Leah Remini and her Troublemakers, Part 4

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Mark C. Rathbun | 26 Comments

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged ABC 20/20, David Miscavige, Karen De La Carriere, Leah Remini, mike rinder, scientology, The Scientology Aftermath, tony Ortega, Troublemaker. Bookmark the permalink.

26 responses to “Leah Remini and her Troublemakers, Part 4”

georgemwhite | June 23, 2017 at 1:33 pm |

In the early 1970’s, the Village Voice was probably one of the biggest critics of Scientology. I remember reading many of their articles. Bad news about Scientology has been available for decades. A small percentage of us were cut out from the benefits of society by the war. There is no way we would have given up Scientology. Today there are seriously good money flows both in Scientology and among its critics. In the end it does not matter, the capital is still forming with small select groups of VIP’s. Only now the money flows are stronger, deeper and more restricted. It is obvious that the anti-Scientology movement has transformed itself into the establishment. Thus the greatest threat to the anti-Scientology movement would be widespread unemployment. Those cut out from the system would have no alternative. Meanwhile the cords are stronger and more favorable to the elite. This is IMO the deeper meaning to the media information overload today.
marildi | June 23, 2017 at 2:12 pm |

I highly doubt that Leah has an in-depth understanding of the significance of “us vs. them.” As a relatively recent “defector,” I wouldn’t have either. Pointing out to her that “us vs. them” is the essence of the ASC narrative wouldn’t have meant anything to her. She wouldn’t see anything wrong with it. And I don’t know if she has what it takes to ever see it – much less to admit she made a mistake. Not too many people are like Marty in being able to openly state a whole new point of view.
remoteviewed | June 23, 2017 at 6:16 pm |

I’ve always considered Leah to be a publicity hound and has to appeal to an anti-Scientology crowd who will buy her books and watch her TV show.

Most of the people who watch would rather get into all the sensationalism about Scientology than actually read a book on the subject like say Dianetics the Modern Science of Mental Health or even Fundamentals of Thought.

Instead they prefer the Cliff Notes version that doesn’t require any intellect.

The formula is get some celeb as in the case of Tom Cruise to endorse or in Leah Remini’s case say its evil so that the public won’t bother finding out for themselves.
karmareaper | June 23, 2017 at 8:12 pm |

If these things are true, can you blame Marty for turning away from anti-scientology? Not only was he persecuted by Scientology,but then the same, stuff coming from the anti-scientologists? Who can take this much persecution without losing their minds? Without deciding to hell with it and burning every bridge with everyone? Are you really surprised that he is acting like a man who has been hunted and hounded for years by both sides?

Tony bans someone from his blog for “fat shaming” Kirstie Alley but he says not a word to someone telling Marty to ,kill himself. Tony claims he knows WHY Monique’s lawsuit was dropped but can’t tell YET. Now he claims he knows why Marty did the videos but can’t tell yet because people “aren’t ready for it.,, I call bullshit. Tony’s blog should be renamed “All Marty All the Time.” People are afraid to say it so they don’t fall out of Tony’s good graces but many are tired of hearing about Marty all the time. But Tony can’t seem to stop himself and while people keep pointing to Marty acting crazy, they haven’t heard the behind the scenes stories of what Marty has endured. Keeping quiet didn’t stop it, talking about it made it worse. The insults and betrayals by the antisci community had to hurt alot worse then those from Scientology. If you are choosing to hear one side and to see it all in black and white then so be it. But you can’t be foolish enough to believe that you know the whole truth because Tony said it.
marildi | June 23, 2017 at 8:41 pm |

Oh, wow. You’ve reminded me of Marty’s blog post back in November 2015. He had a somewhat different take on why the attention was being put on Scientology. The post title was “When Distraction Becomes Destructive.” Here are excerpts:

“…The 9/11 attacks in America were planned, trained-for, and staged from Hamburg Germany; all the while Germany’s law enforcement intelligence apparatus was chasing scientology….

“From 2009 through 2011, the US Department of Justice assigned some of its most experienced and decorated agents to make a case against scientology and its leader David Miscavige. During that time period, and since, the Department of Justice failed to even attempt to prosecute a single one of the billionaires whose greed created the international recession we are still feeling the effects of today….

“In November 2015 Belgium’s justice department is making hay out of its attempted prosecution of scientology. While the trial proceeds, again only after the fact, European law enforcement is frantically scouring Belgium since it has been exposed as a critical terrorist planning and staging ground in the wake of the 13 November 2015 Paris atrocities.”

Check out the whole post: https://markrathbun.blog/2015/11/17/when-distraction-becomes-destructive/
iamvalkov | June 23, 2017 at 9:41 pm |

I like your take on the situation, karmareaper.
remoteviewed | June 23, 2017 at 11:12 pm |

Very valid point Marildi. No doubt that Scientology is being used as a distraction by the Deep State. I’ve been implying this for years but had never put it into words as concisely and precisely as Marty did in that article.

Scientology has become a convenient whipping boy with the help of the ASC who magnify and exaggerate their “crimes” while giving the Deep State a free pass.

i had to laugh sardonically over Rinder’s faux “concern” over alleged “human trafficking” in Scientology while maintaining his bromance with Back Page Tony and his pedophilia network or him saying that Marty should seek “Professional Help” from an organization that eulogizes someone like Ewen Cameron such as the APA.

Oh please! The irony!

In my opinion Mike, Leah and Tony. The troika as Marty calls them feed off ignorance like a bunch of ghouls commanding a zombie army of trolls who attack anybody who differs from their narrative.
SKM | June 24, 2017 at 6:13 am |

From what I observed, Leah has a problem with attention.
From her interviews it’s easy to conclude that she was pissed with the hierarchy of Scientology because she didn’t get the same amount of attention as some other “celebrity Scientologists” did.
Say “self-importance button”.

In her case I don’t think it is all about money, though it is a factor, but it is rather all about “being right” and “now I’ll show them that I have power.”

It’s actually sad.

I remember some years ago this blog was a good channel to wake people up and so many (imcluding me and people I am connected to) benefited from the content.
I had a chance to make sense of my Scientology experience, find new ways and viewpoints to align the knowledge/insights and the wins and losses I had from the experience.

I moved on. While I am no longer a Scientologist I am still working on my spirituality.
There are aspects in Scientology which are outdated, some are misleading but ultimately everyone needs to wake up to a level where he is responsible for his experiences and creations.
I can’t see how blaming Scientology forever will help anyone to upgrade himself, his relationships and livingness. They are actually giving their creative power to a boogy man.

The problem of the “Trojka” is, that it is a “pact with the devil”. Ortega will ridicule anything connected to spirituality, any benefit people could or would have from any aspect of this or any other spiritual technology.

Good luck everybody.
marildi | June 24, 2017 at 2:56 pm |

“…Rinder’s…saying that Marty should seek ‘Professional Help’ from an organization that eulogizes someone like Ewen Cameron such as the APA.”

That seemed like an easy out for Mike and a good excuse for taking the “high road” by not addressing specific points Marty brought up.

However, RV, I don’t think psychiatry can be viewed the same way today as it used to be. I’m very dubious about the drugs they dispense, but I get that they do help people sometimes.

Anyway, other than that particular point, very good post.
remoteviewed | June 24, 2017 at 3:17 pm |

Thanx SKM. Good luck to you as well.
Librarian | June 24, 2017 at 3:48 pm |

SKM, I like a lot of what you said. I didnt know there was a troika, let alone who was in it. Ortega will say anything for money. I belive that. He has no skin in the game either, as the saying goes. Scientology is just a meal ticket for him. I think Leah is still being or seeking celebrity, using this subject. Her damaged pride may be adding fuel to that as you noted. Their scripting and exaggerations may exist, yet there is enough smoke for her to yell fire and be believed. Mike Rinker is an altogether different sort, in my opinion. He was fully invested and worked hard most of his life in Scientology. His leaving resulted in family problems. If anyone has a right to talk, its him. If he has gotten caught up with the others and now embraces the celebrity of what he has been doing, so be it. I don’t know that I would have acted any differently given the road he had travelled. They be a troika, but they are each cut from very different cloth, in my opinion. If i could say anything to Mike right now, it would be to be careful of the company you keep. Others will judge you by that, as Marty has done. But I think he deserved more slack that Marty gave him. Lastly, like you, I wish everyone the best of luck.
marildi | June 24, 2017 at 3:58 pm |

Good post, SKM – as ever. 🙂

This was so well said:

“I moved on. While I am no longer a Scientologist I am still working on my spirituality. There are aspects in Scientology which are outdated, some are misleading but ultimately everyone needs to wake up to a level where he is responsible for his experiences and creations. I can’t see how blaming Scientology forever will help anyone to upgrade himself, his relationships and livingness. They are actually giving their creative power to a boogy man.”

Regarding “working on my spirituality,” I too have looked into other spiritual teachings, particular those that direct a person beyond the “ego” or “fabricated self.” The thing I observed in those paths is that the primary barrier to awakening/enlightenment is the person’s stimulus-response feelings and thoughts, sometimes called “shadows” – the very thing scientology tech can handle – and in a far more systematic and certain way. This is what I believe was LRH’s point when he stated that other paths take way too long at best. And this is why I believe the tech is so valuable should be preserved and forwarded.

Good luck to you too. 🙂
SKM | June 24, 2017 at 5:59 pm |

Hello Marildi.

Nice to meet you once again.

Thank you.

There is indeed some value in LRHs tech and he made for sure an effort to find the solution. He was a good pioneer. Honestly, I think in many respects he was at the wrong place in the wrong time.

My only “heads up” to people still involved in anything scientological is: “Guys, live goes on, the environment and the spiritual landscape changes.”

I salute Marty for giving me the idea of integral thinking. We really need to align our insights and knowledge to the “rythm” of the time, to the language of the time.
I resigned from the culture of Scientology, its language and its organizational paradigms.

Speaking of “shadows” and the benefits of dianetic processing: sure, sure… but you know, already with the Technique 80 Lectures LRH said something along the lines “Engrams? Who still audits engrams?”
And there is truth in it. Focusing on the “shadows” and “wanting to get rid of if” will only make them stronger.
Look instead on techniques which are acknowledging your innate strengths and your divine nature.

Recently I came across a very interesting book by a Sufi Master:
The Hidden Gospel — Decoding the Spiritual Message of the Aramaic Jesus by Neil Douglas-Klotz

It’s a different angle altogether, but a very interesting read, interesting viewpoints. Not much tech, but sometimes it is good to see things from a different perspective, so that the things previously learned can be more appreciated. (And it can even help to straighten out old misconceptions from Christian theology ;-))

All the best,
SKM
SKM | June 24, 2017 at 6:16 pm |

Thank you.

I can’t say much about Mike Rinder.
Maybe he just needed some kind of game and there was a vacuum he could fill easily.
To be honest, I always liked Mike.
I have no insight about what happened between Marty and Mike.
So I have no conclusions.
SKM | June 24, 2017 at 6:17 pm |

Hi, thanks.
You have an Interesting blog.
iamvalkov | June 24, 2017 at 6:38 pm |

Good post Librarian. I agree with you about Mike, except I don’t think he is in it for the celebrity The organization hurt him and it still smarts, and in his own basically gentle and decent but persistent way he is doing what he can to nail them. More power to him, if that’s the case.
iamvalkov | June 24, 2017 at 6:44 pm |

What Psychiatry does, is it “brings order” to society. It’s not a very high-toned or enlightening order, but I guess at best, it’s maybe better than nothing. Maybe. When you’re completely down and out and neglected because no-one knows what to do, at least someone cares enough to prescribe you a pill. And if that doesn’t work, prescribe you a different pill. In the meantime, there are Social Workers to talk with, as well as other patients. You are less isolated. You now “belong”.
marildi | June 24, 2017 at 8:41 pm |

SKM: “I salute Marty for giving me the idea of integral thinking. We really need to align our insights and knowledge to the ‘rhythm’ of the time, to the language of the time. I resigned from the culture of Scientology, its language and its organizational paradigms.”

I can say the same about resigning from the culture of Scientology, although I still use some of the principles in life. But you mentioned integral thinking, and I thought of Ken Wilber’s website on Integral theory. There, as well as in other teachings, the “rhythm of the time” includes “shadow work.” I don’t meant to get into a big, long discussion about this, but just to top off what I was trying to say, here’s a short quote from an article on the Wilber site:

“Meditation instructions to ‘observe all experience and to know that consciousness is independent and free from experience’ don’t work with experience from which we’re dissociated. Healthy disidentification is only possible once we’ve re-owned, re-associated, and re-identified with the disowned parts of ourselves. For this reason, there’s no substitute for shadow work.” https://integrallife.com/the-3-2-1-shadow-process/

My idea is that auditing serves the above purpose very effectively. I’ve watched youtube videos with spiritual teachers such as Mooji and Adyashanti working with their students to handle some sort of charge/reaction that they continue to experience, and I can’t help but think they could use some auditing, whether Dianetics or Scientology. As you know, in the end LRH did come back to include Dianetics, although he did say that after a certain point in its use, the bank would start to solidify, but I think that point was Clear. Anyway, I still think auditing could save a lot of time and effort, minimally, at least for some people.

And I know what you mean about looking at things from a different perspective. I’m convinced that in addition to a practice, knowledge is a big part of any spiritual journey. The book you mentioned sounds similar to a couple of books I’ve read that look at Jesus in a whole new way, from relatively new historical data including the gnostic gospels.

A really great book on the subject of spiritual journeys is Jack Kornfield’s *After the Ecstasy, the Laundry*. Here’s how it is described on amazon.com:

“Drawing on the experiences and insights of leaders and practitioners within the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Sufi traditions, this book offers a uniquely intimate and honest understanding of how the modern spiritual journey unfolds — and how we can prepare our hearts for awakening. Through moving personal stories and traditional tales, we learn how the enlightened heart navigates the real world of family relationships, emotional pain, earning a living, sickness, loss, and death.”

Thanks for the exchange. 🙂
iamvalkov | June 24, 2017 at 8:50 pm |

And I’m not sure Psychiatry has changed all that much from, say, 1975 or 1980, when I was associated with it. The number of people getting “shock” treatments has stabilized at about 100,000 per year, I’ve read. The psychs have become more discriminate about who gets shock,
they have to justify it more. However, nearly everyone gets drugs nowadays. It’s pretty automatic. There is far less psychological testing done today. The abuses are not as rampant, except for the drugs. But those have been institutionalized as a standard treatment. It’s called “biological psychiatry”, in which all “psychological” or emotional difficulties are explained as having physical causes, eg “chemical imbalances in the brain”.
remoteviewed | June 25, 2017 at 1:51 am |

Thanx SKM.

I’ll be posting some more articles soon.

Take care.

LR
marildi | June 25, 2017 at 11:01 am |

“It’s called ‘biological psychiatry’, in which all ‘psychological’ or emotional difficulties are explained as having physical causes, eg ‘chemical imbalances in the brain’.”

Okay, thanks for the input. The drugs apparently suppress mental issues, but diminish the personality at the same time. As you said on the previous post, that’s “maybe better than nothing. Maybe.” It’s sort of a stopgap, at best, and some people seem to be grateful for it.
SKM | June 25, 2017 at 6:17 pm |

Thanks Marildi.
I absolutely get your point regarding “shadow work”.
As you mentioned, LRH was aware of the downside of running it for too long.

In best case scenario, when something comes up, handle it, then go back to where you have been before the thing popped up.
Don’t look all day for things that could possibly pop up. Just follow your dreams. Things will pop up. Handle them if they do and continue on your dreams.

Thank you for the exchange.
Best wishes.
SKM
marildi | June 25, 2017 at 10:01 pm |

Beautifully said, SKM. Best to you too.
Jane stands up. | June 26, 2017 at 2:29 pm |

The Village Voice was converted into a human trafficking criminal enterprise. Tony Ortega lived off the money of sex trafficking, much of it from minors, for almost six years. This is not gossip, and I am not the first to mention it. It is in a Senate investigation report.

https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/reports

It has been written about by media watchdog sites.

http://thedailycannibal.com/2012/09/11/the-voice-loves-children-really/

http://gawker.com/5860101/pickets-lawsuits-sex-ads-and-hard-times-at-the-village-voice

http://gawker.com/5642182/village-voice-has-a-child-prostitution-problem

When confronted about it Tony Ortega first denied it, then used the Village Voice to decimate any other journalists who mentioned it. And finally, turned on the victims trafficked there and worked to dehumanize them by calling them “underage prostitutes”. Not children, which they were. There is no such thing as an “underaged prostitute”. Minors who are forced into sexual slavery are not “underage prostitutes”. He tried to poison people against his victims! CHILDREN.

The college he graduated from invited him back to receive an award, with the purpose of motivating students. When he arrived they were out front protesting him. And on this video you hear his acceptance speech, he only talks about himself and then gaslights the students out front by saying “they don’t understand”.

The Village Voice founder’s son even protested in New York in front of Tony Ortega’s office.

With protestors surrounding the building, Tony Ortega denied he had anything to do with Backpage to a reporter at the Gawker.

“As for the protests today, I wish them the best of luck. No one who actually works in this office has anything to do with Backpage, but still, I understand why they picked our building.” Tony Ortega Nov 16, 2011

A blatant lie. He gaslighted anyone who caught on to what he was doing, how he was doing it, bringing his victims to light, exposing him for working as a digital pimp.

A few months earlier he was bragging about Backpage and included himself as one of the managers with a “WE”. And actually tried to change the conversation to wars in Afganistan!

“Our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are receding fast from public consciousness. Our economy is gradually crawling back. Crime remains at record lows. A new presidential campaign is only in its earliest stages.

What’s there to panic about today?”

“Seven years ago, the people I work for were smart enough to start Backpage.com, a competitor to Craigslist. While other newspapers were doing little more than publicly condemning Newmark (Note: Craig Newmark is an American Internet entrepreneur best known for being the founder of the San Francisco-based international website Craigslist.) for the way Craigslist has, for years, eaten into their classified-ads revenue, we decided to fight back. That’s just how we operate.

What happens when two adults find each other through Backpage.com? I couldn’t tell you. The whole point of Backpage.com is that we aren’t involved after two consenting adults find each other through the community bulletin board, which exists solely so that people can freely express themselves—sometimes in ways that make other people uncomfortable. We’re First Amendment extremists that way. Always have been.”

Tony Ortega WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

Attorneys general from 48 states had written a joint letter to Village Voice Media, pleading with it to get out of the flesh trade. An online petition at Change.org had gathered 94,000 signatures asking Village Voice Media to stop taking prostitution advertising. Instead, the company used The Village Voice to mock its critics. One victim who gave a news interview said she thought about using her real name for the article but decided not to for fear that Village Voice would retaliate. The victims became afraid of the Village Voice.

“I helped turn a weekly newspaper with a web site into a digital enterprise.” Tony Ortega bragged to the New York Times Blog Media Decoder on September 14, 2012 after leaving the Village Voice.

His sadistic disregard for children being raped and trafficked for personal income is revolting. Senate investigations revealed Backpage staff were even coaching pimps on how to word ads so they would not get busted selling minors!

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2017/04/15/emails-reveal-how-backpage-edited-sex-ads-will-it-be-its-undoing/100436762/

And when they were finally caught red handed, coaching men on how to sell children for sex, they did shut down right before they had to appear in court in Washington. And played the victim card. “Their Freedom of Speech” was being violated.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-backpage-shutdown-20170109-story.html

When Amber Lyon did her expose “Selling The Girl Next Door”, which focused on backpage, Tony Ortega gaslighted her and devoted a page in the Village Voice to decimating her.

“Underage prostitution is a persistent problem in this country, but as we established in last week’s cover story, it exists at a level that is nothing like what is being trumpeted by Amber Lyon on the behalf of activists who want to put us out of business.” Tony Ortega

Again he tries to dehumanize children being raped and sold by calling them “underage prostitutes” and says THEY are the problem. Sadistic disregard.

https://www.villagevoice.com/2011/07/06/cnns-amber-lyon-ambushed-craigslist-but-she-wont-talk-to-the-village-voice/

His attack on Amber Lyon was so vicious other news outlets wrote about it.

https://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/cnn-reporter-amber-lyon-focus-of-village-voice-takedown/Content?oid=2494911

I do not understand why he has become a crusader for disappointed hippies that explored the occult. But Leah Remini has followed in his footsteps.

Apparently, she can live with children being raped and sold on the Internet and endorse a notorious child sex trafficker, Tony Ortega, while complaining abuse between adults that explored the occult. And so can Lawrence Wright and Alex Gibney. And anyone else complaining they got a flat tire on the way to Nirvana while tolerating and endorsing Tony Ortega.

As far as Tony Ortega getting other media to pick up his blog posts and spread them, during interviews with former Village Voice staff and former peers, one mentioned the media no longer repeats Tony Ortega’s blogging as since he has only been able to write about one topic besides defending Backpage in over a decade, he is understood as manifesting high-functioning autism / afflicted with Asperger Syndrome.

I’m sorry but I can not start giving discount points to men who profit off the misery of women and children and survive on the proceeds of children being exploited, raped and sold on the Internet. Whatever their condition is. They are still criminals.

I have no idea why he and Leah Remini are comfortable with that yet repelled by adults who chose to explore the occult and were disappointed.

Something does not add up in this picture. How can you have compassion for people disappointed exploring the occults and sadistic disregard for children being tortured?

http://www.iamjanedoefilm.com
Jane stands up. | June 26, 2017 at 4:23 pm |

I don’t mean to imply I do not have sympathy for those who have setbacks because of their hobbies. My Godson had a skiing accident that cost him a college scholarship with football, and he was very upset.

But he certainly would not pit that setback against some 13-year-old or 14-year-old homeless child yanked off the streets, beaten raped and traumatized and sold for sex (raped) multiple times a day.

There are people who couldn’t care less and this is exactly why youth who age out of foster care are twice as likely to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as U.S. war veterans. By the people around them that positioned children as the lowest priority. Simply not enough “adults” capable of caring. And many “adults” that actually never “grew up”. That Ortega has female groupies is vulgar to me.
Anonymous | November 24, 2023 at 10:08 pm |

Woman Confronts Her Mom About Scientology