Flag Event Featuring Bart Simpson on OT VII Tonight

The much talked about Flag event featuring Bart Simpson (read: Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson) is happening tonight.

Stargazing | Rubina from “Slumdog”; Rebecca Mader from “Lost”; Lisa Lampanelli, Noah Wyle - Kansas City Star:

"The Church of Scientology’s Flag World Tour is tonight in Hollywood, and one of the speakers is Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson. There has been some heat this week because Cartwright was using Bart’s voice in a pre-recorded message to promote the event."

The pre-recorded message has been widely featured in the press because Nancy used the copyrighted voice of Bart mixed with her own voice in the message to promote her appearance in the Flag event.

Pity it made such a scandal, because I for one found the message funny. Besides, isn't Bart Simpson known for making prank calls? Play it here below:

Aye carumba! Bart Simpson is spruiking Scientology - Times Online:

The actress credits Scientology for much of what she has achieved.

“Before Scientology I had one dream of making a living, from doing voice-overs for animation,'' Cartwright said in 2006.

“After I became a Scientologist my abilities expanded so far and above what I originally dreamed that I've amazed even myself.''

Bart Simpson's Voice Speaks for Scientology - E! Online:

"But although Cartwright has been a practicing Scientologist since 1989, the veteran voice actress had no outward problem helping The Simpsons poke fun at her religion in the 1998 episode 'The Joy of Sect,' in which the family joins the cultish Movementarians, whose members ultimately aspire to live on the planet Blisstonia."

Bart Simpson's voice being used to promote Scientology event:

"Cartwright also provides the voices of Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum and several other Simpsons characters on the show. She also voiced the character, Chuckie Finster, on Nickelodeon series, 'Rugrats' from 2001 to 2008."

The Canadian Press: Nancy Cartwright uses Bart Simpson's voice to push Scientology:

"The Fox network would not comment, but 'Simpsons' executive producer Al Jean said the message wasn't authorized by the show, which has never 'endorsed any religion, philosophy or system of beliefs any more profound than Butterfinger bars.'"

Related Blog Entries: R-NancyCartwright-

Before the Day Starts Rolling.

I do many things in life but personally my ultimate goal is a spiritual one.

Spiritually, the ultimate goal, in a way, is do-nothing. It is nothing, no-thing from this world.

The least one could do with such a goal would be to sit quietly for a few minutes in a day and do nothing, nothing but being, nothing but meditate...

And yet, how hard is it for us to find these few minutes in a day? We are always striving to do some-thing, to be busy, or else we feel we waste our time, we waste our life.

Even for someone like myself, who do have such a goal, hardly ever take the time to do it. I think it's a mistake, and every time I "force" myself, in a manner of speaking, to take these few minutes, I hardly ever regret it. It's like taking a few minutes a day to sharpen your tools. It's hardly time wasted.

I find that the best time to meditate is in the morning, shortly after waking up. One first needs to actually wake up. No sense to start to meditate half asleep. There's all kind of things we need to clean up from our head first. Some people like to review the day before, or look ahead on what's up for the day coming, or give a thought to one or the other things.

After this, there's some space we could use to do nothing, and yet fully wake up. Not just physically but spiritually. It often is a time of opportunity for it because life has not started wheeling yet. The children may still be asleep, the sun itself may not have started his daily round. There is a space of quietness.

I find that although our first instinct is to get busy and do something, it helps greatly to, on the contrary, sit up in the bed and start a short meditation. This could be a quarter or twenty minutes. Just sit quietly and let all thoughts pass. Focus on the sheer awareness and on the infinite depth of silence, of being and awareness. In effect, what we do, I think, is to elevate our own vibration. It's like an airplane take-off, until we reach a point above the clouds where there is nothing but quietness and light.

If we can keep that feeling as we land back down to earth, then we would bring that extra quality in our daily doing. The focus that brings an automatic alignment of everything else we do, and everything that surrounds us. There would be a "meaning" present, a meaning that is beyond words, that words cannot express, and yet something we can feel and live as a sort of deep well-being, of peace and silence in the center of turmoil and noise, even though in fact the feeling, if we reach it at all, which is not always automatic, usually fades off during the day and we get "sucked up" in life again... But nevertheless, it usually is much more worth than what we think is the time we "spend" on these few minutes of silence and quiet before the day really starts rolling.

Fair Game Abused

The Church of Scientology certainly did engage in harassment along their "Fair Game" policy. That it was canceled does not mean the spirit and rationale has changed much.

While this is true, however, I have observed Anonymous and critics engage in two myths about this:

1. Virtually anything critical the CoS or Scientologists say about critics is automatically tagged as "Fair Game", even when it is a mere normal answer.
2. Anonymous and critics tend to greatly exaggerate Scientologists' reaction in an attempt to tag it as fair game. I once have given an example of this, where a Scientologist engaged an anon in a relatively friendly manner and where her words were completely distorted to make it sounds like something absolutely sinister.

Quite on the contrary, I found that Scientologists in general have been remarkably cool in the face of sometimes abject harassment on the part of Anonymous, that actually illustrate the notion of Fair Game much better than what Scientologists did.

Put the shoe on the other foot and for a moment and imagine what you would say if Scientologists engaged in these types of behavior towards critics.

In this sense, I found the following thread rather in ARS interesting, and so far critics could not come up with a good answer: Demagoguery and the Anti-Scientology Movement - alt.religion.scientology | Google Groups

Pubes Accomplice Arrested as Accessory

Man who filmed petroleum jelly-covered Scientology protester's rampage arrested as accessory:

"The man who videotaped a petroleum jelly-covered protester on a rampage inside a Scientology center in Manhattan was arrested Tuesday for helping with the crime, police said.

Jacob Speregen, 21, of Brooklyn, was charged with two hate crimes including aggravated harassment and criminal mischief for helping Mahoud Samed Almahadin, aka Matt Connor, during the Jan. 14 incident. [...]

Jacob's mother argues that the fact her son filmed the preparation of the incident and the incident itself is part of his "free speech right" and not a hate crime.

R-pubes- related blog entries

Anon-Orange's Arrest

A while ago where shown videos of one Anonymous held to the ground by Gold's guards. The video was part of anti-Scientology forums using it to blame Scientology but the news was not really picked up further. One reason for this may have been the fact that what happened before was not shown.

More information on that incident is unfolding now.

"ANONYMOUS" IS A GANG OF CYBER-BULLIES AND ANTI-RELIGION EXTREMISTS: "ANON-ORANGE" PROVOKED AN ATTACK ON HIMSELF AS A PUBLICITY STUNT

"Several months ago, fifty-five year old Anonymous member 'Anon-Orange' (see below) screamed out '..FUCK YOU!' into the face of a security guard patrolling the perimeter of the Church of Scientology's Gold Base. The guards had repeatedly warned 'Anon-Orange' that he was indeed trespassing, and clearly didn't expect such a heated response.

As per their standard operating procedure, the security guard necessarily detained 'Anon-Orange' for trespassing and for acting aggressively.

Strangely, the videos which surfaced onto Youtube.com at the time of the incident neglected to show the provocative "...FUCK YOU!" which precipitated the arrest:

The videos which surfaced made it appear as though the arrest was in violation of his rights. Evidentally, this is the spin which Anonymous seeks to perpetuate. They want you to see "Scientology Bad Guys" attacking "Anonymous Good Guys".

So today, Anon-Orange just released his own footage, which sheds more light on the issue. Namely, that Anon-Orange provoked the attack."

You can watch the video on the page above or on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8FFCNZifvU

More related information, that appeared in ARS today, although the background and time of this incidents reported are unclear at this stage:

Agent Orange Goes Back to Jail - alt.religion.scientology | Google Groups:

"After this morning's arraignment, AO is back in jail.

An offer was made to drop the charges down to a 3rd degree misdemeanor with a $100 fine if AO would admit to screaming and yelling at Danny Dunigan. Graham advised AO to take the offer, which also would have allowed AO to protest Gold at his leisure, but AO refused it.

Following this, Scilon attorney Eliott Abelson informed the judge that AO had violated the court order given at the last arraignment on three occasions:

-AO had been ordered to stay away from Danny Dunigan, yet within 20 minutes he was filmed on the steps of the courthouse cursing at Dunigan and shoving a camera in his face.

-AO had been ordered to stay away from Gold Base, yet he has been filmed driving around Gold on two separate occasions.

Abelson said they may also be charging AO for his harassing behavior toward Catherine Fraser following one of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors meetings.

AO was escorted out of the courtroom by the deputies and bail was set at $2,500."

Seeing the Whole Field at Once

Sandy's Good News: Scientology increases reaction time and intelligence, says winning quarterback:

[...] "For several weeks running, he was listed as the number one top scoring high school quarterback in the NATION, on the popular web site, Max Preps.

Jesse says that Scientology and L.Ron Hubbard technology have given him an "unfair" advantage in life. When he was 13, he had an opportunity to take some basic Scientology courses that are designed to increase one's perceptions in present time. He says that the exercises he completed on his course have resulted in increased reaction time and ability to make decisions on a dime. Fast thinking and intelligence, he feels are key to being a successful quarterback. He can see the whole field at once: the guy who is trying to tackle him, the next guy after that, the receivers, the guys who are about to tackle them, and the guys that are coming in after that. All in a flash. Pressure is his friend. When he's being rushed at, he says, he has all the time in the world. "

On Hold

I had some problems with my laptop yesterday. I just "recovered" from this terrible cultic experience ;-) but it will take me a while to get up to speed again so no news or answers to comments for a while. Thanks.

Document in Travolta Case is Refusal to Transport

Fresh Intelligence : Radar Online : Travolta Extortion Mystery Solved: "Some reports said a photograph was at the center of the case. But RadarOnline.com has learned that the extortion charges stem from a conversation Travolta had with the paramedic concerning where Jett should be treated. Travolta originally wanted to fly Jett back to the U.S. for treatment, believing it would take just as long to transport his son to a Bahamian hospital as it would to fly him to Florida. RadarOnline.com confirmed with a source close to the situation that while Travolta originally preferred to have Jett treated in the U.S. he realized there was no time and agreed to have him treated in the Bahamas. [...]

The Nassau Guardian reported "Dames said police have a copy of a document they have not been able to prove the authenticity of. The document, he said, is a refusal to transport document. "

Hubbard's Affirmations Written by Gerry Armstrong?

L. Ron Hubbard vs A New Order (Ron's Journal 67, Black Dianetics, Conspiracy & Censoring)

On Jul. 2, 2008, I made a blog entry pointing to the strange fact that Gerry Armstrong, who made the "Affirmations" public, destroyed the hand-written original. I argued that I could not see the rational of destroying such a historical proof, especially since Armstrong was already a fugitive of the law at the time.

This makes the authenticity of the documents dubious, to say the least.

That impression is further reinforced when you know that Armstrong himself once declared: "We don't have to prove a goddam thing. We don't have to prove sh-t. We just have to allege it.”

The "Affirmations", or the "Admissions", as they are alternatively called, is a hand-written document supposedly written by L. Ron Hubbard, wherein Hubbard makes all kind of quasi-satanic affirmations.

If proven true, these would be very damaging to Hubbard and Scientology. Unfortunately, all we have is the word of Armstrong, someone who conclusively proven by blatantly violating the terms of his settlement, for which he received $800,000, that his words cannot be relied upon.

The link above points to a full scale research page documenting the possibility that the "Affirmations" may have in fact been written by non other than Gerry Armstrong himself.

ARS discussions on that page can be found here.

Other links:

• The Affirmations themselves, prefaced by Armstrong - Unfortunately this is a PDF document, so the link leads to a transposed version from Google.
• Armstrong answer to allegations that the document may not be authentic - Note that these arguments date back to 2003 and are addressed in the full research 2009 page above.
• The Self-affirmations of L. Ron Hubbard - Youtube webbing of the Affirmations, falsely presenting them as "real excerpts".
  
• Hubbard and Black Magick - A collection of references that includes references to the Affirmations.
• Chapter 5 of Piece of Blue Sky - Makes references to the Affirmations and details Hubbard "Miracle Recovery".
• Ron the War Hero - page disputing Hubbard's war claims, based in part on the Affirmations.

Related blog entries: R-Affirmations-

Valkyrie Tops Foreign Box Office

Germans flock to see Tom Cruise's Valkyrie | Metro.co.uk: "But the public have ignored the naysayers with the film topping the foreign box office and performing best in Germany."

Screen Daily - News: "Tom Cruise sits atop the Hollywood overseas releases after the MGM/UA release Valkyrie plundered an estimated $13.2m through Fox International from 2,283 screens in 13 markets.

The wartime thriller opened strongly in all its markets, ranking number one in Germany on $3.4m from 689, Australia on $1.3m from 233 and Holland on $825,000 from 96. The film ranked second in the UK and South Korea on $2.7m"

Related Links: Valkyrie (2008) - International Box Office Results - to keep track of International box office gross.

Medic Charged with Attempted Extortion and Forgery

Note that he was charged with forgery too, giving some indication of what the blackmail content might have been.

Bahamas medic charged in Travolta extortion plot | Reuters: "Prosecutors allege the paramedic, Tarino Lightbourne, 47, tried to extort Travolta by means of threats. They also charged him with forgery."

Bahama Cops: Obie's Still in Our Crosshairs - TMZ.com: "As TMZ first reported, the subject of the alleged plot is NOT a photo. Rather, it is a document."

Depth of Inhumanity

Gold Base Raid, 24 Jan 09 - alt.religion.scientology | Google Groups: "We had several funny signs. 'GOLD BASE, HOME OF THE ELECTRIC SQUIRREL.'"

Barbz and her ilks find this a "funny sign". If I am not mistaken this refers to the incident in which the daughter of Moxon accidentally died electrocuted trying to save squirrels that got trapped in a vault.

That some people may find such a sign "funny" shows the depth of inhumanity their hatred have led them into.

Just imagine the outcry if this would had happened to the daughter of a critic and if Scientologists would be waving such a sign in front of his house or office. But because it is against the "evil cult" of Scientology, it's OK - and even "funny"!

Monica Pignotti - Releasing the Bonds of the "Cult Mind Control" Narrative

Very good, albeit long, article from Monica, questioning some of the anti-cult dogma and methods.

As far as I am concerned, the anti-cult approach is itself a cultic belief system, mostly because it is based on an us-vs-them explanation.

Not that the anti-cult approach is fundamentally false, but like with anything, a partial view is presented as the whole view, and there lies the problem. Viewed in its own perspective it can be very useful, but when you turn it into a belief system through which you interpret everything, you just fall in yet another trap.

I think that this is part of what Monica describes here.

In my opinion, you don't need to "recover" from a "cult" anymore than you need to "recover" from a marriage turned sour unless you have been seriously beaten in the process, which is a tiny minority. It isn't a sickness, it just is part of life.

We make choices and some of these may be wrong, we learn from them and move on. That's really all there is to it. It all is part of spiritual learning, exploring, experimenting, like a child learns to explore his environment. You don't "recover" from being a child, this is silly. You learn and grow up.

Monica Pignotti, MSW: Releasing the Bonds of the "Cult Mind Control" Narrative:

I happened upon Steve Hassan’s book, CCMC, one day in the bookstore and was so fascinated, I could not put it down. It seemed to explain everything I had gone through, 12 years before in Scientology. [...]

The problem with these kinds of checklists is that the symptoms could have many alternative explanations, yet when someone is caught up in the cult mind control and post-cult syndrome narrative, that person uses it to explain any trouble they are having. [...]

That is what needs to be challenged and questioned. The studies showing high rates of post-cult symptoms were done with samples of people who had been exposed to anti-cult narratives or people who were having difficulties and sought professional help. Not included in these samples are people who left these groups and did not have such difficulties.

Critical View of Steven Hassan and His Counseling

Interesting criticism of Hassan's approach.

Main points:

1. Focuses on results rather than information
2. Insists on special counseling from "cult experts"
3. High fees
4. Recovery presented as endless
5. BITE mind-control model confuses mind control with normal spiritual experience
6. Cult-like behavior in his own forum

Blog of Lema Nal: Steven Hassan and His Counseling

More Information on Travolta's Extortion Case

Still clouded in mystery, but this additional information kind of makes sense. I doubt a Senator and a friend of Travolta would get involved in such an extortion attempt, and at such a time.

Wilchcombe Outraged by Extortion Claim - TMZ.com: "Here's what's interesting. Wilchombe says the attempted extortion was committed by 'one single individual.' It appears he's talking about EMT Tarino Lightbourne, who we're told is still in custody. [...] Sources tell us Wilchcombe maintains Bridgewater got wind of the extortion attempt and told him so he could pass it along to Travolta's lawyers. Wilchcombe told Us Magazine he 'did a noble thing' by giving Travolta's people a heads up."

Perez Hilton: Travolta 'Friend' Tied to Extortion Plot Speaks Out: "Apparently, the information was passed on to him early last week by another suspect in the extortion case, former Bahamian senator Pleaseant Bridgewater.

'She knew I was close to the Travolta's,' says Wilchcombe. 'She wanted to bring something to my attention.'

When asked if he sought compensation for the tip off, he exclaimed, 'Never once, asking for anything! Never once, expecting anything! This is ridiculous and absurd. The Travolta's are suffering, it's just outright foolish. Never did I ask for anything, no one can say that. We had a friend in my country who lost a son. It was one single individual [who tried to take advantage of the family], the Bahamian people have been very kind to the Travoltas.'

[...]

We can't wait to hear what Pleasant, the woman who put everything into motion, says in her tell-all interview!"