[9] After finishing high school he joined the Sea Org on the ship Apollo at 18. To become pregnant to avoid standard procedures in leaving a religious order? When Christie first called me and we had our first talk about what she was doing, it started out sort of, you know, okay. "All of the auditing that you do, there's files kept on it," Christie Collbran said. In Johannesburg, officials made the church look busy for publicity photographs by filling it with Sea Org members, the Collbrans said. And it was her decision. The new Flag Building, in Clearwater, Fla., which has been under construction since 1999. They have refused to speak to her ever since. But asked about the church's membership, Davis said, "I couldn't tell you an exact figure, but it's certainly, it's most definitely in the millions in the U.S. and millions abroad.". That Cooper himself knew every sordid detail of Christie Collbrans story and never whispered a word of it to AC360 viewers is yet another wrinkle in her soap opera. She was well known as a hot shot Establishment Officer. Let Children Think For Themselves Christie Collbran . Scientology parishioners interviewed in Clearwater seemed unperturbed by the protests, headlines and lawsuits. Now, disconnection has become a way of controlling people, said Mr. Rinder, who says his mother, sister, brother, daughter and son disconnected from him after he left the church. Well, at least they have each other. The defectors say that the average Scientology member is largely unaware of the abusive environment. It was all built on lies, Mr. Collbran said. What does that say about her character, her sense of maternal responsibility? The Sea Org is a religious order that requires enormous dedication, he said, and leaving any religious order can be a lengthy process. The reason, they agree sadly, is that they no longer see eye to eye on Scientology. So while her ex, Chris, turned to drugs and women (both of which he had secretly pursued while in the Sea Org) Christie took that prominent place in the bed of Rinderthe original family heartbreaker. Christie celebrated 45th birthday on January 29. Christie made the decision to leave us if we didn't do what she wanted. Although she and her parents were very close, she said they had spent so much to advance up the bridge that they could not afford to attend the wedding. After leaving the Sea Org, Rinder divorced his wife after 31 years of marriage in 2007. You know, like, how can this be true, what youre saying?. He and his second wife, Christie King Collbran, were married in 2013 and have a son. The couple welcomed their son named Jack in April 2012. "These are common religious tenets," he said. Meanwhile, husband Chris grew as unstable as the couple's relationship. Christies job performance became increasingly erratic; she was continually lying to cover poor and inadequate production. She finally left the Sea Org three years ago. Her performance as Sofia in Delivering Christmas gained recognition, earning the Young Artist Academy Award and . And it was her decision. But the Johannesburg church was generating only enough to pay each of the Collbrans $17 a week, Collbran said. All rights reserved. In fact, Cooper couldnt even bring himself to at least mention that his ingnue interviewee was the absentee Rinders current live-in lovercertainly a germane fact for viewers to assess her credibility. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. ", The church immediately sent emissaries to Christie Collbran's parents' house in Los Angeles to inform them that their daughter was "suppressive," Collbran said. CLEARWATER, Fla. Raised as Scientologists, Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, were recruited as teenagers to work for the elite corps of staff members who keep the Church of. The defectors say that Sea Org members were repeatedly beaten by the church's chairman, David Miscavige, often during planning meetings; pressured to have abortions; forced to work without sleep on little pay; and held incommunicado if they wanted to leave. She said Rinder was just trying to look like he was a caring father. Christie was born into a family of Scientologists, and her parents are Liz and Ed King. "We never have. In Johannesburg, officials made the church look busy for publicity photographs by filling it with Sea Org members, the Collbrans said. With multiple surgeries and radiation treatments, Benjamin started recovering after two years. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. "And what we see here is evidence of the fact that we're definitely better off without them.". She turned her back on us, fully turned her back on us. He neither asked about nor visited his cancer-stricken son. We have never violated that trust, Mr. Davis said. Mr. Davis, the churchs current spokesman, said Scientologists are no different from Mormons, Catholics, Jehovahs Witnesses and Amish who practice shunning or excommunication. Davis said there is no such thing: "One can't be a Scientologist and not be part of the church. He was absent during his son's cancer treatment. Christie King Collbran was in the Sea Org from the age of 16 until the age of 29. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. John Travolta Opens Furthermore, Rinder abused several female colleagues before leaving the Sea Org. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-leader-2','ezslot_13',150,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-leader-2-0'); According to STAND League, Rinder soon launched a "billion-dollar" anti-Scientology harassment scheme with an anti-Scientologist Robert Almblad to profit off his independent church. Rinder was born in Adelaide, Australia, to Ian and Barbara Rinder in 1955. Christie King Collbran never wanted to become a Scientology defector. It's pinch-yourself material.". They could not just up and go. And she has only herself to blame. Ridiculous. Its like, No Christie, Im sorry, thisthis isnt going to happen. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'biographyhost_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_9',148,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); In October 2009, Rinder and CSI's fellow senior executive Marty Rathbun told St. Petersburg how Scientology silenced critics. In 2008, organizers with the Internet-based group Anonymous began waves of protests outside Scientology churches in many countries. She said the defectors' stories were like what you would hear "if I asked your ex-husband what he thought of you. The family livedas the Kings still doin a suburb outside Los Angeles. Fifty-six years after its founding by the science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, who died in 1986, the church is fighting off calls by former members for a Reformation. Last year, it built or renovated five churches. She thought that she could talk to me and tell me the things that she was going to tell me that would make me think ScientologyI should abandon it. CLEARWATER, Fla. Raised as Scientologists, Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, were recruited as teenagers to work for the elite corps of staff members who keep the Church of Scientology running, known as the Sea Organization, or Sea Org. After Christie Collbran hooked up with Mike Rinder, she yelled and screamed at her mother to leave her religion, then Christie abandoned her familyjust like Rinder did with his. Rinder believes that the actual approach of Scientology contradicts when it comes to reality. And if I don't do something he's going to do damage,'" she said. These are common religious tenets, he said. Christie Collbran remained in Johannesburg, and for three months the church refused to allow them to contact each other, the Collbrans said. Christie Rinders Father Tells of Her Rejection, Abuse of Parents, Former Wife Cathy Details Mike Rinders Desertion, Assault and Abuse of Family, Brother Andrew on How Mike Rinder Is Solely Out for Himself, Church of Scientology International. It didnt work. Their parents, siblings and friends who are Scientologists would have to disconnect completely from them, or risk being declared suppressive themselves. I wasnt expecting it. Bernardini shared in an interview that while her son, Benjamin, was doing his recovery program, Rinder, along with his three-four friends, showed up with cameras on 23 April 2010, demanding to see Benjamin. But even more important, they knew that if they left the Sea Org without going through the churchs official exit process, they would be declared suppressive persons antisocial enemies of Scientology. She knew that the Sea Org did not allow its members to have children, and she had known women who were removed when they refused to have abortions. "These were not the claims made by 'outsiders' looking to dig up dirt against us," he wrote. All rights reserved. He made a suicide attemptmore or lesstrying to slice his wrists with an electric razor and then a toenail clipperliterally. The church acknowledges that Sea Org members are not allowed to have babies, but denies that it pressures people into having abortions. So it was with the Collbrans. To make their numbers look good for headquarters, South African parishioners took their maids and gardeners to church. Actress: Bad Girls. She knows what shes doing. Chris Collbran, wants nothing to do with his former church. Davis, the church's current spokesman, said Scientologists are no different from Mormons, Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses and Amish who practice shunning or excommunication. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Christie Collbran is 45 years old and was born on 01/29/1977. "It was all built on lies," Collbran said. However, Miscavige was unhappy that Rinder could not stop the documentary from being premiered. Since Anonymous has come forward, said Marc Headley, who belonged to the Sea Org for 16 years, more and more people who have been abused or assaulted are feeling more confident that they can speak out and not have any retaliation happen.. As a result, he was raised a Scientologist from the age of six. In 1993, when she was 16, Christie joined the Sea Organization, where she remained for 13 years. Fair enough, except she didnt tell it all. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. They could not just up and go. They signed a contract for a billion years -- in keeping with the belief that Scientologists are immortal. He conducted a wedding as "First Independent Scientology Minister" on 3 July 2010 in Pinellas County, signing a state marriage certificate that read, "Michael J. Rinder, Minister Independent Church of Scientology." But the Ideal Orgs are supposed to be self-supporting, and the Johannesburg church was generating only enough to pay each of the Collbrans $17 a week, Collbran said. The church immediately sent emissaries to Christie Collbran's parents' house to inform them that their daughter was "suppressive," Collbran said. When she was 8 or 9, she took the basic communications course, which teaches techniques for persuasive public speaking and improving self-confidence and has served as a major recruiting tool. He is 66 years old as of 2021. Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, gave a detailed account of they were effectively raised to serve the ultra-secret Sea Organization, or Sea Org in the Church. And it went on and on and onher screaming at me about various things that she wanted to get across to me that she thought was bad. She had, indeed, earlier told two news outlets that she had gotten pregnant for one reasonand one reason onlyto expedite her departure from the Sea Organization, since she knew the Church would want her to begin prenatal care at once. The church says the defectors are lying. The defectors say Sea Org members were repeatedly beaten by the church's chairman, David Miscavige; pressured to have abortions; forced to work without sleep on little pay; and held incommunicado if they wanted to leave. Claire was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, and raised in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, with her brother and sister. All of the auditing that you do, theres files kept on it, Ms. Collbran said. "Part of my job was to discredit and destroy critics who spoke out against the church. When Christie first called me and we had our first . They may spend hundreds of hours in one-on-one auditing sessions, holding the slim silver-colored handles of an e-meter while an auditor asks them questions and takes notes on what they say and on the e-meters readings. She fully believed in the mission: to clear the planet of negative influences by bringing Scientology to its inhabitants. He later toldBusiness Insiderin December 2016 that he suffered at least 50 physical attacks from Miscavige over his time in the organization. And then it ratcheted up and ratcheted up andto the point where Christie was screaming in my ear. The very survival of a religion is contingent on its protecting itself.. The same year, she left the Sea Org and Christ. They soon discovered others who felt the same. His resignation letter recounted his indignation as he came to believe the defectors' accusations. Soon after, naturally, Collbrans strings were yankednot pulledback to Rinders bed in Florida. And one day, while Mike was in London, I was not hearing from him at all. The church works hard to cultivate public members especially celebrities like Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Nancy Cartwright (the voice of the cartoon scoundrel Bart Simpson) whose money keeps it running. The church works to cultivate public members -- especially celebrities like Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) -- whose money keeps it running. She was also continually violating ecclesiastical procedures, all of which inevitably led to her demotion. (Photo: Facebook). NBC Today show - Christie King Collbran Posted on March 9, 2010 by Mark C. Rathbun | 114 Comments Tune into NBC Today show this morning (7 or 7:30) your time to watch the Mat Lauer interview with Chrsitie King Collbran. She still gets auditing, from other Scientologists who have defected, like Mr. Rathbun. An orthopedic surgeon informed her she would never recover full use of her arm. In 2000, the couple transferred to the Churchs South African Continental Office in Johannesburg, and over the next several years their relationship with each otherand with the Churchheaded south. Raised as Scientologists, Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, were recruited as teenagers to work for the elite corps of staff members who keep the Church of Scientology running,. "Why did we work so hard for this organization," Collbran asked, "and why did it feel so wrong in the end?". It still took two months before the church let the Collbrans go, in 2006, and not before making them sign affidavits. It was her second marriage. This is a result of our expansion. The church says the defectors are lying. But after 13 years and growing disillusionment, the Collbrans decided to leave the Sea Org, setting off on a Kafkaesque journey that they said required them to sign false confessions, pay thousands of dollars to the church, and see their parents, siblings and friends cut off all communication with them. Owner at Christie King's Home Daycare. Searching for Web sites about Scientology that are not sponsored by the church (an activity prohibited when they were in the Sea Org), they discovered that hundreds of other Scientologists were also defecting including high-ranking executives who had served for decades. TV Personality, Podcast Host, Former Scientologist, Former Senior Executive of the CSI, Sea Org, Former Scientologist, Former Senior Executive of the CSI and Sea Org, Mike Rinder and Leah Remini launched a podcast called'Scientology: Fair Game' in July 2020. . But the time in which she crossed the finish line at Memorial Stadium's 50-yard line really was . Rinder married his first wife, Cathy Bernardini, in 1976, when they both were members of the Sea Org. Mike Rinder was born Michael John Rinder on 10 April 1955 in Adelaide, Australia, to Barbara and Ian Rinder. In her interviews with The New York Times and The Today Show, she still adamantly insis. Born into a family of Scientologists, Collbran, now 33, was raised in a loving home by her parents, Ed and Liz King. in Historic Downtown Ocala, Florida, Church of Scientology of Tampa Expands Into New Historic Landmark Ybor Square Home, Church of Scientology Opens New Church in the Heart of Moscow, Ribbon Falls on Australia's First Ideal Church of Scientology, Church of Scientology flips the switch on 185,000-square-foot Dissemination and Distribution Center, Ribbon Falls on New Church of Scientology for the Pacific Northwest, New Ideal Church of Scientology Welcomed to Historic Home in City of Roses, New National Organization for Mexico Opens its Doors in the City of Palaces, Church of Scientology of Los Angeles Opens New Ideal Quarters, Diverse Community Welcomes New Life Improvement Centre in Johannesburg, Fastest-Growing U.S. City Welcomes New Church of World's Fastest-Growing Religion, New Scientology Church in the Historic Heart of French Canada, The First Branch of Churches of Scientology for Europe opens in Brussels, New Scientology Church on Washington DC's "Church Row", In the Eternal City, a New Church of Scientology, The Landmark Fort Harrison Fully Restored, Mike Rinder's Live-in Media Puppet, Christie Collbran, AKA: Running Away From the Subject of Their Program, Anderson Cooper's Definition of "An Investigation", A Beating Every Day While 10,000 Miles Away, The True Face of Scientology: Unparalleled Growth Since 2004, A Timeline of CNN's Investigation aka: Running, Tricks of the Trade: How Anderson Cooper Tries to Sound Learned But Is Actually a Hack, CooperSpeak: How Terrorists Become Protesters, How Anderson Cooper Torpedoed an Interview, Marty Rathbun: ABriefChronology of Monumental Disasters, The Career of Kingpin Rathbun, Postcards from the Edge or Marty Takes a Holiday, Marty Rathbun: AHistory ofHiddenViolence, The Kinky Relationship, Rathbun&Rinder, The Confessions of Marty Rathbun as Told by His AlterEgo, The Rathbun Family: Madness, Mayhem and Mysterious Death, Amy Scobee: Sex, Lies andtheBlogosphere, Steve Hall: The Man Who Tells It Straight From the Straitjacket, Defrocked Apostates: TheRoadtoRedemption. Shortly thereafter, Rinder dispatches her to New York and Anderson Cooper where she rambles incoherently on why none of it was really her faultnot that she broke her parents hearts, not that shes turned against her religion. When Mr. Collbran decided he wanted to leave the Sea Org, he was sent to Los Angeles, where potential defectors are assigned to do menial labor while they reconsider their decision. When Chris Collbran decided he wanted to leave the Sea Org, he was sent to Los Angeles, where potential defectors are assigned to do menial labor while they reconsider their decision. Videos. Apr. And to then tell the press where it will permanently remain available for retrieval on the Internet in perpetuity? He also traveled to Australia, England, and Ireland to speak out about Scientology abuses. He was crushing me. FREEDOM is a trademark and is used with the owner's permission. Speaking to Freedom Media & Ethics in January 2022, she said, "As the daughter of Mike Rinder, I felt like I didn't have a father. He concludes, "Scientology is shrinking.". They went through that file, wrote this affidavit as if I wrote it - and I never wrote this affidavit, the church wrote it - and made me sign it.". We never will.". "This is a result of our expansion. She said her mother could do nothing because of her crippled arm, and she helped her in everything, from tying her shoes, cutting her food, making her bed, and doing up her buttons. In the end, the documentary premiered on 17 May 2007 as a part of BBC One's Panorama series. TRANSCRIPT: Our family was going along this path. The auditors tried to talk them out of leaving, and the Collbrans wavered. As for the defectors, Davis called them "apostates" and said that contrary to their claims of having left the church in protest, they were expelled. [8] When he was 5 years old his parents became interested in Scientology and the family began attending the Church of Scientology International center in Australia. In her interviews with The New York Times and The Today Show, she still adamantly insists that. The church has responded to the bad publicity by denying the accusations and calling attention to a worldwide building campaign that showcases its wealth and industriousness. Mike Rinder with his current wife Christie on their wedding day in 2013. They would lose the possibility of living for eternity. And it was her decision. TRANSCRIPT: Christie made the decision to leave us if we didn't do what she wanted. He also claimed that Miscavige built a detention center called "The Hole" at Scientology's headquarters in Hemet, California, in the early 2000s for high-ranking members who displeased him. Youre so into it, its everything you know: your family, your eternity.. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-leader-3','ezslot_14',152,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-leader-3-0'); Rinder claimed in his blog that when he decided to exit from the Sea Org, he had to choose between abandoning his wife and two children or continuing to facilitate the abuses of Miscavige. She abandoned her family. When she was 8 or 9, she took the basic communications course, which teaches techniques for persuasive public speaking and improving self-confidence and has served as a major recruiting tool for the church. "This is a representation of our success," said the church's spokesman, Tommy Davis, showing off the cavernous atrium at the climax of a daylong tour. We never will. The church in Johannesburg is thriving now that the Collbrans have left, Mr. Davis said. Her parents were dedicated church members in Los Angeles, and she attended full-time Scientology schools for several years. After graduating high school in April 1973, Rinder worked for his now-deceased father in the wholesale grocery business. In the past, Christie has also been known as Collbran Christie June, Christie June Collbran and Christie J Collbran. So she intentionally conceived a child. And that was what she wanted to accomplishthats what she was trying to do. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'biographyhost_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_17',153,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-biographyhost_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); "I was married to Mike for over 31 years and we had two children and lived together all those decades. Fifty-six years after its founding by the science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, who died in 1986, the church is fighting off calls by former members for a Reformation. He visited the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard's home in England with his family for the first time in 1966. Marty Rathbun, who was once Mr. Miscaviges top lieutenant, is now one of the churchs top detractors. "And since they're removed, the church is expanding like never before," said Davis, a second-generation Scientologist whose mother is the actress Anne Archer. ''You're so into it, it's everything you know: your family, your eternity.". which Rindercallsthe "floating headquarters for Scientology. She knew that the Sea Org did not allow its members to have children, and she had known women who were removed when they refused to have abortions. They worked seven days a week, on little sleep, for sporadic paychecks of $50 a week, at most. The churches used to be busy places where members socialized and invited curious visitors to give Scientology a try, he said, but now the church is installing touch-screen displays so it can introduce visitors to Scientology with little need for Scientologists on site. It actually backfired on her. Although on the other hand, whats a poor Anchor Boy to do? Browse . It was in Johannesburg, where the couple had gone to supervise the building of a new Scientology organization, that Chris Collbran, 29, began to have doubts. Anyone can read what you share. The Collbrans went back to work for the church in Los Angeles, but Christie Collbran found the atmosphere so oppressive that she again resolved to leave. They were also handed what the church calls a "freeloader bill" for services rendered, of $90,000, which they later negotiated down to $10,000 for Christie Collbran's portion and paid. And at its base here on the Gulf Coast of Florida, it continued buying hotels and office buildings (54 in all) and constructing a 380,000-square-foot mecca that looks like a convention center. Christie Collbran remained in Johannesburg, and the church refused to allow them to contact each other, the Collbrans said. "These were not the claims made by 'outsiders' looking to dig up dirt against us, " Haggis wrote."
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