Last week, we posted a Scientology video made by some humble folks at the church’s Phoenix “org” who were asking their fellow Scientologists for help raising money to build a new facility.
It was hard not to chuckle at the faux excitement put on by the Scientologists, who were just trying their best to pry money out of other followers.
It was one thing for those of us outside Scientology to laugh at their efforts. But how about a 15 minute video of Scientology’s leader and his audience having a laugh at the fundraising efforts of their own fellow parishioners? Watch the above video and marvel.
The video appeared on Marty Rathbun’s blog today under Mike Rinder’s name, where the former high-level Scientology executive posted it as an example of the decline of the church. The narrator of the film, Scientology ultimate leader David Miscavige, appears to be giving the opposite impression — that fundraising efforts in Europe to construct new “Ideal Orgs” are on fire.
But we’re really having a hard time understanding why Miscavige is poking such fun at the goofy skits and musical acts at these fundraising events.
I mean, I thought that was our job!
As I mentioned earlier, I’m on the road and can’t really dive into more about this. But I’m sure our commenters can help us interpret further the strange way Miscavige presented this seemingly good news!
Click here to see all recent Scientology coverage at the Voice
Tony Ortega is the editor-in-chief of The Village Voice. Since 1995, he’s been writing about Scientology at several publications. Among his other stories about L. Ron Hubbard’s organization:
The Larry Wollersheim Saga — Scientology Finally Pays For Its Fraud
The Tory Bezazian (Christman) Story — How the Internet Saved A Scientologist From Herself
The Jason Beghe Defection — A Scientology Celebrity Goes Rogue
The Paul Haggis Ultimatum — The ‘Crash’ Director Tells Scientology to Shove It
The Marc Headley Escape — ‘Tom Cruise Told Me to Talk to a Bottle’
The Jefferson Hawkins Stipulation — Scientology’s former PR genius comes clean
The Daniel Montalvo Double-Cross — Scientology lures a young defector into a trap
A Church Myth Debunked — Scientology and Proposition 8
Daniel Montalvo Strikes Back — Scientology Hit with Stunning Child-Labor Lawsuits
When Scientologists Attack — The Marty Rathbun Intimidation
A Scientologist Excommunicated — The Michael Fairman SP Declaration
The Richard Leiby Operation — Investigating a reporter’s divorce to shut him up
The Hugh Urban Investigation — An academic takes a harsh look at Scientology’s past
Giovanni Ribisi as David Koresh — A precedent for a Scientology-Branch Davidian link
Janet Reitman’s Inside Scientology — A masterful telling of Scientology’s history
The Western Spy Network Revealed? — Marty Rathbun ups the ante on David Miscavige
Scientology’s Enemies List — Are You On It?
Inside Inside Scientology — An interview with author Janet Reitman
Scientology and the Nation of Islam — Holy Doctrinal Mashup, Batman!
Scientologists — How Many of Them Are There, Anyway?
Roger Weller’s Wild Ride — Scientology When it was Hip
The Marc Headley Infiltration — A Scientology Spying Operation Revealed
Placido Domingo Jr: Scientology’s Retaliation is “Scary and Pathetic”
An Interview with Nancy Many, Former Scientology Spy
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