Today, Tony Ortega posted this on Facebook: Today we start our new weekly series, Scientology Mythbusting with author Jon Atack! The legendary Atack is helping us sort fact from rumor about church history, and this week we're starting with the famous photos of L. Ron Hubbard torturing a tomato! Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: The Tomato Photo! « The Underground Bunker We’re starting a new weekly feature today, and we’re very excited about it. In 1990, author Jon Atack published what is still one of the very best books on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology, A Piece of Blue Sky. Atack now has a new edition of the book coming out, and it reminded us what an encyclopedic resource he is. So we had an idea. In the world of Scientology watching, we noticed that there seem to be some legends, myths, and contested facts that tend to get hashed and rehashed in books, articles, and especially on the Internet. With Atack’s help, we’re going to tackle these issues one by one, drawing on Jon’s deep knowledge and (who knew?) droll sense of humor. Continued with open comments at http://tonyortega.org/2013/02/02/scientology-mythbusting-with-jon-atack-the-tomato-photo/
I've always thought they were from the same series in 73. But what the fuck do I know? What is the latest known pic of the Hub?
Tony has written the next article in the series, and said this on Facebook: When did the Church of Scientology begin? The answer to that question isn't obvious, we learn in this week's Mythbusting with Jon Atack, author of "A Piece of Blue Sky." Jon helps us understand the period after the initial Dianetics craze had died down in the early 1950s, and the solution to our question just may surprise you! Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: Original Spin « The Underground Bunker Excerpt: The notorious ‘religion angle’ letter was written on April 10, 1953 — to the organizer of the PDC, Hubbard’s then deputy, Helen O’Brien (whose book will break any heart, she was so shabbily treated by The Hub). Here’s what Hubbard wrote to her: We don’t want a clinic. We want one in operation, but not in name. Perhaps we could call it a Spiritual Guidance Center. Think up its name, will you? And we could put in nice desks and our boys in neat blue with diplomas on the walls and one, knock psychotherapy into history and, two, make enough money to shine up my operating scope, and, three, keep the HAS [Hubbard Association of Scientologists] solvent. It is a problem in practical business.I await your reaction on the religion angle. In my opinion, we couldn’t get worse public opinion than we have had or have less customers with what we’ve got to sell. A religious charter would be necessary in Pennsylvania or N.J. to make it stick. But I sure could make it stick. If we were to return there [to Phoenix] we’d be able to count 10 to 15 preclears per week at $500 for 24 hours processing. That is real money. I have seen it happen before. We get more preclears at $850 per week [counseling] intensive. Charge enough and we’d be swamped. We need that money. We should not long plan to have it siphoned away. Bless him. Ever the philanthropist. Hubbard registered his three ‘churches’ in December 1953, in Camden, New Jersey, calling them the Church of Scientology, the Church of American Science, and the Church of Spiritual Engineering. His use of the word ‘church’ was deliberate. At the time, it meant a Christian organization. He wrote elsewhere that the Church of American Science was intended to recruit Christians and move them over into Scientology. http://tonyortega.org/2013/02/09/scientology-mythbusting-with-jon-atack-original-spin/
Another thread with some good information about the cult's origin can be found here: Professor Stephen Kent: Scientology versus Psychiatry https://whyweprotest.net/community/...en-kent-scientology-versus-psychiatry.106784/
This morning, Tony wrote this on Facebook: Harlan Ellison is rocking the Bunker! The cantankerous science fiction legend helped us with our weekly investigation of L. Ron Hubbard lore, and along the way gave us a hilarious anecdote about that one time when he was at Roddy McDowall's house and a rabid Scientologist opera singer jumped on him like she was going to take his head off. Check it out! Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: And With Help From Harlan Ellison! « The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/02/16/scientology-mythbusting-with-jon-atack-making-a-million/
With all respect to one of the best short story writers of the last century, Harlan Ellison is known to embellish a bit. That said, I find the story about the opera singer going berserk plausible, and pretty similar to Jenna Elfman's insane reaction to a satirical T-shirt a bit ago. I'm just surprised the opera singer didn't start screaming "Do you rape babies?" (Harlan might well have replied, "No, I eat them.")
I always found his respect for LRon to be annoying (despite my fanboi worship of HE's mastery of the short story), but perhaps with that bizarre attack, Ellison has a bit more of an idea of where the punch line of that 'joke' went. I'd like to think that was one reason Ellison had TO up to the Wonderland (fully restored since the last earthquake, I trust?). On edit: Ellison is a writer who always kept a tight leash on his ownership of his writing. Thank the Gods he is not religiously inclined.
Have you ever read about the time he appeared on 'Dating Game'? He offered his date a fine meal including a chaffeur-driven tour of the LA dump with pearl handled revolvers to shoot at rats with! I'd have jumped on that in a heartbeat! Unfortunately, he wound up on the cutting room floor.
Here's Tony's post today: Mythbusting with Jon Atack: This week we talk to the encyclopedic Scientology historian about the church's notorious policy of "Fair Game." Where did L. Ron Hubbard get the idea to send private eyes after anyone who dares to criticize him? Also: Is Lisa Marie sending subliminal messages? Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: Fair Game! « The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/02/23/scientology-mythbusting-with-jon-atack-fair-game/
BTW, Disqus is problematic for Linux if it ever worked. If it doesn't work for some Linux, that means it is developed in Windows. So that explains that some bloggers say it sucks.
Today on Facebook, Tony wrote: We've been hearing from readers who say they've been seeing a television ad that makes a lot of claims about the wondrous life of L. Ron Hubbard. We asked Scientology historian Jon Atack to take a look at those claims, and in his inimitable style he goes to town! Scientology Mythbusting with Jon Atack: That Hubbard TV Ad! | The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/03/02/scientology-mythbusting-with-jon-atack-that-new-l-ron-hubbard-ad/
Ellison is a very proud and loud atheist or "Jewish atheist". And yep...he is known for keeping a tight leash on his work. He is also know for his crazy and volatile character. I remember reading a story that once he flew from LA to NY, just to punch somebody in the nose in some public event.
He does seem to have the ego-inflated idea that every story he wrote was completely original and no one had ever previously written anything remotely similar. Also, that any story written afterward must be completely derivative of his and his alone. He could have been a cult leader, but he lacks Hubbard's charm.
Actually, he is plenty charming and has a violent volatile side about him, that would totally help him to establish a cult, had he wanted to. But he is just utterly not interested in being a cult leader. He was very active in the civil rights movement of the 60s, and he has a very interesting personality. Yes, he thinks that if he wrote something - he needs to be paid for it. He does not use computers and the whole concept of free blogs or rather giving work away for free is foreign to him. He is from another generation. Can't blame him for it. He is a pretty good writer. Repent Harlequin was totally shamelessly copied in that horrible Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried movie called "In Time". But Harlan dropped the suit eventually, seeing what a piece of shit that movie was.
^^^ Also, nobody can take away from Harlan the fact that he wrote one of the most famous episodes of Star Trek called The City on the Edge of Forever. I for once, love how he argued with the show producer for altering what he wrote and publishing his own, original script for this episode. Screen play writers are always being shit upon by the producers and directors. Well, good for Harlan for standing his ground. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_on_the_Edge_of_Forever
Well, I'm glad that Ellison is older and wiser and dropped his suite against In Time, even though the central motive in that movie did seem to be at least heavily inspired by "Repent Harlequin".
Today on Facebook, Tony wrote: IS XENU OVERRATED? Last year, we heard from one (sort of) ex-Scientologist writing at Hairpin that critics of the church make too much of the infamous "OT III" materials. So this week, we asked expert church historian Jon Atack to consider that question, and also to respond to some ex-church members who say that material should be taken metaphorically. Let's dig into Scientology's space opera! Scientology's New Strategy: Attack of the Clones! | The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/03/09/scientology-mythbusting-with-jon-atack-xenu-part-1/
Tony posted this on Facebook today: Xenu the Movie Star! In our continuing discussion on Scientology's space opera secrets with historian Jon Atack, we get into L. Ron Hubbard's wacky notion of revealing everything to the world in a screenplay he wrote, "Revolt in the Stars." And we also managed to track down "Ron's Journal 67" in complete audio! Xenu the Movie Star! When Scientology Almost Spilled its Secrets | The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/03/16/xenu-the-movie-star-when-scientology-almost-revealed-its-secrets/
Here's Tony's Facebook today: Scientology historian Jon Atack has been itching to get to this one. In our weekly series on debunking church myths, we look at one of the most cherished elements of the L. Ron Hubbard legend, his claim to becoming a "blood brother" of the Blackfoot tribe in Montana at only 4 years of age. We let Atack set the record straight on that. Blood Brother Ron: Starting Out Life on the Wrong Blackfoot | The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/03/23/blood-brother-ron-starting-out-life-on-the-wrong-blackfoot/
Today, Tony posted this on Facebook: Scientology is pretty odd, but who was the oddest Scientologist? Church historian Jon Atack makes a good case for "Captain Bill" Robertson in one of the wackiest stories we've put together. Independent Scientology: The Ballad of Captain Bill | The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/03/30/the-ballad-of-captain-bill/
One of Scientology's Early Celebrities: Charlie Manson! | The Underground Bunker http://tonyortega.org/2013/04/06/charlie-manson-and-scientology/
Former ex-President of Narconon Arrowhead, Lucas Catton, was attacked with malicious lies yesterday on a Scientology website. http://www.examiner.com/article/nbc-rock-center-guest-lucas-catton-attacked-by-scientology
I'm sure this one won't backfire. They are usually awesome at this and all other things internet. Which is surprising because so few of them are allowed to view the entheta-laden interwebs.
Indeed. And they certainly would never, EVER, be stupid enough to use resources of the criminal organisation known as the "church" of $cientology to attack people who are only involved with litigation against narCONon. And they would never, EVER, use patient confidential information. Well, hardly ever...
