Dear Tony, thank you for gathering these precious memories of our beloved Mike and sharing them with us and whoever chooses to care.
After reading your posts each day, I have found myself in tears, grieving and shaking at what the loss of this beloved man, Mike Rinder, means to so many. This feeling has grown since I first read these memories and stories.
It seems that Mike, by nature, created a feeling of safety for us former Scientologists. He provided an emotional and mindful space in which we became more secure, loved, and respected than earlier in our lives and were safe to say aloud what we felt. And have fun! Because that was Mike. That was his nature. I liken it to how small children feel in a safe, loving family. How Mike's beautiful boy, Jack, thinks about his Mom and Dad.
By sharing these wonderful, exhilarating, loving, joyful, and funny experiences we've had with Mike, you have thrown open the doors into that safe space, into the feeling of "home and safety" that we forever yearn for. And when the time comes, we find we cannot accept it's leaving.
Hubbard's treachery of submitting his followers to hypnotic techniques twenty-four hours a day to remake them into his willing slaves makes Mike's safe space so immensely and impactfully more precious. Let's keep and expand this safe space in every way we can.
Bless you, Tony, and thank you again, my friend, for sharing these memories and stories in this group format and enabling the tears to flow and healing to occur.
Tears come while reading tributes to and about Mike. As a stranger and a never-Scientologist, there is intense gratitude for him as he educated the world about CoS truth. It is with deeply felt condolences that I extend my heart to his family and friends. The world is becoming better becausee of his efforts. Mike, as you rest in Universal truth, I can almost see your smile. All will be well.
It’s good to hear from Tom. He’s made the wise decision to raise Ellie by keeping her out of the bright spotlight. I think of him quite often. As for Hana, she said it well. Mike could find you in a room full of people and take that moment just for you. His love shines on.
The affable Aussie broke the mental chains Hubbard implanted and regained his real humanity. It is so sad that his first wife and their children chose $cientology over him, but that is how the clam boils. Someday they will be abused enough to escape and I hope there are people who will help them.
Is there some fund for the education of Mike and Christie's children? I'd like to contribute if so.
Tremendously valuable tributes chock full of feeling and details. Ford Greene's done a tribute elsewhere, and the NY Times tribute obit on Mike is worth reading. So many tributes, and I love Hana's above, and Tom's, and Jeffrey's is just so full of history.
Dear Tony, thank you for gathering these precious memories of our beloved Mike and sharing them with us and whoever chooses to care.
After reading your posts each day, I have found myself in tears, grieving and shaking at what the loss of this beloved man, Mike Rinder, means to so many. This feeling has grown since I first read these memories and stories.
It seems that Mike, by nature, created a feeling of safety for us former Scientologists. He provided an emotional and mindful space in which we became more secure, loved, and respected than earlier in our lives and were safe to say aloud what we felt. And have fun! Because that was Mike. That was his nature. I liken it to how small children feel in a safe, loving family. How Mike's beautiful boy, Jack, thinks about his Mom and Dad.
By sharing these wonderful, exhilarating, loving, joyful, and funny experiences we've had with Mike, you have thrown open the doors into that safe space, into the feeling of "home and safety" that we forever yearn for. And when the time comes, we find we cannot accept it's leaving.
Hubbard's treachery of submitting his followers to hypnotic techniques twenty-four hours a day to remake them into his willing slaves makes Mike's safe space so immensely and impactfully more precious. Let's keep and expand this safe space in every way we can.
Bless you, Tony, and thank you again, my friend, for sharing these memories and stories in this group format and enabling the tears to flow and healing to occur.
Hana you're the best.
Love you too, Chuck. Thank you. I hope 2025 is a good year for us all!
Tears come while reading tributes to and about Mike. As a stranger and a never-Scientologist, there is intense gratitude for him as he educated the world about CoS truth. It is with deeply felt condolences that I extend my heart to his family and friends. The world is becoming better becausee of his efforts. Mike, as you rest in Universal truth, I can almost see your smile. All will be well.
It’s good to hear from Tom. He’s made the wise decision to raise Ellie by keeping her out of the bright spotlight. I think of him quite often. As for Hana, she said it well. Mike could find you in a room full of people and take that moment just for you. His love shines on.
The affable Aussie broke the mental chains Hubbard implanted and regained his real humanity. It is so sad that his first wife and their children chose $cientology over him, but that is how the clam boils. Someday they will be abused enough to escape and I hope there are people who will help them.
Is there some fund for the education of Mike and Christie's children? I'd like to contribute if so.
Yes there is, for his son Jack. There's a link in the first post with the obituary.
Ford Greene's tribute to Mike is worth searching up and reading.
I donated, the link was on Tony's first day tribute to Mike.
Tremendously valuable tributes chock full of feeling and details. Ford Greene's done a tribute elsewhere, and the NY Times tribute obit on Mike is worth reading. So many tributes, and I love Hana's above, and Tom's, and Jeffrey's is just so full of history.