Ahoy, mateys. Two bearded rogues in tropical Florida have netted a treasure haul for us land lubbers. As part of his series, “Growing Up in Scientology,” Aaron Smith-Levin sits down with former Scientology spokesman Mike Rinder for their latest take on what it was like to be children in the church.
Here’s what Aaron tells us about it:
In this interview Mike and I each take turns discussing what we were taught to think about various subjects while growing up in Scientology such as:
— Public education & Higher Education
Advertisement— Non-Scientologists
— People who felt auditing didn’t work for them
— The German government
— Doctors & the field of medicine
— Illness in general
— The poor
— The handicapped
— The chronically illMike’s parents got into Scientology in Adelaide, Australia when he was about 6 years old, which is 2 years older than I was when my mom, Gayle Smith, got into Scientology 23 years later in Philadelphia. In this interview it’s very interesting to compare how much more “indoctrinated” my experience was growing up in Scientology in the 1980s and 1990s to Mike’s experience coming up in the 1960s and 1970s.
Aye-aye, cap’n! Give it a look and let us know what you think…
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Scientology mailers haven’t changed a bit
It’s been a while since we had fliers like these forwarded to us by a source inside the church. Maybe if enough of you could send them to us, we could revive a certain weekend tradition. But for now, enjoy a couple of reminders of what it’s like to be bombarded by begging appeals inside Scientology…
As always, the old barge needs bodies because it can’t fill up slots with what it was intended for, to deliver OT 8. Come swab the deck and learn to be a genius…
Ooh, The Basics has been superseded — now you can order The Legacy Collection! We’d love to know what price people are being quoted on this mega-package.
Meanwhile, the dream of an “Ideal Continent” looks no closer to being realized than the last time we got one of these, more than a year ago…
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Posted by Tony Ortega on February 22, 2016 at 07:00
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Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
