Subject:

Church of Scientology

  • Blogs

    May 7, 2012

    The Five Most Dream-Like Sequences in the John Travolta Sex-Assault Lawsuit

    The Internets are buzzing this afternoon with news that actor John Travolta has been sued by an unnamed masseur for touching his penis. Travolta has long been the subject of speculation that he's a gay man who is one of several celebrities in the Church of Scientology who the church encourages to " ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 6, 2012

    Sunday Funnies: Birmingham Raises the Odds on Ideal Orgs!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 29, 2012

    Sunday Funnies: Librarians Under Assault!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 27, 2012

    How Debbie Cook Exposed Scientology and Got Away Scot-Free

    Our legal expert, Manhattan attorney Scott Pilutik, has been busy fielding questions since news broke earlier this week that the Church of Scientology had settled its lawsuit with former executive Debbie Cook and her husband Wayne Baumgarten. After the jump, he takes a detailed look at the court's ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 24, 2012

    SCIENTOLOGY SETTLES WITH DEBBIE COOK

    It's turning into quite a day of revelations for Scientology Watchers. Earlier this morning we reported that charges had been dropped against Scientology executive Jan Eastgate in Australia. And now, another stunning development: Marty Rathbun just reported at his blog that the Church of Scientolo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 22, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: Jake and Elwood Want Your Cash!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 15, 2012

    Writers of the Future, Today! Scientology Gets Its Party On

    Oh my, do we have a treat for you today. For several weeks now, we've been reporting on the "L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future" contest. For several years, certain writers have questioned the connection between the contest and Scientology, which owns and operates it. And recently ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 12, 2012

    This is How You Finance an "Ideal Org"

    Tuesday morning we included a recruitment video from the Scientology "org" in Orange County, California in our post about Lisa Marie Presley. It was loads of fun, but then our tipsters alerted us last night that it was just the tip of the iceberg. Orange County, in fact, has lots of diverting vide ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 10, 2012

    Is Lisa Marie Presley Telling Off Scientology in a Song?

    For a couple of days now, our excellent tipsters have been alerting us to this new song from Lisa Marie Presley. It's not that they're big Lisa Marie fans -- although this song really isn't bad, I must say. No, the reason Scientology Watchers are fascinated by Lisa Marie's new single, "You Ain't S ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 27, 2012

    Scientology's Concentration Camp: Where Can Miscavige Put "The Hole" Now?

    As we wait for the next development in the Church of Scientology's lawsuit against its former employee, Debbie Cook, we continue to think about something the church told ABC for its recent Nightline story on the case... "In a letter to ABC News, a lawyer for the Church of Scientology flat out denie ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 25, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: RON the Encyclopedia -- THE VIDEO!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 24, 2012

    Scientology 451: Commenters of the Week!

    We used the news from Russia this week as an excuse to mix up a shaker of vodka martinis. After quite a few glasses garnished with olives, we got a bit lightheaded, but we never felt the desire to ban L. Ron Hubbard's books. This was a strange week of Scientology news around the world, but we kept ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 23, 2012

    Scientology on the High Seas: Posing as Archaeology Students for the Sardinians

    In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 22, 2012

    Russia Still Going About Things All Wrong, and More in our Scientology Stats Roundup

    Back in October, we reported that Russian law enforcement agents had raided a Church of Scientology in Moscow, breaking down doors to get into store rooms (see the photo at right). A court there had found L. Ron Hubbard's literature to be "extremist," and called for a ban on his books in Russia. Y ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 20, 2012

    Jonny Jacobsen: A Q&A with Europe's Premier Scientology Blogger

    Last month, when a highly complex fraud trial was completing its appeal phase in France -- which considers Scientology a business scam, not a religion -- there was only one place we went for the latest information. In the past, we've described Jonny Jacobsen's blog, Infinite Complacency, as "murder ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 19, 2012

    FBI Investigation of Scientology: Already Over Before We Even Heard of It

    In February 2011, the New Yorker published Lawrence Wright's superb 24,000-word piece about director Paul Haggis and the Church of Scientology, "The Apostate." One of the most interesting things in the story was a revelation that made news all on its own: Wright reported that the FBI was investiga ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 17, 2012

    Scientology Greenery: Commenters of the Week!

    Note: We'll have a special St. Patrick's Day report at 1pm this afternoon. Please come back for that after you check out these comments of the week! We went to Mecca and back this week -- Scientology's Mecca that is, the town of Clearwater, Florida to celebrate L. Ron Hubbard's 101st birthday. And ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 16, 2012

    Scientology on the High Seas: Hubbard Claims Victory Over the U.S. Navy

    In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 15, 2012

    Scientology's Future History! A Vision from 1969, and our Stats Roundup

    On Thursdays, Scientologists race to turn in their weekly stats, and we like to do the same, looking at how the church has fared around the world. This week, before we get to a couple of press items, we're going to start with something special. One of our tipsters sent us something that we always ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 14, 2012

    In Clearwater for LRH's 101st Birthday: Tales of Disconnection and Scientology Creepiness

    One of the highlights of a full day here in Clearwater, Florida -- spiritual mecca for the Church of Scientology -- was meeting Darth Xander and watching him chase a Flag bus to inform Sea Org members that they can leave if they want to. In town over the weekend to celebrate L. Ron Hubbard's 101st ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 11, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: Countdown to LRH's Birthday!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 8, 2012

    Scientology Nation of Islam Charter School to be Exorcised from the Earth Forever and Ever

    What we've learned from years of reporting on Scientology is that if you don't watch carefully, it will get its tentacles into your school district or worm its way into your local city council chambers or somehow use one of its "secular" front groups to fool some other group of chuckleheads who don' ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 7, 2012

    Scientology: Dear Judge, Protect Us from Rathbun and Rinder!

    Yesterday, we reported that Debbie Cook had gone on the offensive in the lawsuit filed against her by the Church of Scientology. The church had earlier filed a motion for summary judgment, asking the Bexar County, Texas court to award it an early win in the case; Cook answered back that she wants t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 5, 2012

    Paulette Cooper, With Help From the Voice, Discovers Her Heartrending Past

    In December, I finally got the chance to meet Paulette Cooper when we had breakfast near the offices of the Voice. For many of us who toil in this business of reporting on Scientology, we have no greater hero. Paulette's 1971 book, The Scandal of Scientology, was one of the first exposes of the chur ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 4, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: Use Kids to Solicit Donations? Why Not!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 4, 2012

    Scientology TV Ad Re-Edited by Funny or Die

    What is Scientology? Re-edit - watch more funny videos Hey, this is cool -- Funny or Die has put more appropriate music to the creepy Scientology TV ad! But don't forget to see our own piece looking at the 5 biggest lies in this ad, which has been showing up on network TV shows like Glee and ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 3, 2012

    Scientology Counterattack: Commenters of the Week!

    There's been so much enturbulation in the underground bunker lately, it's been hell on the cats, who just want to catch up on their sleep. So we installed one of those kitty hi-rises this week and it was an instant hit. The little carnivores are remaining more calm in their tiny carpeted condos whil ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 2, 2012

    Scientology on the High Seas: Three Major Enemies Scalped!

    In November we started a new feature here on Fridays: the Voice has obtained hundreds of copies of L. Ron Hubbard's previously unpublished "Orders of the Day," which he gave to crew members as he sailed the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Our documents cover the period from late 1968 through 1971, a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 1, 2012

    When Scientologists Talk To Each Other About Scientology

    I felt precious IQ draining away as I watched this video a few times, and I may not actually be doing our readers a service by subjecting them to it. But sometimes, it's important to counter Scientology's preferred public image -- as a somewhat vague and possibly glamorous undertaking that appeals ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 29, 2012

    DEBBIE COOK COUNTERSUES SCIENTOLOGY: We Have Her Counterclaim, and the Church's Legal Salvos

    The Voice has learned that Debbie Cook filed a counterclaim against the Church of Scientology Monday afternoon, the first significant development since her stunning victory against the church in a Texas courtroom on February 10. In her counterclaim, Cook is aiming directly at Scientology's ultimate ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 28, 2012

    How Scientology Drives Your Local Librarian Nuts

    We've been hearing pretty regularly from librarians near and far who have had it with the aggressive tactics of Scientology. You see, as we learned Sunday with a story about "study tech," Scientology is like an octopus that wants to get its tentacles into as many places as possible through front gr ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 26, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: The "Dwindling Spiral"?

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 26, 2012

    Scientology and Nation of Islam Exposed in Florida School Takeover; In Israel, Miscavige Shown to be a Liar by Own Attorneys

    The Tampa Bay Times has done it again with another explosive report on the Church of Scientology. Drew Harwell's thorough report shows an alarming partnership between Scientology and the Nation of Islam that has drained dry a troubled charter school in Dunedin, Florida. We also have a startling rep ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 22, 2012

    Scientology and the Occult: Hugh Urban's New Exploration of L. Ron Hubbard and Aleister Crowley

    The Rosy Cross, appropriated in a similar form by Crowley and OTO​Last June, we brought you the first review of The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion by Ohio State professor Hugh Urban, and then the first interview with the good professor himself. During that interview, Urban ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 21, 2012

    Scientology Hip Hop: The Melbourne Day Rap Battle Team! (UPDATED)

    We can't get enough of Scientology's rap videos. The latest comes to us from Melbourne, which has been stepping up its game in a big way lately. We recently published mailers from the Melbourne Ideal Org as it celebrated its first anniversary with parties that looked like they were off the hook. Bu ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 19, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: There's a Chill Down Under!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 16, 2012

    Scientology's Secret Ranch: Where LRH Will Reincarnate?

    Last week, we had a bit of fun publishing detailed maps to Scientology's super-secret underground vault locations. The vaults are the project of the Church of Spiritual Technology, a hush-hush entity inside Scientology that owns the trademarks and copyrights to L. Ron Hubbard's works, and that digs ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 13, 2012

    Anonymous vs Scientology: Chanology's Quadrennium in NYC

    We got a little confused by the International Dateline and what not -- hey, you try converting Sydney time to New York and see if it doesn't leave you dizzy -- so that big story we were promising today won't be here for another 18 hours or so. In the meantime, we have this short video we pieced toge ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 12, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: Fresh Meat in the Windy City!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 11, 2012

    VIDEO: The Debbie Cook Interview

    ​ We can't remember a time when the attorneys of the Church of Scientology gave up on a case like they did today when they withdrew their request for a temporary injunction that would keep Debbie Cook and Wayne Baumgarten under a gag order until the church's lawsuit against them could come to ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 11, 2012

    Scientology Dramaturgy: Commenters of the Week!

    Things back at the underground bunker are peaceful and calm -- the cats dig the new scratching post, we hear, and they're finally getting some quiet time while we're on the road frantically trying to keep up with Scientology's ongoing implosion. Things started out quietly enough as we began another ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 10, 2012

    Scientology vs Debbie Cook, Day 2: More Live-Blogging by the Voice

    We're heading down to the courthouse now to begin talking to folks before the action heats up again. Yesterday afternoon, Bexar County district judge Martha Tanner said that she'd begin day 2 of the temporary injunction hearing at 9:30 am, CST. If you're just joining us, the Church of Scientology ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 10, 2012

    Scientology Waves the White Flag in Texas: The Debbie Cook Interview

    ​I'm sitting in a remarkable conference happening right now with Debbie Cook, her husband Wayne Baumgarten (pictured above), their attorney, Ray Jeffrey, and several other journalists. It's just a few hours after the Church of Scientology surprisingly waved the white flag and dropped its atte ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 9, 2012

    Scientology, Deep in the Heart of Texas: The Voice at the Debbie Cook Hearing

    Update: For a wrap-up of today's hearing and some analysis of the day's performances, we now have this new piece. Today, former Scientology executive Debbie Cook will try to convince a Bexar County, Texas district judge to lift the strict terms of a temporary injunction as she defends herself again ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 7, 2012

    5 Biggest Lies in Scientology's 2-Minute TV Ad

    We keep seeing Twitter reactions as people are stunned to see a 2-minute ad for Scientology show up on network television. We've written earlier about the negative reactions the ad is getting as it appeared during NFL playoff games, the Miss America pageant, the Golden Globes, and during such weekly ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 7, 2012

    Scientology Headaches: Another Felony Count for Exec; Anonymous Anniversary Saturday

    There's so much happening in the world of Scientology watching right now, we can hardly keep up with it all. Most of our attention is being taken up with the Debbie Cook lawsuit and its big hearing on Thursday -- we're going to have more on that tomorrow morning. But for now, more big developments h ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 6, 2012

    Scientology's Secret Vaults: A Rare Interview With a Former Member of Hush-Hush "CST"

    Over the years, we've talked to a lot of former Scientologists, many of whom worked at the church's secretive desert headquarters in Southern California, "Int Base." They were cut off from their families and the outside world, and became accustomed to living in secrecy. But even these people adopt ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 5, 2012

    Scientology Sunday Funnies: The Denver Miracle!

    Scientologists don't really have a Sunday service. They like to say that they do, because they crave mainstream acceptance. But unless Xenu rested after six days and L. Ron Hubbard just forgot to mention it, there's no reason for Scientologists to treat Sunday any differently than every other day of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 4, 2012

    Scientology Jurisprudence: Commenters of the Week!

    The underground bunker might need some new paneling after the way we were bouncing off the walls this week. I mean seriously, how are we going to keep up with all of this Scientology news? It's like this is turning into a real job or something. We started off the week with our regular feature, Sund ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 4, 2012

    Scientology Wants It Both Ways: The Church's Opposite Legal Strategies In Florida and Texas

    Back in November, the St. Petersburg Times uncorked its best expose of the Church of Scientology yet -- "The Money Machine," a look at Scientology's incredible appetite for fundraising among its members. Just three months later, two court cases are putting an exclamation point on that investigative ... More >>

  • More >>
VOICE Daily Deals

©2013 Village Voice, LLC, All rights reserved.
Browse Voice Nation
  • Voice Places New York

    Voice Places

    Find everything you're looking for in your city

  • Happy Hour App

    Happy Hour App

    Find the best happy hour deals in your city

  • Daily Deals

    Daily Deals

    Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%

  • Best Of

    Best Of...

    Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city