The fabulous “ideal” orgs that have been opened are “proof” (at least in the mind of scientologists) that things are peachy-keen in the shrinking world of scientology. But reality is starkly different.
Old Ron would be turning in his grave like the cartoon Tasmanian Devil I used to see on the Looney Tunes as a kid if he saw what was ACTUALLY going on in these orgs.
Here is the latest news from Inglewood:
Mocktails? Artisinal cupcakes? Paint-n-Savor? Free hair product samples? And who the hell is “Stuff’T”?
And for only $25?
Here is what Hubbard wrote in one of his last policy letters, aptly titled “The Business of Orgs”
Wonder what any of this stuff in Inglewood has to do with “setting people free”?
Apparently it is just the latest idea for a “bait and switch” — get “bodies in the shop” under any pretext and then hit them with the scientology hard sell…
Or perhaps this place truly has just turned into another “squirrel group”?
Either way, it is indicative of a scientology world that is literally disappearing before our very eyes.
Three billion dollars should be enough for Miscavige to sustain his VIP illusion for the rest of his natural lifespan. Especially when he can continue to hand out religious worker visas like M&M’s. When he’s gone, things will collapse.
OK … All cleared up. Just checked the website … Hair products for Black people … Inglewood … Get it?
Can this org BE more insulting? And charging them 25 bucks too???
I’ve been out for13 years and I still find this embossing …
Not embossing … EMBARASSING!
*Is there a “reverse” nobel prize for the idiots who invented the spell “correct” ????
Geez! Back in the day, at least we didn’t CHARGE people to help us get the Bodies in the Shop stat up … of course we weren’t sharp enough to offer SPECIALLY CRAFTED mocktails and ARTISANAL cupcakes … (as opposed to pedestrian mixed mocktails and baked cupcakes) …
*are you sure this promo wasn’t an Augustine satire?
Cupcakes: the perfect comfort food when cognitive dissonance makes you uncomfortable.
Nail …………. meet hammer!
And I would add ……. leave off the ARTIS and just go for straight ANAL CUPCAKES. That’s the way Davey Poo likes em.
We’re getting reports that the “idle” orgs are truly empty, and unable to pay staff more than token amounts if at all – and that in spite of the “you can have it all campaign” featuring couples including children, and rumors staff would start to get base pay that actually amounted to something. I hope that those with inside information will chip in with more detail about what’s really going on with the orgs.
Is this a joke question Peacemaker? The “inside” information is available OUTSIDE of every org if one looks. And that info is that there are almost no public at any non-SO org and thus no pay to speak of
Wynski, there are a number of key secrets of the orgs about which we seem to know almost nothing. For instance, we get consistent reports that even the “idle morgues” have 24 to 48 staff members total between “day” and “foundation” orgs – so are there really 12 to 24 people on each shift, or are many of those positions part-time? And who makes up the typical 30 to 50 people we see in org event photos, is it half people who are on staff (if only part-time) and half public, meaning Scientology has a ridiculous ratio of staff to active members?
Counting cars, or walking around the perimeter of an org with a video camera for 10 or 20 minutes, at some random time, doesn’t necessarily tell us much very specific. If staff and members are carpooling and using public transportation, or if orgs make an effort to keep people from coming and going when video cameras are outside, then such measures could be very skewed. And in Southern California in particular, they don’t seem to account for where at least a thousand or two public come from, who attend the big events at the Shrine Auditorium (on top of Sea Org used to help fill the 6,300 seat venue).
Then there are questions such as how many orgs are completely insolvent, and rely on donations from local “whales” or the forgiveness of payments due “uplines” in order to even keep the lights on and the doors open. There were old reports of a couple of orgs (and missions) in such straits, but nothing recent to really tell us about the state of things.
There are reports from Scientology’s heyday that there were often times there was no pay even when orgs were booming and pulling in money, and staff had to moonlight to make ends meet; the CofS financial system is designed to suck all the money “uplines” regardless of the state of things, so lack of pay doesn’t necessarily tell us much either, unless it can somehow be quantified as being even worse, and more irregular, than it ever has been before.
Untrue. YOU don’t know. I DO know. Peacemaker, ALL it takes is looking…
George M White,
Which orgs (or missions) in California had statues of the Buddha in the 70s?
I was at most of them at one time or another and never saw a one.
It was reported on Marty Rathbun’s blog in about 2010. I do not remember the names but one of them was one of the most successful missions. I personally only travelled to LA in the 1970’s. If Rathbun’s blogs a re still active it might be possible to do a match. There was even a video about it as I recall.
I do not recall who posted it.
Here’s another reason that Still Ins donate to what they know isn’t working, i.e., that boondoggle we spoof as the Ideal Morgue Program: They donate because writing a check is easy. They can’t/don’t/won’t join staff. They can’t/don’t/won’t bring in new raw public. What’s “needed and wanted” to expand Scientology is IMPOSSIBLE TO DO in viable numbers. So, they write a check, and PRETEND TO BELIEVE that their doing this is creating the expansion of Scientology. Now, they KNOW this isn’t true. But, then, Miscavige TELLS them it is! So, even though there’s NO evidence of expansion, COB is telling them that Scientology is expanding because of their Ideal Morgue donations! Sooo, its OK to believe this. AND, since they’re NOT going to do what would ACTUALLY be necessary to expand Scientology (regardless of whether they’re aware of the impossibility of doing so, given Scn’s toxic PR) giving money is the PERFECT solution for them. Write a check! Easy-peasy! And Miscavige KNOWS all of this and is totally manipulating them – manipulating their money out of them with ruthless contempt, because he KNOWS that even if they WERE willing to join staff and all the rest of it – even if they WERE able to devote themselves utterly to the cult in order for it to expand – even if they were, every one of them, TOTALLY gung ho and chomping at the bit to do this, he KNOWS it would be impossible ANYWAY. So he manipulates them thru their guilt and sense of responsibility. He lies to them and tells them that their donations are created expansion. And they’re VERY happy to believe him!
True. The tax deductions are also a factor. They were for me.
OMG, That is exactly what I did. Great post.
Hair-confidence.com is on line. At first they wanted me to subscribe to their site but I did try again and got their contact info. I’m wondering if it’s like Avon and individuals actually sell their products. Some Scientologists seem a little over confident. Do you think it’s their hair product? I would really like to know. Lol.
HAIR confidence?
And they’re serious!
This is no joke!
Yo, Inglewood –
Did you SURVEY this?
Because you are KILLING me here, Inglewood!
Did you survey your field about what off-line off-purpose utterly trivial issue is sticking the attention units of your parishioners and come up with THIS?
They’re not going up the Bridge because…they don’t feel good about their HAIR.
You win, Inglewood.
Bless your little other-fish-fryin’ hearts, you WIN!
The Mike Rinder Wrong Why Award is YOURS, no question about it!
Its also known as The Nothing Can Be Done About It (Because You Can’t Fix Stupid Award).
Well done!
Much love,
Aqua
That is a terrific post Aqua! Frickin hillarious …………… and true.
Oh my! Aqua is one of the best and all her posts are terrific.
People come here from miles around just to read Aqua’s posts.
When it comes to the truth about this criminal cult, Aqua is never all wet.
Newcomer, Try and Guess, Peter,
High praise indeed!
Thank you; much appreciated.
Beautifully described, Aqua! And funny, as well as accurate.
Thanks, Peter 🙂
If Scn worked, people would actively FSM more and more, (and more successfully), the further up the bridge they got.
But that’s not what happens, is it? Polar opposite in fact.
(Course, if Scn worked, we’d all be flying around out of our bodies, having piggyback unicorn races in the clouds.)
The professional FSMs they laud, trophy, and acclaim don’t bring in new people, they cannibalize existing publics. And these days there are a dozen straight donos to reg for, FSMs don’t even have to get public on to service. Prior to the IAS, the only way to make money as an FSM was to get people IN AND ON.
New people bring new people in. Old people just eat each other.
Aqua, I think you’re definitely on to something there. I’ve suspected that aging members continue to give money if only because they can’t come to terms with the possibility that it’s all been a waste – the sunk costs bias, throwing good money after bad. And it’s certain that Scientology has figured out how to exploit that and the sort of dynamics you describe.
@ Peacemaker,
In other words like what Mark Twain said about how people can prefer to go on being fools rather than admit they’ve been fooled…something like that. Well, I can relate 🙂 Not easy to confront that one has been a gullible jackass for the greater part of one’s adult life but it has to be done. Now, if you’ll excuse me I think I’d like to write a Success Story 🙂
I think that’s a good idea what they’re doing. Maybe they’ll get the ball rolling and start turning
more Orgs into bakeries. Artisanal cupcakes, pies and cookies. Mmmm, sounds delicious. But no charging $5,000.00 per cupcake no matter how enlightened the chef is.
Just thinking about donating 5k for one of their analcakes makes me feel so Oh Tea!
Speakin of Analcakes, where is Howard Becker anyway?
I have nothing very intelligent to say but, Overun, that was VERY funny! I can just picture the Kyalami Castle and our local org down the road ….. bakeries …..HAHAHAHA
The Hubster would have gone nuke-lee-ar when the IAS started awarding trophies for donations. Or maybe he would have happily handed out those trophies. He did evolve the scam during his lifetime and he did order the mission massacre. He was all about the Benjamins and any excuse would do.
But I really doubt that he’d go the Ideal mOrg route. Lron was always cheap when it came to surroundings.
Stuff’t appears to be a food truck/caterer: https://www.facebook.com/stufftplates/
My guess is that they were hired to provide the cupcakes for this event and that they are probably not affiliated with Scientology. It would be nice if someone would point them to Mike’s blog…
I drove by the Valley Org today and saw lots of cars parked in their parking lot. It puzzled me, but only for a minute. I wondered how the Valley Org, which has not a lot of public, can fill a parking lot in the middle of a work day, and there is not even a big event going on. Then it came to me: to help pay their huge light bill and heating bill for the huge space, they have taken in paying business people who pay to park there and then walk the short distance to their work or to shopping or wherever they are going. I think they’re earning money from turning it into a public parking lot.
Cindy is that the big lot across the street from the building? It’s always been empty and chained off before. LOL Parking for Payroll.
They have 3 other places to park around their building – I’m assuming its not those.
Also when I watched one day, it seems like there is crew bearthing there – free rent for your 20 hours staff duty?
Cece, Yes it is the lot across from the building. But crew berthing is a new one for me. I”ll have to drive by and check it out. Thanks.
Cindy, I parked along their side entrance for about 9 hours one day. I watched as people went into side doors (West side) and came out and left in cars in street clothing. I’ve seen mention of other ideal orgs having breathing. I’m sure it would make it easier to get staff.
Cece, I don’t remember seeing details – how many people did you see coming and going, and do you have any guess as to how many were staff versus public?
Thanks for taking time to do a real stakeout and count!
Peacemaker, to be honest, I didn’t do a stake out. I was driving by there on my way to an appointment. I didn’t see anyone coming in or going out, but I was only there a few minutes as I drove to and from my appointment. It was on the way. But the parking lot was pretty full whereas other times it has been empty but for one or two cars. I think they are selling parking to pay light bill.
By now most members must realize that Miscavige is not the least bit interested in practicing the official Hubbard version of either Dianetics or Scientology. He’s nowhere to be found when it comes to OT levels, or being on staff, or taking courses, or running around poles, or taking massive doses of Niacin and sitting in a sauna.
The apple-box apostate doesn’t even donate to the IAS, fer cryin out loud!
What’s a Scilon to do if their Pope quits worshiping Source?
The answer is clear: bake cupcakes.
Great comment
It’s mind boggling that it’s come to this.
The 1982 purges and the Mission Holder’s Massacre had this kind of stuff right in the crosshairs.
And now it’s gone full circle – minus the public.
The irony is the best thing you can do to “set yourself free” is to leave the $cientology money-making cult forever – STAT!
When I walked into the Scientology Mission in New York in 1972, Scientology was unknown and was something new. I wasted seventeen years and $125,000 on it. OT VIII was a total joke. They could have told me in 1972 that Hubbard was on an ego trip and wanted to be Satan. It would have saved a lot of time and money. But now in 2019, Scientology has been revealed for the scam that it is. Now they need to use gimmicks. It took years for me to rip into Hubbard’s mind and eliminate the BS. It turns out that one could use the master plan of Satan in Milton’s “Paradise Lost” to actually track Hubbard’s attitudes, his technology and his deceptions. When I looked at that massive Tone Scale Chart in 1972, I needed to read Brian Lambert’s analysis of it presented on this blog. They should have had an image of Satan posted in the Mission instead of the pictures of Hubbard. Seriously, this guy Hubbard was a con artist nut case. There is no greater proof than Hubbard’s absurd assertions to have been the Buddha in his past life. Total nonsense but it illustrates the flaws in Hubbard. It was such a big lie that it was not questioned in the early years especially in California where the largest orgs had prominent statues of the Buddha. It is unfortunate that the German and British scholars of the 19th century totally mistranslated the original texts. Hubbard was not aware of the fact that original Buddhism had nothing to do with enlightenment or past lives. He would have avoided linking Scientology to it. In truth Hubbard was misreading the Buddhism which developed long after the Buddha’s death. Hubbard end up as the joke of 21st century religion.
George M. White said:
” Seriously, this guy Hubbard was a con artist nut case. There is no greater proof than Hubbard’s absurd assertions to have been the Buddha in his past life. Total nonsense but it illustrates the flaws in Hubbard. It was such a big lie that it was not questioned in the early years especially in California where the largest orgs had prominent statues of the Buddha.”
George, I was an active California Scientologist from 1973 to 2012, and I never once saw a statue of the Buddha in any org, large or small – and I’ve been to them all, many times.
Ronnie Bell!
Nice to see you here!
We’ve missed you.
Well, at least, I have 🙂
Hi Aqua! I don’t comment much on the blogs anymore, but I read here (and at Tony’s) every day. Thank you for the kind hello.
You’re welcome, and understood, Ronnie. Great to know you’re reading regularly 🙂
Artisanal cupcakes?! Holy cow who would want an Artis anal cupcake! PASS
The Artist’s Anal Cupcakes will be served
with a generous portion of ArseLycus,
at no extra charge.
Peggy, my biggest laugh of the day…so far. But it just might make it to bed time! LOL
Pretty soon the whales will get on stage and there won’t be any clams left to applaud them for stupidly funding the scam. The cult will only consist of DM a few whales and some Sea org people.
Maybe they’re getting desperate to raise the money to pay the utility bills and ‘rent’.
Miners of gold buy their freedom.
Thanks Mike. The Orgs are now spending a great deal of their time and effort on promoting events that feature their social betterment programs like The Way To Happiness, Drug Education & Narconon, Youth For Human Rights and Volunteer Ministers program. And the big fat Celebrity Org in Los Angeles does seminars on how to get cast in movies or learn about social media. And one Sunday a month a local songwriter hosts a Sunday night songfest with her friends and contacts.
It is pretty clear that no one is coming into an org to find out about Scientology.
Thanks to the Aftermath and a host of good books and blogs people find out about the wonderful attributes of the cult on the net. Youtube has a treasure trove of videos of true stories of fraud, abuse, destroying family’s etc that makes Miscavige’s
Scientology TV Network look like an infomercial for fishing rods and kitchen knives.
It’s time for a new documentary.
Someone needs to do a road trip and visit every org in America. And document the empty buildings. It could be called.
“The Ultimate Shell Game, Scientology Church’s In America”
That’s an excellent idea. It’s certainly something that would interest all, including those still trapped in the prison of belief.
“Someone needs to do a road trip and visit every org in America. And document the empty building.”
I would donate to help fund such a road trip!
Possibly there could be several of these going at one time, e.g., a West Coast Road Trip, Southeast, Northeast, Midwest, etc.
Gas, food, motels, etc., – what a worthy cause!
And the trips should be timed for the weekends, when orgs are “busiest”. Of course that’s a joke but if the orgs are sparsely peopled on Saturdays and Sundays then you KNOW they’re total m’orgues on weekdays!
Yes, I would donate to that as well. It would be fascinating.
Mike, do you think Ron may cut his time on Target 2 short to come back to Target 1 and straighten out the situation with the ideal org program? Then maybe head back to Target 2 again after he has straightened out Target 1?
I don’t think so. Target 2 is such fun. I heard there is no media on Target 2. And somehow the psychs missed it. No government. No police. No FBI or IRS. There are no pesky SPs at all. In fact there are no people. Just one lone big being carefully researching how to turn dirt into gold with his mind (he no longer has the need for the encumbrance of a body remember).
But you can bet there is one person on earth who is worried the Commodore might do a “We Come Back” and that is David Miscavige…
Well I have to admit your prediction disappoints me. But thanks for writing back.
“But you can bet there is one person on earth who is worried the Commodore might do a “We Come Back” and that is David Miscavige..”
I doubt that he believes in Flubbard’s “come back.” But, yeah, he sure as hell would worry abot it if he believed it.
Yea, I got an antago telepathic response to that, ” i buried you”
Thus a very tanzmanian devil we come back moment. Wouldn’t want to get buried twice now.
Target two, from my best judgement – which I’m sure y’all know has been awry at times – is that a full disclosure is being prepared and it may involve a mock-up alien invasion. Certainly I’m hoping for a more peaceful diplomatic unfolding of our relations amongst ETs.
I truly hope we can all land safely on our feet after the shake up. And if so – avoid it, so maybe big loner will get to work.
Based on our org local idle morgue (and that’s a slight on morgues), that might be the only way they get anybody in. There were over four hundred staff “employed” at the grand opening just three years ago, combined day and foundation staff. Now there are around thirty combined day and foundation staff. Oh, they do not pay staff every week.
I might drop by if they if they did something like “Bubbly Wine Tasting In The Bubble” or “Whale Watching in the Registration Area”, or perhaps “Going Out Of Business Sale.”
Great ideas, Dotey! The staff went from 400 to 30 in three years? I’ll bet many of the thirty were imported.
I’ll bet All 30 were . . . . Encouraging.
Francis, you stated ” I’ll bet the thirty were imported”. Is that code for trafficked? No, of course the law abiding tiny terror would never risk the IRS tax exempt status to engage in human trafficking…
So, if you’re a public, why would you go to any of these events just to be reg’d? You know if you aren’t there for a service you’re going to get reg’d (or even if you are), so why show up to these things at all?
‘Either way, it is indicative of a scientology world that is literally disappearing before our very eyes.’
With his empire collapsing around him, it won’t be long before the Rabid Runt bolts – Is anyone watching TC’s and JT’s plane hangars?
I hadn’t heard/seen “Rabid Runt” before. Excellent choices, for sure, and so very applicable.