The huge, international scientology organization is at the mercy of an “unemployed blogger.”
STAND League flounders as they are pressured to “handle” him.
These are the real (if unspoken) headlines for STAND League’s latest attempted smear on Tony Ortega. To be fair, I will give them a point for using a decent photo of him. Not their usual style. But that is the only thing worth noting that is not a terrible lie.
Obviously, Fast Eddie and his minions have gotten some heat from David Miscavige to “get effective” shutting down Tony Ortega. They have failed for more than a decade, and it seems the best they can do is continue to flail about rehashing their old smears as if doing the same thing over and over will get them a different result.
But this particular slight begs two questions:
1. If in fact he has no job then the objective Hubbard describes for enemies of scientology has been achieved — “to cost them their job.” Hubbard says this is what is supposed to shut down enemies. Was he wrong? Why then are they still bothered with someone who has no job?
And…
2. Isn’t this what Ed Parkin is? He is definitely not “employed.” Scientology goes to great lengths to make clear all Sea Org and staff are only “volunteers” to avoid labor laws. So therefore Eddie is an unemployed, volunteer Fair Game blogger.
And as for the rest of the tired old nonsense about attacking their religious beliefs and the Back Page Tony foolishness. It’s pathetic. The Back Page stuff is typical scientology A = A (to use their terminology) long since debunked. But that doesn’t matter, they just keep on saying it as if it hasn’t been disproven. This is a propaganda technique often employed and unfortunately it works too often. As for attacking religious beliefs — if your belief is that people should be destroyed, bankrupted, families broken up etc etc, then those beliefs deserve to be exposed (“attacked” in scientology propaganda speak).
And of course, because they have failed to shut him down, they also resort to the really cheap shot of smearing his wife. They have tried to cause her to lose her job — without success. Because there is no basis for their complaints or allegations. But the self-proclaimed champions of free speech and religious freedom don’t believe anyone has the right to express any opinion that doesn’t meet their approval. If she even said any of the things they claim she said… Of course there are NO specifics and no evidence presented.
It is pretty funny to read these pieces — they start out by quoting THEMSELVES!
“Like the anti-Semitic ‘blood libel,’ Tony Ortega peddles anti-Scientology tropes fabricated to generate hate against members of a minority religion,” said National STAND Director Bari Berger. “To understand the true motivations Ortega attempts to conceal, one need only study any white supremacist manifesto. Ortega feels that those different from him, and those who subscribe to a set of beliefs not his own, do not deserve rights and freedoms. He would prefer they cease to exist, hence his continuous efforts to intimidate Scientologists and spread anti-Scientology hate.”
Funny, Bari Berger is describing how scientology operates: “those different from him, and those who subscribe to a set of beliefs not his own, do not deserve rights and freedoms. He would prefer they cease to exist,” — in fact, this is scientology POLICY.
The hate campaign Ortega has championed has resulted in more than 600 threats and acts of violence against individual Scientologists, including one murder.
Hold on — this is what they say about Leah and me? In their other smear propaganda WE are responsible for this (they need to increase the number soon, because the number has been 600 for some time now…) so who is it really?
Tony Ortega’s wife has a documented history of religious intolerance and discrimination against minorities.
Documented? The best they can come up with is that someone they claim is her protested the violence against those who drew images of Muhammad, protested the repression of women in Arab countries and disagrees with the activities of ultra-orthodox Judaism (if you have not watched the Netflix series Unorthodox, I recommend it). Scientology is taking the position that protesting abuses conducted in the name of religion is “hate speech” and “bigotry.” I wonder why?
Once again, the desperation inside the bubble is apparent.
There was just one time when, in response to something I asked, a local Dir of Special Affairs (DSA) with cold and steely certainty directed me to a computer module to show me the infamous “STAND” website.
I barely glanced before I was overtaken with a dark, creepy “Help Us (we are victims)” impression about this site. The tone and aim were unmistakable. I just *knew* the site’s contents were “off,” not clean, not accurate, certainly not “theta” (adding to or advancing constructive life force) or designed to help ANYone.
Immediately, I could ascertain the site was more like a group service facsimile on performance-enhancing drugs. (A “service facsimile” being an unwanted computation a person can uncover and get rid of in Scientology auditing, a computation a person mentally installs to “serve” himself by computing recurring-ly on a particular subject toward an outcome of “I’m right. I dominate. I survive.”)
I had no intention of investing further energy (as I was encouraged to do) trying to explore or “use” this website as a means of producing a “new unit of time” defense of Scientology.
“How beleaguered we are (like so many), how maligned, how misunderstood,” the site seems to proclaim. And, yet which group touts it has the answers—including to effective communication and a practiced ease of generating understanding with others?
This site, and the other C of S sponsored websites known as “hate websites” about its purported enemies, I see as assembled from a Tone Level of Victim. It is super sad and, like several of the comments here observe, truly “bubble-like” and tone deaf. No one in the real world IN ANY WAY sees any Scientologist or Scientology organization as being unfairly maligned or mischaracterized. Not at all. To operate otherwise is fiction and the sadly typical bubble-living lifestyle contributing to the demise.
When I began reading about Scientology on the internet, Tony’s site and Mike’s blog were the only two places where it felt safe to even lurk. I was hollow-eyed and twitchy.
Both sites had scads and scads of back posts to go through.
It was all so therapeutic. It was all I had, actually, I was numb and shell shocked, “Nick Chevotarevich” sittin at that table….
……….
His blog, his commenters, his books, his friendships, Howdy-Con, so very much good comes from Tony Ortega.
To Rip Van Winkle: Hear you on the “hollow-eyed and twitchy,” along with relief of finding a couple of reliable online spaces “so therapeutic.” Spaces, as well, I offer that provide some welcome and necessary un-programming. Coming out, it is really so helpful to encounter a mixture and an exchange of facts, current and historical observations, plus contributor commentary.
yes. Also helped that Mike was Rinder. I went thru a lot of regimes. Rinder was a known and accepted quantity. I’d always been picky.
Another site for scn commentary is called “Ex Scientologist Message Board Redux”. You need to “sign up” to comment which is easy. Otherwise there are numerous topics which can be browsed.
http://www.exscn2.net
Barkin’ Parkin and his gang of sad clowns are like TV scripts; six plots and all they can do is just keep rehashing the same hoary old crap again and again…ad nauseam.
Senseless Twaddle and Nugatory Dross.
For a guy that is unemployed, Tony, is doing a great JOB.
Hmmm. Those 600 “death threats”: Were they due to Tony? — or Leah & Mike?
OR are they now saying there were over 1,000 threats, total, half from Tony, half from Aftermath?
OR are the threats entirely made-up out of whole cloth? I’m confused.
Betcha some of any REAL threats against “white-cracker” Scientology came from NOI’s more militant wing 😉
Frankly, I’m of the opinion there were NO credible threats
STAAND is so pathetic and outlandish that it is actually one of the reasons I was able to finally see Scientology for the vicious little hate group that it is and leave!
What major world religion would bother with such drivel!
A little cult like Scientology would obviously.
They are not “theta”, meaning an uplifting experience for your soul. They are a pernicious, insidiously draining group of fear and hate mongers. Out to destroy all who disagree with psychopath Hubbard’s antiquated and lucifarian relative moral reasoning
STAND and scientology look more pathetic as the days go by. Gotta thank them for continually working at whatever the fuck they are trying to do. It is so fun ridiculing them. The scorn and derision thrown their way must make their cheeks burn.
WAYC surmised:
“The scorn and derision thrown their way must make their cheeks burn.”
They’ll never READ anything that COULD be entheta; it’s beyond their ability to confront. The posts MUST be dictated by Dwarfenführer and transcribed verbatim, just copy & pasted into their blog software, unred by anyone dealing with the STAAD site.
They would feel shame ONLY if they weren’t just mechanically following orders AND they thought they really were causing ill effects to the targets of their anti-free-speech blatherings.
Mike I would be very interested to hear more about your personal interactions with Hubbard himself. It may be that I have missed them but I have not heard much on that subject from you. Very interested in any stories you can provide
splunk
Mini-man seems to be pushing his flock to want to read what is on this unemployed bloggers page that is so threating to Scientology. They are going to want to know what is there. They will get the facts. Public documents and currant information on the leader of there church. They will learn about places they never knew existed, people who have left the church and did not die or or live a homeless life. They will learn to feel with the most valuable organ on the human body. Their heart.
@Barbara
Hello. I just want to tell you that IMHO, “Mini-man” is a great name. It really fits him in most every way. This world sure will be a much better place when he no longer is able to push folks around.
I remember seeing a great quote in some high school yearbook. I can’t remember who said this. But it has always resonated with me. It goes like this:
One individual with their mind made up sure can push around a whole lot of folks.
P.S. I went searching for that quote but couldn’t find it. However, I did find an interesting site that contains many great quotes. Here is one example:
“I don’t know who discovered water, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a fish.” – (Marshall McLuhan and others)
http://conal.net/quotes.htm
Why does Scientology still have tax exemption? Because the IRS as as a federal agency is subject to the Iron Law of Bureaucracy (No effort is made than is necessary to collect a paycheck).
Scientologists!
Tony Ortega bad bad bad
Curious?
After reading today’s blog, I got an idea for a potential subject for one of your future podcasts. It has nothing specific to do with fair game and so I’m not suggesting you use this on one of your upcoming podcasts. But maybe in the next go round.
I would like to see you do a podcast with the subject, “Speculation about the end of the cult”.
I anticipate two major sub-topics. The first would be speculation about how much longer things will last and when will it all collapse – either under the weight of it’s own debts or thanks to law enforcement and our secure penitentiaries. Are you listening DAVEY BOY? I’m shouting out the word, “PENITENTIARY”! I’m taking a page from Jere Lull’s book and hoping he wont object to my doing so. (see his post below).
The second sub-topic should be a lot more fun. It would be speculating just how the cult will collapse and what the various probabilities are that it will die in a number of different ways.
I would think many people could have a whole lot of fun with this topic and I hope that if you decide to do something on the end of this cult… I hope you would have a rollicking good time doing that!
I just hope the truth will not be that it will continue to wither away but will always be present in some form or another. That would be most unfortunate.
No problem, Skyler. 😉 🤪
The more we cause his head to pound, the more likely it is that he’ll make a mistake — like standing still long enough to be “properly served”.
HEY TWERP!!! GET YOUR SCRAWNY BUTT OFF THE FLOOR AND INTO YOUR OFFICE TO DRIVE YET ANOTHER NAIL INTO SCN’S COFFIN!!!
A global pandemic.
25 million Americans currently unemployed.
30 million without health insurance.
More layoffs expected.
Businesses and livelihoods crumbling.
Multi $billion “church” with volunteer workforce requests PPP bailouts to keep lights on.
Church volunteer begins whining about self-employed journalist.
Clearly thinks not being on a corporate payroll is shameful.
During a global economic crisis with mass unemployment.
Despite large number of scientology churches boarded up, seemingly abandoned.
Church renews hate campaign protesting journalist’s supposed hate campaign.
Racist hate campaign against Farsecian immigrants continues unabated
As does ordering members to sever ties with loved ones who speak out
Whilst charging $200-$1000 per hour for supposedly life-saving therapy
During a global economic and mental health crisis
“Clearly thinks not being on a corporate payroll is shameful”
This is another hilarious turn of truthful phrase about Scientology…then when it suits them “You are on the payroll of Big Pharma!”
So which is it COB? An unemployed blogger or a Big Pharma lackey.
“Clearly thinks not being on a corporate payroll is shameful”
Well, ain’t that SPECIAL! I wonder what he would think if Tony O and Mike and Leah WERE on a corporate payroll — like Big Pharma? STAAD already has accused them (and us) of that. NOW The STAAD folks correct their earlier assertions against the courageous crimefighters out on the fringes of the Internet and deride them for being currently unemployed — like 10-20% of American working stiffs.
Leah doesn’t have to be supported by Big Pharma, as she has any number of shows she could STAR in, or she could once again CREATE an Emmy-winning show if she chose to. She’s still proving she’s got true star power. Contrast that with Krusty, whose last outings were total flops; Does ANYONE remember them for any reason but how BAD they were?
and TC: Is he actually going to EVER do a show that requires acting chops? (karate-chopping the air into submission while fake-running doesn’t count.)
And the Mini-man must really hate folks like me who arranged our lives so we could RETIRE and not be beholden to any corporations, mustn’t he? He may have LOADS of money and STUFF and people he controls, but he’s STILL in constant hiding; I and many posting here aren’t hiding from nobody, least of all the tiny tyrant
Your point shows up the vapid and useless nature of this – whatever it is. The only thing that is absolutely clear is that whatever they call themselves – this planet would be far better off without them.
With the ‘politics of personal destruction’ en Vogue these days, it’s hard to figure out who’s modeling whom, Scientology or “woke” PC (Politically Correct) culture.
Slow hand Eddie Parkin is just typing for his paycheck. Content be damned, as long as he is bashing someone and praising the dear leader COB, he’ll get his paycheck.
Zee:
Eddie is merely taking dictation from Davey-Boy. And Dear Leader ain’t paying nobody, least of all Eddie & the rest of STAAD who might have one thing to write once a month if Dave feels like employing them for some “DEVASTATING put-down” or other.
scientology has no clue that its actions DRIVE people to Tony’s site and others on the InterWebZ where a few “unemployed bloggers” in the “fringes” of the Internet are systematically destroying scientology’s ability to lie without restraint. Though “unemployed”, he and they are creating enough effect that the evil organization MUST sit up and take notice.
‘MORNING DAVEY! (Shouting intended to exacerbate his hangover.😍
That has always been one of the most entertaining aspects in the battle to end this cult.
They either don’t realize that it is their own actions that cause all of the push back they suffer or they continue to do stupid stuff that inevitably results in events they complain are caused by other people (like Tony Ortega). I hope that one day someone will prepare a document (with pictures) that reports the history of all the stupid things they have done which have caused most of their biggest problems.
The funniest aspect of this is much like the old Uncle Remus (sp?) story about the tar baby. The harder they push, the more they push themselves out of existence. If it wasn’t for all the terrible abuse and suffering, it would be a thing of beauty!
I have a message for the idiots who lead that cult. The problem is not Tony Ortega. The problem is your own actions that are based on your own stupidity!
Skyler observed:
“They either don’t realize that it is their own actions that cause all of the push back they suffer or they continue to do stupid stuff that inevitably results in events they complain are caused by other people (like Tony Ortega)”
The only things Scientology reliably creates are ENEMIES by their actions.
The scientology-watcher’s sites were each created by folks who were NOT enemies to begin with. That came later.
Better give Tony’s wife a heads up on some of Dave/Eds previous tactics. She might want to notify her employers mailroom to be on the lookout for some of Daves and or Eds old used dildos.
Yo Dave,
Seems as though your tactic of sending out some of yer fine sexware to Moniques employer worked so well that yer gonna have Ed do the same? Remember, when in the Cult (and other unworkable situations) keep on doin what never works.
And whatdaryadoin behind all that plywood in yer mORGues good buddy? Looks like You have an ideal situation on yer hands. Bored em up to protect the un Pee Tee Ess and use it as cover to explain why there is no one left to manage yer grift centers.
Was it Howard Cosell who said it best? “Turn out the lights ……….the parties ohhhhh verrrrrrrr!” It was one of those guys on Monday night football oh so many years ago. Now it’s yer turn Dave! Sing along with all of us on the blog ……….. one, two, threee ……..”Turn out ………..you got it Dave …….Merry Christmas big boy!
May the tiny twerp FINALLY get what he DESERVES, which might require a liver transplant. I’m told that exercise is no bed of roses.
Larry Niven used to write about organ transplarts.
“Remember, when in the Cult (and other unworkable situations) keep on doin what never works.”
Only NOW, do it RIGHT, CICSs!
All failures are others’ misdeeds, all “successes” are his BRILLIANCE,(in theTwit’s™ warped calculation).
It was Don Meridith after he retired and went on to Monday Night Football who was singing.
Newcomer,
Santa’s present for Davey-Boy is a small piece of coal; too small to use for heating any of those monstrosities. The utility companies will take care of turning off the lights, eventually.
Hope we don’t get super-cold temps this year, Davey, or your water bills after the pipes burst will be AMAZING, straight up, VERTICAL!
Couldn’t happen to a more deserving (dis)organization.
What, no mention of a PI hired by $ci being convicted of hacking into Tony’s EMail.
Gordon asked:
“What, no mention of a PI hired by $ci being convicted of hacking into Tony’s EMail.”
Of COURSE not. scientology doesn’t often publicize it’s failures, per se.
Gordon,
That PI wasn’t hired by *scientology*, he was hired by a LAWYER, who happens to sometimes do some work for a random, low-level scientologist.
NO, he was hired by a scientology (and scientologist) PI, Dave Lubow.
Mike, I’m sure you’re right:
“he was hired by a scientology (and scientologist) PI, Dave Lubow.”
But I was anticipating scientology’s reaction to the revelation.
Or was Lubow’s connection revealed in the trial? (I’m too lazy to look it up and I didn’t know the principals as well as you might have so I didn’t bother to remember the trivia.
Scientology has it all wrong. There are only a few ex-Scientologists who actually support Tony Ortega. I gave him in 2015 the story about original OT VIII on the Freewinds in 1988. He never appreciated the story and still was antagonistic to me and my supporters. He further stopped real research into the real essence pf Scientology. Scientology should actually be praising Tony. He is helping Scientology; they just cannot see it because of blindness.
George – I don’t know the whole story but your statement with the corroboration of some other people about Hubbard saying on the original OTVIII that Jesus was a lover of young boys and Hubbard saying he was Lucifer, there other people who continue to doubt its authenticity. Maybe Ortega wants to stay with more factually provable examples of scn abuses.
Anyhow, in the overall picture of abusive cults who knows how many cult leaders are claiming to be Jesus, Buddha or direct messengers of God? The general public might be more interested in their actions rather than their claims.
I think Tony just wanted the story. He looked at it as “bizzare” in his own words.
George, if nothing else, Tony is making it seem as if Scientology has a smidgeon of relevance in today’s real world; Any PR is good PR, don’cha know?
Actually I agree. Better to ignore Scientology now.
My New Year’s resolution 2010 & each year since was to ignore scn as long as I can. SOMEtimes, I can go a couple of days.
“Scientology has it all wrong.”
You’re exactly right if you stop right there, George. No need to get more specific.
How did he stop “real research into the real essence of Scientology”?
If you have things to say and reveal, there’s a whole Internet out there where you can publish it. I’d encourage you to do that so we can see how really real it is.
Tony and I had a fight over an article published in the academic community which was a good article but had a small error. The article was withdrawn.
George M. White said:
“Scientology should actually be praising Tony. He is helping Scientology; they just cannot see it because of blindness.”
Hello George. Please excuse me for suggesting a change to your statement. I may be wrong to do this and if so, I will apologize to you. But in most cases, the reasons why they do most anything invariably includes stupidity. So I would suggest changing that to:
“Scientology should actually be praising Tony. He is helping Scientology; they just cannot see it because of their blindness and stupidity.“
Tubby only ever cared about one thing. Money. The current asshole seems to only care about that as well.
As a result, they do everything that was written down for them to do without ever thinking twice about it. It doesn’t matter whether it makes sense or not. It doesn’t matter how incredibly stupid it may be. They follow the will of tubby blindly. Willful blindness.
They don’t even realize when they are behaving stupidly because in their minds, they follow one mantra and only one mantra. It goes like this – over and over again.
“Do what tubby says. Do what tubby says. Do what tubby says.”
Over and over. It never stops.
Skyler, to tell the truth, TUBBY had a secondary purpose; to continue his OTO studies and enslave as many people, spirits, whatever, as he could. My guess is that was how Satanists like him “kept score”. It didn’t take him much effort at all to best Crowley’s score. Book 1 by itself achieved that.
scientology burst all records. THEN he retired to his own little “kingdom” as he hid from all those he owed debts to.
@George: Ortega is a never-in, as am I and the vast majority of the population.
The “essence” of Hubtard’s lunacy may be of interest to members or former members, but it is too much information for a never-in. We don’t know the vocabulary and we have no desire to learn it because it is useless outside of the cult. The same is true of whatever BS Hubtard put together to convince people he had all the answers. The only answers “he” had were stolen from actual scientific research that had already been published by credible sources.
It must have taken a huge amount of work for you to dissect and try to explain the essence of the cult’s beliefs. Such information belongs on a web site that is dedicated to that narrow interest. Like minded people could gather there, contribute their own research, and discuss the topic in depth. Having it all in one place would provide a valuable service to those that study cults, alternative religion, etc. It might even reach some current members and open their eyes.
A web site has to have a clearly defined mission and should confine its content to that which advances that mission. Ortega’s mission is to bring attention to the fact that the cult engages in numerous activities that are criminal, violate human rights, defraud the IRS, and violate public policy. The cult does all of that with impunity and he does a very good job of exposing the need for that to stop.
Well said, Susan. Tony can’t be all things to all people. As he is quick to reveal, he discovered his interest, his “beat” some years ago, and has been pounding the pavement of his beat ever since. I know from personal experience that he can be short tempered, can jump to unfounded conclusions, and can associate a person’s beliefs about Subject A based on their beliefs about completely different Subject X. But then, don’t we all do that to a certain extent?
As for George M. White, he has told his story of ‘Original OT VIII” multiple times, so often I think I could recite the essence of it easily. But he does not seem to have many supporters either here or on the Bunker, why that is I don’t know. Personally I find hid explanations of the ‘essence’ of Scientology’s underpinnings as hard to comprehend as the drivel of Hubbard himself, and if I hear the name of Blavatsky one more time I may even bother to look it up on Wikipewdia; generally, all those claims of Buddism, Satanism, Blavatsky, the guy with the crazy hat Crowley, et al, reveal to me that some people give Hubbard much more thought than he ever deserved. He was a narcissist, a congenital liar, a guy who always needed to be top dog, and was willing to put his supporters in dangerous situations to prove it: overboarding, locking in chain lockers, sending to clean bilges for years at a time, and attacking anyone who might ever seem to steal any of his thunder. I doubt Hubbard ever read a book in his life, much less studied esoteric writings of spacey bohemians…
Hubbs stiffed everyone he ever came in contact with in some form or another. You can say psychopath, sociopath, obsessive-compulsive, manic depressive, drug addict, malignant narcissist, and a host of similar psych terms, but what it really boils down to is Hubbard was a master con man, able to weave short cons into long cons seamlessly, at least in the minds of his indoctrinated minions. Oddly enough, an eighth grade dropout with no identifiable skills, except a propensity to fall back on junior-high-school bully-isms and cussing, was able to triple Hubbard’s take from the scam, and do it while not uttering even a single word of Scientology or the Bridge or Ethics or anything of his own creation, except to re-issue Hubbard’s works minus a few misplaced commas. And Miscavige, the runt of the Scientology litter, managed to pull in somewhat more than five times the pure tax-free cash, compared to Hubbard’s con game, and he did it in about the same thirty-something year span, and with a fast-shrinking base of minions to boot. Hell, I’d bet nearly anything that DM is completely ignorant of Crowley, Blavatsky, Buddha, Satan, Jesus, or any of those guys supposedly to be behind Hubbs’ weird space tale, yet somehow he has cleaned up financially.
Now, the fun will be seeing if DM gets to spend much of his loot.
Hubbard had too much to say about too many subjects to say he never read or studied. He didn’t become a master hypnotist by being a natural. Many of the words and terminology in scn are lifted directly from spiritualism and the occult.
Hubbard wanted to smash his name into history. DM will just be a footnote as the “leader of L. Ron Hubbard’s Scientology” for as long as he lasts.
These posts hit the subject quite well. A Never-in has no interest in Blavatsky or the history of Satanism. In fact, I know hundreds of people who instantly left Scientology with no trace of desire to understand it. On the other hand, my situation was different. For some unknown reason, I had to overturn every assumption that Hubbard made in order to reach sanity. It took almost thirty years but that is the truth.
One more point. Setting up a website with all of the information is not a project I can even attempt at present. The blog is my only outlet.
Maybe someone that already has a site would be willing to give you an area to share your research. There are sites dedicated to cults that don’t even mention scientology. Maybe it is because the site owner doesn’t know anything about it and doesn’t have 30 years to figure it out. Check around! You never know who might be out there looking for exactly what you have! Good luck!
There still seems to be a problem with comments disappearing. Maybe submitting a comment while comments are in moderation is the problem? At any rate here’s my third attempt. Nothing important, just general conversation.
Just as a guess maybe half of the world population maintains some sort of religious belief so there is still a market and interest for religious scholars and others to opine about the background and sources of recognized religions and NRMs, New Religious Movements.
In 1950 there were about 2 billion humans walking around and today there are almost 8 billion so obviously humans have been fruitful and multiplied.
Here’s a “World Population Clock”.
https://www.worldometers.info/
Susan, are you describing a Wiki? If so, at least one has already been created and it gives Scientology a fairly good “fair and balanced” overview, far better than *I* could write.
I don’t know what site that would be but Wiki has an article listing over 200 supposed “New Religious Movements”.
Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (or) Pastafarianism has a “Type” listing as Parody.
Scientology has a type listing as UFO-Psychic-New Age.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_new_religious_movements
Curiosity killed the cat. Word clearing brought him back.
From Wiki:
The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM) is the deity of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or Pastafarianism. Pastafarianism (a portmanteau of pasta and Rastafarianism) is a social movement that promotes a light-hearted view of religion and opposes the teaching of intelligent design and creationism in public schools. According to adherents, Pastafarianism is a “real, legitimate religion, as much as any other”.[3] It has received some limited recognition as such.[4][5][6][7][8]
The “Flying Spaghetti Monster” was first described in a satirical open letter written by Bobby Henderson in 2005 to protest the Kansas State Board of Education decision to permit teaching intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public school science classes.[9] . . . .
UH-OH, I’m on a word chain. This is the last one I’m looking up. haha
Rastafari, also known as Rastafarianism and the Rastafari Movement, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of the movement and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Rastafari, Rastafarians, or Rastas.
Rasta beliefs are based on a specific interpretation of the Bible. Central is a monotheistic belief in a single God, referred to as Jah, who is deemed to partially reside within each individual. Rastas accord Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia between 1930 and 1974, key importance; many regard him as the Second Coming of Jesus and Jah incarnate, while others see him as a human prophet who fully recognised the inner divinity in every individual. Rastafari is Afrocentric and focuses attention on the African diaspora, which it believes is oppressed within Western society, or “Babylon”. Many Rastas call for this diaspora’s resettlement in Africa, a continent they consider the Promised Land, or “Zion”. Some practitioners extend these views into black supremacism. Rastas refer to their practices as “livity”. Communal meetings are known as “groundations”, and are typified by music, chanting, discussions, and the smoking of cannabis, the latter regarded as a sacrament with beneficial properties. Rastas emphasise what they regard as living “naturally”, adhering to ital dietary requirements, twisting their hair into dreadlocks, and following patriarchal gender roles.
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Because of its popularity and exposure, the Flying Spaghetti Monster is often used as a contemporary version of Russell’s teapot—an argument that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon those who make unfalsifiable claims, not on those who reject them. Pastafarians have engaged in disputes with creationists, including in Polk County, Florida, where they played a role in dissuading the local school board from adopting new rules on teaching evolution.[13] Pastafarianism has received praise from the scientific community and criticism from proponents of intelligent design.
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Russell’s teapot is an analogy, formulated by the philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), to illustrate that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making unfalsifiable claims, rather than shifting the burden of disproof to others.
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There – Now I’m done!
Last entry – promise
Looking again I see that wiki is just saying the “Pastaferians” just borrowed “ferianism” and put it together with Pasta to get the moniker and wasn’t comparing the two subjects.
Anyhow, here’s a short overview with some funny pictures of people wearing colanders.
https://www.dictionary.com/e/religion/flying-spaghetti-monster/?itm_source=parsely-api
On further reading of Pastafariansim I think the Wiki article linking it to Rastafarianism is incorrect. I see no direct association and I think the name Pasta-farianism is just a pun. They have some social and political views which seem to be mainly a statement or protest to governmental acceptance “recognized religions” with their “far fetched” mystical beliefs.
To make their point some of them claim wearing a colander as headgear is a “religious practice” and a few of them have been able to get a drivers license and even a political appointment here and there while wearing one and being sworn in!
That’s just my take from a bit of reading and it was a rather interesting rabbit hole to investigate. I thought the whole thing was just a joke but apparently some people take it “rather” serioiusly.
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree. I have never seen Tony say anything antagonistic or disparaging about you, and I’ve been reading the Bunker for years. The story you reference is respectful of you.
He’s a mere human being and not perfect by any means, but I have never seen any of what you’re saying, either.
https://tonyortega.org/2014/06/24/up-the-bridge-we-finally-reach-ot-8-but-was-its-first-version-really-a-hoax/
The funny thing is that Tony Ortega is way more popular (and obviously interesting) than the official COS website and included in that Miscavige and Hubbard.
Scientology.org ranks at 123,021 in Alexa
Tonyortega.org ranks at 76,727
Oh and Standleague.org at 1,327,077. Maybe even less when You discount the SPs reporting to Mike Rinder. I guess John P. Capitalist is correct in asserting that Scientology and Hubbard are as popular as ebola coated kiddie porn would be.
IMHO, It’s not hard to understand why most any site would be more popular than the drivel produced by scamatology’s site.
Just imagine you were responsible for producing that site and while you worked, there was an evil dwarf standing behind you carrying a whip and every time you wrote something, he would scream at you and give you a tremendous thumping and use the whip to draw blood. Of course, this is assuming that he can huff and puff and try to give you as big a thumping as possible. But you would just laff under your breath because he was unable to give you much of a beating.
However, the site you produced would be seriously bland. I’m sure you can understand why it would be so bland.
The incident happened several years ago, Tony would never attack me or anyone for that matter. I think Tony is afraid of the academic community and ironically follows Hubbard’s views and policy in that respect. Tony is Tony and I accept him for what he is doing. The article in question was withdrawn and I lost some top quality academic people who were looking into Scientology.
Afraid of the academic community? I don’t see that at all. Quite the opposite, actually.
Yes he has no respect for the academic community
Unless you’re referring to the instances where he’s called out particular academics who certainly fall under the apologist category, I haven’t seen the disrespect you speak of.
+1
your blanket statements are irritating me.
(paraphrase) “he didn’t appreciate me, he didn’t like my paper….”
fine. tell your story.
but
“he has no respect for the academic community”
and
“only a few ex-Scientologists who actually support Tony Ortega”.
are both just nonsense.
That’s absolutely right. A “few” implies about three people, so that’s absurd considering how many exes read Tony’s blog every day, make posts, and support what he does. I could name at least 50 off the top of my head… and of course there’s more.
+1 back at ya!
“There are only a few ex-Scientologists who actually support Tony Orega”
Are you kidding?
How did you arrive at such a conclusion?
I have read through the comments, to see how this statement from you stands, but there’s no meat.
How have you arrived at the conclusion that “only a FEW” of us support him?
………
I for one, am an Ex who can clearly see his decades of contribution to the truth coming out.
I’d have HIS back on a rainy night.
I for one, am an Ex who can clearly see his decades of contribution to the truth coming out.
100% agree