A Little Bit Culty –Sometimes you just have to call it. Mike Rinder was born and raised in Scientology and rose to the very top of the church’s worldwide hierarchy to become its international spokesperson and head of Special Affairs for over 20 years. But when he escaped the organization in 2007, he cut his losses; leaving with only a briefcase and the clothes on his back. In this episode, Mike joins Sarah and Nippy to talk about the trail he blazed out of Scientology, the ongoing work of whistleblowing, and what it’s like to be a dissident when you’re going up against a monolith. They also do a deep dive on Scientology dogma, the next-level mindfuckery in the L. Ron Hubbard and Keith Raniere playbooks, and the joys of post-cult living.  About Mike Rinder: Mike’s unique voice and perspective has inspired people around the world. As a well-known whistleblower exposing abuses in Scientology, he’s teamed up with Leah Remini for the groundbreaking, Emmy-winning A&E series Scientology and the Aftermath, and the Scientology: Fair Game podcast. Mike is also an ambassador and on the board of Child USA, a non-profit working to bring justice for victims of child sexual abuse and is a founding board member of the Aftermath Foundation dedicated to helping people escape from scientology. Learn more about Mike at: mikerindersblog.orgA Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.orgFor more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. OFFERS: Scarred: How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life by Sarah Edmondson with Kristine Gasbarre, is available for 30% off at ChronicleBooks.com Use promo code: CULT30CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony AmesProduction Partner: Citizens of Sound  Producer: Will RetherfordAssociate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinAdditional Music Scores by Will Retherford Follow A Little Bit Culty:WebsiteInstagramFollow Sarah Edmondson:InstagramBuy Her Book Linktr.eeFollow Anthony "Nippy" Ames:InstagramFollow Mike:WebsiteInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices