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CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
EPIC EXPANSION—EPIC CELEBRATION: A WEEKEND HONORING FOUNDER L. RON HUBBARD’S BIRTHDAY
MARCH 18, 2023
Thousands from across the world of Scientology arrived at the religion’s international spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida, for an unprecedented celebration of Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday.
It was an evening that could best be described as Electric … Exuberant … Utterly Exhilarating…
An evening when Scientologists traveled from the European continent, the United Kingdom, all over Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and throughout the United States to celebrate the one man who brings hope, help and heightened ability to millions: L. Ron Hubbard.
And they had much to celebrate, including expansion of Scientology in every corner of the globe, the winners of the legendary LRH Birthday Game and the Golden Age of Administration, with its monumental Scientology executive training program. All in addition to a constellation of Ideal Organizations around the world racing toward Grand Opening.
—Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center
The elegant Auditorium of the landmark Fort Harrison quickly filled to standing-room-only capacity. It was the same again in the historic Crystal Ballroom, the Atrium of the Flag Building and every other possible venue across the Flag campus. The turnout for the 2023 LRH Birthday Celebration was unprecedented, breaking all previous records with highest ever attendance in history.
All at once, the house lights dimmed, the stage lit up and the evening launched with a world-class concert, unleashing a wave of excitement over the crowd, setting the stage for the historic event to come.
The atmosphere was brimming with anticipation, and when Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, entered, the crowd jumped to its feet, greeting him with a deafening ovation that went on … and on … and on.
“Tonight’s the night we celebrate L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday,” began Mr. Miscavige. “It’s a night we traditionally shower him with the gift he most wished for on his birthday in return for his legacy—the legacy of tech.”
Mr. Miscavige continued, “So, you want to know why tonight is going to be an epic celebration? It’s because tonight the clouds of heaven itself are going to part with a deafening thunderclap, and the gifts of EXPANSION are going to rain down like a torrential hundred-year storm!”
Mr. Miscavige then presented a cascade of honors bestowed upon L. Ron Hubbard in recognition of his birthday:
GOLDEN AGE OF ADMINISTRATION
“And therein lay the theme of this evening’s celebration—expansion,” declared Mr. Miscavige as the night turned a monumental corner, and he presented the next phase of the ongoing organizational training program—the Golden Age of Administration.
Mr. Miscavige led the audience on a journey that began decades ago, when the call went out to top Church executives inviting them to Casablanca, Morocco, where the Sea Organization Flagship Apollo was docked. Once on board, they were escorted to L. Ron Hubbard’s Research Room, where LRH welcomed them to a special executive training course.
Mr. Miscavige transported the audience to that moment in time, introducing stunning audiovisual presentations in L. Ron Hubbard’s own voice. Here was the welcome LRH delivered some 50 years ago—an address only ever heard by executives invited onto the course.
The audience, fully appreciating the rarity of the moment, hung on Mr. Hubbard’s every word as he spoke of executives studying all Scientology organizational policies until they are able to apply those policies not by rote, but by instinct.
Returning to the present, Mr. Miscavige unveiled a behind-the-scenes view of the training program currently underway at Flag—the most important in Scientology history. He announced that nearly 800 Church executives are moving through that very program and will be returning to their Orgs around the world in 2023.
GIVING THE GIFT OF EXPANSION
Next came the moment to announce the champions of the LRH Birthday Game. The stage transformed into a rose-framed winner’s circle, complete with sparkling lights, racing silks and gleaming trophies. The Birthday Game carries on the tradition of honoring Mr. Hubbard with the gift of expansion in every Scientology Church.
Due to on-again, off-again lockdowns and travel restrictions, this was the first Birthday Game awards ceremony of the decade. Mr. Miscavige introduced the Birthday Game Champions by saying, “Considering they helped keep the show on the road, it is my absolute honor to present all of them!” Mr. Miscavige then presented awards to the International Champions for 2020, 2021 and 2022, and for the first time crowned the Grand Champions for Missions, Churches and Sea Org Organizations.
Entering the winner’s circle and taking their place in Birthday Game history were the World Champion Missions: 2020, the Ideal Scientology Mission of Miskolc, Hungary; 2021, the Ideal Mission of Costa Rica; 2022, the Ideal Mission of Belleair, Florida; and the Grand Champions for 2020–2023, the Ideal Mission of Bergamo, Italy.
The World Champion Churches of Scientology included: 2020, the Church of Scientology Twin Cities; 2021, the Church of Scientology Kansas City; 2022, the Church of Scientology Budapest; and the Grand Champions for 2020–2023, the Church of Scientology Milan.
In the race between Advanced Organizations in the Sea Org League: third place was the Advanced Organization of Australasia, the Advanced Organization of Africa came in second place and claiming first place and crowned as Grand Champion was the Advanced Organization for the United Kingdom. For the Continental Liaison Office (CLO) division, CLO Australasia placed third, CLO Europe second and the Grand Champions—the Continental Liaison Office for Africa.
FUTURE EXPANSION
Mr. Miscavige shifted the event into high gear, detailing an awe-inspiring Scientology futurescape already in the making.
He unveiled the first Ideal Org of this year to enter the construction phase: the future Ideal Church of Scientology Puerto Rico. Located in the heart of the capital city of San Juan, the 1950s-era building was envisioned by one of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s early protégés.
Puerto Rico’s upcoming Ideal Org holds special significance, given Mr. Hubbard’s history on this Island of Enchantment. In 1933, he led the country’s first complete mineralogical survey and was later recognized by the Puerto Rican House of Representatives for having played a part in shaping the island’s developing economy—an impact still felt to this day. Finally, Mr. Miscavige presented the “culminating stamp on expansion”—Scientology Network, a stabilizing and uplifting force for millions during shutdowns and stay-at-home orders. And the network’s achievements went beyond its viewership, earning 69 new industry awards just since the start of the decade.
Mr. Miscavige once again brought the crowd to its feet, previewing Scientology Network’s upcoming season. Among the new season programs is the groundbreaking series Freedom Articles. This series brings to life L. Ron Hubbard’s writings on questions of individual liberty, preservation of human rights and the root causes of society’s ills.
A GIFT FROM LRH
In closing this historic event, Mr. Miscavige presented attendees with a gift: a commemorative copy of the landmark journal L. Ron Hubbard wrote to Scientologists on the first anniversary of the Birthday Game. That journal reads in part:
“So I have a Birthday gift for you to return the flow of the avalanches of good wishes and remembrances that you send me. And as I accept them gratefully, so I hope you will accept this legacy.
“It is the tech.…
“There are vistas never dreamed of, there are joys never even known, there are glories no past glory ever surpassed. These wait for you but only if you accept my legacy and help bring these things about.
“And in the years to come and the ages that follow, the hosannas will be for your Birthday, not mine.”
—L. Ron Hubbard
Immediately following the 2023 LRH Birthday Celebration, the milestone event was translated into 16 languages and broadcast to Scientology Churches around the world.
Read what Scientologists had to say about this historic International Event:
“WOW! The anticipation and excitement were palpable, standing room only! Every area around Flag! An event filled with hope and certainty for the future as well as unprecedented expansion!” —F.H.
“This event was OMG amazing! Inspiring! Rejuvenating! And everything that describes coming back to life! With everything that has been released with the Administrative Technology, we have an amazing future ahead and it is hard to put in words because I am speechless.” —C.T.
“What Chairman of the Board managed to pack into a few hours was ASTOUNDING! The LRH Birthday Game, the executive training program, the expansion and then a new season on Scientology TV! It’s friggin’ EPIC!” —B.E.
“This event was OMG amazing! Inspiring! Rejuvenating! And everything that describes coming back to life!”
“A brilliant restart and kick off of the original LRH Birthday Game, and with all the expansion news, even during a pandemic. The message is that there is nothing that can stop us. The future looks brighter than ever and, as Chairman of the Board said, we’ve only begun!” —P.G.
“That was such a great and amazing celebration! I loved to see the whole team of winners throughout the last few years. COB’s presentation really uplifted the status of staff members to heroes as LRH wanted them to be considered.” —N.S.
“There are two big words, very important words, for this event. EXPANSION. And SPEED. I am overwhelmed with the amount of production and the incredible Scientologists all over the world carrying forward LRH’s legacy.” —R.R.
“For me, the most impinging was Scientology TV. It is incredible that we have new content from the Freedom Articles. Mind-blowing! This event was grand, impinging and a totally fitting tribute to LRH and the future he put there with his legacy.” —C.H.
“What Chairman of the Board managed to pack into a few hours was ASTOUNDING!”
“Having all of these people gathering from all around the world for this event was fantastic! I am proud to be part of such a big, effective group. And I love seeing COB!” —C.W.
“This was the best LRH Birthday Event ever! What impacted me about the executive training is how big it is with so many people doing it and what this will mean to our planet. After seeing tonight’s event, the future of our religion is very bright and we are going to have a lot of expansion.” —A.B.
“That was a killer event! What an epic acknowledgment of LRH’s birthday. I love seeing all the winners and all the expansion.” —G.C.
“COB was fantastic! He is the perfect leader for our religion. It is almost incomprehensible how he does everything he does. I am inspired and I want to step up and do more.” —L.N.
“That was a killer event! What an epic acknowledgment of LRH’s birthday.”
“The introduction of the executive trainees was incredible. And to see these guys, you get the idea that they’re not just going to go back to their Orgs and put in some standard lines or something like that. No. This is a whole new breed of totally confident and competent individuals.” —L.M.
“It is amazing to be back at a live event and seeing Chairman of the Board and his enthusiasm! You can truly see that he really enjoys being here doing this event again. And it is amazing how he has handled the whole global situation these past few years.” —J.K.
“Tonight was out of this world! It was so deep! What COB showed us—the expansion he laid out and the plans for the future—literally blew my mind! I have never experienced the orders of magnitude at this level.” —D.P.
“It is amazing to be back at a live event and seeing Chairman of the Board and his enthusiasm!”
“The acknowledgments on the Birthday Game winners were awesome. The freaking executive training was a brilliant briefing. Gives inspiration and hope—really incredible—the army and marines of administration we are about to launch.” —D.G.
“The amount of expansion that has happened and the envisionment of the future expansion is breathtaking. The LRH Birthday Game presentation was astounding. To see so much combined power and forces shows again how big of a team we are planetwide.” —K.R.
“This is AMAZING! Just AMAZING! I love being part of a live LRH Birthday Event. I thought the executive training presentation was very powerful and mind-blowing.” —M.B.
“The amount of expansion that has happened and the envisionment of the future expansion is breathtaking.”
“How special was that! I loved Chairman of the Board’s closing speech. So heartfelt and impinging to the field and crew. Our future is BIG, bright and explosive.” —N.S.
“Wow, wow, wow! What a night. I literally cried tears of joy on the part about the executive training program. It was beautiful and it is really going to change the world of Scientology. It’s really just going to take us to the next level. I am excited!” —T.C.
“The entire event was just absolutely fantastic. Mamma mia! What can I say? It was just amazing! There are no words. It’s just more and more. Expansion! Expansion! Expansion!” —M.L.
“This event shows how much was accomplished despite the planetary distractions. We will accomplish the Aims of Scientology. Overall it was a magnificent event! We have an unbelievable future that is so bright it’s almost blinding! EPIC!” —J.F.
“Overall it was a magnificent event! We have an unbelievable future that is so bright it’s almost blinding! EPIC!”
“This event was beyond spectacular! Not only was it wonderful all being back together, but hearing about the expansion over the past several years was amazing and inspiring.” —D.S.
“Phenomenal! Out of this world! LRH’s intention and purpose is exemplified in this event. I am so happy to be here with my friends and Scientologists.” —G.H.
“The LRH Birthday Celebration couldn’t have been more perfect. The event made it like the last three years was no time at all. I could see the future and that we are not just back to normal but better than ever.” —K.B.
