Scientology still can't believe you haven't become cool enough to save the planet

Yesterday we pointed out that the Scientologists who appeared in church propaganda about forking over huge sums of money for leader David Miscavige’s vanity initiatives tend to be reaching their retirement years.

But today’s mailer that was forwarded to us by a reader reminds us that Scientology’s own perception of itself is very different. This is the organization, after all, that literally printed up T-shirts with the slogan “Coolest Religion on Earth,” and that loves to recruit young people with the idea that there’s actually something hip about being an indentured servant at one of Miscavige’s expensive cathedrals.

The mailer was sent out by the Pasadena Ideal Org, which opened for business back in 2010 and has had zero impact on that Southern California town since then. And in fact, the photo that they sent out, showing some young good-looking types doing their best to look like the cool kids, was taken inside the Flag Building atrium in Clearwater, Florida, where staffers are sent for special training.

What is this flier intended to convey to the actual dwindling and aging (and almost entirely white) remaining L. Ron Hubbard fans in Pasadena? Send us your kid, and we’ll ship them off to Florida to turn them into the advance shock troops of the Coolest Religion on Earth’s planetary takeover?

We’d love to hear what our veteran former church members here at the Bunker think about this image and what it’s trying to say to today’s remaining Scientologists.

We also can’t help thinking of the way the London staff was trying market itself during the pandemic, also with the same sort of appeal.

This is a reflection of Miscavige’s concept of what’s cool, right? Fascinating.

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New information about Emily Armstrong at the Daily Beast

Reporter Sean Craig contacted us some time ago about a piece he was working on for The Daily Beast about new Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong.

We had dug up some things of our own about Emily’s mother, Gail Armstrong, who is a longtime Sea Org member and was, Mike Rinder told us, actually in the infamous Sea Org prison ‘The Hole’ with him back in 2006 or 2007.

Sean found great new material about Emily’s own background in Scientology’s notorious Cadet Org that has been the subject of many exposes in the past. And in particular, he found, Emily appeared under a pseudonym (“Ava”) in Katherine Spallino’s book about growing up in the strange outfit, The Bad Cadet, which we told you about in 2023.

The new article documents how there’s simply no question that Armstrong experienced the harrowing deprivations of growing up being groomed to be one of Scientology’s future Sea Org slaves. And her mother is still doing that to this day and took part in a retaliation campaign against Mike Rinder.

What a remarkable background for a singer of a band like Linkin Park, right?

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Bonus items from our tipsters

It’s that time of year again! With the end of 2024 rapidly approaching, here’s one more opportunity for you to dig deep, pilgrims, and send a giant donation to David Miscavige and write it off on your taxes!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

LOWER THIS YEAR’S TAXES BY MAKING YOUR DONATIONS TODAY.

There are countless reasons to journey up the Bridge to Total Freedom: increased awareness, heightened abilities, the chance to live at cause for now and all eternity. And if you make your donations before the end of the year, there’s another benefit.

Because your donations for many Scientology training and auditing services are tax-deductible, donating before December 31, 2024, may lower your income taxes. You save money—all while securing your Bridge.

These tax benefits also cover contributions to the US IAS Members’ Trust* as well as for the creation of Ideal Orgs and the completion of LRH Hall.

Seize the moment to lower your taxes as you raise your awareness and abilities.

Don’t miss this deadline. Secure your eternity today.

Contact your tax advisor for more details and to ensure you receive the maximum tax benefits for your donations.

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Thank you for reading today’s story here at Substack. For the full picture of what’s happening today in the world of Scientology, please join the conversation at tonyortega.org, where we’ve been reporting daily on David Miscavige’s cabal since 2012. There you’ll find additional stories, and our popular regular daily features:

Source Code: Actual things founder L. Ron Hubbard said on this date in history

Avast, Ye Mateys: Snapshots from Scientology’s years at sea

Overheard in the Freezone: Indie Hubbardism, one thought at a time

Past is Prologue: From this week in history at alt.religion.scientology

Random Howdy: Your daily dose of the Captain

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