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|---|---|
 Mark Rathbun | |
| Born | United States |
| Occupation(s) | former Inspector General, Religious Technology Center (RTC) |
| Spouse | (divorced) |
| Website | www.markrathbun.wordpress.com |
Mark "Marty" C. Rathbun is an American blogger and former Inspector General of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), the organization that controls the copyrights and trademarks of the materials relating to Dianetics and Scientology. His role was to head the Inspector General Network, described by the Church of Scientology as "an independent investigatory and policing body whose function is to keep Scientology working by ensuring the pure and ethical use of Dianetics and Scientology technology." The post is one of the most senior management functions in the Church and its related organizations.
Biography
Scientology
According to his official biography, Rathbun became a Church staff member in 1978, and joined the RTC board in 1987. The biography also credits him with having played a major role in various Church victories, including the negotiation of the Church's tax exemption agreement with the Internal Revenue Service in 1993. In 1998, Florida newspaper the St. Petersburg Times described Rathbun as "top lieutenant" to Scientology leader David Miscavige.
In 1997, The New York Times reported that according to an internal Scientology publication, Rathbun and Miscavige jump-started stalled negotiations over Scientology's tax status when they made an unscheduled visit to I.R.S. Commissioner Fred T. Goldberg, Jr. at the Internal Revenue Service headquarters in Washington in October 1991. The Church of Scientology and Rathbun later denied that there had been an unscheduled meeting between Goldberg, Rathbun and Miscavige that day. The Church said that "While an internal publication of three years ago does recount Mr. Miscavige approaching the I.R.S., it never states he was granted an unscheduled meeting on demand." Rathbun, in a separate letter to the New York Times, explained that the first meeting he and Miscavige had with Goldberg and other I.R.S. officials was approximately one month after their impromptu visit to the I.R.S. building.
As a Scientology spokesman, Rathbun commented to the same newspaper on the involvement of celebrities in Scientology, saying that "Scientology works for these people, and they just want to give to others what works for them. We don't give them a badge and send them out. They do it on their own." When discussing reluctance among some established churches to collaborate with Scientology under the umbrella of an interfaith organization, he was also quoted as saying that "Bigotry is born out of ignorance."
After Scientology
Rathbun left the Church of Scientology in 2004 and is providing counselling and auditing services for other former Scientologists. He emerged as a critical source in a St. Petersburg Times expose on the organization. This reporting series by the St. Petersburg Times titled: "Inside Scientology: The Truth Rundown" was recognized with honors including the 2010 Gold Medal for Public Service award from the Florida Society of News Editors, and was a finalist for the 2010 National Headliner Awards in the category of investigative reporting.
In late December 2009, his blog and email accounts were "hacked and hijacked." Rathbun restored his accounts shortly after.
References
- ^ "Mark Rathbun Inspector General Religious Technology Center". Religious Technology Center. Archived from the original on 2005-09-04. Retrieved 2007-02-26.
- "Matters of RTC concern", Religious Technology Center, 2006. Retrieved 2007-02-18
- Tobin, Thomas C. (1998-10-25). "The Man Behind Scientology". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Frantz, Douglas (1997-03-09). "Scientology's Puzzling Journey From Tax Rebel to Tax Exempt". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^ Frantz, Douglas (1997-03-19). "Scientology Denies an Account Of an Impromptu I.R.S. Meeting". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^ Frantz, Douglas (1998-02-13). "Scientology's Star Roster Enhances Image". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- About page, Mark Rathbun blog
- Marty Rathbun exit counselor, Xenu TV.
- "Scientology: The Truth Rundown". St. Petersburg Times. 2009-07-21. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
- Sentinel Staff Report (June 18, 2010). "Orlando Sentinel wins 17 awards from Florida Society of News Editors". Orlando Sentinel. Florida: www.orlandosentinel.com. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
- Florida Society of News Editors (June 18, 2010). "FSNE Gold Medal for Public Service". FSNE 2010 Journalism Awards. Florida: fsne.org. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
Inside Scientology - The St. Petersburg Times reporting on the Church of Scientology is in the finest traditions of American journalism. The reporting by Joseph Childs and Thomas Tobin stands out for the ways in which it held accountable the powerful.
{{cite news}}:|last=has generic name (help) - "Winners of 76th Annual National Headliner Awards". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. March 24, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- "Print Division - Daily Newspapers and News Syndicates - Writing & Reporting". National Headliner Awards. www.nationalheadlinerawards.com. 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- Ortega, Tony (Dec 30, 2009). "Ex-Scientology Official Scrambles As His Blog Gets Hacked". Village Voice. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - Rathbun, Marty (January 13, 2010). "Latest OSA cyber terrorism backfires again". Village Voice. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
Further reading
- Frantz, Douglas (1997-12-31). "$12.5 Million Deal With I.R.S. Lifted Cloud Over Scientologists". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Lyman, Rick (2000-05-11). "'Battlefield Earth': Film Dogged by Links to Scientology Founder". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Tobin, Thomas C. (2000-02-23). "Church member's death now called accident". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Morgan, Lucy (1998-01-28). "Hardball: When Scientology goes to court, it likes to play rough -- very rough". Special Report. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Tobin, Thomas C. (2000-02-06). "How much oddity can one town take?". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Dahl, David (1993-10-24). "IRS examined Scientology dollars, not dogma". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Garcia, Wayne (1993-10-13). "IRS: Scientology is tax-exempt religion". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Morgan, Lucy (1998-08-03). "Millionaire's bizarre feud with Scientology escalates". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Labaton, Stephen (1993-10-14). "Scientologists Granted Tax Exemption by the U.S." New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Frantz, Douglas (1997-03-19). "Scientology Denies an Account Of an Impromptu I.R.S. Meeting". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Koff, Stephen (1988-12-22). "Scientology church faces new claims of harassment". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Tobin, Thomas C. (2000-01-06). "Scientology foe sets up office close to church". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Morgan, Lucy (1998-01-28). "Scientology: 'We like to make peace'". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Tobin, Thomas C. (2000-06-13). "State drops charges against Scientology". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- Tobin, Thomas C. (1998-10-25). "The Man Behind Scientology". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- "Scientology: The Truth Rundown". St. Petersburg Times. 2009-06-21. Retrieved 2009-06-21.