Church of Scientology Crumbling? Who get the credit?

If you live under the rock, let me tell you that Mark Rathbun, the No. 2 Scientologist who left the church in 2004, has been making the move to overturn David Miscavige. To show his connections, this is the picture he posted for the coming 25 IAS event. This is what you will see in DVD's all over the world after the event, unless Miscavige changes all that preparation overnight.


He is making the biggest wave so far, because any Scientologist who do not like the way the church is being run will want to sacrifice Miscavige as the scape goat. He is getting support from all the Scientologists still in the church, who still believe in LR Hubbard's Scientology, but not the way the Church is run.

This picture will send a shiver to Miscavige, his top SP's who still believe in Scientology, including Rathbun himself, Mike Rinder, OT VIII. Rathbun urges Scientologists to declare independence from the Church, called his inner circle the "Untouchables", and flew around the country to "protect" people threaten by OSA's. More of their "friends" are listed here.

I don't see how the Church can get rid of Miscavige, unless he is convicted of crimes or he fled himself. So it's more likely that the Church is dismantled in it's current structure, and Rathbun appear as the top guy in the new organization.

I don't think Rathbun's only agenda is to reform the church, or to revenge, otherwise he could have spoken out in 2004 when he left, or at the height of the Anonymous worldwide protests last year, just like many other critics. His perfect timing shows that he wants the Church for himself. Though it will be a very different Church.

I doubt if they will keep the word "Church". For the moment, they are calling themselves Taiwan Independents, if they are in Taiwan for example. But this will risk losing their tax exemption status. This will not matter a lot since there will not be a lot of money involved. His pals are considering open source LRH tech. This is inevitable since almost all LRH materials are available on Wikileaks now.

I think Rathbun wants something more than the current Free Zone, otherwise he will consider himself another Free Zoner. You need to keep some big centralized organizations to charge big money for advance services.

I will applaud Rathbun and watch him doing his work to get rid of Miscavige, dismantling the Church along the way. I have no problem with people still believing in Scientology, and they should have no problem for me continue to criticize LRH when and where I want. The Fair Game policy wasn't written by Miscavige, and many heros and heroines went down well before Miscavige's time.

It will be silly for Rathbun to keep something like OSA, other than something like voluntary police, only being called to service when there are emergencies when the real police cannot deal with it fast enough. The front groups and PR machine should be eliminated, concentrating on delivering services instead. Otherwise, the old critics will be still there doing the same jobs since the birth of Scientology. As for "Anonymous", those currently at it are not going to go away. Without a name they cannot be brought off or scared off. And they will not reveal themselves until OSA is completely gone. Many more old Anonymous will be back for the fight given enough rest for a year or two, or when they finish college, get a job, start a family, when their kids grow up, or retire.

I'm sure Rathbun will get a lot of the glory, but who cares? He has enough blood on his hands so he may not be around to be No. 1 for long. I think he knows enough LRH's and Miscavige's dark secrets that Miscavige cannot bring him down without bringing down himself.

Without Anonymous, Rathbun will be silenced just like anybody else before him. His perfect timing of speaking out is acknowledging the work of Anonymous. At the time, large and small media are willing to speak against or joke about Scientology without fear. The top Scientology lawyer Moxon looks like a moron. Before Anonymous you may be jailed in Riverside County, where the Church's worldwide headquarter is, for making jokes about Scientology. Now the pro-Scientology county supervisor is being bombarded on live TV at many county meetings, resorting to leaving his seat when critics speak. Celebrities and politicians would not have anything to do with Scientology (not totally true but soon and for the rest of the time track).

Notice that the latest OT VIII's said they started to look critically at the Church for a year or two, meaning that Anonymous did successfully put Scientology on the spotlight, and caused all the bad PR's.

As for who triggered Anonymous, it remains a mystery. But certainly for once I believe that the Church pulled it in. The mass response to the Church's tactics is totally natural. At this age who will want to suppress a video for a laugh? The Church is inviting people to publish their secret scriptures in response. If people can't do anything on the Internet, they will go on the streets to get back at them. If scary people take your pictures during protests in a free country, you will fight until they are completely dismantled.

As for the old guards, the old critics, they will not be forgotten. They provided the ammunition, Anonymous just fire or throw at the Church whatever they can get on their hands. Many old guards are purely inspirational. Armstrong, LRH's bibliographer who knew too much, was being fair gamed to nothing. At his age he still goes to protests regularly. Cooper, who still read the boards and give out signed copies of her old book. Graham, who was being fair gamed to less than nothing - the Church wouldn't let his bankruptcy to get through. Any money he gets the Church still has claim on it. Ida who lost his son for 30 years, approaching 90 and still go to protests on occasions, and welcomes protesters and critics to her home close to Miscaviage's.

And of course the fallen - who can forget Lisa McPherson, proving Scientology is not THE solution. And Lawnsdale, who was being fair gamed to death. He is out of work, but the Church post his minor crime history on every shop in Clearwater, to make sure that he remains that way. He changed from a highly active critic with too much time on his hand, to taking his own life apparently.

Who wants a Church like that?