Misplaced Pages

#184815

107-690: The Advanced Ability Center was a breakaway organization from the Church of Scientology established by former Scientologist David Mayo after he left the Church in February 1983 – a time when most of Scientology 's upper and middle management was removed following the formation of the Religious Technology Center (RTC) and RTC head David Miscavige 's restructuring of the church. David Mayo had been Hubbard's own auditor . The Advanced Ability Center later became

214-476: A 1.25-inch (3.2 cm) tilt; and there were no architectural drawings, only renderings of how it should appear. De Vocht was ordered to rebuild it, which cost a further $ 23 million. Millions more had to be spent on landscaping after Miscavige decreed the building, which is situated in the middle of the Californian desert, should appear to be set in a forest. Three villas left over from the old resort, known as

321-522: A centralized bureaucracy and hierarchical structure. ... [Religious Technology Center] is the most powerful executive organization within the Scientology empire, and its current chairman, David Miscavige , is widely recognized as the effective head of the church. The main types of organizations within the Scientology network are: Church of Scientology organizations that are public-facing are called "service orgs". The two main types of services offered to

428-479: A corporate-style office set aside for Hubbard's reincarnation, with a plaque on the desk bearing his name, and a pad of paper with a pen for him to continue writing. All Scientology management organizations are controlled exclusively by members of the Sea Org —which is not a corporation—consisting of the "elite, innermost dedicated core of Scientologists" run as a paramilitary organization : David Miscavige

535-429: A day, and physical and sexual abuse of minors. Jenna Miscavige Hill , niece of David Miscavige and author of Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape , stated that as a child she often worked 14 hours a day and only got to see her parents once a week, if that. The highest authority in the Church of Scientology network is Religious Technology Center (RTC). The RTC claims to only be

642-464: A demonstration at the base and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. Members of the hacktivist group Anonymous picketed Gold Base in November 2008. The demonstration was held outside the property but prompted clashes between Scientology guards and demonstrators which were recorded on video. As giant loudspeakers in the base broadcast noise to drown out the demonstrators, guards tackled one demonstrator to

749-421: A few hundred yards away, housing around 1,000 members of Scientology's Sea Org . In keeping with the base's Scottish theme, each building is named after a different Scottish clan and bears its crest. The "G Units" – VIP accommodations – are situated on the far eastern edge of the base. Tom Cruise is reported to have stayed there in the late 1980s and early 1990s when he was studying Scientology at

856-556: A forced labour and re-education program against reputedly delinquent members of the Sea Org, which involves long days of hard labor, restricted food, and substandard living conditions. Ex-members have reported physical abuse and that members are prevented from leaving with threats and coercion. Teenagers as young as twelve years old have been assigned to the RPF, and there have been reports of children laboring for considerably longer than eight hours

963-480: A group of mostly young Scientologists – many of them teenagers, some as young as ten years old – which took over Scientology by the end of 1981. That year a body called the All Clear Unit was set up at Gilman Hot Springs under the management of the then 21-year-old David Miscavige. Its purpose was to make it "All Clear" for Hubbard to come out of hiding. They were sufficiently confident of success that, in 1982,

1070-423: A hitch. The tape-production area wasn't cranking yet, but I did get people busy making costumes and booklets or doing artwork. We found a makeshift studio that "just happened" to be working when the tour came through. Asked about "international management," I said yes, they did manage distribution of films and tapes, which did go to churches worldwide. No one noticed I had avoided the question and diverted attention to

1177-578: A mock ship called the Star of California was built at the property as a present to the nautically minded Hubbard, constructed at a reported cost of $ 500,000. Scientology was able to reduce costs by using its own staff as labor, paying them less than $ 20 for a 100-hour work week. In February 1988, Scientology won permission from the Riverside County Planning Commission to rebuild the golf course at Gilman Hot Springs. Scientology's application

SECTION 10

#1732873389185

1284-584: A popular Inland Empire spa resort called Gilman Hot Springs , which was established in the 1890s. However, the resort went bankrupt in the late 1970s due to changes in American vacation habits. Bought for cash in 1978 by Scientology under the alias of the "Scottish Highland Quietude Club", it has since been developed and expanded considerably. Gold Base houses numerous Scientology organizations and subsidiaries , including its in-house media production division, Golden Era Productions, which has its own movie studio on

1391-421: A proposal, fast-tracked by Stone, to impose restrictions barring picketers from approaching within 300 feet (91 m) of a targeted residence. Stone did not disclose at the time that his political fund had received a $ 5,400 donation from the law firm that represented Scientology at the hearing, and another $ 600 from the head of the public relations department at Gold Base. After the donations were disclosed, he

1498-582: A religion . The Church of Scientology International (CSI) is officially the "Mother Church", and is responsible for guiding the other Scientology centers. Its international headquarters are located at the Gold Base in Riverside County, California . The Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) is the organization that owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard . All Scientology management organizations are controlled exclusively by members of

1605-400: A shower or bath." A full-time staff regularly launders Hubbard's clothes and cleans the property. His cars are kept in a garage with full tanks of gas and the keys in the ignition, ready to be used at a moment's notice. The rear of the house incorporates guest apartments and amenities which have reportedly been used by Tom Cruise on some of his visits to the base. Adjacent to Bonnie View is

1712-406: A staff of nineteen and urged others to join. On September 14, 1959, he wrote: "Here, on half a hundred acres of lovely grounds in a mansion where we have not yet found all the bedrooms, we are handling the problems of administration and service for the world of Scientology. We are not very many here and as the sun never sets on Scientology we are very busy thetans." The most important achievement of

1819-423: A way to participate in community outreach projects. Volunteer Ministers travel to the scenes of major disasters to provide assistance with relief efforts. According to critics, these relief efforts consist of passing out copies of a pamphlet authored by Hubbard entitled The Way to Happiness , and engaging in a method said to calm panicked or injured individuals known in Scientology as a " touch assist ". Accounts of

1926-506: Is a person with a job completely unrelated to the mission network. ) Golden Era Productions is a 500+ acre property in California also known as Gold Base , occupied by the Church of Scientology since 1979. It is where they make Scientology films, reproduce audio recordings of Hubbard's lectures, and assemble E-meters . In 2011, the Church of Scientology purchased KCET-TV's studio facilities . After five years of renovations and upgrades,

2033-516: Is an anti-psychiatry lobby organization whose stated mission is to "eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health." It operates the Psychiatry: An Industry of Death exhibit which is open to the public in CCHR's building on Sunset Boulevard. It has been described by critics as a Scientology front group . The Church of Scientology began its " Volunteer Ministers " program as

2140-471: Is based on the north side of Gold Base. Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard 's mansion, "Bonnie View", occupies a prominent spot on high ground with panoramic views of the San Jacinto Valley . According to property records, the residence cost $ 9.4 million and is equipped with a lap pool and a movie theater. It has been described as "high-end beautiful but not ostentatious", but Hubbard died long before it

2247-483: Is described by the Scientology organization as the highest-ranking Sea Org officer, and is referred to by the organization as its captain. The Church of Scientology International (CSI) is officially the "Mother Church", and is responsible for guiding the other Scientology centers. The Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) is the organization that owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard . There are numerous other management organizations, including

SECTION 20

#1732873389185

2354-474: Is said to have come from the cover story used by Scientology to conceal its activities at the base. According to Marc Headley , who worked on the base for fifteen years; "the permit to build the studio was applied for under the guise of a 'basketball gym.' Any and all references to the building were to be specified as the 'Gym'." The Gym still stands and is now reported to be used as a small (supplementary) studio and special effects facility. A short distance to

2461-478: Is the head of RTC; officially Chairman of the Board, or COB. RTC employs lawyers and has pursued individuals and groups who have legally attacked Scientology or who are deemed to be a legal threat to Scientology. This has included breakaway Scientologists who practice Scientology outside the central organization, and critics, as well as numerous government and media organizations. Scientology Missions International

2568-525: Is the management organization over the mission network. Missions are small Scientology organizations which recruit new people and deliver basic services and auditing . These were the feeder organizations which sent people into the main Scientology orgs. Previously called franchises and running semi-autonomously under the wing of the Guardian's Office , they were considered "Scientology's life blood" until David Miscavige and his International Finance Police gutted

2675-680: Is the publisher for Scientology books and magazines in the United States, and New Era Publications International, Aps is the publisher in Europe. Past publications organizations include Distribution Center Inc. (Maryland 1955), Publications Organization United States (California 1971), and Scientology Publications Limited (UK 1991). As of 2023, the Bridge Publications print and distribution center, located at 5600 E Olympic Blvd, Commerce, California, occupies 185,000 square feet and prints

2782-422: Is variously defined as a cult , a business , or a new religious movement . The movement has been the subject of a number of controversies , and the Church of Scientology has been described by government inquiries, international parliamentary bodies, scholars, law lords , and numerous superior court judgements as both a dangerous cult and a manipulative profit-making business . In 1979, several executives of

2889-520: The Boston Globe noted that "curious, unannounced visitors are quickly surrounded by guards, photographed, asked for identification, then urged to leave. Before they do, the license plate numbers on their cars are jotted down for good measure." The jailing of Mary Sue Hubbard on conspiracy charges in 1981 set off a power struggle within Scientology that was won by the Commodore's Messenger Organization,

2996-541: The Commodore's Messenger Organization , Watchdog Committee , Continental Liaison Offices, and the organizations that manage the dissemination and outreach activities . In the 1950s and 1960s, management was operated from the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International (HASI), and from 1966 until the 1980s it was the Church of Scientology of California (CSC). Critics of Scientology have spoken out against

3103-778: The First Amendment 's guarantee of religious freedom and the church's ability to rely on " ministerial exemptions " in employment law. Scientology denies any mistreatment and calls the base "the ideal setting for professional and spiritual growth". Gold Base is located at the base of California's San Jacinto Mountains . The base covers an area of 520-acre (2.1 km ) near 19712 Gilman Springs Road, south-east of its intersection with California State Route 79 , in unincorporated Riverside County , about 4 miles (6.4 km) north-northwest of San Jacinto and Hemet . It consists of compounds on either side of Gilman Springs Road with underground pedestrian tunnels connecting them. Both parts of

3210-508: The Sea Org , which is a paramilitary organization for the "elite, innermost dedicated core of Scientologists". David Miscavige is described by the Scientology organization as the highest-ranking Sea Org officer, and is referred to by the organization as its captain. In 1950, L. Ron Hubbard established organizations to manage activities related to his invention of Dianetics ; the organizations went bankrupt and Hubbard moved to Arizona where he started Scientology . In 1952, Hubbard established

3317-477: The "Del Sol" building (formerly the Hotel Del Sol) used for staff training; and various additional facilities for Golden Era Productions. One of these buildings, known as "Studio One", houses the "LRH [L. Ron Hubbard] Music Studio Complex" with state-of-the-art music recording facilities. Headley describes it as containing "very upscale conference and dining facilities for visiting musicians that are brought up to

Advanced Ability Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

3424-486: The "holder of Scientology and Dianetics trademarks", but is in fact the main Scientology executive organization. RTC chairman David Miscavige is widely seen as the effective head of Scientology. Religious Technology Center is the organization at the top of the Scientology hierarchy. RTC was established in 1982, and controls the Dianetics and Scientology trademarks. In 1987, David Miscavige took over control of RTC and

3531-416: The 'Hoag Scholarship Foundation'. The idea was to convince local businessmen that ... Hoag owned the place and that he conducted a program designed to help young people learn trades and skills. Hubbard's purpose was to conceal from public scrutiny the management level of Scientology." Hoag himself was unaware of the identity of the buyer and said later: "I think they really didn't want people to know because it

3638-562: The 1950s. In 1959, he bought Saint Hill Manor , a Georgian manor house near the Sussex town of East Grinstead . During Hubbard's years at Saint Hill, he traveled extensively, providing lectures and training in Australia, South Africa in the United States, and developing materials that would eventually become Scientology's "core systematic theology and praxis". While in Saint Hill, Hubbard worked with

3745-555: The 2000s. According to author Janet Reitman , Scientology leader David Miscavige ordered dozens of senior executives to go outdoors in the middle of the night and assemble at either the lake or the base's open-air swimming pool. They would then jump or be pushed into the water, often in freezing conditions, while fully clothed and with Miscavige watching. Scientology acknowledges this practice took place but characterizes it as part of its "ecclesiastical justice" system for dealing with poor performance. A "Purification Center" stands near

3852-565: The 4.5-acre property was reopened in 2016 as "Scientology Media Productions". The facilities included "three soundstages, postproduction tools, control rooms, music studios, mixing rooms, art departments, scene shops, radio booths, screening rooms, a magazine production space, a live-events hub" and 136,000 square feet of space. In 2018, they launched the Scientology Network . Bridge Publications, Inc. (incorporated 1981 in California)

3959-629: The Advanced Ability Center formed in Milan was in competition with the Scientology organization in Italy . Mayo joined Scientology in 1957 as a staff member, and joined the Sea Org in 1968. He trained with L. Ron Hubbard up to the level of Class XII auditor and worked with Hubbard on the OT levels 5 to 7. Mayo had been L. Ron Hubbard's auditor and rose to the position of Senior Case Supervisor International in

4066-478: The Broekers and became the leader of the Scientology organization. The Church of Scientology network operates as a multinational conglomerate of companies with personnel, executives , organizational charts , chains of command , policies and orders: Today, what we call "Scientology" is in reality a remarkably complex network of ostensibly independent but clearly interconnected corporate entities. ... with

4173-458: The CMO from any legal liability for running the organizations of Scientology by lying about the level of control they really had." In 1986, after the death of L. Ron Hubbard, Pat and Annie Broeker presented documents from Hubbard showing they had been promoted to "Loyal Officers" and were named as Hubbard's successors in managing the Sea Org. However, a year later David Miscavige had wrested power from

4280-520: The Church of Scientology. He was ousted during David Miscavige 's struggle for power, declared suppressive and sentenced to the " running program " (physical punishment) in 1982. Mayo escaped and founded the Advanced Ability Center. Religious Technology Center sued Mayo in Los Angeles federal court claiming intellectual property infringement, filed a RICO suit, and started an extensive harassment campaign against him and AAC. Mayo countersued, and RTC

4387-517: The Hubbard Association of Scientologists (HAS), a secular organization, and in 1953 the first Church of Scientology organization was incorporated in Camden, New Jersey . The HAS was dissolved and the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International (HASI), a religious fellowship, was established to be the managing umbrella organization over all other organizations. In late 1954, Hubbard made

Advanced Ability Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

4494-482: The International Executive Strata (Exec Strata). They have since become known as "The Hole", where up to 100 senior Scientology executives have reportedly been confined in "degrading conditions" since 2004. A building known as "The Spa", which used to be the center of the old spa resort that existed on the property before Scientology acquired it, is now used by the base's Qualifications Division. At

4601-458: The RTC Building had been already completed twice over at a cost of over $ 47 million – $ 1,200 per square foot – but on each occasion the entire interior had to be ripped out as it did not meet with Miscavige's approval. De Vocht discovered the building had been so shoddily built that it would have collapsed during even a minor earthquake. The walls were not connected to the floors; the building had

4708-473: The RTC Building, the headquarters of the Religious Technology Center chaired by Miscavige, who succeeded Hubbard as the church's leader. The 45,000-square-foot (4,200 m ) building, which was completed in 2004, is said to have cost over $ 70 million to construct. According to Tom de Vocht, who was put in charge of completing construction after it fell years behind schedule and vastly overbudget,

4815-556: The Saint Hill period was Hubbard's execution of the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course (SHBC). It was delivered by Hubbard from March 1951 to December 1966 and, within the Church of Scientology, is considered the best training course for budding "auditors" in the organization. Scientology groups called "Saint Hill Organizations" located in Los Angeles, Clearwater (Florida), Copenhagen and Sydney still teach this course. Gold Base The property had previously been

4922-453: The Studio for recordings." Another studio on the north side, known as "Studio Two", houses additional audio production facilities. A pair of double-wide trailers adjacent to the highway were installed to house Scientology's Central Marketing Unit (CMU) and various Golden Era technical facilities, and were later used as the offices of the Commodore's Messenger Org International (CMO Int) and

5029-615: The Theta International movement and was also known as the Church of the New Civilization. Mayo taught material from the upper part of The Bridge of the Scientology organization in the Advanced Ability Center. A division of the Advanced Ability Center was closed down again in 1984 under pressure from the main organization. According to Perspectives on the New Age edited by James R. Lewis and J. Gordon Melton and published in 1992,

5136-579: The US government in their actions of Operation Snow White , Hubbard went into deep hiding though continued to manage control over the organizations but this time through intermediaries—predominantly Pat Broeker and David Miscavige . After the convictions in United States v. Hubbard , there was a flurry of activity creating new corporations in the early 1980s to avoid further government scrutiny and to limit and compartmentalize liabilities. The Guardian's Office

5243-664: The US. Until the 1990s, few people opened new missions and the push was directed towards celebrities to open missions: Kirstie Alley opened a mission in Wichita, Kansas in 1995, Isaac Hayes and Lisa Marie Presley opened one in Memphis in 1997, and Jenna Elfman opened one in San Francisco in 2001. According to the Church of Scientology, by 2002 there were 197 missions in the US, and by 2008 there were internationally 3,200 missions across 129 countries. (Note: A Sea Org missionaire

5350-509: The Upper, Middle and Lower Villas, stand below Bonnie View. They have been used as executive apartments by Miscavige and other senior figures. Alongside the Villas is the Star of California , a replica clipper ship now used as a site for community events. Other buildings located nearby include the "Ranchos", a cluster of buildings used to house the book compilation, editing, design and typesetting units;

5457-698: The Volunteer Ministers' effectiveness have been mixed, and touch assists are not supported by scientific evidence. Many other Scientologist-run businesses and organizations belong to the umbrella organization World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE), which licenses the use of Hubbard's management doctrines, and circulates directories of WISE-affiliated businesses. WISE requires those who wish to become Hubbard management consults to complete training in Hubbard's administrative systems; this training can be undertaken at any Church of Scientology, or at one of

SECTION 50

#1732873389185

5564-606: The base, notably Tom Cruise . According to some former members of Scientology, conditions within Gold Base are harsh, with staff members receiving sporadic paychecks of $ 50 at most, working seven days a week, and being subjected to punishments for failing to meet work quotas. Media reports have stated that around 100 people a year try to escape from the base but most are soon retrieved by "pursuit teams". Despite many accounts of mistreatment from ex-members, law enforcement investigations and lawsuits against Scientology have been thwarted by

5671-431: The base, south of the highway and outside the main boundary fence. It was built between 1988 and 1991 on the site of the resort's original golf course. It was open to the public between 1991 and 2007 but is now a private golf course. Although it is used for charitable golfing tournaments and other community events, base staff are reportedly not allowed to use it. The Gilman Hot Springs property on which Gold Base sits

5778-506: The base. Tunnels allow crossing from the Staff Berthing and Massacre Canyon Inn buildings to the north side of the base without having to exit the compound. The rest of the southern part of the complex is a landscaped open area with a lake and sports facilities, including basketball and volleyball courts and a baseball diamond. As of 2008, they were reported to be disused. The lake was reportedly used for punishment on various occasions in

5885-404: The base. On the hillside above the base is a heavily camouflaged "sniper-style nest bunker" called Eagle that overlooks the entire property and the surrounding area. It was reportedly used as a lookout post where security staff with telescopes noted the license plate numbers of vehicles that lingered too long near the compound. The Golden Era Golf Course is located to the east of the main part of

5992-637: The campuses of the Hubbard College of Administration , which offers an Associate of Applied Science Degree: The church owns a staggering array of properties, from a college on 55 acres in England to a luxury cruise ship. The church often buys historic buildings and refurbishes them in grand fashion. — St. Petersburg Times , 2009 Hubbard moved to England shortly after founding Scientology, where he oversaw its worldwide development from an office in London for most of

6099-519: The children of high-ranking Scientologists, including some of Hubbard's own children and grandchildren. According to author Janet Reitman, those seeking to be assigned to Gold Base had to be members of the Sea Org. They were required to undergo IQ tests and pass a battery of leadership, personality and security tests. Members with family connections to the government or media, or with any friends or family who had left Scientology on bad terms, were not allowed to work there. They were not allowed to disclose

6206-447: The church's plans for the property. The intense secrecy was due to Scientology's acute legal difficulties at the time. Scientology was embroiled in scandal after Hubbard's wife Mary Sue and a number of other Scientologists had been arrested by the FBI the previous year and charged with running an enormous espionage network, Operation Snow White , against the U.S. government. Hubbard himself

6313-403: The compound's lake and local dignitaries have been invited to liaise with base staff. The section of Gilman Springs Road that bisects the two parts of the base has undergone major changes at the behest of Scientology. Until the early 1990s, the two parts of the base were accessed via gates on either side of the highway. This presented safety and security problems; moving hundreds of people across

6420-700: The county. In 2009, Scientology officials began lobbying to close Gilman Springs Road, which is used by about 17,000 cars daily. The request was opposed "under any circumstances" by the San Jacinto City Council. Scientology subsequently backed a proposal to realign the road to go around the base, but a decision was put off indefinitely by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors after discussions in January 2011. Scientology maintains strict criteria for those living and working at Gold Base. Many are

6527-477: The disciplinary procedures and policies of the Sea Org, which have been a source of controversy since its inception and variously described as abusive and illegal. Former Sea Org members have stated that punishments in the late 1960s and early 1970s included confinement in hazardous conditions such as the ship's chain locker. In 1974, Hubbard established the Rehabilitation Project Force (or RPF),

SECTION 60

#1732873389185

6634-463: The east, a garage formerly used as a public gas station is now the location of Motor Pool Gold and serves as the maintenance facility for the entire property. The base's Estates Division, responsible for maintenance and construction work, is located here. The western part of the building was formerly used by Golden Era's set and props departments before the construction of the Cine Castle. In the 2000s,

6741-492: The extreme west end of the north part of Gold Base is a compound within the compound, physically separated from the rest by chain fencing. A building called "OGH" (Old Gilman House, named after the family who built the old resort and lived in the house) is located here. It is reportedly used as a detention facility where staff are kept under guard while being "handled" or prepared for "offloading" (expulsion). Some are reported to live there permanently, having been forbidden to leave

6848-459: The film and tape production. The news that night was perfect. The Riverside Press-Enterprise story had been countered. Gilman was no longer considered the headquarters of Scientology. It was just a bustling film and tape facility that supplied the Church of Scientology. After the "flap" had died down, Scientology's international management staff moved back onto the base and have remained there ever since. The tight security remained, nonetheless;

6955-599: The first in April 1980, proclaimed: "Massacre Canyon Development Co. – Future sites condominiums and homes." A man calling himself "Dan Pook" met with local civic groups to explain the condominium project, telling residents in March 1980 that the site was to be used for the construction of "condominiums, mobile homes and single-family residences". He was later identified as Ronald Pook, a Scientology public relations official responsible for disseminating "shore stories" (or cover stories) about

7062-553: The garage was reportedly used to house a makeshift shower for the inmates of " The Hole ", a punishment facility on the base. Various buildings are located nearby for use in connection with the studio's administrative and production activities. Scientology's E-meters are manufactured on the base in a building known as Building 36, which houses production facilities for HEM (Hubbard E-Meter Manufacturing). It also houses tape production facilities and Golden Era's administrative functions. A number of "Staff Berthing" blocks are located

7169-644: The ground and tripped another one with a leg sweep. Scientologists told Riverside County Sheriff's deputies that the first demonstrator had bitten one of them and that he was guilty of trespassing on private land. Scientology subsequently lobbied county authorities to ban the demonstrations. At a public hearing in December 2008 the Riverside County Supervisor, Jeff Stone, accused the protesters of "oppressing Jews, Christians and black people and encouraging youth suicide and terrorism." County supervisors approved

7276-599: The lake and is used to administer Scientology's Purification Rundown program to base staff. Nearby is a circular feature which has been used for the " running program ", used as a punishment. Vicki Aznaran , formerly the president of Scientology's Religious Technology Center , alleged that after she disagreed with a plan to restructure the Church's finances in 1982, she was ordered to run around an orange pole every day from 7 am to 9:30 pm for about 120 days, with ten-minute breaks every half-hour and thirty-minute rests for lunch and dinner. Scientology's international management

7383-577: The literary, theatrical and musical works of L. Ron Hubbard. It is wholly owned by Church of Spiritual Technology . Author Services runs the contests Writers of the Future and Illustrators of the Future . Galaxy Press is an imprint of Author Services, spun off from Bridge Publications in 2002. Author Services and Galaxy Press are located at 7051 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028 . There are many independently chartered organizations and groups which are staffed by Scientologists, and pay license fees for

7490-463: The location of the base or to discuss their jobs or activities there with anyone outside the base, even fellow Sea Org members. They were also banned from taking any form of public transport or taxis, and instead had to travel on special Scientology buses or in private vehicles driven by approved staff members. According to Marc and Claire Headley , two Scientologists who left the Church in 2005, residents at Gold Base are not permitted to leave without

7597-425: The metal fence that surrounds the compound. Although the road which goes through the middle of the compound is public property, the church has video cameras and lights installed adjacent to traffic signs to record traffic heading in both directions. The south side of Gold Base is primarily used by Golden Era Productions, Scientology's in-house movie studio. It includes a 74,000-square-foot (6,900 m ) studio in

7704-505: The network in the early 1980s. Missions were operated by a mission holder who paid 10% license fees to the Church of Scientology but kept the bulk of their income to themselves. The new policy was that missions paid a higher percentage to the new Scientology Missions International (SMI), established 1981, and anyone who objected was declared suppressive and their bank accounts seized. Hundreds of mission holders lost or closed their missions and in 1983 there were just forty missions left in

7811-440: The official announcement that Scientology was a religion. In 1954, the first Church of Scientology was incorporated in California, which in 1956 was renamed to the Church of Scientology of California. That organization was to become the 'mother church' over hundreds of smaller churches and missions of Scientology until 1981 when that status was passed to the Church of Scientology International . Hubbard had official control of

7918-444: The organization were convicted and imprisoned for multiple offenses by a U.S. Federal Court. The Church of Scientology itself was convicted of fraud by a French court in 2009, a decision upheld by the supreme Court of Cassation in 2013. The German government classifies Scientology as an unconstitutional sect . In France , it has been classified as a dangerous cult . In some countries, it has attained legal recognition as

8025-500: The organization's magazines and other Scientology materials. The center's press has the capacity to print 55,000 pages per hour. The warehousing and shipping department is fully automated, with the capability of handling half a million items per week. There are several imprints from across the entire Scientology network which are printed at the main print center, including Effective Education Publishing , Freedom Publishing, and Galaxy Press . Author Services Inc. (ASI) represents

8132-476: The organizations until 1966 when he publicly resigned, though he continued to give orders to executives, secretly running the organizations. Although Hubbard maintained no formal position within Scientology's management structure, he remained firmly in control of the organization and its affiliated organizations, often using code names and code words to obscure his involvement. When some of the top ranking staff, including Hubbard's wife, were indicted for infiltrating

8239-429: The permission of a supervisor and have to work at least sixteen hours a day, from 8 am to past midnight, with shorter hours on Sundays and little time for socializing. Communications with the outside world are effectively cut off; cellphones and Internet access are generally banned, while mail is censored and can only be sent via the internal mail system. Passports are kept in a locked filing cabinet. Although this system

8346-516: The property are surrounded by a chain link fence topped with "Ultra Barrier" spikes and razor wire, with motion sensors and lights. There are five heavily guarded gates into the base, three on the south side of Gilman Spring Road and two on the north. Scientology spokesperson Catherine Fraser told the Valley Chronicle newspaper in 2009 that the spikes on the fences were intended to "prevent people and animals from intruding." When asked why half

8453-478: The property was sold in 1978. In 1978, L. Ron Hubbard authorized the purchase of the property to serve as a headquarters. Scientology claims that Hubbard "had a fascination with all things Scottish [and] chose the Gilman Hot Springs property after discovering it while scouting filming locations that looked like Scotland". The property was acquired in conditions of extraordinary secrecy. $ 2.7 million in cash

8560-431: The property, should be renovated for his use. He instructed that it was to be "dust-free, defensible" and that high walls with "openings for gun emplacements" were to be constructed around it. Scientologists who had been posted to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) – a kind of punishment unit – were made to carry out the work of redecorating the house and ensuring that it was free of dust and odors. The original house

8667-451: The public are auditing and auditor training. Auditing is the 'counseling', and training teaches how to audit. The levels of auditing and training are charted and described on The Bridge to Total Freedom . All service organizations are separate corporate entities, are licensed as franchises, and pay a percentage of their gross revenues to International Management. Hubbard's image and writing are ubiquitous in service orgs, and each maintains

8774-402: The road at mealtimes posed a hazard to traffic. These issues were tackled by building pedestrian tunnels under the road for staff to use and rebuilding the configuration of the road to narrow it and slow down traffic. However, a number of accidents have subsequently occurred on that section of road. In 2001, a 16-year-old girl was decapitated by a tractor operated by a Golden Era contractor who

8881-488: The road's terminus at State Street, a total distance of 2.32 miles (3.73 km). Scientology says that it intends to expand the golf course but has not yet developed any specific plans. Scientology has also undertaken a considerable amount of community outreach to improve its relationship with its neighbors. Gold Base has hosted Chamber of Commerce events and has allowed the local high school band to use its recording studio. Fishing tournaments for children have been held at

8988-550: The site. Senior church officials, and up to 1,000 of the church's elite Sea Org live and work on the base; the church's leader, David Miscavige , also lived there until reportedly relocating to Clearwater, Florida , in the late 2010s. It is also the location of a $ 10 million mansion built for Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard . Although he never lived there before his death in 1986, the mansion and his living quarters are still maintained in anticipation of his predicted reincarnation . A number of prominent Scientologists have visited

9095-587: The spikes face inwards towards the interior of the compound (as pictured below), Scientology spokesperson Tommy Davis told KESQ-TV that "that's just how they were installed". There are around fifty buildings on the property, many built in a mock-Scottish highlands style. Most are obscured from public view by tall hedges and high walls, monitored by video cameras. According to the Riverside Press-Enterprise , Scientology employees in uniform and guards on motorcycles can be glimpsed by motorists through

9202-446: The style of a Scottish castle, which was built in 1997–1998 at a cost of $ 10.8 million to serve as a production facility for Scientology's training and promotional videos. The building, known as the "Cine Castle", replaced an earlier building known as "The Gym" which used to house Golden Era's shooting stage, make-up, costumes, camera, lighting and set sound departments. The name of the Gym

9309-473: The use of Scientology technology and trademarks under the control of Scientology management. In some cases, these organizations do not publicize their affiliation with Scientology and operate as front groups . Founded in 1989, the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) is an umbrella organization that administers six of Scientology's social programs: The Citizens Commission on Human Rights

9416-402: The windows taken off. Everything was cleaned. Equipment and desks were rearranged to hide certain tasks and to create others. Tapes, films, scripts, and costumes were dragged out and made obvious. Many international management staff were sent off the base to reduce the number of personnel. The next day, the "Scottish Highland Quietude Club" had become Golden Era Studios. A media tour went without

9523-437: Was allowed to travel directly between the two locations but had to make indirect trips of up to 120 miles. Hubbard himself was at the centre of an elaborate security system with buzzers and red lights to warn him if strangers turned up. Staff were drilled to deny any knowledge of Hubbard and maintained a getaway car for him that was accessible through a garage that opened onto a different street. The existence of Gilman Hot Springs

9630-458: Was completed. According to ex-Scientologists, it is meant to be used by Hubbard when he returns after being reincarnated . It is used in part as a museum, housing most of Hubbard's belongings. Bonnie View is still maintained as if Hubbard is due to turn up tomorrow, with glasses of water covered with plastic wrap, toothbrushes set out in multiple personal bathrooms and "identical sets of Thom McAn black thongs ready for him to step into after

9737-541: Was controversial." Scientology spokesman Heber Jentzsch told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that he had "no information" of any Scientology involvement with the former resort. Other spokesmen for the trust that bought the property claimed that it had been purchased by "wealthy Eastern investors" or wealthy investors from the Palm Springs area. The Riverside County Sheriff's Office took an interest after it

9844-454: Was eventually torn down and rebuilt but the new construction was not finished until 2000, long after Hubbard's death in January 1986. In February 1980, Press-Enterprise reporter Dick Lyneis broke the story that Hubbard was living in Hemet and working at Gilman Hot Springs. The disclosure caused Hubbard to flee Hemet and sparked a panic at the base, which Scientology spokesman Robert Vaughn Young

9951-625: Was fined $ 16,000 by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for failing to properly report $ 84,052 in contributions. The measure, known as Ordinance 884, was adopted in March 2009 but attracted controversy for what critics said were its unconstitutional restrictions on free speech. The distance was eventually reduced to 30 feet (9.1 m) and then to just 3 metres (9.8 ft) after county supervisors found that they had effectively banned their own existing practice of protesting against sex offenders living in

10058-467: Was given a year to complete the golf course, but it was only reopened in 1991. Since 1998, Scientology has spent at least $ 45 million expanding Gold Base and acquiring dozens of nearby homes and vacant lots. According to an April 2011 map published by the Press-Enterprise , the Church now owns almost all of the land on either side of Gilman Springs Road from the intersection with Sanderson Avenue to

10165-418: Was kept secret even from other Scientologists. Staff members on the base were not allowed to make telephone calls or to send mail directly. If they did get permission to use the telephone, they were instructed to say that they were calling from Clearwater, Florida , where Scientology's Flag Land Base is located. Hubbard did not live at Gilman Hot Springs but ordered that Bonnie View, a Tudor-style house on

10272-431: Was legitimately exercising his right to free speech. He told Scientology's attorney, Kendrick Moxon : "You don't have a situation here where the defendant is stopping people. This is not an abortion clinic situation." Moxon complained that Henson's one-man demonstration was threatening the safety of Golden Era employees and motorists along the state highway. Henson was later convicted of a misdemeanor charge arising out of

10379-702: Was named as an " unindicted co-conspirator ". He went into hiding in a desert ranch in La Quinta , which was codenamed "W" (for "winter headquarters"). Gilman Hot Springs was similarly codenamed "S", for "summer headquarters". The La Quinta property was closed down in March 1978 and Hubbard moved to an apartment complex in Hemet, codenamed "X". Hubbard's personal staff, known as the Commodore's Messengers, shuttled between "X" and "S" using various counter-surveillance methods to shake off anyone tracking them: switching between locations, using secret meeting points, relaying information covertly, using aliases and so on. Nobody

10486-530: Was one of three early 20th-century resorts near San Jacinto that offered vacationers the opportunity to relax, bathe in, and drink hot mineral waters bubbling up from the San Jacinto Fault , an offshoot of the San Andreas Fault . Changing vacation habits and a decline of public interest in mineral waters meant that Gilman Hot Springs was no longer a viable business by the late 1970s; it went bankrupt and

10593-447: Was operating it without a valid driver's license. In 2011, a man was killed in a head-on collision outside the compound. Anti-Scientology demonstrators began picketing Gold Base in 1997, prompting litigation from Scientology against one protester, Keith Henson . A Scientology bid to impose a temporary restraining order on Henson was overturned in February 1998 when Judge Stephen D. Cunnison of Riverside Superior Court ruled that Henson

10700-503: Was opposed by many area residents, who were concerned about the disruption that the development would cause. The commission's public meeting was packed by nearly 200 people, mostly Scientologists wearing lapel buttons supporting the church's expansion and renovation program. Scientology also disclosed plans to construct additional studios, offices, storage buildings, housing and recreational facilities, as well as renovating 35 existing buildings to bring them up to required standards. Scientology

10807-506: Was originally known as San Jacinto Hot Springs and contained about half a dozen hot springs named for the Mexican land grant Rancho San Jacinto Viejo . The springs were first developed in the late 1800s into a resort called Relief Hot Springs. The Gilman brothers acquired the property in 1913 and operated it for 65 years under the name Gilman Relief Hot Springs and later Gilman Hot Springs. Along with Soboba Hot Springs and Eden Hot Springs , it

10914-470: Was paid by the new owners, who called themselves the "Scottish Highland Quietude Club". A Los Angeles attorney named Richard Hoag, acting for the owners, said that the resort had been purchased for a condominium project. The money for the purchase was fronted by the "November 1, 1978 Private Trust", a secret trust of which Hoag served as the trustee. According to Scientology defector Silvia Garritano, "Hubbard disguised his operation at Gilman Hot Springs as

11021-469: Was replaced with the Office of Special Affairs; Religious Technology Center (RTC) was created, and numerous other corporations sprang up during this period, which acquired the name "corporate sort out" (CSO). The idea was to "create a legally defensible structure that would give Hubbard and the Commodore's Messenger Organization full legal control over Scientology while at the same time insulating both Hubbard and

11128-559: Was reportedly dropped around 2000, workers are still subject to a regime of privileges and punishments. Weekly pay is said to be only around $ 50, given out in cash on Fridays. This amount is only nominal, however, as fines for infractions are commonplace; according to author Lawrence Wright , the amount actually paid is often as little as $ 13 or $ 14 a week. Claire Headley describes how staff lived in constant paranoia due to being required to submit "knowledge reports" on each other if they heard any critical statements or casual asides. Becoming

11235-424: Was rumoured that pornographic films were being made there or that an organized crime group had taken over the resort, but the property was hurriedly vacated before an official investigation could begin. Signs posted at the entrance to the property did not mention Scientology. One, erected in the fall of 1979, attributed ownership to the "Western States Scientific Communications Association" while another, replacing

11342-469: Was sanctioned millions of dollars. In 1985, Scientology successfully enjoined Mayo from selling Scientology services and AAC was bankrupted and closed by 1986. This Scientology -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology , which

11449-418: Was sent in to resolve. He decided to present what Scientology would call an "acceptable truth", turning a small, shut-down film and audio unit at the compound into a working facility called Golden Era Studios which could be presented to the press as the "real" function of the base. The conversion happened overnight: Through that night and into the morning, the facility was converted. I had the paper covering all

#184815