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 Claire Headley and Bruce Hines are taking us on our journey to train as Scientologists. Claire spent years working with Scientology’s “tech,” and was trusted to oversee the auditing of Tom Cruise. Bruce was in Scientology for 31 years and spent about half that time as a senior case supervisor. Go here to see the first part in this series.
Wow, we’re really getting near the top of the bridge. This week, Bruce Hines gives us some amazing insights about New OT 7. But first, let’s take a look at the materials we have on it, which are quite brief. Continue reading Finally, a last stand against space cooties: It’s Scientology’s New Operating Thetan Level 7!
 Leslie Hyman, rock star On Friday, we broke the big news that Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip had denied Scientology’s convoluted ‘anti-SLAPP’ motion which had upended Monique Rathbun’s harassment lawsuit against the church over the past few months. What we failed to point out, however, is how central to Waldrip’s 25-page order was an argument that had been forwarded by Monique’s attorney Leslie Hyman. It was Hyman who argued to Waldrip that Scientology couldn’t both want protection as a business (in a trademark dispute) and as a religion (in a free speech fight). Continue reading DOX: Monique Rathbun’s response to bid by Scientology to stop the Miscavige deposition
 If you watch Mike Rinder’s blog carefully, you can see Scientology imploding on almost a daily basis. Over the last few years, we’ve also provided plenty of evidence that Scientology is shrinking as it stumbles from one crisis to another.
But what’s been fascinating to watch is that as many longtime members flee, and as the new buildings turn out to be as empty as the old ones, there’s still one thing that Scientology never seems to run out of… Cash. Top former church officials tell us that Scientology leader David Miscavige can always count on a relatively small number of wealthy donors who write check after check to keep Scientology’s funding topped up. We tend to call these people the “whales” of Scientology, people who turn over millions to help keep Scientology afloat. The rest of the (dwindling) membership is also under intense pressure to donate money, repeatedly, throughout the year. And those infusions of money — in combination with tax exempt status and paying Sea Org workers pennies an hour — keeps Scientology swimming in dough. Continue reading Here are the wealthy people keeping Scientology alive
 It’s gratifying to see the Daily News and the Daily Mail pick up on Joe Childs’ epic story about Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ policy that rips families apart — and has for decades.
In our own humble way, we’ve been trying for years to make the public understand how disconnection is one of the most toxic practices of this bullying organization. It’s a coldly calculating way that “leverage” is used to force church members into submission — by threatening to rip apart their families if they don’t comply. Continue reading With Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ policy finally hitting the mainstream, here’s more to consider
 Ryan Hamilton
Ryan Hamilton is branching out. We’ve reported previously about the two federal fraud lawsuits the Las Vegas attorney has filed against Scientology’s drug rehab facility in Nevada. Now he’s filed two more — against a Scientology facility in San Diego County, California. Angelo Amato of Illinois is suing the Narconon Fresh Start of Warner Springs after he went there for an addiction to Vicodin. He’s a mixed martial artist who became addicted to the pain pills and in December 2013 he searched the Internet for a rehab center. He found a site that had an 800 number and he called. The site claimed to be an “independent consultant.” Continue reading Ryan Hamilton files two new suits against Scientology’s drug rehab network — in California Advertisement
 Marty and Monique Rathbun In a 25-page ruling, Comal County Judge Dib Waldrip today rejected Scientology’s ‘anti-SLAPP’ motion which had attempted to derail the harassment lawsuit of Bulverde, Texas resident Monique Rathbun. Monique sued the Church of Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, in August, alleging that she’d been the subject of several years of surveillance and harassment because her husband, Mark ‘Marty’ Rathbun, was a former high-level Scientology official who, in 2009, began speaking critically of the church. Monique herself was never a member of the church, but she says she was followed to work, endured protests at her house, and the church also had its private investigators harass her family and friends with negative information about her husband. Continue reading TEXAS JUDGE DENIES SCIENTOLOGY’S ‘ANTI-SLAPP’ MOTION IN RATHBUN SUIT
 Our video source has come through again, and we have another internal Scientology “quote video” for your enjoyment. As we’ve explained before, these short videos feature excerpts from L. Ron Hubbard lectures — this one took place in January 1959 — which is intended to sell the full package. Bridge Publications, Scientology’s printing arm, lists this item at $125.00, and it comes in a slew of foreign languages!
So what’s the significance of the lecture? Here’s part of the description from the Bridge Publications website… Continue reading Another smuggled Scientology video to warm your inner thetan: ‘Success Congress’!
Today is Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s 103rd birthday, and do we have a gift for him! Continue reading ‘BARE-FACED MESSIAH’ back in print: Our interview with author Russell Miller
What’s going on with Vivian Kubrick?
In November, we reported that she’d showed up at an Alex Jones rally in Dallas and appeared to be a big fan of the conspiracy-obsessed radio host. Why was that surprising? It was if you knew the backstory: Vivian is the daughter of Stanley Kubrick, and the great filmmaker appeared to be grooming Vivian to follow in his footsteps before his death in 1999: At only 17, Vivian made a documentary, Making ‘The Shining’, then seven years later composed the score for her father’s 1987 film, Full Metal Jacket. Then, sometime around 1995 we believe, Vivian became involved in Scientology. A year later, Kubrick began shooting his final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Continue reading Vivian Kubrick posts remarkable photos from the sets of her father’s movies
 Last month, Los Angeles Supreme Court Judge Ronald Sohigian announced that he’d be retiring in April.
That’s directly affecting Laura DeCrescenzo, who went through so much last year to get her forced-abortion lawsuit against the Church of Scientology through several appeals and then a big summary judgment hearing before Sohigian in October. Those of you who were with us as we reported that hearing live from Sohigian’s courtroom know that the judge stunned us with his detailed support for the facts in DeCrescenzo’s testimony. He then set a date early in 2015 for trial. And now, he’s walking away, and a new judge will have to learn the case from scratch. Continue reading Judge in Laura DeCrescenzo’s case retires, Scientology objects to his replacement
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Claire Headley and Bruce Hines are taking us on our journey to train as Scientologists. Claire spent years working with Scientology’s “tech,” and was trusted to oversee the auditing of Tom Cruise. Bruce was in Scientology for 31 years and spent about half that time as a senior case supervisor. Go here to see the first part in this series.
