Tom Cruise Vs. Mel Gibson - (Follywood loves Scientology and Islam; they get special treatment!)

A.I.M.ORG ^ | JULY 26, 2005 | CLIFF KINCAID

[CHARLITE]

We have commented on actor Tom Cruise using the media to preach the virtues of Scientology and the evils of psychiatry. He gave interviews about his new film, "War of the Worlds," as long as he was permitted to talk about his religion.

But Scientology not only has a base in Hollywood, it has enjoyed powerful friends in Washington. For years, Scientology fought a battle with the IRS because the government would not recognize its claim to be a religion. The IRS finally granted Scientology its desired status under President Bill Clinton, the recipient of massive donations from Hollywood.

Now it gets more interesting: Clinton helped the Church of Scientology in return for John Travolta, a member of Scientology, softening up his portrayal of the Clinton character in Primary Colors! Clinton and Travolta cut a deal. Travolta agreed to go easy on Clinton in the movie Primary Colors and Clinton reportedly agreed to use his influence to get the German government to leave Scientology alone.

Now why does Scientology get such a good press? One ex-Scientologist told me, "The reason the press treats them better than Christians is because Scientology will sue at the drop of a pejorative and they don't care if they lose the suit. They do it to punish detractors with the hassle of going through a lawsuit. The media knows this. Christians don't sue, so they are fair game."

Another religion that enjoys cordial relations with Hollywood is Islam.

In the movie version of Tom Clancy's book, The Sum of All Fears, the Islamic terrorists were transformed into European neo-Nazis.

[sageb1]

"It is an international organized crime ring, which demands huge amounts of money from its followers, and uses blackmail and extortion (and sometimes worse) to get it, if the followers don't fork over willingly -- and to keep them from leaving the fold after they figure out what's going on."

Exactly.

[MaineVoter2002]

I agree with you as far as the insitution goes. My comments are on their mind over matter theory which I believe is the power of God. I have a friend in California who went to a one on one meeting. He left quickly once the man started to strip off his clothes behind his desk in the office. I know the institution is corrupt because of what I have been told by someone who experienced it. That's a shame. But my comments in this thread are mostly on some of the beliefs not those who run the institution.

[SauronOfMordor]

Islam and Scientology have much in common

Call me when a bunch of Scientologists drive some planes into buildings, or slice off somebody's head

I don't often say this but: you are being completely stupid

[dfwgator]

I didn't say anything about flying planes into buildings or cutting off people's heads. Evil manifests itself in many different ways. I do believe that the elders in the Scientology movement fully intend to attempt to dominate the world. I also didn't say that today the Church of Scientology is the same threat as Islam. But conceivably through using influential people, such as actors, one day they could be in position to be such a threat. At one time, Islam was just a couple of rogues following Mohammed around raping and pillaging.

[King Prout]

sick'nin'...

but, otoh, I have little admiration for psychology, either.

[Sentis]

Want to see terrorists and Scientology get the portrayal they deserve in the Cinema? Come help us start the Conservative Hollywood.

Heres the link
http://www.boondockexpansionist.org/phpBB/

[Jacob Kell]

Actually, if you're referring to the Matt Lauer interview, all Lauer said was that Brooke Shields credited Paxil with helping her deal with a nasty case of post-partum depression. Cruise mentioned Ritalin first. Yes, we may be quick to prescribe drugs to kids who don't need them, and in those cases they don't do any good, quite the opposite I'd wager. However, Scientology isn't just opposed to that, it's against ALL psychiatry in general. Also, have you ever heard of Lisa McPherson?

[Jacob Kell]

Ordinary people were making fun of Tom's 'religion'. Entertainment Journalists, on the other hand, were another story altogether:

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/brentbozell/bb20050715.shtml

[bobwoodard]

The only person a Scientologist is likely to harm in the course of practicing their religious is themself.

I'd disagree with that.

The most publicized case regarding how the CoS can treat their believers is Lisa McPherson. Check out www.lisamcpherson.org.

CoS can be very hostile to people who attempt to leave the organization. Check out www.xenu.com for other examples of people have been harmed.

[Spktyr]

Again, though, that is confined to members of the CoS.

I don't see the CoS running around yelling the equivalent of "Jihad! Jihad!" and lopping off the heads of unbelievers that were never involved in the faith, do you?

[D-fendr]

Buddhism is all about "me, me, me."

Not buddhism, but Hollywood version of buddhism. But then the Hollywood version of everything is all about "me, me, me."

[Jacob Kell]

'But then the Hollywood version of everything is all about "me, me, me."'

Which is probably why Scientology has it's share of Hollywood supporters.

[bobwoodard]

Again, though, that is confined to members of the CoS.

Unfortunately not. If someone (even someone outside the CoS) is deemed a SP (suppressive person), the CoS security organization can (and has) gone after that person. LRH was very clear that there are no limits as to what can be done to discredit a SP (called Fair Game).

I don't see the CoS running around yelling the equivalent of "Jihad! Jihad!" and lopping off the heads of unbelievers that were never involved in the faith, do you?

Totally different subject, but the CoS has their own methods.

[brigada]

Before posting something to the public, why don't you get your information correct?
Everything you stated is incorrect.
Mel Gibson's church is not private-it is open to the public. If you are a faithful member of traditional Catholicism, you can attend.
He doesn't practice any form of Catholicism that isn't ANY different from Catholicism that was practiced forty years ago.
His priest has NOT been banished! Where did you get that information? If you are talking about Sommerville, he is not Gibson's priest.
Mel Gibson has totally repudiated having EVER said that about his wife. Read HELLO magazine March 9, 2004.
As far as his Father is concerned-What did you want him to do, disavow his father and break the 10 commandments. He is a loyal son-so get over it!
Everything you wrote about Mel Gibson is inaccurate!
Anything more you have to add?

[Austin Willard Wright]

Hey, I'm not defending Cruise. He's an idiot but even a painted clock is right twice a day.

I think that psychiatry is pseudo-science but I certainly wouldn't ban it anymore than I would ban witchdoctors or Benny Hinn-type faith healers.

I'm not against drugs either. If it makes Shields feel happy to take her pills, I say go for it. Heck, caffeine gets me going in the morning and a beer now and then relaxes me. Of course, I would never dream of calling my drugs of choice in these cases "medicine" or claiming that they "cure" a diseas.

[Jacob Kell]

Would you say that treating manic/depression with lithium is a "pseudo-science"?

BTW: Where did you learn that psychiatry is a "pseudo-science"?

[Austin Willard Wright]

Please tell one, just one, shrink who ever tested a a "patient" before giving him drugs for manic-depression.

Here is what typically happens. A patient comes to the shrink. The shrink asks some questions and then looks in the DSM manual. If the patient fits the symtoms described in the manual for a "disease" called manic-depression (one of these, btw, is denial of having manic depression!), he gets drugs....err "medicine". No real doctor treats his patients solely on the basis of symptoms but shrinks do it 100 percent of the time. Of course, the list of official diseases is changing all the time, often for political reasons. The best known example of homosexuality once considered an official dsm.

Let me also give you two personal experiences. I had two friends who were diagnosed for severe manic-depression by highly regarded shrinks. They were told that they would have be on drugs....er "medicine" for the rest of their lives. I met one and he was absolutely ardent on this, good "scientist" that he was.

Both of these friends had improvements in their lives and went of the drugs. Fifteen years later, both are drug free and doing fine. In then end, the shrink claim that they had to be lifelong dependents was proven nonsense. What kind of "science" is that?

Now....I know what you are going to say. You are going to say that all doctors make mistakes but I can assure you that both of these friends truly enganged in scary behavor which was apparently quite genuine including, in one case, multiple personalities. I doubt that any shrink would have acted otherwise.

As I said, I have no problem with drugs. They can make people feel happier and more relaxed.....just like I do when use such drugs as beer or caffeine to change moods. Just don't pretend they are medicine. Let's at least be honest.

[Austin Willard Wright]

If you are interested in reading more about the case against psychiatry, check out the work of Thomas Szasz, a professor of psychiatry at Cornell. Szasz (who is not too popular among his collegues) wrote The Myth of Mental Illness and other works debunking Psychiatry. There is also a website devoted to his thought. Again, Szasz speaks as an insider in the profession he debunks

: http://www.theszaszblog.blogspot.com/

[pekijones21]

Well this is not anything to offend the religion of Scientology, but as many may know John Travolta’s son sadly died from a seizure. And doing research he had cowosochis as a young toddler. And these seizure's was from the cowosochis and caused his death. Well my point is that I had cowosochis also a a toddler and I had treatment to keep me from having those siezures and save my life as i grew older. In scientology they dont believe in medicine but what if John Trovolta’s son had the same treatment I had as a young boy, he could still possibly be living. Other then that I really am very sad about the death of his son but all I’m saying is it really necessary to not use something that will save someones life?