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Tom Cruise Wants to Assist With on-set Scientology
New York Metro.com ^ | 2/22/05 | metro column

Posted on 02/22/2005 8:55:12 AM PST by Nachum

Tom Cruise Wants to Assist With on-set Scientology. In the upcoming Steven Spielberg remake of War of the Worlds, one family fights for survival when Earth is invaded by Martian war machines. But on the set of the movie, there’s been an invasion of another sort: Scientologists! Tom Cruise, the film’s star and the religion’s most well-known adherent, has set up a Scientology tent with a volunteer minister. “It’s a gift from Tom to the crew,” says Lee Anne De Vette, Cruise’s sister and spokeswoman. “You can receive what’s called an assist there,” a Scientologist practice that, as she describes it, seems to be a glorified mini-massage. “If someone has an injury in a certain part of their body, if their back is killing them, they can come in and get an assist. It’s something that helps the body get in better communication with itself.” Actual Scientology literature is available, too, in case “someone walks in looking for a solution.” All of which has caused a certain amount of grumbling. Scientology watchdog Rick Ross says that he’s received e-mails from crew members wondering, “Where are the booths for the Catholics and the Jews?”

(Excerpt) Read more at newyorkmetro.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: assist; movies; onset; scientology; tomcruise; wantsto; waroftheworlds; with
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To: TXBSAFH

On December 5, 1995, Lisa McPherson was dead on arrival at a hospital 45 minutes north of Clearwater Florida. According to the coroner's report, Lisa was underweight, severely dehydrated, and had bruises and bug bites (see the entire report here).

Lisa's last address was listed by the police as 210 S. Ft. Harrison in Clearwater Florida, which is the Fort Harrison Hotel, a Scientology property. Lisa had been a Scientologist from the age of 18 to her death at age 36.

Lisa was put on the Introspection Rundown that Scientology uses to handle those who have had a psychotic break.

On November 18, 1995, Lisa was involved in a minor car accident. She was apparently not hurt, but she got out of her car and took all her clothes off and seemed mentally unstable. She was taken to a hospital where she was physically evaluated as being unharmed, but the hospital wanted her to be psychologically cared for. However, some Scientologists arrived and stated that Lisa did not believe in psychiatry, and she checked out after a short evaluation and left with the Scientologists. She went with them to the Ft. Harrison Hotel for "rest and relaxation" according to the church, but church logs from Lisa's stay there from November 18 to her death December 5 show differently. Some logs are missing, and a high ranking ex-Scientologist has written an affidavit in which he claims that the church has in the past destroyed documents that might get the church in trouble.

The family of Lisa McPherson sued Scientology and individuals involved for wrongful death, while Scientology claimed it did nothing wrong toward Lisa (Civil Case settled 5/28/04). Scientology had a web page (removed or moved) that smeared Lisa's aunt and attorney.

On November 13, 1998, Scientology was indicted on 2 felony charges in Lisa's death. On December 6, 1999, prosecutor Bernie McCabe presented a response to Scientology's attempt to get the case dismissed (note: 250k).

On June 12, 2000 the criminal charges were dropped against Scientology because (so the prosecutor claims) the medical examiner could not be counted on to confidently testify, even though the criminal charges were abuse of a disabled person and practicing medicine without a license.


41 posted on 02/22/2005 9:33:16 AM PST by LittleMoe
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To: Imaverygooddriver

The Bible DID predict many false prophets would come through the centuries, didn't it?


42 posted on 02/22/2005 9:33:41 AM PST by Maria S (Don't let your worries get the best of you. Moses started out as a basket case.)
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To: TommyDale

I was afraid it was something like that, I have heard stories but did not remember names.


43 posted on 02/22/2005 9:33:50 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Never underestimate the power of human stupidity--Robert Heinlein)
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To: struggle

44 posted on 02/22/2005 9:36:07 AM PST by 50sDad ( ST3d - Star Trek Tri-D Chess! http://my.oh.voyager.net/~abartmes)
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To: orangelobster
[ Tom Cruise must be aware of this, but still goes along with the program. Either he should get out of the organization or demand they stop their unethical practices, but the likliehood of this is slim to none. ]

Whose to say Tom and Vinnie Barareno are not prisoners thru intimidation and blackmail themselves.?...

They are useful tools is an understatement and as long as they remain useful everything is okey doke..

45 posted on 02/22/2005 9:37:55 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: Modernman

Heinlein was anything but religious.


46 posted on 02/22/2005 9:41:19 AM PST by nuke rocketeer
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To: hosepipe

"Whose to say Tom and Vinnie Barareno are not prisoners thru intimidation and blackmail themselves.?..."

With A-list stars scientology lays out a banquet of free vacations with young scientologists waiting on them hand and foot so no intimidation is required. With respect to John Travolta, scientology has a method for helping gay men go straight. Apparently scientology was the only avenue that was effective for Travolta.


47 posted on 02/22/2005 9:49:18 AM PST by orangelobster
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To: Nachum

Ping for a later read


48 posted on 02/22/2005 9:59:56 AM PST by lt.america (Captain was already taken)
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To: nuke rocketeer

hence the bet


49 posted on 02/22/2005 10:03:39 AM PST by flashbunny (Every thought that enters my head requires its own vanity thread.)
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To: Glenn
I thought Travolta had that badge.

Travolta is "the religion's most washed-up adherent."
50 posted on 02/22/2005 10:07:59 AM PST by UncleDick
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To: billybudd

That's not spam - that's informative and valuable information.


51 posted on 02/22/2005 10:09:27 AM PST by flashbunny (Every thought that enters my head requires its own vanity thread.)
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To: Modernman
The story I've heard is that L. Ron Hubbard founded Scientology on a bet with Robert Heinlen,

There are conflicting accounts. Some say it never happened. Some say they were there and heard Hubbard say it. Some accounts have it the bet was with Asimov. Others Heinlein. Some accounts say it was a bet to say he could found a religion. Other accounts that it was about getting rich.

My personal opinion is that Hubbard probably wrote Dianetics trying to figure out human nature (he wouldn't be the first), and that it grew into a religion from there. In the end, he probably bought it himself. It's amazing what people can convince themselves of if they work at it.

52 posted on 02/22/2005 10:09:58 AM PST by frgoff
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To: Michael.SF.
Wonder what they would say if Mel Gibson installed a Confessional on his next set.

I think, if memory serves, Gibson did have an "on call priest" on the set of his Passion movie, to hear confessions of anyone interested. (I think Mel said it was to maintain the spiritual purity of the work they were doing)

I think Scientology is a whacky religion, more precisely a cult, but if Speilberg doesn't have a problem with Tom Cruise setting up a Scientology tent on the set, I don't see a problem with it. As a conservative we should all support the free expression of one's religious ideas whenever possible.

Besides, as far as I'm aware, there isn't anyone on the set holding a gun to everyone's head, forcing them into the tent.

53 posted on 02/22/2005 10:09:58 AM PST by FourtySeven (47)
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To: Nachum

Do a search on Thetans and Xenu to see just how whacked Scientology really is.

Bunch-o-crap-o-rama.


54 posted on 02/22/2005 10:23:02 AM PST by PeterFinn (Why is it that people who know the least know it the loudest?)
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To: Glenn

I believe that Cruise and Travolta have more than just Scientology in common.


55 posted on 02/22/2005 10:37:41 AM PST by somerville
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To: billybudd

Sorry...is that considered spam though?? Doesn`t spam mean advertisements? Yeah, I should have put a link, it would have been easier.


56 posted on 02/22/2005 11:07:51 AM PST by Imaverygooddriver (I`m a very good driver and I approve this message.)
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To: Nachum

Who says Hollyweird stars aren't paragons of intelligence and excellent role models for our kids? Who wouldn't want to be part of a fake religion created by a Sci-Fi writer on a bet?


57 posted on 02/22/2005 11:11:14 AM PST by Antoninus (In hoc signo, vinces †)
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To: FourtySeven

"if Speilberg doesn't have a problem with Tom Cruise setting up a Scientology tent on the set, I don't see a problem with it."

It's the same old scientology bait and switch recruitment technique - offering a massage while the intent is to push hubbard's space alien books and cult. The same technique as the phony 'acting class,' the phony 'stress tests' in subways and shopping malls, the phony 'detox therapy' for firemen in nyc, the phony 'free movie screenings,' the phony 'reading programs.' All these methods rely on deception (although the 'massage tent' they at least tell you upfront that it's sponsored by scientology). As far as I'm concerned setting up the tent is a gesture that says that spielberg and cruise have no problem with the slew of other more deceptive recruitment techniques. Anyone that calls critical attention to them is hounded by frivolous lawsuits in an effort to bankrupt the critic. They do not believe in free speech and the fact that people in the arts would embrace their anti-free speech methods is appalling.


58 posted on 02/22/2005 11:12:00 AM PST by orangelobster
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To: RexBeach

You think that`s strange, how do you like when he set up the Scientology center for treating 911 Firemen exposed to 911 fumes? A friend of mine is a NYC fireman and he said all it is is a steam room. Tom Cruise actually spent all this cash for a freggin` steam room. The firemen are suppose to go into this steam room and "sweat out the toxins".

You know what I think it is, is the average person when they are young, are naive about a lot of things. But as they grow older, the real word exposes them to the bullsh*t and the con artists. People though who instantly become incredibly famous millionaires at a very young age like Tom Cruise and John Travolta are sheltered from that stuff and they have a very hard time descerning what is real and what is BS. Michael Jackson is an extreme example. This is a guy who truly believes he is the savoir of all children, and thinks sleeping with children is ok, and he is truly shocked that this is not considered appropriate. Whether he is a pedophile or not is not the question. In his own world, he thinks this is OK. The reality these people have is completely different from what you and I have. Like my friend said, imagine you raised a human being completely isolated from average society. That person would have completely different beliefs in everything you could imagine. Science, religion, medicine etc ect...His world would be completely created from his own mind like people from 100`s of years ago. They accept only the things that appeal to them most.


59 posted on 02/22/2005 11:24:09 AM PST by Imaverygooddriver (I`m a very good driver and I approve this message.)
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To: Imaverygooddriver

BTTT


60 posted on 02/22/2005 11:31:23 AM PST by Buzwardo
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