Angry Cruise defends Scientology bar on drugs

timesonline.co.uk ^ | June 26, 2005 | John Harlow

[phoenix_004]

THE actor Tom Cruise has added to a growing reputation for eccentricity after a heated row on American television over his support for the Church of Scientology. Cruise, 42 — whose new film, War of the Worlds, had its London premiere last week — rounded on Matt Lauer, genial host of NBC’s Today programme, when the subject of their interview turned to the controversial religion and the prospect of his fiancée Katie Holmes, 26, being converted.

“Scientology is something that you don’t understand,” declared Cruise. “It is a religion. Because it’s dealing with the spirit. You as a spiritual being.”

The interview became more combative when he was asked about a public reprimand that he gave recently to Brooke Shields, the actress, for taking antidepressants rather than vitamins when she was diagnosed with postnatal depression.

Founded by L Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer, in the 1950s, Scientology — which claims more than 8m members worldwide — teaches that psychiatry is “Nazi science” and that its medicines are all about mind control.

When Lauer said that many people had been helped by such drugs, Cruise dropped his famous smile and declared: “You are glib. You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do.”

Although such pronouncements have raised Cruise’s profile in the run-up to the release of the £100m film, there are signs that they may encourage some people to stay away.

According to a poll published last Friday by the MSNBC TV channel, 69% of viewers said Cruise was “just plain wrong” on the role of doctors and the use of drugs to alleviate mental distress.

Some 61% of Entertainment Weekly magazine’s readers, meanwhile, said they did not like the new ebullient Cruise as much as the quietly controlled superstar of yesteryear. And 41% said they would not go to see his new film — as against 34% who said they would.

Until recently Cruise — who has reached the status in Scientology comparable with that of a senior Church of England figure privy to its inner secrets — followed the advice of Pat Kingsley, his veteran public relations adviser, to stay “engagingly mysterious” about his beliefs. Then Cruise sacked Kingsley and decided to start promoting his faith loudly.

Last week it was widely reported that when he was preparing to shoot Mission Impossible 3, due to start filming later this year, he tried — unsuccessfully — to convert his potential co-star Scarlett Johansson to Scientology.

On the War of the Worlds set Cruise paid for a “cappuccino tent” where crews could ask for an “assist” or interview, with Scientologists dishing out the coffee.

Cruise said that he felt “liberated” talking about such issues and dismissed scepticism about his three-month romance. In another part of the NBC interview he told Lauer: “I have never worried about what other people think and what other people say. I am really happy. I can’t restrain myself.”

[brytlea]

Do you know how L Ron supposedly came upon this info? It sounds so made up, how on earth did he convince the first person it was true????
susie

[BlackRain]

The Star tabloid published an article this week on Scientology celebrities and the e-meter.

"The oddball apparatus is called an E meter, and Travolta uses it every day. He and fellow Scientologists Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Kirstie Alley say the lie-detector-like machine measures mental anguish. The faithful claim it's so sensitive, it can pick up the pain a human feels when pricked by a nail.

"'You hold two metal rods in your hands, and an experienced teacher can tell from the movements of the needles on the meter where the problem is in your body and soul,' Travolta told the German magazine STERN. 'I use it every day, at home or in the celebrity center in Hollywood. I also take a machine with me with I'm on location. It's a religious device and I enjoy it. I'm always totally refreshed by it.'

"Travolta vehemently denies claims that Scientologists have been brainwashed. 'That is frightful garbage,' he says. 'Do you really believe that I would stand for something like that? The courses help me solve my problems. I also attend religious counseling where, with a spiritual guide, I tackle personal problems.'"



http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Secrets/E-Meter/

[TheOtherOne]

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I am soooo jealous and envious of Ron L Hubbard that I didn't come up with this scam. I can't wait for Scientology to merge with the Kabballa craze. What would they call it? "Scientabballa?"

These 'religious instruments" look like the old tin cans we used as walkie talkies as kids. LOL!

[Paul Atreides]

Ummm, I was referring to the whole restraining himself part.

[Truthsayer20]

Hubbard was one the great con-men of all time. He personally founded a 150000+ member cult with nothing more than a stash of poorly written sci-fi.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Well I guess you must have worked closely with the mentally ill to make such a "brilliant " statement.

Why don't we just save ourselves the trouble with "Nazi" psychiatry and just put people back into the insane asylums we had prior to the 1950's when there were no medications for schizophrenia, major depressions, postpartum depressions and bi-polar disorder. In fact, why don't we just get rid of all medicine. Cause after all, doctors often make mistakes and people take advantage of many medicines.

Better yet, why don't we just let scientology "cure" everyone if they can't "pull themselves up by the bootstraps " in the true tradition of rugged individualism?

[Maurice Tift]

I think he is trying to get himself kicked out.

Like the tv show: Fire Me, Please!
I hadn't thought of that angle and of course, he is an actor... might be a good act.

[vpintheak]

Well when it comes to pumping unneeded medication into our children, psychiatrists top the list. A boy that has a lot of energy, Ooh, ADD, drug him up. Are you feeling depresses a bit, well here are some meds to make you feel better. I am not dismissing drugs altogether, but too many times these so called experts are too willing to prescribe crap we don't need instead of addressing the problem head on, or even understanding that many children have a lot of energy, and need a stronger pesence at home than medication to keep them in line.

[SunkenCiv]

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L Ron Hubbard: Messiah Or Madman? by Bent Corydon and L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. a.k.a. Ronald DeWolf plain text version

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