They’re still trying collect money for this hall, perhaps the greatest boondoggle in scientology history — and that is saying something.
They can’t even fill Ruth Eckerd Hall. And they want to build an even larger facility. For what? One event on Hubbard’s birthday each year? Or perhaps they will move NY’s, and IAS to this facility too and they will have 3 events a year (and the attendance will dwindle even further as the novelty of a single event each year will wear off fast). Even 3 events a year is no reason to build an “event hall.”
Literally, they have come up with a phony excuse to collect money for something that is even less needed than buildings for ideal orgs. And likely will never be built.
And here is the justification they use for why this is needed. This is the source point “connecting the world to Ron”? Huh? What does that even mean? How is it any different than Ruth Eckerd Hall? Or the Shrine auditorium in LA? Or a tent at St Hill?
Bubble craziness. And even crazier, a few people are actually giving them money for this….
MIRRORS!……AHAHAHAHHAA!……..MIRRORS……SERIOUSLY.!!!!!!…..BAWHAHAHAHWA
MONEY SUCKING VAMPIRES IMAGES DO NOT SHOW A RELECTION IN A MIRROR…..
THEY ARE TOO AFRAID OF WHAT THEY MIGHT REALLY SEE!
“Connect the world to Ron!”
Ewwww!
No thanks, we have more than enough con men to contend with now, no need to get close to Hubbard, that old yellowing relic from the fifties.
I wonder how much money has been spent on Miscavige personally, over time. It has to be multiple millions of dollars at this point, don’t you think? I mean, if you added up all his clothes, vehicles, food, scuba vacations and the like.
Most likely Cat W. Like the Pope, et al.
Sort of like the future Hansel and Gretel building. Look at all the pretty colors and send us more money so we can lure in those Wogs who need to be saved! The wicked witch promising all sorts of goodies.
Sarcasm Alert!!!!
Yes, LRH Hall!!! This will change the planet, and through it, the world will get to know mankind’s greatest friend!!
Horse Ptootey!
I have been hearing the donors talking about whatever the reg’s have been feeding them. Some ARC slop about how the world will get to know him through the hall. “It’s an honor to donate” has emanated from the mouths of empty headed regges, and echoed through the emptiness of all the Flag buildings, targeted at the empty pockets of Flag parishioners, which will no doubt result in empty promises.
I imagine that the events will be packed with S.O. staff, public from across the state, busloads of Japanese tourists stolen from Disney conned into seeing the CW dolphin exhibition as well as any homeless from Cedar Key to Ft. Myers suckered into “free food”. The most important feature of the hall will be the applause pumped into the auditorium from the sound system, making it sound as though there are thousands instead of one thousand.
I think even Churchill would say it’s not the end, but it’s the beginning of the end.
One create twelve and twelve create the world.
You solved the Voinich manuscript!
It is 12 not 42.
The hall will be rented out when the whole show turns into a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust)
I think a lot of the CofS properties will have very little use or value in the future. I have an interest in the commercial real estate market, and in my observation the problem is that buildings constructed or renovated for specialized purposes like theirs, are just not that desireable unless they’re reconfigured for normal uses, which in practical terms means often means virtually gutting them and starting over. Plus, prime modern commercial properties get major makeovers if not complete rebuilding about every 20 to 30 years, and by the time Scientology buildings came on the market they would be due for renovation again as a matter of course anyway, pushing their value down to that of the land they’re on and maybe the building’s skeleton in many cases.
The hall would be one building that might work as a standard multi-purpose event space – except that there’s already the Capitol Theater the next block over, and Ruth Eckerd Hall not too far away with better parking for large numbers of attendees. The Harborview Center that was 2 blocks away was demolished last year after failing as a convention center, though it was one of those facilities hobbled by just the problem of being re-purposed and not really quite suitable or strategically located.
Off Topic:
Mike, I think the cult is trying to find people who are intending to click onto your blog and and trick them into taking a “Life Improvement Survey” by “Eliza”. The thing I clicked onto by mistake was “Something Can Be Done About It” and this survey shows a copywright by a “Charles J. Prenner”. I didn’t take the survey of course but “Charles Prenner” is listed online as a Scientologist. So just a warning to all and sundry that this “Something Can Be Done About It” is at the TOP when one Googles, with your blog second. Scientology must have spent a LOT to get it on top. I’ve been away for nearly two days and haven’t read any of the comments yet on today’s or yesterday’s blog so if others have informed aout this already forgive the unnecessary repetition of what you already know.
The forrest of mirrors was a propaganda technique used in Soviet Russia. It was the realization that true information could leak and not be stopped, so to render leaked information useless the Russians actively caused lots and lots and lots of conflicting information on everything imaginable to be released, so both citizens and enemies could never be certain about anything. If you get fifty conflicting rumors about everything it is like wandering in a forest filled with mirrors and it disorients you. So you are always lost.
Scientology is a hall of mirrors you are never meant to escape.
Those who believe absurdities will commit atrocities.
I can’t help but to compare this waste of money to the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea. So many people starved to death for to build this tower of doom. To this day it is unoccupied. Scientology, and North Korea have too many similarities to each other. Scary!
Dean, last I heard, Ryugyong Hotel is unfinished and unused, which is about on par with a few “ideal orgs”.
I cannot imagine being “in,” these days. There is so much stress just dealing with today’s world. I cannot imagine adding the insane, money-grubbing and regging assaults, that occurred regularly, added to everything else. I feel for the people still in the insanity. I was in for 35 years and am so very grateful to be OUT!! I rarely comment, but read daily and am grateful for Mike and all of you. I am endlessly grateful for the quietude away from Scientology.
You’re not Charlie Bills, FSC, right?
Glad you’re out too, regardless.
they would have more success at building a baseball diamond in a cornfield in Iowa
This is the source point “connecting the world to Ron”? Huh?
Isn’t that connection to the world supposed to be made through SciTV–and all the money that was collected for that? And yet, no one is watching…
And all those pamphlets that are the subject of constant fundraisers. And yet, they all wind up being litter…
All those VMs saving the world. And yet, as soon as folks find out who it is who’s “helping” them they can’t distance themselves fast enough…
All those Ideal Orgs that the world declines to set foot in…
“Now is the time to join the movement.” Not much moving as far as I can tell…
My guess is that the hall will be configurable so it always appears full – if it’s ever built at all. Scientology has already announced that it would use technology like retractable seats to allow it to be converted from a performance space to a banquet hall, but that would also allow them to adjust the number of seats to however many people they could actually get to attend events, particularly if they also used some sort of partitions to be able to cut down the size of the space. That would solve their problem with dwindling attendance leaving embarrassingly empty seats at the fixed-seating venues they current rent, which in some cases has already forced them to start using smaller venues (the LA area LRH birthday event has moved from the Shrine to the Dolby Theater).
As I’ve said previously, I suspect that eventually Scientology is probably going to have to do some major consolidation, which they would typically try to disguise as “expansion.” In this case they could move the main New Years event from the Shrine Auditorium in LA, which they have increasing trouble filling, and claim a “win” even though LRH hall would be smaller at best, and possibly much smaller if it is configured to hide dwindling attendance.
But given the state of Scientology’s organizational decline, it’s also quite possible this project will be forever left undone. The “ideal” org program is starting to sputter, with several local projects now left undone for almost as long as the Super Power building, and a few like St. Louis starting to be abandoned.
Another purpose that is used to raise money is certainly that part of this structure is to promote hubbard’s greatness. Just PR.
But if one takes a look on the web he would know who they are talking about.
A great video to look for and watch (for who hasn’t seen it yet) is the 1968 hubbard interview on Granada TV. He regrets it almost immediately.
I’d say he regretted it during the interview.*I* certainly regretted watching it from the beginning.
Since the day missy cabbage took over the focus has swung from providing real tech results to amassing more money and acquiring more property. This divergence to a degraded purpose greatly helped me wake up and walk out. The stench of a sham/scam was overwhelming.
Where are the wanting to build the Great Hall of Emptiness? Is it that vacant lot between Franklin and Court?
Where’s that giant sphere that was supposed to be in front of Miscavige’s folly? Expunged from the plans because of too many SP remarks about LRH hall being a load of balls?
Said thank you
Just another L. Ron Hubbard haul.
I learned ago that you cannot fix stupid. It just is.
If these Scientology patsies were not suckered in to this scam they would probably fall victim to some other scam. Ponzi or otherwise.
Unfortunately for them the financial scam is only half of the equation. That is what makes it so sad IMHO.
It is very understandable that people would think they are “stupid” or even call them “stupid”.
The sad thing is that even after many years, I find myself still doing that when I believe I should know better. Why? The mind control aspect plays a huge part of this scam. The people in charge of the collection of money have all spent many, many years studying the best way to perfect that “mind control” so that it becomes very difficult for people to resist this “mind control”.
There are many extremely clever and competent people who fall for this crazy shit and find themselves enslaved by this cult for a long time. It was just because of a good friend and some good luck as well as a very incompetent person who tried to get me to join that I said “goodbye” to them after just a few days and got out. I was very lucky. I could have very easily gotten trapped. One great example of a very wealthy man who is very clever and competent is the man who appeared on Mike & Leah’s show who donated millions to them. He cannot be called a stupid man. Sorry I cannot remember his name offhand.
So, I just want to say that I would like to see people understand just how seductive and how powerful this mind control aspect is. Otherwise, people may get the opinion they have nothing to worry about if they agree to take a “free personality test” because they are not so stupid as to fall for this scam.
But it has little to do with how clever or how stupid people are. This scam has spent a huge amount of time and effort learning how to perfect their scam and that involves perfecting the mind control aspect.
I think that needs to be said to prevent innocents from becoming enslaved by this cult and “enslaved” is a very appropriate word to use.
“Now is the time to join the movement” seems apt just after I’ve left a deposit in the porcelin throne…. AND what they’re touting is JUST as pleasant to deal with.
Mike, when we had the meetings about L Ron Hubbard Hall with the non-Scientologist event staff, back in the late 90s, the idea was to hold all events in the new hall.
Permanently installed production and post-production equipment. Good acoustics. Permanently installed sound reinforcement. A heaven on earth for us poor event crew, just fly there and do the gig. No semi truck trailers full of rented speakers and lights etc.
Good thing they didn’t do it back then, they would have wasted millions of dollars on standard definition video gear. Only to have the world move on to high definition a few years later.
No idea how this works with the Maiden Voyage Anniversary events, or the Celebrity Center Gala or the IAS event with its Patron’s Ball and Charity Gala.
It seems really unlikely that Dave would give up his yearly Caribbean scuba and four-wheeler vacation, or his London excursions into sight-seeing and fine dining. All paid for by the war chest, of course, keeping up appearances at the top of the food chain is half the battle in the culture wars.
I guess he will just have to start going on “inspection tours” instead. Lower profile, he can still borrow Tom’s private jet, and nobody will know exactly where he will be on any given date. Easier to duck the process servers that way.
“wasted millions of dollars on standard definition video gear”
Have standards stopped changing? HD. Ultra HD 4k. 8k. High Dynamic Range. Stereo sound. Surround sound. At least they missed the 3D craze.
I think you’re right Miscavige won’t want to give up his foreign holidays. Also hard choice between bringing the party to the true believers vs. getting an invitation to Flag and a shin ding at the big hall.
‘Now is the time to join the movement!’
I usually have my movements on the john.
Quite a turnaround for the Anonymous organization to contribute to this money pit.
Seriously though what Scientologist would not want their name on the wall of contributors?
I don’t think there is such a thing as an “Anonymous organization”. 😉
Maybe they can not finish the building for say, oh, 10 years. And that means they use it or 10 years to reg money out of people as donations to it. It worked for the Super Power Building. And when people would ask why is the building not done after so many year? The recruiter would say because we don’t have enough staff to run it, so you have to join the SO. And that usually shut up the inquiries right away cuz they played on the guilt the public feel for not joining the SO.
Hey! … It’s not only a GAME, it’s an entire MOVEMENT! … (I can think of one movement it reminds me of, if you dig my drift …)
By the by, every time I see these money appeals and the morons who pony up, they rehab my leaving the CoS and not being extorted to play these “games” anymore …
And you just KNOW that there will need to be an LRH Hall in LA, Europe, Africa, Australia, Taiwan, Latin America …
Okay, not to sound snobbish, but in my church we call it ‘donating’, not ‘playing the game’. Of course, this dwindle of Scientology is most definitely being “gamed”.
Well, maybe draining the last of the clampire whales of their ca$h is a good thing. At some point these buildings in CW will go for fire sale rates and can be used by businesses and local gov’t for legit purposes. 🙂
One can hope.
O/T. VIDEO – Rev. Gerald Palmer, MSW, responds to Scientology Youth For Human Rights Award Winner Nation of Islam Brother Rizza Islam:
No Rizza Islam, LGBTQIA Are Not Getting More Rights Than Black Folks
Specific response tio Rizza Islam begins at approximately 3:00.
Beginning at approximately 9:10, discussion of the partnership between the Nation of Islam and the Church of Scientology.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI6TYd7gHGs&t=3m0s
/
In my opinion DM is convinced to amaze the “wogs” of the greatness of the cult through the quantity of properties in possession (both empty and useless).
Like when in the past attempts were made to amaze the natives with colored beads.
But he doesn’t understand that “wogs” aren’t stupid.
RIGHT, LmR: “stuff” over any demonstrable PRODUCT.
Loosing, more likely he has to build them to retain non-profit status and uses them to show members all the expansion. I think he knows that wogs aren’t fooled like scamologists are.
Winsky. Thank you. Yes as you say to squeeze more money. A friend of mine is trying to wake up a relative that is ot 5 and paying to go on next levels. But she comes up to be so certain that DM has saved the cult from sps. The way they have been furthermore brainwashed in the last years is amazing.
From approx 100.000 members in the 1990 down to 15.000 members worldwide (and fully demonstrated) are a good confirmations for who has saved the cult.
Doing research on Hubbard’s “Universes ” Tape which Ms B Haven posted on this blog about a week ago. It answers some of the insanity that Hubbard passed onto his followers. They will give money because they are basically following Hubbard’s mind of a twelve year old child. It seems that somehow Hubbard was able to connect with these people, and myself, through a mental “bridge”. I called it Lucifer’s Bridge or Satan’s Bridge. I used to believe that the bridge was the “tech”. Now I clearly see that it is the mind of a child. Hubbard and his followers were unable to transform their minds from childhood. In his “Universes” tape Hubbard turns semi-Zoroaster believing that evil entities rule the universe. He even had Mary Sue following like a lapdog. In his essay “Universes and Illusion” he goes on a complete childish mental ramble. He concludes that Illusion is not knowing you are a thetan. So Hubbard build a “theoretical” thetan and traps people when he says illusion is “not knowing”. He trashes all religions. In the end, he totally misses that he is in reality Zoroastrian but with his own “tech” attached to it. Sick man who could not profit from the work Zoroaster because it was from Persia. So he needs to concentrate on Western religions or religions “imported” into the West. Who would import Zoroastrianism?
George, I see it as juvenile magical thinking. Scientologists also seem to mistake childish reversion for psychological freedom, as seen in the behavior of celebrities like Jenna Elfman and Kirstie Alley, and epitomized by all the talk of “games” plus the dressing up play at fundraising events.
Narcissists like Hubbard are considered to be psychologically immature. So it fits that his constructs in Scientology, and his followers who are put through a system intended to implant Hubbard’s personality traits in them as the supposed ideal of humanity, exhibit such characteristics as well.
You have good points about the roots and sources, though. The constructs and archetypes in use certainly have those sorts of earlier origins. While Hubbard could recognize interesting material to borrow from to meet his needs, he ultimately wasn’t a mature or serious enough thinker to be able to really make much of it.
O/T. I would like to recommend another one of Molly McMullen’s Scientology Recovery videos, “Healing vs. Scientology Auditing.”
https://youtube.com/watch?v=xCqGgIQ8S9Q
At the risk of mixing practices :), the above video reminds me of the following passage on pg 104 in the book “The Voice of Knowledge” by don Miguel Ruiz, one of the “Four Agreements” series. I don’t want to conflate the two, but there seems to be a similarity in approach.
* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *
Our emotions are real. Every emotion that we feel is real, it is truth, it is. I discovered that every emotion comes directly from our spirit, from our integrity; it is completely authentic.
You cannot fake what you feel. You can try to repress your emotions, you can try to justify what you feel or lie about what you feel, but what you feel is authentic. It is real, and you are feeling it. There is nothing wrong with whatever you feel.
* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *
And they’re calling this the greatest game on earth? I thought baseball was considered the greatest game on earth.