Scientology programs under David Miscavige

L. Ron Hubbard, the founder and first leader of the Scientology belief system, died on January 24, 1986. David Miscavige gained full control of all Scientology organizations soon thereafter (except for the small and independent Free Zone). Miscavige is only the second leader Scientology has ever known, and has full organizational and financial control of the organization. He is not accountable to its membership or to any other executives, many of whom he has ordered sent to The Hole. In the three decades since then, David Miscavige has overseen many new programs and policies:

IRS religious status recognition

On October 8, 1993, David Miscavige announced at a mass rally at the Los Angeles Sport Arena that the IRS had granted tax exemption to all Scientology organizations. This came after 2400 lawsuits had been filed by Scientology, which were all dropped in return for IRS recognition. From then on members could deduct the fees they paid to Scientology from their US income taxes. An estimated billion dollars in past unpaid US taxes were also forgiven by the IRS.

This was significant, since it can cost up to half a million dollars to attain Scientology's current highest Auditing level known as OT VIII. Tax exemption made this more affordable for members.

Golden Age of Knowledge

A major effort to re-release all Scientology scriptures starting in 2005. Members were strongly urged or required to buy full sets of these materials at a cost of thousands of dollars. New state-of-the-art printing and CD manufacturing facilities were built in California and Denmark to provide the content in many languages. However, their high cost was said to alienate some members. Items include:

The Basics

The most important Scientology books written by L. Ron Hubbard were reissued in new editions. Since the text was changed somewhat, these books had a new copyright. They were no longer copyrighted to L. Ron Hubbard but to L. Ron Hubbard Library.

The Congresses

Audio recordings and transcripts of a series of paid presentations in the 1950s and 1960s where Hubbard introduced his newest Scientology findings and discoveries.

Advanced Clinical Courses

Restored audio recordings and transcripts of a series of paid presentations in the 1950s and 1960s where Hubbard demonstrated new Scientology methods and techniques first announced at the Congresses. These can be pricey, but the packages contain many CDs and other course materials. For example the First American Clinical Course costs $950.

Professional Course Lectures

A series of audio lectures by Hubbard describing exact auditing procedures. These were restored and the sound was improved, with new attached reference materials.

Saint Hill Special Briefing Course

An improved and revised version of Scientology's top course for training auditors was announced in 2009, but this had not been released as of 2017. Training of auditors was suspended as the Basics came out.

Golden Age of Tech

A series of Auditing training procedures released after 1996. Many Scientology drills were changed, updated, or streamlined. Members were required to restart their training.

• The Survival Rundown

A new compilation of three hundred processes by Hubbard (different ones are selected for each participant, based on their case) that every Church member is expected to purchase and complete.

Golden Age of Tech Phase II for OTs

A revision of the confidential Operating Thetan Levels released after 2013. High-level training films were restored and texts were re-compiled.

Golden Age of Administration

At the "LRH Birthday Celebration" held at the Flag Land Base in January 2022, Miscavige introduced a new set of recompiled administrative and bureaucratic writings by L. Ron Hubbard. Based on earlier volumes that must now be turned in and destroyed, the texts provide detailed instructions on how to manage Scientology organizations, so as to extract the maximum amount of income from paying members.

Increased course costs

Scientology's penultimate level is known as OT 7. Church members audit themselves with an e-meter to telepathically disconnect from thetans (spirits) of extraterrestrial beings connected to their bodies. This frees them spiritually. Under Miscavige this course is said to take much longer, and has become more expensive. Every six months members on this level are required to return to Clearwater for an "Eligibility Check" also known as a "sec check" (security check) or "Refresher". Each "refresher" is said to cost many thousands of dollars.

Ideal Orgs program

Starting in 2004, every Scientology church worldwide was required to buy a larger and more opulent building, that had to be equipped in a standard way to provide a panoply of Scientology services and functions. This would be paid for by the local members. Every stage of the process had to be approved by management, often by Miscavige himself, who would also serve as keynote speaker at the elaborate grand opening when the Ideal Org became operational. These were considered major events.

Many new buildings were purchased, but some became decrepit as members were unable to collect all the funds needed for renovations and interior work. Until late 2018, the Church maintained a regular schedule of lavish opening ceremonies under tight security. In the Summer of 2019, it was announced that all remaining orgs would go "ideal" at once, at an unspecified time in the future. This date might be many years or decades away. Critics alleged it was part of a scheme to accumulate as much money from donations as possible, to pay for Miscavige's and Scientology's increasing legal costs.

Public Information Centers

All Ideal Orgs now contain a prominent area next to the reception meant for walk-in traffic. It contains information kiosks and video displays, where visitors can learn about Scientology by watching approved videos with positive testimonials. Brochures and DVDs are available. Then they can sign up for services. Church members are not supposed to explain or discuss the methods of Scientology, but must follow Hubbard's instructions without comment. The public information center falls under "Division 6", which is also responsible for introductory courses.

Scientology Missions have a smaller information center composed of a big-screen monitor and side panels (purchased for $5000), that can display all the same videos.

Celebrity Centers

Celebrity Centres are regular Scientology churches that provide special services for celebrities, opinion leaders and other VIPs. Others can also join, but their fees are somewhat higher. Under Miscavige the church has allegedly emphasized celebrities for public relations purposes. Genuine celebrities have more experienced handlers assigned to them.

Alleged humanitarian outreach programs

Under Miscavige, Scientology's "charitable" organizations, some of which are legally registered as charities in some jurisdictions, have become prominent in their websites and public relations. However critics allege these are "front groups" that only exist to improve their image, and they don't do much good. Scientology denies these claims, but admits they believe in the "principle of exchange". It is spiritually better for charity recipients if they pay something back for the benefits they received.

Volunteer Ministers

Volunteer Ministers are church members who are photographed in disaster areas giving "touch assists" to help victims recover and function better. They wear yellow shirts, and also hand out some relief supplies. Their actions are heavily advertised in church publications to imply a massive presence, but no exact figures are given.

Association for Better Living and Education

ABLE acts as an umbrella organization for several entities:

Applied Scholastics

Applied Scholastics produces educational programs based on Study Technology. These include the Hubbard Colleges started in 1990. Students are taught to carefully read every word in a textbook, and make sure they understand the text by using a dictionary.

Criminon

Criminon is a much-advertised but apparently modestly run rehabilitation program for prisoners that uses Scientology methods in a strictly secular setting, including in prisons and halfway houses.

The Way To Happiness

Church members can often be seen handing out copies of a booklet written by Hubbard in 1980 on how to live a moral life. Their future events complex in Clearwater, the L. Ron Hubbard Hall, will include a modern sculpture garden illustrating concepts in the booklet. Large rallies will also be held there.

Narconon

Narconon Centers are special high-priced retreats where addicts pay to go through detox in a non-medical setting. Scientology also produces anti drug messages, as in The Truth About Drugs. Narconon has come under scrutiny after a number of recovering addicts died at their facilities, but no charges were filed. In response some smaller "boutique" facilities with a larger staff to client ratio have been announced and opened.

Human rights

Scientology's human rights efforts focus almost entirely on opposing and eliminating psychiatry. Their organizations include the International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance and Youth for Human Rights International. A related organization is the Citizens Commission on Human Rights. They also sponsor small museums called Psychiatry: An Industry of Death that display gruesome surgical instruments and shocking photographs.

Lobbying

Scientology has opened lobbying offices in Washington D.C., Brussels, and Dublin. They hold receptions for local notables and run promotion campaigns.

Flag Building

On November 17, 2013 David Miscavige opened the six-story Flag Building that occupies a full city block in downtown Clearwater. This building is the only place where members can do the confidential "Super Power" and "Cause Resurgence" Rundowns. It includes an opulent entry lobby and a variety of rooftop terraces and meeting areas for members of different statuses.

Scientology Media Productions

Opened on May 28, 2016, this former TV and movie studio will serve as Scientology's main production facility for public relations videos, ads, and online content. They will also produce content for members, like event videos.

Scientology Network

On March 12, 2018, Miscavige personally inaugurated the Scientology Network, an online and (limited) satellite broadcast network that features highly scripted and controlled infomercials for Scientology. It airs on DirecTV and various over-the-top media services. Lavishly filmed scenes feature glowing but vague testimonials from members, acting in what the Church defines as an "uptone" manner, with stirring background music. Under no circumstance will the network address any actual controversies or news stories related to the organization, like what happened to David Miscavige's missing wife Shelly Miscavige, or the civil lawsuits accusing the Church of human trafficking. All programming is produced by Scientology Media Productions (SMP), in a Church facility opened in May 2016, with help from Golden Era Productions studio.

Guest worker staffing

Scientology is able to import an almost unlimited number of temporary and often permanent immigrants from the Third World to the USA and Europe to work in their facilities for very low pay. This is necessary to maintain staffing levels. In the USA, these immigrant workers use what are sometimes called R-1 or R-2 or B-1 religious visas. Many of these immigrants come from Eastern Europe. In Ireland they are more likely to come from Africa, and are sponsored by current members. The Trump Administration has indicated they will take no action against these visa programs, which are highly popular with evangelical and progressive Christian churches.

Public image

Miscavige has tried to make Scientology appear respectable and successful to attract wealthier clients. Their new facilities' interior design evokes high-end counseling and self-help centers. Facebook feeds feature glossy promotional messages repeated at a high rate. Their websites never hint at Space Opera or the confidential levels, where it's revealed that all human problems are caused by extraterrestrial spirits. After Hubbard's death, Miscavige helped turn the Founder's surviving family members into unpersons in order to consolidate his power.

Protests

When the anti-Scientology movement Anonymous and others hold demonstrations outside churches, staff members are kept inside to avoid the protesters. The biggest critics may be "dead agented", by releasing embarrassing or incriminating information to reduce their credibility.

Internet

After first trying to control and remove critical websites in the 1990s, Scientology has established dozens of their own websites. They mostly feature upbeat news stories about Scientology events, claiming that they are expanding at a phenomenal rate. Visitor comments are not allowed. Their websites contain many articles featuring the efforts of Miscavige to manage and expand Scientology. Other members are only mentioned in the context of their charitable works.

Public criticism of Scientology is not acknowledged, other than a few mentions of "apostates", degenerates, and abusive psychiatrists. On their Facebook pages unauthorized comments are immediately removed. Positive comments and praise (that don't discuss Scientology techniques in detail) are usually allowed.

The L. Ron Hubbard Series, The Complete Biographical Encyclopedia

In 2012 Bridge Publications released an $800, 16-volume book series called a biographical encyclopedia, describing their Founder's life. Highlighting "a life like no other", it mostly contains articles written by Hubbard about many subjects, including some contested stories from his past, and very little written by others about him. His leadership of Scientology is barely described. There are impressive photo spreads showcasing the many artifacts he collected, sometimes altered photographs of his life, and a timeline that leaves out controversial events.

Mark 8 E-meter

Released in 2013, Scientology's newest E-meter costs $5000. It is only used in Auditing, and may only be purchased by members in good standing. Before taking ownership they must sign a contract promising to return the device for a refund if Scientology determines they are no longer qualified to own it. The device can be remotely monitored and controlled through an online adapter.

Memorabilia

While still working with Author Services Inc. in the 1980s, Miscavige lost approximately $50 million in Scientology assets in a high-risk investment scheme involving the oil company Highlands, Goodall, & Grear located in Oklahoma. In an alleged attempt to conceal this loss from Hubbard, he started a program to sell special edition books and artworks based on Hubbard's work to Scientologists at a very high markup. It was claimed these items would massively increase in value once Scientology dominated the world. This program generated tens of millions in profits.

International Association of Scientologists

Founded in 1984, the IAS accepts members' donations from around the world. These funds can be disbursed to achieve the aims of Scientology as believed appropriate by Miscavige, like funding new churches, surveillance of former members by licensed private investigators, or legal defense.

An important matter overseen by Miscavige was the Lisa McPherson criminal prosecution and civil case, which cost the church millions of dollars.

Members are regularly urged to "upgrade" their IAS status. For example, someone who has donated $10 million becomes a "Patron Laureate" and receives a handsome trophy.

Crush Regging

The function of Scientology registrars or "regges" is to get members to pay in advance for future services. Under Miscavige, the focus has shifted more to direct donations. Registrars try to learn as much as possible about each member's finances, their credit cards, bank accounts, and other assets like inheritances. Persuading members to donate can be a very intense process taking many hours.

Scientology has a wide array of programs accepting donations. Instead of calling it money, members are told to "flow energy". Those reluctant to donate may be said to be "PTS to the Middle Class", being too attached to bourgeois values. PTS means "Potential Trouble Source", a spiritual liability in Scientology.

Severe Ethics

The practice of Disconnection, whereby members are persuaded to break off contact with family members or others who criticize Scientology, was expanded under Miscavige. For disconnection to occur, a (former) member in bad standing must first be "declared".

Scientology discipline for their most committed wayward members may also include being sent to the RPF, use of which increased under Miscavige.

Financial reserves

Under Miscavige, Scientology has accumulated a "war chest" exceeding one billion dollars. From time to time some of this money must be spent on social or religious programs to retain tax exempt status, for example on TV and web commercials, and to fund new Orgs.

Claimed abuses

Members who have breakdowns may sometimes be confined for their own protection until they calm down, a "muzzled" process known as "babywatching", meaning the caretakers are forbidden from talking to the subject. At no point are members permitted to discuss the reason or the nature of Scientology processes, a "high crime" known as "verbal tech". Praising the results of a process without revealing its details (a "success story") is required to advance to the next one. Under Miscavige, members have to sign more legal forms and releases, and staff members with obvious mental problems are let go. Refunds have become more difficult to obtain.

Some committed church members have been detained for years at a time, though Scientology claims this was consensual. One of the persons running the detention facility, Barbara Ruiz, reportedly vanished herself.

Miscavige's wife Shelly Miscavige has not been seen since 2007, and her existence is not acknowledged in any Scientology publication or website. A missing person report was filed with the LAPD in 2013, but no information about her condition was ever released. Detective Kevin Decker said the LAPD never met with Shelly, but Lieutenant Andre Dawson said two detectives did meet with her. There is widespread online speculation that she is also being detained, or dead.