Mike Rinder
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Rinder is an Australian
Scientologist
who was a former chief spokesman of the Church of Scientology
. Rinder served as Executive Director of the Office of Special Affairs and was a director of the Church of Scientology International. However, after becoming dissatisfied with how he believed the Church was propagating Scientology, and believing that they had become excessively authoritarian, he left the Church in 2007, instead becoming an independent Scientologist.
, Rinder said he had experienced discrimination in Australia during the period when the Australian state of Victoria had banned Scientology: "You couldn't own Scientology books ... If you did, you had to hide them because if the police came and found them, they'd take them away." During his time as Executive Director, he served as Church spokesman in countless interviews with newspapers and television outlets.
, who was filming a BBC documentary titled Scientology and Me
. Rinder defended Scientology leader David Miscavige
, but Miscavige was unhappy with the documentary. As a result, Rinder "was to report to the church's facility in Sussex, England, and dig ditches" and then was allowed to return to the United States. Rinder decided to leave the church instead. Rinder went to Virginia and told the church he wanted to talk to his wife and also wanted his possessions. He did not talk to his wife, but was sent a FedEx package with a check for $5,000, but his family photos were not sent. Rinder and his wife Cathy of 35 years are still legally married, and he has no contact with his two adult children. Rinder's official biography has since been removed from the official Church of Scientology website.
In 2009, St Petersburg Times asked Rinder for an interview, but he declined. Then a month later, two Washington-based Scientology lawyers went to his home unannounced, informed Rinder that they knew about the newspaper's visit and asked what he had revealed. Subsequently, he spoke to the Times about Scientology's management and repeated beatings he gave as well as received. The interviews became part of the paper's "The Truth Rundown" special issue. Rinder said he was speaking out because "I don't want people to continue to be hurt and tricked and lied to."
In October 2009, Rinder and Marty Rathbun revealed to the St. Petersburg Times how Scientology silenced critics, such as Bob Minton
, by digging into personal details and secretly recording conversations. Rinder told the Times: "There were things that, really, he was worried about and had caused problems for him in the investigation that we had done" and Minton and church reached a private settlement. Rinder, who left the church in 2007, considered Minton a friend at the time of Minton's death in January 2010.
In March 2010, Rinder again confirmed allegations of abuse within Scientology to CNN
's Anderson Cooper on AC360. Rinder did not speak on camera because he promised his first interview to the BBC
.
In April 2010, Rinder who lived in Clearwater, Florida
for over a year, went to meet with his son who also lives in Clearwater, Florida
but his son refused to see him. Mike Rinder, Marty Rathbun and two others were citied for trespassing by the Clearwater Police. A few days later, according to police reports: "five senior members of its California-based international management team — surrounded and screamed at [Rinder] a former church executive, then loudly carried the dispute into the office of an unsuspecting and startled doctor. During the incident Rinder's wife, Cathy, said she was attacked by Mike Rinder after trying to talk to her husband. She also stated that he shoved their daughter and almost broke his brother's finger. Rinder did not remember injurying his wife, but admitted to almost breaking his brother's finger.
On 28 September 2010 Rinder appeared on The Secrets of Scientology
aired by the BBC series, Panorama
. He discussed his life, losing his family and behind the scenes activity of Scientology. The documentary claims that private auditing sessions are secretly recorded, including ones with secrets about Tom Cruise.
. He is divorced from Cathy née
Neal with whom he had a son, Ben, and daughter, Taryn. He is an independent Scientologist.
Australian people
Australian people, or simply Australians, are the citizens of Australia. Australia is a multi-ethnic nation, and therefore the term "Australian" is not a racial identifier. Aside from the Indigenous Australian population, nearly all Australians or their ancestors immigrated within the past 230 years...
Scientologist
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
who was a former chief spokesman of the Church of Scientology
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management, dissemination and...
. Rinder served as Executive Director of the Office of Special Affairs and was a director of the Church of Scientology International. However, after becoming dissatisfied with how he believed the Church was propagating Scientology, and believing that they had become excessively authoritarian, he left the Church in 2007, instead becoming an independent Scientologist.
Scientology
Rinder is an Australian national who joined the Sea Org on the Apollo at 18. In a 2006 interview with Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Rinder said he had experienced discrimination in Australia during the period when the Australian state of Victoria had banned Scientology: "You couldn't own Scientology books ... If you did, you had to hide them because if the police came and found them, they'd take them away." During his time as Executive Director, he served as Church spokesman in countless interviews with newspapers and television outlets.
Leaving the Church of Scientology and criticism
In March 2007, Rinder was sent as a junior assistant to the Church spokesperson to defend Scientology from John SweeneyJohn Sweeney (journalist)
John Sweeney is an award-winning journalist and author, currently working as an investigative journalist for the BBC's Panorama series.- Investigative journalism :...
, who was filming a BBC documentary titled Scientology and Me
Scientology and Me
Scientology and Me was a television documentary broadcast 14 May 2007 as part of the BBC's Panorama series. Reporter John Sweeney visited the United States to investigate whether the Church of Scientology was becoming more mainstream...
. Rinder defended Scientology leader David Miscavige
David Miscavige
David Miscavige is the leader of the Church of Scientology and affiliated organizations. His title is Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center , a corporation that controls the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology. Miscavige was an assistant to Hubbard while a...
, but Miscavige was unhappy with the documentary. As a result, Rinder "was to report to the church's facility in Sussex, England, and dig ditches" and then was allowed to return to the United States. Rinder decided to leave the church instead. Rinder went to Virginia and told the church he wanted to talk to his wife and also wanted his possessions. He did not talk to his wife, but was sent a FedEx package with a check for $5,000, but his family photos were not sent. Rinder and his wife Cathy of 35 years are still legally married, and he has no contact with his two adult children. Rinder's official biography has since been removed from the official Church of Scientology website.
In 2009, St Petersburg Times asked Rinder for an interview, but he declined. Then a month later, two Washington-based Scientology lawyers went to his home unannounced, informed Rinder that they knew about the newspaper's visit and asked what he had revealed. Subsequently, he spoke to the Times about Scientology's management and repeated beatings he gave as well as received. The interviews became part of the paper's "The Truth Rundown" special issue. Rinder said he was speaking out because "I don't want people to continue to be hurt and tricked and lied to."
In October 2009, Rinder and Marty Rathbun revealed to the St. Petersburg Times how Scientology silenced critics, such as Bob Minton
Bob Minton
During a April 20, 2002, hearing in the Lisa McPherson wrongful death lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, Minton spoke against Ken Dandar, the attorney representing McPherson's family...
, by digging into personal details and secretly recording conversations. Rinder told the Times: "There were things that, really, he was worried about and had caused problems for him in the investigation that we had done" and Minton and church reached a private settlement. Rinder, who left the church in 2007, considered Minton a friend at the time of Minton's death in January 2010.
In March 2010, Rinder again confirmed allegations of abuse within Scientology to CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Anderson Cooper on AC360. Rinder did not speak on camera because he promised his first interview to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
In April 2010, Rinder who lived in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
for over a year, went to meet with his son who also lives in Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
but his son refused to see him. Mike Rinder, Marty Rathbun and two others were citied for trespassing by the Clearwater Police. A few days later, according to police reports: "five senior members of its California-based international management team — surrounded and screamed at [Rinder] a former church executive, then loudly carried the dispute into the office of an unsuspecting and startled doctor. During the incident Rinder's wife, Cathy, said she was attacked by Mike Rinder after trying to talk to her husband. She also stated that he shoved their daughter and almost broke his brother's finger. Rinder did not remember injurying his wife, but admitted to almost breaking his brother's finger.
On 28 September 2010 Rinder appeared on The Secrets of Scientology
The Secrets of Scientology
The Secrets of Scientology is a documentary which was broadcast on 28 September 2010 as part of the BBC's Panorama documentary strand. Presented by John Sweeney it is a follow up of his 2007 investigation into the Church of Scientology and features interviews with former high-ranking members of the...
aired by the BBC series, Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
. He discussed his life, losing his family and behind the scenes activity of Scientology. The documentary claims that private auditing sessions are secretly recorded, including ones with secrets about Tom Cruise.
Personal life
Rinder now lives in Tarpon Springs, FloridaTarpon Springs, Florida
Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 21,003 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 22,554....
. He is divorced from Cathy née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Neal with whom he had a son, Ben, and daughter, Taryn. He is an independent Scientologist.
External links
- The Truth Rundown by St. Petersburg Times (2009)
- http://whoismichaelrinder.com/