Mark Rathbun Unearths Mike Rinder’s Testament to Scientology Religion Years After Leaving
Mark Rathbun unearths Mike Rinder’s published testaments to the religiosity of Scientology years after he left the Church—statements later overwritten by Rinder’s paid-for-testimony on Season 2 of Aftermath .
TRANSCRIPT:
A continuing theme from Season 1 and through Season 2 [of Aftermath ], for obvious reasons, was attacking Scientology as not being a religion, right. And Mike Rinder was, you know, right in there pitching on it, right.
Let’s look at some of his published statements: 2012, five years after he left the Church of Scientology and was gainfully employed in attacking Scientology, he said, “I certainly do not agree with you that religious freedom is irrelevant, nor do I agree with you that Scientology isn’t a religion. It may not be for you and that is your choice, but by any definition of what is a religion—look at the High Court of Australia decision for a good distillation of the elements that denominates a religion—it’s certainly my religion. And it would be arrogant in the extreme for you or anyone else to say that isn’t true.”
Six months later in 2012: “There is no doubt in my mind, confirmed by numerous courts and scholars, that Scientology IS”—all caps—“a religion.”
That’s not something he said as a public relations officer for the Church. That’s something that he said when he literally was a public relations officer for the anti-Scientology camp.
He had for a couple of years—couple or almost three years—had already been employed full time as a mouthpiece against Scientology, and he made those statements. Compare that to virtually every episode of Season 2.
