Is Scientology actually more benign, or more malevolent, than is popularly supposed?
I think it’s gradually coming out now that they’re more malevolent than even I imagined. Mike Rinder – I had no idea that he was being subjected to brutal beatings. Rinder, Marty Rathbun and others have talked about how they were routinely beaten by [Scientology World Head] David Miscavige. This was part of what they endured in order to be top staff in Scientology. I had no idea of the pain that was going on behind the scenes. And a lot of these stories that have come out in recent months – literally just the last few months. I had no idea how bad it was internally. People being made to have abortions, people being prevented from running away. Things that I’ve read – it’s shocking. Do you think they’ve reached a sort of tipping-point recently, that they’re now spiralling towards insanity as the executive struggle to hold onto their ebbing power base? I think you may be onto something. When Mike Rinder, a guy I remember as a really top level Scientologist, breaks ranks with them, at eno
