
A Billion Years
My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology
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Narrated by:
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Mike Rinder
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By:
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Mike Rinder
About this listen
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.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2022 Michael Rinder. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Story
A clear-sighted revelation, a deep penetration into the world of Scientology by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower, the now-classic study of al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attack. Based on more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former Scientologists—both famous and less well known—and years of archival research, Lawrence Wright uses his extraordinary investigative ability to uncover for us the inner workings of the Church of Scientology.
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Shockingly Great
- By Michael on 01-27-13
By: Lawrence Wright
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The Unbreakable Miss Lovely
- How the Church of Scientology Tried to Destroy Paulette Cooper
- By: Tony Ortega
- Narrated by: Tony Ortega
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1971 Paulette Cooper wrote a scathing book about the Church of Scientology. Desperate to shut the book down, Scientology unleashed on her one of the most sinister personal campaigns the free world has ever known. The onslaught, which lasted years, ruined her life and drove her to the brink of suicide. The story of Paulette's terrifying ordeal is told in full for the first time in The Unbreakable Miss Lovely.
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A "CHURCH" THAT IS DESTRUCTIVE. INSIDE SCIENTOLOGY
- By Count B on 09-29-16
By: Tony Ortega
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The Church of Fear
- Inside the Weird World of Scientology
- By: John Sweeney
- Narrated by: John Sweeney
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Tom Cruise and John Travolta say the Church of Scientology is a force for good. Others disagree. Award-winning journalist John Sweeney investigated the Church for more than half a decade. During that time he was intimidated, spied on, and followed, and the results were spectacular: Sweeney lost his temper with the Church's spokesman on camera, and his infamous 'exploding tomato' clip was seen by millions around the world.
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The Church of Intimidation, Deviousness and Evil
- By Audio Gra Gra on 05-29-16
By: John Sweeney
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Escape
- By: Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer
- Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee
- Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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When she was 18 years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger - a man 32 years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn's heritage: She was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church.
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Like a train wreck you can't turn away
- By Cheryl D on 10-28-07
By: Carolyn Jessop, and others
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Scientology: A to Xenu: An Insider's Guide to What Scientology Is All About
- By: Chris Shelton
- Narrated by: Chris Shelton
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Former insider Chris Shelton grew up in Scientology and worked for it for 25 years. This critical analysis covers the key aspects of its beliefs, practices, and structure from the bottom to the top, including not just the confidential Xenu story but details of all of the upper-level scriptures. Chris goes into detail about what goes on inside Scientology churches, why its members get involved in the first place, and what it takes to get out should someone decide to leave.
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Excellent & book with some technical problems
- By Dallas on 03-23-16
By: Chris Shelton
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Scarred
- The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life
- By: Sarah Edmondson, Kristine Gasbarre
- Narrated by: Sarah Edmondson
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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The shocking and subversive memoir of a 12-year-NXIVM-member-turned-whistleblower, and her inspiring true story of abuse, escape, and redemption. "Master, would you brand me? It would be an honor." Scarred follows actress Sarah Edmondson's account of her recruitment into the NXIVM cult, founded by Keith Raniere. It narrates in detail the 12 years she spent within the organization, during which she enrolled over 2,000 members, chronicling her breaking point and her harrowing fight to get out, help others, and heal.
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Riveting!
- By Ellen on 10-23-19
By: Sarah Edmondson, and others
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Bare-Faced Messiah
- The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard
- By: Russell Miller
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 18 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Bare-Faced Messiah tells the extraordinary story of L. Ron Hubbard, a penniless science fiction writer who founded the Church of Scientology, became a millionaire prophet, and convinced his adoring followers that he alone could save the world. Bare-Faced Messiah exposes the myths surrounding the fascinating and mysterious founder of the Church of Scientology - a man of hypnotic charm and limitless imagination - and provides the definitive account of how the notorious organization was created.
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Good Book, Awful Narration
- By Jessica on 04-28-21
By: Russell Miller
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Unfollow
- A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church
- By: Megan Phelps-Roper
- Narrated by: Megan Phelps-Roper
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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At the age of five, Megan Phelps-Roper began protesting homosexuality and other alleged vices alongside fellow members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Founded by her grandfather and consisting almost entirely of her extended family, the tiny group would gain worldwide notoriety for its pickets at military funerals and celebrations of death and tragedy.
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Insightful, honest and engaging
- By C.B.E. on 11-28-19
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Road to Jonestown
- Jim Jones and Peoples Temple
- By: Jeff Guinn
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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In the 1950s, a young Indianapolis minister named Jim Jones preached a curious blend of the gospel and Marxism. His congregation was racially mixed, and he was a leader in the early civil rights movement. Eventually, Jones moved his church, Peoples Temple, to northern California, where he got involved in electoral politics and became a prominent Bay Area leader. But underneath the surface lurked a terrible darkness.
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An Important Accurate Historical Report
- By Julia on 08-24-17
By: Jeff Guinn
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Broken Faith
- Inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, One of America's Most Dangerous Cults
- By: Mitch Weiss, Holbrook Mohr
- Narrated by: Vivienne Leheny
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1979, a fiery preacher named Jane Whaley attracted a small group of followers with a promise that she could turn their lives around. In the years since, Whaley’s following has expanded to include thousands of congregants across three continents. Based on hundreds of interviews, secretly recorded conversations, and thousands of pages of documents, Pulitzer Prize winner Mitch Weiss and Holbrook Mohr’s Broken Faith is a terrifying portrait life inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, and the harrowing account of one family who escaped after two decades.
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A must read!
- By laura toney on 03-22-20
By: Mitch Weiss, and others
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Unspeakable
- Surviving My Childhood and Finding My Voice
- By: Jessica Willis Fisher
- Narrated by: Jessica Fisher
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Using the written word as her witness statement, Jessica Willis Fisher tells a lacerating story of finding her voice after two decades of silence and an unforgettable story of risk and faith.
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"Don't tell" culture exposed
- By Angela on 11-03-22
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Raven
- The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People
- By: Tim Reiterman
- Narrated by: Mitch Horowitz
- Length: 29 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Tim Reiterman's Raven provides the seminal history of the Rev. Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and the murderous ordeal at Jonestown in 1978. This PEN Award-winning work explores the ideals gone wrong, the intrigue, and the grim realities behind the Peoples Temple and its implosion in the jungle of South America.
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What a very thoroughly written book!
- By Traci P. on 04-22-17
By: Tim Reiterman
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Waco
- David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage
- By: Jeff Guinn
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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For the first time in thirty years, more than a dozen former ATF agents who participated in the initial February 28, 1993, raid speak on the record about the poor decisions of their commanders that led to this deadly confrontation. Revelations in this book include why the FBI chose to end the siege with the use of CS gas; how both ATF and FBI officials tried and failed to cover up their agencies’ mistakes; where David Koresh plagiarized his infamous prophecies; and direct links between the Branch Davidian tragedy and the modern militia movement in America.
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Another excellent book by Guinn
- By Amazon Customer on 02-19-23
By: Jeff Guinn
What listeners say about A Billion Years
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-02-22
Loved the book!
I just about inhaled this book! Finished in 2 days. This book is a bomb and Scientology has good reason to freak out. I enjoyed the narration, not all authors are good at narrating. Well done Mike!
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- sharon graham
- 09-30-22
Excellent book!
I wasn't sure what to expect from Mike Rinder's book since so much has already been told about this cult. But I was thoroughly surprised by all the additional info Mike shared with us through the book. Mike did an excellent job narrating and I was always anxious to read the next chapter. I highly recommend it.
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- Ash
- 10-01-22
Brilliant
I was very sad when this came to an end. I have held an interest in Mike Rinder ever since I saw him on the BBC Panorama series in 2007 and 2010. I followed his blog donated money and enjoyed his HBO series so I was delighted to see he was releasing his own book.
The book is superb and grabs your attention from the first pages, it was truly fascinating to hear the insight of someone who spent so long in Scientology and one who reached the top and ultimately the bottom. Mike diligently narrates well, especially for his first time. To end, I personally am having some major changes in my life, something that he given me lots of reflection, heart ache and worry. This book really helped my mindset and made me realise I don’t have it so bad, look how difficult it must have been for Mike Rinder walking out of Scientology in 2007 at the age of 52 losing everything and slowly coming to the realisation of what Scientology really was. The stress and emotions must have been damaging . This book has my highest recommendation!!!
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- Cheri
- 10-15-22
A Must-Read (Listen)
Whether you're morbidly interested in the sheer horrors of $cientology's inner workings and tactics of truly sadistic sociopaths, or just want to be awed by the unbelievable strength of Mr. Rinder as he overcomes the evils he was subjected to, this is an amazing book. Doesn't drag, never boring, difficult not to binge. (The one thought I kept having from midway on was wondering in all seriousness how that little runt still manages to be alive. *smh*)
Thank you for your courage, Mr. Rinder. Absolutely recommend!
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- kelly downey
- 10-10-22
Well done!
Even after watching all of the Aftermath episodes and documentaries I found this book filled with so much more of Mr. Rinder’s personal story. A very interesting and thoughtful read.
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- Libby Lapp
- 10-13-22
excellent, very informative
Very insightful, Mike's done a wonderful job performing as well, got me some moments
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- E. Harrison
- 10-04-22
Great!
Probably not best suited for those with absolutely no knowledge of Scientology, as it has a fair amount of inside baseball terms and characters, but amazing overall! If you’ve watched any of the documentaries or read and books on Scientology, you will be well-prepared for this memoir.
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- S. Cash
- 10-05-22
Excellent
Just one of the many sourced provided to educate people on the truth going on behind those prison walls. David Miscavige will get caught one day and serve a rest of his time behind bars, then gets to goto HELL.
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- Skygal
- 10-16-22
Catharsis and Truth
Mike, the abuse you suffered at the hands of Scientology, Muskavitch and his minions is so hard to listen to. But I am glad you were able to tell this story as I know your experiences have helped many people:: Ex-Scientologists, and others who suffered at the hands of cults, gurus, and charismatic leaders. You show that it is never too late to awake from the mind control and abuse of these entities. I think that even the mainstream religions have their “cult-like “ fringes, and I agree with you that morality has to be a result of our humanity, not because someone says “you must believe what I say is right or wrong”. It is religion that sprang from the idea of morality, not the other way around. I am so happy to hear that you are focusing on protecting children from cults and extreme religions that exploit children and do irrevocable harm. Keep speaking out against the abuses of Scientology and other cults. I do hope you have found catharsis and peace in what you are doing now to make the world a better place.
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- Kevin Hutchinson
- 10-19-22
Simply WOW
What an incredible first-hand account of life within one of the world's biggest cults.
Mike Rinder gives an incredible reading here. Highly recommend this book!
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