You have to hand it to Michael Lewis. At least he doesn't try to cover up by calling it "expansion" or "prosperity" or "getting at cause." He just comes right out and announces it is all about money. The Scrooge McDuck image I guess is how he sees the successful person in scientology. Someone with enough money to be able to afford it (which is accurate) -- or else it's an artist's rendition of David Miscavige doing what he loves most. He idiotically claims that he "thought people had somehow outgrown this subject." If you are a scientologist, it is impossible to "outgrow" this subject as … [Read more...]
Scientology’s “State of the Art” Technology
This ad is so scientology. Caught in a time warp. They still send "telexes" and wash windows with newspapers. They have a hard time moving with the times. Literally nobody on earth uses CD's any more, but this is still promoted as the "ultimate high-fidelity system." It is not. It would be like them trying to sell rotary dial phones as the "ultimate" in communication technology. They even try make the "Clearsound" CD system seem so convenient because they all fit in the custom carrying case "with ease" (how could they NOT fit in the "custom case"?) Everyone else on earth … [Read more...]
Hmmm, Something’s Not Right….
This is a recent promotional piece trying to persuade the sheeple to do a "chronological study" of the materials. Somehow, this seemed a bit strange to me, because this is a quote from 1973. These materials (apart from the books) were generally not available to the public then. So, I checked the quote. Lo and behold, it is about the BRIEFING COURSE, the course that Miscavige canceled a decade ago and has never replaced. Hubbard is referencing the 300+ lectures he delivered to Briefing Course students. It tells you how far from the Hubbard version of scientology the current … [Read more...]
It’s Thursday…
This recent promotional item caught my attention as one of the more ridiculous pieces I have seen in a while. So it seemed perfect for a Thursday Funny. They're holding a "virtual" event (on 5 July) but you are supposed to "serve your favorite Independence Day food." Is this a virtual leftovers event? The poor fools have been working on "building" their "ideal org" to "create Man's true freedom" for more than 15 YEARS and are no closer to having a building now than when they began. And of course, they will only start creating Man's true (?) freedom once they have a building. Because … [Read more...]
Author Services Still Hawking Worthless “Collectibles”
Back in the 80's, Author Services Inc was created as L. Ron Hubbard's "Literary Agency." The actual function of ASI, then headed by David Miscavige as "Chairman of the Board", Norman Starkey as "Trustee of L. Ron Hubbard's Estate" and Terri Gamboa as Executive Director, was twofold. To shield Hubbard from legal liability that flowed through association with the church. This gave him a control vehicle that was a profit-making, non-church entity, but through the command structure of the Sea Org, was able to direct scientology without overt evidence of doing so. A lot could be said about … [Read more...]
Some PR Advice from L. Ron Hubbard
I came across this the other day. It is relevant to nothing current, it just encapsulated so much of Hubbard's approach. His overriding concern with "bad publicity.” His remedy was not auditing -- which he claimed was the only cure to "aberration" and bad behavior -- but to "beat their teeth in personally." I assume this piece is from an OOD's item on the Apollo, he was a little more careful in his broad public statements. Though "I would have taken such a screwball out of the running so fast he would have thought he had been hit by a Mack truck, and I don't mean thought-wise" in o … [Read more...]
Big News from Flag!!!!
Some hot off the presses "good news" from Flag in the form of an EMail from our old friend Clive Rabey. Apparently LA is "leading the way for the scientology world" with 2 OT VI Comps (meaning two new people auditing Solo NOTs) and one OT VII (Completion of Solo NOTs). Woohoo, that is mind-blowingly awesome. It is the best in the whole world. And not only that. They have 20 people "ready to arrive" once the "travel restrictions"(?) are lifted (I was unaware you could not travel between LA and Tampa?) And this is "totally showing the way how to turn this current crazy social motion out … [Read more...]
“The Hole” – A List of Prisoners
I recently came across this list of people who had been in The Hole at one time or another. (For anyone unfamiliar with The Hole, it has it's own Wiki page) I don't think I ever published it before, and I am not sure anyone has ever made a comprehensive list of people who were prisoners there. Quite a number of the people who were there have left the Sea Org. Some have spoken out about it (they are marked in red) and some remain silent to this day -- either through fear (of retaliation or disconnection) or they have been paid off. They are marked in blue. If you have information … [Read more...]
What Do Scientologists Believe About COVID-19
I received a copy of a promotional piece from the Dror Center. It's one of the few successful "independent" scientology groups. Let me say at the outset that Dani and Tami Lemberger are wonderful people and personal friends and I thoroughly enjoy their company when they come to visit with us. They founded and still run the Dror Center. I do not subscribe to their views concerning scientology, but they try to help people and do no harm. No disconnection. No Fair Game. No hard sell regging. What this promo piece does is give insight into the way scientologists view COVID-19 without the … [Read more...]
The Last Day of The Last Days
The Jehovah's Witnesses have been predicting the end of the world "Armageddon" since the creation of the movement by Charles Taze Russell in the late 19th century. Some of their earlier predictions had specific dates, but as these came and passed, and they came up with explanations as to why the dates were not correct (generally that God was revealing more truth and making things clearer now...) COVID-19 has their apocalyptic juices flowing. The JW's are run by a group of old men called the "Governing Body." There is a lot to know about the JW's and my good friend "John Cedars"/Lloyd … [Read more...]