How the shadow of Scientology will inevitably loom large over Danny Masterson’s rape trial

The shadow of Scientology will inevitably be large over Danny Masterson’s rape trial when the evidence finally kicks in next week, a former leading member of the Church has told DailyMail.com.

With former member Lisa Marie Presley now slated to take the witness stand, the controversial church can’t avoid coming to the front of the trial, said Mike Rinder, who was only six when his parents joined the church and he was a billion years had to sign contract.

Instead, the trial will become Scientology’s worst nightmare, said Rinder, who co-hosted an anti-Scientology documentary with former member Leah Remini.

The pair now host a podcast Scientology: Fair Game.

“Scientology has actual policies and doctrines instructing its members to destroy people – destroy their enemies – not cooperate with law enforcement and treat the justice system as an abusive system that is always wrong,” explained Rinder, who organization in 2007 after being a member for nearly 50 years.

“This is the great fear that Scientology has with the Masterson case, that a lot of this information will come out in the course of Danny Masterson’s prosecution.”

Last week, Judge Charlaine Olmeda insisted, “This is not going to be a Scientology trial,” and made it clear that she wanted to draw attention to the alleged sexual assaults.

The Church had tried unsuccessfully to delay the trial until after the LA mayoral election on Nov. 8, as both major candidates had placed ads attacking Scientology.

Masterson, 46, who rose to fame on That ’70s Show in the early 2000s, is accused of raping three women between 2001 and 2003. Evidence in his trial is expected to begin Tuesday.

54-year-old Presley and powerful Hollywood attorney Marty Singer – who once represented Masterson – have both been added to the list of witnesses to the prosecution in the case.

It is understood that Singer is being called in connection with an agreement that one of the women, in his own words, was forced to sign under pressure.

All three alleged victims were members of the Church at the time they allege Masterson attacked them.

One of the women said during an earlier hearing that she did not immediately report the attack because she knew the church would declare her an ‘oppressor’.

“My parents should disown me,” said the woman, who identifies DailyMail.com as Jane Doe 1.

“My friends, anyone I knew would disown me. I couldn’t talk to them… I could be lied to, cheated, stolen, harmed or destroyed.”

The Church of Scientology reportedly has a policy it calls a Fair Game when anyone who criticizes or a member can be attacked, and Rinder said the policy has been used against the three women.

“They definitely went after Masterson’s victims, there’s no doubt about it,” said Rinder, 67.

“Obstruction of witnesses, destruction of evidence and Scientology’s dirty laundry is what they fear at trial.”

The church did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rinder was one of the most senior members to ever leave Scientology. He served on the Church’s board of directors with the position of Executive Director of the Bureau of Special Affairs.

He said Jane Doe #1’s claims are to be believed. “This is what Scientology does, they tear families apart.

“I wasn’t even told about my own mother’s death. Scientology cut all my family ties after I escaped.

“They’re cheeky and anything but about compassion and the importance of family.”

He predicts that Scientology will eventually turn its back on Masterson after years of supporting him.

“Ultimately, Scientology will eventually have to distance itself from Danny Masterson,” he said. “They’ll have to say he was a bad egg somehow.

“But once they do, they know the potential is Danny Masterson will turn around and say, ‘Wait a minute, are you going to bother me now?’

“It will be a Mexican deadlock. Who’s going to s**t who first?

Rinder, who has been a frequent critic since he left Scientology, has just published a new memoir A Billion Years: My Escape From A Life In The Highest Ranks of Scientology.

He said he wants the book to be proof that it’s never too late to start over.

“I want people to know and understand that there is always the opportunity to change direction and start a new chapter in your life. It is possible to start again.’

“I also want people to understand that this is a toxic and coercive organization that hurts people every day and it needs to be stopped.”

He said the public has been dazzled by the big names — such as Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, Elisabeth Moss, John Travolta and Greta Van Susteren — that Scientology has attracted.

“I don’t want people to get lost in the gossip about famous Scientologists and miss the bigger picture that this is an organization that destroys ordinary people and families, takes money from people and abuses people.

“But that doesn’t happen with the celebrities,” Rinder added.

“It is a travesty that taxpayers in the United States subsidize Scientology’s activities because it is tax-exempt.

‘It is a second caricature, because that means that there is no overview of what they do with their money.

“They don’t have to give information about how much money they spend on private investigators, smears or lawyers or anyone,” explains Rinder.

“They’re hiding behind the First Amendment.”

Scientology has built a reputation that if you come after us in any way, we will forever tie you up in endless lawsuits involving dozens and dozens of lawyers and for that reason many will stay away.”

“Enough is enough, we need to do something about this because it’s just wrong,” said Rinder, whose two adult children and ex-wife no longer speak to him because they have stayed at church.