Why I'm Right About Tom Cruise
I am delighted that my book will be debuting at number one on the New York Times list. When readers strip away the hysteria and distortion surrounding my biography they appreciate it as the story of one man's journey. Millions of Americans were confused and bewildered by the change in Tom Cruise from the all-American action hero and boy next door to a bombastic finger-jabbing didact. My biography of the man Forbes described as the most powerful celebrity in the world is an attempt to describe his journey, focusing on his personal life and in particular his association with Scientology.
I am willing to wager that the Hollywood friends of Tom -- some of them the same people who signed an open letter at his behest attacking Germany for banning Scientology in terms so crude that the State Department publicly rebuked them -- never read a page of my book before they paraded themselves on the pages of People magazine to condemn it. If they had, they would see that Tom Cruise is described as a loving hands-on father and a incorrigible romantic. And just as it is Tom's right to express his disgust at psychiatry, his belief in saunas and vitamins as a cure for mental illness and so on, it is our right to question and examine his beliefs especially when he uses his celebrity to gain access to the movers and shakers in Washington and around the world to promote his cause.
Since the book's publication I have been heartened by the many call ands emails from associates of Tom Cruise and former high ranking Scientologists who have not only confirmed the accuracy of the book's thesis but added more stories, anecdotes and insights that give more flavour to my account. More than that a lot of people who were cowed into silence by Tom Cruise and Scientologist now have the courage to speak out.
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Whenever I see Scientologists in the NYC subway (giving free "stress tests"), I run like hell.
Scientologists take advantage of very gullible celebrites with deep pockets and shallow puddles for brains.
Hail Xenu!
First of all the nonsense about aliens was
all fabricated by Scientology to get the
tax exemption from the IRS. If some of
the stupid ones in Scientology actually
believe that stuff let them believe it.
The fact is that not all do. Hubbard
figured if the Mormons could get away
with it why not him. The stupider the better.
The weirder you make it the more you resemble
"mainstream" religion. I am not part of
either demographic but more power to
Elrod Hubbard and Joe Smith. It's another
fact that many people made money borrowing
human potential methods from Scientologists
and then forming their own organizations
apart from Scientology. 20 yrs after
taking 2 courses they found me and sent
a copy of The Source magazine. Right in
the garbage.
Notapathetic said: The amount of money Scientologists donate is less than many long-term Church-goers send in to their Churches.A steady 10% tithe, over a lifetime, isn't a lot of money for most churches.???huh?
Excuse me? There are hundreds of thousands of poor hispanics who donate to the Catholic church and 1/10 of their annual income could be around $1500, right? My mother donated 10% to Ted Armstrong's church for years and our family lived on less than $20k a year!
When a celebrity (Bart's voice on the Simpsons) gives $10,000,000.00 to Scientology that is no small 10% like other religions receive.
You're way off base about how much money is given to other churches. It takes ALOT of tithers to support a church. It takes a few rich celebrities to keep Scientology on the front pages.
All this talk about what "all" religions say and how "all" religions are "whacked" out. For the record, here is what the Quran says Muslims should say to those who don't believe as they do:
Sura 109 (Chapter) Al Kaffiruun, The Disbelievers,
1. Say: O ye that reject Faith!
2. I worship not that which ye worship,
3. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
4. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship,
5. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
6. To you be your Way, and to me mine.
One should not attempt to speak authoritatively and thereby normatively about that which they only speculate or follow the dictates of conventional (un)wisdom. A deeper issue is, now if only Muslims could believe and put this into practice as well.
If you check earlier posts, you can see I put out a friendly challenge for some serious evidence of regarding various scientology practices.....still no answer.....as usual....
Andrew Morton is stretching the truth a wee bit regarding his "research" for the Tom Cruise book. Morton could not publish the book in England or Australia simply because the laws in these countrys require a relative high level of truthfullness, Morton could not substantiate most of the bizarre statements and characterizations of Mr. Cruise and his parishioner life as a member of Scientology; he would have lost his knickers in the legal arena and he knows it. Morton may not yet get off scot-free. Many in Hollywood refused to open the cover of the "biography" not because "they were afraid" as Morton asserted but they actually know, love and admire Tom Cruise and know the man as Mr. Morton so vaccuously does not. Mr. Morton is flat out wrong and his stretch on the "Rosemary's baby" statement was an over-the-top laugher; many media types saw through the charade and kept him at arms length. In his PR appearances he plodded along keeping a straight face throughout. Factually this is a scummy-laden effor full of swipes and innuendoes of Mr. Cruise and his paucity of real facts appear to be more like a first stike in a witchhunt campaign than an "objective" look at the very successful life of Tom Cruise. Lastly, the well-timed theft and deliberately edited release of a video of a private church awards ceremony honoring Tom Cruise and others appears to have stirred things up in favor of Mr. Morton book sales but casts a shadow over this ragged effort.
What I don't understand is how Scientology is any different from any other religion - they all posit insane theories about how the earth was made, where man came from and his destiny. So Tom Cruise is a worldwide known actor espousing his beliefs...how is that different from Huckabee saying evolution is bunk...and this man is running for President! People, get some perspective...all religion is idiotic and mythical and its only reason is to cow the masses into subservience...
Count me in as someone who thought Mr. Cruise was overrated even before the Oprah couch-jumping episode. I thought him to be manic, overbearing and generally annoying. I always expect his big smile to turn into a leer and his big fake laugh to turn into a scream of hysteria. There's something scary - or scared - under that veneer at the surface.
Also count me as a person who goes out of her way to NOT see any of his films, and who thinks twice about spending money on United Artists productions.
I believe science, I do not believe *in* science fiction. Mr. Cruise has the right to preach his sermons at me about post partum depression and his vitamins, space deities and 'auditing', then I have the right to refuse him access to my money for shoving his beliefs down my throat at every opportunity.
I can't wait until your ass gets sued Mr. Morton. All you have done is made Tom Cruise $150 million dollars richer.
I don't care how crazy Scientology is, but your sick and outrageous claims against Nicole Kidman, Katie Holmes, and little Suri Cruise is foul and disgusting.
Also this has been driving more people to explore Scientology more. In effect its also creating new members to the Church. Maybe Tom won't sue you after all.
Here are some things that are not easily known about Scientology:
1. Lumping all Scientologists into the one opinion is like thinking that "Catholic" and "Priest" are the same. Less than 1% are full-time staff intensely involved.
2. The amount of money Scientologists donate is less than many long-term Church-goers send in to their Churches. A steady 10% tithe, over a lifetime, is a lot of money.
3. Every religion has stories such as parting the Red Sea or turning water into wine. In the case of Scientology the stories that seem far-fetched are used to guide a person to a point at which he recognizes that he is the cause of his own experiences. Whether the stories are fact or fiction, they serve the same purpose as any parable. They are teaching tools.
6. Scientology does require that a person linked to someone who is against his particiption either A. repair the relationship or B. sever the connection to the person who is opposing him. Common sense will tell you that if you had some goal and someone in your life was continually trying to dissuade you, you would have to either A. fix the situation, or B. tell the person you didn't want them around. The alternative is giving up the goal, which is also your choice.
7. I have been involved as a non-staff Scientologist for over forty years. I have seen over-zealous types who have treated others poorly. The A--holes are few, but are often the ones who hate the Church after they leave or are shown the door. Generally, the other people who oppose the Church (like the dude who wrote the book) are folks who get negative information from the first bunch. Lastly, there are people who legitimately received injustice and haven't been reconciled. I hope that is rectified.
The bottom line is that for many thousands of people, Scientology techniques applied correctly bring about a tremendous resurgence in vitality, happiness, and a zest for living...and is just a hell of a lot of fun.
As much doom and gloom as pundits predict for America, there can be no more telling death-knell of the American spirit than the chorus of reporter and columnist voices ridiculing a speech in which a man salutes the value of life as an adventure, points out that responsible people owe help to others, and exhorts us all to do more for the planet and our fellows.
If the people who excoriate Cruise for those ideas shape the opinions of America, then we won't last another four score and one
When the subject of Scientology comes up it is usually followed by the "freedom of religion' argument. Is it really a religion or a money making pyramid scheme (with all the money trickling up, not down)?? At the top of the pyramid is Author Services Inc a FOR-profit company. This is how Scientology have websites shut down - anyone (even News organisations) who publish any Scientology material get slapped with a copyright lawsuit (or threat of one).
I'd encourage everyone to google 'Panarama' and 'Scientology' to watch the excellent documentaries this UK TV co have put together over the years. The Scientology recruitment methods are not benign.
NB - Scientology are not recognised as Church in the UK, and are banned in Germany.
.
Mr. Morton,
.
Our club had a very difficult time raising money to buy this book of yours, and finally after 3 weeks, we finally did. I had to put an extra 32 cents to cover for the taxes.
.
The book was circulated amongst our members, and finally, we got together for the discussion.
.
We decided to burn it !
Frankly I never understood his 'star power' much less his religious influence. I think he's overrated as an actor and I can't remember much about his roles other than the 'Risky Business' scene dancing in shirt and sox. I heard a lotta of his movies were supposed to be big huge star makers but I think they were kinda flops-Eyes Wide Shut and War Of the Worlds remake.
not to post endlessly, but I don't want to make that claim about Niacin w/out providing an example of Hubbards ignorance in this matter. there is no shame in being wrong (except for Hubbard, since he pretended he knew things he didn't know) here. truth is the best sunshine and antidote.
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/junkscience.htm
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Posted January 28, 2008 | 02:39 PM (EST)