A Billion Years
My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology
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4.5 • 90 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
One of the highest-ranking defectors from Scientology exposes the secret inner workings of the powerful organization in this remarkable memoir that is “not only a cautionary tale but also an inspiring story of resilience” (Leah Remini, New York Times bestselling author).
Mike Rinder’s parents began taking him to their local Scientology center when he was five years old. After high school, he signed a billion-year contract and was admitted into Scientology’s elite inner circle, the Sea Organization. Brought to founder L. Ron Hubbard’s yacht and promised training in Hubbard’s most advanced techniques, Rinder was instead put to work swabbing the decks.
Still, Rinder bought into the doctrine that his personal comfort was secondary to the higher purpose of Hubbard’s world-saving mission, swiftly rising through the ranks. In the 1980s, Rinder became Scientology’s international spokesperson and the head of its powerful Office of Special Affairs. He helped negotiate Scientology’s pivotal tax exemption from the IRS and engaged with the organization’s prominent celebrity members, including Tom Cruise, Lisa Marie Presley, and John Travolta.
Yet Rinder couldn’t shake a nagging feeling that something was amiss—Hubbard’s promises remained unfulfilled at his death, and his successor, David Miscavige, was a ruthless and vindictive man who did not hesitate to confine many top Scientologists, Mike among them, to a makeshift prison known as the Hole.
In 2007, at the age of fifty-two, Rinder finally escaped Scientology. Overnight, he became one of the organization’s biggest public enemies. He was followed, hacked, spied on, and tracked. But he refused to be intimidated and today helps people break free of Scientology.
“An intensely personal, cathartic memoir of blind allegiance, betrayal, and liberation” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), A Billion Years reveals the dark, dystopian truth about Scientology as never before.
Customer Reviews
Mind-Boggling
Thank you, Mr. Rinder, for writing this compelling book. I was both mesmerized and at times horrified. I hope this book prevents the gullible from going near this (or any other) cult. Moreover, I hope it gives current mind prisoners the courage and REAL clarity to leave Scientology. Reading this book felt as if you were sharing your story with me personally; as if I were enraptured with your truth being told over dinner. If I ran the school system in America, I’d make this required reading; but on second thought, I never liked being forced to read any book whilst in school. I would hope teachers would encourage students to read it, though. Especially high school seniors and first-year college students. After all, they are vulnerable “targets” while on spring break. I was in Clearwater and Tampa in 2011 and recall seeing Scientology books and pamphlets on public benches. My children were curious. “Mom, we should read this,” they said. Normally I never turned down anything they were curious about. I simply told them we’d talk about it later with my friend with whom we were visiting (who dealt with harassment by Scientologists) and demonstrated to my children what should be done if and when we saw these propaganda materials again. I tore them up and put them where they belonged—in a waste receptacle.
Excellent expose on Scientology by someone who really experienced it
It was very well written and filled in a lot of the gaps in my knowledge about the upper echelons of the Sea Org, what happened to Ron Hubbard at the close of his life and his wife Mary Sue end. I know the things he writes about are true. My family and I were in Scientology and some of us in the Sea Org and others in Class IV orgs for many years. What is so upsetting is how so many smart people threw away their lives and their money for a cult devised by a man hungry for power — L. Ron Hubbard and his prodigy, David Miscavige. That is truly the driving force of both — Money and Power, but money is helpful in keeping a Tyrant in power. They both craved power because they felt and feel so powerless.
Excellent expose!
This is an excellent read no matter your relationship to or understanding of scientology. It is a gripping and thorough expose of an evil organization. Kudos to Mike Rinder for making a difference!