Tom Cruise's Behavior and Scientology: A Link?

ABC News ^ | 8-24-06 | BILL BLAKEMORE

[Central Scrutiniser]

Tom Cruise's Behavior and Scientology: A Link?

The Debate Continues As the Controversial Religion Thrives

By BILL BLAKEMORE

Aug. 24, 2006 — - "In my opinion," says Rick Ross, who has spent years studying cults and religious groups, "(Tom Cruise's) meltdown is likely attributable to Scientology. He's made some bad career choices lately. He's damaged goods. How do you go from the world's biggest movie star to someone Viacom dumps?"

The New York Times this morning said simply that Cruise has gone "into full Scientology mode." Indeed, his recent responses to Matt Lauer, inveighing against modern psychiatric care, reflect Scientology's claim that its own methods of "auditing" people to get them "clear" are the only true way to win genuine happiness. And some non-Scientologists wonder if Cruise's jump up onto Oprah's couch was a demonstration of the self confidence granted when one gets "clear."

Once again, the public spotlight swings to the unusual religion of Scientology. It was started some 50 years ago by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and based (by all accounts) on a story that includes intergalactic tribulations long ago between extraterrestrials and a cruel emperor named Xenu.

Not for the first time, does this notoriety exist. "A hugely profitable global racket that survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner ... a depraved, yet thriving enterprise" is how Time magazine's in-depth investigative cover story put it in 1991.

Tax Exempt Status For Scientology

And as recently as this February, an in-depth examination in Rolling Stone laid out details of "America's most controversial religion" -- but religion, nonetheless, which is part of the reason the IRS, after years of examining Scientology's massive and complicated coffers, had to acknowledge tax-exempt status, finally won by the group in the early 1990's on the grounds that it was a charitable organization.

"Scientology made significant inroads into Congress during the Clinton administration," says sociologist Stephen A. Kent at the University of Alberta. "Other governments including the U.K., France and Germany have not given Scientology tax exempt status," he says.

Kent says that, following contacts between Scientologist John Travolta and President Clinton, the U.S. State Department became an advocate in Germany on behalf of Scientology.

Cult expert Ross says the Germans are extremely wary of Scientology, and consider it a fascist organization.

Kent adds that active lobbying on Capitol Hill got prominent Scientologists -- including musicians Isaac Hayes and Chick Correa, as well as actor Travolta -- before congressional committees.

And during the current Bush administration? Professor Kent cites a 4:30 pm meeting listed on the official schedule of Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage on June 13, 2003 with Tom Cruise and Scientology official Kurt Weiland.

Scientology's Membership Discrepancy

But Scientology's claims that it is growing steadily around the globe -- they sometimes claim as many as 8 million to 10 million members worldwide in dozens of countries -- are derided by its critics.

"If I had to guess, I might say, perhaps, 150,000," says Kent, whose website archives some of his studies of the group.

Both Kent and cult expert Ross believe that Scientology is, in fact, shrinking and falling on relatively hard times.

"The exposure that comes through the Internet," says Kent, "seems to have had a negative impact on Scientology."

Ross's extensive archives on various cult and cult-like groups, including many on Scientology, can be found here. They have extensive documentation that tends to substantiate the charges that have been made repeatedly and continually in the press over the years.

Those charges include that Scientology requires new members to sign releases that give the church permission to keep them from conventional psychiatric care; to withhold its own records of members' case histories; and even, to keep members locked up if the church deems they are in need of Scientology's particular form of personal care.

ABC News has contacted the church of Scientology for comment and interview -- first, through Scientology International's official spokeswoman, Pat Harney, at their headquarters in Clearwater, Florida -- who referred us to Scientology's New York office where, after a brief and cordial conversation on the phone, Mr. John Carmichael promised to send us within a few hours, e-mail responses to questions we gave him.

Subsequent efforts to reach him by phone -- he did tell us he was very busy "preparing for a human rights conference in a couple of days" -- have been unsuccessful.

We are still looking forward to his response.

Who's Telling The Truth?

For most people outside Scientolgy, the church remains a conundrum. On the one hand, there are the critics and the horror stories...reports of forced labor camps to punish members who have strayed; of personal finances wiped out (among those non-celebrity members who don't have millions of dollars buffering their choices); of mental confusion and even some suicides. There are the tabloid reports of Tom Cruise converting immediate family members and the accusations that he has launched an essentially abusive relationship with his fiancée Katie Holmes. She is reported by some to have undergone a notable personality change and to be traveling now with a Scientology "minder."

And on the other hand, there are the believers. The regular everyday people who say Scientology has made their lives better.

And there's the warm, humorous, sensitive, highly visible image of John Travolta, who, when asked about his religion, explains patiently and kindly with nothing at all like Cruise's televised couch-leaping and self-righteous verbal assaults.

Archangel Michael -- who became such a hero in Travolta's film, "Michael", when he told the little terrier, "Remember, no matter what they tell you, you can't have too much sugar" -- just doesn't seem to square up with the Cruise "Top Gun", devilish concentration in his eyes as he barrels down, indulging his righteous obsession.

But these are just appearances -- actors' parts -- on the surface of an organization that, in spite of 15 years of thorough professional probing and reporting, still thrives and promises genuine happiness to those willing to let it take the lead.

[EveningStar]

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[Gordongekko909]

Katies Holmes needs to get away from Cruise. She can stay at my place for a while.

[Left2Right]

"...My understanding is that L.Ron Hubbard who was a science fiction writer took one of his science fiction books and turned into a bible sort of thing called Dyanetics ..."

Actually, Dianetics was based on a similar book a friend of his had written about 6 months earlier in 1950. Other than that, it's a poorly written piece of trash and contains major BS dreamed up by a paranoid-delusional-antisocial-schizo. Hubbard was a pathological liar and was married 4 times and never paid any child-support or alimony to any of his ex-wives. Basically he was a big scumbag who lied to a lot of people and got rich off it.

Of course, most $cientologists don't even know that the great LRH was even married once or had any children. I wonder why?

[stm]

We still have yet to a photo of Suri. I have heard rumors, unsubstantiated, that she is biracial. There goes Cruise's paternity.

[KoRn]

" Download South Park episodes in bit torrent format at South Park Complete or Torrentspy or MrTwig"

Not that I've ever really cared. I see most movies I want to see on my big screen a few days, sometimes even weeks before they are released in theaters, but is that legal? lol

[Rocko]

Hubbard discovered that starting a milk-cow "religion" would bring him more income than writing for a hundred years for Astounding would ever have. He also suckered a number of other science fiction writers with going along with his loony theories for a short time (to their embarrassment).

Scientology is a criminal, dangerous cult.

[Hazcat]

I've also heard that Hubbard started this BS 'church' to avoid taxes. He made the whole thing up, as is obvious to anyone who has read his science fiction. He always wrote 'tongue in cheek' and that's what Dianetics is.

[fight_truth_decay]

The New York Times this morning said simply that Cruise has gone "into full Scientology mode."

Since when do we believe what the NYTimes has to say.

As far as Cruise's decision to sell a couple hedge funds with his partner and start their own production company, seems like a good career move which should have been in "his thinktank" a long time ago regarding the quality of films coming out of Hollywood these days.

It remains to be seen by those inside StudioLand who was actually the dumper and who was the dumpee.

As far as keeping his family or specifically his child out of public view, again understandable.

The NYTimes'Behavior and the Liberal Left: A Link? ;)

[fortunecookie]

Shudder! Well, that's another paper the cult will have to sue.

Tom Cruise's Behavior and Scientology: A Link?

A link? No! Cause and effect - pure and simple.

[lesser_satan]

Perhaps she was impregnated by Xenu?

[annelizly]

yeah, a friend of mine lived in a town that travolta used to live in (before his marriage) and said he was a regular at the gay bars.

[ladyinred]

What on earth is that picture pray tell? Who is that with Travolta and why?

This is one of the weirdest religions around, a real money tree for the organization and a brainwashing bunch of nonsense.

"Do you know how to know?"

[mom4kittys]

Darn, I didn't want to see that! I really like John Travolta.

[Central Scrutiniser]

What OT level are you?

[CyberCowboy777]

Tom Cruise is in the closet, and he won't come out!

it's time for you to come out of the closet...

I'm not in the closet

you don't need to be in closet anymore...

but I"m not in here

[SuziQ]

Frankly, I hope Katie Holmes NEVER marries Tom Cruise. She doesn't need that baby caught up in that Scientology mess.

[phantomworker]

A Link?

Ya think!

[fight_truth_decay]

What OT level are you?

___________________________________________________________

Just my opinion. Scientology and Tom Cruise and the decisions he makes has no effect on MY life nor anyone I know for that matter. However, I addressed mainly the "tabloid" reporting on the Viacom scenario.

I will refrain from commenting on any of your posts in the future.

Regards

F_T_D

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Did Scientology make Cruise act like a loon?

File this under "well, duh."

[festus]

Nuts demon possessed or both.