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A Primer on Brainwashing

November 21, 2020 By Mike Rinder 41 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

Keith Raniere Sentenced to 120 Years

October 27, 2020 By Mike Rinder 44 Comments

Keith Raniere, the former head of NXIVM, was sentenced to 120 years in prison yesterday. One of the main people who brought him to justice was Mark Vicente. A former leader in the NXIVM movement, he and his wife, Bonnie Piesse, along with Sarah Edmunson and her husband Nippy Ames and Catherine Oxenberg were chronicled in the excellent HBO Series The Vow about their awakening and subsequent efforts to bring the leaders of NXIVM to justice. We interviewed Mark on the Aftermath Podcast a few weeks ago. Victims in criminal cases have the opportunity to make a statement before the court … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fair Game Podcast Tagged With: Bonnie Piesse, Catherine Oxenberg, Keith Raniere, Mark Vicente, Nippy Ames, NXIVM, Sarah Edmunson

Episode 11: “The Vow’s” Mark Vicente

October 5, 2020 By Mike Rinder 56 Comments

We have an amazing episode of Fair Game podcast this week, speaking to Mark Vicente. If you have not been watching The Vow on HBO I highly recommend it. It is the story of Keith Raniere and the NXIVM cult, told from the perspective of a number of former senior people in Raniere's organization, including Mark. We had a terrific conversation with him about the similarities between NXIVM and scientology -- and there are MANY. We also talked about patterns of high control organizations and the larger picture. I will post the link to the episode here when it becomes available. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fair Game Podcast Tagged With: Keith Raniere, Leah Remini, Mark Vicente, Mike Rinder, NXIVM

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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·
16h

New video from @GrowingupinSCN which is an important and under-reported topic in the world of scientology abuses.
How Scientology Trafficks Children https://youtu.be/MhmGJzIPrzY via @YouTube

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MikeRinderMike Rinder@MikeRinder·
25 Feb

Yesterday I mentioned @ChrisLatvala and #scientology “safe pointing”. Here is some Hubbard policy on it and some further thoughts on his reaction. https://www.mikerindersblog.org/why-is-chris-latvala-supporting-scientology-and-what-is-a-safepoint/

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mormonstoriesMormon Stories@mormonstories·
24 Feb

Help! For my Friday (11am) interview with ex-Scientologist @MikeRinder I am asking the question: Which church does more harm in aggregate: @Ch_JesusChrist or @Scientology? Please watch the video before you answer. Then answer. THANKS! #mormon #lds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJdlrfK1zTE

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LeahReminiLeah Remini@LeahRemini·
24 Feb

New episode of Scientology: Fair Game. We talk to journalist, activist and a “never in” @TonyOrtega94 about Scientology’s relentless Fair Game campaign against him and his family. We discuss how the courts are falling for Scientology’s dirty tricks. https://fairgamepodcast.com

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Retweet on TwitterMike Rinder Retweeted
yasharYashar Ali 🐘@yashar·
24 Feb

2. Let's also talk about this @BillyBaldwin, how Danny Masterson and Bijou Phillips, your brother-in-law & sister-in-law, are enablers of a criminal cult which separates families.

Do you condemn Scientology?

Any comment on Danny being charged with forcibly raping three women?

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Recent Comments

  • Glenn on Lords of Ideal: “Bill, Yep, he is ex SO. He isn’t on staff in any org now as he works selling real estate…” Feb 26, 10:21
  • Loosing my Religion on Regraded Being: “If scn had existed in ancient times they would surely have listed it among the plagues that struck ancient Egypt.” Feb 26, 09:54
  • Loosing my Religion on Regraded Being: “Spot on RB. Locusts are really nothing compared to these guys.” Feb 26, 09:48
  • mk on Regraded Being: “so cruel.” Feb 26, 09:44
  • Richard on Why Is Chris Latvala Supporting Scientology and What is a “Safepoint”?: “It would actually be thousands of Trump cultists rushing into the streets, or so MSM and Big Tech would proclaim.…” Feb 26, 09:23
  • Splunk on Lords of Ideal: “Since Scientology doesn’t work, you can’t use it to get people to commit murders. There is no ‘tech’. There is…” Feb 26, 09:20
  • AnonyMaker on Lords of Ideal: “Gordon, thanks for the report for St. Louis. It sounds like they are back up to car counts of pre-pandemic…” Feb 26, 09:16
  • Dead Men Tell No Tales Bill Straass on Lords of Ideal: “I’ll bet that Scn could make more money by accepting Advance Payments for future Lifetimes. The fact that most people…” Feb 26, 09:05
  • Richard on Why Is Chris Latvala Supporting Scientology and What is a “Safepoint”?: “I wasn’t that interested in all the details, but I decided to take another look and this paragraph from Tony…” Feb 26, 08:39
  • Richard on Why Is Chris Latvala Supporting Scientology and What is a “Safepoint”?: “If Age Of Learning can offer a “free trial” so to speak then other companies should be able to do…” Feb 26, 08:08

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