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Blogs
March 13, 2012
Happy Birthday, L. Ron Hubbard! Here's Our Surprise Gift For Scientology's Founder
On this day in 1911, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was born in Tilden, Nebraska. If Hubbard had not wisely discarded his 74-year-old meat body in January, 1986 in order to research new levels of OT somewhere else in the galaxy, he'd be a really wrinkly 101 years old today. Where is Ron today? According ... More >>
Blogs
February 17, 2012
Debbie Cook: "I Have Seen L Ron Hubbard's Technology Create Many Miracles"
Scientology took on Debbie Cook, Debbie Cook kicked Scientology's ass, and now...Scientology wins? This afternoon, former Church of Scientology executive Debbie Cook posted a public thank you to her supporters at the blog of Marty Rathbun, who is also a former high-ranking church official. She des ... More >>
Blogs
February 15, 2012
SCIENTOLOGY'S DISGRACE: AN OPEN LETTER TO TOM CRUISE
Dear Tom, It's time for you to start talking publicly about Scientology again. Your religion is in serious trouble. In 2005, you ended a longtime policy of not talking about the church by suddenly bringing it up in interviews. Most memorable, of course, was the way you challenged Matt Lauer, tell ... More >>
Blogs
February 9, 2012
Scientology vs Debbie Cook, Day 1: Our Totally Unscientific Handicapping
What an amazing time we had reporting from the Bexar County Courthouse today as Debbie Cook testified in the lawsuit filed against her by her former employer, the Church of Scientology. We got back to our hotel room and saw for the first time the amazing comments left by our loyal readers. ( ... More >>
Blogs
February 8, 2012
Scientology's Gag Reflex: The Church's History of Enforcing a Vow of Silence
Tomorrow, one of the most remarkable legal hearings in the litigious history of Scientology should unfold in a Texas courtroom. Two weeks after filing suit against Debbie Cook, the former executive who for 17 years ran its spiritual mecca in Florida, Scientology will be seeking to turn a 14-day res ... 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 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 >>
Blogs
February 2, 2012
Scientology in France: Still Guilty of Fraud
Big news this morning out of a French appeals court, where a decision was handed down regarding Scientology's 2009 conviction for fraud. Scientology watchers around the world have been keeping an eye on the proceedings, which were wild and woolly: in November, Scientology's entire contingent of att ... More >>
Blogs
January 27, 2012
Scientology vs Marty Rathbun: An Unfair Fight?
Last summer, we brought you extensive coverage of Scientology's bizarre siege of a South Texas home. A goon squad calling itself the "Squirrel Busters" claimed to be a documentary crew making a film about former high-ranking church executive Marty Rathbun. The intimidation squad even managed to get ... More >>
Blogs
January 25, 2012
The Strange Death of Flo Barnett, Mother-in-Law to Scientology Leader David Miscavige
We were stunned when Debrah Kitchings said it: in the 26 years since she investigated the odd death of Mary Florence "Flo" Barnett for the Los Angeles County Coroner, she has not once been asked by a reporter about what she remembers of the case. Only once in that time, she says, was she ever aske ... More >>
Blogs
January 19, 2012
Scientology Spokeswoman Who Disconnected From Her Father Criticizes Scientology Victim Who Didn't
On Thursdays, we bring you Scientology news from around the globe. And this week, we were planning to note that Australia's television program A Current Affair had done a nice job on a story we brought you earlier, about Ramana Dienes-Browning and her hellish 8 years on Scientology's private cruise ... More >>
Blogs
January 18, 2012
Scientology's Goons: Intimidating a 71-Year-Old Missouri Grandmother
On December 29, the Church of Scientology-Missouri's media relations officer, Ellen Maher-Forney, and another executive, Jill James, drove the 40 minutes it takes to go from the church on Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis to the home of Jim and Meshell Little in Saint Peters, Missouri. When the two wom ... More >>
Blogs
January 12, 2012
Scientology, Winning! We Hear from the Church's #1 Student
On Thursdays, Scientology's staff members race to get their statistics turned in by 2 pm, the end of their week. Here at the Voice, we do the same thing, rounding up the world's media on Scientology each Thursday and deciding whether the church has had an "upstat" or "downstat" week. [Go here for ou ... More >>
Blogs
January 6, 2012
Scientology in Turmoil: Debbie Cook's E-Mail, Annotated
Since news broke Sunday of Debbie Cook's stunning e-mail, sent to thousands of her fellow Scientologists, word of a serious rift inside the church has been appearing in many news outlets, particularly in Europe. In the meantime, we provided additional depth and context about Debbie Cook, her career, ... More >>
Blogs
January 5, 2012
All Scientologists Look Alike, Right? -- And More in our Weekly Stats Roundup!
Is that a famous Scientologist we spy?Every Thursday at 2 pm, Scientology staff members race to turn in their weekly statistics. We like to do the same by rounding up the week's Scientology news from around the world and weigh how the church is doing. We're going to start this week with a ni ... More >>
Blogs
January 1, 2012
Scientology Rocked By Allegations of Greed in E-mail to 12,000 Church Members
Debbie Cook: Cooked after this broadside against church management?UPDATE: Debbie Cook has asked me to take down her e-mail, and I am complying. See note below. Very shortly after midnight last night, after the ball had dropped in Times Square to welcome in 2012, we started to receive fevere ... More >>
Blogs
December 29, 2011
Scientology Goes Upstat for the Final News Roundup of the Year (And Why We're Grateful)
Feeling upstat, feeling sexy!On Thursdays, we like to put together a rundown of stories related to Scientology watching from around the world. We do this on Thursdays, because it's that day when Scientologists rush to turn in their weekly stats. Most of the time, those stories are embarrassi ... More >>
Blogs
December 21, 2011
Scientology Scuffle Over Xenu: When a Protester is Attacked!
Getting a face full of unhappy ScientologistTommy Gorman has a pretty in-your-face way of protesting the Church of Scientology. He positions himself outside the entrance to San Francisco's Scientology "org" holding a video camera and another device that plays an audio recording. As workers a ... More >>
Blogs
December 21, 2011
Scientology Document Suggests Huffington Post Religion Blogger has been on the Church's Payroll
Joe Grieboski -- on Scientology's payroll?Former Scientology executive Marty Rathbun made another leak of formerly secret, internal Scientology documents today, and this time he claims to have uncovered that a Huffington Post blogger who defends minority religions, and Scientology, has been o ... More >>
Blogs
December 12, 2011
Scientology Leader David Miscavige Digs Israel; BONUS: Black People are Cool! (UPDATED)
The Voice was leaked a copy of Scientology's latest gala -- its October meeting of the International Association of Scientologists -- which took place in the UK, near L. Ron Hubbard's legendary home, Saint Hill Manor. At three hours long, it's an interminable amount of time to watch diminuti ... More >>
Blogs
December 11, 2011
Scientology Sunday Funnies: Learn PR from the Sea Org!
Scientology doesn'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 ... More >>
Blogs
December 10, 2011
Scientology Subluxation: Commenters of the Week!
"Am I doing it right, Mr. Fairman?"Another Saturday morning here in the underground bunker finds us once again picking up the pieces after another hectic week. Let's review, shall we? After starting off the week with another edition of Sunday Funnies, that evening we published our lengthy in ... More >>
Blogs
December 7, 2011
Valeska Paris Receives Threat from Scientology Attorneys; And More on her Time on the Freewinds
Valeska Paris and DeclanLast week, we wrote about Valeska Paris, the Swiss-born Australian woman who says that from 1996 to 2007, she was held against her will on Scientology's private cruise ship, the Freewinds. She says that Scientology leader David Miscavige moved her to the ship in 1996 ... More >>
Blogs
December 6, 2011
Michael Fairman Sues his Chiropractor -- in Part to Legitimize the Independent Scientology Movement?
Michael Fairman, giving an interview to Mark Bunker for his documentary, Knowledge ReportWe've said it before: Michael Fairman is one of our favorite former members of the Church of Scientology, and someone we've talked to quite a few times in recent months. We were caught by surprise Sunday ... More >>
Blogs
December 4, 2011
Scientology Cruise Ship as Hellhole: The Ramana Dienes-Browning Story
Ramana Dienes-Browning and IyanaLast week, Steve Cannane of Australia's ABC network and its program Lateline broke the story of Valeska Paris, a woman who says she was held against her will on Scientology's private cruise ship, the Freewinds, from 1996 to 2007. In that story, Cannane also ta ... More >>
Blogs
December 1, 2011
Melissa Paris, Valeska's Sister, And Her Own Ordeal in Scientology's Cadet and Sea Orgs: Forced to Marry at 16
In December of 1996, Melissa Paris was 16 years old, and had been married for a few months to a man she says she was forced to wed. An unpleasant match, the marriage ended when Melissa left him -- and Scientology's hardcore and controlling Sea Org -- two years later. But that was in the future. In ... More >>
Blogs
November 29, 2011
Scientology's Cruise Ship as Prison: The Voice Interviews Valeska Paris (UPDATED and CORRECTED)
NEW: Valeska's sister Melissa Paris tells her own story of imprisonment and unpaid, underaged labor in Scientology's Sea Org. ALSO: Our interview with Ramana Dienes-Browning, who knew Valeska Paris on the Freewinds and has her own story of hellish treatment. ALSO: A slideshow of Scientology celeb ... More >>
Blogs
November 15, 2011
Scientology in Israel: Arson, Attempted Murder, Foreclosure, General Paranoia -- And a Visit by the Voice!
Scientology's unopened building in JaffaHere at the Voice we've reported this year on some pretty hard to believe worldwide developments in the ongoing Scientology saga -- from allegations of lying about child molestation in Australia, to splitting up families in California, to a months long ... More >>
Blogs
November 2, 2011
Scientology Leader David Miscavige Fed Gourmet Meals Every Few Hours: Australian TV
Interesting Scientology news coming out of Australia in this piece which aired during what were the wee hours here for us this morning. Australia's Bryan Seymour has produced some of that country's biggest scoops about Scientology in recent years, and he has a diverting item in this Today Tonight ... More >>
Blogs
October 27, 2011
Mark Ebner on Scientology and South Park: Rathbun is Definitely Leaking Authentic "Intel"
EbnerAs we continue to investigate Scientology's retaliation campaign against South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and their friends and employees, we remembered that an old colleague of ours, journalist Mark Ebner, worked with the animator duo for their infamous 2005 episode "Trapp ... More >>
Blogs
October 27, 2011
Scientology and the Emerald Isle, Baghdad-by-the-Bay, and More in Our Thursday Stats Roundup
Mike Rinder, the former Church of Scientology spokesman, appeared on Irish national television last night as he prepares to take part in a debate about Scientology today. We'll look at Rinder's Dublin TV performance and more as we round up this week's high and low marks for the church. Every Thu ... More >>
Blogs
October 19, 2011
Scientology's "Disconnection:" Lori Hodgson, Ex-Church Member, Kept from Scientologist Son in Hospital After Serious Wreck
Lori Hodgson with her children, Jessica and Jeremy Leake, before they 'disconnected' from herBreaking news this morning for Scientology watchers: a drama is playing out at a San Jose hospital today which puts Scientology's notorious "disconnection" policy in high relief. This is a moving sto ... More >>
Blogs
October 14, 2011
Scientology Hates Clean Ice, Part 2: Another Target, and the Web as Weapon
Checked your cubes for bacteria lately?On Wednesday, we told you about a Scientology "Fair Game" operation that seems beyond the pale: the church, known for its vindictive treatment of perceived enemies, is accused of harassing a business to keep it from bringing to market a potentially life- ... More >>
Blogs
October 12, 2011
Scientology Hates Clean Ice: The "Fair Game" Operation That Should Turn Your Stomach
Xenu hates sterile cubes, for some reasonOne of the first things people ask me when they hear that I cover Scientology on a regular basis is whether I've been targeted for harassment by the church. Despite some evidence that the church does intend to "handle" me, I've been left alone for th ... More >>
Blogs
October 4, 2011
Philip Boyd, Saving Grace Actor, Rips "The Business That Is Scientology"
"If I could save one person from buying into the business that is Scientology, then it would be worth you writing my story." That's how actor Philip Boyd concluded an interview that I didn't even expect to happen. Let me back up: I'm in Southern California for a school visit, and with some free t ... More >>
Blogs
September 28, 2011
The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology, No. 1: L. Ron Hubbard
On August 5, we started a countdown that will give credit -- or blame -- to the people who have contributed most to the sad current state of Scientology. From its greatest expansion in the 1980s, the church is a shell of what it once was and is mired in countless controversies around the world. Some ... More >>
Blogs
September 26, 2011
The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology, No. 3: Marty Rathbun
On August 5, we started a countdown that will give credit -- or blame -- to the people who have contributed most to the sad current state of Scientology. From its greatest expansion in the 1980s, the church is a shell of what it once was and is mired in countless controversies around the worl ... More >>
Blogs
September 23, 2011
The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology, No. 4: Tom Cruise
On August 5, we started a countdown that will give credit -- or blame -- to the people who have contributed most to the sad current state of Scientology. From its greatest expansion in the 1980s, the church is a shell of what it once was and is mired in countless controversies around the worl ... More >>
Blogs
September 15, 2011
Hugh Urban: An Interview With the Professor Who Took on Scientology
Urban, with Nancy Jesser, their daughter Maya Urban-Jesser, and Shiva the dog In June, we reviewed a remarkable new book about Scientology. A review copy of Hugh Urban's The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion, put out by the Princeton University Press, had arrived at our desk ... More >>
Blogs
September 10, 2011
Scientology Schweinehund: Commenters of the Week!
"Rathbun? I see nothing!"We were feeling pretty whiplashed this week here at the underground bunker where we keep an eye on all things Scientology related -- on the one hand, our big countdown was really heating up, but we also needed to keep an eye on the big news breaking out in Germany, wh ... More >>
Blogs
September 8, 2011
A Scientology Countdown Announcement: Before We Start the Top Ten, a Programming Note
Who's number one?Tomorrow morning, we begin to reveal the final ten in our big countdown, "The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology." Today, however, we wanted to provide a programming note and announce some addenda. As we predicted from the beginning, our readers have been vocal about their ... More >>
Blogs
September 5, 2011
The Top 25 People Crippling Scientology, No. 12: Tommy Davis
On August 5, we started a countdown that will give credit -- or blame -- to the people who have contributed most to the sad current state of Scientology. From its greatest expansion in the 1980s, the church is a shell of what it once was and is mired in countless controversies around the worl ... More >>
Blogs
September 3, 2011
Scientology Flameout: Commenters of the Week!
Marcotai conquers entheta!We're sitting here in the underground bunker, looking back on what was another amazing week of Scientology watching. More and more tips are coming in, things are breaking overseas, and the cats are mewing for their breakfast. We're on sensory overload here, but let's ... More >>
Blogs
July 14, 2011
Scientology's Spies, its Prison System, and Training Jerry Seinfeld: The Spectacular Life of Nancy Many
In both of the two major books about Scientology coming out this summer, Janet Reitman's Inside Scientology, and Hugh Urban's academic history, The Church of Scientology, we noticed that Nancy Many shows up multiple times. And no wonder: the former Scientologist has lived an amazing life. She ... More >>
Blogs
July 9, 2011
Scientology Freakout: Commenters of the Week!
"You'll know the Marcabians by their atom bombs and fedora hats, dear."Things just keep rolling along here at Runnin' Scared's fortified underground bunker, where we keep an eye on all things Scientology while waiting for the invading Marcabian fifth fleet. It's been another eventful week! W ... More >>
Blogs
July 4, 2011
Scientologists: How Many Of Them Are There, Anyway?
David Miscavige and crew in happier timesHappy Independence Day! And to our international readers, Happy Monday! Here in America, we'll be enjoying cool drinks by the pool or the beach or at the backyard barbecue, and the news cycle should be slow. So we thought we'd take this relaxing time ... More >>
Blogs
June 25, 2011
Scientology Implosion: Commenters of the Week!
Was this a week, or was this a week, fellow Scientology watchers! We started out with a hallelujah chorus, Scientology style! We're talking about the 1990 "We Stand Tall" singalong that a tipster posted to YouTube and that we put up on the blog Monday morning. Later that day, we revealed tha ... More >>
Blogs
June 6, 2011
Scientology: Christmas Comes Early with TWO New Books on Hubbard's Wacky Cabal
This Scientology watcher is beside himself with joy. In the past couple of days, we've received not one but TWO new advance copies of new books on Scientology. One, an academic approach put out by the Princeton University Press, the other, a likely blockbuster by Rolling Stone contributing ... More >>
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