A scientology fan on Twitter today reminded me just how thick the bubble of scientology is. Whether this was a real scientologists or simply an OSA front account, the point is still the same.
This Twitter genius was repeating the line that “scientology has expanded more in the last 10 years than in the 50 years previously.” (I asked him whether he measured this in “vacant real estate purchased” or “# lies told”. The discussion didn’t go far from there.) This “last 10 years” is a variation of some of the other doozies Miscavige has tossed out about “47X expansion” and “each ideal org sees 10X expansion.” These of course go along with “we reduced the crime rate by 50% in Colombia” and “we restored hope to the nation of Bangladesh with the Way to Happiness” and “we are the largest private relief force on earth.”
It is imperative for Miscavige and the scientology hierarchy to convince their followers that they are in fact expanding and accomplishing their goals. They spend an enormous amount of effort to do so. After all, how long would people keep devoting their time and handing over cash to something that was utterly futile? Unless you can persuade people their efforts and their money are making a difference, they will stop trying and stop paying.
Scientology also believes this is the ONLY effective counter to the exposure of their widespread fraud and abuse. “Look, we are expanding so we are obviously doing good” — and that is supposed to be the “real story” of scientology that all media “miss” and all media are supposed to write about. Trust me, anyone in the media who has ever had a meeting with scientology will tell you that they are first handed “Dead Agent” packs on anyone involved and second enormous binders of photos and videos of empty buildings accompanied with silly numbers “137,434 inches of pure copper wire created this state-of-the-art xxxx” and “if you unraveled the hand-loomed carpet in this building alone it would stretch around the planet at the equator 7.6 times” etc etc
How scientology goes about creating this illusion of expansion is one of the topics covered in tonight’s #ScientologyTheAftermath on A&E at 10pm.
I have blogged about this on many occasions, but I thought I would revisit a wonderful graphic done by the brilliant Jefferson Hawkins some time ago. There are a few things that need updating (like the total number of active scientologists is now certainly less than 40,000). And there have been more scientology organizations closed and/or combined in the last decade than ever in history and more than the 3 new organizations they have opened. But this gives an excellent overview of some of the key claims scientology makes and the actual reality.
So, how do they keep the sheeple convinced?
With video footage that is in many cases completely staged but presented as “news” style footage (funny that this is what they allege about the Aftermath show — it is “staged and scripted”). And they tell them that the media (yes, ALL of the media) are engaged in a conspiracy to suppress the good news about scientology and make up lies about it when they do mention it. Thus, no “good” scientologist will read or view media that is “critical” and if they do, they will dismiss it all as “lies” concocted by bigots in an effort to “destroy man’s only hope.”
Scientology is a massive confidence trick that sucks hundreds of millions of dollars out of people every year.
Couple of questions: if CoS has buildings/rooms ready for Hubbard return & he’s in a different body – how will CoS know it’s him?
If DM is the “pope” of CoS – who elected him – as the real pope is chosen by leadership of the church?
Who is DM’s closest “advisors” now?
Why doesn’t Heber J. 42+ brothers/sisters file missing person report?
Thank you.
Some stat’s I like to see: 1) Percentage of OT’s that have left S. 2) List of senior exec’s which have left vs those that still are there. 3) List of people who worked directly for LRH or DM that left.
Another question in regard to the editing of much of the materials of S and the required retraining or re-auditing. How about the original LRH trained auditors? How many were there? Are there any left? Did those trained directly by LRH from his hand written notes need to be retrained?
Well, SeaOrg memebers have been telling me of the new auditorium they are building across from Flag right next to their parking garage. I’ve heard this for about two years running and think I’ve even seen plans for it. I’ve been told they are waiting for the money to be raised first. Not sure how many it will hold. They haven’t broken ground on it at all yet though.
As for numbers. Their 1500 at Flag seems about right. I doubt many of that staff go to actual big events. Heck even Seaorg members barely make the graduations. But if you’ve ever been to Dowtnown Clearwater during meal time, 1500 is not too far off. They must have a full time round the clock kitchen crew and one heck of a cafeteria to feed all of those people coming in on buses. Avoid that area at lunch time!
Mike,
Great series. Keep up the good work. Every week more people are watching, at least up here in Washington state (Go Cougs!).
Everyone I talk to wants you guys to keep making episodes, till it cracks the facade enough, and brings down the whole damn thing.
Do you see any signs of progress?
Thanks
Mike,
Was there ever a time you felt someone was faking being a member of scientology to gain info to bring them down ? And second question is do you think exposing them that one will be put in place to bring out the truth. I wonder if their are pictures or film that would help prove others claims. I stand behind you 100 % and wish you well and your family protected during the exposer of the show. I hope A&E will continue documentary as more come forward. I from past experience await a day when other religions are exposed as I was a part of Jehovah’s Witnesses and they too shun those who question their faith. Thus I only escaped the abuse after becoming an adult. Only then could I flee. But to this day I am shun for leaving. I’ve created no crimes other than questioning beliefs. I will continue to follow aND look forward to more shoes and articles. Know you have already helped 1 feel better about my decision to leave even if another faith.
Not likely. Very hard to fake anything like that in scientology due to all the sec checks… But it’s not needed. There are plenty of people with first hand knowledge, they just need to know it is safe to speak up.
Well said
Little Emperor MicSavage is wearing no clothes. May the brainwashed awaken and see the wee wick which commands them.
random musing…..
I bet Dave just HATES Tuesdays these days.
I can’t imagine the amount of abuse going down daily as this show continues to air. It makes me sick just thinking about it.
The Dwarf is fighting a losing war but I’m guessing he’s calculating that he can win enough battles in this lifetime to safeguard his legacy with the Sheeple who know and trust him. But let’s phrase this in a more presidential manner, shall we?
“Dopey David Miscavige doing damage control for his dying cult. Sad!”
Is Mike Rinder still an independent Scientologist or has he, like Marty Rathburn finally moved on and given up the false Scientology ways for good?
Teddy B, why don’t you do some research before posting?
If you’re asking this question on Mr. Rinder’s own blog, why don’t you ask him directly instead of phrasing your question in the third person?
Yeah, I’m just a never-in and don’t know much, but I do know rudeness when I see it.
This comment shows you really aren’t following anything, quick research on your part on both men would answer your question.
There’s magic in the air tonight and poop in Davey’s diapers.
I think I might have crossed the line again Mike.
Nice article and graphic explanation! I love the line “137,434 inches of pure copper wire created this state-of-the-art xxxx.” (Even if the number is hypothetical, it’s a good number to explore.)
That number in inches sounds like a lot more than a mere 11,453 feet of wire, which may give a clue to how they up their stats! To help them improve their stats further, I’d suggest they go metric and report the length in millimeters: 3,490,824 mm of copper wire! In the millions! Why stop there — convert that to nanometers to signal incredibly high numbers of microscopic expansion!
But who the heck buys copper wire in inches in the first place? It’s usually sold by the pound and currently goes for $2 a pound, but even that depends on the types of wire, such as with their thickness/diameter. For example, bare, bright copper costs over $2 a pound and category 5 wire is less than $1 a pound.
So not only is their measure ridiculous as to the numbers, but also totally out of touch with reality in terms of how copper wire is bought and sold. They might as well brag about how smooth the wire feels to an OT who has gone through Super Power to rehabilitate all those perceptics!
Excellent points! Also a beautiful picture of the problem.
Numbers stay in people’s minds. That’s probably why they use them so often. Another issue is that only people who work constantly with statistics know with certainty all the ways that you can lie like a rug using very real stats. As they say, “There are lies, d@mn lies, and statistics.”
Part two of the problem? It’s a religion. No one is going to question the validity. I read the line about all that copper and my immediate question is, “Why? Is the use of copper wire intrinsic to worship?” Of course, if I’m reporting, I can’t really ask that question without running the risk of offending and possibly crossing a religious line. Rather than risk losing the interview, I might simply ignore that information or mention it only anecdotally. Guess what happens next? I become the reporter, the media, who doesn’t “get it”.
To me, the thing with square footage tells a bigger story. I look at the beautiful church I grew up in. A stunning turn of the century building, amazing architecture, some of the most beautiful stained glass you will ever see. Thousands of square feet over all the buildings and all the floors. By CoS standards, that should be a massive thing, right? Nope. As people have moved on or aged out, church membership has sadly declined. The difference is that the church board doesn’t waste time with how much copper there is in the building. They talk about how to stimulate interest in the church.
Listen Dave…Bubbala…don’t listen to these SP’s. You’re doing a fantastic job. Keep up the good work.
ML,
Harvey
Organized religion of any kind sucks (in my opinion)… but does the “tech” work? Do people at OT 8 exteriorize at will? I’d like to see some interviews of people who left the religion because their quest for superhuman powers did not materialize not just because they had a squabble with the church… Thiughts??
There was no promise of being able to exteriorize at will on the New OT 8. That was something a full OT would be able to do, but Hubbard did not get that far and there was no full OT level ever released.
You know LRH stated that L-12 makes “a stable thetan exterior” and that the L Rundowns “came, actually, from the OT grades.”
Yes, I have heard that about L-12 and that there were supposedly more OT grades above OT 8, which are still on the grade chart up to OT XV. But none of those higher OT levels were ever released. I’m just saying that with New OT 8 there was no such EP or promise, and OT 8’s should not be expected to have that ability, although some may.
Marildi, when you say that “some may have” experienced the states as defined by the original OT8 material, what do you mean exactly?
My take away is that in this sentiment, you still have a glimmer of hope that Ron’s therapy delivers what was promoted.
If that is true I understand why you are sometimes protective of Ron when we criticize him.
I honor your hope Marildi.
Brian: “Marildi, when you say that ‘some may have’ experienced the states as defined by the original OT8 material, what do you mean exactly? My take away is that in this sentiment, you still have a glimmer of hope that Ron’s therapy delivers what was promoted.”
First of all, I said nothing about “original OT 8,” which was never even released. When I wrote “some may have,” meaning they may have gained the ability to exteriorize at will, I was talking about New OT 8 and the fact that a few who did the level have said they did gain that ability. The implication by some people that it was promoted as the EP or result of New OT 8 is what I have not seen in writing by LRH.
So why would you think I still have the hope that it delivered what was promised, when I said that wasn’t actually the promise? You need to work on your duplication and understanding – especially of LRH. And please knock off all the dub-in and speculation about what I think.
ok Marildi, just asking a question.
New comers to this blog. Marildi is still a Scientologist.
And….. we could put this Scientology works or doesn’t argument to rest.
Please contact the people who you know who knows someone or who is that person who can go exterior at will.
We can get Leah to do the test on TV. Just find those folks who can do this.
This will really put LRH on the map. And I will apologize for all my judgements of Ron.
But we know there is no one that has this ability. You will not find this person.
Instead you will write something rude about me.
You’ve made a claim that there are people who can exteriorize at will.
The test will be easy.
The world is listening Marildi. You have an opportunity. Just present one person.
“And…..we could put this Scientology works or doesn’t argument to rest. Please contact the people who you know who knows someone or who is that person who can go exterior at will.”
You are again twisting what I said. Take a deep breath, Brian, and give it a rest.
In a very restful state I present to you Marildi:
“I was talking about New OT 8 and the fact that a few who did the level have said they did gain that ability.”
You said it was a FACT that some people told you that some people who did this level have attained exterior at will.
if it is a fact that people have said this, then let’s contact them and do a little research.
And I am asking you to contact these people because your FACTS say there were a few of them.
And I, in my pre coffee chill zone am asking you to produce these people so we can verify these FACTS.
New comers, this is what happens when you ask Scientologists to prove their assertions.
You become an enemy.
Basically what Marildi is saying is that a therapy action in Scientology produces someone being able to astral travel at will. She is saying that a few people have told her it’s true.
This is what L Ron Hubbard promised to deliver as an attainment.
But in Scientology, when you question their claims the Scientologist finds something wrong with the person asking the question.
In Scientology it is a mortal sin to question claims made.
It’s actually a crime in Scientology to question claims.
They call it invalidating a “Clear” or Operating Thetan. It’s a punishable offense.
Some Independent Scientologists, those who left the church but still believe in Scientology, still have the mindset of attack critics.
I call them the “Ron Says People.”
They are always quoting Ron to prove their point.
If these people actually existed Marildi would be the first person to contact them as she is a Ron apologist and believes what he says.
She will not do this. But she will predictably find something wrong with me.
It’s what Scientologists do.
While I’m not Jewish, I find it instructive that Moses never got to the Promised Land, but others kept going until they did. Three thousand years later Judaism still exists and in the opinion of many is half of the basis of Western civilization.
The Wright brothers airplane was a joke compared to today’s 747’s and F-16’s. But it was a necessary step in the right direction.
The basic principles of Scientology from the 50’s and early 60’s still have workability. They just need further development of their potential in application, in an organizational environment not dedicated to trading one slavemaster for another.
Exposing the abuses of the Church is necessary. But the greatest abuse is wasting the good in Scientology by ceasing to use it and build on it outside the Church.
Very well said, My 2 Cents.
I thought you’d get some flak from a couple of guys here, but with you they get very quiet and apparently don’t dare. 😉
Thanks for your contribution. Good way to end off this subthread.
My 2 Cents, you mentioned the workability of the basic principles and the need for their further developmen. I’ve been reading some articles by Ken Urquhart (Class IX old-timer who worked closely with LRH for some years), and wanted to share the following excerpt, since it relates to LRH’s “promises” – or, more accurately, his vision.
“Hubbard’s Scientology system and structure are by no means appropriate for all beings and all life situations. Nonetheless, within the core of Hubbard’s life and work is a vision that can apply to all – given that each is permitted to be who and what he or she actually is in the moment and to relate to the concept of ‘path’ as is appropriate to his or her integrity.
“I paraphrase the clear and unambiguous statement of his vision thus:
“You, no matter who you are or what you have done or what has happened to you or what mess you have got yourself into, you have a path within you that you can travel step by step. Walking it will lead you back to possession of the full truth of who and what you really are. The path has difficult stretches where it is easy for you to lose your way. However, a skilled and dedicated guide, using a very ethical discipline of application can help you keep moving on your path. If you choose to walk your path and take advantage of guidance when you need it, you will arrive at the full and developing truth about who and what you are, and what you can accomplish.
“Those black, black clouds begin to move away.
“The purity, strength, and certainty of Hubbard’s vision change the universe forever.”
http://freezoneearth.org/ivy/bluesky/part4.htm
Not sure why you are quoting Ken Urquhart as if his opinion is so important? Why not quote Bill Robertson? Or Hana Whitfield? Or Lois Reisdorf? Or me? Better yet, why don’t you offer your OWN opinion and logic?
p.s. I meant to include this relevant paragraph, which comes just before the part I quoted above:
“I say Hubbard’s work does have value. I say that the value of his work has been overshadowed by the errors he allowed himself to make. Some of his errors affected others adversely. There is no justification or excuse for his errors; his errors, the adverse effects, and the complaining about them – all these are parts of Hubbard’s and the others’ paths. We all have to walk forward on our paths, or stand still.”
New comers to this blog; notice how my asking for proof of a claim was totally avoided.
So many words of justification but not a single response to my asking for proof.
This is a perfect example of what happens to the mind, ability to reason and have common sense when you are a long time Scientologist.
There is a deteriorating influence.
That is because for years and years and years they have been taught to demonize opinions that challenge their assertions.
Actually what it boils down to is challenging LRon Hubbard’s claims.
This blog/forum is a great study.
So I ask you again Marildi:
Contact the people who say they know people who can leave their bodies at will. Let’s find them and test them.
That my dear is called science.
Once again I predict smoke screens and deflection. They will not know they are doing it.
That is because they are equating questions and needing proof as an attack on Scientology.
It’s just what Scientologist do.
Ron trained them well.
Just a point of clarification regarding being a soul separate from the body.
As a practicing Yogi I believe and have experienced this phenomenon of leaving body consciousness.
But I am not concerned to proving this or disproving this.
So my argument is not meant to refute this subject.
My argument is that L Ron Hubbard sold us that his religion would have us attain that state at will: freedom from being stuck in a body.
That claim was a lie, Ron knew it was a lie and many thousands believed it to be true. And paid thousands and millions to acquire this state.
So we have a claim by Marildi that it is a FACT! that she knows of people who know people who attained this on New OT8.
They will avoid and demonize anyone asking for proof.
That……….. is cult mentality…….. straight up!!!
Brian, for years you have demonstrated obsession with making LRH and Scientology wrong. Meanwhile you’ve continued to pursue spiritual gain by other means. If those other means really work, why are you still spending so much time on such an unenlightened activity as arguing about religion? Why hasn’t your spiritual practice bled off enough charge for you to let go of your pain?
See what I mean new comers:
Total avoidance and it’s me with the problem.
Even when I say they will do it. They do it.
It’s what Scientologists do.
Ron trained them well.
Thank you My 2 Cents for making my point.
All I was asking for was proof to a claim.
Questions and scrutiny is dangerous for Scientologists.
That is because reason always threatens faith.
Reason and questions do not threaten knowledge. Only assumptions based on falsehoods are threaten by scrutiny.
It’s what keeps the belief in place.
And it’s why Hubbard sought to destroy critics.
Marildi and My 2 Cents are still Scientologists.
Brian, the value of Scientology tech is not limited to whether or not it produces people who can consistently exteriorize at will. The yoga you do can’t produce that ability either, even if you’ve read stories about past yogi’s who could.
Many mental and spiritual technologies can and do help people in lesser ways than exteriorizatoin, that are very valuable to them. And many people using Scientology report satisfying results from its lower levels, especially decades ago before tech delivery was corrupted.
To be sure, the subject and especially the organization need various corrections, refinements, and further development. But you don’t argue for that. You attack the whole subject, in a way calculated to make wrong anyone who sees anything good in it at all.
You are quite obviously motivated by huge emotional charge, and have sunk to battling as a self opposed to another self, and who cannot rise above that opposition to find actual enlightenment.
You will not unify. You cling to separation and opposition. That’s the reverse of yoga, isn’t it? You should set a better example.
Until you do, there’s no point in arguing any specific points with you.
See that’s the thing… It seems the tech itself has lots of interesting, intriguing and useful attributes that the organized religion has corrupted… Was Dianetics / Scientology always this way, or only since RM took it over? Christianity kind of got screwed up when Jesus died and his useful teachings got corrupted by pagan influences and interpretations of Paul… BTW, thanks for reading and responding to this blog Mike.. I consider it an honor.. and appreciate your point of view..
LRH-CO$=stillvaluable?: “Was Dianetics/ Scientology always this way, or only since RM [I assume you mean DM – David Miscavige] took it over?
An early Scientologist by the name of Ken Urquhart knew LRH personally from 1964 to 1978 and worked very closely with him in those years. As for Scientology itself, Ken was involved from 1956 to 1980. He summed up his view of LRH with this:
“I state again that I have no defense or excuse for the trouble LRH caused his own people, their families, and the world. I still hold that in LRH’s work there is a kernel of truth and sanity of universal and eternal value. I do not believe that he deliberately used his access to this level of truth to fool his followers and to attempt to fool the world. My considered opinion is that the side of him that could know and promote Truth lost the fight with his egotistical and material side – and then the demons took over.
“It all played itself out as it did, and perhaps there was no other way for it to go. The evolution has a lasting value, though: we can deduce better ways to support, serve, and discipline such a one, should we be fortunate enough to have another come our way.” http://freezoneearth.org/ivy/bluesky/part11.htm
See Paulette Cooper story for answer to this question. It was far worse. Before Miscavige even joined the Sea Org.
It is difficult for those who still believe in Ron’s benevolence and his Metaphysical Delusional Feudian Therapy to come to grips with reality.
New comers, there are still a few Ron apologists here on these blogs.
Usually they will quote Ron from one of his writings or refer you to a book that appears to counter the bad things you are learning about.
Ron apologists see Scientology as a valid path to spiritual truth.
They still believe in and audit (therapy) in their daily life Scientology space aliens stuck to their bodies.
They still believe in a man who wanted to commit suicide and think his church doctrines have the same value as other main steam churches.
They say that Miscavige ruined the church and that things were better before Miscavige.
But for some reason they somehow deny that probably the worst crime against a person was a Paulette Cooper.
And Paulette’s horror show was during Ron’s time and probably orchestrated by him.
The denial of Ron apologists is obvious. As you new guys keep reading Mike’s blog you will notice them. There are a few.
Brian: “It is difficult for those who still believe in Ron’s benevolence and his Metaphysical Delusional Freudian Therapy to come to grips with reality…for some reason they somehow deny that probably the worst crime against a person was a Paulette Cooper. And Paulette’s horror show was during Ron’s time and probably orchestrated by him. The denial of Ron apologists is obvious.”
I have seen no poster here deny what happened to Paulette Cooper. Once again, you are altering the actuality to suit your pre-conceived notions of anyone who would say anything positive about Hubbard or scientology (not meaning the Church of Scientology). It seems to me that you are the one who needs to “come to grips with reality” and that you are the one in denial.
Miraldi, thank you for the great quote from Ken Urquhart.
Glad you appreciated it too, Cindy. Ken Urquhart not only saw up close, for years, what was going on – he was highly trained in the tech as well. There is probably no one who is more fair minded as regards acknowledging the very negative of what went on as well as the very positive. And as far as I know, he still audits people, at least as of a few years ago, which says a lot right there.
thank you for knowing this and pointing it out. It’s such a vital point of lie.
Stable exterior and cause over life subjectively and objectively was the cheese that brought in the early generation of Scientologists. Us boomers were ripe for this form of scientific astral traveling. That’s what we all thought we’d attain. I know not one x Scientologist who did not have this sales plitch as a motive for becoming and paying for auditing.
In no uncertain terms, Ron sold us the idea that he had these processes to deliver these states.
Remember the line:
(Paraphrase) “I’ve done the work for you. All you have to do now is put your feet on the bridge.”
All of these states were sold as attainable. Sorta like when he BSsed with his dianetic claims.
His claims kinda matched the times. Mysticism and alternatives thought schoools were sprouting up like crazy after the Beatles introdruced India and all that meant
marildi,
1) There are no grades called “Full OT Levels”. Full OT was a gradient thing obtained bit by bit by doing the OT Levels.
2) There are PRE OT levels (1-7) And OT levels consisting of 8 and above. THEREFORE, the FIRST actual OT level WAS released WITH subjective OT power claims!
If you are going to pop up at every turn to prop up L Con, at least be accurate in your terms.
LRH-CO$=stillvaluable?, for New OT VIII L Con promised that one’s amnesia on the whole track would be handled. Which means being able to remember your past lives and stuff all the way back. People would know how to make FTL space ships, et al.
Of course NO ONE who finished OT 8 got that ability. I’m sure for many that lie was the last straw.
Mike Wynski: “…People would know how to make FTL space ships, et al.”
Exaggeration much? The exact claim for New OT 8 was this: “Handles the primary reason for amnesia on the whole track.” Note that it specifies the PRIMARY reason, not all the reasons. I’m not saying that even this claim can’t be criticized, maybe it can, but the criticism should be accurate and truthful.
In your reply to me (above), regarding OT 8, you wrote: “…the FIRST actual OT level WAS released WITH subjective OT power claims! If you are going to pop up at every turn to prop up L Con, at least be accurate in your terms.”
Well, if you are going to “pop up at every turn” to denounce Hubbard and Scientology, you should take your own advice and at least be accurate.
I think it’s a mistake to exaggerate and embellish the wrongdoings of Hubbard and the CoS. In your zeal to point out such things and try to make it ALL black, you and others sometimes go too far and lower yourselves to the level of the church – which is doing the opposite in that it is whitewashing and lying in order to make it look all white.
In my view, the only way for us, and even people who were never in Scientology, to learn from the experience is to look at the whole picture as honestly as we can. As the saying goes, “The truth shall set you free.”
LMAO! The levels you will stoop to in order to obfuscate L. Con’s lies knows no bounds marildi. I say that as no one could be that stupid and be typing on a computer.
Well, Wynski, it’s clear what you are stooping to – calling names. I guess you have no rational comeback to my actual comments, so you commit the logical fallacy of Ad Hom.
Mike Marildi is very intelligent. She is not stupid.
She has had some gains in Scientology. It’s given her hope. She still believes in Ron and his Freudian Metaphysical Therapy.
I get the sense that she has made it her passion and mission to defend L Ron Hubbard.
She agrees with some criticism but it only goes so far.
I do not sense any outrage in her regarding the doctrines that have harmed so many. She doesn’t go there.
Part of her job of defending Hubbard is to deneigrate Hubbard critics.
She has slammed me over the years. One time on Marty’s blog she called me a Merchant of Chaos because I was criticizing Ron.
That was at a time when people weren’t even talking about the madness of OT 3. I brought that up later on and boy did things get weird.
A few times, before Marty started criticizing Ron I almost got kicked off his blog. But Marty was cool even though he warned me.
But Marildi was relentless in her anger and attack of me.
It’s almost as if that is why she is here. To be an apologist for Ron and attack Ron critics. It’s her purpose.
She’ll reason that she only attacks those that are giving false views and lies about Ron.
That’s how she justifies her attacks.
What I have observed is that she calls lies and false views those views that threaten her belief in Ron.
To her, ole Ron simply got old and was a human with flaws.
To her, Ron is still the heroic researcher and scientist that has given mankind a great gift. An approach that no other wiseman has ever discovered.
And when Mike or Marty would get a little annoyed with her stubbornness she would still seek to argue. Then they simply stopped responding.
She still believes in Ron. She has a right to it. And we have a right to challenge that belief.
Brian, yes as I said. marildi is NOT stupid. However, marilidi’s English language comprehenbsion needs some work as he/she thinks name calling is going on.
Marildi has made it her sacred duty to attack certain type of criticism of Ron.
I’ve seen her make assertions and Mike trying to clarify for her. She begins a “Ron quoting war”. Then Mike just stops.
She did it also to Marty.
But with us, we just get a face of nasty words.
She doesn’t get nasty with Mike or Marty. She can get nasty with us little thetans.
She’s a Scientologist. Attacking critics of Ron is an imprinted mindset.
Perhaps they need to take a deeper look. How do they know they are not under the watchful eyes of the FBI. What if they have been documenting and collecting facts for awhile. When this case blows up its going to be one for the books.
Amen
I have a question. Its a little off from the topic of how many members does the church of Scientology have, but how does God fit into the churches view. I’ve been watching the aftermath show with my husband. Never ever does God come up. Are scientologists atheists? Just wondering.
Christy, I’m an atheist. How dare you think that we are Scientologists. 🙂 LOL
Ha!!
<3
Scientology categorizes life into 8 compartments, better known as urges toward survival. The 8th one is called the Infinity Dynamic or I suppose you could call it the “God” Dynamic – Scientology does not venture into that Dynamic. Hence you don’t hear or see it explained in the tech. Hubbard refers to it often but keeps away from making technical assumptions about it. He does give theoretical mathematical theories to what he refers as a “static” – that is timeless and doesn’t have a position space except by consideration (a capability it has, among some other qualities) = Godlike qualities you could probably assume.
Other religions sort of refer to God has having some sort of personality, infinity is what is it is to Scientology. Refer to as whatever you want to I suppose – Scientology should not object to that but you can’t trust ’em, they are an arrogant group who know best in all things.
God, in the sense of “creator of all things” is not part of Scn’s theology. The closest you find is the 8th Dynamic (Infinity), or the Dynamic of the Supreme Being. But, Scn does not comment on who or what that may be. They claim through the practice of Scn one can come to know or understand the 8th Dynamic for themselves.
In practice, Scnists are somewhat ambivalent about God. Generally they do not participate in any kind of worship. Most are of the opinion “yeah, there may be a Supreme Being or a God.” Some feel Hubbard included it to make Scn more “religious.” But, more commonly is the idea that through the practice of Scn they will one day become god-like.
statpush: “They claim through the practice of Scn one can come to know or understand the 8th Dynamic for themselves.”
In *Fundamentals of Thought*, it gets a little more specific :
“The basic characteristic of the individual includes his ability to so expand into the other dynamics, but when the Seventh Dynamic is reached in its entirety one will only then discover the true Eighth Dynamic”
For Christy or others who don’t know, I should include the definition of Seventh Dynamic
“THE SEVENTH DYNAMIC—is the urge toward existence as or of spirits. Anything
spiritual, with or without identity, would come under the heading of the Seventh Dynamic.
This can be called the SPIRITUAL DYNAMIC.” (FOT)
My view of Ron’s concentric circles attempting to compartmentalize life is that its old school. Old world.
It akin to the models of the atom we use to have. Plastic models of definite circles and particles going around neat and tidy orbits.
Quantum mechanics blows this mechanical model out of the water.
Atomic particles operate in my elegant and mysterious laws.
Hubbard’s eight dynamics’s are like that.
It’s an old world mechanical model. A 50s view.
Life cannot be so sliced up into such simple slices like a pie.
Also, Ron had no inkling of the spiritual realities. And he was dysfunctional on the 2d.
Regarding the God; he was way way down in the not know area.
Ron avoided the God principle because his life style was at odds with the principles of unity and love.
He was not equipped mentally, emotionally and spiritually to advice us of these things.
The eight dynamics are old school.
Ron was old school.
Also, L Ron Hubbard had no idea how to know God. L Ron Hubbard was also in “not know” on the first dynamic as well.
Someone with true self awareness and self realization would never blame alien creatures for their mental, physical, spiritual and emotional challenges.
A person who knows themselves is first and foremost responsible for their condition.
Responsible people understand their causal connection to their circumstance.
L Ron Hubbard was always blaming an outside agency.
As a spiritual teacher he was pretty low rent.
Well, there’s absolutely, positively, no Jesus in Scientology. Hubbard claimed that Jesus was given to bouts of anger and said Jesus was a lover of men and young boys. Hubbard said Jesus died of his own sins. So… they probably don’t believe in God either.
Ah, but that would change in a instant if they ever worked out how to reg him on-board, myth or not. Think of all the moola a celebrity like that would bring in… Christ’s sake, there’s 800 million Catholics alone – ka-ching! All that Vatican gold & real estate too!
However, I don’t think NOI worked out so well for them, & there’s no shortage of Muslims in the world. They need to brush up on their survey tech first I suppose.
Might it not be a unique outcome if they decided to work on the Muslims??? ROFL
Upon entering $cientology, newbies are told that they can be any religion. Eventually, they are told about ‘other practices’ and required to stop paying any money or time to any other religion. $cientology acknowledges this in the 1993 IRS agreement. So it is in writing. If they say anyting else, they are lying.
Christy, your comment reminded me of a talk show I saw many, many years ago (Phil Donahue I believe). The guests were all Scientologists and one of them was asked by an audience member about belief in God. A very convoluted answer followed, and the puzzled audience member asked, so what exactly do you worship? The Scientologist replied, “We worship ourselves”. (Which the studio audience found hilarious!)
Dave, this whole drama that is being played out is because you studied Ron’s writings on dealing with critics.
You believed Ron to be infallible. Your young brain bought into his messiahship and you sought to emulate your hero.
These are the reason for your troubles:
1) breaking up families (Ron’a doctrine on disconnection and harming critics)
2) beating people up and imprisoning people ( a frightening level of cruelty ala Bolivar and Ron’s RPF punishment tech)
These doctrines will be your downfall. The application of these doctrines is what has cast you into the mold of the bad guy. Your PR is done, fini, over with, toast.
The power that you have acquired, through these evil doctrines of Ron’s, is the same power that is now poised to boomerang against you.
What you have done to others is now being done to you.
We know who you are, and we know what you are doing.
Dave, Ron was not who he said he was. You were duped like the rest of us.
I wish you well. I pray you wake up. I’m sure your dad feels the same. Your dad is a good guy. He still loves you Dave.
The GE is a family man has caused you to cut your theta line between you and your dad.
That doctrine is a false one. A lie. There is no psychotic GE that is the cause of family.
When you agreed to that doctrine, that’s when you started on your war against familial love.
When you agreed to “a frightening level of cruelty” ala The Resonsibility of Leaders, that is the demarcation line you crossed into creating for yourself these many troubles.
Ron was a shame Dave. He was in it for money and power more than saving the world.
Proof of that is he did not do a hat write up when he left. What he did was write another SCI FI book and obsessed over BTs.
L Ron Hubbard was a sham and a con man who ended up believing in his own con.
Following him has led you to your present condition.
Out here in the real world, seeking the destruction of critics is seen as intellectual cowardess. The truly wise welcome doubt and criticism. That is because the truly wise are so confident in the truth that they see doubt and criticism as an opportunity to persuade. It becaomes a teachable moment.
Only cowards and ignorant men despise critics.
Think about it.
Brian, Just wanted to thank you for putting ‘Auto Biography of a Yogi’ on my radar. It’s an intriguing read so far.
:-), I always tell people it’s more of a portal than a book.
Thanks Good People. ?
Brian, thank you for your comments. I love the way your mind works. Your letters to Dave are my favorite but I appreciate your take on things IMMENSELY.
I may be very wrong, but I believe David Miscavige was hoodwinked by L. R. Hubbard for about 20 minutes. I look at his personal dynamic and I read power, power, power. By all that I*ve garnered about him Miscavige is a brilliant man. Why did he maneuver, isolate, and virtually destroy those around Hubbard who might have taken over the reigns of Scientology? It doesn’t seem as if he was doing these things out of love for or belief in the religion, but for personal power.
Barabara Carr, he probably did it for the same reason(s) that L Ron often purposely destroyed really capable and popular execs in scientology.
Eliminating competition!
No doubt Barbara that David brought his own brand of dysfunction to the mix.
But he was a young impressionable boy also.
A young boy with rage, control and anger issues.
In reading Bolivar, what do you think his mind did with the line” it takes a frightening level of cruelty…………”
Think of the implications of word clearing, demoing and agreeing to these words.
Ron is saying, “when you are being cruel to others to protect power, you may be afraid of that cruelty. But you are surviving across the dynamics and for the greater good you must not allow your fear of cruelty to get in the way of harming people”
THAT WAS RON’S INSTRUCTION IN BOLIVAR TO HIS “WILLING HOUNDS”
Within this one idea of “frightening level of cruelty” is the very definition of David Miscavige.
I’m sure Mike can give us an insight into the effects Bolivar had on the GO and OSA.
These doctrines create dangerous thugs who deny fear of being cruel. And elevate cruelty to a religious duty.
Evil has been done in the name of these doctrines that people follow. And those ideas that are being applied come from one man only.
I pray that every member, past, and present, will come to know and accept the love of Jesus Christ.. I have never been pushed or asked to donate money to the church. I have done so on my own accord. May the Lord bless and keep you!,
Deborah, To me, Christianity and “accepting the love of Jesus Christ” is just another “religious” fantasyland. People don’t need a big daddy in the wings of their lives, be it L. Ron Hubbard / David Miscavige, Jesus, Muhammad or whomever. Wishing YOUR religious beliefs (fantasy world) on others is intrusive and annoying and the primary reason people don’t like any religion. Someone is always trying to convince you that THEY know the only way. People should be left alone to enjoy their life. Period. I always find the “May the lord bless and keep you” sentiment irksome & silly. So bizarre that people take it upon themselves to bestow blessings from the invisible ‘lord’ and ‘keep’ others from something unnamed. Ugh. Keep your religious stuff to yourself. Ah, but that is not the goal of ANY religion be it Scientology or Southern Baptist or Catholic or Methodists or ANY of them. They ALL want you to go believe THEIR special brand of nonsense and do their bidding.
Down to estimates of 12,000 members, whether staff or public, each knows from their own experiences at least some “facts” are false. Few know all of them are. Those in for many years have noticed the alarming number of disappeared. They have also noticed areas they spent everything to improve has not improved.
They notice in others especially OT 8’s. They notice the number of Clears and OT’s are not in the millions.
Staff especially Sea Org know that anyone who so much as ran across a Scientology doorstep gets a CF (Central Files) folder forever. They notice there are not millions of CF folders. They notice they are not sleeping in order to write letters to someone who filled out a survey in 1972 and has never responded. The Central Files of Scientology is the most obvious “tell” of the factual statistics of Scientology. Of course members know. They just don’t know that no one owns their eternity and,or, they know they will lose their family, business, reputation etc and don’t know how to leave.
Besides CF there are numerous other tells: The IAS Mag never lists the total number of IAS memberships. These memberships are required so there should be millions of memberships. This is why membership numbers are never listed. Another tell is number of emeters sold. A required Scientology product. There should be millions sold. I don’t know if current newer models are numbered. Another tell is event attendance for major Scientology hallmark dates. Mandatory attendance if not officially stated still means for any active member if they don’t show up, a reg (ruthless salesmen) and an ethics officer (ruthless interrogators) will within 24 hours. Event venues have changed to smaller capacity and even those are sparse. One of the events of Scientology history, the Super Power opening, was mandatory yes only a few thousand from around the wolrd were seen and few celebrities. Another tell is Scientology jewelry as in number of Clear bracelets and OT 8 bracelets sold. There should be at least a million of Clear bracelets by now, right?
The most prominent stat in Scientology that is no longer published: # of SP’s Declared. It is the #1 stat missing for those remaining members to honestly and without bias apply their Doubt Formula and realize who the enemy really is and where they really are. (Doubt Formula is part of Scientology’s ironic “ethics” policies used to help a person in Scientology to improve conditions in their life. The Doubt Formula is a series of steps to compare statistics, like a pro/con comparative list, an analysis of who’s on first, what’s on second. This is where most Scientologists end up when they are starting to notice the stats don’t add up. As Mike Rinder lays out, Scientology’s leader spends millions of his members’ cash to create elaborate smoke and mirrors facades. For any Scientologists out there working on their Doubt Formula right now, here’s how most of us were able to solve the problem of not having correct statistics – Write down a list of all the statistics you are Not allowed access to, like those above, and especially financial transparencies. You should be able to decide for yourself at that point.
Love it! Lots of “tells,” yet no one’s talkin’!
Another key indicator of $cn’s success, or lack thereof, is the number OaTy 8 completions, which can be easily monitored and compiled because that OaTy level is only delivered on the Fleecewinds, which spends most of its time in port and not exactly booked to capacity at any time of the year.
So, if the cult’s claimed numbers are correct, then $cilons are falling off the bridge in great numbers, or getting parked everywhere along it, because so very few of the faithful actually complete OaTy 8 each year.
Has anyone else seen the scn ads on YouTube? I have been looking at videos and almost one for one all vids start with a one minute scn commercial. Good thing we can Skip Ads.
Off topic:
It would be great if we could get the Disconnection billboards back up and going. With all the publicity of Leah and Mike’s fantastic show, a Go Fund Me page might create enough funds to just keep those billboards up in both cities…forever!
A short snippet about the billboards, the reasoning, and the website, mentioned on the program could really drive traffic to the funding.
We need to give people something to DO, something to do that makes a difference and makes them feel like they can HELP and that they can make a difference too. Mike has been giving great advice about this topic, how the public can help. But people love to help with a bit of money – it’s easy to click and pay on a go fund me.
Giving people easy ways to help is a good idea.
Great idea. I was in before and I’ll be in when someone gets it going again.
I’d be happy to participate in helping fund a billboard in Clearwater.
What a lovely idea! You*re right. We do need something to do. Not to mention how the billboards would beautify the cities, particularly Clearwater.
I would contribute to more billboards and have been trying to get Phil and Willie to start it up again. Does anyone have their email address so I can write them personally?
I find the Expansion Booming Winning lies to be fascinating.
Within each organization the public and the staff of that organization know fully what little expansion is happening in their own backyards. It’s always so obvious, the amount of public in the course rooms, in the auditing wait areas, the new public areas, and of course how many are showing up to the events.
The true state of every area is no secret to the immediate staff and public of that city.
Every org is its own bubble – we sit inside our empty struggling bubble, hearing of how everywhere else is booming. And we hope it’s true and we wonder what’s wrong with us, and we (secretly) worry about being lied to, and then we hide those worries from our own self and minds…quickly whack-a-moling them.
We see the videos showing “acceptance and recognition” in far off lands, small photo op shots of smiling people accepting study tech into a school or The Way to Happiness Books in a police chief’s beefy hand.
We wish our own country wasn’t so suppressed and in the hands of the psychs, our own unbridled expansion hampered by the iron grip the SPs have on our media and courts and mindsets. We hope that someday the growth of the rest of the world will finally win over our own area.
There is no way of comparing our numbers to the other orgs. The birthday game competition tells us who is ahead and where we are in comparison, but due to the structure of the game, it’s just stat trends, it doesn’t give you actual numbers. And the birthday game info is generally just for staff and not published broadly.
We expect and accept that we’re being told the Good News, the Best Stats, the Biggest Wins. We figure that there are areas down or not doing as well… we hope that what we’re being shown is true. We don’t expect it to be lies, as if it were, it’d be found out. False stats come up in auditing – you can’t hide the lies for long. (unless it’s the brave new world of no exec structure and a TinyTotTyrant is in charge.)
……..
GAT II made everyone re-do all the training, inflated the Gross Book Sale stat with the new forced purchases for all training, and the new cut rates in auditing and the big push raised the auditing stats.
But any staff member trained and experienced knows all about the temporary inflation of stats by new releases and orders and demands of “everyone must now do the STCC” (Success Through Communication Course) or whatever “new release that will solve all our problems” is being pushed.
We all know that once the immediate new release is sold to all, once the first glut of Dogged Do-Righters have routed on and finished the courses… things fall back to Normal.
(woe to the staff at this time, knowing, “down stats are made” no excuses, stats must be “held down” in order to be down)
…….
in addition to all of this… I feel for the staff of the Ideal Orgs. Those orgs are not just busting out and expanding like crazy by the very fact of being Ideal. Years and years of lies, of pressure, pressure like no other place (except perhaps under fire during war) … pressure to make that ideal org a reality. “You’re an enemy if you’re not on board, you must put your shoulder to the wheel. This is Command Intention! Look at the big payday at the end! We’ll have a big booming org and will TAKE THIS CITY!!!!”
Years of fundraising events, programs, millions of phone calls to public, white boards with numbers, push push push..late nights, weekends…all hands…… and then.
Big fat new building all empty inside and no excuses left.
My fantasy wish is for somehow the true stats – Bodies in the Shop! Well Done Auditing Hours! Gross Income! … New Names to CF! … Paid Completions! …the Student Completions! …if all of an org’s Gross Divisional Stats could be made public for every other Org to see.
If somehow… they could know that it’s all over, not just their own backyard.
How hard would it be to stand in front of a whiteboard and fund raise for an ideal org, to a public who knew the true state of all the orgs who finally got their building and got it all done…?
How many public would show up and donate if they knew it didn’t make a damn bit of difference, except to break everyone’s heart when they saw the futility of all they’d worked for?
…….
and I’m 100% in favor of DM and everything he does. Scn might have limped along forever without him. With him at the helm we might just see this dangerous brainwashing life stealing cult to whimper away to near nothing. Those are planet saving stats!
Perfect sentiments for most staff and many public.
Dear Dave,
Per your request we have done an Ideal extensive research of all legal cases in U.S. History. We are sorry but we cannot find any prior legal defense contributing evil body thetan influence as justified cause of any criminal behavior.
ML,
Monique
Lron’s scam was always built on the ‘look over here, no over here’ bit of magic. Well, opening new buildings while hiding empty buildings is something that even the great magicians can’t do. Houdini wouldn’t bother, because he didn’t believe in engrams and Penn and Teller would just laugh at the idea.
No amount of photoshop or shrubbery tech can disguise an empty life. That is what $cientology has become, an empty life. How can Sea bOrg run an empty mOrg and stay alive? The have second the 3rd jobs. They sure aren’t padding their retirement accounts on staff pay.
The only question is, are the remaining clams rich enough and programmed well enough to keep the SS Clamtanic afloat for a little while longer? At some point, starvation wages not withstanding, the expensive infrastructure will become unsustainable. The local whales will eventually give up and throw off the harpoon and those ‘missions’ in store fronts will disappear. That will be the first sign of the Clampocolypse. The Idle mOrgs will disintegrate later. They are too noticeable to be the first one to die.
I am so happy that Marc Headley will be on tonight’s show. Leah could do 5 episodes on what he and Claire went through. I’ll get the pizza and Buffalo wings ready, this is going to be a great show and there are still 4 more to go!! And then comes season 2, I postulate like there is no tomorrow.
Zemooo enjoy the show. I’ll be hunting for it in a day or so from across the pond.
Incidentally, I passed a local org today, saw a few cars and had your exact thought. How long can they prop it up?
How long can they prop it up? Well, as long as you have enough staff, they can push against the 4 x 4s that are holding up the rear wall. I know the 12 hour shifts are tough. Leaning against a 20ft 4 x 4, for 12 hours isn’t easy.
+1 for moniker: “Pink Legs”
Could it be that their “expansion” is millions of invisible body thetans, and not earthlings?
90%, at least.
The longest running mission in the world – the Peoria, Illinois mission – closed forever in early 2015.
And another long running mission, the Champaign, Illinois mission, closed this spring.
As a former Exec Dir of the Peoria, IL mission, I am intimately familiar with how Scientology is doing in the Midwestern Cornfields. Except for small pockets of dead-ender holdouts in Chicago, St Louis, and near a river in Kentucky, there are NO scientologists here.
I would say that between Atlanta, Georgia and Las Vegas, Nevada, there are about 50 active, self-identifying Scientologists – TOPS.
When I first got out of Scientology in 2000 and moved back to the cornfields from LA, there were 4 Scientology installations within a 2 hour drive from me. Now there are two.
Scientology “expansion” is only one of many absolute lies that the Church of Scientology tells the world every single day. You have done a great job in documenting that on your blog over the years, Mike.
I’m glad you are getting the chance to broadcast this to millions of people via Leah Remini’s excellent Scientology And the Aftermath.
Go! Go! Go!!!!
Alanzo
Aw. Really wanted to see the one in Champaign
So…they’re making a comeback?
I think there’s an interesting but direct parallel between these delusions of grandeur & expansion with the application of Scientology itself. The Scientologist’s mindset cannot accommodate for and will never allow for even one problem or unforeseen occurrence to exist without the answer being contained within the tech. Management itself and hence every Scientologist has been so completely brainwashed into accepting they can do no wrong as they have the answers to everything about life contained with Scientology and it has self correcting mechanisms built in anyway. They can never lie – it’s impossible for lies to exist in Scientology! They truly believe anything not Scientology based is part of a very elaborate “theta trap,” specifically designed to trap you and then do you in. Their level of distrust must create some new kind of category for the Guinness Book of records.
From the very first course or from the very first auditing session an undercurrent of complete certainty is instilled into the receiver. The supervisor in the course room can refer you to the exact policy or technical issue that will answer any and every one your questions and the auditor never apologies for anything but has a very definitive set of guidelines you as a client must adhere to, otherwise YOU ARE CORRECTED. If an auditor doesn’t get the expected result, he is retrained until they do so, or thrown out. While this all seems very good and you feel great doing the lower levels, it conditions you to accept all of Scientology is 100% certain of itself and it’s only by you following along in that belief that you will ever go free. Maybe once upon a time like some sort of fairy-tale scenario that may have been the case, say 1960, when forced donations weren’t shoved down your throat and you were allowed to have a life away from the technology.
But with the advent of a military styled management system and the alleged Bridge rewritten over and over and refined to resemble a drunken type of spiderweb, designed and spun to extract all you money and then leave you lifeless – the upper levels of Scientology are Bullshit!
From all the ravings of Hubbard in the early days, ie 50s and 60s and the lure of freedom instilled in every mind that got swept up into that vortex we are now witness the combining of every aspect of a dogmatic dictatorship running through every aspect of Scientology. I’m truly not saying there isn’t some good things in Scientology, I like some of it’s auditing and some scales and axiom type data is quite enlightening but, and it’s a BIG BUT, caveat emptor! Beware, Scientology as presented is what Hubbard said is the type of intentionally set up trap other philosophies of life such as psychiatry, mysticism etc engage in.
Scientology says loud and clear “Absolutes are Unobtainable,” yet dramatizes that exact mechanism on you and insists Scientology is absolute and you are doomed without it.
Once again I state that the moment you take Scientology seriously, you’re fucked! There is nothing wrong with Scientology basic texts per se, but there is everything wrong with the way Scientologists are applying it. The organisation needs to be erased and the criminals in it dealt with. Leave the texts alone, by trying to erase them as well you give them special value – make them as open and available as possible. It gives assholes like Miscavige nowhere to go with it.
Wow, Yawn…couldn’t agree more. Their indoctrination techniques are remarkable. By quickly supplying the newbie with “that exact piece of tech”, causes the fledgling Scnist to “turn to Source” for answers to any and all questions. This makes you feel like an explorer, seeking out and discovering those universal truths to reach greater and greater understanding. You’re on the Road to Freedom 🙂
Eventually you have a perfect understanding of what Scn REALLY is, at which point you leave.
If you make me source, I’ll straighten ’em out alright. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, the annual IAS event at Saint Hill, fills half the 3,500 capacity marquee. The same marquee that has been used for years since they stopped hiring the 7,000 capacity one, attendees must have been rattling around! But the really telling story is the number of buses parked up. 2014 saw 55 buses from all over the UK and Europe. 2015 saw just 5. 2016 saw a mere 4. I rest my case, expansion = contraction, in the Scientology world.
Sorry to be off topic a bit here, but the biggest predator registrar in Scn (and the one who got Luis and Rocio Garcia to donate heavily to buy the Scn cross for the Super Power building) has died at age 58. Charmaine Roger. It’s on Tony’s blog. But nowhere have I found what she died of. Does anyone know what Charmaine died of?
Poor nutrition, lack of sleep and no love.
You’ve always given me great nutrition, love and an abundance of sleep, Coop! I couldn’t ask for more.
Dave,
So much for the smoke and mirrors.
With a new Missing Person Report to the LAPD based on a 90% certain sighting of Shelly, your days are numbered. In the long history of cults, you are well on your path to be the self proclaimed pontiff who brought Waco to Hemet.
Your cult is loosing air speed and about to plunge to the ground. Your profit/loss statement depends on what you can suck out of Tom to be in the black. Your reserves are as vulnerable as your reputation. Good luck on setting up a successful Cult Reading Room Perpetual Trust.
Uh, just wondering uh where are all the thank you notes and letters from all the people they helped. Usually most organizations and/or people get thank you letters, notes or cards.
Just asking.
[I hope I’m getting this right] I seem to recall hearing on Oh No, Ross & Carrie’s podcast that there were thank you notes displayed in the L Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition in Los Angeles. Before you get too excited, turns out they all had the same wording, as if a form had been shoved in front of someone to sign.
How does the IRS not see these tapes of Miscavige lying to the masses and swindling them from their money? If they know thevlies, then compare the words to the actions, with all this evidence I cannot understand how they remain tax exempt, and the defrauding of members is not a criminal act. I also don’t understand how, after seeing your series, that the government is not looking into possible child neglect and abuse, and kidnapping and charges for imprisoning persons against their will. Unbelievable. Keep the fight going, Mike. Outstanding show!
Ummmmmm…….they’re afraid of the cult?
In addition to the fake (empty) buildings, there was a concept LRH discussed in lectures (I don’t know the written references) about “non-Scientologist staff.” These were to be people who worked for the Church of Scientology — but weren’t really Scientologists.
When I was on the Sea Org EPF, there were 40 to 50 EPFers. Approximately half of them were brand new to Scientology and had joined the SO due to recruiter promises or had no where else to go.
I worked for the Church of Scientology for 4 years. Didn’t start the Bridge or receive any auditing services. Obviously, I was recruited as another “non-Scientologist” crew member. I didn’t have access to the tech I was supposed to be safeguarding as a SO member. I finally left the SO and the church to study Scientology independently.
Also, per HCO PL SEA ORG QUALIFICATIONS (OEC Volume 7), the minimum case requirement for the Sea Org is Expanded Grade IV. I’ve been given different rationalizations by ex-members as to why this policy letter was frequently ignored (including for me) — but the simple FACT is that the church needs slave labor and doesn’t really give a crap about LRH policy if it interferes with making money.
I think you are on to them Johnathon!
Good luck with that……
It’s important to remember that the infographic is out of date… the current best estimate of active Scientology members is around 20,000 worldwide, arrived at by multiple sources using different methodologies. And that number cross-checks with information from several Sea Org defectors in the last few years who had access to the cult’s internal data.
The American Religious Identification Survey is about ten years old, and the number of Scientologists has clearly plummeted in that time. So the picture is significantly worse than what’s suggested here. I’m sure none of the readers of this blog feel themselves welling up with tears when they learn this.
Dave’s looking more and more like a giant False Report.
I wonder if he has a reflection in the mirror?
Well…we’ve never seen him in sunlight.
I’m not a Scientologist and never have been. But I attend the little pink Presbyterian church that is sandwiched next to Flag and the Harrison Hotel in Clearwater. We welcome the Scientologists that walk past our church to stop in and visit with us. But this is not reciprocated. Virtually any real church welcomes anyone to enter their doors and learn more about their teachings. I’d like to walk into the magnificent Flag building and take a look around. But I’ve been warned that this isn’t permitted.
Other than its tax free status how does Scientology operate as a church? I’d really like to know.
It’s not a church…it’s a business. And, like any other business, it should be taxed and regulated.
Well, if it is a fraud (what are the chances) then forget the taxation and regulation part and go straight for the shutting em down.
Better…much better!
Right on, Coop!
William, the best way to satisfy your curiosity and get a better look inside (and this IS a factual fact) is to strip down to your skivvies (or wear a g-string if you like) and have someone spray you all over with spray-on adhesive, then stick $20 dollar bills (No ones or fives!) all over yourself, from top to bottom.
Once you’re suitably attired for your $cn debut, merely walk through the door like you own the place and start telling people what you want and to be quick about getting it for you. Most will be so awestruck that their very own God Of Money has paid them a personal visit that all you’re likely to hear in return are stammered, “yesss, sir”. Soon, one or more of the vulture regges that seem to hide behind every potted plant and curtain will have caught your fresh, green scent and you’ll be given the grand tour that you desire (just slap their hands away if anyone tries to get cheeky…they’re totally used to it).
We’d love some pics of you on your tour, if you can manage them. And remember, whenever you’re dealing with $cientology or an individual $cilon, it’s ALWAYS about the money; it’s ONLY about the money!
I’m not a scientologist but have been in the Flag a few times as a guest. It’s as pretty inside as it is outside. They certainly know how to decorate. Also, I’ve always admired that pink church nestled right next to Fort Harrison. I’m not a Christian either, but it just sits there almost in defiance of the opulence of Fort Harrison and Flag.
If I’m ever around Flag doing business, waiting to meet a memeber of the church, boy do they jump, out of the woodwork unless I’m expected to check on me. I’ve always been told they don’t want you disturbing the people studying.
Also, they do have their info centers now off Cleveland if you want to see what they are all about. They will be happy to have you. There are like 5-6 of them all on the same block with a beautiful woman to greet you at each different organization. Criminon and the Humanity center and a couple others I can’t remember offf the top of my head. The “best” (imo) one is the Museum of death. No beautiful women there… and it is certainly macabre.
Anyways, they now have places open to the public in downtown. But just try to get past Jose at the Fort Harrison… or go loiter around Flag for 10 minutes and see what happens.
“if you unraveled the hand-loomed carpet in this building alone it would stretch around the planet at the equator 7.6 times” OMG, I’m ROFLMAO! 😉
About those IAS memberships. Me and my two oldest are lifetime members and we had a fourth lifetime member who is now deceased. That’s four lifetime members who quit them in 1998. Imagine how many thousands of lifetime memberships they count like us.
Looking forward to tonight’s show!
Lifetime and beyond!
Stretched around the planet at the equator 7.6 times???? That’s just plain ridiculous!!! I know for a fact it’s only 7.1 times! What lies they tell…
One of these days Alice – POW – to the moon!
I’m waitin’ for it!
My prediction Miscavige will be on the High Seas like LRH to avoid prosecution this new year
Run Forest, RUN!
And run to the forest! You’ll be safe there…
I agree with that one Bubs. The good news is that when He is in international waters ………….. most anything may happen. Hell, He might even dream up a new religion and call it Dave’s Duress.
Or…one fucked up idea.
I don’t think it is going too well for the “Church” of Scientology’s expansion in Russia. The Supreme Court of Russia upholds it’s ban on the “Church” of Scientology in Moscow:
http://rapsinews.com/judicial_news/20160629/276413434.html
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/23/russian-court-rules-against-church-scientology-orders-moscow-branch-dissolved.html
Some of the supposed reasons for the ban of the “Church” of Scientology in Moscow:
https://www.rt.com/news/347693-russia-scientology-offices-raids/
https://www.rt.com/news/312721-scientology-church-moscow-spying/
https://www.rt.com/news/323206-russia-church-scientology-banned/
4 Scientology materials have been banned in Russia, as can be found on this list:
http://minjust.ru/ru/extremist-materials
The materials are:
1170.
Information materials of L. Ron Hubbard’s “Lectures to the PTS / SP course” consisting of 9 cassettes and one book (decision Schelkovskogo City Court of Moscow region on 29.06.2011 and determination of the Judicial Board on Civil Cases of the Moscow Regional Court on 20.03.2012) ;
1171.
The book “What is Scientology?” (Decision Schelkovskogo City Court of Moscow region on 29.06.2011 and determination of the Judicial Board on Civil Cases of the Moscow Regional Court on 20.03.2012);
1172.
The book “Scientology perfect organization. Basic Hat advisory board member of the executive “(decision Schelkovskogo City Court of Moscow region on 29.06.2011 and determination of the Judicial Board on Civil Cases of the Moscow Regional Court on 20.03.2012);
1173.
The book “Scientology perfect organization. Course: What is the organization “(decision Schelkovskogo City Court of Moscow region on 29.06.2011 and determination of the Judicial Board on Civil Cases of the Moscow Regional Court on 20.03.2012);
It looks like the russian government has stopped banning more Scientology materials. It probably would have been better banning Hubbard’s fair game policies regarding people exposing the “Church’s” crimes, and other Hubbard policies that are causing people to be hurt by the “Church”.
https://www.rt.com/news/scientology-russia-ban-extremist/
https://www.rt.com/news/court-ban-scientology-extremist/
https://www.rt.com/news/scientology-court-extremist-literature-116/
Let’s not mince words here. Scientology and specifically L. Ron Hubbard policies are subversive. Wog societies don’t have a clue so the aim is to “take over” all aspects of society and improve them using Scientology. Yeah, right. That makes them seditious in any country in the world they operate.
It is laughable that the COS still thinks that sending PI’s to harass critics is effective. Mike next time they stick a camera in your face tell them 1971 called it wants it’s intimidation tactics back..
And its telex machine…
Some Scientologist’s sent out photos of their “Christmas Vacation” at the Fraud Scam Base.
What glared out like a beacon in the night was the Fraud Scam Base was EMPTY – there was NO ONE THERE by the pool, sitting in chairs, in the lobby or at the front desk. E-M-P-T-Y!
Merry Rinder and Happy Remini David Miscavige.
snicker snort
Maybe they were hiding…or maybe they were still in bed….or maybe they were all sick…..or maybe they were all out of town….or…..or……or who am I kidding!!!! No one is there! And the 1,200 Scientologists they claim that live there…..don’t! It’s officially a Ghost Town.
They’ll have to stop bringing people to Flag altogether, since the empty facilities are automatically black PR. What Scientology needs now is a Matrix-like setup, where they can imprison their members’ bodies in perpetual labor while putting their minds into an alternate reality where their religion has 8,000,000 members and is clearing Colombia if crime.
Maybe we should suggest hiring ourselves out as an “instant crowd.” I’d go to Flag if they picked up the tab. Be fun around the pool, drinking beers and shootin the breeze speaking Scio. Maybe OSD could sing us a song. Nip over to the Sandcastle for a burger and a dip in the bay. Be like old times… how it about Dave? Get you BIS stats up for ya and it’s not like you’re short of a buck. Go on, splurge on it! And at the end of the evening we could all sit in a circle and sing old lang syne.
Yeah, I do some Jimmy Buffett. No problem!
Between today’s blog and John Ps comments over at Tony’s site it’s clear that Scamotolgy continues to lose it best staff by death, retirement to the hole or old age homes or staff blowing. Dave’s propaganda is becoming less and less effective in the face of the onslaught of media and shows exposing the cults lies and abuses.
The new year could well be the biggest down stat year in the history of the Cherch.
I hope so.
…could well be! They will slowly disappear beneath the waves!
How do they keep the sheeple convinced? Not necessary. The sheeple are way WAY south of any ability to observe, perceive and think with information. Scientologists just inflow the information they are handed and record it … and then just kinda hope for the best.
Well…they are fed a steady diet of propaganda. Nothing like cold propaganda on a hot day in Clearwater…
Want a cold and refreshing glass of cal-mag to go with that? mmm yummy… sip it slowly and savor the flavor. I’ll have a double.
Make mine a triple. I want to practice puking tonight.
John q Capitalist posted 5 days ago:
As a result, I think the rate of decline has moderated. It’s entirely possible that only 750-1,000 people out of the 19,000 or so active members (my estimate) left the cult in 2016. An increasing percentage of the remaining members who leave will be doing so in a coffin, as demographics work their inexorable effects. That’s one side effect of the glut of bad press choking off new member recruitment — there are few, if any, new members in the US at this point.
Yes, John Q Capitalist has that right… most of the stalwart old guard Scns are dying and leaving in a box. When you look at the pics of the OT Committee members, they are all old geezers. The young SO members you see are 2nd and 3rd generation kids of Scns OR are imported immigrants from other parts of the world. And of the Scns still in, how many are Under the Radar and just pretending to be on board? They won’t leave for fear of Disconnection by their kids and loved ones. Mike was generous when he said 40,000 is the number of Scns worldwide. It is actually more like 20,000 or less according to a newly out executive of Scn who left about two or three years ago.
They should make a new promotional film: “The Incredible Shrinking Religion.” After seeing the new series, I bought a copy of “Dianetics” at a used-book store (I’m not about to pay money to the cult). I’ve never read such garbage in my life, with statements and claims on every page that have no basis in fact or science. Keep up the good work, Mike.
I got Dianetics on CD from Amazon for 33 cents plus 3.99 shipping because I thought it would be a hoot and it is. It should be listed in the comedy category. I heard how tuberculosis is an engram and curable by auditing. I had to pop out the CD and cleanse my palate with Janet Reitman’s Inside Scientology.
33 cents! What a bargain price to learn about the miraculous benefits that becoming a Dianetic Clear can bestow upon you – perfect health, perfect vision, perfect memory recall. And, best of all, the total erasure of your entire reactive mind (poof, it’s GONE!), leaving you with the clearest of analytic minds with which to make nothing but good decisions into your long, healthy and completely unaberrated future!
But wait, there’s more! Once you become an OaTy and recover your forgotten native state super powers you’ll be able to go exterior from your body at will and cause things in the material world to occur via your pure intentional thought!
Still not convinced enough to pony up? Alright then, here’s the clincher: Every small man has dreamed of growing a few more inches in order to avoid being dissed on a daily basis by life which, especially in the U.S., only smiles on those who are close to six foot tall or better. Scn can help with that! And if you’re small in, ahem, other areas, $cn can give you the length and girth that you deserve in that department too!
Indeed, $cn is the answer to any and every one of life’s problems or dilemmas. And all you have to do in order to enjoy life’s bounties to the fullest is to support this miraculous church in its good and charitable works! Since it’s inception, the Co$ has built exactly zero schools; funded zero rural clinics; designed and built zero clean water systems; sponsored zero hospitals; and supplied every volunteer minister who asked for one, a free yellow t-shirt identifying them as a VM!
Won’t you donate today to reach your next IAS status and continue to fund all of these good works, charitable activities and so, so much more?
Who d’yall think gets more bodies in the shop each week? The Church of Scientology, Christian Science Reading Rooms or the eighth US President Martin Van Buren’s tomb?
I noticed there is still a Christian Science Reading Room near a health food store I visit in Tulsa. It is in a strip mall and it is difficult to know if anyone is visiting it because the parking lot is for several businesses. I may try to give it a visit the next time I am in that area.
That’s right! Those folks are still around! I wonder if they’re shrinking like Scientology?
SMH…..
All this was inspired by the principle—which is quite true within itself—that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily; and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods. It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously. Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation. For the grossly impudent lie always leaves traces behind it, even after it has been nailed down, a fact which is known to all expert liars in this world and to all who conspire together in the art of lying.
— Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, vol. I, ch. X[1]
Old propaganda technique is OLD…
Please, how many clears made in the last 10 years? How many Cl IV, V, VI and VIII auditors?
(Oh wait, the SHSBC and Cl VIII courses have been SHUT DOWN!)
As an aside, I finished reading Leah’s book over the Holiday down time. It really is a must read for the ‘old timers’, to illustrate how far off the rails it has gone. Unrecognizable to me. Children playing with toys, EXCEPT people are getting hurt AND ‘Ethics’ is an enforced substitute for direct observation and TRUTH.
As one inhabitant of this mud ball to another, Leah, I just want to say I am sorry for what you were put through. It is inexcusable. Your persistence on this course and willingness to speak truth will help melt this evil taint off the face of this planet.
Thanks, Tom, for providing us with what has to have been the clearest explication in history of what the BIG Lie is and exactly how and why it works. Elron was either channeling Hitler or came upon the same fundamental insight for himself concerning the BIG Lie. No one worked this long con better and made more money at it for a longer length of time than Elron. He did such a fine job of it that it has carried on under its own steam for
At every juncture where the last BIG Lie was proving to be false, Elron just skipped merrily along to the next BIG Lie which – wonders of wonders – would magically cure everything that the previous BIG Lie failed to provide. Strung along even after his demise, the eager $cilon sheeple are still awaiting the release of OaTy 9&10…Elron’s parting gift of the last BIG Lie, which is finally, finally going to provide True Believer $cilons with the real suppa powerz that they’ve been coveting ever since they first learned that they could become cause over life and began to pay through the nose to be told such outlandish stories and the biggest of BIG Lies.
I reckon lying is so much a part of Scn that its been institutionalized into “scripture.”
Hubbard had a loooong history of lying about himself.
The claims and research contained in Dianetics are unsupported and unfounded. At best it is intellectually dishonest.
The efficacy and intentions of Scn are questionable, amounting to spiritual deception, or even criminal fraud.
Once you begin examining Hubbard, Dianetics and Scientology its just lie, after lie. So it makes sense it has permeated through all areas and layers of the organization.
This is why we’ve never seen the 30 years of research. (Hint – IT DOESN’T EXIST!)
Kinda like how Colonel Tom Parker would curtain off entire sections in the arenas that Elvis would play circa 1976-1977, then bid it as a sold-out performance.
Great blog Mike! The truth is told!
In Scientology, the truth is old…..& fictional. You can never take Scientology seriously, because there’s nothing serious about it! It’s all make believe!
That’s not true, Puff the Magic Dragon is on lines. They keep it quite because he line charged in session and burnt the building down. Not good for PR.
Whoa!!!!!! Puffy is still around? Well I’ll be damned. And…of course he burnt it down. That was the Puffmeister’s way. Hey I Yawn! Maybe we can get together with the Puffster sometime. I’d be good to catch up with him.
Yeah, good old Puff. Never need a light with him around. Tough to get the bong off him though, but what the hell… he’s a one amazing Dragon BBQ – spare ribs his specialty.
If the Church’s numbers were real, I would think they would welcome an independent analysis by the media to show them all of this “activity” that Scientology is engaged in. The fact that they will only “dead agent” anyone looking into their claims, shows they have something to hide. If they want to convince me to take up the good fight to help “clear the planet”, show me the evidence that this is working. Otherwise, those still stuck into this, need to really start asking questions (of course, the threat of disconnection will be in the forefront of their minds unfortunately).
Thank you for another enlightening post Mike. Please keep up the good work. And PLEASE write a book yourself about your experiences. I just recently finished reading Leah’s and Ron’s books, and now I’m reading Marc Headley’s book. Can’t wait for tonight’s episode on A&E.
Marc’s book is still my favorite. i gave my copy away then bought it again.
i agree with you about the media. alleging there is a conspiracy to suppress good news about the church makes ZERO sense. what would be the point? if they were doing a fraction of the good they claim to be doing, everyone would want in on the action. hard to believe people let those words spill from their mouths while keeping a straight face.
Blown For Good is one of the best leaving scientology books there is. Marc is so funny and it really shows in his writing. Plus! What a story!!! A must read.
There’s no good news about the cult……I mean church.
I notice an increase in interest in various books written by exes.
I’m trying to find Amy Scobee’s book but can’t find it yet. Out of print?
Can anyone assist or advise?
https://www.amazon.com/Scientology-Abuse-Top/dp/0692008012
Thank you Mike. I’ve bought the kindle version but am now trying to get a printed copy. Amazon has them as used copies priced from 45 to 150 $ per copy, mostly only shippped within the US. Just frustrating.
I’ll keep trying. I want to lend it to a few who are not electronically savvy.
Yes, we know it’s a mean church.
That’s Paulista. He’s been around for awhile. Buddies with John Alex Wood. I’m under the impression he’s from the UK. Some people think he’s a woman, but his profile pic is a man.
I once scared the pants off him when he trolled me, by warning him he was tweeting to an SP, and he would soon be one of us. He freaked out and told me to “stop committing bad acts”.
He maintains that as an auditor, he’s really busy with all the many members he has to accommodate. He’s definitely deep in the bubble and believes everything the cult tells him. Maybe he will get KR’ed for interacting with SPs.
Mike, the other day I went to a Scientology site and saw lots new openings across the world country! Lots of huge buildings and tons of people and celebrations of these new buildings being opened. I couldn’t believe it. And then last night Monday night I saw a little show that Leah and you did with another gentleman. He stated he has gone to some of these new buildings and they are empty. No staff nothing. It’s all for show. I think he even said that he crops people into these events and commercials that this is not all real.
Unbelievable! I’m not surprised this is just shocking!
Watch tonight. What you saw was the teaser for tonight’s show.
Can’t wait!
Like everyone else here, I’m really looking forward to it! Mike, you and Leah are changing the landscape of the cult.
isn’t it wonderful? It’s so exciting. I love these guys. They’re such heroes.
It really is like the Wizard in Oz. Exposed by a little dog pulling back a curtain only to expose a simple old man, shouting into a loudspeaker while shooting fire and smoke. Impressive at first glance but in actuality pretty pathetic.
(Ruff ruff!)