and the Underground Bunker. And she was a key character in John Sweeney’s 2010 BBC special, The Secrets of Scientology. And now Jeffrey Augustine has given us a treat and interviewed Mareka at length for the Surviving Scientology podcast.

It’s really eye-opening to hear about Scientology’s attitudes toward children from someone who actually grew up in the church. Mareka’s account is bleak. She talks to Jeff about growing up with Sea Org parents who are too busy ‘clearing the planet’ to have much to do with their kids.

Continue reading Mareka Brousseau compares growing up in Scientology to The Hunger Games

Scientology’s newest testimonials video is everything you want it to be

Subscribers recently received the new edition of International Scientology News, and it came with a DVD! On that DVD was another great video mashup of hyperactive Scientology testimonials, and it’s one of the best we’ve seen yet.

The last time we posted a testimonial vid, it got ripped off by Buzzfeed without any credit. Let’s see how long it takes them to steal this one!

Continue reading Scientology’s newest testimonials video is everything you want it to be

Sunday Funnies: More Scientology fliers than you can shake a stick at

On Sundays, we like to share with you the best of the Scientology mailers and fliers that get forwarded to us by our great tipsters. We call it Sunday Funnies, and once again we have a large collection of items which show Scientology doing its best to get its waning membership to come on down for a fleecing.

These themed parties and rah-rah events that put members under intense pressure to donate large amounts for new, unneeded buildings, have become pretty familiar to us as we’ve watched them over the last couple of years.

Continue reading Sunday Funnies: More Scientology fliers than you can shake a stick at

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