Thank you to everyone who joined us for the tour of Downtown Clearwater yesterday to benefit The Aftermath Foundation. And also to those who listened in remotely. We had a fun time and it was wonderful to see such a strong show of support from so many smiling faces. Our enormous appreciation to everyone for supporting the Aftermath Foundation. The Foundation's meaningful work continues, mostly unseen and not often talked about for the protection and peace of mind of those who are helped. It's the opposite of a scientology "humanitarian programs" where they don't do anything unless the … [Read more...]
Let Children Think For Themselves
My wife wrote an article for her Buddha Belly Doula website. It is about the influence of scientology thinking on children -- something I can also relate to. It captures the thinking of scientologists about education and raising children perfectly. If Hubbard said it, it must be true. I thought it very appropriate for readers of this blog. You can read it here: Let Children Think For Themselves … [Read more...]
Episode 19: Christie Collbran Rinder
This week Leah and I speak with my wife, Christie. I will add the link as soon as it is live. While there is always a lot of interest in me, Christie has her own story. She is much more than simply my other half. Her entire immediate family, just like mine, disconnected from her when she began to question things and tried to communicate this to them. When our son, Jack, was 6 months old we visited LA and tried to see Christie's parents to introduce them to their grandson. Her mother was sent away to the Freewinds. Her father, who I have never met, is a former pro-linebacker … [Read more...]
Scientology Juvenile Pranks
Scientology continues to carry out its juvenile attempted annoyances. We get strange magazine subscriptions. Anonymous "hate" emails. The guy who walks past and checks out our house a few times a day and shows up when we have visitors (he lives in a rented house around the corner -- there aren't too many available in our neighborhood). Now they kindly made an application for Christie to get a job at Circle K.... Not to make light in general of the Fair Game practices of scientology, they are grotesque. I just find their juvenile behavior to be ridiculous and have to comment … [Read more...]
The Inhumanity of Scientology
Sadly, too many people pass away without the opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones. Those who die in tragic accidents or without warning. Others in other cities or countries that make it logistically impossible for a final face-to-face meeting. Some are estranged for whatever reason and don’t reach out to them, even when they often regret it as they take their final breaths and it has become too late. Then there are those who have had their familial relationships sundered by their beliefs -- that it will be spiritually harmful to associate with “non-believers” or those who have … [Read more...]
The Story of a Scientology Spy
This is the story of a spy paid to infiltrate our lives written by my wife Christie. I originally wrote down the details of this story in 2012 when it happened. Some of the information was included in the book Fair Game, by Steve Cannane, as he played a part in it. Here is the full story: If the ending seems obvious while reading it, try reading it with the frame of mind that it was not perfectly obvious while living it. Most of us go through life with friendship, love and kindness in our hearts, hoping to enjoy people, taking them first as genuine and only after they prove to … [Read more...]
Mike Rinder: “Lady Killer”
While the "church" of scientology has kindly nicknamed me "Lady Killer," the strange reason for this deserves some context. This post also serves to demonstrate the twisted and false nature of the statements, videos, tweets, ads and emails that scientology is sending out to try and "dead agent" everyone involved in the Going Clear film. I am no special case -- all participants are getting the same treatment. I happen to have details and specifics concerning the things they say about me. You can be certain the statements about the others are no less false. It is of course interesting that … [Read more...]