• Home
  • About Me
  • Mission Statement
  • Welcome Message
  • Open Letter to My Family
  • Donate
  • Contact Me

Mike Rinder's Blog

Something Can Be Done About It

  • All Posts
  • Disconnection
  • Idle Orgs
  • IAS
  • Media
  • Books
  • Fundraising
  • Regraded Being

Cult v. Brand

July 6, 2022 By Mike Rinder 36 Comments

Someone Someone sent this article to me recently: Is There a Difference Between a Cult and a Brand? This is the sort of positioning scientology, and Miscavige in particular, absolutely HATE. Scientology is put into the same category as Heaven's Gate, NXIVM, Rajneesh etc. and compared to Tupperware, Amway and Mary Kay... It notes that these MLMs use the same model that L. Ron Hubbard did: selling increasingly expensive courses and “technologies.”  It also mentions "the ever-growing library of documentaries about Scientology." It's a growing problem for scientology. As much as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scientology Tagged With: Amway, Heaven's Gate, Mary Kay, NXIVM, Rajneesh, Scientology, Tupperware

Episode 40: Dr. Steven Hassan

May 10, 2021 By Mike Rinder 54 Comments

Leah and I welcome Dr. Steve Hassan to the podcast this week. A former Moonie, Steve is today an internationally recognized expert in the field of cults and undue influence. We cover a lot of territory, including undue influence, hypnosis and the methods used to control people. Dr. Hassan holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Cambridge College and a Doctorate in Organizational Development and Change from Fielding Graduate University School of Leadership Studies. He is a member of the Program in Psychiatry and the Law at Harvard Medical School.  He is Founding Director … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: BITE, Dr Steve Hassan, Fair Game Podcast, Freedom of Mind Resource Center, Heaven's Gate, Influence Continuum, Larry Brennan, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, Moonies, Nancy Many, NXIVM, Steve Hassan, Trump

Episode 31: NXIVM Whistleblower Sarah Edmondson

March 8, 2021 By Mike Rinder 19 Comments

  This week, Leah and I talk with Sarah Edmondson, featured in The Vow, author of Scarred and host (with her husband Anthony "Nippy" Ames) of a new podcast, A Little Bit Culty. We talked about the similarities between Nxivm and scientology, the systems of control and even the language are remarkably similar, so much so that there is little doubt in my mind that Keith Raniere studied Hubbard. We talk about The Vow and what recovering from a cult experience is like and the impact of Scientology and The Aftermath had on her. Both Nxivm and scientology use the idea of personal … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Fair Game Podcast, Keith Raniere, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, NXIVM, podcast, Sarah Edmondson

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

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

Mike-Rinders-Blog

Subscribe

Loading

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
donate-button

Recent Tweets

Mike Rinder Follow

Blogging at Mike Rinder's blog -- http://t.co/T78dZmflmH

MikeRinder
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

Reply on Twitter 1557863705857097730 Retweet on Twitter 1557863705857097730 9 Like on Twitter 1557863705857097730 134 Twitter 1557863705857097730
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
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.

Reply on Twitter 1557785626296008704 Retweet on Twitter 1557785626296008704 128 Like on Twitter 1557785626296008704 1274 Twitter 1557785626296008704
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/

Reply on Twitter 1557687020453040129 Retweet on Twitter 1557687020453040129 16 Like on Twitter 1557687020453040129 109 Twitter 1557687020453040129
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/

Reply on Twitter 1557506009140264962 Retweet on Twitter 1557506009140264962 44 Like on Twitter 1557506009140264962 587 Twitter 1557506009140264962
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
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.

Reply on Twitter 1557079392601313282 Retweet on Twitter 1557079392601313282 60 Like on Twitter 1557079392601313282 545 Twitter 1557079392601313282
Load More

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

Past Posts By Month

August 2022
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Jul    

Copyright © 2022 Mike Rinder · WordPress · Log in