• 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

Scientology Refunds and Repayments: We Don’t Do That Any More

October 31, 2022 By Mike Rinder 18 Comments

  Recently, a letter from the "Claims Verification Board" came to my attention. In it they state: "It has always been church policy that anyone requesting a refund/repayment must do so within 3 months" -- so of course, they denied the request for return of funds (as they ALWAYS do). This is NOT in fact even what "church policy" says. Let's go through what L. Ron Hubbard said "church policy" is with respect to giving dissatisfied customers their money back (remember, the entire Victorian Inquiry came about because Hubbard refused to return a small amount of money to one … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: Claims Verification Board, irs, L. Ron Hubbard, refunds, repayments, Tax exempt status

Scientology, Christianity and the IRS

September 19, 2021 By Mike Rinder 35 Comments

Reiterating something I have covered before on this Sunday morning. The idea that you can be a scientologist and a Christian is a lie, yet scientologists claim this all the time to try to appear "normal" or "non-threatening." You can see from the official IRS publication above listing the criteria the IRS uses to determine whether an organization qualifies for tax exempt status as a religious organization, that one of them is: Membership not associated with any other church or denomination   During the quest to obtain exemption, scientology explained things to the IRS like … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: Aar9on Smith-Levin, Christianity, Churches defined, irs, Joy Villa, L. Ron Hubbard, Ray Cassano, Tax exempt status

Episode 41: Law Review Author Taylor Holley

May 17, 2021 By Mike Rinder 36 Comments

Leah and I had the great pleasure of speaking to Taylor Holley this week. Taylor is a law student at Texas Tech University who published a legal analysis of scientology's tax exempt status in the Law Review. Taylor has never been involved in scientology, but grew up in Tampa which sparked her interest in scientology. Her paper is a wonderful summation and careful analysis of the law and makes a compelling argument that the IRS should revisit the exempt status of scientology. I wrote about this earlier. I am including her full paper below, as well as a link to it for downloading. I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Ciongress, Fair Game Podcast, irs, Law Review, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, public policy, Tax exempt status, Taylor Holley, Texas Tech

Australian Media Again Leading the Way

April 7, 2021 By Mike Rinder 25 Comments

You have to hand it to the Australian media -- they are, as a whole, less cowed by scientology than in any other country. We have watched for years as Bryan Seymour and Steve Cannane have done numerous stories exposing scientology's abuses. And there have been others too. And now Ben Schneiders  has joined the party, and is making a big splash. In the past week he has published an explosive report about scientology finances and follow up stories detailing how this is now ballooning into a demand from at least one member of the Australian Parliament, Andrew Leigh, for an investigation of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: ABC, Andrew Leigh, ben schneiders, bryan seymour, Charities and Not For Profits Commission, irs, Steve Cannane, Sydney Morning Herald, Tax exempt status, The Age

Auditing Scientology: Reexamining Tax Exemption Eligibility

February 17, 2021 By Mike Rinder 57 Comments

IRS exemption scientology

One of our commenters (ISNOINews) forward me a link to a wonderful piece by Taylor Holley, a Juris Doctorate candidate at Texas Tech University Law School written for the Law Review. It is titled  Auditing Scientology: Reexamining the Church's 501(c)3 Tax Exemption Eligibility. If you click on the link above, you can download the full paper -- it is 27 pages long and summarizes all the facts and legal arguments as to why scientology should NOT enjoy tax exempt status. Below I include her abstract summarizing the paper: Abstract The Church of Scientology is one of the most discussed … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Special Feature Tagged With: 501(c)3, irs, Law Review, Scientology, scientology tax exemption, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption, Taylor Holley, Texas Tech

Is Scientology an Investment?

January 16, 2021 By Mike Rinder 32 Comments

Old Wil Seabrook is at it again. These STAND flunkies are entirely predictable. Anything that is a touchy subject for scientology (in this case, their merciless money-grubbing) is taken up and presented as if it's a GOOD thing. Let's just dissect a few of Wil's statements. One thing that people ask me is why Scientologists make donations for their services. I think there’s an idea that help, especially of a religious nature, should be free. But once you start to examine that concept, it’s easy to see that nothing in life is ever actually free and that resources are required to do … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fundraising Tagged With: David Miscavige, fundraising, IAS, irs, STAND League, Tax exempt status, Wil Seabrook

Uncle Sam Wants to Help Scientology

November 15, 2020 By Mike Rinder 48 Comments

Every year, scientology rolls out the posters about how the US Government is making it especially easy to give more money to scientology. Unfortunately, this is one of the only true things they ever say. And one of the most galling. The entire US Government is certainly not on the side of scientology. There are many government agencies that do not agree with scientology even being recognized as a tax exempt religious organization, but unfortunately, the most important one, the IRS, seems to be in the minority. Though truth be told, I suspect there are plenty of people in the IRS who … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fundraising, Tax Exemption Tagged With: fundraising, irs, Scientology, Tax exempt status

Kanye, the IRS and Scientology

December 8, 2019 By Mike Rinder 23 Comments

  This is an interesting recent Forbes magazine article. The author covers how Kanye West, who has changed his name to Christian Genius Billionaire Kanye West and conducts "Sunday Services,” could actually file for tax exemption and reap mighty benefits. He describes what the IRS criteria are for granting such a religious exemption: Distinct legal existence; Recognized creed and form of worship; Definite and distinct ecclesiastical government; Formal code of doctrine and discipline; Distinct religious history; Membership not associated with any other church … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tax Exemption Tagged With: Church of Scientology, Forbes magazine, irs, Kanye West, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption

Scientology is NOT a Business… Wink, Wink

July 9, 2019 By Mike Rinder 82 Comments

Scientology repeatedly claims: "We are a religion engaged in matters of the spiritual plane, not the worldly." They managed to convince strong arm the IRS into granting them tax exempt status as an exempt "religious" organization on this basis. Their words AND actions (believe what you hear AND what you see) prove that is just a facade. Normally this promotional piece would be another one of the Thursday Funnies -- there are literally HUNDREDS of similar items from scientology organizations all over the world claiming that scientology can make you "flourish and prosper" and give you the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scientology, Tax Exemption Tagged With: Internal Revenue Service, irs, pasadena, Tax exempt status, Tax Exemption

A Message from Leah Remini to Scientology Operatives

June 28, 2018 By Mike Rinder 175 Comments

Dear OSA, OSA operatives, paid off sleazy PI’s and lawyers who are bought off by Scientology, I know you are reading this because you scour our instagrams, FB Pages and twitter feeds all day and night. I also understand you are bound to follow the writings of L. Ron Hubbard which require you to discover what someone considers valuable and attack it, to "fight on the basis of total attrition of the enemy" and treat those who speak the truth about you as "Fair Game." But you should also know that what you are doing, including: -- the legal threats -- paying off family members with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Harrassment, Leah Remini, Scientology Tagged With: attorneys, Harrassment, irs, Lawyers, Leah Remini, PI's, Scientology, Scientology The Aftermath, Tax exempt status, The Aftermath

Next Page »
Order now hardback or audiobook

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

Check out MRinder.com

Recent Tweets

Mike Rinder Follow

Blogging at Mike Rinder's blog -- https://t.co/WEvBhSZnSN Website -- https://t.co/gDAGnK4a4V

MikeRinder
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
politisite Albert N Milliron @politisite ·
6 Feb

Book Recommendation: A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology by .⁦@MikeRinder⁩ https://a.co/d/iCHWamh #Amazon

Reply on Twitter 1622712801897709580 Retweet on Twitter 1622712801897709580 5 Like on Twitter 1622712801897709580 32 Twitter 1622712801897709580
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
blownforgood Marc Headley @blownforgood ·
6 Feb

Scientology Live - Mondays w/ Mike & Marc 7PM (EST) https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1mrGmkAPVovxy

Reply on Twitter 1622746941401755648 Retweet on Twitter 1622746941401755648 3 Like on Twitter 1622746941401755648 44 Twitter 1622746941401755648
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
jamischott Jami Schott @jamischott ·
7 Feb

@MikeRinder @GeorgeTakei Reading it now!!! It’s great

Reply on Twitter 1622774555780472832 Retweet on Twitter 1622774555780472832 2 Like on Twitter 1622774555780472832 23 Twitter 1622774555780472832
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
tvamp1 Tina Mrazik @tvamp1 ·
7 Feb

@MikeRinder https://tinamrazik.tumblr.com/post/708563379453902848/book-review-mike-rinder-a-billion-years-my

Reply on Twitter 1622793636227293187 Retweet on Twitter 1622793636227293187 3 Like on Twitter 1622793636227293187 16 Twitter 1622793636227293187
Retweet on Twitter Mike Rinder Retweeted
growingupinscn Aaron Smith-Levin @growingupinscn ·
6 Feb

Good vibrations!

Reply on Twitter 1622668722778382378 Retweet on Twitter 1622668722778382378 18 Like on Twitter 1622668722778382378 222 Twitter 1622668722778382378
Load More

Recent Comments

  • L. Ron Hobbit on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “He’s “a business owner of a business…” Lol He’s a very naughty boy! Needs to do his basic study technology…” Feb 7, 18:08
  • Fred Haseney on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: ““The Upper Class Twit of the Year” skit originated in Monty Python’s Flying Circus episode “The Naked Ant” (series 1,…” Feb 7, 17:58
  • Mockingbird on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “Ugh, this F—ing guy again. I have told the story of my interaction with him a few times. Once a…” Feb 7, 17:36
  • Jeff Hawkins on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “But he’s “a business owner of a buiness.” I think he meant to say “Guinness.”” Feb 7, 17:14
  • GL on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “Wow, talk about being paranoid, delusional and psychotic, he’s a raving, carpet chewing, rabid nucking futcase!” Feb 7, 16:56
  • GL on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “Brigadier Etc, Being an other rank I will forthwith, maybe even fifthwith, venture out to spread my stuff over the…” Feb 7, 16:46
  • Jane Standen Bolton on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “Given Johnny Mercer is mates with John Sweeney this was never going to end well was it? One word from…” Feb 7, 15:24
  • Erickson on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “We are considering returning to Tintangel but the Inn appears to be even worse than what Mike describes. https://julesevans.medium.com/john-mappin-and-the-camelot-of-conspirituality-9dcc65756edd” Feb 7, 13:46
  • Ruth on The David Miscavige Film Festival: “Clearing Course Lectures and History of Man were the best bat shit crazy parts Mike! Maybe I looked at it…” Feb 7, 13:39
  • Dr. Strabismus of Utrecht on Mad Mappin Hits the Interwebs: “Mappin is anything but an Upper Class Twit, being as common as muck — obvious the moment he opens his…” Feb 7, 13:38

Past Posts By Month

February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Jan    

Copyright © 2023 Mike Rinder · WordPress · Log in