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 On Sunday February 17, a man named Damian Kevitt, 36, was nearly killed in a gruesome hit-and-run incident that left him with what one doctor called the worst non-fatal injuries he’s ever seen.
Kevitt was riding a bicycle near LA’s Griffith Park when a person driving a van hit him, then dragged him onto the middle of a freeway. Conscientious drivers stopped to protect Damian from getting run over by other cars, but his injuries were terrible: he’s already lost one leg and may lose another. Both of his arms are broken, a shoulder needs replacing, and he was so scraped up, an infection might come at any time that could kill him. And without health insurance, the costs for his care are going into the millions, his uncle tells us. His uncle also confirmed for us that his nephew is the Damian Kevitt who is listed as a Scientology Sea Org worker in a 2005 document online. We have asked the church for a comment, but we don’t expect a reply. So we’re asking our correspondents to help us find out: Was Damian Kevitt still a Sea Org worker when he was injured, and is that why he has no health insurance when he needs it most? Continue reading Is The L.A. Cyclist Who Was Nearly Killed in Hit-and-Run a Scientology "Sea Org" Worker?
[Illustration by Ellis Rosen]
Our readers were so stunned in January by the publicity surrounding the publication of books about Scientology by John Sweeney and Lawrence Wright, they renamed the month “BLAMuary.” And then came FLAPuary, when Jenna Miscavige Hill’s book only made things bumpier.
How could March possibly keep up? With brackets, of course! After the jump, check out the seedings as we begin a tournament that asks you to determine the ultimate arch-enemy of the Church of Scientology! Continue reading SMERSH Madness: Sowing the Seeds of World Domination!
 Welcome to our ongoing project, where we blog a 1950 first edition of Scientology’s bible, Dianetics, with the help of ex-Scientologist, Bay Area lawyer, blogger, and author Vance Woodward. Go here for the first post in the series.
Vance, we thought the demons chapter was something. This next one, on “Psycho-Somatic Illness,” is really over the top. Apparently feeling confident that he’s sold the “reactive mind” as a great discovery, and that the biggest threat to human beings are the engrams stored up in their cells, Hubbard now goes for broke on just what those engrams are capable of and — even more importantly — what miracles his therapy can achieve by removing them. Continue reading Blogging Dianetics, Part 9: Hubbard and Perversion!
 Lori Hodgson, with Jessica and Jeremy In January, in the wake of the Atlantic magazine disaster — when Scientology’s paid “advertorial” extolling the virtues of leader David Miscavige was met with such public derision, the magazine yanked it down — the church tried another way to derail the overwhelming response to Lawrence Wright’s book Going Clear by asking publications to run denunciations of the book by its spokeswoman, Karin Pouw. Michael Calderone at the Huffington Post revealed that it was a Los Angeles crisis management specialist, Michael Sitrick, who was helping the church distribute these rebuttals to Wright’s book, and that Sitrick had been hired by Scientology 3.5 years ago to help with its image. By now, Sitrick must know what he got himself into. But just to be sure, Lori Hodgson sent him a remarkable letter recently to make sure he understands who it is he’s working for. Continue reading Lori Hodgson Appeals to Scientology’s “Spin Doctor,” Michael Sitrick
 Mario Feninger Scientology’s reputation for cruelty, for embodying the concept of a “bully,” is well earned. But few of its acts of inhumanity have affected us like the story we have for you today. It involves a man who is renowned for his skills at the piano, a teacher who has been hailed for his technique by such well known students as Chick Corea and Tom Constanten. And now, at the age of 90, the man’s church has compelled him to cut off all contact with a pupil who had been helping to support him financially. Why? Because that pupil dared to walk away from Scientology. Continue reading Scientology's "Disconnection" Policy: Music Lovers, This One Will Break Your Heart
 The film being celebrated tonight at Anne Archer’s house, and showing tomorrow night at USC [BREAKING: See below for an important new story that aired this morning in Australia about a young woman reportedly held against her will by Scientology after having a mental breakdown.] Roger Friedman over at Showbiz 411 put up an interesting story on Friday. He said that Anne Archer’s “Artists for Human Rights” — a Scientology front group — was going to host a cocktail party for documentary filmmaker Rebecca Richman Cohen, and he wondered if she was aware that Archer and her Scientologist husband, Terry Jastrow, were connected with the church. But it was something else Friedman said in the article that really grabbed our attention. He mentioned that Anne Archer’s son Tommy Davis “is the chief celebrity wrangler for Scientology.” We wondered if Roger just hadn’t heard the news we reported last October that Tommy has left his job as Scientology’s chief spokesman, and that according to both John Sweeney and Lawrence Wright in their recent books, Tommy has also left Scientology’s “Sea Org” and is living in Austin, Texas. But things got even more interesting when one of our tipsters told us about a cryptic conversation overheard in Los Angeles a few days ago, and we’re wondering if Tommy might not be making an appearance in LA after all. Here’s what we know… Advertisement
Continue reading Anne Archer, Terry Jastrow, and…Could It Be…Tommy Davis, At Film Reception Tonight?
 When you tune into the Academy Awards show tonight at 8:30 pm Eastern, please join us as we provide a Scientology watcher’s view on the proceedings.
This is the biggest Oscars night for Scientology in many years, and we have been assured by sources who would know that the show will be watched at the International Base by the church’s “Sea Org” members. (And as if we’d signed Sea Org contracts ourselves, tonight’s show is apt to feel a billion years long.) What will Int Base be watching for? The same things we will: John Travolta is a presenter this year, and The Master is up for three very important awards: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. Can you feel the excitement!? Continue reading OSCAR NIGHT LIVE-BLOGGING: Scientology on the Hot Seat with John Travolta and ‘The Master’ Advertisement
 On Sundays, we like to reveal to you the wackiest Scientology e-mails, fliers, and other come-ons that were sent out to church members during the past week. And this week, the most exciting news that they received was about one of their celebrities, Marisol Nichols.
Nichols reached new heights of fame after her role as Special Agent Nadia Yassir in 24‘s sixth season. But she’s also reached new heights in her career as a Scientologist. As you’ll see in an exciting e-mail that was sent out to church members, Marisol has reached the pinnacle of spiritual achievement, and she’s going to speak at her graduation on Friday at the Hollywood Celebrity Centre! Continue reading Marisol Nichols prepares for her greatest role: Scientology space cadet!
 ALSO IN TODAY’S POST: Is there a subliminal message from Lisa Marie Presley on the back of this T-Shirt? See below! A Piece of Blue Sky . Atack now has a new edition of the book out, and it reminded us what an encyclopedic resource he is. So we had an idea. In the world of Scientology watching, we noticed that there seem to be some legends, myths, and contested facts that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet. With Atack’s help, we’re going to tackle these issues one by one, drawing on Jon’s deep knowledge and sharp sense of humor.Jon, this week we wanted to ask you about one of Scientology’s most hurtful and notorious legacies — its history of going after people with what it calls “Fair Game.” Continue reading Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: Fair Game!
 A bill regulating drug rehab centers in Oklahoma that could spell big trouble for Scientology’s Narconon flagship operation there passed the state Senate 46-0 this week, and now it goes before the House.
Its House co-sponsor is Jason Murphey, a young Republican representative known for his commitment to modernizing government and ethics reform. We talked to him yesterday about the bill’s chances in the House, as well as what he’s seen from Scientology as lobbying efforts to prevent the bill from becoming law. Continue reading Oklahoma Rep. Jason Murphey on Scientology’s Lobbying: “It’s Some Spooky-Looking Stuff”
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On Sunday February 17, a man named Damian Kevitt, 36, was nearly killed in a gruesome hit-and-run incident that left him with what one doctor called the worst non-fatal injuries he’s ever seen.
