Well now, this is embarassing.....

The Head Short Guy at the Old Town Org Opening

Things are not looking up for L. Ron's make believe world. 

A recent article has been published that exposes what may be the beginning of the end of Scientology as we know it.

I recall when the Old Town Pasadena building was dedicated a number of years ago, the street was entirely blocked off - in order to isolate a significant number of protesters who showed up to protest the opening of the building.  At the time, I found this rather odd and ironically tragic.

Today, Pasadena's Ideal Org is occupied daily by a small handful of 5 to 10 people.  The chain smoking among staff members is at an all time high.  At least two of these folks are the rather confused and shaggy looking uniformed children of Scientology members - these adolescents are sent out to the streets of Old Town to hand out the pathetic "personality test" promotional tracts used to lure the unsuspecting and dim witted into the Ideal Org building.  Most other kids this age are attempting to pass algebra, play on school sports teams, or loiter at the shopping mall.   This form of self promotion is not the sign of massive growth of a religion, this is the sign of something tragically sad slowly dying.

Now this article is making more sense to me, in light of the efforts of those protesters.

Scientology it seems is neither a religion or a business.  It is a sad joke.

Oops! Don't Ask This Guy for your Opening Ceremony Speaker!

Here is a little discovery quite revealing and emblematic of Scientology leadership and the type of image they profess to promote.  Its somewhat old news, but worthy of posting here as a reflection of things related to the Scientology folks in Old Town Pasadena.

First, the image this group attempts to portray to the public; Scientology is a good thing, and respectable people endorse it.  Even famous narcissistic actors!

Several years back, when the Pasadena "Ideal Org" Scientology office was opened, amongst much soon forgotten fanfare, the event featured a speaker at the Grand Opening who has turned out to be, well, a complete fraud.  Actually, he has become more than a fraud, he has graduated to become a criminal. 

I am speaking here of the Right Pretend Reverend Dr. (Not Really) Nicholas Benson. As it turns out, recent press articles have exposed that Dr. Nicholas Whatshisname Benson is neither a Doctor or a PhD., or even Nicholas or Benson.  Read more about all this here.  Turns out he is none of anything he has said he was.  He even attempted to run for Pasadena City Council.

And to top it all off, and add insult to injury for the Scientology folks, Pretend Never Mind Reverend Whatchamacallit proceeded to get himself arrested last May for five outstanding traffic violations.

The moral of this short story?  Think twice, or perhaps five times, before believing anything you hear at a Scientology event.  Particularly a Grand Opening.

The Beginning of the End?

For a little more than two years now, a building close to mine in Old Town has been a renovated "church" of Scientology.

I have never understood what the religious or business model was of a building in which millions of renovation dollars have been spent, and yet, only 8 people show up everyday in bartender uniforms.  They spend the breaks and lunch hour all (every last one of them) chain smoking in the alleyways of Old Town. 

It all seems so entirely.....empty.

And now, this article finally explains what I have long suspected.  Its all a hoax.

This quote sums up exactly what I have feared for these poor people, deceived by a false religion:

As elsewhere, after its grand opening, the Orange County building remains empty but for a few staffers, said Garcia. "There's nothing happening in those orgs," he says "They're dead: six people in 65,000 square feet." Former executive Nancy Many calls churches like Seattle's and Santa Ana's "Ideal Morgues."