Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief

[RedheadZombie]

The only gossip site I frequent was barraged by CO$ during the whole Holmes/Cruise divorce.  The site runners were pretty open about the onslaught of new posters, all vehemently defending Tom Cruise.  The conclusion was that it was one of Sea Org's duties to attack and defend these kind of stories on the internet.  I imagine they're doing the same now, but it's even less effective than it was a few years ago.

[Rick Kitchen]

Here's the Elron commercial:

 

[Jamoche]

Here's the Elron commercial:

 

That's the one. The third time it came on my mom and stepdad were in the room; Mom laughed derisively at it - she knew most of it was lies and she's never actively looked up any Scientology stuff, just picked it up here and there! Funny thing - my stepdad hadn't heard about the military stuff but was surprised that the pulp fiction part was true. Maybe they shouldn't push on the "used to turn out works of fiction in bulk" aspect...

[Kromm]

What the heck is that piece even selling though?  I mean if it was just a piece of video one saw if you go to Scientology's YouTube channel it would make sense as this little capsule about Elron (lies and all).  But you guys are saying you saw it, in this same form on TV.  So what's the POINT?  It doesn't even communicate what you're supposed to do now that you know who Hubbard is, how super-duper-awesome he supposedly is.

[WendyCR72]

L. Ron even has crazy eyes.

[Kromm]

As far as the pulp fiction part goes, even beyond his original run of stuff in the 50s, I personally remember that period when he was putting out this 10 volume series of super-thick novels (called "Mission Earth") that appeared in the front of every B. Dalton bookstore in the country back in the mid 80s.  Note that Hubbard died after Book 1 came out, so people always joked that it was Hubbard's ghost writing the other 9 books.  Little did most people (including myself back then) realize it WAS his ghost in a sense--the books publisher, Bridge Publications, was a wholely owned Scientology company so no doubt they were simply working from his notes and "ghosting" the rest.  I actually read a few back then, having no idea what Scientology was or that this L. Ron Hubbard person was anyone other than some Sci-Fi author who constantly seemed to rate the front area of a major bookstore, the first two I believe (which I got from a used bookstore, not from the expensive hard covered new editions in B. Daltons), and don't even recall WHY I bothered to read the second one after the first, because they SUCKED.  I mean I recall them as morally reprehensible, actually (very homophobic, for example).  Then again, I also read a chewed up used bookstore purchase of Battlefield Earth as well, and man if there's a worse book than that one, I don't know what it is.  The same used bookstore also had Dianetics (in a new, not used edition) but I never was even slightly tempted to buy it, even on credit from selling used books back to them (that was a "thing" back before e-books, ya know). 
 

Shockingly, apparently the second book (one of the ones I actually DID read) was Hugo nominated that year for Best Novel.  Which astonishes me.  I gotta think, in retrospect, that the CoS, although it was in a changeover period right after Hubbard's death and not fully into the engine that Miscaviage eventually made it into, bribed both the B. Dalton's execs to put those books up front, but also the Hugo nominating committee to get it nominated.

[Jamoche]

You don't have to bribe the Hugo nomination committee, it's pretty easy to get something on - all you need to vote is a "Supporting" membership, which usually costs about 25% of full Worldcon memberships. So if you've got a lot of money, ballot stuffing is easy. (Just look at this year's nominations).

 

As for the Dreckology making bestseller lists, they were buying them up in bulk, and then sending them back to the distributor - some bookstores got "new" shipments with other store's labels on them.

[Featherhat]

That first documentary is really cheesy I think. And it was like a car commercial or a random corporate "feel good about us" add which are always so vague. The shots of the e meter are really weird, and don't make me in the slightest bit interested in going to find out.

 

Legitimate religions can't WAIT to give you their spiritual texts/messages, they'll hand out Bibles or which holy book and explain their interpretation of everything for as long as you allow them to, and you won't have to pay for the privilege of this knowledge.

 

I was on the website of a random "spiritual pathway" (not sure how I stumbled onto it) and all I could find were vague promises of esoteric help and what you had to do to become a member and take a course AND HOW MUCH IT COST and I couldn't find a simple description of what they believed. That's when I realised it was a cult.  

[Snow Apple]

It's free HBO weekend so I'll be seeing this sooner than I thought. I'm not sure I want to see it so soon though, so I'll record it and decide later. It's funny how I have no problem reading about subjects like this but I have a hard time watching.

[lucindabelle]

That first documentary is really cheesy I think. And it was like a car commercial or a random corporate "feel good about us" add which are always so vague. The shots of the e meter are really weird, and don't make me in the slightest bit interested in going to find out.

 

Legitimate religions can't WAIT to give you their spiritual texts/messages, they'll hand out Bibles or which holy book and explain their interpretation of everything for as long as you allow them to, and you won't have to pay for the privilege of this knowledge.

 

I was on the website of a random "spiritual pathway" (not sure how I stumbled onto it) and all I could find were vague promises of esoteric help and what you had to do to become a member and take a course AND HOW MUCH IT COST and I couldn't find a simple description of what they believed. That's when I realised it was a cult.

Not all religions are evangelical though yes, they are transparent. Judaism is not evangelical so the "can't wait" thing strikes me as off. But no you don't have to pay to find out about it... You can google or just take out a library book.

[AndreaK1041]

Got to watch this on DirecTV free HBO weekend... my husband knows absolutely nothing about Scientology and was in shock.  He didn't understand at first that it was a documentary.  After we watched it, we went out for dinner and I pointed out to him the giant Scientology building which is directly adjacent to the new Sacramento Kings arena site.  Since they knocked down all the nearby buildings you can actually see how big that place is.  The first floor is all glass and looks like a fancy bookstore with very spread out shelves of what I assume are just multiple copies of Dianetics, and then there is always a person sitting at the info booth that you can see when you drive by.  This used to be a pretty shitty part of town that you would just drive by, but now with their prime arena-view location, they are actually going to get some foot traffic.  What I didn't see before is that the building is actually all theirs (I thought it was just the info desk part) with six floors of offices and whatnot.  GROSS.

 

ETA: Does anyone know why they use a cross-like symbol?  They have nothing remotely connected to Christianity, right? Just a case of not being very creative, or is it supposed to mean something?

Edited April 12, 2015 by AndreaK1041

[Zanne]

ETA: Does anyone know why they use a cross-like symbol?  They have nothing remotely connected to Christianity, right? Just a case of not being very creative, or is it supposed to mean something?

 

My guess is there is comfort in the familiar (the cross) for those who are new to the program and the star was added to cover the alien-ideology that comes further in.

[Kromm]

The size of their buildings is fascinating too, in the sense that if it EVER made sense, it no longer does.  At this point its got to be a disguise for their shrinking numbers--with those buildings virtually empty and some of their slave labor bopping around cleaning these big mostly empty offices.  Hmm, kind of a parallel for their entire organization if you think about it.  They've got so much money they can have these big money-sinks sitting there just to help them look important.

[AndreaK1041]

Yeah giant buildings, completely property tax free.  The land that is arena adjacent is extremely valuable now, and now it's not only a crazy cult infecting the minds of fine Sacramentans, but is also a drain on our city's economy.  GTFO, Scientology.

[revbfc]

My guess is there is comfort in the familiar (the cross) for those who are new to the program and the star was added to cover the alien-ideology that comes further in.

Also, it's a chaos symbol in disguise.

[Kromm]

We do have to remember that the person who came up with this was a huckster.  Of course he wanted familiar symbols.

 

Someone actually has populated Wikipedia with Scientology's supposed explanation for the thing:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_cross

 

There's some BS about it having 8 points instead of 4 and there being wacky meanings to that, but the real meat of the explanation is that Hubbard cribbed it from Aleister Crowley.  Surprise Surprise!

 

Hubby's:

 

 

Crowley's: Although it's use precedes Crowley--it's just worth noting that Crowley used it, and Hubbard was a known disciple of Crowley.  It's actually a Rosy Cross, a Qabbalist symbol--which, by the way, is NOT the same thing as Jewish Kabbalism--it's what happened when some German occultists back during the Renaissance got ahold of Kabbalism and made some even nuttier mix of it with lots of weird Jesuit teachings, then later in the 19th and early 20s centuries, a series of nuttier and nuttier people adapted it (with Crowley and then Hubbard certainly belonging in that company of nut bars).

 

Edited April 12, 2015 by Kromm

[AndreaK1041]

Oh I like that one much better. It's pretty colors and manages to look slightly phallic. Also I think Dan Brown could base an entire novel on it.

[AstaCharles]

The Crowley/Hubbard story would make an excellent Drunk History episode.

[dbklmt]

Documentary has spawned a new series that will feature the stories of other young Scientologists who grew up in the church and believe they have a unique view of it.

http://tonyortega.org/2015/04/14/announcing-a-new-video-series-the-stories-of-young-scientologists-not-told-in-going-clear/#more-21847

[Kromm]

I notice that article also links to the latest episode of Alec Baldwin's podcast/radio show "Here's The Thing", which takes on, in part, Scientology, with Lawrence Wright as the guest.

Here's a direct link here for our convenience:

http://www.wnyc.org/audio/m3u/444683/

Edited April 15, 2015 by Kromm

[Kromm]

Wow.  Not just Baldwin.  It's Scientology Podcast Week apparently.  Paul F. Tompkins BRILLIANT Podcast, The Dead Authors Podcast had an interesting Dead Author choice this week.  L. Ron Hubbard! (it's actually part I of II--so more is coming too).

 

Suffice it to say Tompkins is not the type to pull his punches (nor is Andy Daly, who's playing the role of Elron).

 

You can listen to it here:  http://thedeadauthorspodcast.libsyn.com/chapter-45-part-1-l-ron-hubbard-featuring-andrew-daly

BTW: if it's not clear to those who've never heard The Dead Author's Podcast, the premise is that H.G. Wells, played by Tompkins, travels through time to bring a Dead Author to the present to be comedically interviewed in front of an audience.

[Josette]

Investigation Discovery has a series called Dangerous Persuasions about people who fell prey to controlling people or groups.  The newest episode was about Mark "Marty" Rathbun.  It gave information about how and why he got into Scientology and how he got out.  Also, a lot of stuff about the ways Scientology tries to keep members from escaping. 

 

The IRS really needs to revoke their tax exemption status.

[Taylorh2]

I watched Dangerous Persuasion last night. The whole having to "escape" instead just being able to leave anytime that you wanted to is a huge problem. Has anything  ever done about that ?  My son said "mom, you know that's a cult"   YEP.

 

I wonder if any government agencies ever looked into that?

[Kromm]

Investigation Discovery has a series called Dangerous Persuasions about people who fell prey to controlling people or groups.  The newest episode was about Mark "Marty" Rathbun.  It gave information about how and why he got into Scientology and how he got out.  Also, a lot of stuff about the ways Scientology tries to keep members from escaping. 

 

The IRS really needs to revoke their tax exemption status.

I keep seeing people say this--not just here but over the years all over the Internet.

 

It's just not going to happen by itself.  The IRS seems to do very little to suspend tax exempt status of 501c3s, but keep in mind that they're not going to do ANYTHING without complaints being filed against the organization.   

 

The form is this one:  http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

 

And you need to know stuff like their EIN, their actual official address, and tie it specifically to dollar amounts and specific people.  And have a specific complaint that actually violates IRS rules (there's an "other" box there but for them to take it seriously it really does have to tie back to either a provable financial abuse or a provable political one).

 

And then... likely a few thousand other people would probably need to file the same thing, I'd bet, for the IRS to not be able to ignore it.

 

Online petitions like this one:  https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/revoke-scientologys-tax-exempt-status

 

Might not HURT, but all they really do is draw the attention of politicians to put additional pressure on the IRS. But as icky as the CoS seems, would ANY politician really want to be the one to stick their neck out and risk being labeled as religiously intolerant?   I suppose it's possible that if pressured enough, Obama could lame duck write an Executive Order requesting an IRS investigation.  I suppose that's the reasoning behind that one petition above being at whitehouse.gov's site.  But the actual official civilian complaints are probably just as necessary.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Kromm

[absnow54]

I watched this again after reading "Inside Scientology" and no wonder they didn't mention Lisa McPherson! All the high up, former Scientologists they interviewed for the documentary had blood red hands from that incident. I haven't read "Going Clear" but I agree with everyone else, this documentary really glossed over a lot of the crazy stuff going on. Especially LRH's insane back story and Miscaviage's rise to power where he essentially replaced Elron's entire executive team. 

[revbfc]

Wow. Not just Baldwin. It's Scientology Podcast Week apparently. Paul F. Tompkins BRILLIANT Podcast, The Dead Authors Podcast had an interesting Dead Author choice this week. L. Ron Hubbard! (it's actually part I of II--so more is coming too).

Suffice it to say Tompkins is not the type to pull his punches (nor is Andy Daly, who's playing the role of Elron).

You can listen to it here: http://thedeadauthorspodcast.libsyn.com/chapter-45-part-1-l-ron-hubbard-featuring-andrew-daly

BTW: if it's not clear to those who've never heard The Dead Author's Podcast, the premise is that H.G. Wells, played by Tompkins, travels through time to bring a Dead Author to the present to be comedically interviewed in front of an audience.

One of the funniest things I've listened to in the last 12 months. I always knew Andrew Daly was funny, but his L Ron is now legend in my mind.

[Kromm]

One of the funniest things I've listened to in the last 12 months. I always knew Andrew Daly was funny, but his L Ron is now legend in my mind.

I look forward to Part 2 quite strongly now myself. 

 

Sometimes the fake "authors" really fake most of being the author. But Daly knew JUST enough about Hubbard and Scientology to drop a ton of valid references.  But another good decision is that he didn't get too caught up in literally playing Hubbard.  There's plenty of wiggle room which he used to make Elron an even broader character.

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

Tom Cruise is 52.

Katie Holmes is 37.

Nicole Kidman is five years younger than Tom Cruise. Women usually live longer lives than men.

I'm hoping both of these ladies are waiting to pen a book about their lives with and divorces from Tom Cruise and their experiences with Scientology after his death.

Edited April 26, 2015 by MyPeopleAreNordic

[Kromm]

Tom Cruise is 52.

Katie Holmes is 37.

Nicole Kidman is five years younger than Tom Cruise. Women usually live longer lives than men.

I'm hoping both of these ladies are waiting to pen a book about their lives with and divorces from Tom Cruise and their experiences with Scientology after his death.

Why is his death the triggering event?  If we believe the CoS itself and their tactics overall, is the main threat, that's bracketed timewise by the successful lifetime of their organization.  If you believe the SPECIFIC threat is to their kids (custody in other words), that's controlled by the age of the kids and their 18th birthdays.  If the controlling aspect are Non-Disclosure agreements, that's bound not by the lifetime of Cruise or even the CoS, but by the two women's own lifetimes (or a pre-decided time limit on the NDAs, but I can't see the CoS having allowed any term but life--heh... well... unless it's "a billion years").

 

And honestly I don't think either Holmes OR Kidman are types to write tell all books anyway.  Kidman comes off as very private outside of her necessary celebrity, and Holmes probably has her own secrets to keep (it's not like she went into the marriage any kind of total innocent--she basically signed a Devil's Bargain and why would she want to have that publicly outed?)

[MyPeopleAreNordic]

I'm assuming they signed non-disclosure agreements that they might be free from when Tom eventually passes away.

[bmoore4026]

Don't know if it goes here, but here's a satirical take on ol' L. Ron

 

http://thedeadauthorspodcast.libsyn.com/chapter-45-part-1-l-ron-hubbard-featuring-andrew-daly

[Kromm]

Don't know if it goes here, but here's a satirical take on ol' L. Ron

 

http://thedeadauthorspodcast.libsyn.com/chapter-45-part-1-l-ron-hubbard-featuring-andrew-daly

Sure it belongs here.  Which err... is why it's upthread about 10 posts back!

 

No harm in getting more people to listen though.  It's funny enough to merit that.

[bmoore4026]

Sure it belongs here.  Which err... is why it's upthread about 10 posts back!

 

No harm in getting more people to listen though.  It's funny enough to merit that.

 

Didn't know this.  Sorry. This is what I get for not being thorough.

Edited April 27, 2015 by bmoore4026

[Sir RaiderDuck OMS]

Travolta seemed like a weirdo LONG before the Cruise couch jumping.  He was overwhelmingly liked for Pulp Fiction, it's true, and probably all the way through Face/Off, but the weirdness started to pile up.  Note he made Battlefield Earth in 2000.

It's also worth noting that after a long decline that began in the early 1980s, John Travolta was considered something of a joke: he was reduced to playing straight man to a bunch of talking babies and animals in the Look Who's Talking films. Pulp Fiction brought him back in a big way and Face/Off kept it going, but thinking he's been a big movie star for the last four decades is simply incorrect.

 

Note that Hubbard died after Book 1 came out, so people always joked that it was Hubbard's ghost writing the other 9 books.  Little did most people (including myself back then) realize it WAS his ghost in a sense--the books publisher, Bridge Publications, was a wholely owned Scientology company so no doubt they were simply working from his notes and "ghosting" the rest.  I actually read a few back then, having no idea what Scientology was or that this L. Ron Hubbard person was anyone other than some Sci-Fi author who constantly seemed to rate the front area of a major bookstore, the first two I believe (which I got from a used bookstore, not from the expensive hard covered new editions in B. Daltons), and don't even recall WHY I bothered to read the second one after the first, because they SUCKED.

To be fair, I've read two of Hubbard's earlier novels: Fear is a pretty good horror novel (with praise on its front cover from Stephen King of all people, which is exactly why I bought it) and Final Blackout, while not the classic its back cover would have you believe, is a pleasant enough page-turner.

[fliptopbox]

I haven't been able to catch this when it aired (didn't get HBO till recently) and it's not on demand. Is it available to stream anywhere online?

[grawlix]

I haven't been able to catch this when it aired (didn't get HBO till recently) and it's not on demand. Is it available to stream anywhere online?

 

If you have HBO, you can view it on the HBOGO.com website

[fastiller]

Leah Remini Opens Up About the 'Hard Repercussions' of Leaving Scientology.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Going Clear was nominated in the following Emmy categories:

DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL

OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING

Edited July 16, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Kromm]

Leah Remini Opens Up About the 'Hard Repercussions' of Leaving Scientology.

I don't normally watch her show (which I think has mostly ignored the Scientology stuff) but I watched that one episode and she does talk fairly directly and clearly about it.  As do the whole family and a group of her friends who also left.  It was actually surprisingly effective.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Kromm

[Hanahope]

I finally caught this on HBO and read the thread.

 

My first thought when I saw the E-meter thing was that it looked like two tin cans hooked together by a set of roach clips.  Seriously, it looked like something made by a kid in his parents garage.

 

I don't sympathize or blame Katie Holmes for her situation.  I'm sure she/her father had some knowledge that the relationship/arrangement was not completely legit (see big ass pre-nup), but probably didn't know the whole nine yards with the details on Scientology from the inside.  That said, gotta hand it to her and her dad for sticking it to CoS and Cruise.  They should have known that if they wanted a robot, they should have stuck with their own born/bred ones.

 

I had heard some of the bad things about Scientology, mostly just the huge sums of money needed for their auditing that was required, and that it was cult-like because there was some alleged brainwashing and it was difficult to leave. I also heard a bit of the gossip surrounding Cruise's divorce from Kidman, and 'auditioning' for a new girlfriend. I had not heard about the human cruelty, the Sea-org slaves, the hole, the harassment, blackmail and defamation (though I presume the info used to discredit former members may not technically be defamation if it was true events learned in the auditing sessions, but it probably was slanted in the worst possible way).

 

I do sortof wonder what those that stay are getting out of it now, presumably since most have reached "clear" (which seemed to be the only potentially helpful part) and have gone beyond.  Is it just fear of their 'secrets' getting out?  Are any really that bad that most people wouldn't think that it was good at least that they are not longer involved with the asylum inmates?  Maybe the celebs got some career boost, but really other than Cruise and a to a minor extent Travolta and Will Smith, it doesn't seem like the church is doing all the much for most of the other careers.  For my own part, I never pay directly to see a Cruise movie, I always wait for Netflix or HBO.

 

I don't know whether to be impressed or sickened that the CoS bullied the IRS into giving it tax exempt status.  I definitely don't see it going away anytime soon, unless there is a complete overhaul of the code that affects televangelists too (go John Oliver!!).

[fastiller]

As far as the pulp fiction part goes,

 

I see what you did there.

 

I don't normally watch [Leah Remini's] show (which I think has mostly ignored the Scientology stuff) but I watched that one episode and she does talk fairly directly and clearly about it.  As do the whole family and a group of her friends who also left.  It was actually surprisingly effective.

I thought so too.  This ep was the only one I watched and it really did bring home just how screwy Co$ is.

[MissT]

Well, this interview looks like it's going to be interesting.  I respect Leah Remini for coming out and being honest about the whole cult.  She seems to be in a better place. Also, it confirmed why I really can't stand Tom Cruise even more.

 

http://www.redbookmag.com/life/friends-family/news/a40557/leah-remini-scientology-tom-cruise/

Edited October 26, 2015 by MissT

[CherryMalotte]

Going Clear has been shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Awards.  I don't see it winning, but still a big deal. 

Edited December 11, 2015 by CherryMalotte

[Milburn Stone]

Going Clear has been shortlisted for the 2016 Academy Awards.  I don't see it winning, but still a big deal. 

 

I wonder on what basis it is considered a "movie" as opposed to a "tv show."

[CherryMalotte]

I wonder on what basis it is considered a "movie" as opposed to a "tv show."

 

I want to say it did actually play at Sundance and some of the other film festivals early last spring so it did qualify.  

[Milburn Stone]

I want to say it did actually play at Sundance and some of the other film festivals early last spring so it did qualify.  

 

You're no doubt right. Makes me think the Academy should change its rules, to require that a film have actual theatrical distribution to be considered a movie. (And no cheating, like opening it in LA for a week with no intention of opening it anywhere else.)

[CaughtOnTape]

I recently watched this On Demand.

 

I'm terrified.

 

I'm so curious but I'm scared to even Google anything.  What if they see and come knocking?  *shudders*

[biakbiak]

You're no doubt right. Makes me think the Academy should change its rules, to require that a film have actual theatrical distribution to be considered a movie. (And no cheating, like opening it in LA for a week with no intention of opening it anywhere else.)

It fell into the rules because it was released in theaters in NY, LA and SF two weeks before it premiered on HBO.

[Milburn Stone]

It fell into the rules because it was released in theaters in NY, LA and SF two weeks before it premiered on HBO.

 

I think that's what's known as gaming the system.

[paramitch]

You're no doubt right. Makes me think the Academy should change its rules, to require that a film have actual theatrical distribution to be considered a movie. (And no cheating, like opening it in LA for a week with no intention of opening it anywhere else.)

 

How? It's already incredibly hard for documentary filmmakers to get seen. How is this movie "gaming the system" when it bucked a billion-dollar cult and dared to get shown on movie screens, even in limited release? These people worked to get every inch of footage, every second of coverage, on this screen despite the opposition of a formidable world financial power. They deserve to be seen and considered.

 

As for me, I am a fan of the opposite, of people who make worthy films either documentary or fictional and getting them seen HOWEVER they need to be. Cent by cent. Screen by screen. If one screen shows it and it's brilliant? Heck yeah, nominate that sucker! The world's lenses shrink day by day and it's harder and harder day by day for those without major studios behind them to be seen or considered.

 

So, honestly, I'm so glad this is being considered for major awards and it should be. Should it win? Artistically, my vote is no -- it didn't go far enough. But that doesn't mean I'm not glad I watched it (and I'll always be haunted by the sequence in which we find that Hubbard beat his wife for his impression that she was DREAMING about someone else! WTF??!!).

 

For millions, this movie was an eye-opening experience that awakened them to the idea that a sweet and adorable (if slightly kooky) movie star (Hi Tom! Still think you're awesome if in need of some therapy!) is actively living and working with the idea that he is the world's chosen one. And that idea should disturb anyone. And I'm saying this -- again -- as someone who likes Tom Cruise. (But, sweetie, please find a less toxic outlet for your self-affirmation PRONTO. Thanks!)

 

Speaking of Mr. Cruise, I was dismayed this Fall at several stories (granted, per Remini) that seemed to very much support the idea that Cruise is not a puppet, but was very arrogant with service personnel (and of course SCIENTOLOGY slaves) about their role in his life. I was struck by several that noted he said by gesturing:

 

<above his head>: LRH is here.

<at his head>: Miscavige and I are here.

<waist height>: You are here. 

 

It made me sad. My Mom met his Mom in Florida  a few times and he was so generous that I've been an apologist for him for years, thinking he was an unwitting pawn (the perfect kind for Scientology -- smart but perhaps with little education, a traumatic childhood and constant need for ego support), but I'm sad to learn he seems to actively support it all. Sigh. I do still like him as a performer. But I certainly don't want to support him in how he lives or to even directly imply that subjugation of other people is okay. EVER. It grosses me out. He already has everything -- and more -- a person could wish for. Looks, unimaginable riches, constant appreciation and approbation. Must he step on others to move forward? Imagine the horror if he ever actually looks at himself and what he's flourishing on, day by day... It's really really upsetting. Yet I do hope he gets some understanding -- another friend saw him stuff thousands into a charity box for a little girl years back (I don't think media mentioned it much) and I still wonder -- which is the real Tom Cruise? 

 

At least Daniel Craig appears to be reasonably sane (and my gossip mag friends who have met him say he's humble and divine and smells lovely. And no sign of Scientology support in sight. Fingers crossed.

 

Bleah. Cults, man. Seriously. We're all better off leaving aliens out of it and simply blaming our own stupid human selves.