WTF? sort of sums up my initial thought upon completing Tony Ortega’s mini opus on Writers of the Future (WTF) at the Village Voice.
Uncharacteristically, Tony uses an awful lot of ink to get to the heart of a matter. I think it was out of respect to those he interviewed who had a lot of good things to say about L Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future contest and publications. I respect and appreciate that. WTF has served to open doors for a lot of talented writers and artists.
Fact of the matter is WTF was originated by L Ron Hubbard as a Public Relations action. It was created during a time in his life where a tremendous amount of blowback was occurring; so much so that number one priority for church resources at that time (early 80’s) was attaining an All Clear (a legal and PR climate that would allow for Hubbard to return to the Int Headquarters base near Hemet California unmolested to complete production of the technical training films). The promotion of and resurrection of LRH’s SciFi career was orchestrated during that time ultimately, by LRH’s copious directions, to forward his legacy so as to drive more people toward Scientology books and organizations.
I am sure that WTF continues to give breaks to those in the ScFi arena who deserve them. It probably also continues to create positive impressions of Hubbard.
However, it serves another purpose not so overtly emphasized in Tony’s article. That is, it serves to create a patina of respectability to the criminal who ultimately runs its operator Author Services Inc. Meanwhile, that criminal spends hundreds of thousands of dollars of those who ultimately do get into Scientology organizations to suppress the exposure of his crimes.
If this were the 1930’s and the German Nazi party were operating such a shift, it would behoove the public to know of its provenance. If this were the 1940’s and an organized crime syndicate was the beneficiary of such a worthy endeavor, the public would be entitled to know it. If this were the 1970’s and this was a front operation of People’s Temple head Jim Jones’ (of Jonestown Massacre infamy) the public would deserve to know. If this were the 1980’s and a South African company effectively profiting from slave labor were behind it, the public would be entitled to know.
Well, it is the 2010’s and one of the main beneficiaries of this salutary activity has been using it to immunize himself in his running one of the more horrid Human Trafficking operations in recent American history. Perhaps more importantly, in terms of the public’s right to know – at least for friends of L Ron Hubbard, David Miscavige is using Writer’s of the Future to prolong and protect his carrying out of the precise opposite purpose of WTF. He is in effect using something designed to enhance Hubbard’s legacy to enable his attempted destruction of that very legacy.
In my view, the public ought to know that.
Moving On Up a Little Higher 
Eloquently stated!
It’s been abundantly clear to me at least that WTF continued to be run long after LRH’s passing because of the opportunities for favorable press (column-inches) that had L. Ron Hubbard’s name in it.
I bought a few of the anthologies hoping to find writing of the caliber of Larry Niven or James P. Hogan or even James Blish. But after buying a few disappointing editions, I never bought another one.
The WTF contest machinations didn’t bother me in the 1980s since I thought it was a good idea to make the world safe for L. Ron Hubbard.
But when the contest continued after his death, I wondered as to the real purpose for its continued existenced and promotion.
And a few years ago when I realized L. Ron Hubbard’s Scientology books were no longer being advertised or promoted and even sold in mainstream bookstored, I was convinced that the continued existence and grandstanding about WTF was serving some insidious need.
And now we know.
When I read the story this morning it kind of left me shaking my head. I got the feeling it was a big fishing expedition.
I’m always amazed for how little people will sell out …
Attributed to Winston Churchill:
Churchill: Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?
Socialite: My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course…
Churchill: Would you sleep with me for five pounds?
Socialite: Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!
Churchill: Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price.
WH
Is it possible to enlighten the judges who participate in this contest, as to the reality behind the organization? Theoretically, they are non-Scientologists. What would happen if no one showed up to do the judging? LOL.
I too would hate to see WTF disappear. But I really hated to find out my church disappeared.
It might be the only thing corp scn is doing right: if they put the ‘hard sell’ on ANY of the contestant/winners of the WTF that would immediately invalidate the competition as merely a ruse to get people involved in Scientology.
Is it possible corp scn is evidencing the ability to use their BRAINS for once?
I’d have bet real money they’d have put the hard sell on these guys…
Here’s another WTF:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/louis-c-k-withdraws-as-host-of-radio-and-television-correspondents-dinner/
Hey Greta, how about applying the same litmus test to Miscavige?
What kind of woman? The kind of woman that would sleep with a fatty for £5million (adequate compensation) – but not £5!
Like Paul Harvey would say, “You know what the news is, in a minute, you’re going to hear … the rest of the story.”
When I saw the title of this post I thought you meant the other definition of “WTF?” Maybe it’s supposed to be a double entendre.
Thanks for the gentle reminder of the infiltrations and attempted influences head of the Vampire Culture.
ASI and CST (Church of Spiritual Technology) are related “corporate” entities, are they not? Based on the “preservation of tech” project, ASI had access to and presented information, certainly giving the impression these 2 entities were “close”. And from I can figure, since CST dba L Ron Hubbard Library as well, it would make sense to me that ASI is the managing or administering agent anyhow.
ASI or a predecessor, is also the same agent involved in the funding fiascoes of LRH’s estate, with the resulting “collectibles” scam or sham or whatever that was. Miscavige again.
Bruce
+1000000000
DM is being exposed right left and he will eventually be dead center
DM has just pissed off and harmed too many people
He is getting what he deserves not sure what that is but I’m sure it won’t be pleasant
DM is good at what he does he just is squashing too many people while rising to power
How many people has he declared?
WTF is a perfect example of the sad fact that every activity that takes place in the Church of Scientology and the associated entities such as ASI is really only for the protection, sheltering, hiding, aggrandizement and benefit of David Miscavige, no matter what harms are caused to LRH, SO members and organizational staff, Church parishioners, Church and LRH related entities, and Scientologists more generally (including Independents). Given the whole track importance of LRH and his creation of Scientology – this hijacking by the Squirrel King (and SP King, or Crim King, take your choice or use them all) is a whole track tragedy. Thank god for the people who saw what was happening and decided to preserve Scientology no matter the cost.
This is quite the conundrum. If Greta covers the Scn court action, will she side with Debbie or will she side with Miscabbage? She could be tne next Debbie–an insider coming out–by making the right choice.
The evidence just mounts and mounts. Everything Miscavige has anything to do with turns to poison. The sooner justice is administered to expose those criminals who hide behind the veil of religion the better off not only Scientology will be but the rest of the planet.
How is the world does “holy war” make sense?
You’re not wrong Marty, about the wordy-ness of Tony’s article. Wow.
I have often considered the “baby and bathwater” argument over the last couple of years since quitting CoS for good. It’s a standard line from onlines public and apologists I’ve spoken to who say that if the Church is brought down look at all the good work that will be unmocked, (such as WTF, TWTH etc etc).
Whether WTF is a good mission – it certainly seems that way to the young writers who have benefitted from it – is almost a moot point though, since WHO is going to listen to any organisation that has SO lost its moral compass, that is SO hypocritical and pious? I saw a terrific documentary recently about children in 1930s Germany (all 5 parts are worthwhile) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0u03gM505k
Who can argue with some of the worthy principles being promulgated? Hard work, comradeship, teamwork, a sense of purpose. It’s all good… until you see the sinister purpose underlying it all.
I, too, was a little surprised at the length of the article to expose what might seem like a relatively small part of the overall CoS organization. But I think Tony may have gone into that detail to prove that he really did do the digging to try to find any evidence of the usual greed and stupidity that you’d expect to find in a CoS front. I suspect he was genuinely surprised that they managed to keep appearances of a direct recruiting effort out of it for as long as they had, and thus to keep the contest going relatively strong for nearly 30 years. I wouldn’t have bet on their ability to resist going for the short term score and instituting some “crush regging” of the contest entrants if I were in Tony’s shoes.
I think the other point that was important, but which may have required equally careful research, was that this contest was not run by a couple of well-meaning public isolated from the Sea Org or Int Base, but by people fairly close to the seat of power. In particular, it boggles the mind that Ms. Ruiz would be glad-handing “wog” authors one day in an evening gown and then cracking the whip over the prisoners at the Hole the next. There’s only a matter of degree of that versus Al Capone crying at the exquisite drama of his favorite opera one minute and beating the brains out of a disloyal subordinate the next.
Marty,
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU For what you said. The first thing I thought of on reading the VV article was OK what would the NAZIs do in the same situation?
The biggest LIE presented in the WTF program is the collapsing of the current suppressive management with L Ron Hubbard. They are diametrically opposed. DM (David Misgavage) and his SM (suppressive Management) work diligently to undermine the legacy that Ron left. One might think of them as the Hate LRh group or DMSMH.
Don’t count on Greta as an insider EVER coming out. Greta and her husband – John Coale are two of the most self-serving people I have ever met.
Greta cozied up to Lisa Marie Presley years ago — John was going to manage her career — although between chasing ambulances I’m not sure how he’d find the time. (big personal injury attorney chasing mega disasters like the Dow Chemical explosion in India)
Greta I believe is still a Fox News anchor. And while many on this blog are Fox News fans — IF anyone from Fox News, close to Fox News, or who profits from Fox News ever comes out against Miscavige — I will trade in whatever pseudo-wisdom I might have and vow to follow Fox news for the rest of my life.
And least we forget — dm’s mother worked for Greta as some sort of administrative assistant or something in Clearwater for years. That didn’t seem to help her health any either.
WH
Hey there sweetie. 🙂
“Greta cozied up to Lisa Marie Presley years ago…
Hmm, I didn’t know this. Windhorse, have you heard or read that rumor (mentioned recently here in these comments) that Lisa Marie may have quietly left the church in recent months (or years) and may be speaking up either via youtube or even anonymously in various comments around the net?
Good sleuthing Tony Ortega and Marty.
As a matter of fact all of Author’s service staff are Sea Org Members, temporarily being “civilian” shelving their “voluntary” Sea Org employment 😆
But what I feel these revelations capture are the 2 keywords of Miscavige.
ABUSE
COVER UP
Summarizing it all, the keynotes are ABUSE + COVER UP.
Barbara Ruis ~~ hope she has left like Angie Blankenship,~~ but Barbara Ruis, head honcho of Writers of the Future and in “In charge of the Sadism and Atrocities of SP hole” personifies where Abuse and Cover up merge into one blob.
Windhorse,
Fox is Faux News, imho. Met Gretta on a Sunday at a CCInt around 94 or so, had a chat and was not impressed. She seemed sort of shallow.
It is a great thing that the WTF has maintained its arms-length situation after all these years, and that there are good people associated with it. I see no reason why that can’t continue – in fact, it is likely to continue since it apparently hasn’t been corrupted yet.
WTF is a nice little thing to help aspiring writers. I like that Ron forwarded it, so okay, do it. Why not support writers? Maybe it is what it is not because of Ron’s pure purpose that it be used SOLELY for the promotion of young talent, and nothing else. It seems to be good at that, and it appears that Ron’s intentions are being followed. Good. But, it is a side thing.
I have to say that personally, I despise the side-groups. Applied Scholastics, Narconon, WISE, etc. To me, they are distractions to what needs to be done. I mean, I get them – sure, why not have a group dedicated to helping people off drugs, or helping people learn, or helping companies manage better? Not that WISE is any good at that – I reserve a special place in hell for WISE.
But, really? I have always had issues with re-writing the tech and policies for these groups. By definition that is out KSW. People couldn’t confront the Student Hat so they screwed around with the Basic Study Manual? Making devices for word-clearing called “Learning Accelerators” when they are really Mark Vs? Distancing themselves from Scientology? Yet, supposedly acting as a recruiting ground for Scientology?
Sorry. I am calling bullshit. Marty, you hit a subject that has pissed me off for decades.
I mean, if we just cut the crap and said “Look, this is Scientology. You are a being. You have a mind and a body. The idea is to remove the bad effects of your past from you, so you can shine and be all you can be. You do these TRs and learn how to communicate. It may be weird yelling at an ashtray, but so what? Figure it out. You are not here to yell at ashtrays or play with clay or dolls, you are here to become more capable and have better intention and do better in life, and, dude, books, bottles, ashtrays, dolls, clay, and “give me that hand” are some of the things that are needed to get you to do it.”
Why screw around?
It is not that I object to the existence of these groups, it is that I object to the idea that they are arms-length from the tech. I mean, if Narconon said: “We are a group that is dedicated to helping people overcome the ravages of drugs using the principles of Scientology,” or if “Applied Scholastics” said “We are a group that helps people learn and study better by using Scientology study technology as developed by L. Ron Hubbard.” I would be okay – especially if they were open about it.
I mean, I get that these guys are apologetic. Even at WTF: Writer “What is Scientology?” ASI person “Not this week.” Really, WTF?
I guess I just hate watered-down BS. People are not cussing stupid, and being open and honest about source and what is really going on is the best policy.
Here is what I would LOVE to see:
Narconon: “Dude. You are now off drugs, and doing well. Guess what? You are clean, and you are, at least to some degree, a Scientologist. Use your knowledge well. Live Long and Prosper.”
Delphi: “Kid – You have graduated high school with a more immediate and practical education than 99% of the kids in the world. Congratulations! Oh, and by the way, you can thank Hubbard for helping you achieve this goal and this knowledge, and you can be happy that you are a Scientologist to the degree you use the skills of Scientology you learned here. Live Long and Prosper!”
Stop screwing around. Okay, end of rant 😉
Yes, I’ve heard the rumors; however, I have no real information.
It would be wonderful for her to break away.
WH
This actually raises a question that I’ve long been interested in the Independent perspective on: given that some fraction of my money could potentially be used to line the coffers of the CoS, should I, in your opinion, avoid paying to see Tom Cruise (or Travolta, or Juliette Lewis, or etc.) movies? Not buy Beck (Chick Corea, Billy Sheehan) albums? Or are some (or all) of these people far enough removed from the wrongdoing that they ought not be held responsible?
Point well made, Martin.
Hiding behind LRHs skirts also comes to mind.
Or malevolent, shape-shifting alien.
To any writers of the future: do not accept sweets from this man.
I think the big issue, Grasshopper, is that they are being managed by the Church (ala ABLE) — and then pretend that they aren’t. THAT is the problem.
If some private Scientologists — or just people that find some aspect of the tech useful (Will and Jada Smith come to mind) — want to use study tech or some other aspect of Scientology philosophy out in the world or their school or their business, then have at it.
It’s not the fact that there are side groups. It’s the fact that the Church (the Sea Org) lies about it and pretends that there is no association between these side groups and the Church. All the while RTC is breathing down their neck. THAT is the basic problem.
And I think this mostly started in the 1980s.
From a Code of a Scientologist:
15) To stress the freedom to use Scientology in all its applications and variations in the humanities.
16) To insist upon standard and unvaried Scientology as an applied activity … in Scientology Organizations.
Big difference. Since the early 80s, everything became “Scientology organizations”. And in Miscavige’s warped view, the entire world is now on his org board. THAT is twisted and squirrel, imho.
(That was meant for Grasshopper’s post above.)
“Ethics is a personal thing.”
Nice rant, Grasshopper. I share your being irked at calling e-meters “learning accelerators,” and I would also object to re-writing the tech that Ron wrote to make it more acceptable to people who wouldn’t want to call themselves “Scientologists.”
Good post Margaret – nice,accurate sum up.
WTF is quite probably the last shred of credibility the Co$ has. Thanks to Tony O for digging this up. It was amusing to read about yet another tunnel that miscavige creeps around in. And I wonder how that conversation between Barbara Ruis and miscavige went. She got a little public glory, and miscavige had to…well, we know what happens to people who rise above their station…
It’ll be a new day when more common folks finally wake the f#ck up to realize that David Miscavige HATES LRH and everything he created. Then again, perhaps that has already occurred and continues to occur.
This small man, POB, is the antithesis of what good-sensed people consider as normal.
DM, a veritable DMSMH and SOS test case, is a whole-track SP ‘par excellence’. That’s a fact.
Now let’s get over it.
Tomorrow’s a new day.
Seemed sort of shallow? I met her when I was still in. Big house at the beach, big money & big name with people fawning all over her. Shallow is an understatement. How about mest driven? Now we’re talking.
Nobody can afford bad PR. And Scientology is, unfortunately, the worst kind of PR. So even a remote connection to the cult is bad news for one’s bottom line. And let’s face it…..it’s money that matters on this planet.
As an artist, I’m saddened about what I know is going to happen to WTF. This year or next, the professional artists and writers (judges), will begin to distance themselves. But, as a Scientologist and a human being, I say, pour on the truth!
As long as we’re looking under the rock that is Author Services Inc., there is another family of crawling bugs living in the damp dark of it’s history, a species that crawled straight out of the shirt collar of David Miscavige. I wrote about this in one of my first articles, http://www.scientology-cult.com/david-miscavige-corruption.html, noting the curiously strange case of the CoS — a church with an express mission of moving people up the Bridge and removing any distractions — suddenly and inexplicably in the early 1980s shifting over to peddling the art of topless women for $10,000 a crack. Another WTF that doesn’t mean “Writers of the Future.” In a church that notoriously crashed down hard on anyone with “other fish to fry” how in the name of Tarzan was this not a “distraction” to moving people up the Bridge? I personally know many people who, instead of purchasing their next step on the Bridge, were crush sold to buy “collectible prints” by ASI. Here is the earlier beginning to the IAS, Ideal Orgs and Super Power schemes. On the one hand we have Keeping Scientology Working, and on the other we have the head of RTC pushing parishioners to buy nudes instead of Scientology. Does it get any crazier or more flagrant than that? Why we didn’t rise up and burn DM at the state back then is a testament to our own stupidity and willingness to cast personality integrity to the four winds. Thank god we finally learned our lesson.
Maybe you should check on the definition of “independant.”
I believe in past lives and I believe David Miscavige was a Nazi during WWII. Only a Nazi thug would act like he does. He is what he dramatises.
Who Was He? Here is a list of 15 most infamous Nazis. Which one was he? Let’s do an S & D.
http://listverse.com/2010/08/22/top-15-most-evil-nazis/
15: Hermann Georing
14: Ilse Koch
13: Joseph Goebbles
12: Franz Stangl
11: Paul Blobel
10: Josef Kramer
9: Ernst Kaltenbrunner
8: Friedrich Jeckeln
7: Oskar Dirlewanger
6: Odilo Globocnik
5: Adolf Eichmann
4: Joseph Mengele
3: Reinhard Heydrich
2: Adolf Hitler
1: Heinrich Himmler
These are some of the worst thugs ever. Which one was David Miscavige?
Unfortunately they come back
Sincerely
THE RESISTER
Grasshopper,
I totally get you when you say, “I mean, if we just cut the crap and said “Look, this is Scientology. You are a being. You have a mind and a body…”
Doing otherwise is as ridiculous as someone saying, “I’m not using Knowing How to Know anymore – I’m going in another direction”.
And if I may add, finding, knowing and correctly using authentic LRH materials is a lot different than waiting for LRH.
Good post Marty. Nicely stated.
Interesting as a bit of info that came from Tony Ortega’s article that David Miscavige has a tunnel from Author Services to an apartment behind Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Wow, that’s over a block long underground.
I know so many do not want to bother to read everything LRH ever wrote, for all sorts of reasons, but I so wish, again, that his traffic to ASI became public.
The whole evolution of how ASI formed to solve the problems of the old LRH Pers Office which was where the old LRH Accounts used to be, I mean the ASI corporation was a huge solution to the old LRH Personal Office.
To me, I want ALL the story, all the Hubbard writings, ALL the stories, all the details.
I have to give Tony credit for beginning the discussion, but there is so much available material even out there, like the existing ASI mags, even have the ASI org board and even has ASI history in the first 10 editions of that mag.
Anyone with copies of the first 10 ASI Mags, please email me, I’d be happy to receive any and all copies of the ASI mags, particularly ones with LRH stories and particularly any with photos of ASI staff, etc.
Thanks! chuckbeatty77@aol.com
I just wonder how “Arms Length” WTF would remain if an INDY made a submission.
Lets see, write a SciFi story about a little guy from the planet “Suppresso” in the Dwarf Galaxy, come to earth to infiltrate a group in opposition to Suppresso’s galactic goals of conquest and enslavement. It seems this earth group is actually freeing these hapless humanoids. So, he eventually betrays the groups Founder, takes over and continues his mind control operation on earth. He slowly alters the teachings INTO Mind Control. The new slaves are so conditioned they are unaware they are now forwarding the polar opposite of their Founders Goals. They fight against those that are attempting to open their eyes to Suppresso’s destruction taking place in their once noble Organization.
The Suppresso guy, named Bullyesque Cowader, gets a lot of bad press after a while and fights tooth and nail to maintain his position of power as he hides in fear from former escaped members that occasionally come to visit and taunt him from outside his fenced and guarded hi tech facility. Saying mean things like “Hey Bullyesque, I just wanted to say hi, come on out and talk.” In response to these terrible threats he closes down the base and trembles privately in stark terror that maybe his time is near. IT IS.
Another chapter has him attempting to prevent his crimes being discovered so he sets a clever trap and has his attorneys file a lawsuit against a former member that knows terrible secrets and sues her forcing her to defend herself by disclosing his crimes. This is such a clever plan that only HE sees the brilliance of it. His attorneys continue to tell him to desist as it is damaging more than helping but Bullyesque Cowarder knows they are too stupid to see how brilliant he and his plan really are.
Eventually he is overcome by his own evil and captured while eating the remains of the dead in his private 70 million dollar chalet. Taken away to a chamber and buried for 75 million years he continues to scream to this day that they are all Fu*7?)% and Incompetent and Shi&^$0 Eaters Suck*&%) each others Dic(*$^#+. Fa*&*%-ots. And other equally terrible expressions of one who is thoroughly debased.
Do I have a shot?
“Lets see, write a SciFi story about a little guy from the planet “Suppresso” in the Dwarf Galaxy…”
THAT was some funny shit! You should do it, under a pen name.
🙂
Yeah, in shark infested waters.
I think anyone who refuses to look is not worth me helping to pay their salary.
If you want to appreciate their works without lining Scn’s coffers, there are ways: 1) buy your movies used at the local store; 2) buy albums used; etc.
That’s what I do.
My sister, Gunhild Jacobs (please Google her name and anything else you can think of to educate yourself of the whole picture) pretty much runs WTF these days. To say that ASI and WTF and RCS is not connected at the hip would be like saying that conjoined twins had no interactions. Please email me at “bodil@scandical” and I can give you all the details.
Whereas I applaud the effects WTF creates, I wish the ties and the tacit agreements to conceal the overall efforts to cover up the RCS’s involvement in the whole picture come out in the open so award winners can wear their accomplishments without any kind of Asterix’s attached and the real goal being advancing man’s creativity and willingness to find new avenues, I just call for the whole thing being completely sincere, which is a word that RCS does not seem to have good grip on, IMHO.
That is some funny sh#@.
The Dwarf Galaxy 🙂
Interesting thought Margaret. Got me thinking about the various is-nesses. It is alter-is to pretend you (1st, 3rd, or any dynamic) are not what you are. It is alter-is to change the agreed upon technology and policies while denying what you are doing. It is alter-is to create front groups that appear to be other than what they are. All these things and more are sorts of lies, and lies cause problems to persist and have other adverse consequences.
I may get dinged for what I’m about to say, but I think CoS went off the tracks before DM. DM is a convenient and very appealing candidate for the role of villain, and he richly deserves the mantle of that role and the consequences of it, from everything I see.
But for anyone so inclined to help my understanding, weren’t some of the following things alter-is and out-ethics? — (a) moving into Clearwater purchasing property under a deceptive name?; (b) operation Snow White and the Paulette Cooper matter?; (c) various GO and OSA activities?; (d) claiming church status and adopting a somewhat Christian appearing cross when the word church usually refers to Christianity, and apparently doing so for reasons driven by other considerations than what many would consider religious belief? And so on? CoS certainly had developed cult-like aspects before LRH died, the fact notwithstanding that DM has created a tyranny within a cult-like structure, compounding the problem to a bizarre and frightening level, IMHO.
Would I be correct in my understanding that the preceding things were pre-DM and during a time when LRH was in charge?
What I would love to see is a totally free and open independent group that will apply the workable technology (and I will be the first to say that such value does exist) while inserting common sense, self-reflection, lack of dogma, openness to critical reasoning, application of the scientific method where it might be of use, and so on. Without that, DM may be gone, but the same systems of thought and behavior that produced one DM might, it occurs to me as a fear, create another DM eventually. What would be the safeguards from that?
BTW, I’m not suggesting that Marty or Mike or anyone would fall in that direction. To the contrary, I like and respect them tremendously. I’m thinking more long term — like years, decades, and generations.
Thanks for letting me express these views for what they are worth.
I agree. Is it not interesting that Miscavige thinks everything is on “his” orgboard, and yet he is covert about it.
I do recall back in the ’70s that it seemed clear the Narconon and Applied Scholastics were using Scientology.
Naaah. No one would ever believe it! 😉
Add embezzlement to the summary.
From V.V.:
“To this day, they say, Miscavige’s home in Los Angeles is Author Services, the literary agency that runs the contest. A tunnel gives him easy access from the agency to an elaborate apartment that was built for him in a building behind Grauman’s Chinese Theater.
“They gutted an apartment building for Miscavige. That’s where he lives when he’s in LA — which is a large percentage of the time, because he’s close to Tom Cruise,” Rinder says.
He is using Church resources and hiding assets under the Church banner. This swanky apartment and everything in it was a gift for his SOLE use. He did not pay gift tax on it. He used Church resources for personal profit to buy and improve the Real Estate. That is embezzlement. Living in a custom pad (What your donations buy today) while his comrades sleep in a trailer in the desert, the ants using them for comfort. He is a dramatizing Yakuza!
If the I.A.S. needs money so desperately, why is David using staff to custom make his furniture? Why is he using donations for a custom pad?
I would like to know if you used RPF staff or had staff sent to the RPF just so he could use them for real estate interests.
Last sentence a question for DM.
It’s the same problem as with orgs, missions, narconon, etc. Some good work is done and public cognites on Scientology, learn to study, get rid of drugs, etc. The bait and switch trick comes in later when one is sold on his ruin and thus can be extorted till death. Just because it’s part of the trap, doesn’t say it’s bad all over. The answer is of course to hit source like what we do here but not hitting the fall out as that will evaporate when the source is gone.
GH: These satellite groups and their continuous denial of connections with the CoS always rankled me, too. This was the first place where it appeared to me that CoS was lying in its PR, with its denials that these groups were connected to the Church, when they clearly are connected to the Church de facto. I always thought that CoS and the groups should clearly say, yes we do apply Scientology and yes we are connected to the Church, period. I think they would have been much more successful had they done that.
Thoughtful: Regarding the testament to our own stupidity — what JUST really has dawned on me is how an anti-social personality can utterly overcome and ruin or attempt to ruin the lives of social personalities.
AND I did the PTS SP course at least 4 times.
It’s just now it’s really coming home to me.
I think it’s less our stupidity and more a testament to our nature as very social beings.
And yes, thankfully I believe we are each learning how to spot, disarm and move forward against suppression.
dm is after all not the only sp lurking on this planet, intent to destroy all souls. The planet needs our help in whatever way we can muster up —
it need not be a HUGE thing – just genuine interest in another.
WH
Seems to me that ASI is still using the face of Larry Anderson in the cover of FINAL BLACKOUT:
http://androvillans.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/larry-anderson.jpg?w=300&h=249
Someone should give him a word about that.
I don’t think WOTF was a bad idea. In fact, I think it was a great idea! I saw the products.
I do think it was a bad idea to escort me, the Contest Administrator, off post and out of the org after Dr Denk’s death.
I’m more than happy to answer any questions that might be posed to me about the activity.
About D.M. being a Nazi in a past life ie: your list
Cross off Reinhard Heydrich as I word cleared
the re incarnation of Reinhard Heydrick a few years back
when he was on Staff.
Nothing special , he ran MU’s like anyone else ,got gains on basic processes. Do not recall an FPRD but I imagine would get huge wins.
I agree on both scores.
FOTF, there’s no doubt in my mind that the CoS went off the tracks before DM.
The issue is: Why has it gotten even worse?
DM took charge in the early 1980s, with all of us expecting and hoping for improvements. The meaningful stats (Auditors and Clears made) were up till about 1990. And then things tanked. And they’ve never recovered.
If this was any other organization, DM would have been out of there within a few years, and someone else would have taken over. A nice little ceremony allowing DM to save face could have been held, and the new (actually competent) leaders could have taken over to set things aright. But as it turned out, DM had other plans — and he set things up so that his replacement was nearly impossible.
And here we are in 2012, and we look back at the “off the tracks of the 1970s” … and we can’t believe we were complaining then. Who would have conceived that things could have become so much worse than they already were?
And by the way, a competent experienced leadership would have implemented and used the most workable of LRH’s policies … and retired or replaced the old and/or unworkable ones. That’s what experience and competence allow one to do. DM had neither.
Fox News is another criminal cult.
Chuck, I share your desire for all of the materials to be released, fair and square. I remember a conversation we had, years ago when we were both at Int, about all the Advices there were, and it was mystifying to me then, that there was such a huge, obvious hidden data line being used to justify keeping hard-working staff members enslaved, even though there was so much LRH said about the subject: no secrets, no hidden data lines, period.
(Yes, we knew each other, decades ago .. if you use a little straightwire, you might remember who I am, we had an interesting Libs together once.. not ready yet to reveal all the details, how’s that for a little mystery sandwich though, heh heh..)
and those collectible things aint worth a buck
those who have been helped by it will be finding out how they now have to pay the piper – all those blogs, interviews, etc with LRH and WTF made me who i am – and the contract will tie them to it. then they have not got there on their own and must influence others in that way – so it is buying ‘influencers of people’ you can see by going to websites of finalists – that WTF finalist statement has to be prominent – take the candy and then you have to give give give
I agree with that, Margaret. Thanks.
FOTF
Yes, there certainly are issues that predate David Miscavige. To answer your question, I also believe that unless the reay “WHY” and other subsidiary “WHYs” are found that identify the root causes of any and all of the outpoints in Scientology, the Organization, there is every indication that some form of “takeover” WILL inevitably happen again.
As per the “Danger Condition Formula”
“5. Reorganize the activity so that the situation does not repeat.
6. Recommend any firm policy that will hereafter detect and/or prevent the condition from recurring.”
These steps would be vital in preventing a recurrence of the current situation.
I personally feel that there is a vital step left out of that Danger formula, or ANY danger formula, and that is “do a full and thorough Data evaluation to locate the precise why for the situation and work out a handling that actually handles it, and apply that handling effectively.”
Without a correct data evaluation, and a correct WHY found, and handled, any Danger Formula is ultimately doomed.
I fear that there will be many who will sell their eternity and their integrity before they will question anything L. Ron Hubbard wrote, however poorly it may reflect the handling of the current scene, and the achievement of the “ideal Scene” as envisioned by L. Ron Hubbard.
I wish I was wrong…
Eric S
Ahhh, an aficionado after my own heart. James Blish, Cities in Flight. JPH, Inherit The Stars. Niven, of course, Ringworld.
Sadly, now we know. Everything he touches turns to shit.
Put a being into confusion and they won’t even notice that she’s naked…oh wait, and that no progress toward spiritual freedom was being made either.
(Easy for me to say with one foot firmly planted on the ground and eyeballs on the internet all these years later, huh?)
Ain’t nothing what it’s supposed to be!
Thank you for the expose’
*Somewhat off Topic*
A posting identity “MarkStark” has been spamming the Village Voice comments on any Scientology-related article with anti-Hubbard propaganda. He has also posted calumny (false negative PR) about Dr. Gene Denk in response to The Widow Denk’s comments. If any reader has information about this Mark Stark, particularly whether he is a former Scientology staff or public, please contact me via Hushmail address. ( thesneakster2012@hushmail.com )
Michael A. Hobson
Independent Scientologist
Pingback: Conscience – Scientology and Human Rights | Moving On Up a Little Higher
On WTF, I wonder how close the corporate church dare get since it is the only “legitimate” PR vehicle that is really positive? It would be a travesty to bash the hope of young artists and that is something DM would have no qualms doing. OH and Ann I’d layoff the book version it is too much like non-fiction and might restim a few beings… just kidding go gettim. FCDC Class of 74
Hey Grasshopper,
I take your point re separation from the CHURCH for the most part, but I just wanted to say that the Way to Happiness was a program that had HUGE potential, along with Applied Scholastics. Unfortunately, Miscavage cannot keep his mitts off anything, so they go down with everything else at this stage. LRH wrote one of the most beautiful documents of his life when he wort the Way to Happiness. it is truly aesthetic and spiritual. And he wrote a very carefully thought out plan for how it could be used to calm the waters politically. We have done a great deal of work with that document, and it is a treat to see people read it and cognite. It saddens me tremendously that I cannot in good conscience promote it any longer due to its ties to the rampaging lunatic who is running Corporate Scientology.
I totally agree – The Way to Happiness is very well written, and if the church actually DID it, it would have had a much larger impact on the world.