It's been 15 years or so since Jeff Hawkins designed the incredibly successful "Exploding Volcano" commercial for Dianetics.
It's also been 15 years of struggle to expose the lies, crimes and abuses of Scientology, Inc, in both doctrine and behavior.
The Scientology organization kept an iron grip on Scientologists and information allowed them. Now, thanks to the internet, members are looking, and for some, what they've observed internally suddenly begins to make sense in a new context.
Scientology, Inc. has reached that point in its evolution where splinter groups form and break off. The wall of secrecy is crumbling, and a real exodus has started to occur.
Scientology, Inc. is gearing up to open its Super Power building in its Florida center, Clearwater, Florida.
Fundraising for this monstrosity that dominates the skyline with a faux-Mediterranean prison look continued long after a spokesman, Ben Shaw, confirmed that the project was fully funded. Whether this gave David Miscavige the notion that this fundraising could be replicated on a smaller scale or not, the pattern is certainly there.
The Super Power Building project began in 1991 when Scientology, Inc. purchased the Old Gray Inn, a historic landmark that suffered a mysterious arson fire before it was sold and razed to make way for Super Power.
Twenty years later, the exterior was finally approved. Construction proceeded in fits and starts, much to the annoyance and frustration of city officials. During that time, costs of materials and labor caused the price to double, from $26 million to $45 million. In 2005, the city ordered them to complete the landscaping and exterior by the end of the year.
The deadline wasn't met, and the city imposed a $250 a day fine for every day the edifice remained unfinished. The city bent over to give them every possible break, including the assurance that, if the building were finished in a timely manner, the fines would be discarded.
Five years later, it is finally approved for occupancy. However, the fines that added up to a quarter million dollars were not set aside. Indeed, the economic climate of Clearwater is such that forgiveness of such a huge sum for noncompliance would result in an uproar from citizens already fed up with Scientology's presence in their town.
Despite a few attempts by Scientology's lawyers to get the fine reduced or set aside, reason ruled and the organization had to pay up.
Ten years ago, the Super Power Building would have opened to great fanfare and enthusiasm from Scientologists who would travel there from all over the world. However, when the gigantic Scientology logo, the double cross, was hoisted to the top of the building there was absolutely nothing to promote the event. Usually they will promote an event like this with great publicity, seminars, programs and parties. The raising of the cross on Scientology's Super Power Building was recorded by a couple of Anonymous participants. It is very out of character for Scientology to allow a potential PR bonus to slip through its grasp.
It will be interesting to see what kind of celebrations are planned for the Super Power grand opening. Scientologists are often bussed in from other places to attend these events, and Sea Org members are brought in to boost the numbers in the crowd. It will also be worthwhile to monitor numbers of attendees for this event, which must be lavish enough to go down in history. For Scientologists, this is an historic event.
Pictures of the interior were posted in Tony Ortega's Village Voice column/blog, 'Runnin' Scared.'
It has a gorgeously appointed interior full of airy spaces and pleasing design.
The Superpower Rundown is about to be released! It will no doubt be very expensive, addressing the customer's "perceptics." It involves a thing that looks like one of those carnival gyroscopes, an 'oily table,' a flavor wall...you have to see it to believe it. Happily, Tony Ortega delivered pictures of the various devices Scientologists will pay big bucks to ride, lie on, feel, wallow or taste.
As I said earlier, ten years ago this grand opening would have been received with wild enthusiasm. In a post-Debbie Cook era, they may have to dig up the meat bodies of the long-dead Scientologists of yore to make up a large enough crowd to support the assertion that "Scientology is Expanding!"
Ms. Cook's email has also put Ideal Org projects everywhere in danger. When she points out that L. Ron Hubbard directed that under no circumstance should fund raising for MEST take priority of getting people "up the Bridge" to total freedom, she is able to provide the appropriate Hubbard quote. You cannot argue with Hubbard for he is Source, and what he says goes. Even today, his words are consulted by Scientologists seeking a solution to a problem.
Here's what Hubbard said about real estate:
“We own a tremendous amount of property. We own a tremendous amount of material, and so forth. And it keeps growing. But that’s not important.
When buildings get important to us, for God’s sake, some of you born revolutionists, will you please blow up central headquarters. If someone had put some H.E. [high explosives] under the Vatican long ago, Catholicism might still be going.
Don’t get interested in real estate. Don’t get interested in the masses of buildings, because that’s not important.”
Tape: The Genus of Scientology
Anatomy of the Human Mind Congress
31 December 1960
Now it's up to David Miscavige to convince these unhappy campers that they are misinterpreting what Hubbard said, but it's really rather difficult to take something like "blow up central headquarters" out of context.
We are watching something right now that will certainly be historically noteworthy some day, the slow decline of an original American confidence game that benefits from religious cloaking; paying no taxes, enjoying the ability to import foreign Scientologists as "religious workers" and exploit them.
Word is, the FBI is investigating Scientology for human trafficking. Quebec is investigating their dangerous drug rehab front group, Narconon. Australia is about to evaluate their demands for charitable status.
So, Scientology watchers are looking at the big picture, while followers are only fed the hype; tales of Scientology expansion, of influencing governments, boasting of how valuable local officials in far away countries find their programs, anecdotal success stories of unnamed endorsers.
Scientologists are kept in the dark about issues relating to their church. Discouraged from viewing the daily news because it is "too enturbulating," they rely upon the numerous glossy publications put out by Scientology, Inc. Within those pages, the fantasy thrives. Out in the real world, the clear indications of a Scientology meltdown are beginning to show.
The extreme fundraising employed by Scientology is not unknown to the outside world. The Tampa Bay Times (formerly the St. Petersburg Times) recently published an excellent article entitled, "The Money Machine," an extensive coverage of some of the things discussed here. Several ex-Scientologists say that this article was the final straw. No wonder the organization discourages members from reading or watching the news!
This does not signal the end of the Scientology belief system by any means. There are Freezoners, Ron's Org, Independent Scientologists; all people who believe in Hubbard and "the tech," and who agree that David Miscavige has taken the organization on a course of destruction with his greed and driving desire for ultimate power and respect.
I believe that Debbie Cook's letter has helped Scientology, Inc. lurch closer to its final end. If the exodus of members from Scientology, Inc. grows exponentially, we'll see the end of it sooner than later.
In the meantime, watch for the signs of further deterioration as more people leave and speak out, and as the media continues to grow braver about publishing stories relating to Scientology. Since the infamous South Park episode, 'Trapped in the Closet,' the fear Scientology used to be able to impose on publishers, broadcasters and investigative reporters has faded. So stay tuned, 2012 is going to be interesting!
