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Thought Reform and Scientology

April 21, 2021 By Mike Rinder 41 Comments

  On one of the recent Fair Game Podcast, Chris Shelton recommended Robert Jay Lifton's book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism . Then Mockingbird posted a comment concerning this and I thought it important to include it as a post, as he summarizes the eight criteria for Thought Reform isolated by the author. I should note, there are many excellent articles at Mockingbird's Nest blog. Here is his comment in full. I have highlighted the 8 criteria. Mike Rinder recently pointed out something that most people miss, even experts. He pointed out that the E meter is used … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: brainwashing, Chris Shelton, Jon Atack, L. Ron Hubbard, Mockingbird, Robert Jay Lifton, Scientology, Thought Reform

Scientology vs God

April 8, 2021 By Mike Rinder 54 Comments

  When we were talking to Chris Shelton on the Fair Game podcast, we covered some ground concerning the belief in God in Scientology. And recently I saw Jim Meskimen spouting off on the STAAD League and realized it was important to lay out what L. Ron Hubbard said about the subject. Meskimen of course omits all of what is below, but plucks a single Hubbard quote about the fate of societies that do not believe in God to "prove" that scientologists really do believe in God.  The quote itself proves nothing. In fact, maybe it was one of Hubbard's cruel jokes on his followers that he … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: 8th dynamic, God, Jim Meskimen, L. Ron Hubbard, nancy cartwright, Sunday Service, Tommy Davis

Reforming Scientology?

March 25, 2021 By Mike Rinder 39 Comments

Leah recently reminded me of this wonderful website, and in particular, this article by my old friend Jeff Hawkins. Jeff is one of the kindest, smartest and most decent people I know. When Miscavige blew him off, he lost one of the only real marketing geniuses in scientology. Jeff was responsible for the single successful marketing campaign in scientology -- returning Dianetics to the top of the NY Times bestseller list in the 80's. He is a wonderful writer -- I highly recommend his book Counterfeit Dreams -- and a thoughtful analyst of the world of scientology. I am taking the liberty … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: confessional, confidential, counterintention, David Miscavige, dehumanization, enemies, government, jeff hawkins, media, OSA, press, psychiatry, psychs, public relations, Scientology, scientology 101, sec check, secrecy, SP, statistics, wog

“I’m a Christian and I’m also a Scientologist”

March 4, 2021 By Mike Rinder 74 Comments

  This guy is running for elected office in Minnesota. He appears to be a legitimate, if unreal, candidate for Minnesota's 4th Congressional District. It's been a democratic district continuously since 1946, the current incumbent has been re-elected every 2 years since 2000. He is a Republican. This guy, like the now forgotten Joy Villa, is a Donald Trump superfan and conspiracy theory supporter on everything from fluoride to vaccinations. And like Joy Villa, he is trying to have his cake and eat it too. He wants to appeal to the Christian right who generally vote Republican, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scientology, Special Feature Tagged With: Christianity, Jews, Joy Villa, Michael Snellings, Minnesota

Auditing Scientology: Reexamining Tax Exemption Eligibility

February 17, 2021 By Mike Rinder 57 Comments

IRS exemption scientology

One of our commenters (ISNOINews) forward me a link to a wonderful piece by Taylor Holley, a Juris Doctorate candidate at Texas Tech University Law School written for the Law Review. It is titled  Auditing Scientology: Reexamining the Church's 501(c)3 Tax Exemption Eligibility. If you click on the link above, you can download the full paper -- it is 27 pages long and summarizes all the facts and legal arguments as to why scientology should NOT enjoy tax exempt status. Below I include her abstract summarizing the paper: Abstract The Church of Scientology is one of the most discussed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: 501(c)3, irs, Law Review, Scientology, scientology tax exemption, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption, Taylor Holley, Texas Tech

Scientology: Psychological Terrorism

February 3, 2021 By Mike Rinder 46 Comments

  Scientology is the only organization claiming to be a religion that has it's own "intelligence"/dirty tricks branch. It is unique in that the "doctrine" of scientology (ie the written and spoke words of L. Ron Hubbard) contain directives for scientology to engage in intelligence activities, including gathering information, spying, executing operations to intimidate and ultimately destroy people and even framing them. You can read many of Hubbard's "scriptures" in my earlier post here: Dealing with Critics of Scientology: The L. Ron Hubbard Playbook Scientology engages in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: enemies, L. Ron Hubbard, Positioning, psychological warfare, Stefani Hutchison, terrorism

More on Scientology “Religious Arbitration”

January 23, 2021 By Mike Rinder 23 Comments

Anyone who regularly reads this blog will know that I have been scathing in my criticism of recent court rulings concerning the supposed scientology "religious arbitration" agreements that courts have enforced to prevent plaintiffs from pursuing legal recourse against scientology entities. See earlier articles: Scientology "Religious Arbitration" -- Giving Kangaroo Courts a Bad Name and this one: Concerning Scientology "Religious Arbitration." Now comes an article from the Reason.com website which is rather more scholarly than my layman's analysis. A leading expert on religious arbitration … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Legal, Special Feature Tagged With: Legal, litigation, Luis Garcia, Masterson, Michael Helfand, Pepperdine, reason.com, religious arbitration

Scientology “Religious Arbitration” – Giving Kangaroo Courts a Bad Name

January 9, 2021 By Mike Rinder 42 Comments

Recently, one of the OSA bots on Twitter announced that the Judge in the Masterson civil case had "found me to be a liar" in the case "I lost." This is their twisted interpretation of the following statement by Judge Steven Kliefield in his ruling that the Masterson plaintiffs must submit to religious "arbitration," (see Tony Ortega's site for the full order): Defendants argue the Court should disregard the March 6, 2020 declaration because Rinder is biased, dedicated to falsely attacking the Church and has no foundation for much of his testimony. CSI and CCI also make specific objections … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Legal, Special Feature Tagged With: Judge Kliefield, Masterson, religious arbitration, Scientology

The “Glory” of Scientology’s Dead “Enemies”

December 21, 2020 By Mike Rinder 36 Comments

A couple of days ago, Tony Ortega posted a lengthy "success story" from a woman who had recently completed "Super Power." Of course, it was over-the-top bizarre, but one paragraph stood out: While on the rundown two major SPs (2.5 percent) connected to my dynamics received their bitter end. One died in an unexpected way, and the other got put in a psychiatric hospital by his best friend. This filled me with the glory of justice. I doubt there is a more clear-cut example of the callous disregard for human life into which scientologists are inculcated than this. Many former scientologists, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fair Game, L Ron Hubbard, Special Feature Tagged With: Auditor magazine, enemies, fair game, L. Ron Hubbard, Manuela Saenz, R2-45, Racket Exposed, Responsibilities of Leaders, Science of Survival, Scientology, Simon Bolivar, Super Power, Tony Ortega

A Primer on Brainwashing

November 21, 2020 By Mike Rinder 42 Comments

  If you have watched either The Vow on HBO, or Seduced on Starz about NXIVM, or The Aftermath or Going Clear about scientology, this article will ring a lot of bells. Many of the specific control mechanisms Dr. Burkley cites about NXIVM have direct parallels in scientology. As she says, "the psychological tricks Raniere used are not particularly special. In face, his ability to ensnare so many victims is rooted in his reliance on several core psychological principles -- principles to which each of us is vulnerable." One of the great accomplishments of The Vow was how … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: brainwashing, David Miscavige, john sweeney, Keith Raniere, Martha Stout, Melissa Burkley, NXIVM, Psychology Today, Sea Org, The Hole, The Sociopath Next Door

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Important Reading

Troublemaker - Leah Remini
Ruthless - Ron Miscavige
Going Clear - Lawrence Wright
Bare Faced Messiah - Russell Miller
Counterfeit Dreams - Jeff Hawkins
Blown For Good - Marc Headley
Abuse at the Top - Amy Scobee
Unbreakable Miss Lovely - Tony Ortega
The Church of Fear - John Sweeney
Fair Game - Steve Cannane
Inside Scientology - Janet Reitman
A Piece of Blue Sky - Jon Atack
Beyond Belief - Jenna Miscavige
My Billion Year Contract
Escaping Scientology - Karen Schless
Commodore's Messenger - Janis Grady
Commodore's Messenger - Book II
Scythe Tleppo - Nathan Rich
Expert Witness - Jesse Prince
Perfectly Clear - Michelle LeCaire
Ron the War Hero - Chris Owen
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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
11 Aug

Great take! It would be the most dangerous thing he ever did…

Chris Shelton, MSc @ChrisSheltonMsc

The only stunt I want to see this man perform is speaking out publicly against Scientology.

It would quite literally be the most dangerous thing he could ever do, far more so than these so-called "dangerous" stunts where his life was NOT really on the line at all. https://twitter.com/BritishGQ/status/1557314444392292352

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leahremini Leah Remini @leahremini ·
11 Aug

Did you think Scientology scared us away?

Not a chance…the Fair Game podcast is back!

@MikeRinder and I will continue to hold Scientology accountable for its abuses.

Check-out our latest trailer and subscribe to the Fair Game podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
11 Aug

More excellent sleuthing from the relentless exposer of #scientology lies. Bet they HATE Freedom of Information laws at this point....

Stefani A Hutchison @azhlynne

Theft By False Pretenses: Scientology’s 9/11 Scam http://azhlynnes.blog/2022/08/10/theft-by-false-pretenses-scientologys-9-11-scam/

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mikerinder Mike Rinder @mikerinder ·
10 Aug

#FairGamePodcast with @LeahRemini and me will be back wherever you get your podcasts at the end of August!
Now twice a week.
And you can record your questions for Listener Q episodes at http://fairgamepodcast.com just click on "submit a recorded question."
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/fair-game-podcast-is-back/

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leahremini Leah Remini @leahremini ·
9 Aug

We believe discriminatory rhetoric, misinformation, and hate speech have no place anywhere which is exactly why we’re fighting Scientology, its lies, and hypocrisy.

Including those spread by Scientology front groups like the Stand League.

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Recent Comments

  • Aquamarine on Regraded Being: “@Yawn, I just shivered reading that.” Aug 12, 22:40
  • Aquamarine on Regraded Being: “And then, “Forget trying to get my to join staff”, and, “I just keep doing my part of Clearing this…” Aug 12, 22:39
  • Aquamarine on Regraded Being: ““I do know that it doesn’t take too long for people visiting the Freewinds to become keenly aware of being…” Aug 12, 22:34
  • James Rosso on Regraded Being: “Not greed. Look at it this way: Scientology doesn’t work. It doesn’t deliver what it promises, whether that’s OT powers…” Aug 12, 21:05
  • Ammo Alamo on Regraded Being: “There are American Scilons who ‘spend’ their best earning years on Staff, somehow making ends meet with part-time jobs and…” Aug 12, 19:56
  • xTeamXenu75to03chuckbeatty on World Out of Comm/Key to Life: “Great story Fred, ASHO Staff did have a lot of heart. When I routed out, became a freeloader, the then…” Aug 12, 17:50
  • xTeamXenu75to03chuckbeatty on World Out of Comm/Key to Life: “You got it! Keeping Scientology Working really means: “Keep Blaming Staff And Public, To Keep the Scam Working”. aka “Keeping…” Aug 12, 17:34
  • Linear13 on Regraded Being: “During the pandemic Miscavige had the perfect time to actually do what is promised to all Sea Org and Org…” Aug 12, 17:33
  • Jere Lull on Regraded Being: “Of course they’ve heard of us DB jokers and degraders, too degraded to even worry about.” Aug 12, 16:46
  • I Yawnalot on Regraded Being: “A good example of a beaten dog that still wags its tail. Life on staff is like that…” Aug 12, 16:14

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