Scientology's love affair with Hollywood

[crazycatlady]

Why controversial religion
caters to the rich and famous

By Kari Huus
Reporter

MSNBC
June 23, 2005

By his account, Tom Cruise owes his cool head, defeat of dyslexia and, in a way, his unstoppable stardom to Scientology.

But Scientology has much to thank Tom Cruise for as well. His glowing adherence to Scientology and the initiation of his bride-to-be, actress Katie Holmes, into the off-beat and oft-maligned system of beliefs has stirred a surge of interest.

The search engine company Lycos reported that "Scientology"￾ had leaped into the top 50 search terms last week for the first time, hitting 37, marking a 260 percent increase in interest ” a spike the company attributed to the Cruise-Holmes effect. In fact, said Lycos in a press release, Scientology was now the most-searched-for œology,￾ acing out the likes of geology, technology and astrology.

It's a reflection of how Hollywood's rich and famous generate positive buzz for Scientology, recognized by the federal government as a religious organization but denounced by critics as a cult that extracts tens of thousands of dollars from its followers. Central to its adherents' beliefs: Earthlings were invaded millions of years ago by alien souls sent here from outer space. Scientology, in turn, has always had a special place for artists.

The power of celebrity testimonial
In founding Scientology in 1951, L. Ron Hubbard carved out a special place for artists, which led to the creation of lavish Scientology Celebrity Centres, which now make up 11 of 5,100 churches.

"A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists," Hubbard said.


A Web site for the massive spiritual retreat in Hollywood explains: "By example and through their art, they communicate to millions. Thus, by improving the lives of artists, great progress can be achieved to better the condition of society” for any artist with an increased ability to communicate, who is drug-free and has high moral standards, imparts a positive influence on many others."

Cruise is the Scientologist poster boy of the moment for several reasons. He recently dismissed his long-time publicist Pat Kingsley, turning to his Scientologist sister, Lee Anne De Vette, instead. He has famously brought Scientologist ministers onto the set of "War of the Worlds." And the bizarre parallel between the science-fiction flick and some of his religion's teachings has stirred the celebrity press.

But Cruise is in good company in Hollywood, where he touts Scientology and its related programs Narcanon (for treating drug dependency), Criminon (for ending criminal behavior) and Applied Scholastics. Others on the roster include John Travolta, musicians Chick Corea, Lisa Marie Presley and Beck (who was reared as a Scientologist) as well as Kirstie Alley, who credits Narcanon for ending her cocaine addiction.

And observers say the lesser-known ranks of Hollywood” producers, acting coaches, writers and many an aspiring actor” are filled with Scientologists, attracted by both the spiritual prospects, as well as the networking possibilities.

Public relations boost
The church says the growth among Hollywood's luminati is simply testimony to their spiritual and personal growth through using the tools that Scientology gives them.

"If you ask any Scientologist, famous or not, why they talk about this religion to others, you will find that Scientologists tell others about the religion when they personally see that Scientology can help another," says Greg LaClaire, vice president of the Scientology Celebrity Centre. "It is simply word of mouth: You have had gains, so you want others to experience similar gains."
That is why, he says, the church has 8 million members, and is one of the fastest growing religions on Earth.

Detractors argue that Scientology has courted and cultivated star power for the public relations and membership boost.

"It promotes the organization in much the same way as a celebrity endorsement would in the popular media, whether it's Tiger Woods promoting Nike or Tom Cruise promoting Scientology. It lends credibility," says Rick Ross, a veteran cult watcher.

With Cruise hitting the road as hard as he has for Scientology, says Ross, the group may have gained new ground against another controversial, up-and-coming competitor for the Hollywood elite ” Kabbalah.

Clearing out the thetans
At first blush, Scientology resembles other New Age spiritual practices. The initiate starts with a process of "auditing," which is cross between an interview and confession employing a rudimentary lie detector. The idea is to learn about, target, and shed negative forces” the reactive mind ” said to blunt potential. For a regular person, the first step might be a free stress test administered at a public booth in a shopping mall or Grand Central Station.

A Scientologist who is in the beginning stages of auditing” the stage Katie Holmes is reportedly in at this point” would be considered a "pre-clear." If she persists through these lower levels, which address career and other earthly struggles, she will reach the state of clear.

Once clear,￾ Scientologists work on more otherworldly concerns through a series of levels starting with "Operating Thetan 1." It is only at this point that Scientologists can begin receiving knowledge of confidential teachings of Scientology. Cruise, said to be an OT6, and Travolta” reportedly OT7” are well into this realm.

Among the secrets revealed to adherents who reach the OT3 level is the incident that led to the current evils of the Earth. In leaked documents now posted on the Internet, this incident started with a galactic shake-up 75 million years ago, when an alien ruler sent billions of subjects to this planet to solve an overpopulation problem. These "thetan" souls dispersed and invaded humans. Scientology is the means through which one's Body Thetans (BTs) are purged.

Hubbard was a science-fiction writer and self-styled philosopher and scientist who died in 1986. Though he spent his later life lecturing and writing about what he called the "applied technology" of Scientology and Dianetics, he never won over the scientific community. Instead, in 1993, Scientology won status as a tax-exempt religious organization.

The means is troubling, not the end
But the controversy is not so much about the content as the means of teaching.

Among other things, Scientologists vehemently reject psychiatry and psychiatric drugs. Hence, Cruise's criticism of Brooke Shields” highly publicized in the celebrity press” for taking Paxil to cope with post-partum depression.

Another issue is the reported cost of enlightenment through Scientology, which has established a set of "suggested donations" for auditing sessions, drills and courses.

Experts say it can cost” in "suggested donations” more than $100,000 to attain a level of OT3. While this is apparently not troubling for the Hollywood crowd, there are scores of tales of average people spending decades and bankrupting themselves in the pursuit.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8333804/

[Lord Moon]

I'm one of them...there are also psychiatrists that don't believe in psychotropic meds....and though I also don't believe in scientology...I will have to agree with Tom on this one...Ritalin there is very little difference between ritalin, and meth... meth users will just as readily use ritalin, they will sell it illicity, rob pharmacies to get it... and make themselves pscyhotic with it... Ritalin can also trigger manic episodes in some people that can lead to acts of violence against others and themselves....

SSRI's are also very dangerous drugs, like ritalin they can also cause manic episodes, they have been shown to cause brain damage in those that use these meds in a very short period of time...they are banned for use by children in Brittian because of the risk of suicide..the only SSRI that is ok'd by the FDA for children to use for depression is Prozac, which has never been shown to be more effective than a placebo...the pharmacy companies hid some of the results that indicated that there was a suicide risk for these drugs...and the FDA almost banned them in America but caved to the pharmeceutical companies, so instead put a very scary label on the bottle warning of the potential danger of these drugs....

Although I think that Mr. Cruise's criticism of Brook Shields indicated a lack of empathy, I think that her talking about her post partum depression has made her more mature and compelling....but these drugs should only be used as a last resort with very close monitoring....

[mystika]

Not fully knowing all that much on the religion except what I have seen on the net. I do feel that it is more of a cult than a religion. However many can say the same thing about all religions. I choose to not follow it and think it is something to stay far away from. I find it odd that alot of the hollywood rich and famous gather together to share a belief system like this. But maybe I'm just reading more into it than there is. There was a site I read up on that did not give anything good to say about the religion,who knows. People will believe what they want to believe. As far as the cruise/sheilds issue. It was brave of her to reveal her problems to the world because most stars would rather hide their problems for fear of what it would do
to their image with the public etc. As a very very last resort I feel medicatiopn can and could be used. I do not feel that it is always the case for I believe we are using to many drugs as it is. That is a whole other issue.

[Laird]

More folks need to learn why Hubbard developed the church of Scientology. He did it after working on a covert mind control grant for the US government.

I smile today after knowing Hubbard got even! He's degree was in economics. God Bless Hubbard who lived through the McCarthism learning how to influcence Hollywood
on politics and global awareness.

He teaches people to think for themselves turning there
dreams into reality.

[crazycatlady]

What Tom Cruise has conclusively proven that in his case chivalry is certainly dead. His behavior was rude and boorish. I find it amazing that he has the hubris to be critical of Brook Shield's problems when he has a few of his own. Usually post partum depression is cause from physical imbalances in the body. Tom has often made a big to do about his dyslexia and how it has impacted his life. Dyslexia is also a physical problem. It seems to me that if he is ready to be critical of Brook for not healing her physical problem via Scientology that he should explain to us why he still is having a problem with dyslexia. Since in his opinion he is all knowing and God realized it seems that his dyslexia should be a thing of the past.

[spaceprophet]

If he was a Christian with the same radical views he'd be the pope, crazycatlady.

Then you people can't figure out why the rest of us scream about the seperation of church and state. Perfect example.

[fabzilla]

Spacey,


If he were a Christian with the same "radical" views, the F'eds would burn his "compound" down after much fanfair in the disinfomedia and there would be no more Tom Cruise or "Church of Hubbard"

But then again they are awaiting the next big "superstar" case in the courts.

sad isn't it?

fab

[spaceprophet]

With this administration? The Religious Right owns the federal government now.

The only thing that would be burning is liberals at the stake.

Note: they attack all religions but Christianity. Look at their hypocrisy. It's spread out all over the newspapers for all to see.

They'll even be the first ones to tell ya. Just ask 'em.

[Joolz]

There is an urban legend type of story that Scientology was born out of a bet made between Robert Heinlein and L. Ron Hubbard as to which of them could start a religion first. It is unknown whether or not this rumor is actually true--some say yes, others no (and the Church of Scientology sued and won against a German magazine who printed this story as true)--but there are numerous sources who say that Hubbard did state on several occasions that (paraphrased) "the best way to make money would be to start a religion." A lot of this is laid out quite well here, if you're interested.

Harlan Ellison is also reported to have said in a 1978 interview in a satirical magazine called "Wings": ""Scientology is bullsh!t! Man, I was there the night L. Ron Hubbard invented it, for Christ Sakes!...We were sitting around one night... who else was there? Alfred Bester, and Cyril Kornbluth, and Lester Del Rey, and Ron Hubbard, who was making a penny a word, and had been for years. And he said "This bullsh!t's got to stop!" He says, "I gotta get money." He says, "I want to get rich"."

And then, Wikipedia reports:

The following letter, written by L. Ron Hubbard, was discovered by the FBI during its raid on Scientology headquarters. The letter shows Hubbard turned Scientology into a "religion" for financial reasons:

(1953)

DEAR HELEN

10 APRIL

RE CLINIC, HAS
The arrangements that have been made seem a good temporary measure. On a longer look, however, something more equitable will have to be organized. I am not quite sure what we would call the place - probably not a clinic - but I am sure that it ought to be a company, independent of the HAS but fed by the HAS. We don't want a clinic. We want one in operation but not in name. Perhaps we could call it a Spiritual Guidance Center. Think up its name, will you. And we could put in nice desks and our boys in neat blue with diplomas on the walls and 1. knock psychotherapy into history and 2. make enough money to shine up my operating scope and 3. keep the HAS solvent. It is a problem of practical business. I await your reaction on the religion angle. In my opinion, we couldn't get worse public opinion than we have had or have less customers with what we've got to sell. A religious charter would be necessary in Pennsylvania or NJ to make it stick. But I sure could make it stick. We're treating the present time beingness, psychotherapy treats the past and the brain. And brother, that's religion, not mental science.

Best Regards,

Ron

Soooooo... who knows???? Just thought some might find this stuff interesting, too...

As for Tom Cruise... I'd already lost what little respect I had for him during his divorce from Nicole, so the things spewing from his mouth now come as no surprise. He is arrogant and deluded, IMO. His comments about Brooke Shields are way out of line.

[Shirleypal]

Very interesting thread, read some of his books years ago, the only thing I remember is every other word said everything is an aberration, I think the whole thing is an aberration.

[sayntbrigid]

I once ordered a book from this site:
http://www.kabbalah.com/kabbalah/
about the Tree of Life,

as I am interested in understanding the beliefs of all peoples to the best of my abilities

The next thing I know I'm getting phone calls from them trying to sell me cd's, and courses and classes and videos......and then a friend of mine said that it is the same current teacher (rabbi) as is running this site, as is writing the books for Scientoloty.....I dont know anything about scientololgy as it is practiced by groups now, but at one time I read the book by Ron L Hubbard about how to get your mind and spirit centered and cleared, and was a very interesting read.......but doesn't seem to have much in common with what I hear about Scientoloty these days.....I find it all very confusing. If somebody has the time and inclination to clear up my confusion......that would be great

[crazycatlady]

Tom Cruise is so hot - that is, for Scientology

If you think the actor's behavior is a little, um, intense lately, members of his church got the first glimpse of it in a convention video to rally support.

By ROBERT FARLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published July 10, 2005

Tom Cruise's end-zone dance on the Oprah show and his scolding of Matt Lauer may have startled viewers, but it surely came as no surprise to his fellow Scientologists.

They had seen this side of Tom Cruise before.

Last October, in a recorded speech simulcast live to Scientology audiences around the world, Cruise passionately exhorted Scientologists to promote church programs and the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

To those not fully committed, he hotly said: Step it up or get out!

Don't ask permission to help others, he said. Just do it. As Scientologists, he said, you have a special "tech" that works.

He blasted psychiatry and the use of psychiatric drugs in the same biting tone the world saw on the Today show.

The video was shown at the annual convention of the International Association of Scientologists in Britain before Cruise was awarded a Medal of Valor by the church's worldwide leader, David Miscavige. It later was made part of an exhibit on Scientology in the church's Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, where a St. Petersburg Times reporter viewed it weeks ago.

Now that Cruise has emerged as Scientology's cheerleader, with his behavior sparking comment worldwide, church officials declined last week to release a copy to the Times or allow a reporter to re-view it.

Church leaders were quick, however, to praise Cruise for speaking out. And they clearly welcomed the media attention he has generated.

So what, if anything, does the Church of Scientology get from all this attention?

And does Cruise's behavior in October suggest his recent public displays were orchestrated to raise Scientology's profile?

No question, Scientology has gotten a public relations bonanza from the Cruise coverage, said J. Gordon Melton, adjunct professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an expert on new religions.

"I think a major goal of the church right now is solidifying the image they are just another church," he said. "They are trying to slough off that cult image, of a religion that does weird things."

Media attention - even if Cruise's behavior comes off as peculiar - meets that goal.

"For Scientology, they have gotten some of the best publicity they could have," said Melton, who lectured Thursday at the University of South Florida. Coverage has been much more mild and matter-of-fact than the church would have received 10 years ago, he said.

But Melton doesn't believe the church orchestrated the events. It's more likely, he said, Cruise's people cooked it up as a way to promote his summer movie War of the Worlds.

"I think it got out of hand," Melton said. "They (Cruise's team) lost control of it along the way. But overall, it served their purposes . . . His movie was No. 1 this week."

That the church also got some publicity was a side benefit, Melton says

The church got 2.5-million different visitors to its Web site over the four weeks Cruise was making headlines, said Ben Shaw, spokesman for the church at its spiritual headquarters in Clearwater. That's 10 times as many hits as the site got during the same period last year. Sales of Scientology publications worldwide also increased, Shaw said, from 10,500 books a week to about 14,000.

Shaw's office has been inundated with media inquiries and requests for interviews.

Shaw praised Cruise for sparking discussion of psychiatry and the use of psychiatric drugs, both of which the church vehemently opposes.

"I think it's great, personally," Shaw said of Cruise's outspokenness. "I think it has put an important issue in the forefront (of the world's attention)."

But Shaw doesn't think it will translate to a spike in church membership. Gains in Scientology membership worldwide "come from word-of-mouth, not from media, necessarily," he said.

Melton agrees.

"Ten years down the road, I don't think we're going to find the blip where this means anything for the church," he said. "The only thing it has an effect on is the overall image. They (Scientologists) think how this affects their image in France and Germany and Italy and Spain and Russia, where the church is growing. They think in terms of how this plays in different countries.

"Religions have a saturation level," Melton said. "If you give a religion free rein, they can only get so many members. New members join and others drop out. In America, they (the Church of Scientology) may have reached that saturation rate."

But a celebrity can be a powerful ally.

That's especially true in America when celebrities embrace religions, said USF religious studies professor Dell deChant. One powerful example is the attention paid to Muhammad Ali when he converted to Islam in the prime of his boxing career.

Scientology has dedicated celebrity centers where movie stars, musicians and other artists can practice without being bothered by the public.

For a segment of society, deChant said, celebrity endorsements carry weight.

"In the United States, you have power as a celebrity. People listen to what you say," said deChant, who has toured Scientology facilities in Los Angeles, including its Celebrity Center.

What's interesting, Melton said, is that Cruise's outspoken attitude about Scientology is a recent phenomenon. Although a Scientologist for about 20 years, Cruise had been reluctant to talk publicly about it.

"Of all the celebrities Scientology has, only four or five are upfront and outspoken about it," Melton said, pointing to Isaac Hayes, Chick Corea, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley.

Cruise has clearly joined those ranks.

"He's suddenly come out of the woodwork," Melton said. "It may be for Cruise, it starts with that award."
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/10/World ... hot_.shtml

[spaceprophet]

Look people, Scientology is a cult, IMO. As nutty and wacky as they may seem this is still America. Until they break the law they can worship a Snicker's bar if they want. More power to 'em. Whatever gets your rocks off I say.

They may think your religion is pretty whacked out. And I'd agree with 'em. Do we need to bring up perverted Catholic priests and a strong predilection for the church to not only cover it up but ignore it as well? Then we've got Islam and the jews. We all know where that one leads.

As far as I can tell the only ones that got it right are the Buddhists. They seem to be the only ones that have sworn off this 'killing and maiming people who don't worship the same God as me' thing.

[fabzilla]

The "mood ring" of religions...

You want a good laugh, think about what will happen and the names of the offshoots when this baby goes through e reformation.


Too bad Carson has passed

(silence for Johnny)


I'd love to hear his wit analyzing this whole charade.


nudge, nudge, wink wink

know what I mean

[Joolz]

Look people, Scientology is a cult, IMO. As nutty and wacky as they may seem this is still America. Until they break the law they can worship a Snicker's bar if they want. More power to 'em. Whatever gets your rocks off I say.

Agreed, Space. I give them a big shrug, too. Unless someone gets hurt, I don't care one way or the other. I posted what I did merely because I thought it was interesting. It really doesn't matter, in the grand scheme of things, how they came to exist, and it lends them no more or no less validity, IMO. It is obviously meeting the needs of some people. In fact, Heinlein's attempt at creating a religion also succeeded, albeit without his direct participation, and not as a money-making venture for him or anyone else. The Church of All Worlds, as inspired by Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, exists as an older and well-respected (within the Pagan community at large) Neo-Pagan church.

They may think your religion is pretty whacked out. And I'd agree with 'em. Do we need to bring up perverted Catholic priests and a strong predilection for the church to not only cover it up but ignore it as well? Then we've got Islam and the jews. We all know where that one leads.

As far as I can tell the only ones that got it right are the Buddhists. They seem to be the only ones that have sworn off this 'killing and maiming people who don't worship the same God as me' thing.

I dunno if I'd say the Buddhists are the only ones who got it right, but out of what are usually seen as the four major mainstream religions of the world--meaning Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism--that's probably true. The other three are all Abrahamic religions and share the same "jealous" God, but each one thinks they alone "own" the "truth," and throughout history have each been willing to kill each other over it, as you point out. There have been, and are, other religions that are peaceful and practice a "live and let live" attitude, though.