When the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes story was in its full swing, CB and I had a few private debates about the Church of Scientology and about cults in general. My take was always that the people who join Scientology (or any given cult) as an adult really aren’t that sympathetic. It sounds harsh, I know, but I always come down to: “They had a choice. Maybe they didn’t have a choice once they were all the way in, but at the beginning, they always had a choice.” CB definitely has more sympathy for those people who get caught up in a cult, and she knows a lot about how CoS brainwashes and “converts” people into their cult, and how they KEEP people in their cult. She has made many valid points, especially when CB talks about how CoS preys on “weak” people. So why am I discussing this in a Sparkles post? Because he’s having a really terrible few weeks (and what will turn out to be an awful year). And because, according to the Enquirer, the Church of Scientology is trying to recruit him in his hour of desperation:

The Church of Scientology has set its sights on Robert Pattinson to take over the role as the organizations’s top celebrity after Tom Cruise’s quickie divorce from Katie Holmes caused major embarrassment for the controversial religion, say sources.

And insiders believe that Kirstie Alley, a neighbor and friend of Pattinson, is spearheading the efforts to lure him into the fold, after an SUV registered to Alley was spotted leaving his property. As eyewitness told The Enquirer that a white Lexus Hybrid SUV belonging to Kirstie entered Pattinson’s property on July 25 – the same day he reportedly broke up with Kristen Stewart after she was caught cheating with Rupert Sanders. When the Lexus left at 4:30 pm, the vehicle went directly to Scientology’s Celebrity Center in Hollywood.

“My first thought was that it was really unusual,” the eyewitness noted. “I didn’t get a good look at the driver except that I noticed that the person had a lot of hair – so it was probably female.”

“The Church of Scientology would love to have Rob in the fold,” says Amy Scobee, formerly a high-ranking Scientologist, “He’s the ideal candidate for Scientology. The Church believes that everyone has a situation they can help them with, and they prey on people in their weak moments. Since he’s going through a bad breakup, it would be perfect timing for them to step in and ‘help’. And if Kirstie’s a friend and neighbor, he might listen to her.”

[From The Enquirer, print edition]

Do I think Rob would ever become a Scientologist? Not really. Yes, he’s emotionally devastated and psychologically “weak” right now… but I can’t see him turning to Xenu in his hour of need. More likely he’s turning to booze and cigarettes and man-tears. And when those tears dry, he will still not roll with Xenu. I’ve read Rob’s interviews over the years – he’s not a brain surgeon or anything, but he’s a smart kid, and he would see through the CoS crap pretty quickly, I think. But it’s interesting that CoS could be trying to recruit him. CoS has been having a worse year than Robert – John Travolta is now associated with “sexually assaulting masseurs” and Tom Cruise is now associated with “being such a nutcase that his innocent, pure wife had to leave him suddenly and publicly.” Poor David Miscavige. He really, really wanted this one, didn’t he? David must like ‘em really pretty and sparkly.

Photos courtesy of WENN.