Rear of Ft Harrison Auditorium
That is pretty special!
Game Changing Developments…
Perhaps the development is that the game is over. You lost.
A New Civilization for Texas…
Riiiight. They cannot create a new civilization for Dallas. Or even the remote suburb they are in. Or their street.
It’s Epic!!
You need to give us more money… That is all. It’s simply what the word means in scientologyspeak.
The Final Component
A potluck BBQ. Wow if only we had known. Will be sure to let all the other empty, failing ideal orgs know so they can schedule their own.
The Truth?
Absolutely NOTHING is happening.
It’s VERY important
We are going to tell you how to do it again.
Give us your money. It’s the ONLY thing you need to know.
The Duffs are on fire…
We should see orgs opening in all those states with nothing in a matter of weeks. SS soon as they can work out where they are going to have their event.
Storming through the Midwest…
like Sherman through Georgia…
Come for Ice Cream…
Hear some people talk about some courses they finished
That’s quite a threesome…
JPL, CalTech and Pasadena org. I can do this too: Hemingway, Steinbeck and Rinder. American writers. Each uses words.
No words to describe this…
I’m happy. I’m really happy. Really.
It’s a Fiesta!
We will hang you upside down and whack you like a pinata until all your money falls out
They don’t even have anyone to do Sunday Service?
They have to bring in an FSM? Some ideal org…
A perfect fit for Inglewood
The org has not even existed for 10 years, so he was one of the imports brought in to try and make an org that did not exist based on interest from the community.
I was sharing these funnies with a houseguest this morning. He’s one of my roomies from my college years and he found them all pretty amusing in a creepy sort of way. I was explaining regging to him and suddenly came up with something he’d relate to. I remembered the time that we went to one of those horrible time share presentations where you get a “free gift” if you make it to the end (ours was a hilariously awful “Grandfather Clock”–12 inches tall and plastic). Now, I’m a Never-In, but from all that I’ve heard and read over the last 20 years, the degree of pressure and humiliation at these time sharethings is exceeded only by regging at a Scientology event.
I suspect the “mystery” is they don’t know who it will be. Otherwise they’d give out a name.
I think they’re trying to hide the embarrassing fact that Duggan and maybe one or two other whales are all that is propping up the faltering ideal org building program – including now apparently in the UK as well.
When I think about it, the remaining orgs that haven’t already gone “ideal” have probably mostly raised all the money they are ever going to raise, other than a small trickle from ongoing fundraisers that may only be enough to keep up with inflation in construction costs, or to pay the ongoing expenses of an empty building already purchased. Unlike a more normal church, Scientology has such heavy financial demands for courses and other donations like the IAS, that members are unlikely to have much money left for ongoing building campaigns, after they cashed in retirements or took out mortgages for the initial fundraising (which they surely thought was going to result in a new building within a year or two). Except for a few of the bigger orgs in financially thriving cities, they aren’t likely to be pulling in new members of means, and their only hope of making real fundraising progress may be for members to come into money like an inheritance – or for a whale to come along and bail them out.
If anyone knows any detailed information about what is going on with some of these fundraising projects and just where they really stand, it would be very interesting.
Mystery donor? That means they don’t yet know who will show up. If the did, they’d blare it in big type. Maybe their still checking Drew’s schedule to see if he can slip them in? LOL
Mike after weeks and weeks of these Thursday Funnies, and knowing that every event announced is just a money shakedown from current scientologists who haven’t yet left the “church”, all I can perceive is that this so-called religion is threadbare and dying.
A billion or two bucks left in the bank just doesn’t cut it in terms of clearing the planet in 2017.
Those numbers might have been impressive in 1992, but today nobody blinks when Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth makes scientology and Miscavige look like threadbare inbred second cousins.
What a failure, is David Miscavige… milking the teat of a dead cow, sucking so hard on a cold rock that can’t give anymore blood. Pathetic.
Is it me or does Drew Johnston look like a narwhal?
I used to know the guy pretty well. He was a terrific Cl VIII C/S. I guess he gave it up because he couldn’t make a living with it. Does anyone know if he’s still married? She was one very tough and unhappy lady.
The last I recall, Drew was living out in the boonies on a California farm owned by his wife’s family. (Not certain of that last, but it seems true in my memory.) He was a excellent Cl8 C/S and I wonder if he ever went any higher? That was back in the mid 70s.
I wonder if his family still owns that farm…..or did Drew manage to get it (or the proceeds) into Co$ hands
Drew got into FSMing because there is or at least used to be good money in it, much more so than C/Sing or auditing. Either his or his wife’s parents died and left them a lot of money and a house in coveted Monterey, CA. So Drew and wife moved to Monterey to live in that beauty. But he still commutes to see selectees and travel around shilling for the church.
And I never figured out how Drew can live with all the alteration of the tech, the squirreling, the militant RTC etc that the church has become. He is smart and highly tech trained. What does he say to himself to make it OK to stay in the church?
“We will hang you upside down and whack you like a pinata until all your money falls out.”
Epic.
Is Cambridge Org going to bring in folks from Nashville Org to make sure that the lip synch is authentic?
“Later on if we make it, what will be your answer to this question. Did you help?”
L. Ron Hubbard guilt tripping Scientologists. I used to swallow this not so subtle brand of undue influence.
And a question ending in a period. Proof reading is not their major concern, that’s for sure.
Gosh, Micheal Duff is so renowned that I have never heard of him unless in his spare time he is Michael Duff the footballer and Michael Duff the physicist. Another $camology nobody who is riding on Denise/Denice (take your pick) Duff’s dubious acting career.
Donate 250 what, matches, fleas, brain cells? So the mystery donor will match my “dono”. I had a dono once but it tasted awful.
“The kids in school will grow up.” Well duh, what else are they going to do? Go into stasis until the universe ends.
These people would make Baron Munchausen absolutley green and livid with jealousy with the fantasies they create and live in.
“Another $camology nobody who is riding on Denise/Denice (take your pick) Duff’s dubious acting career.”
According to wikipedia it’s Denice.
The only Duff I know is Hillary Duff, and she’s not a Scio.
thank you! a great laugh..i thought the same thing when i read it! But you made it even more hysterical
The Sunday service with Drew? He looks strange. I’m serious…the guy looks strange – like an alien with a meat suit on…
In the Detroit poster….Question: did LRH really state “later on, if we make it, what will be your answer…”. What’s intended by “if we make it”? Didn’t LRH believe in himself?
LOL!…”the guy looks strange – like an alien with a meat suit on…”
You’re on to something; he really does look like an alien. Not exactly Kazoo, or K-Pax, but something really eerie. In any case where I want to be at 2pm Sunday is sitting on the couch with powerboat racing or college softball on the teevee and one hand under my unbuckled belt.
That’s quite a threesome…JPL, CalTech and Pasadena org. I can do this too: Hemingway, Steinbeck and Rinder. American writers. Each uses words. –
That’s hilarious!
Ahhh Denice and Michael. So OT that the cult controls them.
Perhaps all the celebrities who refuse to publicly discuss, explain, or defend their religion should hie themselves over to the Valley org and drink in Mr. Johnson’s dissemination seminar.
Of course, it’s possible his talk consists of repeatedly chanting: “Read a book!”
“Going Clear….” final pages are so important and ought to be the next thing all Scientologists read, the part about Hubbard admitting failure at everything to do with Scientology.
The facts of Hubbard’s final private and public writings need sharing widely, and it’s sad there isn’t sufficient discussion anywhere seriously about Hubbard’s actual final thoughts about it all.
He apparantly really considered he’d failed.
So why don’t the Scientologists absorb LRH’s final thoughts?
The DVD “Going Clear….” has snippets of the interview with Sarge Steven Pfauth, so vital to understanding LRH’s final mindset. and LRH’s battling still with some “body-thetans” unsuccessfully.
“Going Clear….” needs to be their next book.
These Scn org flyers ARE funny… funny as in peculiar. Not to mention cryptic, grammatically incorrect, and redundant. Case in point, “…become a “Friend” of Detroit and receive a special Friend Status for helping Detroit and receive a “Highly Commended” commendation.” Really?!? Do any of the public members actually fall for these “special briefings”, “dissemination seminars”, and “epic event” promos? I’m really curious as to what a “Sunday Service” in Scientology actually is. Has anyone ever attended one? I cannot imagine they are like any church service I’ve ever been to, but then again, I’m just a WOG so what would I know… *smh*
These promotional pieces give a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘make it go right.’ Kind of like trying to build a jet airplane out of balsa wood.
Swan song for Scientologists: I was wrong, Ron was right. If only I’d have correctly applied the tech, these FBI shutdowns would never have happened. Is it too late to write up my O/W’s?
“Absolutely nothing is happening”. Mike, this and your other little pre-snarks have me chuckling.. Without you I’d be near weeping with the necessity of confronting the depravity and cynicism of this cult. You as regards Scientology, and Maureen Dowd and Gail Collins as regards the current White House, are keeping me “uptone”, i.e., giving me some real laughs along with the grim facts. No small thing, that ability. Thank you, sincerely.
What is an “East – U – Can” Alliance?
Wait, never mind. This is eastern England…I get it.
Probably USA Canada. The Cambridge in question in Cambridge Ontario.
Yes, Cambridge, Ontario, and behalf of Canadian never in’s & glad to be outs everywhere, we’re sorry, so sorry. Not sure what they were thinking, 90% of cowboys & cowgirls in Canada live in Alberta not Ontario.
Oh, right! I mis-read the thing. Thought it was in England. Thanks, Sue.
I think Cambridge ON would be better at lip sync country yodelling than straight up hurtin’ songs.
.
However there may be a secret Ice Org in Cambridge Bay (on the Arctic Northwest Passage) which thanks to global warming is now hosting the odd drop in tourist ship. A good place for the Freakwinds perhaps? The local Inuit could put on a splendid show of lip sync throat singing.
Cambridge UK, famous for its intellectuals and wacky comedians, is too smart a city to get involved in granting degrees in Scientology. But now you mention it, it would offer a great location for an org. I could imagine the lip sync-ing choir of Hubbard College Cambridge becoming famous for its renditions of the Way to Crappiness.
Despite times restraints,comments actually better not worse.
I always wonder what the “truth” is behind the Orwellian hype and propaganda. Is the “remaining component” for Cambridge to finally raise the bulk of the money, that they’ve been unable to come up with for years – or is it staffing, which they would finally be able to address once they had raised that nearly impossible sum?
It occurs to me that struggling little orgs like Albuquerque would probably be much better off to focus what little energy and resources that have on something more positive. While realistic optimism has its benefits, what psychologists (including some in the positive thinking movement) refer to as “unrealistic optimism” is known to be detrimental if not even crippling, because it leaves individuals (and groups) unable to properly assess and respond to more detrimental situations. Like much in Scientology, this seems to reflect approaches, doctrines and structures that came about during an era when things happened to be going their way, like when they had a wave of Baby Boom “seekers” flooding their orgs decades ago, and that are unsuited for adapting to changed conditions and new challenges.
And it’s interesting to see Detroit’s oblique reference to donors from outside the area. It seems that increasingly, these stalled “ideal” org pushes are relying on outside money from a few of the biggest “whales,” including apparently in some cases funds from the IAS as well. The only hope for some of these struggling local orgs is probably to keep up pretenses for long enough that they finally become a priority for outside funding. I’m curious about how Miscavige must be managing this new campaign to get whales like Duggan to support these far-flung – and probably pointless – building projects.
Also, it’s bizarre to see Flag and Miami starting to pick up on the “warrior” theme that Edinburgh has been flogging for a long time.
p.s. Mike, “Hemingway, Steinbeck and Rinder.” have much, much more in common than do “JPL, CalTech and Pasadena org.” Have you ever considered that maybe you have the great Australian-American novel in you – or are you already at work on it?
A great Australian-American novel by Mike Rinder? I’d read that and I’d bet many others would as well! 🙂
I was a Baby Boom “seeker”. That’s an identity I hadn’t thought of before. I’ll add it to the list.
In all fairness, the Dallas location is right smack in the middle of the metroplex. They are 2 minutes from Dallas city limits and another 10 or so from downtown. And about 15 to either Fort Worth or Denton. Unfortunately for them, they are in a kind of business district with no foot traffic and no public transportation. That being said, the never have more than 3 cars in their parking lot. Ever.
The org E/D, a volunteer receptionist, and – let’s be kind – one person on course. Possibly one of the OTs redoing Student Hat. “Sad”.
“I have finished the Happiness Rundown. I have cognited and learned how false data can mislead one into NON SURVIVAL SITUATIONS.”
like Scientology
I apologize for asking this. What is an FSW?
Never heard of an FSW, Shirley. Possibly its a typo? An FSM is short for “Field Staff Member”, i.e. someone who gets new people into Scientology, mostly, and who “regg’es” (which means “registers” existing Scientologists for mostly upper level courses and auditing actions.
Speaking of FSM’s, On the Sunday Services with Drew Johnson does “16-time Power Disseminator” mean the same thing as FSM?
If so, being one of ten people in that cavernous cherch would be frightening – nowhere to hide in the crowd or slink into the corner to avoid getting regged..
Thank you Aquamarine!
Not “registers.” Registrars. 🙂
Yes, you’re right! Stand corrected.
Drew Johnston hey? A new player in the ‘big stakes’ game of Scientology? I can sure see he attracts a really HUGE (sounds of crickets) crowd! What’s the piano for on stage? A sing-a-long regging song?
DENISE Duff? I’m from England and have zero interest in film but even I know that’s not how she spells her name. These ill-educated, deluded fools can’t even honor (Or honour!) their own celebs by remembering how to spell their names?
How does she spell her name? And as for her being a “celebrity”, just off the top of my head, I’d bet that if you’d have trouble finding 1 out of 10,000 American who’ve ever heard of her.
I remember the actor from 50 years ago, HOWARD Duff … any relation? He was married to Ida Lupino and often acted with her.
A fine actor he was, too. As was his wife. Never top names, but well known and liked by audiences.
Yes, Howard Duff! A good actor, not well known. But Ida Lupino was amazing. A terrific actress and the first woman director, back in the ’50s.
Denice. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0240373/
When I was a kid, I loved make believe! It was fun and innocent and we had a great time! To this day, I’m still a Jedi Knight!
Scientology is make believe too. The problem is their make believe is harsh, evil and destructive. It ruins lives and creates havoc on a daily basis. Their make believe is serious to them. Everything is serious to the cult.
Whoa! Look at the time! I’ve got to Yoda in 15 minutes!
May the Force tantalize and give you the tingles all day long.
Come over to the Dark Side….We have cookies…….
PS: No Kool Aid…that’s a COS thing, sorry!
Sorry, Yoda! Cookies trump my meeting with you. Is milk included?
Must you use that word in any form on this blog? 🙂
Ah, yes…my apologies. But, the future looks bright…
You prefer “Shuumies”?
Pasadena is going “rocket into the future” on a defunct deathtrap space shuttle. Sounds about right.
When I was there, Mike, they had a board set up saying: Staff Wanted. And we saw no trace of the 200 students on course that they bragged about. Make believe…
OSD, Alice in Wonderland for REAL! LOL
One thing I noticed here…..in all the photos, in spite of their fake smiles they all look soooo sad. Also, I’ve now read 8 books by folks who are now out and one phrase broke my heart the most. I don’t remember who said it but it was early on and Hubbard was ‘auditing this person….he told her to close her eyes and began to ask her some very personal questions….she decided to peek and “he was silently laughing at me”. What an evil man he was and from what Ive read, his replacement is worse. Looking forward to the Memorial Day special.
In his affirmations he said something like all humans are or will be his slaves. Once you understand that, then you can see what he sees in you… said the spider to the fly…
SMP will go live with a bunch of Canadians lip syncing country music. That should do well in the Neilsons.
All $cieno ‘success stories’ have the same outcome. I am still in fear of the Reg and sec checks and I’ll go up the bridge because if I don’t, I’ll spend more on sec checks.
Is it odd that Detroit is heavily advertising an out of towner ‘helping them out’?
Drew Johnston’s church looks like any Protestant type church anywhere in the US. What hymns do they sing? ‘Sunday School’ for the kids? I can hear the chorus of ‘Yes Xenu love me’ now.
Yeah, that piqued my curiosity. What do you learn in Scientology Sunday School? Did you say stuff like:
I pledge allegiance
To the flag
Of the Church Of Scientology.
And to the Miscavige for which it stands.
One planet, under Dave, for eternity,
With tyranny and dictatorship for all.
Any thoughts?
Dave,
Looney cult by design. Where is the list of 500 active members? LOL
Waiting… waiting… waiting… 500 is a pretty big number to personally threaten and put the fear of, “your fucking with your eternity” into in new unit of time. They’ll get around to presenting the list when the Sheriffs turn into their driveway.
” Where is the list of 500 active members?” Turned over to the Judge. See Tony Ortega today.
Denise and Michael Duff. Has beens of the year. What a waste. They love being the GenX darlings of Scientology. The lame leading the deaf and blind.
The stupid leading the lame, the deaf and the blind.
I guess they both got through OT VIII on Denice’s soap opera salary, but that ended 15 years ago!
Now, they’re trying to make money by Denice buying a camera and pretending to be a photographer – but she only got hired by clams and now that she’s done all their headshots there isn’t anyone else to hire her because she’s not any good. She can convert her garage back to parking now. Michael has never made money (despite being a “renowned musician.”)
So, they follow in the footsteps of Rooster from Baretta and do events and pocket 10% of the take (when they’re not showing up at Marty Rathbun’s house or trashing Leah Remini on video). Two dimwits who will be there to the bitter end.
Yes, and Denise likes to hold Scientology workshops about effective auditioning techniques. “How to Nab The Part”…that’s the gist. So funny.
Worth the wait.
I left in 2001.
They never had all that crazy shit. Hulk hogan costume, cowboy karaoke etc etc
I smell what the rock is cooking.
Pure desperation.
Its true. I was still in back in 2001 and there was none of this rubbish. The cray cray started with the Ideal Org regging. Making people dress up has always been a way to dredge up some “fun” to distract from the misery the sheep feel while being sheared of whatever little fleece they’ve managed to grow since their last shearing. This way they can pretend to themselves and others that they’re enjoying themselves. Poor stupid devils.
Pure, unadulterated desperation. The kind of desperation that would cause a staff member to think: Holy shit!!! What did I get myself into!!!
I’m sure that very thought as frequently as they sternly repress it, OSD.
“occurs to them as frequently…”
Oh, wow! You have CRS, too?
What’s CRS? If I have it I’d like to at least know what it is 🙂
Indeed, one of the mind numbing aspects of being staff (or any aspect of being a Scio for that matter) is denying your own intelligence. Scientology is one subject where your own intelligence gets in the way. I guess for some it becomes an unseen habit and for others it’s, “get the hell out of Dodge!”
Trying to understand the use and the term ‘insanity’ by it’s very nature defies any logical assessment of it. I wonder if a drowning person ever notices they are wet?
Scientology gets more and more insane at the passing of each day. Just trying to use the term Scientology in an understandable context makes one feel to some degree groggy doesn’t it?
Every week, my mind reels from the insanity of these hilarious flyers. The Duff ones were classic. Just the other day, I accidentally ignited my Havingness. Darn near burned the house down.
Wow Cambridge is busy! The other day I was walking by Scientology’s abandoned building at Yonge and Charles in Toronto. It’s still boarded up but a member had set up a table at the entrance with a big Dianetics display and an e-meter doing readings. I mean how clueless do you have to be. Everyone has seen Aftermath or heard of it and no one would go near that guy with a 10 foot pole let alone sit down for a reading. He wasn’t even an attractive guy. He was a chubby little balding grey haired guy and looked decidedly creepy. He wasn’t dressed up or anything. Actually he looked like a bum. So why would anyone go near a guy like that at night for a reading or to ask about Scientology? That last “funny” isn’t funny. It’s kind of sad really. The English is so bad and not appealing. 95,000 miles away from completion? Way to be a downer!
I live in the Detroit area, and take some solace in the fact that the mystery donor doesn’t live here too.