scientology & celebrities

yeah, and the point is it's an *ex*-Sci, it's her perspective that's so nuanced; for inst, I'd never thought of what she says about giving 'em the plebes the stink-eye just alienates them that much more from the outside world, confirms the asshole doctrines about the outside world, and that they've got nowhere to go now, outside THE CHURCH (just in case you're thinking of leaving). Also, they hit 'em with a bill if they do go.

The scientology center on Franklin, across from UCB, is incredible. Even without scientology it looks like a building the Ghostbusters would need to stake out.

yeah the structure of the roof cap is exactly like the kind of telemetry tracker that NASA uses to identify dead pulsars in deep space. cold riveted girders with cores of pure selenium. the architect was either a certified genius or an aesthetic wacko. the whole building is a huge super-conductive antenna that was designed and built expressly for the purpose of pulling in and concentrating spiritual turbulence.

The building was the original Cedars hospital before it moved over to Beverly Hills. Here it is before ...

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5124/5229794672_238637b08e.jpg

"Someone saw a cockroach up on 12..."

Looks like a fuckin asylum.

i like the actual cedars part

looks like the hospital from GTA:SA tbh

I feel like I have so much to say to this thread but I'll just start here -- has there been a discussion of Old CAN/New CAN?
I can't even think about CAN (the CAN I know) in conjunction with these CANs but yet I can't stop doing so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_Awareness_Network

I would still like to know how deep Florian Fricke was into this shit -- I'm hoping not too deep considering the immense German opposition to the C of S.

I finished Going Clear and I thought the whole thing was fascinating and deeply troubling. Wright basically describes H, M1$cav1ge, and sundry S leaders committing uncountable crimes, including lots of wrongful imprisonment and kidnapping.

has this been mentioned in this thread? probs, but vv relevant: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Belief-Secret-Scientology-Harrowing/dp/0062248472/ref=la_B0094KVGVE_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361843319&sr=1-1

More on that book ^^

http://www.france24.com/en/20130316-scientology-leaders-niece-reveals-church-secrets

"Those who decide a religious order isn't for them are free to move on with their lives, as Ms. Hill did. "

lol she really had that option when she was six years old

I'm curious why it's the children of Hubbard's elite who are subjected to this, rather than strivers climbing the ranks?

you haven't read the book, milo: she had it no worse than anyone else at the ranch, probably a little better, if Going Clear is any indication

the gist is that there really is no going up the ranks -- most "highly observant" Scientologists just toil in Florida or the ranch in California

until they get the musical chairs treatment
i am still haunted by that -- i'll never listen to queen's greatest hits in quite the same way

tbf everyone in that room was already somewhat high ranked, right?

I was going on the article's description - "Those interned there until 2000 were the children of the Sea Org, the elite of the Church founded by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard."

I guess the Sea Orgers are just in enough to sacrifice family members without reaching the point of living high off the rest of the cult?

I don't know that anyone lives high except Miscavige

Probably true. Halfway through Going Clear myself.

I finished it a while ago -- seriously everyone should watch the Koppel/Miscavige Nightline interview. It's 55 min of squirming.

I'm curious why it's the children of Hubbard's elite who are subjected to this, rather than strivers climbing the ranks?

― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Monday, March 18, 2013 8:01 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

purge of the highest-ranking.

Arizona charter schools using Scientology-related materials, and a tad bemused by parents' reactions
http://www.npr.org/2013/03/27/174441623/peter-o-dowd-tk

Scientlology

http://www.vice.com/read/scientologists-make-terrible-stand-up-comedians

Thought the bump would be about After Earth

i'm surprised more people don't become scientologists just so they can escape and either get a book deal or, at the very least, have fascinating stories to tell at parties.

me too
xpost

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/remini-calls-police-scientology-chiefs-wife-200800838.html

King of Queens star Leah Remini has filed a missing person report concerning the whereabouts of the wife of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige.

A source confirmed to ET on Thursday that Remini contacted police and the actress alleges that Shelly Miscavige has not been seen in public for more than six years. Remini recently announced that she was leaving the Church of Scientology after disagreeing with various teachings and policies of the faith.

wo

she's probably at one of those slave compounds right

damn

u go leah

Nothing to see here, move along: http://gawker.com/tv-stars-missing-person-claim-against-scientology-rule-1076869636

Leah Remini, the King of Queens star who noisily and publicly left Scientology after three decades of membership over disagreements with church leader David Miscavige, filed a missing person report for his wife Shelly who supposedly hasn't been seen in public in six years. The LAPD has taken the report and "ruled as unfounded." The missing person case is closed.

Boo.

"It is a publicity stunt cooked up by a small band of unemployed fanatics who live on the fringe of the Internet."

It's a Mail link, but here are some closer up pictures of that underground base in New Mexico
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2395235/EXCLUSIVE-Pictured-close-time-Scientologys-secret-alien-space-cathedral-landing-pad-New-Mexico-desert-return-followers-Armageddon-Earth.html

The Wright book is awesome so far.

Whoops!

http://gawker.com/scientology-flack-arrested-in-plot-to-kill-cop-1188941437

Interlocking circles with diamonds in them carved out by removing small scrub trees:

It is believed that they are a ‘return point’ so members of the church know where they can find the works of founder L. Ron Hubbard when they come back from space after a nuclear catastrophe wipes out the human race.

Won't the trees just grow back by then?

shhh

As noted on Facebook, that guy arrested in the cop killing plot looks like the real world equivalent of Achewood's Nice Pete.

Reading Going Clear. Holy Fuuuuuck

yup

Any new scoops/info in that book? Seems like every couple of years a new book about Scientology comes out and they all tend to go over the same stuff everyone knows about already.

I dunno, it's pretty juicy!

i'll jus' have to check it out!

Any new scoops/info in that book?

that tommy davis had allegedly blown twice was new to me

Going Clear goes deeeeeeeep. I thought it was pretty full of revelations, to degrees, especially re: LRH, made more effective given how well reported it all is, and how straight-forward and not at all salacious the prose is. Also: many people involved are even crazier than you think.

cool, definitely check out ASAP then. my mild skepticism was only because there has been a veritable flood of scientology books and exposes in the last few years.

120 pages in, it's fantastic, and omg is hubbard/scientology batshit [oops spoiler]