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"I'd like to start a religion. That's where the money is." -- L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology founder.
"I have to remain celibate to keep my instrument pure."-- Tom Cruise to his then-wife, Nicole Kidman.
These are just two of the oh-so-juicy morsels that New Yorker staff writer Lawrence Wright includes in his expansive and ultra-detailed audio and print book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief.
This is certainly not the first exposé of Scientology -- although it might qualify as the most abundant. Timemagazine, CBS-TV, and NBC-TV are among the many who've taken on this most controversial of religions since its beginnings in the mid-1950s. The head of The Cult Awareness Network in Chicago, says,"Scientology is quite likely the most ruthless, the most classically terroristic, the most litigious and the most lucrative cult the country has ever seen."
Be assured Wright reports all of the bizarre and the requisite showbiz celebrities involved in Scientology: Cruise, Travolta, Will Smith, Kirstie Alley and screen writer Paul Haggis, et al. (To see other Scientologist celebrities: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/60-famous-people-you-didn't-know-were-scientologists/)
Many call this religion a scary cult. To his credit, the writer includes the group's frequent responses and denials over the years to its many critics. But, make no mistake, Going Clear is a serious take-down of what emerges on these pages as a most peculiar outfit.
The barrages here include intimidation, bribery, blackmail, cruelty, brutality and, yes, M-U-R-D-E-R!
The barrages here include intimidation, bribery, blackmail, cruelty, brutality and, yes, M-U-R-D-E-R!
The late L. Ron Hubbard, who called himself The Commodore and dressed accordingly, comes under intense scrutiny as a fellow with "malignant narcissism and grandiosity." He's described as personally brutal -- often punching his subordinates in the face. His son, Quentin killed himself, he disowned one of his daughters and his wife went to jail.
Morton Sellers' narration is a good reason to go with the Random House audiobook edition of Going Clear. Because of the amped-up content, it would be easy to convey a partisan interpretation. Instead, Sellers delivers a clean, objective tone.
Wright piles on so many first and second-hand accounts, plus every different angle and conspiracy theory, that it sometimes puts this expansive report in Oliver Stone/JFK territory -- meaning the excess of possibilities diminishes its impact.
Cynics might come away from this parade of Scientology's singular disclosures agreeing with a line from a Preston & Child's audiobook, The Cabinet of Curiosities: "Humiliation and blackmail when used judiciously, can be marvelously effective."
Scientologists' repeated position is that their religion suffers the same skepticism and attacks all religions have faced. If you join Scientology, you sign a BILLION year contract -- which does underscore their message that you, or some form of you, will be around that long. Is that sort of like other religions' notion of an eternal soul?
Scientology Cambridge - Expansion or Wishful Thinking
Scientology Toronto
Credits:
Smart People Today
Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto, and now Cambridge, Ontario, are feeling the Scientology “Expansion” push by David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center and the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion.
“Hubbard's goal from the beginning was to "clear the planet", in other words, to see that everyone on earth became a clear. Up until the time that this happened, he envisioned a sharp demarcation in status between clears (real people) and pre-clears (deficient people). Only clears, for example, could marry and bear children. And, if pre-clears did have children, they would most likely be taken away to avoid the "restimulative" affects that parents would have on the child.”
Scientology continues to inundate its’ members with messages of expansion stating in 2005 its worldwide membership to be eight million, although that number included people who took only the introductory course and did not continue on. Worldwide, some observers believe a reasonable estimate of Scientology's core practicing membership ranges between 100,000 and 200,000 and even more recently, as low as 50,000 worldwide.
Montreal and Quebec City Anonymous protesters say the Churches are dead, with little or no activity most days. Similar reports come from Toronto, Vancouver, and many other cities in North America, Europe, and elsewhere.
In 2008, the American Religious Identification Survey found that the number of American Scientologists had dropped to 25,000.
Many opinions state Scientology is not a religion or church, but rather a commercial business organization that hard-sells books, courses, auditing sessions, and the “Sauna Purification Rundown” where followers sit in a hot sauna for 5 hours each day sweating out toxins.
Once a new so-called church member is lured in, Scientology sales people phone relentlessly, insisting the person needs more courses and auditing services. Donations for new Scientology Ideal ORG Churches are a constant push.
So why all the new church buildings when many are sitting empty and some boarded up like the one in Toronto recently? Perhaps a wishful Scientology postulate of a self-created truth, a prediction and desire, or a David Miscavige “keep Scientology working” push even when the organization is failing more each year?
If Saturday’s opening of the new church in Cambridge was any indication of growth, Scientology appears to be on a slippery Canadian ice-slide, heading downhill fast.
Low Turnout For Scientology Grand Opening in Cambridge Ontario
“Nine protesters counted a couple out of town buses and cars arriving with out of Province and USA licence plates - - an attempt to lure as many as possible for the appearance of Scientology leader, David Miscavige”.
David Edgar Love
Tom Cruise & Scientology Saved A Life! Says Australian Billionaire Ski Buddy…
2/12/2013 12:01 AM ET | Filed under: Wacky, Tacky & True • Australiastic • Tom Cruise •Russell Crowe
And here you thought our favorite action star just saved lives in Mission: Impossible sequels!
When Australian billionaire James Packer was at his lowest — his marriage was failing and his cellphone company was hemorraging millions — it wasScientology and the organization's unofficial celebrity spokesperson who helped drag him thru a rough patch!
James took part in a candid interview Down Under last night, and he spoke about how Tom Cruise helped change his life for the better.
“When I was at my lowest, Tom Cruise reached out to me. He believed in me when other people didn’t… I’d met him once or twice…and he was in Australia and we got together. I think he could tell that I was in pain. He invited me to go to his house to go skiing with him at Christmas.”
Whoa! We wouldn't have guessed Xenu, a pair of skiis, and the star of Risky Business could pull anyone out of a funk, but we were wrong!
This is the same Aussie tycoon, mind you, who went jet skiing with Russell Crowe last year! Maybe he has a fetish for extreme sports and celebrity culture?
What's next? Hang gliding with Tom Hanks?! LOLz!!
Honestly, we're just happy James is in a better place!
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