Tom Cruise..scientology...no Comment...

[NanaRenan 0]

My opinions on Scientology aside, I once heard a discussion of the 'power' of celebrity. The speaker ran through a list of Hollywood "movers and shakers" and gave their background....in an attempt to show what gave them the authority to speak on such weighty topics as politics, social reforms, etc., etc.

One that stuck with me was Tom Cruise. He was a dropout/busboy when he was offered his first movie role. And because of his looks and acting ability (which, when you think about it is an innate ability to lie convincingly!), he became very successful and made a lot of money.

But at no point did he use that money to further his education -- unless you count the tens of thousands spent on attaining each new 'level' in the Church of Scientology! -- instead, he was catapulted onto the world stage to voice his opinions on different topics and be quoted and filmed endlessly by the media. But he's still a dropout/busboy....just with a lot of money and power.

Nana<---a dropout/housewife.....with a GED and a blog

[green 6]

Yes, the ability to lie convincingly is the basic tool of all actors. It is part of the toolkit of politicians, salesmen, corporate business big shots, etc. Actors are quite special, however, for they are able to slide into the skins of characters and make these imaginary creatures live and breathe for us. This is a real gift. A gift which they have. And a gift which they give to us, the audience who wants to be entertained.

From what I have read Tom Cruise suffers from dyslexia. This means that he is handicapped when it comes to dealing with the printed word. His brain has problems processing it. The printed word looks, to a dyslexic, like gobbledygook. It is difficult for those of us who read as easily as we walk and talk to imagine that this could be so but my husband suffers from dyslexia and so does my greatniece. Dyslexics can be very, very bright but they will not prosper in academics and many of them will drop out of school. Indeed the school experience is likely to leave these people feeling humiliated, stupid, and depressed.

My own wonderful and very bright husband was trapped by his virtual illiteracy from going on with his education. The two arenas of his academic interest, economics and psychology, remain blocked to him. Nevertheless, he has done well for himself.

And Tom Cruise had done well for himself. He is a fine actor. He is also drifting deeper and deeper into loony land.

[anonemouse 1]

Well, when you think about it, even though Scientology sounds pretty wacky to outsiders, Christianity isn't all that much less wacky-sounding. On one hand, you've got aliens. On the other, you've got an all-knowing, all-powerful, invisible entity. Speaking as an atheist, it's pretty much "six of one, half-dozen of the other," as my mom would say.

[Alexandra 55]

I tend to agree with you, Laurend, but the Scientologist organization is truly out there, and kinda scary. Back in the late 1980s the organization I work for gave an award to a journalist who had written about Scientology, and we received literally hundreds of calls asking us to rescind the award. It was a terrifically orchestrated movement (and this was in the days before e-mail) that almost crippled my office.

I shudder to think about the personal hell Andrew Morton is going through right now, having written this Cruise biography.

[green 6]

Tom Cruise certainly is deep in loony land. But it might be interesting to speculate what brought him there. It is my understanding that it was one of his very first Hollywood GFs, the beautiful Mimi Rogers, who hooked him up with Scientology.

Now, what kind of person falls for the horseshit handed out by a cult? What kind of person opts to drydock their critical faculties in order to believe in Thetans, to hand over their cash in return for a promise of spiritual clarity and, I guess, a sense of happiness? What kind of person publically turns his back on modern medicine in order to claim that his cult has techniques which can cure medical trauma in the case of accident victims, psychiatric disorders, and addiction issues?

This is what the actor and Scientologist, Tom Cruise, is now claiming, and this is why he is looking like a raving nutbar to most of us.

But why would he believe in all this shit and act like a total arse? Well, I believe that individuals like him suffer from a gross sense of insecurity and feel a deep sense of fear. They want firm answers, they want promises, rules to abide by, and they also want to belong. Membership in a cult does provide each lonely and fearful individual with a family and a neighbourhood. He will receive love, direction, support, companionship, and he will live inside the comfort of the framework of an entirely supportive myth, one which removes him from the existential panic of being forced to examine his own frights more closely.

I think that Cruise became a Scientologist because he was frightened and bewildered and is likely not the most intellectual of kitty-cats. And now we see the poor barstid making an utter hash out of his street cred. I have never found Cruise all that attractive but I do find myself feeling kind of sorry for him now that he is lurching outside of his spin doctors' control. Seems like he is on self-destructo, eh?

[AmberWaves 0]

I read this a few days ago and it's pretty interesting. Although it did lead me even more to the conclusion that these people are coocoo for coco puffs, it did give me more of an understanding what they are and what they do. It is pretty long but it's worth the read!

Inside Scientology : Rolling Stone

[Oregondaisy 2,020]

I actually have a book somewhere in my attic written by LRon Hubbard.

I should drag it out for curiosity sake. I think I must have gotten it at

a yard sale.

[DerickM 1]

I actually own a copy of Dianetics and a book called "What is Scientology" compiled by the church of Scientology.

L. Ron was muy loco.

[Devana 0]

Are "Dianetics" and "Scientology" the same thing?

[Fanny Adams 7]

Pretty much the same. Dianetics is the "psychological" theory and Scientology the full-blown cult. There are quite a few schools and private tutoring centres around that push Dianetics and claim that they are independent of the Church. Mind you, they are fully funded by and solely operated by Church members, so you decide how independent they are...

[Done 2]

oh.

my.

god.

I had to load a separate webpage listing all of the scientology 'jargon' to understand what he was talking about. Even then I only understood maybe the last two sentences! OK Tom, we know you want to help. We feel you.

[Devana 0]

Pretty much the same. Dianetics is the "psychological" theory and Scientology the full-blown cult. There are quite a few schools and private tutoring centres around that push Dianetics and claim that they are independent of the Church. Mind you, they are fully funded by and solely operated by Church members, so you decide how independent they are...

Thanks, Fanny. I was surprised to see a book on Dianetics in the office lending library. This is my office and they are my books so I'm curious who put it there.

[LauraD 2]

I have a hard time thinking of Scientology as a "religion" when they require people to pay tuition and attend classes to learn about it and advance within the church. That's not religion, that's business.

One of my all-time favorite Bono quotes: "The God I believe in isn't short of cash."

[Betsyjane 2]

It's a lot like Andy Warhol making money off of a commercial Soup can canvas. L Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer who made a religion about space aliens and made money. It is a testament to Warhol's and Hubbard's marketing skills that they could sell something so out there. Cruise is equally ambitious and makes a superb living marketing his looks and a bit of talent. It's the American way........

[ELENATION 0]

I respect Tom Cruise's right to his own opinion, religion, whatever. However, when he goes so far as to tell another person (Brooke Shields, I believe) that she is wrong to take antidepressant medication for post partum depression, he is crossing the line. Mr Cruise needs to keep his religious beliefs and his celebrity separate. It seems that since he has decided to force his religion down people's throats, his popularity has diminished. It would be in the best interest of his career to keep his mouth shut!

Right on Mrs.Pruett!