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How Scientology got to Bob Minton - St. Petersburg Times

Another tough week for the cult

http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/how-scientology-got-to-bob-minton/1048113

How Scientology got to Bob Minton - St. Petersburg Times

Robert S. Minton seemed to surface out of nowhere in late 1997.

• A retired investment banker and millionaire from New England, he began to show up at anti-Scientology demonstrations in Boston and Clearwater. He gave millions to groups critical of the church.

• He became the money man behind a wrongful death lawsuit by the family of Lisa McPherson, whose unexplained death at Scientology's Clearwater mecca threw the church into crisis.

• Minton quickly became the Church of Scientology's No. 1 nemesis.

• "I felt that the little guys needed some help," he once said. "I'm putting my money where my mouth is."

...
 

Zinjifar

Silver Meritorious Sponsor
I first met Bob at the party at Priscilla Coates house before the Hubbfest '98 party in LA.

(for those who don't know her: http://www.xenutv.com/panels/coates.htm"

He was a good guy and, over the next years I never changed that opinion, despite any number of disagreements I may have had and have with his tactical decisions.

To see that Mike Rinder is now claiming him as a 'friend' is bizarre and I find it hard to take any more seriously than any of his previous claims.

Zinj
 

Boojuum

Silver Meritorious Patron
Behind the curtain for all to see

Wow. Cos hired PI's to get the dirt on detractors. In black and white for all to see and read. St. Pete Times should get 2 Pulitzers. Most of us have known this for some time and certainly aren't surprised by the revelation.

The beauty of it is that it's true. There's a paper trail for it someplace. And, it's not hidden in some rarely seen book, it's right there in the St. Pete Times for all to see and read. What can Tommy Davis say? No, we don't hire PI's. No, DM doesn't beat his staff. No, we don't imprison people.

The con only worked when people couldn't or wouldn't speak up. The chickens have come home to roost.

Humiliating staff and public comes with a price--most of us want payback. And if we're too good-hearted to seek revenge, it doesn't mean we can find pleasure in watching the crimes exposed.
 

everfree

Patron Meritorious
Where is he claiming that Zinj?

To answer for Zinj, you just need to RTFA above: "Rinder, who once described Minton's actions as "despicable and disgusting," said he now considers him a friend."

I don't see why that's inplausible.
 

Lulu Belle

Moonbat
To answer for Zinj, you just need to RTFA above: "Rinder, who once described Minton's actions as "despicable and disgusting," said he now considers him a friend."

I don't see why that's inplausible.

Me either.

Rinder and Stacy were friends in the church. Seems like they went back to being friends when they "settled" a few years back.

I have heard recently that Bob and Stacy are still together.

It wouldn't surprise me if Rinder was in touch with them.
 

GoNuclear

Gold Meritorious Patron
saving the best for last

Rinder needs to spill the beans and go public, not sure why he hasn't done so yet, he might be able to deliver one of two final kill shots to DM/Cof$. The final blow of final blows would be Pat Broeker ... rumor has it that he could put Miscavige away for murder. The great mystery is what is holding him back? Did he receive a substantial golden parachute?

The final mystery of mystery as far as I am concerned ... has there been any intel agency involvement with Cof$? Even if/when Cof$ goes down for the count, that information is likely to stay hidden.

Pete
 

Smurf

Gold Meritorious SP
After a series of OSA-coordinated attacks on me & my family, and a psychotic break in Los Angeles during the filming of a German documentary on Scientology (after being pursued by an OSA entourage in Clearwater & Southern California), Bob Minton, for no other reason than being a very sincere man concerned about the victims of Scientology, came to my aid, and got me the help I needed and the financial ability to change my life for the better. He asked for nothing in return. Stacy Young became a trusted ally as well.

Mike Rinder coordinated the attacks on me & my family, as he did on Bob Minton & his wife Therese, and their two children (who were followed & filmed by PIs at their elementary school) and harassed to the extreme.

I find it extremely implausable that Mike Rinder is a friend of Bob Minton. It's nice that Mike Rinder is out from under Miscavige's thumb, but Mike was extremely aggressive, talented and creative at what he did as Director of OSA and the great pain and harm he caused other people. And to date, I have seen no evidence that Mike Rinder has done anything to amend for the great hurt & harm he caused others.

Sorry, a few interviews with the St. Pete Times just doesn't cut it, IMHO.
 

Lee_from_phx

Patron with Honors
Since when does a weapon of war have to be your BFF?

You really need to look at what matters, and that is how much damage Rinder can do to the cult. He doesn't have to be a saint, he just has to know where the bodies are buried and be able and willing to point the way to them.
 

Tigger

Patron Meritorious
Since when does a weapon of war have to be your BFF?

You really need to look at what matters, and that is how much damage Rinder can do to the cult. He doesn't have to be a saint, he just has to know where the bodies are buried and be able and willing to point the way to them.

Would/could Rinder still be prosecuted for his part in any skullduggery? Rathbun seems to have waited until he was free and clear of being held legally accountable for any "crime".

If Rinder had copies of those covert Minton tapes, would he ever use them, since apparently he now considers Minton to be a friend?

Tigger
 

Krautfag

Patron Meritorious
Sheesh..

Rinder calling BM a friend in a newspaper...thats a tough one.
You wonder whether Bob considers Rinder a friend too, but I for one have so high an oppinion about Bob and Stacy that I even consider it possible that the two of them forgave MR if he manned up and went to apologize after he blew.
We never gonna know probably, since MR+MR most likely had Bob sign the mother of gagorders, when it comes to anything remotely connected to Scientology.
 

HCObringOrder?

Silver Meritorious Patron
In fact, its the confusion about you that is lifting my friend.

The only question is, how long you will still be working at the Office of Zinj Affairs ( OZA ).

I did a search of county records and found that OZA has a 1 Billion Year lease on the land and building.
I hope this helps. :D
 

AnonyMary

Formerly Fooled - Finally Free
....Sorry, a few interviews with the St. Pete Times just doesn't cut it, IMHO.

I agree, although I suspect the ' friend' think might be a teasing to push DMs buttons, or a hint that both are planning to talk with the feds.

Regarding that article on Minton, my comment included the following:

"That said, Rathbun, in an attempt to minimize his own culpability in acting on Scientology's behalf ( which he is working hard at evading ) says things here about Minton that are simply not true. I agree with Shawn's_Friend:

'This is sad and Rathbun should be ashamed of himself. John Fashanu has confessed that there was no truth to the charges laid out in the report that bore his name. He’s asked for forgiveness from the Nigerian government for the lies he put forth http://www.xenutv.com/blog/?p=3426 '

Rathbun is not going to tell the whole truth because it will make him look bad and it will give credibility to the critics of scientology who believe Minton was blackmailed and extorted.

Just look at the end of the latest Rathbun interview where he is asked to discuss what happened with Don Jason by Tobin or Childs. It was painfully obvious that Rathbun, who intervened in Jason's escape at the airport, experienced great discomfort in looking at it from Jason's POV. That is very telling.

Rathbun, pointing the finger at Miscavige, failed to show responsibility for his complicity in these terrible acts against members. There are hundreds of people, maybe thousands, who Miscavige orderd Rathbun to 'handle'.
Instead of accepting responsibility for the things he did and making right by those he hurt or traumatized, he ignores his past until forced to by a reporter.

A few of the victims have managed to muster up forgiveness, which I applaud, but that does not change the lack of humility one would expect from someone who did these things without a second thought and when pressed, blames it all on his superior. He does not want those victims making waves while he leads the charge in getting Miscavige's deeds made known through media. That's a stupidand cowardly move. We all want Miscavige out for the same reasons but it's hypocritical of Rathbun to hide behind his past, and distort history to avoid his own part in this terrible play.

I hope the reporters ask more hard questions of him, and Rinder because not doing so allows scientology to spin the story and unfairly place the blame for these behaviors on Rathbun and Rinder, who were, if we are to believe Rathbun 'only following orders'. That didn't hold up for the Nazi's and it should not hold up for Miscavige's henchmen - whether still in or out. "
 

scooter

Gold Meritorious Patron
I agree, although I suspect the ' friend' think might be a teasing to push DMs buttons, or a hint that both are planning to talk with the feds.

Regarding that article on Minton, my comment included the following:

"That said, Rathbun, in an attempt to minimize his own culpability in acting on Scientology's behalf ( which he is working hard at evading ) says things here about Minton that are simply not true. I agree with Shawn's_Friend:

'This is sad and Rathbun should be ashamed of himself. John Fashanu has confessed that there was no truth to the charges laid out in the report that bore his name. He’s asked for forgiveness from the Nigerian government for the lies he put forth http://www.xenutv.com/blog/?p=3426 '

Rathbun is not going to tell the whole truth because it will make him look bad and it will give credibility to the critics of scientology who believe Minton was blackmailed and extorted.

Just look at the end of the latest Rathbun interview where he is asked to discuss what happened with Don Jason by Tobin or Childs. It was painfully obvious that Rathbun, who intervened in Jason's escape at the airport, experienced great discomfort in looking at it from Jason's POV. That is very telling.

Rathbun, pointing the finger at Miscavige, failed to show responsibility for his complicity in these terrible acts against members. There are hundreds of people, maybe thousands, who Miscavige orderd Rathbun to 'handle'.
Instead of accepting responsibility for the things he did and making right by those he hurt or traumatized, he ignores his past until forced to by a reporter.

A few of the victims have managed to muster up forgiveness, which I applaud, but that does not change the lack of humility one would expect from someone who did these things without a second thought and when pressed, blames it all on his superior. He does not want those victims making waves while he leads the charge in getting Miscavige's deeds made known through media. That's a stupidand cowardly move. We all want Miscavige out for the same reasons but it's hypocritical of Rathbun to hide behind his past, and distort history to avoid his own part in this terrible play.

I hope the reporters ask more hard questions of him, and Rinder because not doing so allows scientology to spin the story and unfairly place the blame for these behaviors on Rathbun and Rinder, who were, if we are to believe Rathbun 'only following orders'. That didn't hold up for the Nazi's and it should not hold up for Miscavige's henchmen - whether still in or out. "

:thumbsup: :yes: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
 
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