Today in Scientology -- January 4th ***********************************************

[Scientology Today]

Today January 4th in Scientology history
========================================

Judge denies Narconon access
January 4, 1992, AP, Tulsa World
https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/judge-denies-narconon-access/article_9b9bce6f-16ca-572f-846e-a67a705e9c72.html

A controversial substance-abuse treatment center that has been ordered
by the state to close has been denied permission to accept a former
patient who asked to return to the facility.

Tags: Certification, Guy Hurst, Harry Woods, Judge John Amick, Judge Leamon
Freeman, License, Narconon, Narconon Chilocco, Oklahoma Board of Mental
Health and Substance Abuse Services

========================================

Discrimination against Scientology
January 4, 1997, Heber Jentzsch, Letters, St. Petersburg Times
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/16422828.html?FMT=FT&dids=16422828:16422828&FMTS=ABS:FT

The Times' Dec. 22 article, Scientology and Germany: Falling back into
the past, left out nearly everything relevant to the campaign of
discrimination against Scientologists in Germany, everything that would
have conveyed the complete and true picture of the deplorable situation
in Germany.

Tags: Bill Clinton, Clearwater, Congress, Elizabeth Loftus, Germany, Hamburg,
US State Department

========================================

Scientology's Funny Photos
January 4, 2000, Lloyd Grove, The Reliable Source, Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPcap/2000-01/04/059r-010400-idx.html

The Church of Scientology insists that more than 14,000 of its faithful
packed the Los Angeles Sports Arena for a millennial celebration of
Scientology's first 50 years and the "triumph of spirituality over
materialism." To bolster that claim, the church's PR operation posted
four panoramic color photographs of the Dec. 28 event -- for use by the
news media -- on the Scientology Web site. But then Arlington resident
Arnaldo Lerma entered the picture, reports The Post's Richard Leiby.

Tags: Arnaldo Lerma, Bill Clinton, Bogus, Janet Weiland, Richard Leiby

========================================

SCIENTOLOGY'S FUNNY PHOTOS
January 4, 2000, Lloyd Grove, Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/01/04/the-reliable-source/890c3efb-3fe0-4518-89ed-9db65e6f4463/

The Church of Scientology insists that more than 14,000 of its faithful
packed the Los Angeles Sports Arena for a millennial celebration of
Scientology's first 50 years and the "triumph of spirituality over
materialism." To bolster that claim, the church's PR operation posted
four panoramic color photographs of the Dec. 28 event -- for use by the
news media -- on the Scientology Web site. But then Arlington resident
Arnaldo Lerma entered the picture, reports The Post's Richard Leiby.

The 49-year-old Lerma -- an ex-Scientologist who has tangled repeatedly
with church officials since he quit 23 years ago, and today owns an
audio-video and computer business -- immediately thought he spotted
something fishy: He says the crowd scenes were doctored extensively. In
one shot he found repeated images of some attendees -- apparently added
to fill empty seats. The touch-up work left one doppelganger
parishioner with no head. In another shot, a bald man who had been
replicated magically grew hair.

On Friday, Lerma shared his discovery with the media and posted his
findings on an online Scientology discussion group, and on New Year's
Day the church removed two photos altogether and considerably cropped
the remaining two. Yesterday, when Leiby asked church spokeswoman Janet
Weiland for an explanation, she said there was no intent to inflate the
head count. "That was just a goof when they put it up on the Web," she
said. "It was later corrected." She maintained that the celebration was
"absolutely packed . . . there wasn't an empty seat."

Tags: 1996, 1999, ABLE, Arlington, Arnaldo Lerma, Bill Clinton, CBS News,
Janet Weiland, Los Angeles, Mercedes-Benz, New Year's Eve, OT, Police,
Quicky, Richard Leiby, Tony Blair, Vanity Fair, Washington

========================================

The Man in the White Robes
January 4, 2003, Tim Padgett, Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,404193,00.html

Raelians say they worship hard, empirical science. Yet their bond -- a
belief that their prophet, Claude Vorilhon, or Rael, is the son of
extraterrestrials who created humans via cloning -- is a bizarre leap
of faith.

Tags: Raelians

========================================

Who Are the Raelians?
January 4, 2003, Win Van Cappellen, Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,404175,00.html

Saturday morning, Clonaid, a company founded by a religious group
called Raelians, announced the birth of a second "cloned" baby, this
time in Europe. The news comes just days after the sect's first claim
of a successful clone, and has sparked worldwide skepticism -- and
intense curiosity: who are the Raelians and what do they believe?
TIME's Anne Berryman spoke to Raelian Damien Marsic, a Frenchman now
living in the U.S.

Tags: Claude Vorilhon, Clonaid, Raelians

========================================

Broadway Actor Pleads Guilty to Backstage Sex Act With Girl, 15, in 2001
January 4, 2008, Anemona Hartocollis, New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/nyregion/04actor.html

A Broadway actor admitted on Thursday that in 2001 he seduced a
15-year-old girl who visited him backstage, and agreed as part of a
plea bargain to reveal that admission to anybody he works for in film,
television or theater for up to the next three years.

The actor, James Barbour, was accused of having criminal sexual contact
with a high school student who was an aspiring actress when she
attended a performance of "Jane Eyre" in June 2001.

The student's drama teacher arranged for her to visit the Brooks
Atkinson Theater with her parents. Mr. Barbour told Justice Micki A.
Scherer of State Supreme Court in Manhattan that the girl visited him
in his dressing room before the final curtain call and that he fondled
her, knowing that she was only 15 years old.

Tags: 2001, 2006, Associated Press, Florida, Hawaii, James Barbour,
Manhattan, New York

========================================

Mayor: Scientologists' proposed Downtown site 'problematic'
January 4, 2008, New Mexico Business Weekly
https://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2007/12/31/daily26.html

During a Thursday news conference, Chavez cited potential future
problems faced by nearby businesses that serve alcohol. Although the
church has waived its power to protest the obtaining of new liquor
licenses in the area, the mayor wondered if it was possible for such an
agreement to be made legally binding.

Tags: Albuquerque, Martin Chavez, New Mexico, Real estate

========================================

The Warlocks: Interview
January 4, 2008, John Zeiss, Prefix
http://www.prefixmag.com/features/the-warlocks/interview/16491/

You've also worked with Beck in the past. Do you work or keep in touch
with him any more?
BH: No, Beck is in his own little world now. His own little Scientology
world.

Tags: Beck Hansen

========================================

Deaths
January 4, 2009, Obituaries, Tulsa World
https://www.tulsaworld.com/obituaries/deaths/article_0e2a4c51-012b-550e-99e7-1d507e5a470c.html

Canadian - Jean Lafitte, 52, Narconon employee, died Thursday. Services
pending. Hunn, Black & Merritt, Eufaula.

Tags: Jean Lafitte, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Obituary

========================================

German TV drama reopens debate on banning Scientology
January 4, 2010, Hardy Graupner, Deutsche Welle
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5416627,00.html

According to its makers, the aim of the film was to depict the
difficulties facing those who leave Scientology when trying to come to
terms with their lives again and the threats they receive from the
organization.

"We also had to show how people grow fond of the organization in the
first place," screenwriter and director Niki Stein said. "Before you
can criticize Scientology, you ought to make clear what exactly people
hope to gain by joining."

Tags: Germany, Juerg Stettler, Niki Stein, Thomas Gandow, Ursula Caberta

========================================

Operation Clambake presents - L. Ron Hubbard's History of Man
January 4, 2011, quentinkrisp, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_yVzSCbOxs

The Clam FAQ:

http://www.xenu.net/clam_faq.html

Operation Clambake Message Board:

Tags: A History of Man, Operation Clambake

========================================

You Are Free To Use Scientology
January 4, 2011, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/you-are-free-to-use-scientology/

Date coincident with news of Independent Training, Miscavige's
mosquitoes are swarming around all involved. It is quite comical. His
intelligence resources are getting scarcer, and more incompetent, more
rapidly than even we anticipated. I'll try to save him some time. Here
is what we're up to.

Tags: David Miscavige, Independent, Quicky

========================================

Corporate Scientology Infiltrates Debbie Cook
January 4, 2012, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/corporate-scientology-infiltrates-debbie-cook/

I am seeing a lot of comments about Debbie's practice of taking on and
removing friends from Facebook; and a lot tea leaf reading along with it.

Per my friends at Facebook Debbie's account has been hacked into by
Office of Special Affairs (OSA, Corporate Scientology's dirty tricks
department). The intent of the operation is clear. They are filling
Debbie's Facebook friends list with dozens of Independents and others
who proudly wear their excommunication declares. OSA is already
briefing on-line, non-declared corporate Scientologists that Debbie is
"friends" with all of these "notorious" characters. And that is ALL
they need to tell Kool Aid drinkers to get them back in the pen seeing
and hearing no evil. Please do not help OSA do its work.

Please do Debbie Cook a favor and let her get on with the mission she
spelled out in her original e-mail. That is, let Debbie handle the
massive e-mail and phone traffic she is receiving from corporate
Scientologists. There is plenty of that to handle. There are corporate
Scientology threats to handle. There are infiltration attempts to
handle. And there are dozens of kool aid drinkers trying to cave her in.
Don't supply ammunition to these deployed agents.

Tags: David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Facebook, Fundraising, Independent,
Office of Special Affairs, Quicky

========================================

Debbie Cook - Gathering Steam on Day 4
January 4, 2012, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/debbie-cook-gathering-steam-on-day-4/

Tony Ortega at the Village Voice has done a comprehensive, very
accurate story on Debbie Cook, see Scientology In Crisis.

If anyone doubted my report last night as to Miscavige's "handling",
Corporate Scientology Infiltrates Debbie Cook, Ortega's article,
quoting USA Today, provided further confirmation:

Spokesperson Karin Pouw adds that the "positioning" of Cook as a
"prominent Scientology insider" is "inaccurate." She describes her as
"'a disgruntled defector' who has not had any position in the Church
for several years, having left in 2007 for medical reasons."

Tags: 2007, David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Editorial, Karin Pouw, L. Ron
Hubbard, London, Mike Rinder, Quicky, Scientology lawyer, Squirrel, The
Independent, Tony Ortega, USA Today, Village Voice

========================================

Debbie Cook, Former Scientology Executive, Blasts Church Leadership In Email
(VIDEO)
January 4, 2012, Ileana Llorens, Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/04/debbie-cook-former-scientology-leader-church-greedy_n_1183919.html

Debbie Cook, a former executive with the Church of Scientology has
revealed she believes the church has become greedy and corrupt under
the leadership of David Miscavige.

Cook, who worked at the church's Sea Org group in Clearwater, Fla.,
sent an email containing criticisms of the church's management to about
12,000 Scientologists on New Year's Day, according to the Village
Voice, which first broke the story.

Tags: David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Karin Pouw

========================================

Debbie Cook: Leaked Email Blasts Scientology Leader David Miscavige, Sparks
Controversy
January 4, 2012, Nadine DeNinno, International Business Times
https://www.ibtimes.com/articles/276398/20120104/debbie-cook-leaked-email-scientology-david-miscavige.htm

Just minutes into the new year, 50-year-old Cook sent an email to
condemn chairman David Miscavige to more than 12,000 current and former
Scientologists, which has seen been published publically. The email, in
short, delineates how the Church has lost focus within guidelines
established by founder L. Ron Hubbard since Miscavige became chairman
26 years ago and turned it into a money-making machine-like organization.

Tags: David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Karin Pouw, Keep Scientology Working,
Squirrel

========================================

Scientology in Crisis: Debbie Cook's Transformation from Enforcer to
Whistleblower
January 4, 2012, Tony Ortega, Runnin' Scared, Village Voice
https://www.villagevoice.com/2012/01/04/scientology-in-crisis-debbie-cooks-transformation-from-enforcer-to-whistleblower/

Most of the press reporting on Debbie Cook so far has focused on her
past as a high-ranking executive in...

Tags: 1978, 1984, 1989, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, BBC, Blown for Good,
California, Clearwater, CMO Int, Commodore's Messenger Organization,
Congress, David Miscavige, Debbie Cook, Dianetics, Douglas Stanglin, Flag
Land Base, Flag Service Organization, Florida, Harvey Jacques, Int Base,
Internal Revenue Service, Janet Reitman, Jim Carrey, John Sweeney, Karin
Pouw, Marc Headley, Maria Pia Gardini, Marty Rathbun, Mat Pesch, Mike Rinder,
New Year's Eve, North Carolina, Paul Haggis, San Antonio, Scientology and Me,
Sea Org, Squirrel, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Times, Taiwan, Tampa,
Texas, The Hole, Tom Cruise, Tommy Davis, USA Today, Wayne Baumgarten,
Whistleblower

========================================

A Pair of Worn Shoes
January 4, 2013, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher
https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/a-pair-of-worn-shoes/

What does this Vincent Van Gogh painting suggest to you, if anything?

Tags: Quicky

========================================

Blogging Dianetics, Part 1: Vance Woodward Helps Us Parse L. Ron Hubbard's
Masterpiece
January 4, 2013, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2013/01/04/blogging-dianetics-vance-woodward-helps-us-parse-l-ron-hubbards-masterpiece/

In 1950, L. Ron Hubbard published the book that changed his life,
transforming him from a well known writer of pulp fiction into an even
more well known leader of a worldwide organization that came to be
known as the Church of Scientology.

That book was Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, and for
some time we've had plans to examine it in weekly installments, using a
first edition copy of the book that was given to us by researcher Jeff
Jacobsen.

Today, we launch that project, and announce the best part of our plans:
we'll be making use of the invaluable help of ex-Scientologist, Bay
Area lawyer, and writer Vance Woodward.

Tags: 1950, Addicted to Scientology, Astounding Science Fiction, Bridge to
Total Freedom, Brooklyn, Claire Headley, Clear, Dianetics, Jeff Jacobsen,
Lori Hodgson, Mental Health, Nancy Many, New York City, Quicky, Vance Woodward

========================================

Church Of Fear trailer
January 4, 2013, John Sweeney, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtLuQ01rpwk

To see the space alien signs at Trementina Base, look up 'Mesa
Huerfanita' in New Mexico. Track east, see a landing strip, a zig-zaggy
road and north of that: Bingo!

The Church Of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology by John
Sweeney.

Published by Silvertail Books, January 7th, www.silvertailbooks.com

Tags: New Mexico, Quicky, Silvertail Books, The Church Of Fear, Trementina

========================================

Grand Opening: Church of Scientology Greater Cincinnati
January 4, 2013, Scientology, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txtLQwNJKJw

The Church of Scientology Greater Cincinnati celebrated the opening of
its expansive new home Saturday, February 25, 2012. The inauguration
was attended by more than a thousand Scientologists and state, county
and city officials.

Tags: 2012, Cincinnati, Quicky

========================================

John Sweeney's Trailer for His New Book, The Church of Fear
January 4, 2013, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2013/01/04/john-sweeneys-trailer-for-his-new-book-the-church-of-fear/

How's this for a bonus Friday afternoon post - John Sweeney and Marc
Headley driving to Scientology's Trementina Base in New Mexico, footage
that Sweeney has put together as a trailer for his book, The Church of
Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology.

We will have more to tell you about Sweeney's book on Monday. But for
now, enjoy this fun moment in the New Mexico desert.

Tags: John Sweeney, Marc Headley, New Mexico, The Church of Fear, The Church
of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology, Trementina, Vault

========================================

Pollution at St Hill
January 4, 2013, Axiom142, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgjt8eR1K4w

Pollution of watercourse by improperly treated sewage from the private
sewage plant operated by the Church of Scientology at the UK
headquarters at St Hill Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex, UK.

This videos shows the callous disregard that the CoS has for the health
of the surrounding environment and was filmed over several days between
Sep and Dec 2012.

http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.
php?30033-Dirty-Cult&p=766910&viewfull=1#post766910

Tags: 2012, East Grinstead, Saint Hill, UK, Video, West Sussex

========================================

The Church of Scientology Responds to "The Tip of the Spear"
January 4, 2013, Karin Pouw, Los Angeles Magazine
http://www.lamag.com/thejump/2013/01/04/the-church-of-scientology-responds-to-the-tip-of-the-spear

Rathbun misrepresents his history in the Church claiming a high
position to inflate his status. Rathbun was never part of the Church's
international ecclesiastical management. Contrary to his delusional
belief, he was not well known to parishioners, he did not speak at
Church convocations and Sappell did not disclose that his only
connection to Rathbun was meeting him once nor did he name Rathbun in
his 1990 five-year-in-the-making opus illustrating Rathbun's
insignificance in the Church's hierarchy.

Tags: David Miscavige, Freedom magazine, Joel Sappell, Marty Rathbun

========================================

MONIQUE RATHBUN FILES FOR SANCTIONS, SUBMITS SCIENTOLOGY LEADER'S FOUL-
MOUTHED TEXTS
January 4, 2014, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2014/01/04/monique-rathbun-files-for-sanctions-submits-scientology-leaders-foul-mouthed-texts/

Scientology leader and Sea Org captain David Miscavige

We have yet another surprising turn in Monique Rathbun's harassment
lawsuit against the Church of Scientology and its leader, David
Miscavige.

Yesterday, Monique filed for sanctions against Scientology for a
"pattern of intentional abuse" during the discovery process of the
lawsuit. Scientology has stonewalled the process, Monique charges,
because it's trying to perpetuate a falsehood - that Miscavige is a
refined character who doesn't concern himself with such things as
retaliating against critics and has had no connection to the harassment
going on in Texas, where the Rathbuns live.

Tags: 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 9/11, Academic, Anne Archer, BBC, BlackBerry,
Bob Adams, Bobby Wiggins, California, CCHR, Cedars of Lebanon, Chairman of
the Board, Chicago, Christian, Clear, Clearwater, Congress, Corpus Christi,
David Miscavige, David Root, Dead Agent, Denver, England, FBI, Florida, Fred
Shaw, Greg Wilhere, Hastings, Hemet, Hospital, Human trafficking, Int Base,
IRS, Jefferson Hawkins, John Sweeney, John Travolta, L. Ron Hubbard, Las
Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Sheriff, Los Gatos, Margaret
Singer, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Monique Rathbun, Narconon, Oakland,
Office of Special Affairs, OT, OT VII, Panorama, Potential Trouble Source,
Private investigator, Quicky, Ray Jeffrey, Rehabilitation Project Force, San
Antonio, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Sea Org, Shawn Lonsdale, SLAPP,
Squirrel Busters, Stevens Creek, Suppressive Person, Tax, Texas, The Church
of Fear: Inside the Weird World of Scientology, The Hole, Tom Cruise, Tommy
Davis, UK, Warren McShane

========================================

Pathetic In Pasadena
January 4, 2014, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/pathetic-in-pasadena/

When the only people starting course in Pasadena are names I know from
the 80's or even back to the Apollo years, and the services they are on
are Student Hat, "SRD" and Purif it tells you everything you need to
know about the "straight up and vertical" expansion in one of the
premier "Ideal Orgs" in the center of the largest population of
Scientologists on earth. They are probably the six people huddled in
the one courseroom they turn the lights on in.

These Ideal Orgs should be renamed Cannibal Orgs, because that appears
to be ALL they do. (Perhaps a big pot could be set up in reception so
they can dance around the prospects sitting in the boiling water until
they give in to the "wallet-shrinkers" from the IAS tribe).

Wow.

Tags: Apollo, Barbara Wilson, Golden Age of Tech, Ideal Org, International
Association of Scientologists, Kevin Burke, Kevin Wilson, L. Ron Hubbard, New
Year's Eve, OTC, Pasadena, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Student Hat,
Survival Rundown

========================================

Sunday Funnies: Scientology now selling the idea it solved the Ferguson crisis
January 4, 2015, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2015/01/04/sunday-funnies-scientology-now-selling-the-idea-it-solved-the-ferguson-crisis/

Barry Coziahr It's our first Sunday of 2015, and that means it's time
to start another year of Sunday Funnies! Each week, we bring you the
best Scientology fundraising fliers that have been forwarded to us by
our great tipsters.

This week, one of our readers noticed that a Phoenix event was being
promoted in a flier posted to Twitter. (More and more, Scientologists
are using social media - if you happen to spot something on Facebook or
Instagram or Twitter, please send it our way!)

The flier indicates that Barry Coziahr has quickly become a rising star
in the church for the publicity he managed to get in Ferguson, Missouri.

Tags: 1975, 1981, ASHO, Atlanta, Barry Coziahr, Cause Resurgence Rundown,
Church of Scientology Religious Trust, Clearwater, Clearwater Marine
Aquarium, Cosimo Sherman, Disconnection, Donna Isham, Elena Cardone,
Facebook, Fearless Leader, Ferguson, Florida, Grant Cardone, Hagit Ron, Irad
Ron, Jeremy Powers, L. Ron Hubbard Hall, Mark Isham, Meshell Little, Miami,
Missouri, Phoenix, Scotland, St. Louis, Sunday Funnies, Super Power, Tampa
Bay Times, The Times, The Way to Happiness, Twitter

========================================

The Ship Is Sinking
January 4, 2015, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/the-ship-is-sinking/

Things are grim out there off the crossroads of the world - sitting
alongside the dock in Curacao.

Not only are they bringing in "WISE guys," they are offering massive
discounts to try and get anyone to bother making a trip.

The last Freewinds price list that I could easily find was from 2011.
The cheapest week of shared B deck cabin was $1500 and the "Convention
Fee" was $1500. They didn't have a single Basics or Congress Course on
their price list, but there is NO service, no matter how small that was
ever priced below $1000.

Tags: 2011, Basics, Clearwater, Congress Course, Cura?ao, David Miscavige,
Freewinds, International Association of Scientologists, OT, Quicky, Sea Org,
Tampa, Tony Ortega, WISE

========================================

Frederick Co., Scientology-Backed Group at Odds
January 4, 2016, Mark Seagraves, NBC News
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Frederick-Co-Scientology-Backed-Group-at-Odds-364168211.html

A plan to open a drug rehabilitation location in northern Frederick
County is in the hands of a circuit court judge after the county
council rejected a historical designation the proposed place for the
rehab.

After the Frederick County Council voted 6-1 in June against granting
historic designation to the Trout Run property, Social Betterment
Properties International, a real estate branch of the Church of
Scientology, filed an appeal in circuit court, asking a judge to
overturn the council's vote.

Tags: Frederick County, Frederick County Council, Jennifer Kneeland, Judge
William Nicklas, Narconon, Social Betterment Properties International, Trout
Run, Wendy Kearney

========================================

Inside the Anti-Gay Church That Loves Kim Davis and Ted Cruz
January 4, 2016, Betsy Woodruff, Daily Beast
https://www.thedailybeast.com/inside-the-anti-gay-church-that-loves-kim-davis-and-ted-cruz

CISCO, Texas - Right outside this little town, there's a tiny church
that wants to change the world. And, thanks to the billionaire pastor's
backing, it just might be able to get that done.

The church is the Assembly of Yahweh, and its pastor, Farris Wilks,
happens to be one of the most powerful new players in presidential
politics. Farris, along with his brother Dan, made his fortune off the
fracking boom and is using part of it to back Sen. Ted Cruz in his bid
for the White House.

But new wealth didn't dint his commitment to old-time religion-and to
the culture war (read: anti-gay) politics that defined George W. Bush's
presidential campaigns. Now, Cruz is taking a page out of Karl Rove's
playbook, looking to galvanize evangelical voters as a way to make the
Republican Party competitive again. And Farris Wilks is just the guy to
fund that effort.

Tags: 1947, 2004, Alt-Right, Center for Responsive Politics, Christian,
Christmas, Cisco, Climate change, Contempt of Court, Donald Trump, Easter,
George W. Bush, Halloween, Israel, Jerusalem, Jesus, Jewish, Karl Rove,
Kentucky, LGBTQ, Manhattan, Paris, Republican, Reuters, Ted Cruz, Texas,
Valentine's Day, Washington, Washington Post, White House, Wilks Brothers

========================================

Scientology New Year's Hype
January 4, 2016, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/scientology-new-years-hype/

On New Year's Day I posted a comment to my Facebook page welcoming in
the new year with some humor from David Miscavige's address to the
faithful sheeple at the event in Los Angeles.

A few other observations beyond noting the utter gibberish he spouted
about compressed time and warp speed, a year equivalent to "a thousand
years of triumph" and "arriving on the porch of eternity."

I am ignoring the horrendous (from his perspective) events of the year
that he also ignored. They need not be recounted, it suffices merely to
say the words "Going Clear" passed the lips of orders of magnitude more
people who had never set foot inside a scientology entity than even the
most enthusiastic rah-rahs in the reg offices around the scientology
world.

Tags: 1993, 2015, ABLE, Basel, Bogot?, CCHR, Clearwater, CLO EU, CLO UK,
Czech Republic, David Miscavige, Denmark, Denver, England, Facebook, Going
Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Guatemala, Ideal Org,
International Association of Scientologists, Japan, Los Angeles, Mexico,
Milano, Mission, Mission Network, Narconon, Narconon Suncoast, New Year's
Eve, Ojai, OT, OT IX, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Ruth Eckerd Hall,
Scientology Media Productions, Shrine Auditorium, Siberia, Silicon Valley,
Spain, Study Technology, The Way to Happiness, Tokyo, Valencia, WISE

========================================

Scientology's appeal on rehab zoning fight in Maryland to be heard today
January 4, 2016, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2016/01/04/monday/

We're hoping to get a report today from some correspondents on the
scene when Scientology's administrative appeal in Frederick County,
Maryland is argued in a court of law.

If you've been following along with our coverage, you know that
Scientology's property front, Social Betterment Properties
International (SBPI), has been trying a creative sidestep past local
zoning rules to put a new Narconon drug rehab clinic in that county
after it purchased an aging fishing camp named Trout Run for $4.85
million. Scientology had learned that if SBPI could get the fish camp
put on the county's list of historic places, then it could get a zoning
exception that would allow it to renovate the camp and open it as a
rehab.

But Scientology's stealthy plan was uncovered, and the county council
heard from opponents who didn't want Scientology's plan to succeed. On
June 2, the county council, in a 6-1 vote, turned down the request to
put Trout Run on the historic list, saying that it really didn't
qualify as a historic place, even if President Herbert Hoover had
reportedly once angled there, and the location had stood in for Camp
David for some scenes in the television series The West Wing.

Tags: Chill EB, Frederick County, Frederick County Council, Herbert Hoover,
Historic Preservation Commission, Judge William Nicklas, Mary McConnell,
Maryland, Narconon, Quicky, Social Betterment Properties International,
Tampa, Trout Run

========================================

5 Things We Learned From 'Scientology and the Aftermath,' Episode 6
January 4, 2017, Amelia McDonell-Parry, Rolling Stone
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/news/5-things-we-learned-from-scientology-the-aftermath-ep-6-w458898

This week's episode of A&E's Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath
focused on the story of Aaron Smith-Levin, a Scientologist for 29 years
who left the Church in 2014. Here are five things we learned from last
night's show, courtesy of Mr. Smith-Levin's story.

1. Winning tax exemption from the IRA legitimized Scientology to some
of its own followersLike many longtime Church members, Smith-Levin
joined as a child when his mother started taking courses and working
for the organization. He told Remini that he distinctly remembers
becoming actually invested in the religion himself in 1993, when Church
leader David Miscavige announced that Scientology had won tax exemption
status from the IRS and was now recognized as a religion. Smith-Levin
distinctly remembered the promotional video that Scientology released,
which touted "The War Is Over."

According to former Scientology exec Mike Rinder, the Church had
accrued over one billion dollars in back taxes at the time; he's
alleged that without the exemption, Scientology would probably still
exist, but it wouldn't be nearly as powerful as it is now. In addition
to making all of their contributions to the Church tax deductible, many
Scientologists felt that finally, the government was actually
legitimizing the work that they were doing to Clear the planet and save
humanity.

Tags: 1986, 1993, 2006, 2014, A&E, Aaron Smith-Levin, Child abuse, Clear,
Clearwater, Collin Smith-Levin, David Miscavige, Disconnection, E-meter,
First Amendment, Flag Land Base, Florida, Going Clear: Scientology,
Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Golden Age of Tech, IRS, John Travolta,
Knowledge Report, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, Philadelphia, Quicky, Scientology
and the Aftermath, Sea Org, Suppressive Person, Tax exempt, Tom Cruise

========================================

Aaron Smith-Levin appears on 'Leah Remini,' hours later gets own Scientology
attack site
January 4, 2017, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2017/01/04/aaron-smith-levin-appears-on-leah-remini-hours-later-gets-own-scientology-attack-site/

We were thoroughly blown away last night watching Aaron Smith-Levin
talk about his family's complex history in Scientology. We couldn't
believe how much territory Aaron and Leah Remini and Mike Rinder
covered on the latest episode of Leah's A&E series, Scientology and the
Aftermath, from the IRS granting Scientology tax exempt status in 1993,
to Aaron breaking down as he described losing his twin brother in a car
accident while they were separated by Scientology's "disconnection"
policy.

We wondered what the Church of Scientology was going to put up as a
reaction to the show. We didn't have to wait long. A couple of hours
after the episode aired, the church posted a number of videos to the
website it maintains to rebut Remini's show.

Among the people Scientology convinced to talk on camera about Aaron
were his wife's mother and sister. (Aaron's wife Heather didn't speak
for Leah's show, but she has sided with her husband against the rest of
her family.)

Tags: 1993, 1995, 2006, A&E, Aaron Smith-Levin, Anne Tozser, Apollo, ASHO,
Ben Francis, Bill Ackman, California, Class XII, Clearwater, Delphi, Delphian
School, Disconnection, Edy Lundeen, Erica Tozser, Florida, Gayle Smith,
Herbalife, IRS, Jon Lundeen, Juliana Palmer, Julie McCloskey, Knowledge
Report, Leah Remini, Los Angeles, Mike Rinder, MSNBC, Oregon, Portland,
Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Scientology and the Aftermath, Sea Org,
Sleep deprivation, Tax exempt

========================================

Church of Scientology and Treatment of Children in the RPF Gulag
January 4, 2017, SurvivingScientology, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD2lfbyyCl8

Scientology considers children to be ancient spirits in new child
bodies. They are not given any consideration as children. Scientology's
atrocities against children, including the cover up of sexual
molestation, are now coming to light.

Tags: Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force

========================================

Jason Beghes Life After Scientology: I Was in a Cult
January 4, 2017, Marlow Stern, Daily Beast
https://www.thedailybeast.com/jason-beghes-life-after-scientology-i-was-in-a-cult

As Chicago P.D.'s Hank Voight, he is a broken man haunted by his
felonious past. The tragic loss of his wife to ovarian cancer and the
brutal murder of his wayward son have further reduced him to a font of
rage; a man armed with a badge, a gun, and a grudge against the world.
He wears the pain in his voice, which sounds like a rusty gravel truck
barreling down a dirt road.

"When puberty hit, I went down low and there was some gravel," says
Jason Beghe, who plays Officer Voight. "But I was in a very serious car
accident in '99-broke my neck, my back in a couple of places, all of my
ribs, both of my lungs. I was in a coma for three and a half weeks.
When I would come out of the coma, since I was intubated from being on
life support, I would pull the tube out and it made it even more fucked
up."

He looks off in the distance and laughs. "It's good for Voight-not so
good when I have to play the sweet dad. But it's good with my kids.
They're good kids, but when I say, Hey, it's time to clean up, they do
it."

Tags: 1985, 1994, 2000, 2007, Alex Gibney, Chicago, Cleveland, Cult, David
Duchovny, David Miscavige, Europe, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and
the Prison of Belief, Jamie DeWolf, Jason Beghe, John F. Kennedy, Leah
Remini, Milton Katselas, NBC, New York City, New Yorker, Operating Thetan,
OT, Quicky, Scientology celebrity, Secret Service, Suppressive Person

========================================

Scientology Aftermath Episode 6: Aftermath
January 4, 2017, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/scientology-aftermath-episode-6-aftermath/

As I have been doing after each program, I am putting this here as a
place for people to make comments about the show that has just aired.

I must say, this was the toughest episode to film. So heartbreaking and
Aaron is such a good man, father and friend. Tough to watch too. But
unfortunately, it is the horrible truth. And if you have not already
done so, I recommend you check out Tony Ortega's blog this morning.
Aaron, in his usual meticulous detail, rips apart the scientology smear
site and POW videos that were put up a couple of hours after the show
aired.

On a more positive note, the outpouring of support has not only
continued, it continues to grow. It is quite amazing how far and wide
this show is reaching and to how many people who have not had personal
experiences with scientology but now feel they must do something about
the abuses that are being exposed. Thank you all. I try to respond to
messages and emails and PMs and tweets, but it is physically impossible
to do so. If I have not gotten back to you, I apologize. But let this
post serve as my response.

Tags: A&E, Aaron Smith-Levin, Congress, Critic, Dead Agent, Disconnection,
FBI, IRS, Leah Remini, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath, Tony Ortega,
Underground Bunker

========================================

Even in 2018, Scientology is still selling L. Ron Hubbard like he had the
universe figured out
January 4, 2018, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2018/01/04/even-in-2018-scientology-is-still-selling-l-ron-hubbard-like-he-had-the-universe-figured-out/

It's true that church leader David Miscavige has made a lot of changes
to Scientology over the 30-plus years that he's been in charge. But
some things never change. We were struck by that thought when one of
our helpers sent over the latest copy of Source magazine, which is
intended to get Scientologists excited about spending a boatload of
money to come to Clearwater, Florida for expensive courses there.

We want to highlight a few things in the magazine - Meghan Fialkoff
gets her star turn! - but in particular, we were fascinated by
something we usually gloss over that is in every magazine Scientology
puts out of whatever type: The obligatory L. Ron Hubbard excerpt.

In the back of every church publication, you're going to find a slice
of Hubbard wisdom taken from some lecture he gave 50 or 60 years ago,
and this issue of Source is no different. But this one really struck
us, for some reason. Scientology has been under siege like never
before, what with Leah Remini having so much success at the A&E
network, for example. But you have to credit Scientology with sticking
to its guns on this one - even as Scientology is hurting, they're still
promoting Hubbard's ludicrous notions about space and planets and the
universe, and that you, as a thetan, are entirely responsible for the
physical universe around you and that Scientology's "technology" will
ultimately allow you to create whole universes on your own.

Tags: 1952, A&E, Cause Resurgence Rundown, Chris Shelton, Clearwater, David
Miscavige, Florida, Larry Soffer, Leah Remini, Meghan Fialkoff, New York
City, OT, Quicky, South Africa, Sunny Pereira

========================================

Scientology's Fragile Hold on Reality
January 4, 2018, Chris Shelton, YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6V4FyhGRe4

Due to questions I received from my last video in the Basics of
Scientology series, former highly trained Sea Org member Sunny Pereira
and I discuss more about Scientology concepts of reality, agreement and
the inherent contradictions littered throughout Scientology on these
subjects.

ARC Triangle video: https://youtu.be/I1yxk81eDLM

The Basics of Scientology Playlist: https://goo.gl/G83KPL

Tags: ABLE, Audio, Basics, DC, Quicky, Sea Org, Sunny Pereira

========================================

Scientology's Fragile Hold on Reality
January 4, 2018, Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large
https://mncriticalthinking.com/2018/01/04/scientologys-fragile-hold-reality/

Due to questions I received from my last video in the Basics of
Scientology series about the ARC triangle, former highly trained Sea
Org member Sunny Pereira and I discuss more about Scientology concepts
of reality, agreement and the inherent contradictions littered
throughout Scientology on these subjects.

ARC Triangle video: https://youtu.be/I1yxk81eDLM

The Basics of Scientology Playlist: https://goo.gl/G83KPL

Tags: Basics, Quicky, Sea Org, Sunny Pereira

========================================

Thursday Funnies
January 4, 2018, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/thursday-funnies-152/

Learn to escape the maze of life...

This sounds ominous. R2-45 maybe?

He's baaacck...

Tags: Brisbane, California, Donation, Maiden Voyage, Palm Springs, Perth,
Piltdown Man, Quicky, R2-45, Riverside, Santa Clarita, Thursday Funnies, Xenu

========================================

Church of Scientology stabbing: teenage boy charged with murder
January 4, 2019, Australian Associated Press, The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jan/05/church-of-scientology-stabbing-teenage-boy-charged-with

A teenage boy has been charged with the stabbing murder of a Church of
Scientology member at the organisation's Australasian headquarters in
Sydney.

The 16-year-old was charged in the early hours of Saturday, two days
after he allegedly fatally stabbed a 24-year-old Taiwanese national
with a 25cm kitchen knife.

The victim was attempting to escort the teen down the driveway of the
Chatswood Scientology headquarters on Thursday afternoon when he was
attacked, police say.

Tags: 2016, Africa, AOSH ANZO, Australia, Chatswood, Europe, Facebook,
Google, LinkedIn, New South Wales, Purification Rundown, Quicky, Sydney,
Taiwan, Twitter, UK

========================================

Regraded Being
January 4, 2019, Mike Rinder, Something Can Be Done About It
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/friday-regraded-being-177/

RB is traveling to visit family so we have an oldie but goodie this week...

Tags: Regraded Being

========================================

Tiponi Grey's daughter: She knew her life might end at any time
January 4, 2019, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
https://tonyortega.org/2019/01/04/tiponi-greys-daughter-she-knew-her-life-might-end-at-any-time/

The news of Tiponi Grey's death came as a real shock to Scientology and
the Aftermath watchers, who were informed of it with the words "In
Memoriam" at the end of the episode she appeared in that aired on
December 11.

We quickly put together a story that night, getting confirmation from
Ishmael Bey, another guest on the show, that he had learned from
Tiponi's daughter that she had died of natural causes. We also found
evidence in Tiponi's social media feeds that she had been dealing with
some health issues.

But readers have naturally been curious to know more about Tiponi's
fate, and have asked us how a 50-year-old woman dies of "natural causes.
" So we kept trying, and we did manage to reach Tiponi's daughter and
had a conversation with her about her mom.

Tags: 2016, Advanced Org, California, Castle Kyalami, Ishmael Bey, Leah
Remini, Los Angeles, New Year's Eve, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath,
South Africa, Tiponi Grey

========================================

Fresh Cambridge Analytica leak 'shows global manipulation is out of control'
January 4, 2020, Carole Cadwalladr, The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/04/cambridge-analytica-data-leak-global-election-manipulation?ref=hvper.com&utm_source=hvper.com&utm_medium=website

An explosive leak of tens of thousands of documents from the defunct
data firm Cambridge Analytica is set to expose the inner workings of
the company that collapsed after the Observer revealed it had
misappropriated 87 million Facebook profiles.

More than 100,000 documents relating to work in 68 countries that will
lay bare the global infrastructure of an operation used to manipulate
voters on "an industrial scale" is set to be released over the next
months.

It comes as Christopher Steele, the ex-head of MI6's Russia desk and
the intelligence expert behind the so-called "Steele dossier" into
Trump's relationship with Russia, said that while the company had
closed down, the failure to properly punish bad actors meant that the
prospects for manipulation of the US election this year were even worse.

Tags: 2016, 2017, 2018, Brazil, Brittany Kaiser, Cambridge Analytica,
Christopher Steele, Congress, Dark Right, Facebook, Kenya, Malaysia, Mark
Zuckerberg, Netflix, New Year's Eve, New York, Quicky, Robert Mueller,
Russia, Twitter, Ukraine, Victoria

========================================

QAnon Believer Teamed Up With Conspiracy Theorists to Plot Kidnapping, Police
Say
January 4, 2020, Will Sommer, Daily Beast
https://www.thedailybeast.com/cynthia-abcug-qanon-conspiracy-theorist-charged-in-kidnapping-plot

Colorado mother Cynthia Abcug became an unlikely star on the fringe
right last year thanks to a battle with her state's child-welfare
department over custody of her son, which became a cause c?l?bre among
believers of the bizarre pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy theory.

But a recently unsealed arrest warrant alleges that Abcug had bigger
plans, working with other armed QAnon believers to plan a kidnapping.

Montana police arrested Abcug in Kalispell, Montana, on Dec. 30, on a
felony conspiracy to commit kidnapping arrest warrant issued in
Colorado. Abcug had allegedly teamed up with other QAnon believers to
carry out the kidnapping, according to witness statements to police.

Tags: 2017, 2019, Alt-Right, Big League Politics, Child Protective Services,
Colorado, Conspiracy, Cynthia Abcug, Democratic Party, Donald Trump, FBI,
Infowars, Kidnapping, Montana, Pizzagate, PJ Media, Police, QAnon, Quicky,
Twitter, YouTube

========================================

Today in Scientlology web page:
http://umbraxenu.no-ip.biz/today.html
January 4 in Scientlology web page:
http://umbraxenu.no-ip.biz/days/01-04.html