Rinder was raised a Scientologist from the age of 6 and finally escaped the organization when he was 52.
Shortly after he graduated high school in April 1973 he joined the Sea Organization (Sea Org). This is the dedicated core of scientology, Sea Org members sign a billion year commitment to forward the aims of scientology and live communally with other Sea Org members, pretty much out of touch with the outside world. In October 1973 Rinder was aboard the Hubbard’s ship Apollo (hence the name Sea Organization) and met him for the first time.
In 1981 Rinder began what would become a lengthy history working in and leading the Office of Special Affairs. This is the department of scientology devoted to dealing with external facing matters, including media and public relations, legal and government relations, and dealing with the so-called enemies of scientology.
In 2007 Rinder left scientology and has been very vocal about its workings and abuses. Rinder has done dozens of media interviews and appeared in HBO’s Going Clear and the 3 seasons of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. He has traveled to Australia, England and Ireland to speak out about scientology.
Websites
(podcast) Scientology: Fair Game .
Book
A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology
