Tom Cruise and Scientology: there's more

Guardian UK ^ | 11/19/09

[Nachum]

A new book claims the Top Gun star had a tendency to chat to ashtrays, bottles and other inanimate objects

Just a teeny tiny amount of space left to say, hey, guess what? Tom Cruise? He's a bit fricking weird! Yuhdoansay.

In Blown For Good, the latest book by an escapee from the Galactic Confederacy, AKA Scientology, Marc Headley claims that Cruise would talk to inanimate objects "for hours". No, not Nicole Kidman's face, but ashtrays, bottles, books. "You tell the ashtray, 'Sit in that chair.' Then you actually go over and put the ashtray in that chair. Then you tell the ashtray, 'Thank you,'" is Headley's account of Tom's personal teachings. And to all of you out there thinking, "Well, telling an ashtray thank you sounds a lot more fun than having to share a set for God knows how many weeks with Dustin Hoffman banging on about Qantas," I got there first.

[Nachum]

Modern acting, to be good and compelling requires that the actor go deeper and deeper into very strange places in their soul.

I work in the profession occasionally and that is so true. Well said.

[FredZarguna]

Stalin and Mao were motivated by a religion as well.

To compare the French Terror, which lasted fourteen months, in scope or duration to the depredations of either Communism or Christianity is to betray an ignorance of history so thorough that it's no surprise you have no idea where to begin.

As for Scientology not being a religion, I'm sure to a practitioner of some other silly nonsense it doesn't seem like one, but it is. Body Thetans are no stupider (or any more real) than demons, angels, or the Easter Bunny. Hubbard may not have been sincere in his belief in these things, but Tom Cruise and others like him are. That parallels the development of plenty of "spiritual" mumbo-jumbo over the ages.

In my view, the tax deduction granted to all the businesses that call themselves "faiths." Ought to be abolished.

[D-fendr]

Communism is anti-religion. No matter it’s length, The Terror is a contradiction to your point.

Also, to apply medieval or earlier standards to religion and human behaviour today is anachronistic. By that standard, we should cut Scientology some slack so long as they don’t use the rack.

I also must conclude you’re unaware of the full history of Scientology.

Bottom line on your main point: “there were worse causes that he could waste his money on” - illogical.

So long as there are worse things someone could do, we cannot criticize what they do?

[FredZarguna]

Yeah, you're right. The priests of Scientology are raping young men and boys and pushing Communism in Central America and Welfare Statism throughout the developed World.

Oh, wait, that's the Church of Rome.

It's come so far since the Middle Ages.

Not.

[D-fendr]

If your point is anti-Catholicism, that belongs on another thread.

Your position on this thread remains illogical and ignorant of Scientology.

[FredZarguna]

You raised the issue of Medieval standards as a basis of comparison, which you're now running away from. Thanks for conceding the point. We don't need to go back that far in order to establish that Scientology is not really worse than other putative "mainstream" religions.

Please do attempt to point out to me how Scientology is actually worse than any other major religion. And please don't bother if you're going to claim that it isn't a religion under your own personal and highly selective "definition." It walks like a Church and quacks like a Church. It's a Church.

You want me to concede the point that Scientology is evil. OK: like all organized religion, it's evil. That still makes it relatively harmless compared to most causes that Tom Cruise could be contributing to. World Wild Life is one of the outfits Hollywood libtards love. It's one of the leading advocates for AGW, a cause which has already cost hundreds of billions of dollars in the developed world, and will be responsible for even more mischief in years to come.

My point stands. When you have some facts and logic, come back. Otherwise stop wasting my time.

[D-fendr]

You raised the issue of Medieval standards

No, it's your post:

"Until Reform Christianity made its debut -- fifteen centuries into the process, no less -- the Roman Church routinely tortured and murdered people in the name of God. Even so, it took another two hundred years..."

[D-fendr]

Please do attempt to point out to me how Scientology is actually worse than any other major religion.

I think this is the core problem, the difference is striking, chilling and overwhelming. The information has been reported on for decades in publications, criminal and civil trials, in forums and well-documented websites.

I'm confident that if you become informed, you'll understand - and agree with - my position.

[dfwgator]

Come out of the closet, Tom.