Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief

10 Imitators and competitors came: Cf. Wallis, The Road to Total Freedom, pp. 80 ff.

11 “I’d like to start a religion”: Eshbach, Over My Shoulder, p. 125. Hubbard allegedly made this remark in 1948 or 1949. Arnie Lerma, a former Scientologist who maintains an anti-Scientology website, compiled a list of nine witnesses who said that they heard Hubbard make similar claims; www.lermanet.com/reference/hubbard-start-a-religion.htm. Hubbard’s son, L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., said, “He told me and a lot of other people that the way to make a million was to start a religion.” Allan Sonnenschein, “Inside the Church of Scientology: An Exclusive Interview with L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.,” Penthouse, June 1983. Sara Northrup recalled that Hubbard “kept saying ‘If you want to make any money the only way to do it is to make a religion so the government wouldn’t take it all.’ So he thought he could make a religion out of Dianetics.” Sara Elizabeth Hollister (formerly Sara Northrup Hubbard) tapes, Stephen A. Kent Collection on Alternative Religions.

12 “To keep a person on”: Revised Declaration of Hana Whitfield, Church of Scientology vs. Steven Fishman and Uwe Geertz, US District Court, Central District of California, Apr. 4, 1994.

13 “Perhaps we could call”: Hubbard letter to Helen O’Brien, “RE CLINIC, HAS,” Apr. 10, 1953.

14 Hubbard incorporated three different churches: Wallis, The Road to Total Freedom, p. 128.

15 The Church of Scientology of California: Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah, pp. 220–21.

16 “many, many reasons”: Jas. Phelan, “Have You Ever Been a Boo-Hoo?” Saturday Evening Post, Mar. 21, 1964.

17 “The goal of Dianetics”: Hubbard, Science of Survival, p. xxxviii.

18 “injected entities”: Hubbard, Scientology: A History of Man, p. 20.

19 “In the bivalve state”:” Ibid., pp. 40–42.

20 “pragmatic, cold, cunning”: Hal Holmes, personal communication.

21 She had flinty blue eyes: Ken Urquhart, “Friendly Recollections of Mary Sue Hubbard,” marysuehubbard.com/ken.shtml.

22 Hubbard was prospering once again: Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah, pp. 226–27.

23 “so knock off the idolizing.”: Interview with Philip Spickler.

24 “It should be taken daily”: Hubbard, All About Radiation, p. 113.

25 much of their time unsupervised: Interview with anonymous former Sea Org member.

26 extensive household staff: Anderson, Report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology, p. 42.

27 The headline in Garden News: Quoted in Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah, p. 235.

28 “mapping out the bank”: Interview with anonymous former Sea Org member.

29 School was, as usual: Ibid.

30 “What is this ‘Scientology’?”: Ibid.

31 “little old English lady”: Ken Urquhart, “My Friend, the Titan,” IVy 60, Jan. 2003.

32 “Your friends”: Ibid.

33 It was rumored that: Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah, pp. 215–16.

34 “My attention wandered”: Ken Urquhart, “My Friend, the Titan,” Ivy 60 (Jan. 2003).

35 “all mental and nervous disorders”: Malko, Scientology, p. 76. Miriam Ottenberg, The Evening Star, January 1963.

36 The IRS began an audit: The IRS audit began in 1965. The Church of Scientology of California was informed by the IRS that it no longer was recognized as a tax-exempt religious organization in July 1967. That status remained in effect for twenty-six years.

37 “There are some features”: Report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology, p. 1.

38 “a man of restless energy”: Ibid., p. 42.

39 “Some of his claims”: Ibid., p. 43.

40 “an insensate hostility”: Ibid., p. 47.

41 The report led to: Rev. Kenneth J. Whitman, President of the Church of Scientology of California and National Spokesman, undated “Press Statement” (although stamped “Top Secret”). Documents that the church obtained through Freedom of Information requests do show widespread cooperation among various international investigative agencies.

42 another “first Clear”: Lamont, Religion, Inc., p. 53. Hana Eltringham says it was in August 1966, but Hubbard and McMaster were already in Rhodesia by then. Affidavit of Hana Eltringham Whitfield, Mar. 8, 1994.

43 McMaster adopted a clerical: Lamont, Religion, Inc., p. 57.

44 Scientology’s first “pope”: Ibid. Kenneth Urquhart remembers the post as being merely a “cardinal.” Kenneth Urquhart, personal communication.

45 “He was very pronounced”: Interview with Jim Dincalci.


46 “curb the growth”: Wallis, The Road to Total Freedom, p. 195.

47 “I had been ill”: “Further Information on L. Ron HUBBARD and Laurence L. HAUTZ,” CIA dispatch, Aug. 22, 1966.

48 He resigned as Executive: Reitman, Inside Scientology, p. 80; and Malko, Scientology, p. 82.

49 Rhodes was homosexual: Rotberg, The Founder, p. 408.

50 Hubbard had a fantasy: Interview with Hana Eltringham Whitfield.

51 issuing passports: Hana Eltringham (Whitfield), interview, “Secret Lives—L. Ron Hubbard,” Channel 4, UK, 1997.

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