Author Archives: Mark C. Rathbun

Going Clear, Part 17 transcript:

Mark Rathbun:  Wright alleges that  “by October (2009) Rathbun got hold of the letter (Paul Haggis’ Scientology resignation letter).  Actually, I have an email dated 23 August where I am already talking to Haggis, not only do I have the letter I am giving Haggis detailed, meticulous instructions about how to present it deceptively to media contacts that I have established – this is two  months prior to October.  It didn’t as Wright states “find its way” to me; Paul Haggis sent it to me directly by email. Paul Haggis consulted with me every step of the way, how he should position this and how he should do this.  Quote from Going Clear:  “He (Rathbun) called Haggis who was shooting (film) in Pittsburgh and asked if he could publish the letter on his blog.”  In fact, two months earlier than that Paul Haggis wrote to me (Rathbun) and made me the coordinating point on seeing to it that his letter was published.  So, how could I be asking him to publish it two months later?  I coached Haggis through every step of the way on the release of his letter. What a prima donna. This process went on for two months.  (This was part of the phony narrative making Haggis look like he was operating on his own initiative, the John Wayne narrative. It was invented.)

Going Clear, Part 16 transcript:

Mark Rathbun:  At page 319 Wright goes back to his narrative on Paul Haggis.  Wright writes “Haggis was casting the movie The Next Three Days in the summer of 2009 and he asked Jason Beghe to read a part for his detective.”   Wright writes about Haggis connecting back up with Jason Beghe.  This is like a film script from Haggis.  Quote: “‘I just want you to know I am no longer in Scientology,’ Beghe told Haggis when called. ‘Actually, I am one of its most outspoken critics; the church would be very unhappy if you hire me.”  The whole thing sounds dramatic and daring on Haggis’ part. In reality, the matter was quite mundane.  Wright omits that the reason Paul Haggis called Jason Beghe is because I already told Haggis that Jason was out of the church. I also asked Haggis to do ME (Mark Rathbun) a favor and find some work for Beghe who was nearing need of psychiatric care for anxiety of his long spell of no work  in Hollywood.  He was a wreck. His confidence was shot.  That is all omitted.  So the invent a ‘cold call’ by Paul Haggis to Beghe.  They make Paul look like   strong me like “hey, when I decide to cast somebody, I cast somebody.”  Wright makes Haggis out to be John Wayne.  Wright makes it look like Haggis is learning for the first time Jason is out of the church when he calls to cast him. Which is bullshit, because the only reason he is calling is because I already told him he was out of the church.  I gave Haggis Jason Beghe’s entire history. I had Haggis watch all of Beghe’s antiScientology videos on Youtube – all before Haggis ever called Beghe, or even had the idea to call Beghe.  It is like they (Wright and Haggis) are living a Hollywood fantasy.  They make Haggis look some sort of macho guy. I mean, Haggis spoke to me for DAYS before he would make the Beghe call I asked him to make.  This is all invention. 

Going Clear, Part 15 transcript:

Mark Rathbun: This is where we show the underlying phony narrative going on with Wright’s book.  Quote from “Going Clear”:  “Because (Paul) Haggis stopped complained (Tommy) Davis felt the issue had been laid to rest.  But, far from putting the matter Haggis began an investigation into the church. His inquiry, much of it conducted online, echoed the actions of the lead character he was writing for Russell Crowe in the Next Three Days ”, who goes on the internet to research a way to break his wife out.”  This is such patent patronizing using his own created character to him (Haggis) look like a hero in a movie.  The reason I earlier covered all this business on the subject of homosexuality (that was busting the myth that Scientology was ever even as homophobic as the American Psychological Association, much less any other religion in America) is there is all this emphasis on Paul Haggis so suddenly shocked that Scientology didn’t necessarily promote homosexuality (as his reason for becoming “disillusioned” with the church); It is false, this is false.  First, he did not begin an investigation of Scientology after an alleged tiff with a church representative over Proposition 8 (Gay marriage initiative).  To the contrary, Haggis sat on his butt.  Write writes “what is so striking about Haggis’ investigation is that few prominent figures attached to the church have looked into the charges that have surrounded their institution for many years.”  Again, Wright is going to lionize and dramatize this alleged altruistic nature that sets Paul Haggis apart from the rest of these scum Scientology celebrities who won’t look.  Again, I am telling you Haggis did not do that.  This is false. What actually happened was that a year after this intro (about Haggis’s alleged shock the Church did not lobby in favor of Proposition 8) that Wright created, I received a mailing list that had Paul Haggis’ email address on it.  I initiated with him an initially anonymous email communication, directing his attention to media that I had participated in.  I did it very cleverly to draw his interest to get him talking about it before he even knew who I was.  This cat and mouse game went on for several days. He read the media I directed him to and only THEN did he begin to investigate (it has ZERO to do with any issue every remoted related to the created story about his alleged outrage about Scientology’s position concerning homosexuality).

To give Larry Wright a break. After his initial Scientology story about Haggis in New Yorker (the predicate for his later book Going Clear), Paul Haggis phoned me and he said “Marty could you do me a big, big, big favor?”  Because, of course he knew Larry Wright had chosen me to be the sort of surrogate for the Church (since the Church had no interest in dealing with him) – just so his due diligence would be done. So, Paul knew that I was a huge part of the Wright created Haggis/Scientology narrative.  Haggis said to me, “look, for the sake of my image with my daughters, can you please avoid telling Larry Wright that it was you who prompted me to go do an investigation into the church?”  I told him, “look man, I am not going to lie to Wright but I will deceive him by not originating it.  Unless he specifically asks me point on, I will bob and weave, but I am telling you if I get asked straight up, I am not going to outright lie for.”  Oh, Paul was profusely thanking me because it was very important for his image with his kids. Now, in retrospect, now that I have seen the whole Going Clear campaign and movie have rolled out, I am pretty sure that he couldn’t give a rat’s about his kids.  Instead, it is important for his own public image because he rode this sort of rode this pro gay rights wave as a PR vehicle and to paint himself as heroic.  This entire passage by Wright is critical to Haggis’ entire narrative and that is why he has got to pump it up, “What is so striking about Haggis’ investigation is that NO prominent Scientologist has ever charted and trailblazed the land that he decided unilaterally to go blaze.”  The problem is, he didn’t. It didn’t happen.