In its inimitable and oh so predictable style, Freedom has responded to the 60 Minutes Australia piece.
In a surprise to absolutely nobody, they lashed out at their dirty laundry being exposed once again not by responding to the facts, but attempting to smear the reporter, complete with the most unflattering photo they could find/doctor.
Their entire “defense” is to rehash a story from 2016 concerning correspondent Tara Brown and her film crew. They were arrested in Lebanon on charges of “attempted kidnapping” for their coverage of a story of a woman trying to get her 2 children back after her estranged husband had taken them to Beirut and refused to return. They were not convicted and were released after 2 weeks in jail and a reported hefty payment from Channel 9.
Of course, this story has been widely covered and Channel 9 stood by Ms. Brown and continues to do so. “Freedom” leaps on this like they have breaking news that disproves everything that was on the scientology show. In fact, they don’t even MENTION the story that 60 Minutes aired, but just proclaim that Ms. Brown and 60 Minutes “share a history steeped in forging facts, manipulating details, and even staging incidents, specializing in dirty tricks to try to shore up sagging ratings.” Steeped? Based on one incident?
They are of course implying (without saying so) that the scientology/Shelly Miscavige story is also “steeped” with “forged facts”, “manipulated details” and/or “staged incidents” — though they cite not a one. And, everyone ALWAYS has “sagging ratings” — from HBO to Anderson Cooper to John Oliver and The Aftermath (but never scientologyTV as they don’t even qualify to get audience figures at all…).
But let’s take a look at Freedom’s own logic: If Ms. Brown’s arrest and subsequent release in Beirut undermines the credibility of the scientology episode, how does “Freedom” magazine respond to the fact that L. Ron Hubbard was not merely charged, but was tried and FOUND GUILTY OF FRAUD in France? Based on their logic, that should put an end to any assertion that anything Hubbard ever did was of any value, right? That he was a total fraud in all his utterances…
L. Ron Hubbard was tried and convicted, unlike Ms. Brown. And surely the judicial system in France has more credibility than in a broken country like Lebanon?
But back to the real point.
What about the information and abuses that were exposed on the show? Not a peep in response from scientology?
No spokesperson to present any facts? Only Cathy Fraser and her “goon squad” appearing to “demand answers” outside the gates of Gold, while refusing to even give her name? (And while rebuking Ms. Brown for not contacting them beforehand, she obviously knew who she was and what she was doing as she started talking about Beirut in the midst of her feigned “surprise” and indignation that she would arrive without an appointment).
Just for good measure, and in case you have not seen the piece or want to see it again, here it is.
As you watch, remember, they did not respond to a SINGLE thing in this program other than to shout “Tara Brown’s mother wears army boots.”
would like to retweet article. Don’t see how. Thanks
Sure would like to retweet but don’t see how. Thanks
Francois, lol. No, just another place for exes and never ins to discuss, learn, grow and heal. Exchanging ideas, thoughts and opinions about the abuses of scientology. With the latest news articles. It’s all good! ?
OMG that’s so funny…“Tara Brown’s mother wears army boots” (like 5th grade). As usual scientology has only ad hominem attacks. The refuge of liars and scoundrels.
I can understand the terror a tyrant can effect in an organization. the COB is off the rails.
So typical of CO$ to find the worst image they can of a person. It’s because when they slander someone, they can easily say, “this SP” – insert horrible photo – “was comparable to a rabid dog from down under, only this one didn’t stop at fire hydrants, but barked up the wrong tree” or some other Shermanspeak (joking/degrading to put it in Scn terms). Then the crowd claps and laughs and they go on. No one ever questions WHAT or WHY “this SP” just that “she’s an SP and that’s enough for me”.
They’ve been doing this for years, in print and at their events. Sad how Miscavige and Hubbard before him, used this thought stopping labeling to easily discredit someone within the bubble. Fortunately for the rest of the world, that sort of thing doesn’t work so well. People outside the bubble do question and are allowed to search Scientology on the internet.
So where is Shelly? What basement does Miscavige have her chained up in?
Just a heads up- the daily beast ran an article in the Danny Masterson case- it’s pretty interesting…
Hey Kat, why don’t you come join us over at the Outer Banks, a closed group. Love to have you there. ☺
Sounds like one of those ASC (anti-Scientology cults) we hear so much about… LOL
I would love to, but my work schedule is brutal!! If it’s an open invite, I usually take my son to the beach in June so if there is a meeting around then- I’m in !!!!
Hey Girl! It’s just a Facebook group with info posted daily to keep everyone updated. No meeting. ☺
lol- I’m from the south, so when I hear outer banks, I think of the coast! Is that the Facebook site? I’m not Facebook savvy, but I am definitely interested in joining!! Let me know!
Hi Kat, Just type in Outer Banks and hit Join. You will be added right in! I would add you but there are a few Kat Larue’s. Awesome! ☺
Ann,
I really am Facebook impaired. I typed in outer banks but all I’m getting are NC beach sites..
If anyone else is interested just let me know or just go the the group’s page and hit “Join”. We love people who care about this!
This news story shows just how much these wingnuts are separated from reality. The strange belief that if they come out and start berating someone who is attempting to gather information is a true testament to how insane they have become. The very definition of insanity credited to Einstein fits perfectly in this situation- they keep repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. It’s mind boggling that they have such willful blindness to the insidious evil being perpetrated against them – and yet they keep doing it, not realizing that every time they take this tack they reinforce the commonly held believe that this is an evil cult holding people against their will. I accidentally posted to an earlier comment (the fact that scribe could so perfectly recreate how someone from the cult would react to the postings was amazing) but I still have to wonder if they can really be that naïve to think Miscavage is living like a monk in his hidden bunker- They use morality as a club in their “dossiers” maybe someone should create one on Miscavige.
Years ago, C of S PRs would at least take a stab at addressing allegations made by media, and their legal personnel still have to address specific allegations – they can’t just say in the legal case that “the guy is a liar because and the proof is that he stole a candy bar from another kid in nursery school.” In the PR arena this changed to no longer addressing any specifics about allegations, just saying “that’s false” and “that’s a lie”. It seems to me the change occurred around late 2007/early 2008, at the time when the Tom Cruise nut job video was exposed and Anonymous took up the fight. As has been pointed out before, they could easily answer to the “where is Shelly” question – which by the way will never go away because of the way the Church handles – by having her appear in the present somewhere (anywhere) and say she is fine. This apparently is never going to happen. So whether it doesn’t happen because Miscavige is simply being arrogant and stupid, or because he really is afraid of what she would say or do if given the opportunity, or because she is dead, or…this state of affairs is just going to make the question and speculation persist. Whatever drives Miscavige to be an idiot about this, he is an idiot. I feel very bad for Shelly. I knew her and she was always friendly and nice to me, so different from her husband.
Ummmm- are you serious? Really?? Really-really?? I’m sorry. That is the now tied with first place for the most ridiculous statement I’ve heard in these blogs. Here’s a more interesting question as you have brought up masterbation and possible shoplifting as reasons that she is untrustworthy…your leader- the COB- the grand poohbah – has secreted his wife away for over a decade. Is he celibate?? Is he gay?? Does he masterbate (most likely- and since it makes one person less than trustworthy, what dose that say about Miscavige??) does he hire prostitutes or call girls? I’ve never known a male who would forgo sex (unless he was a monk or a priest- neither of which he is).
Sorry- this comment was directed at another post before I realized it was written from someone else’s perspective. (I don’t know the posters as well as you guys)…my queries are still valid as I’m wondering what the situation is behind closed doors- Bakker was brought down by infidelity, so maybe…?
ROTFLMAO @ Kat Larue comment … GOOD POINT.
Their response appears to support the husband forcing the children to disconnect from their mother.
Someone should explain to Cathy Fraser that when the news person she’s yelling at just stands there smiling at her, she’s giving them exactly what they want. In this case a fine example of the warped $cientology ‘ignore a direct question and always attack’ mentality. So the score would be:
Cathy Fraser: 1 for staying on source, -1 for not intimidating the target, net: 0
Tara Brown: 47,000 internets for maintaining her composure and staying on point. Where’s Shelly??
Another superb documentary with a Scientology cut and paste smear response. Don’t get ever get tired of running around in circles, defending the indefensible?
The question still stands: where is Shelly? If she’s hale and hearty, they can shut us all up with a 10 minute interview on Cult TV. We’re waiting.
Well said Mick. It’s hard to imagine someone saying ” Oooh, I want to be part of this group who follow and don’t think for themselves ” or “Let’s join up with the arrogant cultists who think they have all the answers” because the have zero answers . And I might add seem completely miserable, completely joyless and unhappy.
Scientology’s lips are moving again.
After all these years, Miscavige is still acting like a 7th grade girl bullying her non-friends on social media.
It’s well known to drug rehab specialists that many people who start doing drugs at an early age will have arrested development at that age. Their ability to change and grow or alter their worldview and mature is blunted.
Miscavige seems to fit this mold perfectly. Drunk with the power bestowed upon him as a commodore’s messenger, he still craves that hormonal or adrenaline rush of utter domination. He seems to have no concept that anything he’s doing is wrong. He’s been thoroughly indoctrinated into sociopathic behavior which he’ll likely take to his grave. Miscavige accepted that indoctrination willingly. He craved it. Just like a heroin addict.
Many others in that situation retained enough of a conscience to finally break free from the spell and cease their destructive actions. Miscavige did not. He has no concept that he should. He’s the rightest person in the universe.
Thanks, Mike and Leah for your exposure of all the abuses and to A&E for giving you the platform to reach so many people.
DM is never going to answer these questions or even show her. He thinks he is the Big Being of the world and he doesn’t need to answer to anyone. That arrogance is mind boggling and horrifying. I realize the authorities can only do so much, but something’s gotta give.
An SP never thinks they are wrong or have done anything wrong, same as a sociopath. DM is a sociopath, SP and Narcissist.
Tara Brown in her typically bigoted and hate filled manner, doesn’t want people to know that as a teenager she was accused of shoplifting by a former relative when several expensive items were found in her bedroom. This, in addition to several incidents of moral lapses, (masturbation anyone?) puts a big kibosh on her credibility. The 60 minute episode is a continuation of the criminal behavior Ms. Brown has been engaged in from an early age. A more appropriate question than ‘Where is Shelly? would be ‘Where are the skeletons in Tara’s closet?’
Ed P.
You have got to be kidding me! Shoplifting and masturbation as a teenager! Tell me you’ve never slapped the monkey Ed. Go ahead……….I dare you! As for shoplifting….what teen hasn’t done it, or been tempted to? It’s almost a right of passage! A more appropriate question than “Where is Shelly? would be “Where are the skeletons in Ed’s closet?”……..oh, wait, you put them all on Twitter………your lies, your misrepresentation, your twisted version of events….the list is endless! You must have a big closet Ed!
You know that was satire right?
Thanks. I didn’t know it was satire.
Mike, I don’t comment here often enough to know who’s who, so I thought I’d have some fun with Scribe’s post.
I didn’t know that it was satire until you pointed it out- I guess as a “never in” its hard to tell when the comment is actually someone from the cult or not! Thanks for the heads up (I feel silly for responding as I did, but I’ve never been one to stay silent when someone says something so outrageous!)
Well, it is a very sad indictment of the crazy of scientology that it is so hard to parody them — because almost anything if it is outrageous enough COULD be real!!!
You’re right, nothing they do is a surprise to me anymore, that post was brilliantly worded though and could easily be mistaken for a legit Scientology statement.
Neither did I. Duh! I thought it was serious. Very well written but also serious.
But really. Where is Shelley? Tara is doing her job and very well. Where is Shelley? Learn how to think for yourself. Think outside the cult.
Hahahaha! Deflect, deflect , deflect! The question is, “Where is Shelly?”.
The cult posting on the Free Dumb mag site is the same as posting to a black hole. The channel 9 public don’t go to the cult’s site to read the “rebuttal”
I know a little of the Channel 9’s public. Scientology in Australia is kaput! At a guess I’d say at least 80% of the handful of people at their idle morgues has a foreign passport.
The one definition within Scientology that delineates the insanity quite well now is “in good standing.” Having that said about someone in Australia is like them being told they have an incurable disease. Scientology’s public name is mud here.
Whales is whales… you find those idiots where you find them.
Wynski – They know that. It’s probably just for the zombies.
Tara Brown is a class act & it shines through her work.
A moldering potato would look good side by side with the response CoS gave. They do themselves no favours.
Job well done to the 60 Minutes crew,Tony, Mike and Leah.
$cientology couldn’t do a better job at making themselves look disingenuous, specious, clumsy and out to save the criminal space cult at any cost – including credibility for which they have none. The world is on to these morons and their lemmings LRH policy dictates which is their road to inevitable & abject failure. Don’t they know we know now and everything they do is transparently obvious??
The “Greater Good” is backfiring to some spectacular cult-crashing bad instead.
Why does Scientology seek to destroy people? Why did Hubbard write the policies that cause harm?
Here is Lucifer[Hubbard] in Milton’s “Paradise Lost”:
“Pleasures about me, so much more I feel
Torment within me, as from the hateful siege
Of contraries; all good to me becomes
Bane, and in Heaven much worse would be my state.
But neither here seek I, no nor in Heaven
To dwell, unless by mastering Heaven’s Supreme;
Nor hope to be my self less miserable
By what I seek, but others to make such
As I, though thereby worse to me redound:
For only in destroying I find ease
To my relentless thoughts; and him or her destroyed
Or won to what may work his utter loss,
For whom all this was made, all this will soon
Follow, as to him linked in weal or woe,
In who then: that destruction wide may range:”
Scientology is evil and cannot face truth.
Evil is the word that perfectly describes Hubbard and Scientology for me also George.
He was an evil man who started an evil organization.
Metaphysically I see him as satanic. I agree with you George.
There are two powers that can bring him down:
The law of the land and prayer.
If all spiritually minded people would pray with love and wisdom in their hearts to expose this demonic cult it can help countering the evil force of Scientology.
And if the Feds can collect enough info to prove that they have broken their tax exempt guidelines then they can be taken down.
But don’t forget that prayer works. It’s what souls do.
Excellent reminder Brian (& great post this weekend, too)!
Definitely need to remember to keep this in my prayers, as I’ve felt so frustrated on behalf of D Masterson’s victims and Leah & Mike for all their hard work being postponed and/or canceled.
Thankful for all that’s been exposed, but really saddened by the latest.
How powerful (& what an example) if a large group of us are praying in agreement over full exposure of the cult’s crimes and cover-ups of thus, along with prayers for the Reisdorf family! May many see your comment today and respond in prayer!
What a true professional Tara Brown was when confronted by a seemingly out of control Cathy Fraser whose loud rant was to get a “rise” out of Ms. Brown who remained calm & non reactive. With all the “under cover work” that COS does, with numerous Private Investigators running amok they sure as Hell KNEW that a news correspondent was arriving shortly.
Ms. Brown & her crew did NOT invade Gold Base, they did not come crashing through those iron gates with a “battering ram or assault vehicle” bringing a SWAT team with them to trespass the premises…they stood quietly & professionally OUTSIDE the gates patiently waiting to interview someone.
IS Cathy Fraser the BEST person to represent the COS? Is Cathy Fraser’s loud, long combative RANT the way that COS wants to present itself to the public? All Ms. Fraser did accomplish was to show that those on the inside would willingly be combative & ATTACK with loud mouthed accusations anyone & anything that challenges them……& will NOT answer the questions at hand .
Ms. Brown has every right to question the whereabouts of Shelly Miscavige without fear of having to undergo costly auditing to “repent for her crime” of ASKING where Shelly is/was. Ms. Brown was simply doing her job was as a news correspondent, seeking answers to a more than a decade old question, which to this day, remains unanswered in the minds of many.
The LAPD has to date failed to SHOW or PROVE that they themselves have actually SEEN Shelly M in a face to face interview. They have yet to PROVE that Shelly M is alive & well & NOT being held anywhere at any time against her will. The LAPD obviously choses to protect itself by REFUSING to SHOW any PROOF that Shelly M does NOT want any contact from anyone & SHE CHOSES to remain inside sequestered from her husband, friends, family members.
Everyone KNOWS that time and time again News Correspondents ARE arrested, it’s almost to be expected that this IS part of their job. Like it or not as a News Correspondent the person who is delving or assisting in a news story IS going to be up for arrest at least ONCE in their lifetime.
The BEST part of this story:
What about the information and abuses that were exposed on the show? We all KNOW the cos answer to THAT question is always the same….DUCK & COVER.
Has anyone requested a welfare check on Heber Jenzcht? As a senior, it would be top priority of the elder abuse dept to ask to see him in person and determine his condition.
I think that’s in one episode called The Disappeared, where his niece does if I’m not mistaken.
Ex-scientologists complain about their wasted time in a cult but they are more free than Shelly and Heber. People restoring their place in life give more to themselves than to Shelly and to Heber.
I would invite everyone to look at the 60 minutes video and pay close attention to the tactics used by Katherine Frazer to “handle” this situation with Tara Brown asking simple questions. Compare that to how our friend FOOLproof handles simple questions posed by commenters on this blog. IMHO the tactics are virtually identical. As a result I’m concluding that FOOL is nothing more than an OSA troll. He has never denied it. I might be wrong, but I doubt it. There are plenty of videos on the internet that show other OSA personnel handling uncomfortable questions in an identical manner. The tactics are the same, only the faces change.
I have come to believe FP is most assuredly an OSA troll. Just my opinion tho.
TROLLS OFTEN TIMES LIVE UNDER BRIDGES…….
THEY DON”T HVE THE REQUIRED $$$$ SO THEY RARELY CROSS THEM WOULD BE MY GUESS.
Good spotting, Miss B Haven and Ann Davis. I concur about Foolproof being OSA Bot.
Scientologists are so thoroughly indoctrinated when they’re in the CofS, that some act and follow pretty much the same playbook, when they’re out and become “independent.” In fact, some left because they felt the CofS wasn’t following Hubbard’s doctrines closely enough – though Hubbard’s ultimate principle of ends-justify-the-means meant that written policy and doctrine are to be superceded when necessary, and even some of his writings and policies lay that out*, so Scientology and the current Miscavige regime is operating as he intended, if not how it presents as if it’s supposed to.
I’ve seen plenty of OSA trolls over long periods of time, and Foolproof is a bit too free in his positive references to independent Scientology, and just a little too undisciplined, to fit with the pattern I’ve seen over time, while his position fits with that of more dogmatic independent scientologists I’ve seen. But that’s not to say that he might not be being “run” by OSA on a long leash, such as if one of their operatives infiltrated into the independent movement is encouraging his continued posting here, which does serve their general purpose of fomenting division.
I actually think that at some point in the CofS’ disintegration, an independent group is likely to emerge that is ultra hardcore ideologically and dogmatic about “KSW” adherence – and possibly even more abusive. Foolproof may be a sort of harbinger of that, and an example of the the mindset.
* See, for instance, Responsibilities of Leaders (“Bolivar,” apparently a Miscavige favorite), Kha Khans, “heads on a pike,” etc. – I think somewhere there is even one that says explicitly that certain considerations are “senior” to policy. A loyalist ideologue like Foolproof will of course ignore, deny, or try to deflect about the existence of such – much of which actually form the basis of the justifications OSA uses for their actions.
Lol
I don’t think I’ll ever understand the logic in how Hubbard and his followers think that stuff like this does anything whatsoever to entice people to join their movement to “clear the planet”. Quite the contrary, it turns people off. Time and time again they act like a bunch of spoiled, whiny, middle school kids who stomp their feet and hurl a bunch of childish insults at anyone who “dares to question” them without EVER having a civilized debate on the actual allegations made against them. Anyone over the age of 7 can see right through this immature horse shit, especially in the Age of the Internet.
They must know that their reputation with the public isn’t exactly stellar. Yet the keep doing these same damn things over and over and over again. That’s one of the main reasons that society looks upon them in absolute disdain. As the old saying goes, the very definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. That is pretty much Scientology in a nutshell.
I suppose that logic flies completely out the window when they’ve been mentally reprogrammed to, first and foremost, always believe that “If Ron said it, it must be true”…..without question. A healthy dose of skepticism is vitally important to anyone, and Scientologists would do themselves a huge service if they would just take the time to actually think for themselves, instead of blindly following the words of a long-gone man (who has not and will never return) who was a science fiction writer that could spin a great tale, and who worshiped money, power, and his own personal ego above all else.
I guess ultimately though, these self-defeating exercises aren’t meant for society at large. They’re so desperate to keep their dwindling number of followers still in the fold that this is the best they can come up with, and thanks to their own actions, their ultimate goal of “clearing the planet” is futile, at best.
No one reads what Scientology has to say about anyone – ever. Especially the members. They are robots who have been trained to cut out all entheta of their life so they can stay keyed out. That is what makes them robotic slaves who will do anything to stay in the bubble of belief.
Even when I was in drinking the kool aid – I knew that Scientology makes things up about critics so why read what they had to say….it was entheta.
They are wasting air space manufacturing lies about critics. It may make Miss Cabbage feel good but it does nothing to help $cientology. It actually makes them look more evil and insane.
Tick Tock David Miscavige! Tick Tock! You and your evil cult are going down. You will be wearing Federal Prison attire. The orange jumpsuit is going to make your wrinkled, dried up orange face look more orange.
You won’t be tanning in solitary confinement. Nor will you have your 10 meals of fresh food flown in from around the globe prepared to you likening. You will eat slop like you have forced your slaves to eat. You will have no one and nothing. You are a total failure and a liability to society.
We can’t wait to see you handcuffed and thrown in prison for life for crimes against humanity.
Thank you Mike. While reading today’s blog, Hitler came to my mind. Why?
Similar situation, Berlin was collapsing, terrain they have conquered was been retaken, he had lost all over, but he kept saying that no one could defeat him or his army, and german attacks should continue, or some similar wording.
The point is that he was also blind – his mind was psychotic and could not see beyond his own belief of being the best leader, or whatever.
Scientology is the same, they are loosing, truths are being let known to the public, but they keep chanting the same song of ‘all is a lie..blah,blah..’
Miscabage is similar to Hitler, whereas he is hiding, he is cruel, he does not care about the others, he thinks he is the best leader ever, and he keeps directing the replies to the press with the boring ‘it is a lie, they are lying, we are a religion…blah, blah..’
He is also a psychotic blinded by his own delusion. He will not change, nor the replies to the truths about his criminal organization. But he for sure will have the hell of an eternity.
That’s pretty accurate, DM’s own mother allegedly once called him “little hitler”.
They are certainly backed into a corner on the Shelly issue.
And why have they held Heber for decades? The RPF was supposed to be a rehabilitation thing which implies that you eventually leave. But not Heber. He knows too much and has seen it all. He is a prisoner for life. He’ll die in there.
This is just heartbreaking.