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Episode 75: Marc Headley on Scientology and the Internet

January 31, 2022 By Mike Rinder 22 Comments

We welcome back our old friend Marc Headley to talk about Scientology and the internet, including covering the bonkers domain names scientology has registered, and how they have unsuccessfully attempted to control access to information on the World Wide Web.   Marc's wonderful book: Blown For Good The Audiobook version   The Scientology Money Project blog article listing many of the scientology owned domains:   A YouTube video listing some of the troll domains registered by scientology:   The Jokers & Degraders PL/HCOB: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fair Game Podcast Tagged With: AC 360, Alex Gibney, Alexa ranks, Andreas Heldal-Lund, Blown For Good, Fair Game Podcast, Going Clear, Inch Wives, Jokers and Degraders, Leah Remini, Marc Headley, Marty Rathbun, Mike Rinder, Mike Rinder's Blog, Netflix, rottenrat.com, Scieno Sitter, Scientology And The Aftermath, Scientology Money Project, South Park, Trapped in the Closet

Episode 66: Dr. Willy Rice Pastor of Calvary Baptist Clearwater

November 15, 2021 By Mike Rinder 20 Comments

We welcome Dr. Willy Rice, Senior Pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater to the podcast. Willy has been one of the few community leaders who has taken a strong, public stance against the abuses of scientology. We talk about the influence of scientology in the community and the lie that you can a Christian and a scientologist.     Below are the documents we talk about in the episode. The infamous OT VIII document scientology claims is a forgery that contains the following passage: [T]he historic Jesus was not nearly the sainted figure has been made out to be. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Calvary Baptist, Christianity, Confront and Shatter blog, Fair Game Podcast, Going Clear, L. Ron Hubbard, Lawrence Wright, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, Price list, Public Image PL, Ray Cassano, Stefani Hutchinson, Willy Rice

Episode 30: Marc Headley Blown For Good

March 1, 2021 By Mike Rinder 42 Comments

This week, Leah and I had a wonderful time talking with my old and very dear friend Marc Headley —The BFG — on our Fair Game Podcast. Marc not only has a phenomenal memory, he possesses a great sense of humor. Anyone who has read his book knows both of these things to be true. We covered plenty of ground -- talking about the Int base and David Miscavige, the infamous musical chairs incident depicted in Going Clear and even how the Rinder bobblehead came to be. Throughout I mentioned including links, you will find them below. This is definitely an episode you don't want to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Alex Gibney, Blown For Good, bobblehead, Claire Headley, David Miscavige, fair game, Gilman Springs, Going Clear, golden era, Leah Remini, Marc Headley, Mike Rinder, SP bracelet, The SP Shop

Ron: The Epic Saga of BS

October 21, 2020 By Mike Rinder 87 Comments

The smoke and mirrors game that scientology plays concerning L. Ron Hubbard is pretty remarkable. This "monumental hardback collection" is hardly a recounting of a "life like no other." It is a carefully selected collection of anecdotal stories about things L. Ron Hubbard said or claimed about his life. Many of them are unverified, unable to be documented because they didn't happen. Charitably, Hubbard told "tall tales" about his life and exploits. Realistically, he simply lied about himself. The author of these "books" (they were originally "magazines") is Dan Sherman. The "LRH … [Read more...]

Filed Under: L Ron Hubbard Tagged With: Barefaced Messiah, Going Clear, L. Ron Hubbard, Russell Miller, Sarah Northrup, Scientology

At Least We Know They Are Listening

September 19, 2020 By Mike Rinder 46 Comments

STAND is obviously paying close attention to the Fair Game podcast, No sooner had the episode where we talked to Alex Gibney aired than they trotted out a new smear on him. From none other than the renowned expert, Will Seabrook. It would be interesting to ask Mr. Seabrook in person whether he has watched Going Clear. I would bet he has not. If, by chance, he has, then I would love to ask him two simple questions: What specific can you cite to classify his film as a "bigoted propaganda video"? Tell me a single fact that is wrong? It's funny, scientology has NEVER refuted the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fair Game Podcast Tagged With: Alex Gibney, Fair Game Podcast, Going Clear, STAND League, Will Seabrook

Episode 3: Scientology’s War on the Media with Richard Behar

August 11, 2020 By Mike Rinder 40 Comments

  We were very fortunate to speak with Richard Behar on this week's episode of the Fair Game podcast. Rich, along with Pauletter Cooper (who will feature in an upcoming episode) is a poster child for scientology Fair Game against journalists. He is an award-winning investigative journalist who first wrote about scientology in 1986 for Forbes magazine in an article entitled The Prophet and Profits of Scientology. His most famous scientology piece was the 1991 Time magazine cover story, The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power. The subhead on his article pretty much sums up … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Media Interviews, Podcast Tagged With: Alex Gibney, fair game, Fair Game Podcast, Forbes magazine, Going Clear, HBO, Karen Bass, Lawrence Wright, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, Paulette Cooper, Richard Behar, Time magazine

Even More on Ventura

February 25, 2020 By Mike Rinder 74 Comments

  Someone sent me a link to this Facebook group I grew up in Ventura California and a posting there about scientology coming to town.  This group has 22,000 members. It was a pretty innocuous thing about the brightness of the sign on the building. As of now it has over 450 comments. Though I have not carefully read every comment, I can say with a high degree of certainty that there are virtually no positive comments about scientology. And yet, their PR line is that the demand for scientology is so great, and they are expanding so rapidly, that to meet the demand, they have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ideal Orgs, Public Relations Tagged With: balloons, Going Clear, Ideal Orgs, Leah Remini, pasadena, public relations, Sarah Derr, Scientology, Tony Ortega, Ventura

Mark Bunker’s New Scientology Hit Squad

January 20, 2020 By Mike Rinder 51 Comments

  Clearly scientology is worried that Mark Bunker is proving to be a viable candidate for the Clearwater City Council. They are now resorting to one of their tried and true tactics against those who worry them the most (see below in this blogpost for earlier examples of the same playbook). Following is a series of short videos of a recent candidates forum. Scientology sent along a gaggle of hecklers to disrupt Mark's statements -- pursuant to the policies of L. Ron Hubbard. Unfortunately, there is no video showing their faces -- perhaps next time when both Aaron Smith-Levin and I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Clearwater, Harrassment Tagged With: Clearwater Florida, Dave Bloomberg, David Miscavige, Eliseo Santana, Flag Service Organization, Going Clear, Lisa McPherson Trust, Marc Yager, Mark Bunker, Mary DeMoss, sara goldberg, Scientology The Aftermath, tampa bay times

Scientology and Christmas

December 18, 2019 By Mike Rinder 62 Comments

It seems the media is becoming more aware of the truth about scientology. This recent article in the Kansas City Star is not the sort of "goodwill" and "PR area control" scientology was hoping to garner from opening their new "ideal org" and launching into a PR offensive for the holiday season. The title of the article alone is enough to send shivers down COB's spine: Kansas City’s Church of Scientology opens a Winter Wonderland: Is this some ploy? Ploy you ask? Ploy? You can read the full article at the link above. I have a few thoughts about it. Following the evocative … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Ideal Orgs Tagged With: Going Clear, Ideal Orgs, Kansas City, Kansas City Star, Leah Remini, media, public relations, Scientology, Scientology Idle Orgs, Stephen Kent, Tony Ortega

The Hole: A List of Prisoners

April 23, 2019 By Mike Rinder 101 Comments

There has been plenty of commentary about "The Hole" since it was first disclosed by Joe Childs and Tom Tobin in the St Petersburg Times in 2009, and again famously featured in Lawrence Wright's Going Clear book and Alex Gibney's HBO film based on the book. Scientology has asserted the Hole "does not exist and never has." But the numerous people who have witnessed it first hand and spoken about it have, to any objective observer, put scientology's denials to the sword. Miscavige even had a sign made and hung on the outside of the building to identify it clearly as "The Hole." (Where he got … [Read more...]

Filed Under: David Miscavige, Int Base Tagged With: Alex Gibney, David Miscavige, Going Clear, Int Base, Joe Childs, Mike Rinder, The Hole, Tom Tobin

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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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Mike Rinder
MikeRinderMike Rinder@MikeRinder·
20 May

For those missing the #FairGame podcast -- I snuck in a 20 min chat with @Marci_Hamilton about our shared passion for the work of @CHILD_USA

CHILD USA@CHILD_USA

Our newest podcast episode is here!

Emmy Award winning CHILD USA Board member Mike Rinder joins Prof. Marci Hamilton to discuss his advocacy on our issues.

Don't miss this episode from one of the brightest stars in the CHILD USA universe.

Listen today: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-rinder-on-his-work-as-a-child-usa-board-member/id1524535228?i=1000562604652

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MikeRinderMike Rinder@MikeRinder·
19 May

New revelations from @TroMcManus. Of course #scientology has records that document their abuses but claim they can keep them secret. The USSC disagrees, but they continue to assert it and when law enforcement doesn't press they get away with murder. When will it end?

Tracey McManus@TroMcManus

Valeska Paris sued Scientology last month in Tampa federal court, alleging she was trafficked as a child.

Three years ago, she tried to pursue criminal charges.

Clearwater Police couldn’t get evidence from the church.
@TB_Times

https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2022/05/19/former-scientologist-called-police-when-that-went-nowhere-she-sued/

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yasharYashar Ali 🐘@yashar·
18 May

Of course he didn’t.

When you’re second in command of a borderless totalitarian state and cult of personality you can’t risk being asked about prison camps, forced abortions, conversion therapy, forced family separations, and the first in command physically abusing his workforce https://twitter.com/RaminSetoodeh/status/1526945227382018051

Ramin Setoodeh@RaminSetoodeh

Tom Cruise took a selfie with a fan after his #Cannes2022 talk. But he didn’t take any questions from the audience:

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azhlynneStefani A Hutchison@azhlynne·
18 May

Dear Bill Burr http://azhlynnes.blog/2022/05/18/dear-bill-burr/

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LeClair4justiceMichelle LeClair@LeClair4justice·
18 May

@LeahRemini @MikeRinder Thank you for brining further awareness to the authorities of this cult! Scientology uses conversion therapy which is not illegal in Ca. I have been through plenty of it with this CULT and its abuse. Im grateful now to have my free and beautiful GAY life!

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Recent Comments

  • ISNOINews on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “O/T.  Scientology conflates gender identity (nonbinary) with sexual orientation (gay); again says “sexual orientation is not a criteria for membership…” May 23, 13:52
  • Cindy on Through the Bubble – Lili’s Adventures in Scientologyland Part 15: “Since AA was founded in 1935 and Scn was around 1950, I’d say that Ron plagiarized that quote of don’t…” May 23, 13:29
  • Richard on Through the Bubble – Lili’s Adventures in Scientologyland Part 15: “You’re supposed to “Flow Power to Power”. That way the organization stays powerful and you and the rest of the…” May 23, 13:08
  • safetyguy on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “It seems that the rallying cry of scientology is “It’s good for me but not for Thee!” of something like…” May 23, 13:01
  • Alcoboy on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “A=A=A=A…………..” May 23, 12:18
  • Alcoboy on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “Well, there is a difference between intervention and deprogramming in that intervention involves sitting the person down and trying to…” May 23, 12:16
  • Mary Kahn on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “What?!! Scientology and its leader do ANYTHING BUT “free Man and restore his ability to control his own life.” JUST…” May 23, 11:28
  • Jane Standen-Bolton on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “I remember hearing Jon Atack discussing some of the interventions (if that’s the right word for what he was doing)…” May 23, 10:36
  • Lili R on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “On a trip to Flag I met a big beefy dude. Being the workaholic I was, I asked what he…” May 23, 10:00
  • otherles on Family Interventions and Deprogrammings: “A is non-A to some people.” May 23, 09:39

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