I had not seen this until perusing the scientology.org website today.
Don’t focus on the wonderful passage of classic Shermanspeak — legendary times on the front porch of infinity indeed.
No, try to put that out of your mind and note the claim — apparently in response to the repeated exposure of the dwindling numbers at his events — that the event was attended by a “record number” pegged at 6700 lost souls from 70 nations.
Of course, this is quite a feat, given the capacity of the venue is Ruth Eckerd Hall that seats 2180 (slightly less with all the cameras and sound equipment used to capture the full COB experience).
Scientology would no doubt claim there were another 4600 people in the “overflow” facilities. Hahahaha.
If their planning is really so poor they choose a facility that holds only 1/3rd of the attendees, when there are PLENTY of other facilities in the area that are far larger, they deserve to be failing as miserably as they are.
But of course that is NOT the explanation. You can be absolutely sure if they could get 6700 people to an event it would be held in a larger facility so they could show images of the crowd and announce it loud and proud.
The reality is that Mr. NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder*) cannot stand any slight on his manhood — especially when the handful of bitter apostate liars on the fringes of the internet point out his empire is shriveling. So, he simply announces that this was the biggest and bestest in the history of biggest and bestest, knowing full well that nobody will ever be called upon to explain or justify this claim. Scientology does not speak to the press or respond to outside requests for information. They will never have any official in a position where they have to try to explain this. Miscavige has no Sarah Huckabee Sanders to send out to take the flak, and he won’t do it himself (give Donald Trump credit, he does front up to the press on occasion). Miscavige can say anything he wants and nobody will ever have the opportunity challenge him.
And why does he need that when he has Freedom Mag and the CSN — the only truthful media — who will surely support his every claim.
In the immortal words of Mel Brooks: “It’s good to be the king” (fortunately he is immune to criticism or questioning in his kingdom, but that is in fact a small bubble existing in a much larger world that doesn’t agree with his rules).
* From Wikipedia: People with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) are characterized by their persistent grandiosity, excessive need for admiration, and a personal disdain and lack of empathy for other people. As such, the person with NPD usually displays arrogance and a distorted sense of superiority, and they seek to establish abusive power and control over others. Self-confidence (a strong sense of self) is different from narcissistic personality disorder; people with NPD typically value themselves over others to the extent that they openly disregard the feelings and wishes of others, and expect to be treated as superior, regardless of their actual status or achievements. Moreover, the person with narcissistic personality disorder usually exhibits a fragile ego (self-concept), intolerance of criticism, and a tendency to belittle others in order to validate their own superiority.
The DSM-5 indicates that persons with NPD usually display some or all of the following symptoms, typically without the commensurate qualities or accomplishments:
- Grandiosity with expectations of superior treatment from other people
- Fixated on fantasies of power, success, intelligence, attractiveness, etc.
- Self-perception of being unique, superior, and associated with high-status people and institutions
- Needing continual admiration from others
- Sense of entitlement to special treatment and to obedience from others
- Exploitative of others to achieve personal gain
- Unwilling to empathize with the feelings, wishes, and needs of other people
- Intensely envious of others, and the belief that others are equally envious of them
- Pompous and arrogant demeanor
Miscavamatics have no reality in this universe
Speaking of lies, Scientology appears to have provided a “massively photoshopped” photo of the Perth opening, which shows about 400 people – still paltry – to cover up attendance reported to be possibly fewer than 100. Even if their own photo were genuine, it still puts the lie to their specific claim about the Perth opening: “here [sic] more than 1,000 Scientologists and their guests…gathered” – no real wiggle (weasel) room there for counting people watching remotely at other sites.
I posted photo analysis and further details, including a link to an apparent eyewitness accounting, on Tony Ortega’s Bunker at http://disq.us/p/1sasm4l
There are about 1,500 Sea Org members at Flag and 300 outer org trainees there for training. The staff from Orlando, Tampa and Miami are made to attend which adds another 100. Every public staying at Flag for service are made to attend which adds another 150. That alone almost fills Ruth Eckerd Hall. After weeks of phone calls and threats about 150 – 200 local Scientologist are gotten to attend. Local Scientologists hate the events because they will be squeezed mercilessly for money after the event ends. So the truth is about 2,300 people attend the events, mainly because they have no choice. Its a pretty piss poor scene. Miscavige should be ashamed….
Miscavige is incapable of shame. He is the Lord of his Manor, that being scn.
“Incapable of shame”. True. And it is astounding, whenever you encounter or observe someone like this. Almost not believable, except that must believe it, because the evidence is right there in front of you.
There were easily more people eating tacos today in Clearwater than were in attendance for LRH’s birthday in March.
Tacos > LRH’s legacy? Happy Cinco de Mayo!
The crumbling empire of the cult of greed. The fastest growing religion on earth is Islam and the West is yielding to its thrust. The bubble has no influence on any even minor events anywhere.
On a side note: have a look at
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20180502/13204739762/foia-heroes-fbi-protect-supermans-privacy-refuse-to-hand-over-secret-identity-to-requester.shtml
I reckon that someone in the FBI was having a dig at $camology when they “redacted” a lot of the nonsense in the “Clark Who” memorandum.
Yay, another massive never to be seen again celebration. That is until the next never to be seen again celebration in a few months.
Hell, even if COB *did* draw 6,700 people (from 70 nations no less!) that would be a pretty sorry showing.
As a comparison, there’s a Lady Antebellum (with Darius Rucker) concert in September, at the Mid-Florida CU Amphitheatre. This is not a mega-event like Beyonce or Taylor Swift, this is just a good band. The 9,900 regular seats are already sold out. The only tickets available (at regular pricing from the box office) are on the lawn, which holds another 10,000 people.
And that’s just drawing from the Tampa area, not from “70 nations.”
And you’ve got COB with His 24/7 boiler room calling people from all over the world to come to a free show, and He can’t even fill 2,700 seats. Dismal.
Now I know why I had been receiving heaps of calls from different people leaving messages like ‘Hi its Sarah here from the AO, i would love to catch up with you to share some amazing news with you. Please call me back on this number’.
If I dont know the number there is absolutely no way I will answer my phone. Its so annoying.
Moving Forward,
“INCREDIBLE news”…oh, yes!
WELL do I recall that phrase given in tones of the hightest, the happiest enthusiasm on my voice mail.
Just hearing it my mind gives me the same reaction – a kind of vague, amorphous dread, a certain tightening of the gut, and the inevitable thought, “For Christ’s sake, what the FUCK do they want now?”
My mind would immediately start thinking up excuses to not do it//be there/buy it before I even knew what it was!
One thing about LIES is they cannot survive. One day (soon I hope) the stack of cards will be blown down by all the put-upon scnists and sea org members finally waking up and realizing that they’ve had enough of supporting and perpetuating the LIES.
Of course the issue of the 6700 figure could be crunched “from the other end” as well. Here is what we “know:”
1. There are 15k scientologists in the CW area alone. Beyond CW, there are millions more.
2. Scn has been categorized by religious scholars as a “high-demand religion.” Or, put in laypersons’ terms: “They tell you where to go and you go–or else, you may never see your family/friends again.” And it’s safe to say that the “clergy” left no stone unturned to get folks to this event.
Given the magnitude of events in the “religion” at this amazing time, it stands to reason that local scientologists are highly motivated to show up and that others would even take a pilgrimage to their spiritual mecca on such a high holiday.
So 6700 (or slighly less than 45% of the locals) was the best they could do? Sure, Pinocchio!
He’s got a new face it looks like from the picture!! ?
“Scientology does not speak to the press or respond to outside requests for information.” ….. Exactly Mike. Scientologists are the “communication experts”. They *know* from their extensive Scientology theory studies that ignoring someone acts as an invalidation and eventually makes them upset. By design, David Miscavige is “driving up the Tone arm” with zero regard for the blowback. That pretty much shows how much he cares about the state of public relations between the church and the rest of the PLANET. Not just a segment of society, he essentially raising a middle finger to the rest of the world with their boiler plate denials. Hell they don’t even appear to be trying. When Scientology loses it’s tax exemption, you Scientologists can go looking for Miscavige to explain that debacle on HIS watch.
Cue music and Rod Serlings’ voice:
“Scientology is expanding by leaps and bounds, creating amazing, positive effects on the entire planet.
Yet its ecclesiastical leader David Miscavige has not done a television interview in 25 years, nor does he at any time ever speak to the press.
Now, this may seem odd to you and me, but then, when you’re David Miscavige traveling in another dimension, a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity, when you’re in the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge, why, you’ve gone beyond the dimensions of sight and of sound and are in the dimension of imagination!
Which is what we call “The Twilight Zone”
And that is where David Miscavige has found himself.
Let’s join him in there for a while, shall we?”
Cue music and fade out.
“It’s an LRH miracle!”, said no one, ever.
Wow, quite the educative lesson this morning. But I must admit being a bitter apostate liar on the fringes of the internet pointing out his empire is shrivelling has a certain appeal/panache about it that makes me all warm and fuzzy.
On the other hand it’s also comforting to know a Scientologist will never and I mean NEVER engage me in a conversation about their organisation or the technology of Scientology. A few have tried and very quickly ran for cover intellectually. The worst thing about them is they don’t even understand their own dribble and wallow in delusions of grandeur of attempting to acquire unobtainable states of existence. They live in a bubble of lies! If you look carefully at what Scientology claims and then look at a Scientologist, the two things could be likened to the north ends of a couple of magnets being forced together – they repel one another.
If it wasn’t so heartbreaking and sad with human misery plus the personal dreams shattered in the wake of Scientology strutting their stuff, it’d be amusing to study Scientologists – they are a prime example of just how fucked up a mind can get without the use of chemicals.
The definition of NPD fits Miscavige like a glove, spot on Mike.
Should we be calling them…wait for it…Bubble Heads?
That’s good Dude… sort of rhymes with Bubble Butt.
Bubble Heads…Bubble Butt…it all comes out in the wash.
Extra points for using ‘manhood’ and ‘shriveling’ in the same sentence as ‘Miscavige’! (Mr NPD)
Also known as SOB.
Also known as SSS. Scotch Soaked Sociopath.
Regarding scientoligy numbers, I have this theory: if you ask 10,000 scientoligist how many other scientoligists they know, and they each had answered, for example 100. Then you add all that upp (10,000 times 100, because they each know 100). The number you end up with would be 1,000,000. That means that there are at least one million scientoligists.
So if you ask the 80, or so, people that actually were in attendance in Ruth Eckerd Hall how many people they saw there, they would say around 80 – add all that up, and you get close to 6,700 people in attendance.
scientoligy maths!
That’s similar to their central files math! No wonder I get so many pieces of promo.
I don’t know about that Wynski, there’s a serious “bromance” there. Who know’s what the hell these two do or have done, DM would probably be the “submissive one” to TC’s dominance. Which is it Dave? We know you read these blogs even if you stay silent. Ha!
Submissive and dominance!? Hey Rod! Maybe we can make a show about that. People would pay good money to see that! Especially if both are oiled up.
For some reason it looks like there must be a bigger box behind the podium for his excellence to stand on this year. If a normal sized person stood there the podium would only come to their knees.
I believe he uses peach boxes.
Well. I’ll take it that 6,700 is the number of dedicated, active, scientologists. Some were there and some watched elsewhere. I’m stickin’ with it!
The Emperor’s ass is showing.
????
????❤️❤️??????
The Emperor has no clothes on. QUICKLY!!! Avert your eyes. Otherwise you may go blind.
That bobble head of his, hair-plugs and all, lolling around on that little body, reminds me of an ass too.
Oh, Mary, you are SO eloquent and precise! 🙂
The delusional behavior of $cn is so deliciously entertaining.
There has to be a doctoral thesis hiding somewhere in the cultural institution of self deception inside $camology. Surely there is a sociologist out there looking for an interesting culture to write about.
Maybe this is like the Christian story of the ‘Fishes and Loaves’, except without the food. Maybe Body Thetans were counted? No, it was $cieno math, which has no relation to reality.
Mike, you have to use the creative accounting techniques that were pioneered by Hubbard for his lies about “millions of members”.
2180 in the auditorium
200 or so in the overflow at the top of the stairs (maybe with the new construction, the rehearsal auditoriums and so on it is more now)
2000 foreign born Sea Org staff watching by microwave link in the new Galley under the SuperPower Building, oh oops the “Mecca” no oops can’t call it that, the Flag Delivery Building…too bad it is in English…
500 or so outer org trainees watching in the Flag Ballroom with some more staff and various public too lazy to drive to the Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Got it up to 4,880 without much lying at all, now just pull out the capacity of the larger Shrine Auditorium in LA and magically replace the numbers by Wishful Similar Number Substitution! Easy Peasy lemon squeezy.
No wonder Hubbard had us all read “Through the Looking Glass”, especially the Red Queen:
If you can’t believe in fairly simple lies, like 6,700 folks in a 2,180 capacity hall, you may not be cut out to be a Scientologist. The big stuff is probably beyond you.
Bruce, nice accounting!
I think that in several ways, Scientology has become sort of a bad version of the old children’s game “telephone,” in which messages (particularly in the case of CofS PR, often deliberately misleading to begin with) get passed mouth-to-mouth and slowly distorted by misunderstanding.
I’ve noticed that in their PR, they refer to coming to later showings of event videos at local orgs as to “attend” the event, partly to make it sound more inviting. My guess is that maybe someone took the count of all the members who “attended” either the original event or later video showings, to mean the number of people actually present in Clearwater, and now states that without the weasel-wording.
The 6,700 number could be an interesting insight into how many members the CofS has in the US, who will at least show up for major events. Subtracting your 4,800 out of that, leaves 1,900 who might have “attended” video showings of the event at local orgs, which could be about right if that’s spread across the 40-something US orgs.
In the early 90s they used to broadcast all the events live via satellite, so they could have claimed an audience much larger than the local venue. We even had a satellite link at places like Happy Valley, the Int Base, Creston, the LRH Archives locations. The dishes are still there but not used.
They used to do delayed feeds for the various times zones, even bounced it via Intelsat over the pond for events in the UK and EU.
One memorable event, the IAS “War is Over” event, had thousands in the Sports Arena and many more thousands around the world watching on satellite. The pyrotechnics were so loud at the opening that it bled into the video and we had to re-uplink it.
Those glory days are long gone. Now they resort to begging and threats to get the few remaining public to go see the event in the organizations a week or so later. Played on DVD. Tweaked and fixed to remove every slightest flaw. No more live shows for Dave!
Now that they “have their own channel” they could broadcast it live to DirecTV just like the old days and claim millions of viewers. Who would know? But if they were doing that they would have to falsely claim millions or admit that they only have thousands, so probably that’s not what is happening.
I don’t see it on their TV schedule. What a waste of all that hardware at the Scientology Media Productions site.
WOW Mike,
Exactly so. All nine points.
Agreed.Helped me connect some dots.
Wow, sometimes is hard to believe how big the lies are; but evidence is evidence.
As far as # 3 of the NPD: ‘associated with high status people’, applies perfectly to the desperate need and control DM has over Tom Cruise.
Without Tom, Miscabage will feel very degraded by having only the admiration of lesser beings such as minor whales, most of parishioners, and forget to even consider the slaves, sorry the staff.
Thank you for the article Mike.
Yeah, and Cruise could do wonders for his faltering career if he would just abandon that leech Miscavige and call a press release forsaking scientology.
Here, Tom Cruise, I wrote the press release for you:
“While I have gained some benefits from the practices of scientology, my conscience can not allow me to remain a member of an organization that has a proven track record of human rights abuses. I beg forgiveness from anyone that was influenced by me to become a member of scientology, and for anyone that was hurt by membership.”
If you spoke these words, or something similar, many people might support your films and projects again.
Hear Hear! Make it so Number One…
No wonder D.M. and T.C. don’t hang around each other any more. They both have NPD and would eventually kill one another.
And that’s a bad thing?
Gee, imagine getting a ring side seat! Be like Christmas hey?
Need to forge an invite from one to the other OSD
I’m working on it! I figure we can $500 per ticket!