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Most damaging Scientology defectors? A case could be made for this Las Vegas couple

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Only a month after Adell and Ernest Hartwell went public about Scientology’s abuses, founder L. Ron Hubbard went into seclusion with only a few trusted aides, and was never seen alive again by the rest of Scientology or the world. Here was the Hartwells’ public debut. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Most damaging Scientology defectors? A case could be made for this Las Vegas couple

POOF: Scientology decides the 2022 L. Ron Hubbard Birthday Event never happened

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Scientology is a totalitarian organization that, among other things, has a fetish for keeping records and documenting everything it does in minute detail. And we’ve never seen them try to completely erase any scrap of evidence of one of their big events, until now. What gives? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading POOF: Scientology decides the 2022 L. Ron Hubbard Birthday Event never happened

If Scientology’s a sinking ship, why are some still throwing so much money at it?

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: No matter how grim things seem to be for Scientology, it never gives up. And specifically, it never stops begging its remaining members for huge mountains of cash. Our tipsters passed along a couple of interesting items recently, and we figured you’d want to see them. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading If Scientology’s a sinking ship, why are some still throwing so much money at it?

Appeals court denies Jane Doe 1 petition, David Miscavige’s sneaky trick upheld

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: An appeals court has signed off on Scientology leader David Miscavige’s sandbagging which prevented an LA Superior Court from declaring Scientology ‘arbitration’ so unfair it was ‘unconscionable.’ If that sounds like we’re a little disgusted, well, you’re right about that. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Appeals court denies Jane Doe 1 petition, David Miscavige’s sneaky trick upheld

First time in English: Rare interview David Miscavige gave during Germany crisis

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Austrian journalist Peter Reichelt has a real treat for us today, a rare David Miscavige interview which first appeared during Scientology’s 1990s crisis in Germany. We believe it was the first print interview Dave ever gave, and he’s only given four interviews all together! [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

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Val Ross: When you’re a Scientology OT, and you have to fight cancer

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: OK, we screwed up. What we did was publish Val Ross’s final installment out of order, skipping this, her penultimate chapter. Please accept our apologies and try to keep in mind that the following amazing episode was supposed to go before the one you already read on Saturday. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Val Ross: When you’re a Scientology OT, and you have to fight cancer

L. Ron Hubbard’s tallest tale? When Scientology’s founder first struck gold

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Before he began selling tall tales to the pulps for a living, Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard told maybe his tallest tale ever to a gullible Washington DC reporter who took it as fact. Is there a better indicator of how Hubbard would later go on to fool so many in the future? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading L. Ron Hubbard’s tallest tale? When Scientology’s founder first struck gold

On Mother’s Day 2024, the moms who suffer and defy Scientology’s cruel ‘disconnection’ policy

 
TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Is there a day more counter to Scientology’s outlook than Mother’s Day? We talked to moms who have suffered from Scientology’s anti-family ‘disconnection’ policy who are not only standing strong, but who are also helping to expose this organization as it dwindles in influence. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading On Mother’s Day 2024, the moms who suffer and defy Scientology’s cruel ‘disconnection’ policy

Val Ross: Stopping Scientology’s plans for a vault in Wyoming, and the future

[A drone shot of the interrupted vault construction at Sweeney Ranch.]

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: Val Ross, who spied on the FBI for Scientology, and endured so much as a believer, brings us to present time as she finishes her astonishing series. And it turns out, her post-Scientology experience, including stopping a new CST vault in its tracks, is also fascinating. [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Val Ross: Stopping Scientology’s plans for a vault in Wyoming, and the future

Scientology summit: Meeting up with Apostate Alex in Los Angeles

TODAY AT SUBSTACK: If you’ve signed up for free emails at Substack, you will receive today’s feature story at your inbox: We’re in town to celebrate Mother’s Day with mom. And we were surprised that our trip coincided with an excursion to LA by one of our community’s most inspiring new figures, who had flown over from London. What would happen when this unlikely collision brought us together? [What is this Substack thing, anyway?]

Continue reading Scientology summit: Meeting up with Apostate Alex in Los Angeles