The big, new news on the Volunteer Minister front, worthy of a paid press release on Christmas Eve, is NOT the activities of the VMs in the Philippines, nor even their feeble presence at the Oklahoma City tornados earlier this year.
Nope, its “news” from 2004 — 9 YEARS AGO.
This is the headline from the 24 December PR Press Release under the byline “Karin Pouw.”
Scientology Volunteer Ministers Provide Help in Desperate Times
New Scientology brochure tells how 600 Scientology Volunteer Ministers who responded to the 2004 tsunami changed the course of the movement
I will not bore you with the text. It really is OLD news.
But while the bubble keeps bubbling along in La La Land, how about something a little more uplifting at Christmas?
So, here is a something worth watching. Not surprisingly, it has nothing to do with the Volunteer Ministers or fundamentalist scientology.
20th Century Fox donated their $25,000 video promotion budget for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty movie to relief for hurricane Haiyan.
Watch this video. It is a worthwhile 7 minutes.
It makes it clear what a complete scam the IAS is. No doubt they collected a lot more than $25,000 on the basis of “helping the victims of the Philippine hurricane” and did NOTHING with it.
These two people put them to shame.
Thankyou Casey Neistat. You truly ARE a humanitarian.
And you represent the true spirit of Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all men and women of goodwill.
Wow, what can be done with $25K – probably Voldemort’s monthly food and whisky budget – by people who truly give a shit. It’s inspiring.
+1
Thank you, Mike! It is wonderful to see a real humanitarian effort in action. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a movie that has just moved up on my list. Casey is a great and inspiring human being. Hope he has a great 2014.
THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF ACTUAL GOODWILL ALL AROUND. THE STUDIO COULD HAVE STUCK TO ADVERTISING ON PLASTIC CUPS GIVEN OUT AT MCDONALDS OR OTHER SUCH GARBAGE. THE INTENTION BEHIND THE PROMO REALLY SHOULD BE APPLAUDED.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ANNOYED THAT THE CHURCH DOESN’T SPEND A DIME ON TRUE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, BUT WOULD RATHER HAVE VM’S AND OTHERS TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES, WITH THEIR OWN DOLLARS, TO DO WHAT EVER GOOD DOES GET DONE. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND NOT THE COMMUNITY.
SO , THANKS FOR THE VIDEO. I SHARED IT IMMEDIATELY AFTER WATCHING. ALSO, WALTER MITTY IS A GREAT READ, SO I AM HOPING THE MOVIE IS EQUALLY AS GOOD.
Thank you Mike for your razor sharp powers of observation. Merry Christmas!
Thanks Mike for posting this video…Great work by two young humanitarians. This video really brings home the spirit of Christmas. I’m richer for viewing it.
How great is that!!
That was a great link, thanks for sharing it Mike. The cob mob crime family wouldn’t know a sincere act if it hit them like a tsunami in my opinion. The light note and good news was nice. Merry Christmas to you and all the blog posters, outs, under-the-radars, OSA lurkers and even you INs who don’t think this will ever come up on your sec check.. Love, Gayle
Merry days to all
What a fantastic Christmas message, and thanks Mike for sharing and putting in the right context.
A very peaceful and happy Season to you, Christie and family, and the very best to you for 2014.
What an awesome thing to do with 25k. Yes, a drop in the ocean. But it’s still a drop.
Shame on the CoS for exploiting every tragedy and the gullibility of its own parishioners for its own ends. No doubt immoral. And probably illegal. The bastards.
Thank you Casey Niestat!
Thank you Mike for posting the video here. It is very heartwarming and inspirational. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Wonderful people who do such things. Thank you.
I would like to share my favorite Chistmas-Video. It is much older than nine years. The message isn’t.
http://vimeo.com/1965247
Heros are everywhere where someone has a heart and the courage to help. Heros are not found in scamming organizations like the IAS. Someone who donated to the IAS Philipines fund should demand an accounting, then they should report them to the Attorney General of their state. What happens to organizations that claim to be raising money to help in disaster zones but don’t use the money for that purpose? After 9/11 and Hurricaine Katrina, the news was full of stories of scammers going to jail. It’s time someone blew the whistle on the IAS and all of its related money-grubbing operations.
Merry Christmas Mike, Christie, Shane and Jack! Thanks for all you do to get the truth out there. The truth sets us free.
A beautiful message. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mike 🙂
Great post Mike. Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family. Thanks for everything, especially the laughs.
Dora
That Casey is an amazing guy! A TRUE O.T.
What you can really accomplish with a minute fraction of what the IAS has.
Scientologists should be ashamed.
Thanks Mike and family!
That’s for this wonderful video and your awesome provision of daily REAL news on this blog.
You are proving your mission statement -“something can be done about it” -daily and it is highly appreciated. .
Happy Holidays!
Greta
Thank you Mike & Christie Rinder for keeping the Christmas Spirit alive for all of us. You could call it the ‘Rinder’s Blog as I am sure the whole family plays a part. This video on the Typhoon is an amazing example of a man who cared and could do something about it and DID! Pulling the reserves together and getting it DONE! is what it’s all about! Casey Neistat is that guy! That little girl’s smile was something!
Have a Blessed Day!
Thanks for that Mike. That little girl’s smile was all the thanks those guys needed – no status required. And not a single yellow shirt to be seen. Hope your day has been blessed with love and family.
A more liberal religion would let their members just “do it” on their own.
Scientologists will have to break free of their over-controlling poor leadership, and just “do it” on their own.
I am reminded of how Hiro Kimoto, Sea Org member in New York City, just basically walked “off post” and went down to ground zero during 9-11, he just did what good human beings do!
And then around what Hiro and other citizens who went down to ground zero, to do whatever they could, then the official Scientology people who up the chain of command rewrote Hiro’s and others’ actions and began their PR meddling.
That is so true Chuck. I have a friend here who was missing for some days
during Thanksgiving and while we talked the other day I found out that he had
discovered through his church how a little village up in the mountains of north-
east Tennessee could use some help with clothing and food. So he and another
guy loaded up their SUVs to the brim with food and clothes (mainly from their
own pockets) and made the long drive up to this godforsaken place and gave
these poor people a nice thanksgiving. He did not take pictures or videos, he
was just happy to help where it was needed and he totally enjoyed it to the
point he is now going up there 3 times next year. That is a true humanitarian.
Just a note… I don’t think any of us really KNOWS that “nothing is happening with the current VM Philippines actions”, although it certainly seems to be that way.
It could be that they did not send a decent photographer or videographer with them. And, if they are short handed, they might have figured it would be better to be handing out supplies and giving assists than taking pictures of themselves. I imagine that, if that were the case, than they’ve had their balls busted for that, as the Church would not like to miss out on the good PR that would be generated from good works well documented.
I was once very close to Ayal Lindeman. I could certainly be wrong about him, but I don’t think so. My opinion of him is that he is someone that makes things go right. If he was sent to the Philippines to do VM activity, he’d be effective about it.
If he was not effective there, and the reason was that Church red-tape and cross orders prevented success, he’ll be out of there and we will here from him publicly and soon.
Dan — the one thing that the IAS NEVER FAILS to do is send videographers. Everyone who is sent out has their OWN video camera, in addition to anyone sent from Gold. There is even a “hat” to study that is part of getting such a grant. It teaches you about taking video. Believe me, video footage is FAR more important to the IAS than whatever it is that is being done. They need it to do more regging. People actually helped doesnt result in more income. Videos do.
Thanks very much for that explanation, Mike.
Merry Christmas Dan! If Ayal and his crew are out there helping the best they can, then that is wonderful. I don’t know Ayal personally. I knew his wife and daughter many years ago. Most Scientologists don’t really care about the photo ops at all. They are trying to go free and help others. But for Miscavige and those in lock step it’s all about image, image, image. So boring to me. Trophies, pins and tons of adjectives (massive, biggest, greatest…) – boring. I’m sure Ayal in trying to be effective finds it almost impossible to work with the bureaucratic Church. So he deserves extra kudos for doing what he does.
You are right about “most Scientologists”, I think: acting selflessly. I think you are right about Ayal, too. It’s in his nature to do the best he can.
Happy Holidays to you and your family, Mike. Fabulous blog. Wonderful work. I check it every day. Amazing. You are making history.
This really shows the difference between people who actually care about others and helping them, versus people who make a pretense of caring and helping for their own self-aggrandizement.
YES MERRY CHRISTMAS AND LOVE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
LOTS OF SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS FOR EACH AND ALL READERS OF THIS BLOG.
Thanks for posting this video Mike. This is a video of real help. Something that is instantly recognizable as such. Merry Christmas.
Hopefully they brought their own tents and supplies this time.
Recruitment time in Aceh January 29, 2005, Did you miss?, The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2005/jan/29/theeditorpressreview
What a beautiful and inspiring video. Thanks, Mike.
Mike, thank you for this wonderful Christmas message.
Thanks, Mike for that fabulous video. Like you said, I’m sure the church collected a lot more and did a lot less.
The best of holiday wishes to you, Christie, Shane and Jack. (no exclamation points required).
I look forward to your continued success in exposing the abuses of the church to both staff and public.
I saw this article the other day in the Examiner where it described the church as a cross between the moonies and the mafia. Seems like they hit the nail right on the head.
Amazing video and poignant message! You continue to enlighten. Merry Christmas to all here. To you Mike, I extend my gratitude for your fearless confront of the crimes, fraud and betrayal of the RCS. To anyone on the fence, keep reading. You’re in the right place.
Amazing. Thank you. Happy Christmas to you and your family.
Thanks for the wonderful Christmas post, and e-card. A great reminder of what it is all about. Intelligent use of modest resources to bring about widespread results. Sounds like a real live person at 20th Century Fox, too, with his “ethics in.”.
Merry Christmas to all!
Mike, I appreciate your activity through the year to help the people.
Although I could not agree with you a little bit on a few occasions, I still respect your doingness.
After all, Scientology (whatever it is , religion or spiritual philosophy or mental therapy etc.) should be for people.
It is not that people are for Scientology (in this case it becomes a cult).
Keep up the work, please.
Good luck and Happy Holiday Season to everyone here.
Mike, thanks for reminding us that the Spirit of Christmas is Giving and Love.
Real “givers” do not brag about it.
You are truly a giver, Mike. So, I will just say thank you.
Merry Christmas to All !!
The video so heart warming and all done with 25K. What a farce, scam the IAS is about helping others. Unbelievable!
Merry Christmas to you, Christie and boys.
Merry Christmas to all the readers here on Mike’s Blog, whether you are out of Scientology forever, an Independent or one of those wild and crazy lurkers who’s wondering what the hell is actually going on with their Church. Mike is proving every single day that Something Can Be Done About It.
Mike that was awesome, Thanks for sharing that, we hadn’t run across it yet. Merry Christmas from our family to yours.
Mark and Bonny Elliott
Merry Christmas Mike! Thank you for your work. Joy to you and those you love. May this year be the best you ever had: ever !
I truly enjoyed the video. It makes you feel good to see people who care. Thanks Mike!
To Mike, Christie and family: Wishing you guys a wonderful Christmas. Thanks to both of you
for all that you’ve done over the past year. I look forward to stepping into 2014 with my new-found friends and family.
Love BP
Putting to shame is right. Merry Christmas Mike. Thanks for reminding them of what it’s truly all about.
Last bit of Egg Nog here then lights out.
Merry Christmas to all
and to all a good night.
The Marine
+1
Marines. Years ago, I had to get someplace very personal to me, took a wrong turn, and was l-o-s-t. The gas stations and convenience stores had no maps (other people had gotten lost too). A U.S. Marine Sergeant Major from a recruiting office in that strip mall asked if he could help. In five minutes he gave me directions to my location over 60 miles away through confusing roads and turns. I got straight there, not one problem. This guy was, I believe, from either Lithuania, or Latvia, or Estonia.
On this Christmas Eve. I am taking a time out from to ponder about the C of S. I sorta left in 1998 (properly routed out of the RPF), and to fast forward to 2009 I kept myself under the radar pretty heavily. So it’s been 3 +years now since I have carefully examined the so called Church. I have concluded with their coffers they will continue to bleed their parishioners for more and more. But it is a circle. Many experts have said “Int Stats” have declined since 1990, I believe that. Scn will just continue to limp and struggle along. As for expansion? Nada. That’s my take. Merry Christmas and Holiday to all. Final word to Lurkers don’t believe the false PR.
What a nice Christmas gift to us all. Thank you Mike! That video was truly awesome. And…Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Gives new meaning to “Humanitarian”, something, unfortunately, about which scio has no clue. Bravo! Casey and your team. Brought tears to my eyes watching those incredibly resilient Filipinos, grinning and laughing despite the chaos around them.
+1
And good holiday wishes to you too. Thanks for all your tireless work documenting the Scientology echo chamber.