Editing Free Zone (Scientology) (section)

=== Later independent movements (1990s–present) ===

As well as organizations, there are also small groups of Scientologists outside the Church of Scientology who meet informally.{{r|lewis2013|p=265}} Some avoid establishing public centers and communities for fear of legal retribution from the Church, and there are Free Zone practitioners who practice what Aled Thomas calls a "very individualized form of Scientology", encouraging innovation with Hubbard's technology.{{r|thomas|pp=11, 96, 107}}

[[Marty Rathbun]] rose in the Church of Scientology to the post of Inspector General of the [[Religious Technology Center]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rtc.org/en_US/mark-rathbun.html |title=Mark Rathbun Inspector General Religious Technology Center |publisher=[[Religious Technology Center]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050904200333/http://www.rtc.org/en_US/mark-rathbun.html |archive-date=2005-09-04}}</ref> He defected in 2004 and disappeared for several years before reappearing and offering to provide Scientology auditing services.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tom Cruise's confessions mocked at Scientology parties |work=MSN NZ |publisher=MSN New Zealand Ltd |date=May 9, 2010 |url=http://entertainment.msn.co.nz/blog.aspx?blogentryid=644319&showcomments=true |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526192347/http://entertainment.msn.co.nz/blog.aspx?blogentryid=644319&showcomments=true |archive-date=May 26, 2010 |quote=Since defecting from the Church in 2004, Marty has made a career out of providing counselling and auditing services to other former Scientology members.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=26 September 2010|title=Mr Shouty and Cruise: The Rematch|work=[[The Sunday Times]]|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A238019293/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=e1e2c2c7|access-date=December 21, 2022 |first=John |last=Sweeney |author-link=John Sweeney (journalist)|quote=Marty Rathbun, who like Rinder is now an independent scientologist}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last1 = Tobin | first1 = Thomas C. | last2 = Childs | first2= Joe | title = In new year's message, Scientology insider blasts 'extreme' fundraising | date = January 1, 2012 | work = [[Tampa Bay Times]] | url = https://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/in-new-years-message-scientology-insider-blasts-extreme-fundraising/1208723/ | quote = Rathbun, now a leading figure in a movement for Scientologists to practice independently of the church ... | access-date = January 14, 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130625183722/http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/in-new-years-message-scientology-insider-blasts-extreme-fundraising/1208723 | archive-date = June 25, 2013 }}</ref> Reitman called Rathbun's activities a "virtual church" because of the sermonizing on his website.{{r|reitman|page=361-3}} He audited people in his home in Texas, and coined the term "Independent Scientology".<ref name="ortega2017">{{Cite web |title=Memories of a Scientology warrior: Marty Rathbun's curious career as church rebel |first=Tony |last=Ortega |author-link=Tony Ortega |date=March 14, 2017 |website=The Underground Bunker |url=https://tonyortega.org/2017/03/14/memories-of-a-scientology-warrior-marty-rathbuns-curious-career-as-church-rebel/}}</ref> But then years of [[Fair game (Scientology)|fair game]] harassment followed. In 2013, Rathbun stated he was "no longer a Scientologist, independent or otherwise", and Rathbun's wife filed a suit against the Church of Scientology in 2013.{{r|ortega2017}} After winning several legal bouts, the case was dropped in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/news/another-scientology-lawsuit-meets-a-strange-abrupt-end-in-texas-8424797 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610042105/https://www.houstonpress.com/news/another-scientology-lawsuit-meets-a-strange-abrupt-end-in-texas-8424797 |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |title=Another Scientology Lawsuit Meets a Strange, Abrupt End in Texas 
|last=Wray |first=Dianna |work=Houston Press |date=May 25, 2016}}</ref> Rathbun then started to criticize other prominent former Scientologists, including making videos against them which appeared in Church of Scientology advertisements, leading strongly to the conclusion that Rathbun had made some agreement with the Church.{{r|ortega2017}}

In 2012, a Scientology center in [[Haifa]], Israel, defected from the Church.{{r|lewis2013|p=264}}