New Substack by Tom de Vocht - Where I've Been, What I've Seen, and Why I'm Finally Talking Again

[Type4_PTS]

I'm posting his first couple of Substack posts here in this subforum because there definitely will be "stories from inside Scientology".

If you want to keep reading them, subscribe to his Substack.


Where I've Been, What I've Seen, and Why I'm Finally Talking Again
Let's get real.

Devo (De Vocht)
Mar 24, 2025

Where I've Been, What I've Seen, and Why I'm Finally Talking Again

Let's get real.

devodevocht.substack.com

Where I've Been, What I've Seen, and Why I'm Finally Talking Again

I grew up in control systems disguised as religion.
Met Jesus through Christianity.
Met God through Catholicism.
Met the Devil himself through Scientology.

And to be honest?
They’re all after the same thing—your loyalty, your silence, and your money.

If that stings, you might not like what’s coming next.
Because this isn’t about protecting anyone’s beliefs—or tearing them down.
It’s about telling the truth as I lived it. All of it.

I’ve worked inside cults and stood toe-to-toe with their leaders.
I’ve run multimillion-dollar operations, sat with billionaires, had their wives open up to me, negotiated with city governments, and bought “airspace” to build a bridge like it was just another Tuesday.

I’ve met celebrities who were jerks—and celebrities who were downright amazing.
I’ve slept on floors. I’ve slept in beds with women I probably shouldn’t have.
I’ve made my bed and unmade it. Repeatedly.

I was a whistleblower. Then I went quiet.
I moved on to bigger things.
I won. I lost. I got mad. I got even.
I got kicked in the teeth—and kept smiling.

At 52, I became a single dad to my baby girl.
No plan. No partner. No clue what I was doing.
Just me and a bottle I didn’t know how to make.

I’ve done so much, seen so much, and experienced so much…
I’ve got endless stories to tell.

This isn’t a tell-all about Scientology.
It’s a tell-the-truth about everything I’ve seen and been through.

Some people reading this might be in a slight panic right now—and probably should be.
I don’t buffer myself, and I don’t buffer the truth.
I say it how it is.

From religion to real estate. From fame to failure.
From the dark back rooms of power to the softer moments of fatherhood.
From secrets I was told, to ones I held.
From what it was like on the inside, to how I see it now—on the outside.

I’ve met gods, leaders, frauds. The rich, the poor. The famous, the forgotten.
I’ve seen life from angles most people don’t even know exist.

Some of the stories I’ll share are about what happened in those systems.
Some are about parenting, politics, business, betrayal, reinvention, regret—
and the weird shit people don’t talk about but should.

Some are funny. Some are dark.
All of them are real.

This isn’t therapy. This isn’t a memoir.
This is just me, talking.

So whether you know me from the news, a documentary, or you’re just an old friend wondering what the hell I’ve been up to all these years—
Welcome. Strap in.

This is where I start telling it all.
One crazy story at a time.

 

[Type4_PTS]

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

Devo (De Vocht)
Mar 25, 2025

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

devodevocht.substack.com

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

First, let me say—it’s been really nice hearing from so many friends.

It’s easy to forget how long it’s been. And I’ll be honest, it’s been pretty lonely at times. I live about as far from family as you can get in the U.S.—up here in the Pacific Northwest, while they’re all the way down in Florida. My dad’s still in Belgium, and Ellie and I recently made a trip out there to see him.

A lot (not all) of you who’ve found me on Facebook are ex-Scientologists—people who, like me, lived through the same system… but from your own angle, with your own battles.

I want to be clear about something right now:

I’m not here to become another Scientology Blogger.

I’m not looking to bash, rehash, or stir up outrage for clicks.

And I’m not trying to join anyone’s campaign—or take sides in the infighting between them.

I’ve got my own lane. My own voice. And my own reasons for telling these stories.

I know some people may be hoping I’ll step into the shoes of my dearest friend, Mike Rinder.
But that’s not where I’m headed.

Mike always had my love and respect—he was like a brother to me. His family is my family.

We understood each other more deeply than most could ever grasp.

But I can’t help but feel that the conflict inside the conflict—the way the infighting mirrored the very system we all left behind—grew like a cancer.

And in the end, that’s what took him.

Yes, Scientology was a massive part of my life—as it was for many others.

What I want to do is share real stories—from the inside, yes—but more so, stories about how those experiences shaped the way I think, the way I react, the way I parent, the way I trust (or don’t), and how I managed after it all.

Some of it screwed with my head.
Some of it made me stronger.
And becoming a father at 52—that made me look in a completely different direction.

Raising a daughter, alone, forced me to stop looking backward. It gave me a reason to keep going forward.

It became my greatest joy. My deepest responsibility. And my clearest mirror.

I’ll also share some of the wild shit that went down in business. The wins, the screw-ups, the lessons—and where it’s all taken me now.

Here’s how I see it:

Before Scientology had a massive impact on my life.

During Scientology did too.

After Scientology might have changed me the most.

And being a single dad continues to be the most real, grounding, and important thing I’ve ever done.

So if it’s alright with you, I’m going to go at this a little out of order.

I’m going to tell stories—raw, true ones—about moments that shaped me.

Some might make you laugh. Some might hit a nerve. Hopefully a few will help you see things in a new way.

And maybe, just maybe, they’ll remind some of you that you’re not alone.

———

Not long ago, Cupcake (my nickname for Ellie) asked me something that stopped me cold.
She looked up at me, serious and sweet, and said:

“Dad, if you could go back in time and change things… do them differently… what would you do?”

She asked it with total innocence. Like she really wanted to know.

And in about three seconds, my whole life flashed in front of me. Every mistake, every win, every heartbreak, every secret.

And I told her the truth.

“Not a single thing, Ellie. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

She squinted. “Why?”

“Because if I changed anything... I don’t know if I’d be here, sitting with you.
And I don’t know if you or I would be who we are today.

And I’m just so damn happy to be here with you—just as we are, just as it is.”

She hugged me so tight I knew she completely got it.

I think that’s the point of what I’m doing here.

Telling stories that remind us how we got here—and maybe show that it’s okay, even beautiful, to be exactly where we are.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Type4_PTS]

The Truth About Who—and What—Made Me Walk Away from Scientology

Devo (De Vocht)
Mar 25, 2025

🧨 (Preview) The Truth About Who—and What—Made Me Walk Away from Scientology

I didn’t leave because of “the Hole.”

devodevocht.substack.com

I didn’t leave because of “the Hole.”

Or the beatings.

Or the mind games we all lived through.

Yeah, I’ve got stories about all of that—and I’ll tell them. But none of those were the reason I walked away.

What made me leave was something deeper.

Something quieter.

And something I couldn’t ignore for one more day.

<snip> Full Post at Link Above

 

[Type4_PTS]

A new post, with insider information about Miscavige, Shelly, and their relationship, and Tom de Vocht's own story on how he got in as a child, and was working 100+ hours/week from age 11.


The Truth About Who — and What — Made Me Walk Away from Scientology

🧨 The Truth About Who — and What — Made Me Walk Away from Scientology

You’re Probably in a Cult — You Just Don’t Know It Yet

devodevocht.substack.com

 

[Type4_PTS]

Thinking Out Loud
Open Invite to ask me anything.

Thinking Out Loud

Open Invite to ask me anything.

devodevocht.substack.com

 

[I M Dex]

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

Devo (De Vocht)
Mar 25, 2025

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

devodevocht.substack.com

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

First, let me say—it’s been really nice hearing from so many friends.

It’s easy to forget how long it’s been. And I’ll be honest, it’s been pretty lonely at times. I live about as far from family as you can get in the U.S.—up here in the Pacific Northwest, while they’re all the way down in Florida. My dad’s still in Belgium, and Ellie and I recently made a trip out there to see him.

A lot (not all) of you who’ve found me on Facebook are ex-Scientologists—people who, like me, lived through the same system… but from your own angle, with your own battles.

I want to be clear about something right now:

I’m not here to become another Scientology Blogger.

I’m not looking to bash, rehash, or stir up outrage for clicks.

And I’m not trying to join anyone’s campaign—or take sides in the infighting between them.

I’ve got my own lane. My own voice. And my own reasons for telling these stories.

I know some people may be hoping I’ll step into the shoes of my dearest friend, Mike Rinder.
But that’s not where I’m headed.

Mike always had my love and respect—he was like a brother to me. His family is my family.

We understood each other more deeply than most could ever grasp.

But I can’t help but feel that the conflict inside the conflict—the way the infighting mirrored the very system we all left behind—grew like a cancer.

And in the end, that’s what took him.

Yes, Scientology was a massive part of my life—as it was for many others.

What I want to do is share real stories—from the inside, yes—but more so, stories about how those experiences shaped the way I think, the way I react, the way I parent, the way I trust (or don’t), and how I managed after it all.

Some of it screwed with my head.
Some of it made me stronger.
And becoming a father at 52—that made me look in a completely different direction.

Raising a daughter, alone, forced me to stop looking backward. It gave me a reason to keep going forward.

It became my greatest joy. My deepest responsibility. And my clearest mirror.

I’ll also share some of the wild shit that went down in business. The wins, the screw-ups, the lessons—and where it’s all taken me now.

Here’s how I see it:

Before Scientology had a massive impact on my life.

During Scientology did too.

After Scientology might have changed me the most.

And being a single dad continues to be the most real, grounding, and important thing I’ve ever done.

So if it’s alright with you, I’m going to go at this a little out of order.

I’m going to tell stories—raw, true ones—about moments that shaped me.

Some might make you laugh. Some might hit a nerve. Hopefully a few will help you see things in a new way.

And maybe, just maybe, they’ll remind some of you that you’re not alone.

———

Not long ago, Cupcake (my nickname for Ellie) asked me something that stopped me cold.
She looked up at me, serious and sweet, and said:

“Dad, if you could go back in time and change things… do them differently… what would you do?”

She asked it with total innocence. Like she really wanted to know.

And in about three seconds, my whole life flashed in front of me. Every mistake, every win, every heartbreak, every secret.

And I told her the truth.

“Not a single thing, Ellie. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

She squinted. “Why?”

“Because if I changed anything... I don’t know if I’d be here, sitting with you.
And I don’t know if you or I would be who we are today.

And I’m just so damn happy to be here with you—just as we are, just as it is.”

She hugged me so tight I knew she completely got it.

I think that’s the point of what I’m doing here.

Telling stories that remind us how we got here—and maybe show that it’s okay, even beautiful, to be exactly where we are.

Thanks for reading.

Very much like something I tell somebody at least once just about every day: Everything we've experienced is part of what brought us to where we are now.

 

[Enthetan]

A new post, with insider information about Miscavige, Shelly, and their relationship, and Tom de Vocht's own story on how he got in as a child, and was working 100+ hours/week from age 11.


The Truth About Who — and What — Made Me Walk Away from Scientology

🧨 The Truth About Who — and What — Made Me Walk Away from Scientology

You’re Probably in a Cult — You Just Don’t Know It Yet

devodevocht.substack.com

Good stuff

Not long after, Dave told me — over a few glasses of scotch — that Hubbard hadn’t left much behind. Just some worksheets. Scribbled notes — some of which, he noted, included “hand-drawn penises.”

“That,” he said, “is what I have to work with to finish developing OT 9 and 10.”

This was the moment for me.

OT 9 and 10 were the next top-secret “levels” that Scientologists would pay dearly for. These were the innermost secret religious materials that Hubbard himself had developed. (Not to mention — they were the only future for Scientology income!)

Dave said he could only keep collecting donations and pressuring wealthy Scientologists to give for so long before they’d expect what Hubbard had promised.

 

[Type4_PTS]

Where Is Shelly Miscavige?
Are the dates just a coincidence?

Devo (De Vocht)
Apr 09, 2025

Where Is Shelly Miscavige?

Are the dates just a coincidence?

substack.com

I left in late 2005.
Shortly after, Shelly Miscavige vanished from public view.

People have spent years asking: Where is she? What happened?



I’ve spent just as long wondering whether the time we spent together — and the last things we confided in each other in those final months before I left, and before she disappeared — had anything to do with it.

I haven’t spoken publicly about the interpersonal dynamics that flared up between Shelly and me, and between Dave and my then-wife, Jennifer Linson De Vocht, in mid and late 2005.

Not until now.

Coming next.

 

[ILove2Lurk]

Not long after, Dave told me — over a few glasses of scotch — that Hubbard hadn’t left much behind. Just some worksheets. Scribbled notes — some of which, he noted, included “hand-drawn penises.”

“That,” he said, “is what I have to work with to finish developing OT 9 and 10.”

​

I remember reading similar stuff in Robert Vaughn Young commentaries from decades earlier.
And he would know, having edited Hubbard's Mission Earth series and seen and read all his
personal papers.

. . . (he liked to draw penises and vaginas around the margins in red ink, which gave the page a grisly look) . . . .

She should have seen what was in his unpublished writings, especially the ones with his drawings of penises and vulvas.
And that, my friends, is the "rest of the story."
Robert Vaughn Young

​

Unquestionably, Hubbard went full-blown nuts by the early eighties. No question about it.

The world needs to know this.

 

[Enthetan]

Unquestionably, Hubbard went full-blown nuts by the early eighties. No question about it.

The world needs to know this.

My suspicion is that Hubbard was maneuvered to go into seclusion by his CMO handlers as his behavior was getting sufficiently crazy that he would alienate public and staff if they saw him.

 

[I M Dex]

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

Devo (De Vocht)
Mar 25, 2025

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

devodevocht.substack.com

It’s Been a While—And It’s Good to Hear from You!

First, let me say—it’s been really nice hearing from so many friends.

It’s easy to forget how long it’s been. And I’ll be honest, it’s been pretty lonely at times. I live about as far from family as you can get in the U.S.—up here in the Pacific Northwest, while they’re all the way down in Florida. My dad’s still in Belgium, and Ellie and I recently made a trip out there to see him.

A lot (not all) of you who’ve found me on Facebook are ex-Scientologists—people who, like me, lived through the same system… but from your own angle, with your own battles.

I want to be clear about something right now:

I’m not here to become another Scientology Blogger.

I’m not looking to bash, rehash, or stir up outrage for clicks.

And I’m not trying to join anyone’s campaign—or take sides in the infighting between them.

I’ve got my own lane. My own voice. And my own reasons for telling these stories.

I know some people may be hoping I’ll step into the shoes of my dearest friend, Mike Rinder.
But that’s not where I’m headed.

Mike always had my love and respect—he was like a brother to me. His family is my family.

We understood each other more deeply than most could ever grasp.

But I can’t help but feel that the conflict inside the conflict—the way the infighting mirrored the very system we all left behind—grew like a cancer.

And in the end, that’s what took him.

Yes, Scientology was a massive part of my life—as it was for many others.

What I want to do is share real stories—from the inside, yes—but more so, stories about how those experiences shaped the way I think, the way I react, the way I parent, the way I trust (or don’t), and how I managed after it all.

Some of it screwed with my head.
Some of it made me stronger.
And becoming a father at 52—that made me look in a completely different direction.

Raising a daughter, alone, forced me to stop looking backward. It gave me a reason to keep going forward.

It became my greatest joy. My deepest responsibility. And my clearest mirror.

I’ll also share some of the wild shit that went down in business. The wins, the screw-ups, the lessons—and where it’s all taken me now.

Here’s how I see it:

Before Scientology had a massive impact on my life.

During Scientology did too.

After Scientology might have changed me the most.

And being a single dad continues to be the most real, grounding, and important thing I’ve ever done.

So if it’s alright with you, I’m going to go at this a little out of order.

I’m going to tell stories—raw, true ones—about moments that shaped me.

Some might make you laugh. Some might hit a nerve. Hopefully a few will help you see things in a new way.

And maybe, just maybe, they’ll remind some of you that you’re not alone.

———

Not long ago, Cupcake (my nickname for Ellie) asked me something that stopped me cold.
She looked up at me, serious and sweet, and said:

“Dad, if you could go back in time and change things… do them differently… what would you do?”

She asked it with total innocence. Like she really wanted to know.

And in about three seconds, my whole life flashed in front of me. Every mistake, every win, every heartbreak, every secret.

And I told her the truth.

“Not a single thing, Ellie. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

She squinted. “Why?”

“Because if I changed anything... I don’t know if I’d be here, sitting with you.
And I don’t know if you or I would be who we are today.

And I’m just so damn happy to be here with you—just as we are, just as it is.”

She hugged me so tight I knew she completely got it.

I think that’s the point of what I’m doing here.

Telling stories that remind us how we got here—and maybe show that it’s okay, even beautiful, to be exactly where we are.

Thanks for reading.

I like the perspective; the overarching scenario is bigger than Scientology, its about why people would engage and indulge in all the drama, in seeking to find something to surrender their own objectivity and worldview to, and then to rebel and declare their "independence" without any self-examination about how they remain engaged in engaging, and having not truly penetrated or transcended their tendencies, transfer their tendencies and attitudes to something "bigger and better", i.e., what has really changed, unless and until they recognize the silliness of the whole pursuit, and arrive at simply recognizing and appreciating existence.

 

[Type4_PTS]

From Tom de Vocht's FB post:

Devo Unplugged
The Stories They Wish We’d Forget. No Spin. No Salvation. Raw.

I’ve gotten quite a few messages lately — texts, calls, emails — from people who were there, people who weren’t but always wondered, and people hungry for raw, firsthand accounts and answers.

So I’ve decided to open a channel for it.

Devo Unplugged is now live on Substack Chat — a place for questions, memories, and real conversations.

If you’ve got questions — ask them.

If we were there together and you want my view of a moment — remind me.

Curiosity sparks memories. And truthfully? I just love hearing from you.

But here’s the deal:
I’m not here to make it pretty or sugarcoat anything.
What I share is how I saw it, how I lived it, and how I remember it now.
Sometimes funny. Sometimes brutal. Always raw.

Devo Unplugged - Chat Page
The Stories They Wish We'd Forget. No Spin. No Salvation. Raw.

Devo Unplugged - Chat Page

The Stories They Wish We'd Forget. No Spin. No Salvation. Raw.

devodevocht.substack.com

 

[XenuHimself]

Too bad it’s behind a paywall now. He has every right to monetize his stories, and I am curious - but not enough to pay.


From Tom de Vocht's FB post:

Devo Unplugged
The Stories They Wish We’d Forget. No Spin. No Salvation. Raw.

I’ve gotten quite a few messages lately — texts, calls, emails — from people who were there, people who weren’t but always wondered, and people hungry for raw, firsthand accounts and answers.

So I’ve decided to open a channel for it.

Devo Unplugged is now live on Substack Chat — a place for questions, memories, and real conversations.

If you’ve got questions — ask them.

If we were there together and you want my view of a moment — remind me.

Curiosity sparks memories. And truthfully? I just love hearing from you.

But here’s the deal:
I’m not here to make it pretty or sugarcoat anything.
What I share is how I saw it, how I lived it, and how I remember it now.
Sometimes funny. Sometimes brutal. Always raw.

Devo Unplugged - Chat Page
The Stories They Wish We'd Forget. No Spin. No Salvation. Raw.

Devo Unplugged - Chat Page

The Stories They Wish We'd Forget. No Spin. No Salvation. Raw.

devodevocht.substack.com

[/QUOTE]

 

[PirateAndBum]

Devo’s Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

You could subscribe for free I suppose

 

[Alex P. Keaton]

If you want to keep reading them, subscribe to his Substack.

...consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I got one (1) free story view, and now I'm not permitted to view any more unless I get the app on my phone. Which is off-limits. I just kicked Centra Credit Union's app off my smart phone about 18 hours ago because it doesn't let me deposit a check literally about 50% of the time. I'll do business with a browser on a desktop computer, or physically at the brick-and-mortar credit union. When it comes to Ex-Scientologist blogs, I'll view the content with a browser on Windows 7 or Linux or not at all.

If I remember correctly, Tom DeVocht is a tremendous old-school resource for Scientology stories and lore. And I would VERY VERY MUCH like to read some of his stories. But nobody is going to blackmail me into installing an app on my phone. My phone is my phone. And if someone wants me to install an app on it, I set the bar very, very high. So I won't be able to view his stories.

EDIT: I just checked the link using a browser to check my e-mail at outlook dot com. It clearly says "Continue reading this post for free in the Substack App". So it was technically my fault for thinking I could access the content in a browser. Like I said, put it on a web page or I'm not going to read it. Nobody is entitled to, or has earned, a "dedicated app" on my phone. (My credit union earned the privilege but then lost it.)

(Note: if you REALLY want to "fight back", you can find out [elsewhere] how I got a 25-watt computer system to act as an ad blocker 24/7/365 [using pfSense, which is based on BSD Unix] for ALL the devices in my home.)

 

[Type4_PTS]

Please consider becoming a paid subscriber. I got one (1) free story view, and now I'm not permitted to view any more unless I get the app on my phone. Which is off-limits. I just kicked Centra Credit Union's app off my smart phone about 18 hours ago because it doesn't let me deposit a check literally about 50% of the time. I'll do business with a browser on a desktop computer, or physically at the brick-and-mortar credit union. When it comes to Ex-Scientologist blogs, I'll view the content with a browser on Windows 7 or Linux or not at all.

If I remember correctly, Tom DeVocht is a tremendous old-school resource for Scientology stories and lore. And I would VERY VERY MUCH like to read some of his stories. But nobody is going to blackmail me into installing an app on my phone. My phone is my phone. And if someone wants me to install an app on it, I set the bar very, very high. So I won't be able to view his stories.

(Note: if you REALLY want to "fight back", you can find out [elsewhere] how I got a 25-watt computer system to act as an ad blocker 24/7/365 [using pfSense, which is based on BSD Unix] for ALL the devices in my home.)

To view all the postings on his blog, you've got to be a paid subscriber, but it's not necessary to install any app on your phone.

As far as why he's turning on the paywall, he wrote this:

Devo’s Substack
Devo (De Vocht)
Apr 09, 2025
Why I’m Turning On the Paywall
Because I’ve just been made aware that DM and OSA are following along, I’ve decided to turn on the paywall — I don’t feel like giving them anything else for free.

To the rest of you, I hope you’ll understand. These stories cost me something. They’re not particularly easy to write, but they’re real. And for those reading, reflecting, or just riding along — I appreciate you being here.

If you’ve made it through Parts 1 and 2, you already know: this isn’t nostalgia. It’s a postmortem.

Part 3 of The Beginning of the End is where things really start to peel back.

And there’s much more coming — not just this series, but a mix of deeper, unsightly stories, raw memories, and quick-hit moments that are surfacing fast. Some long, some short — all of them hot off the press. Or more accurately, hot off my brain.

What I’m sharing comes from a place not many people stood. My proximity to the Miscaviges gave me a view that was unfiltered — and often uncomfortable. And I intend to share it, now that it’s all coming back into view.

That OSA is following along might be a sign that Dave has something to worry about — and maybe he’s right.

 

[ILove2Lurk]

To view all the postings on his blog, you've got to be a paid subscriber, but it's not necessary to install any app on your phone.

Do you you know how much it is, what payment method is used, and if it's monthly or yearly?
Any info, anyone? I'm leery of entering my email just to find out.

 

[ILove2Lurk]

a browser on Windows 7

Curious. How do you keep Windows 7 secure and virus free when online.
I really like Windows 7 the best.

I have one WIndows 7 desktop machine I use for music/synth applications,
but I keep it air-gapped, that is always off-line.

I do all my day-to-day Internet browsing on Linux Mint.

 

[Type4_PTS]

Do you know how much it is, what payment method is used, and if it's monthly or yearly?
Any info, anyone? I'm leery of entering my email just to find out.

For payment options, it looks like the only options are VISA, Mastercard, Discover, & AMEX.

These are the options for subscription plans:

 

[Type4_PTS]

EDIT: I just checked the link using a browser to check my e-mail at outlook dot com. It clearly says "Continue reading this post for free in the Substack App". So it was technically my fault for thinking I could access the content in a browser. Like I said, put it on a web page or I'm not going to read it. Nobody is entitled to, or has earned, a "dedicated app" on my phone. (My credit union earned the privilege but then lost it.)

I did have the Substack app installed on my phone, and out of curiosity, I uninstalled the app, and then clicked on the link for the blog posts in this thread and was able to do so fine with no issues.

You may get prompted to download the Substack app on your phone, but it's not necessary to do so in order to view postings.