This information was provided by one of our readers who has familiarity with the situation in St. Louis and is a follow up to the earlier post The Real State of Scientology, St Louis Style.
Church of Scientology Missouri owns a building at 6901 Delmar in University City.
It is approximately 15,000 sq.ft. on three floors with parking for about 50 cars.
They have a mortgage of about $900,000 on that building and have had the mortgage, as far as I know, during the entire decade of bankrupting members for the “Ideal Org” — the new building they purchased in 2007.
I do not think they paid it off because all of the funds raised were of course, sent up lines to David Miscavige’s Real Estate slush fund.
The roof at 6901 Delmar was leaking back in 2009 and they asked us for money to fix it …. after we gave a ton of money to the Ideal Org….$100,000. I thought that was criminally insane – and it was.
CRINGING – yes, we became Humanitarians.
Pretty maddening because we lost our house after doing such a foolish thing – donating money we did not have… when we had kids to feed… we just had to “make it go right” or else….
In 2007, Scientology purchased a building at 2345 Lafayette in St Louis City. They paid $1,600,000 for a dump…. a 60,000 sq.ft. building with a leaky roof, dilapidated and crumbling walls with old wooden warped and rotten auditorium floors. I heard the previous owners purchased it 6 months earlier for $800,000 and flipped it to the Church of Scientology for an $800,000 profit. The building was sold ‘as is’.
You can look up the information on the City of St Louis website – put in the address.
They did not pay the real estate taxes for 3 years for both properites – which are about $65,000 per year for both properties. Huge fines had to be paid.
They also purchased another piece of property next door – 2351 Lafayette in St Louis City. I found out later the previous owner had purchased it for $150,000 and had a lawsuit pending. The Co$ could have purchased it for what she owed – about $150,000. She was in bad shape and desperate. But no – they told her who they were and she demanded $500,000 and they paid it…from our savings, credit cards, checking accounts, 2nd mortgages, loans from others, loans to others….a financially ruining ordeal for many members in St Louis.
The members had to put the boards on the windows and clean it out. No assistance or financial help from the Co$.
Then the fund raising shenanigans – the amount of money they said they needed changed every year. That made no sense. Isn’t there a “tech” to construction costs per square foot or something like that? I mean – to start out at $ 1 Million and then after a decade be asking for well over $12,000,000 – is absurd and criminal.
Now – we heard they are selling the Ideal Org building and staying in the current location.
I believe it is correct information because the few staff that are left (Chad Lane and Matt Hanses) moved closer to the 6901 Delmar location recently.
Here is an update with some of the St Louis members and staff over the past 5 years.
I think these people are still on staff:
Amy Hanses — formerly Kathrein and sister to Jeffrey Michael Kathrein who was nanny to John Travolta and his alleged lover – photos of them kissing on the airplane stairs were plastered all over the papers.
Chad Lane
Matt Hanses
Stephanie Lane
Christine LoGrasso
Brent James
Jill James (formerly Kathrein and sister to John Travolta’s nanny – Jeffrey Michael Kathrein)
Carla Teagarden – divorced from OT 8 – Roger Teagarden
Kerry Andrews
Eve Hanses – divorced from the DSA – Ellen Maher Forney’s son – Kevin Forney. Engaged to Ollie Rodriguiz
Pam Chipman
Susan Heft (LoGrasso)
Adam Heft (divorced Joelle Adney)
Joan Spencer (divorced Paul Spencer)
Steve Forney – married to DSA Ellen Maher Forney
Alvah Levine – (Wife Jackie Levine dropped dead at 57 years old)
Jill Baell Casto
John Lyman
Susan Mattingly
Fran Turner – OT
Cole Schaller
Carrie Spencer
Bill Newby – OT – married to Fran Turner. Not sure if he is still with her and in St Louis – may have moved back to Clearwater.
[This is a pretty small number for a Day and Foundation org]
Those who have left staff in the past 5 or so years :
Barry Coziahr – divorced from his 1st wife – Kathy Chris – former Clear and alcoholic. Married South African Claire Lotz. They met on line and decided to get married before meeting in person. Recently moved to Clearwater.
Katy Jenne (Chipman) – just moved to Clearwater
Myndi Spencer (just divorced from Jackson Spencer) – just moved to Clearwater
Amy Jones (formerly Spencer) – will be moving to Clearwater
Ronnie Jones aka Byron Jones – will be moving to Clearwater
Mike Jenne – moved to Clearwater
Kevin Forney – (DSA Ellen Maher Forney’s son and former Ethics Officer) rumored to be out and in hiding.
Joel Adney Heft – divorced from Adam and moved to Clearwater
[Why so many moving to Clearwater? It seems the world of scientology is shrinking down to Clearwater, the outer zones are shriveling down to nothing — and even with this circling of the wagons, the numbers in Clewarwater are shrinking].
Public
Matt Drion – ex Sea Org and former SP – moved to Clearwater
“Money Bags” Tayler Drion – Matt met Tayler as he was doing his A-J and thought the tech works. He pulled in “money bags” Tayler – whose Mama has a ton of money which she gives a ton to Tayler – they both just moved to Clearwater. Mom is a psych case but the Co$ got millions out of her.
Michael Wegener – they got a million out of this poor soul. He was electric shocked and cannot get services. Inherited a million from his family. Matt Hanses regged most of it out of him when he was going through a nasty divorce and was vulnerable.
Leanne Trostel – just married Eric Fuchs
Jessica Casto – formerly Reel – formerly Erbschole
Scott Erbschloe
Jerry Elliot
John Blysma
Mark Blysma
Miriam Kindred
Lyndsay Carrol
Craig Carrol
Dusty Mattingly
Richard Brown
Linda Brown
Leslie Brock (formerly Hull) – OT8 – moved back to St Louis from Clearwater….and then divorced Rick Hull. They had refinanced house to become a humanitarian for Ideal Org – OT Committee I/C
Madison Baird
Kim Marino
Winsome Ward – husband Irving Ward died of cancer after coming back from Flag. The son – Matt – joined Sea Org at Flag.
Sara Wilmsmeyer – dating now newly divorced Jackson Spencer
Andy Magnus
Winnie Berberich – may be on staff still – not sure
Ryan Casto – may be on staff
Everette Mobley
Brian Mehl
Vaughn Prost
Monica Prost
Michaella Mattingly
Allie Lane
Tabitha Andrews
Salena Mikos – left staff
Joel Mikos
Emily Guthrie
Sheila Jindella – OT 7
Joe Jindella – OT on 7 last I heard
Karen Lee
Rudy Lee
Herb McKeown
Sharon Lyman
Ollie Rodriguez – engaged to Eve Hanses
Art Stump
Jason Lyman
Carol Riess
Dr Michael Horwitz
Jerry Ferguson
Carolyn Carter
Moritz Farstein
Cathy Conable
Sherri Ridenour
Chuck Ridenour
Teresa Hassler
Alison Bylsma
Casie Mena
Dr Eva Frick
Dr Ron Greif – recently divorced from wife over Scientology
Fernando Mena
Deaths in the past decade that we are aware of:
Rachel Wilkinson – suicide.
Robin Hanses – Cancer.
Mary Benope – cancer.
Irving Ward – Cancer.
Jackie Levine – dropped dead at 57.
Sandy Adair – went OT 8…lost home to foreclosure and dropped dead at 58.
Candice Kindred – Cancer
I just ran across this blog post. i was HCO Cope Off at St. Louis from 1998-2001. If any St. Louis folks need someone to talk to, hit me up. If you’re out, on the fence, declared, whatever. I’m here for you.
Mike,
It is now clear to me that exposing what is going on NOW in David Miscavige’s multimillion dollar criminal scam is more effective than showing historical examples of the Church of Scientology activities. Historical events have seldom lead to prosecutions. But current examples of the the methods used by the Church of Scientology to extract money from their followers and their methods used to enslave them and keep them quiet when they disagree, should be brought to light as you are doing now.
To the people who visit this blog, speak up! The bear has no claws to hurt you. The wolf has lost his teeth. Follow your personal integrity. Do what is right. The law is on your side.
Alex – I think we are on to something here! Totally agree.
If Scientologists want to willfully ignore the truth that their leader and founder are and were criminal cans
and brag about their religion doing such great things when in fact – it does not
Game on
Expose the Scientologists conditions; divorces, financial ruin etc
It is time the Scientologists put their big underpants on and confront the truth
My bet – lurkers will leave the cult in droves
It occurs to me to ask, how much of the “crim” fundraising was driving by commissions that FSMs – and possibly staff as well – were receiving? Does anyone know who among those mentioned was getting such money, and how much – was it really 10% or 15% of the large amounts involved?
I think that issue of scientologists “FSMing” and receiving commissions for getting other members to pay for services or make donations, is an overlooked phenomenon and factor. Apparently even some of the celebrities make significant amounts of money that way, and the minor celebrities and self-promoters may rely on it for a significant portion of their livelihood.
Mike – thank you for this information – very helpful and I hope other people from around the globe start posting actual information about the members. No more fake smiles and waxing enthusiasm…..tell the truth about your real condition Scientologists……the truth will set you free. That goes for you too OSA. Oh…and FUCK YOU OSA!
I question publicizing personal information about people and providing a list of names, but from the comments some people find it informative and useful. On the one hand exes from the St. Louis area are interested in finding out what’s up with people they have known. On the other hand it’s identifying Scientologists.
John and Mary got divorced is different than John and Mary are getting a divorce. Moderation would be needed. It goes where it goes.
Can you give an example of what you are talking about?
On these posts – everything can be verified on Casenet Missouri Courts, US Bankruptcy and other public sites.
Public information.
If you post the actual condition of Scientologists – it helps everyone see the truth a lot faster.
That is what I think – great posting Mike!
When I read the topic yesterday I got a creepy feeling. It includes a long list of current “known” Scientologists. Maybe it’s just me.
It includes active Staff and public – not very long for having 10 MILLIONS members. It is time to see what is really going on and the only way we will know is to report the facts.
Love the posting regarding what is going on in St Louis.
Failing miserably – the Church of Scientology.
Richard, I can see how it might be seen that way – but I don’t think it’s intended as, or constitutes, any sort of inappropriate disclosure or “outing,” particularly given the context and intent, which here is just discussion, and even for people to catch up on news of those they once knew.
Scientology and its orgs frequently publish PR pieces listing names in all sorts of categories including, when it comes to major event attendance lists, virtually everyone in their local “fields.” That information is not treated as confidential, and consequently it’s common practice online to discuss past and current members’ names when talking about the history and status of Scientology. If you have a problem with the practice of publishing scientologists’ names, I think you need to take it up with the Church of Scientology – you know just how receptive they will be to your concerns.
Sorry Richard, exposing scientologists is absolutely appropriate. They should own their affiliation.
And if they are members of a criminal organization that defrauds and ruins lives, then no sympathy should ever be given until they leave and show remorse. This is the fact, and this is the battle. Do NOT let evil hide in the shadows, and do NOT shield the enablers.
I am thrilled with Mike Rinder’s post today and crave more of them.
“Sandy Adair – went OT 8…lost home to foreclosure and dropped dead at 58.”
What? Cause over matter, energy, space and time…but just couldn’t make ends meet and decided to drop the body (a mere hindrance to advanced research, just like the old man).
Hmm, no matter how I try and spin that one it just shouts “scientology does not work!”
The comments today talking about real people and real terrible outcomes is showing a truth without a generality or sweeping statement. We’re getting into the nitty gritty. It makes me think of the org I was attached to and the many-times-married ‘upstats’ with their reasons why this was so.
And the folks who died. And a single woman who is being fleeced in slow motion of her inheritance. It’s still happening. I cringe. Of course she wouldn’t speak to me. And as an elderly person, finding out how she is being worked could kill her. We were friends and met regularly and worked on projects together. I’m out of her life now and worried about her.
This is a very important post and I thank the contributor who took the time to put this together.
“And a single woman who is being fleeced in slow motion of her inheritance. It’s still happening. I cringe. Of course she wouldn’t speak to me. And as an elderly preson, finding out how she is being worked could kill her.”
At my old org there’s another elderly, extremely rich, single woman. She was being regularly fleeced for huge bucks by staff and by Flag. Her whole life was the cult. No job, no hobbies, no family except a brother she considered “suppressive”. Just her magnificent abode, her enormous wealth, and the cult. If we ran into one another she also would not talk to me, that I know. To face the truth; that the staff don’t love her, they’re using her, have been using her ever since her inheritance came thru – yes, I think that could put her over the edge, so she’ll never face it, I don’t think.
Just reading through these comments made me realize how effective today’s post will be. Names mentioned, with so many validating comments from the community that posts here.
This is how scientology is brought down. I wonder how many of these names will find out about this post and read about it. I am sure almost all of them.
I really would love to see more posts like this, naming names and talking about the true outcomes for real scientologists, despite all of scientology’s wheedling excuses, empty promises, and glossy printed toilet paper.
I totally agree – this is very effective for any lurkers out there – to see the actual condition the Scientology members are in so their “waxing smiles” can’t fool you.
Very effective indeed!
VWD!
I agree. LRH says “generalities won’t do” and rails against using generalities. Well OK, let’s get very very specific and post names, cities where they live, orgs they are or were attached to, and list the stats like has been done here. YOu can see how many have died, how many lost homes to foreclosure from all the squeezing for money, you can see how many have had family members disconnect from them and vice versa, these are the products and stats of Scn. Let’s shout this from the rooftops and maybe the lurkers will finally get the last piece of the puzzle that tips them over the edge and into the bright light of truth.
Posting about the actual condition of Scientologist’s along with the public forum the information was obtained from just might be the tipping point.
It is EMBARRASING to BE a Scientologist today…..
I love this information – it shows the true condition of the organization –
SO…….let’s help show them the door folks!
Please – let’s help them for real.
Amen!
“It is EMBARRASSING to BE a Scientologist today…,,”
I ALWAYS found it embarrassing. The whole time I was in, and as much as i loved and was helped by the tech that I learned, I always found it embarrassing to admit that I was a Scientologist to those not in, which is why I didn’t disseminate. I was given a lot of handlings over the years about this. I took 2 courses to help me “learn” to disseminate Scientology. It was considered a huge outpoint that I didn’t.
In my heart of hearts I knew it wasn’t an inability to disseminate. Even though I loved and believed in the tech, even though I wanted others to benefit as I had (and I did benefit, btw) I still didn’t want to bring anyone in!
The reason, the real reason, that I knew but could not admit to the staff, was that I cringed when I thought about having to explain to a new person about all the reg’ging, the events, all the phone calls. I made a few feeble attempts but never got anyone new in.
I think the Scientologists most successful in bringing in new people were men who were marrying non-Scientologist women. These women knew that the men would not marry them if they didn’t get on the band wagon. Also successful were men who had businesses upon which their families were employees or otherwise reliant. The Scientologist with a successful business usually had little difficulty bringing their fusiness-dependent siblings, in laws, etc. into the cult. Now, as a generality this could be wrong, but anecdotally its is what I observed.
The big list has a TON of stories
http://whyweprotest.wikia.com/wiki/Former_Church_of_Scientology_members_who_have_spoken_out
Toilet paper? At an org?
If that is the case I have kinds of information on Jessica Casto and the STL Org views children . And it is NOT in a good way !
Amber, if you have good info, please add a long comment here, or else e-mail Mike and see if he wants to do something with it.
Amber please contact me.
Wow, everything about scientology is just seeped in deception and disenchantment.
What a horror, for all members, as they eventually wake up. Hopefully the disillusion hits sooner than later. These actions in St. Louis must add up to the definition of fraud in some law school book somewhere.
Looking forward to Thursday Funnies, because this really made me sad.
Nicole – the truth must be exposed in order to effectuate change. The government needs to step in at this point and shut this cult down or at least – yank that “religious status”. My god – what more do they need – a Mass Suicide at Flag ?
Yes, I would like to hear about other Orgs. The Kansas City Org seems to be more active.
Gordon – Kansas City “seems” more active because they are promoting propaganda – it is DEAD and has always been DEAD!
Its possible that most ordinary CL V orgs, Ideal or not, have about the same average membership. When I left, my org had, in my rough estimate, about 30 active members, meaning public. At events there were never more than 30-40 people including the staff, which numbered about 15. From what I read on this blog it seems like my old org had (has?) lots of company.
Aqua, I think org size varies a fair bit – though not as much as you might expect. From what I can gather, at least in recent years the average as has been 50-70 active members, and about as many more who will show up for a couple of events a year – as we see in the list of major event attendance at an org like Chicago, of around 140. Average staff counts seem to be around 25-30, though some of those may be part-timers or regular volunteers. The Valley org might be double that size or more, while quite a few struggling orgs like St. Louis now seem to be about half that size. So your org seems to have been on the small side.
The interesting thing is that this variance in org size by a factor of about 2 to 4, is across ones that are the sole Class V orgs serving metropolitan areas with populations under a million (Battle Creek, Albuquerque, New Haven) to a typical 3 million range (St. Louis, Denver, Minneapolis, Seattle) and up to around 10 million (Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston), thus varying by a factor of 10 or more – a whole order of magnitude. Scientology obviously long ago made an organizational and demographic mistake by not having multiple orgs in larger metropolitan areas outside of the LA region (where there are about 10 orgs for a population of 18 million, or about 1 for every 2 million inhabitants), though at this point it wouldn’t add a lot to their total membership if, say, a few larger metro areas like Chicago (and New York) had a couple more orgs with 50 active members each.
You are very well informed, Peacemaker. Yes, my org was definitely “on the small side”. Over a 20 year period I saw it shrink to the point where it was hardly big enough to be a mission. When I first got in, a student had to get to class early to ensure a seat in the Academy and the Div 6 course room was usually full. When I left, Div 4 Academy had been combined with the Div 6 course room, with one Supervisor overseeing both types of students. Even combined like this the courseroom was never full, even on weekends which was when most public were on study, AND even with a portion of the students being org staff fulfilling their required study!
Orgs are the new missions, it might be said.
Aqua, I rely on the details supplied by people like you to keep me informed about the history and status of the orgs. Thanks to you and everyone else who shares generously and of your knowledge and insights.
Thankyou so much, to the person from Saint Louis.
I love seeing the names, and hearing the details.
This blog is priceless, thankyou MIke Rinder and all who contribute information here.
Robin Hanses was bragging a few years ago about curing her Cancer with Auditing.
She is dead!
She was about 58 – 59 years old.
Robin told me that when her husband Mark Hanses went clear – he had amnesia and could not remember anything.
A somewhat common side effect after stripping your identity and making up whole track shit that never happened.
The family (Eve, Robin and Mathew) convinced him to do his OT Levels.
He is OT VIII ….and has no personality left.
Wow!!! This is almost unbelievable, but because Scientology is involved it’s safe to assume it’s true. Is this condition common or frequent as one moves up the bridge?
As a long time Sci-Watcher it’s good to finally see some names and information of actual members in my city. However, I believe we have a responsibility to ensure that nothing negative, illegal or unethical is done with the info. Everyone deserves a certain level of privacy & security, even those in the Cult of Scientology. Imagine the bullshit OSA could come up with to launch an attack.
Scientology manufactures HATE WEBSITES.
No one is hating here – just listing the truth about “being a Scientologist” and all of the losses and horrific conditions they pretend not to have.
I recall when Robin Hanses was at FLAG for C/S training…..for many years…
Robin came back from FLAG – she routed out and became an “ethics particle”.
She told me she had cysts coming out of her back.
She felt like she betrayed the group and her own son was going to declare her if she did not get her stats up.
Her son is Matt Hanses – the ED Foundation of St Louis Church of Scientology in St Louis, Missouri
She was pulling weeds outside the St Louis Church of Scientology – as part of her punishment. She was a shell of her normal self. MIND.FUCK – compliments of Scientology, Flag and the staff in St Louis.
She got cancer – stage 4. They borrowed money for her to get services (according to Mark Hanses email) and her cancer went into remission – but only for a short period – she died. She referred to her funeral as a Party – and that she was very interested in coming back to help Scientology again. So sad – she ain’t coming back and she and the whole family have been terribly duped.
An OTVIII Still In is able to not talk to anyone about anything that’s upsetting!
This is quite a unique ability gained!
Because they have regained their “power of choice”.
They CHOOSE not to talk to you.
And of course, they never EVER avoid a comm cycle out of any inability to confront!
Nooooo!
I mean, its not like they’re upset or restimulated. Because, after all, they went CLEAR.. They don’t GET restimulated anymore, you see. They’re Clear – got that?
To continue, along with their CHOICE to NOT communicate to anyone about anything “entheta”, the OTVIIIs apparently, CHOOSE to be:
* Poor
* Fat
* Broke
* Unemployed
* Sick.
Let’s hear it for OTVIII and the power of choice!
What Chuck said!
St Louis is just like every other Morgue around the globe. My friends received services at Kentucky Morgue Kansas City Morgue, St Louis Morgue, Twin Cities Morgue and the Chicago Morgue !
Several of them told me – They are All EMPTY and no one new coming in.
St Louis is no different. Financial ruin is rampant amoung Scientologists.
The OT’s hide this fact that they are financially ruined so they don’t go out “PR” and ruin Scientology’s reputation.
I hope some of the OT’s come out and post how Scientology financially ruined them utterly.
The truth will set people free.
“The OTs hide this fact that they are financially ruined so they don’t go out “PR” and ruin Scientology’s reputation”.
Enablers. Keeping their mouths shut about their bankruptcies and other dire financial straits so that other Scientologists can go broke and bankrupt.
A big part of the problem – maybe the biggest part.
I have to tell you: when I was in, the OTs were my next to the least favorite people, the least favorite being the Sea Ogres of course. I had little trust for the OTs, for some reason, and so I was polite to them (of course) but I would wonder at their problems…”THIS is OT?”…I’d wonder. But I’d keep it to myself.
Me too.
This is my experience of OT’s.
OT’s are arrogant and self righteous. Some of the nastiest people I have ever known in my life. They are right up there with the radical, fundamentalists I have known in my life.
I would have to say they are Narcissists. They have no empathy for others and won’t spend any energy doing anything nice for anyone.
Ex Scientologists who do not do any recovery work are really messed up people too – they seem to have common side effects:
1. Can’t communiate freely about how they were scammed and destroyed by Scientology.
2. Won’t communicate freely – “no entheta – let’s all just move on”….when they are suffering from Complex PTSD
3. Arrogant and “insouciant” about what they know….and they know it all.
4. Big egos without having done anything in life of any lasting value.
5. They make very unreliable friends – can’t count on them
6. OBSESSIVE BUSY I NESS!! This is from living the Stat Driven LIfe. No time to nurture any friendships or give support to other ex members coming out of the cult – they are a mess.
7. Will NOT look at the internet to research HOW they were conned, bamboozled and scammed.
8. Absolutely no sympathy or empathy for anyone.
9. Can’t stay in one job – job hop from job to job.
10. Can’t work….can’t function.
If you are a lurker out there – PLEASE – for you own sake – DO SOME RESEARCH.
If you want to heal from the Complex PTSD – you have to do your research.
You will not die – you can handle it…
Hundreds, if not thousands of us have done the work – you can too.
It is the only way to heal.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK and understand what L Ron Hubbard did to you – learn how he tricked you.
Chris Shelton has a great podcast on how Smart people get conned by Scientology. Chris is doing his homework! VWD Chris!
YOu got that right, Aqua. I knew many OT’s and one for one they all tried to hide it if they had any body problem. One guy wouldn’t even go to work if he had a cold or allergies cuz he didn’t want anyone to know. They would cloister themselves at home until well and then act like nothing happened. All to keep the OT Mystique alive. One sad lady from the LA area had cancer and refused to admit to anyone she was ill. Many inquired what was wrong with her as she lost copious amounts of weight yet her stomach kept growing from the cancer. She instructed all her close people to never ever tell anyone she had cancer and to claim they don’t know what you’re talking about. She died from her cancer. My own daughter who was friends with her daughter, saw her the day before she died in the hospital. I asked her, “Why did you lie to me and tell me nothing was wrong with your friend’s mom when you knew she was dying of cancer?” She said because she told her not to tell.
I found out from her ex husband, that she read the LRH reference about cancer and she thought he was saying that you get cancer from aberration and bad stuff happening on the Second Dynamic (the sex and family dynamic), and from your own aberrations on the 2nd dynamic. She was so embarrassed to have people think she had pecadillos and bad aberrations on the 2nd D that she wouldn’t admit she had cancer to anyone except her immediate family. I think she didn’t understand the reference at all. He was saying you get cancer from losses on the second dynamic, and not aberrations on it.
LRH wrote another reference called “Pain and Sex” and from that SO members who didn’t understand the reference fully, married couples agreed to stop having sex from it. I know one guy who stopped having sex with his wife over that reference, and then after some years of that, could NOT ever get an erection from so many years of not using it. And all because he didn’t get the full gist of what he read and was such a KA drinker he would do anything LRH said.
She understood the reference – that is what OT’s do…they lie to themselves and they lie to others about their true state. OT’s who are lurking – come clean and fess up.
OT’s lurking – come on…..It is time to help people for real…
It is time to
Talk about your financial ruin, your cancer, your smashed family, the lonliness from getting rid of everyone in your life because you can’t handle the “noise”. Your smashed hopes and dreams.
That is what OT really is all about.
Becoming a poor, indentured slave for an evil cult called Scientology.
Ctempster and Illegal PC,
From what you’ve each written, it occurred to me that the investment in being OT is HUGE Its a financial, emotional and mental investment. Its a stable datum that OTVIII answers all questions and solves all problems.
Going OT destroys a person financially, spiritually, emotionally and physically…based on the SCIENCE of LOOKING and obnosing for oneself.
I feel bad for the OT’s but some of them are really arrogant and self righteous. I have a hard time forgiving them..it really is not their fault…they thought they would obtain super powers.
Hubbard LIED.
Aqua, boy are those OT VII’s who route onto OT VIII in for a surprise! There they find out all the identities they thought they were on the whole track were not them. I bet they go home feeling cheated and upset. And some of the VIII’s who post here have said they feel that way after VIII. Mary Kahn said she would never go back to the Ship after the way they treated her on her OT VIII experience. In fact she got up and left them. Way to go Mary.
If you want to kill your sexual libido and sex life – DO Scientology. It will destroy SEX forever.
LOVE the real estate picture on the STL articles.
Looks like just over half the amount of staff St.Louis sent to Flag for Technical training just prior to the Mecca opening made it back to St.Louis. Just as they do with SO members, they would keep TTC Class V Org staff members at Flag for years after training and separate them from their spouses while at Flag.
Yes – that is exactly how it rolls. Eve Hanses was sent to Flag for many years. Her 2-D went out 2-D and they divorced. Adam Heft was at Flag for years too. His 2-D went out 2-D with Eve’s 2-D….they divorced. Scientology – shattering families for 68 years.
I saw the same thing at my org. CL V staff highly pressured to train at Flag – rush-rush-rush, MUST have so and so number of trained auditors by LRH’s birthday, MUST make this target, 3 months and you’ll be back and making your org win! Etc.
Ha! 3 months? Try 3 YEARS later with the OOT still parked at Flag.
The way they lie…well, you know.
It is my hope that some of the people who are named here are under the radar and somehow wake up as to the true dismal status of the state of scientology. I hope they read the comments and understand that this is, in reality, the state of scientology worldwide. St. Louis is a microcosm of the state of scientology everywhere. If very sad this update helps one person clear the cobwebs, it was definitely worth it.
Kind of reminds me of Bats, when the ‘money’, I mean food, source dwindles, they migrate to another abode. If they believed the hype, why wouldn’t they just mock up some WISE companies and stop the dwindle?
Scientologists don’t do business with Scientologists in St Louis.
It is a high crime.
The few people that run their businesses in St Louis are love bombed out of all money and put into deep debt.
Out Ethics, I’m not challenging, just curious as to how its a high crime for Scientologists to do business with other Scn in St. Louis, or was that tongue in cheek? 🙂
Aqua – it was “tongue in cheek” but also true…I obnosed it for myself.
I was told Scientologist’s don’t do business with other Scientologist’s for the most part because they can’t sue each other and the ethics handling by EO or MAA – don’t stick.
If the Org hired a Scientolgist – they were expected to work for free. Roofers, contractors, driveway guys – they all got paid.
By the way Ronnie Hubbtard – Obnosed is NOT a word
Interesting, Illegal. Very interesting to me. Because of the contractual nature of my own business I also avoided whenever possible doing business with my fellow Scientologists. Given their propensity to brag openly about declaring bankruptcy and giving their money to Scientology instead of paying their credit cards, mortgages, income taxes, etc., – listening to this sort of thing over years, in general I didn’t trust them to pay their bills so on the occasions I was sought out by one of them for my services I’d dodge them or if pressed, check them out VERY thoroughly. I was Qual On Steroids with them and over the years, with precisely 3 exceptions, what I’d find out was sufficient to LEGALLY allow me to NOT do business with them
My goodness… a snap shot of Scientology. That is how they are and what they do.
With so many of the St Louisans moving to Clearwater, I ask again my earlier question: When COS shrinks so much that it cannot sustain large concentrations in both Los Angeles and Clearwater, where will they circle the wagons? Looks like Clearwater. When Big Blue goes on the market, you will know for sure that it’s over. At least they’ll have L. Ron Hubbard Hall in Clearwater to their Two Minutes Hate.
If Scientology has to flee from one of it’s two hubs. They will call the influx of people to the remaining hub expansion!
As far as I can tell LA remains Scientology’s stronghold by a significant margin – there are about 10 class V orgs in the region – and if anything some of the “public” in Clearwater have left in recent years because of the oppressive atmosphere, reducing their numbers there. I am expecting that they will consolidate their far-flung LA properties and operations by downsizing into renovated or expanded facilities at existing campuses and claiming it as “expansion,” but I think they will hold on to Big Blue until the bitter end because it is so iconic, and symbolic. Whatever happens in the end game will be unprecedented, and because Hubbard set up complex trusts to try to ensure his legacy, it’s possible that even if the CofS were disbanded – unlikely, particularly anytime soon – some sort of foundation activity might continue on and could well retain Big Blue as offices and a museum for a century or more (given the kind of money they have) because it has such prominence.
Well this is another fine mess that MIscavige has gotten one of the orgs into because of the Ideal Org pogrom (word used deliberately not a misspelling of “program”). Boston is another good example of an org that has been set back significantly by Ideal Org insane decisions and actions. It’s general story has been covered before here in part at least.
“Ideal Org pogram”…that’s good, that’s exactly what it is!
Do you know what happened to the Baumans?
I checked with our “mole” and they don’t know what happened to the Bauman’s. They faded away like the majority of members…. they are not coming around the MORGUE.
This is awesome information. Thank you for posting it Mike!
All I can say is:
WTF?????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The dishonesty and abuse of these so called ‘contributions’ for the building do hurt.
While reading your article I wondered if there is any chance to sue them; this degree of abuse and scam is just not OK.
The fact, though, of how empty the Orgs are is present all around the world. Miscavige sure knows how to lie, but sooner or later it will catch up with him.
I totally agree Silvia – this is fraud and deception and if they were a normal corporation – they would get the shit sued out of them and shut down. They get to hide behind the religious cloak after bankrupting members and destroying lives. We need a rally in Washington DC.
This must be the new “TINY Org” . . . ? COB’s “secret weapon” !
https://i0.wp.com/www.mikerindersblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/stl.jpg
Dave F.
Dave –
“Tiny Morgues”
LOL
Wow. Back when I lived in St. Louis, I went to a chiropractor who was very strange. Tried to push lots of weirdo (non-FDA approved) supplements on me that were expensive, wouldn’t just see you when you needed a tune-up–wanted a commitment to an expensive, long-range, three-day-a-week plan (that insurance didn’t cover), was completely banal when you tried to engage. And almost got angry when I asked questions about the supplements or the treatment. Exasperated, more like. It was so strange; I think I went once, maybe twice, and I still get mailers from him regularly, more than a decade later and several states removed. When I first started learning about scientology a couple of years ago, particularly their relentless pursuit and unwillingness to be challenged in any way, told my best friend: “I bet that chiropractor I saw is a scientologist.” Well, I was right; his name is on this list. Validation!
Dustan Mattingly. BAT.SHIT.CRAZY!
My, My, My; all these folks moving to Clearwater. Puts me in mind of so many films I’ve seen about Hitler’s cowardly retreat to his Bunker with his first-line generals and their families in tow. Sad . . . . Tick, tock, tick, tock . . . . .
The moves to Clearwater are interesting, in part because from what I gather the trend is for members to move out of Clearwater, and their numbers there are down, apparenty since it’s so miserable living in the hothouse of regging, pressure to devote time to front group activities, snitching and spying, and so on. Comments from insiders to the last piece, said that those moving had determined there were SPs on staff who were undermining the org – but that the move to Flag, presumably once they see what really goes on there, might leave them having to face that Miscavige is the real SP..
St. Louis is one of the smaller and worse-off orgs, in spite of being in a good sized metropolitan area of about 3 million inhabitants that is around the 20th largest in the country. They do seem to be an example of a local org culture that is more dysfunctional, or at least less successful, than average, one of the ones that no number of missions from higher headquarters has ever been able to fix. Apparently those departing are some of the major players, which will leave the org that much weaker.
Peacemaker – St Louis was way more successful than Twin Cities. St Louis is only a pawn in Miscavige’s game. He has to invalidate and nullify and that is what he does with the poor staff in St Louis. They are all in deep apathy but will never admit it.
I could not believe Twin Cities got an Idle Morgue before St Louis…..they were DEADER THAN DEAD and now that big 90,000 sq.ft. heat eating building is soooooo empty – they have to shut most of it down in the winter.
“staff…are all in deep apathy but will never admit it.”
The staff in my org were also in deep apathy, I see now. But they needed to put up a good PR front to us, their public, so they “mocked up” a cheerful, enthusiastic tone, for our benefit. They wanted to communicate the following concept: “It is just so GREAT to be on staff! It is such a PRIVILEGE to be here making zero money and working a minimum of 12 hours a day 6 and frequently days a week including all major holidays when we have events! I wouldn’t trade my life for anything! Come on staff and see how terrific YOUR life could be too, united with us in the only worthwhile purpose an ethical being can have!”
It’s honestly so sad. This poor girl who is on this list is broke, been married twice, has 4 kids, has to clean to make extra cash. She’s such a sweet girl but can’t even admit to herself that there is anything bad! She loves to be staff. Even if given the opportunity to leave she wouldn’t leave.
If it who I think it is. There is NOTHING to feel sorry about with her. And, she will never leave.
She chooses to not have a real paying job to help her children because staff is so important. She brings in a good chunk of child support, and , yet, her children still go without because the ORG is more important. SAD.
From numerous reports it sounds like the typical scene in those cities where Scientology has been running its real estate scam. Like a blood sucking monster, it leaves behind its dead and destroyed victims. It counts its assets and money and moves on, smiling, licking the blood of its tax exempt lips, crawling towards its next city.
Ohhhh that is SO good. Great description.
It’s also worth noting that St. Louis typifies how much money gets wasted and lost in the “ideal” org campaigns, even if in the end Miscavige’s “stats” of total assets goes up a bit – and at what terrible cost to the members. They may have overpaid for the properties by a million dollars to begin with, and then spent half a million on property taxes on a building they now are apparently going to give up on, and may have to sell at a loss if they have let it deteriorate too badly.
Who knows how much more was squandered along the way. If this was truly a calculate real estate scam, Miscavige could have been much more efficient about capturing the money given by members. The buildings that have been renovated could also never be sold for anything near what was put into them, because Miscavige has insisted on lavish and specialized renovations that no buyer would want to pay for; many prospective purchasers might want to buy such properties at a very steep discount, figuring they needed to be gutted and returned to a more normal configuration for commercial purposes.
Check out St Louis City website – go to “property search”…
put in “2345 Lafayette or 2343 Lafayette or 2351 Lafayette in the property search.
You can see the high taxes they pay each year for each property.
You can also see that they put a new front porch on the building costing a lot of money.
The Co$ was cited from City Inspectors for “graffiti” – they were not welcome in Saint Louis.
‘ Like a blood sucking monster, it leaves behind its dead and destroyed victims.’ Mat, it is so metaphorically appropriate . . . More and more I view $ as being the vampire Lestat ( in the film ‘Interview with the Vampire’ portrayed, ironically, by Tom Cruise) sucking the life’s-blood out of his victims. With each ‘incarnation’, he becomes weaker and weaker, each time his victim/prey being a more virulent, diminished creature than the one before. In terms of $, its life’s-blood is Money and Slave Labor, both of which have diminished dramatically over the last decade. This downward spiral is accelerating at an increasing rate; how much longer can it last before it is completely extingished?
“From numerous reports it sounds like the typical scene in those cities where Scientology has been running its real estate scam. Like a blood sucking monster, it leaves behind its dead and destroyed victims. It counts its assets and money and moves on, smiling, licking the blood of its tax exempt lips, crawling towards its next city.” Matt Pesch you are a writer!!!!! Even though your wife wrote a book, I’d love to see you write a book about your experiences. You have a gift and your story is a good one to tell I’m sure.
Sandy Adair dropped dead? Is that the same Sandy Adair who was living in Clearwater and was working at the scn school years ago? She was Ot8. The Sandy Adair I knew had twin daughters and a son? Her age is about right too. She was married to a guy from South Africa? Besides that question… it’s so sad so many people go broke because they are saving the planet in some futuristic apocalypse ! Shite!
According to our “mole” … Yes – it is that Sandy Adair.
They lived in St Louis.
She was married to the South African guy – Robin Adair…and they had 2 or 3 kids…all guzzling the koolaid – according to our “sources”…
She divorced Robin Adair after returning from the Freewinds and completing OT VIII.
WINNING??? NOT!
He was declared an SP for posting on Marty Rathbun’s blog.
It was kept hush hush… no forced disconnections within the family.
He was able to stay in communication with her and his kids due to having known some secret project Sandy Adair allegedly worked on for Tom Cruise…in Los Angeles. She went out there and had to sign legal dox but the Church of Scientology did not want to piss her off…so they let them stay connected.
Sandy had a secret the Church of Scientology was afraid she would expose – so they allowed Robin to stay connected to Sandy and their kids – who are drinking the koolaid frequently and heavily.
Robin Adair is out of Scientology but may still believe in Hubbard’s tech. Not sure if he went all the way down that rabbit hole.
Sandy Adair got to OT VIII.
Her wins from OT VIII : NOT CAUSE OVER MEST….DIVORCE, FINANCIAL RUIN and eventually an early DEATH were Sandy Adair’s WINS from Scientology.
She came back from the Freewinds about 10 years ago ..very thin and frail. After she came back – the bank foreclosed on her or she had to sell it quickly because the bank was going to foreclose.. It was FINANCIAL RUIN for that OT VIII.
She worked for Winsome Ward in ST Louis- a dentist that lost her husband to cancer after he went to FLAG. Irving Ward died about 10 years ago … very, very tragic. Irving Ward was on staff – he was a good soul.
Irving was dying of cancer and Winsome went down to Flag to get some “help” … and the vulture regges nailed her for a HUGE chunk of change….They plastered her poster all over the St Louis MORGUE after she got back …bragging that she gave a bunch of money…
Winsome blamed Scientology for Irving’s Death… so stayed away for a few years.
Eventually – they got her back and she joined staff…
Now – Winsome Ward is a “died in the wool” Scientologist – she may be giving them tons of money and free labor. She was on Staff as a Registrar.
If it is not cruel and inhumane – it just isn’t Scientology…..nothing like taking advantage of a person when they are losing their loved one and are weak and vulnerable. SOP for Scientology.
Irving and Winsome Ward had a son – Mathew Ward….and he just joined the SO at FLAG last year.
After the divorce – Sandy dated Jim Woeltjen (ex Sea Org) who lived in California.
Sandy apparently died in bed. She was about 57 or 58 years old. SO SAD!
I remember St Louis based Edison Brothers – here is the casenet court case
EDISON BROTHERS APPAREL STORES INC 2101CC-00473 Plaintiff EDISON BROTHERS APP ETAL V WISE INTERNATIONAL ETAL CC Other Miscellaneous Actions 02/07/2001
Circuit 21 St. Louis County St Louis County
EDISON BROTHERS APPAREL STORES INC 2101CC-00473-01 Plaintiff EDISON BROTHERS APP ETAL V WISE INTERNATIONAL ETAL CC Other Miscellaneous Actions 05/11/2001
Circuit 21 St. Louis County St Louis County
EDISON BROTHERS APPAREL STORES INC
where they sued WISE International. No wonder Steve Edison was DECLARED an SP….Scientology probably ruined a viable company his family owned.
Thank you for this information on Sandy Adair. I knew her for a while in the 90’s. It wasn’t much fun. It is sad to pass away so early…no grandkids, her kids without a mother. She had an amazing can do attitude though. I appreciate the update.
That amazing attitude…. killed Sandy Adair…think about it. When you defy reason and logic and stay in Scientology – you may end up dead.
So sad about Sandy Adair. As for her ex, Robin, he used to post regularly on Marty’s and Mike’s sites. Then he got pissed off at Mike or vice versa, or maybe Mike kicked him off his site, but he left to write on the Pro Scn site, Milestone II. He was trying to drum up business auditing people in the Indie field. I don’t know how successful he was at it. But I havenn’t seen any posts from him anywhere for a long time and Milestone II is now defunct anyway.
I am sorry to hear about Robin going over to the Indie’s. Poor guy has been through hell in the cult and he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
Robin Adair might not be an Indie anymore. I’ve seen nothing from him and maybe he went completely down the rabbit hole and is no longer pro tech? I don’t know. It would be good to talk to any friends of his to see what happened to him.
PS, was Sandy Adair once a registrar at the LA Scn school, Delphi?
I’m sorry that $ci was happy to take your money that caused you to lose your home. You are out of the bubble and I wish you well.
Financial Ruin, Divorce and shattered minds are the Product of Scientology. Stay far away from this evil cult. Get others to stay far away.
The problem is, they’re not smoking enough! If they would just get on the program and smoke like like there’s no tomorrow, no one would die from cancer! I mean, it’s clear as day.
OSD – they all smoke like fricken chimney’s. It is disgusting. Scientology Staff don’t eat food – they smoke their food and take vitamins washed down with cal mag. PUKE.
Cigarettes these days aren’t cheap.Officer..
At least $7-8 a pk..
I guess $50 a week doesn’t go far
You’re right, OSD!
Biggest mistake of my life was to stop smoking decades ago. My God, I’ve been at risk for cancer for the past 30 years!
On my way to get a pack now. I was a pack a day girl for years. What the hell, what’s $12 a day anyway? $84 a week, $4368 a year…hmmm… Oh, well, it sure beats than coming down with the Big C, right?
Thanks, Ron!
I find it amazing that they were allowed to go three years without paying property tax on those properties! In my town they give you one year to catch up and if you don’t the property goes to the auction block on the courthouse steps. Too bad they didn’t start foreclosing
They eventually paid the taxes but the fines and penalties were HUGE.
They never told the parishoner’s about it – kept it a secret.
Scientology – Irresponsible and out ethics.
Think about it – purchase property 11 years ago and paying over $650,000 for real estate taxes because they never occupied the building.
Mind boggling how members don’t see this.
That is just ridiculous the amount of money that is just flushed down the toilet to pay for real estate that is never used. Meanwhile people are losing their homes and families while the dollars that they scrape up to give goes towards absolutely nothing. The biggest con job that ever was.
Thanks so much to the correspondent for providing such detail about the current status of an org. It gives some real insight into what is going on in Scientology these days, though the St. Louis org is apparently somewhat worse off than average, as indicated by the fact that they are one of the ones that has been unable to finish fundraising for their “ideal” facility, and have not been designated to get outside help in doing so.
I count 23 staff – while that’s said to be “a pretty small number”, I also count just 56 public. From what I can tell it’s pretty typical for an org to have about 25-30 staff, though some may be part-timers or even volunteers, and an active membership of 50 to 70, with about as many more in their “field” who will show up for occasional events. Along those lines, I have these questions if it’s possible to get further inside information:
* How many of the staff are full-time, part-time, or volunteers?
* How many of the members are really active, and how many people do they have who mostly just come to the big events a couple of times a year?
The building they had purchased is a 1920s German social hall. The latest Scientology PR pieces indeed no longer show that as the St. Louis “ideal” building, and instead have a rendering of the existing building on Delmar, while a website shows renovated interiors.
Peacemaker – the reason they are not able to complete the fundraising in St Louis is because David Miscavige kept raising the “funds needed” to start renovations.
Super Power Scam worked for 20 years until Luis Garcia sued for Super Power FRAUD and Miscavige was forced to open Super Power. But he learned how the scam worked on Scientologists
The Church of Scientology Missouri somehow obtained an insurance payout of $1,000,000 claiming thieves stole their gutters which caused the roof to leak and the auditorium floor to buckle. It had buckled floors prior to that claim – the building was dilapidated and run down.
Co$ used this pay out from the (somewhat shady and questionable) insurance claim they received to put on a new roof and repair the auditorium floor.
This was the Scientology Registrar Fund Raising SHILL! Hubbard wrote “tech” about it in the fundraising Hat Pack.,
They told members they started renovations and were going to finish the building soon. This drew attention and excitement to get more money out of people…it worked.
Scientologists.Went.Broke.
Here is what ED – Chad Lane said to the Post Dispatch St Louis Newspaper in Sept 2010:
“Once auditorium and foyer restoration work is done at the German House, work will begin to renovate the rest of the building for Scientology classes, counseling and administrative offices, Lane said. Church officials hope the entire project will be done in about a year.”
Chad Lane said they only needed $940,000 to complete renovations plus another $1,000,000 to deal with the Lead.
Then he contradicted himself and said that they only needed $4,000,0000 to complete renovations.
Nonetheless… the “funds needed” went up each and every year.
Last we heard – it was over $12,000,000. Can any lurkers out there in St Louis give us the latest figure?
11 years of lying and scamming members. Financial ruin for many in St Louis.
The registrars were told not to tell members they used the insurance money to put on the roof so that members would “believe” they were actually going to get the building done.
The funds required went up exponentially each year with no logical explanation.
Isn’t that FRAUD?
UTR, thanks for the response – and your other comments here with insider insight.
I’ve heard that part of the problem with increasing costs, was that Miscavige kept upping the requirements for “ideal” facilities, making them more lavish and larger – and more expensive. Apparently Boston’s first, older, building, bought around the same time as St. Louis’, fell a few thousand square feet short of those requirements, throwing them into a debacle in which they are still embroiled – they now own two buildings that they aren’t using. I don’t know to what extent they might also have been trying to just bleed the members of money, as they apparently did with the “Super Power” building.
It would be interesting to see a real accounting of what went on inside an ideal org fundraising campaign like St. Louis’. Hopefully we will start to hear from more key insiders with knowledge of such things.
Peacmaker – that is a real accounting in St Louis.
Miscavige already had plans day 1 to make it extravagant. The Co$ were to make all of the furniture and that would save money…
They collected money to pay for plans – a lot of money.
St Louis Org purchased the building overpaying for the real estate.
The purchase was totally irresponsible.
Funds needed went up with NO explanation…they did not even tell the members how much was needed. Our mole knows Chad Lane so had insider info.
There was no accounting for WHY the SHEEP had to keep coughing money. They don’t advertise how much they collected – they only run a “WE NEED MORE MONEY NOW NOW NOW”..
If you file BK or lose home to foreclosure – they run a “PIrates and Bums” reference from LRH on them to not feel bad and start over…
Ronnie (BYRON) Jones did all of his Grades at FLAG and then all 3 L’s. He allegedlyh borrowed the money on credit cards back when banks were handing out loans like candy
He came back to St Louis and spent money like it grew on OT Trees. He did this with business partner and CLEAR Mike Jenne – who is married to Katie Chipman. They just moved to Clearwater.
Mike and Katie Jenne lost their home to foreclosure and moved to Clearwater…then came back… just recently moved back to Clearwater after sinking a bunch of staff members into large mortgages. He owns a mortgage company.
Here are some of Ronnie and Amy Jones WINS from Scientology:
****house foreclosed on, business failure – auto repossessed, lawsuits and judgements, filed bankruptcy and then cited references about PIRATES and BUMS…the justification as to why it was okay to be a CRIM!
After all of that – the FLAG GRADE completion and all 3 L’s completion – Ronnie Jones –
got nailed with a DUI.
We heard he was out of Scientology and hiding UTR due to being married into the Spencer Family – who have a bunch of family in the cult – and are one of the families “Keeping Scientology Working” in St Louis.
A few years ago, Joan Spencer divorced Paul Spencer. Joan is listed as a fugative on public records – some incident she had on the metro bus system when she was going through her divorce…
Not sure if Paul is in – Joan is on Staff in St Louis and has a daughter in the Sea Org.
Anyone know what he is up to?
History posted on Why We Protest
https://whyweprotest.net/threads/new-critical-blog-for-the-church-of-scientology-of-st-louis-missouri-doubt-formula.118709/
3730-lindell
On December 8, 1969, the first Scientology church in the region was formed under the name The Church of Scientology of Missouri located in St Louis.
Its initial quarters was near the current corner of Lindell Blvd. and Whittier St. in the Central West End, it soon moved into the Queen’s Daughters Home at 3730 Lindell Blvd.
In 1990 I got involved and became a member of the Church of Scientology of Missouri. At that time they were leasing half of a building located at 9510 Page Blvd. The other half of the building was leased by a carpet cleaning company. If you look at the photo on the right the church leased the left side of the building and the carpet cleaners leased the right side with the loading do
In 1997, the Church moved into its current location at 6901 Delmar Blvd, which was once a Masonic temple.
In 2007 the Church of Scientology of Missouri bought another building located at 2345 Lafayette Avenue for $1.9 million from an individual that only paid $800,000 for it less than a year before. This was paid for by donations from the local St. Louis parishioners.
new-building
The Church also purchased 2351 Lafayette Avenue from a Mary Johnson in 2007 for $500,000. They paid $500,000 for this lot (for parking) and the property was in foreclosure or default of mortgage. They could have gotten a great deal since Mary Johnson only paid $150,000 for the lot a few years earlier.
Since 2007 this so-called Church has been bleeding its members dry, doing event after event for donations. They need $6 million to $10 million to complete the renovations of this building and parking lot.
This “church” said they needed the new building because of expansion of Scientology in St Louis. If that is the case then where are the new members?
Its been 45 years since Scientology formed a church in St Louis and they have on average 20 to 30 staff members, and 75 to 100 parishioners.
In the 22 years I was a member of the Church of Scientology of Missouri I never saw more than 8 people at a Sunday service. But to be fair this “church” was never really interested in doing a Sunday service because it was free.
This church prefers you to buy a course or counseling. You even have to pay for them to hear your confessions. Then they put you in a course room or in a room with your minister the whole time you are there. When I was taking courses the course room would average about 8 people on course, and over half of those people were staff members.
The St Louis Church of Scientology is a corporation, a business, plain and simple. They provide products and services for set donation.
If the products and services delivered what they promised (advertised) Scientology would be expanding. They would have new customers (parishioner’s) coming in the door every week.
They would have had their new building and parking lot completed in 2007 because the “church” would have needed the space.
By the way, that building they bought back in 1997 on Delmar Blvd. They have never completed the renovations on that building, either and they constantly struggle to pay the mortgage.
So when does Scientology work?
UPDATE: Rumor has it, and you can call Chad Lane or Ellen Maher-Forney at the Church of Scientology to confirm this, but the building at 2345 Lafayette Avenue ($1,900,000.00) and parking lot at 2351 Lafayette Avenue ($500,000.00) that they bought back in 2007 with the parishioner’s money are no longer the ideal building and parking lot after all. They are now going to be sold.
Since the building and parking lot are not owned locally they will be sold by international management. Yes, that is right. Even though these properties were paid for by the donations of the local parishioners the local Church of Scientology gives the donations to international management to purchase.
They will sell the two pieces of property at a loss, and the money will remain at international management. So the local parishioners will start over looking for a new building that they do not need and cannot afford because David Miscavige told them to do it.
They have about 20 people on staff from what I can tell.
St Louis is at an all time low.
Maybe 40 – 50 people active.
Rumor has it they are selling the Idle Morgue property on Lafayette.
They are now going to keep the building they have been in since late 90’s…and never filled up….
REAL ESTATE SCAM!
In the early 1980’s I met a young St Louis Scientology lawyer that got caught up in one of those “crush money cycles” where the cherch pushes its members to go waaaay beyond what is reasonable, sensible or legal and then denies any culpability when the shit hits the fan… Any former Scientologist reading this knows what I am talking about…. ie.. an old lady/man forced to give up their savings, then denied service, then refused a refund and are now broke, eating cat food or begging on the street; they are ALWAYS blamed and told it is THEIR fault they are eating cat food.
2 people (Elizabeth Eagleton Weigand and lawyer Stephen Poludniak) protected the St Louis Org by going to jail for years and never blaming the cherch, who were the ones behind the scenes that really caused this debacle with senator Tom Eagleton. This is wiki report:
“Thomas Francis “Tom” Eagleton (September 4, 1929 – March 4, 2007) was a United States Senator from Missouri, serving from 1968 to 1987. He is best remembered for briefly being the Democratic vice presidential nominee under George McGovern in 1972.
During the 1980 election, Eagleton’s niece Elizabeth Eagleton Weigand and lawyer Stephen Poludniak were arrested for blackmail after they threatened to spread false accusations that Eagleton was bisexual. Eagleton told reporters that the extorted money was to be turned over to the Church of Scientology. Poludniak and Weigand appealed the conviction all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that they could not have gotten a fair trial because of “the massive publicity surrounding this case, coupled with the pre-existing sentiment in favor of Sen. Eagleton”. The Court turned down the appeal.”
OMG! That is wild Robert. Now I recall a guy who gave a lot of time and money to Scientology in St Louis – Steve Edison.
Steve was OT VIII and got DECLARED SP.
Then the staff spread around some horrible rumors about him… (The Whispering Campaign) always a nice touch after you gave your heart and soul to the group….
His kids still talk to him.
Athena Parker who is OT III or more – is his daughter. She is ex Sea Org.
She left St Louis with her family (Jason Parker and kids) and moved to Clearwater about 5 years ago after getting financially ruined from donating to the Idle Morgue.
She is working at the school in Clearwater.
They financially ruined her and her husband Jason Parker for becoming “Humanitarians” for the Idle Morgue building.
Her family owned Edison Brother’s Stores and we think Scientology destroyed that company.
Check out the story on Edison Brother’s Inc. – they were a very successful retailer located in St Louis.
Steve Edison’s family owned it.
I always wondered why they went out of business and I think it was because of Scientology.
Edison sued WISE International
CASENET MISSOURI COURTS. Public information.
Good info, their real estate purchases on Lafeyette look very suspicious, like someone was getting a kick back. They tremendously over paid for the building and parking lot. Their Delmar building and parking lot are in need of repairs. It looks like only a handful of members.
Gordon – the purchases were very shady. They bankrupted many members convincing them they had to have the property NOW, NOW, NOW! 11 years later – ching ching ching. How to get rich using OPM. Scam!
Very useful and relatable article.
Probably these poor souls with ruined lives and unneeded bankrupties and divorces thought that it was a just a Saint Louis problem.
I would very much look forward to a simular articles from other orgs.
Anybody agree?
I agree – I think this would be very useful to those hiding UTR – lurking to find out what is happening. Maybe an article asking for data from around the globe on who is still left in Scientology supporting this evil entity disguised as a “church” while hiding behind the religious cloak.
This information really helped me!
I agree, along with UTR, that it would be great to have more such information from former insiders with knowledge of what went on, and connections for information about what is currently going on (hint, hint).
It’s been really informative and useful to see all this detail about the travails of one particular org – and impressive to see how many people there are lurking, with just such information. One of the things that has long frustrated, and surprised, me, is that we seem to have so little of this sort of detail about what has happened with orgs in recent years, and what their status is now.
We can also hope that questioning members and UTRs will see, or find this (it gets indexed for Google searchers, and Mike’s site ranks pretty high for information), and realize how bad things are – and that it’s not just their local org, and an illusion if not a lie that “expansion” is occurring other places.
Perhaps from time to time Mike could run a feature with inside info he’s been sent about one or more orgs – and solicit further information about that and other orgs (hint, hint).
I need to pitch a new reality show “Flipping Off to CoS”. Serious money can be made buying the right dump and flipping it for a nice profit as a the future site of yet another abandoned Ideal Org!.
Wow – looks like Scientology in Missouri is the FASTEST shrinking religion.
The St Louis Org is swirling around the drain.
I do hope they close their doors for good.
I am at ” HATE ” on the Tone Scale – when it comes to Scientology!