You may have seen the recent article in the Tampa Bay Times: Scientologists stole Clearwater council member’s campaign signs police say
Tony O covered it on his blog. I have some other points to note about this incident.
The response from official scientology spokesman Ben Shaw is remarkable but unsurprising.
In a statement to the Times, Scientology spokesperson Ben Shaw said the church does not comment on elections or candidates.
“This is not a Church matter and is not something we were aware of,” Shaw said. “Any attempt to involve the Church is simply a continuation of your anti-religious propaganda.”
This is like the statement that scientology doesn’t talk about the private lives of their celebrities — unless it is helpful to them and then they yammer on and on. Hiding behind their supposed moral high ground is a convenience. Still not a word about Danny Masterson…
Of course, reporting on scientologists engaged in bad behavior is a “continuation of your anti-religious propaganda.”
As usual, Ben Shaw is lying about what happened.
There is no way anyone in Clearwater did this without coordination with OSA. See the recent post: A Window Into The Scientology Bubble, where it is clear you can’t even sell scientology books and lectures you own without “checking with OSA.” When they want to get rid of all copies of the TBT from the newspaper stands because there is a bad front page article, they send out OSA volunteers to put in a quarter and take out ALL the copies. Removing Mark Bunker yard signs was more than likely directed by Ben Shaw and others in OSA. Wish we knew the names of the people who did it, but it sounds like they come from pretty well-known scientology families in Clearwater, which would confirm this 100%. (At least one of them is from a VERY prominent Clearwater Scientology family).
This is just further evidence of why it is so important to re-elect Mark Bunker to the Clearwater city council. Scientology knows he is the only one who presents a roadblock to their plans to fully consume downtown Clearwater. Go to his website here to support his re-election.
Gosh, what a surprise!
Hey Mike,
The resistance movement that is alive and growing needs your help. Publicize a part of it on your blog. They need help and encouragement!! Maybe the part that shows the relationship of the LAPD and their willing weaponized usage.
Signed,
One who wants to see the cult exposed!!
Seems like Ben Shaw & Baghdad Bob have something in common.
Question: Ben, does this incident qualify as out-PR or whatever the term is that $ci. uses?
Absolutely loved that the police did not prosecute the thieves because Bunker said: “They are probably not bad people, they just have been told that anybody who says something negative about Scientology is a criminal”. Great High Road Mark. Great indeed. Shows just how ethical and caring you are. You’d have my vote if I lived there.
I was really doubtful at first that this was an OSA op because these two dummies not only got caught but admitted they were Scientologists! Wow. If Ben Shaw coordinated this fiasco then this is just a major fuck up.
But now relooking at it I can see this was done with the approval of Ben Shaw. No way would seasoned Scientologists living in CW, do anything like this without OSA’s approval.
If it is not “a church matter”, Ben Shaw did not do his job, or he has forgotten about the fact that Mark Bunker has been fighting, the downtown CW takeover, by COS, and that this is a church matter. Either way, Ben Shaw, should be fired by COS:)
Kind regards
Kim
Shaw’s statement is just hilarious. He’s shouting “anti-religious propaganda” faster than you can ask the question.
It could be that the action was part of a Liability formula (…deliver an effective blow to the enemies of the group …) the two of them have to apply. As that obviously went totally wrong they should be in Doubt or lower by now.
“Any attempt to involve the Church is simply a continuation of your anti-religious propaganda.”
So, according to the CoS the scientologists who perpetrated the crimes BECAUSE of CHURCH POLICY were trying to spread anti-religious propaganda against the CoS?
Seems unlikely to me. But hey, what do I know?