HBO’s Going Clear documentary (which is still airing, and you should watch it) revealed Scientology’s horrendous history and ongoing practices to the masses. One of the worst jobs in the world right now would be to manage Scientology’s social media accounts. People are watching the doc and using the Scientology hashtag, which is awesome to watch. The effect on the CO$ should be lasting. Recruitment numbers will be practically nonexistent, and the cult will have to try its hardest to hold onto current members.
One dude who isn’t going anywhere … John Travolta. We talked about how Going Clear details the cult’s “black PR package” on Travolta. The cult filmed all of John’s auditing sessions, so they can threaten him with the release of info if he leaves. The sad thing is that people would support John if he gave CO$ the boot. It would be the best possible thing he could do for his image. But I don’t think Travolta wants to leave. He’s happy maintaining his organized marriage and endless praise for the cult. He’s claimed to heal car crash victims with Scientology assists. John has also endorsed CO$ drug rehab programs, which (under the Narcanon brand) have seen many patients die during treatment. Narcanon is a fraudulent means of sucking vulnerable addicts into Scientology. John doesn’t care about those claims. For him, nothing but sunshine comes from L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings. Here’s John’s new interview with the Tampa Bay Times:
Has he watched Going Clear? “No, I haven’t, and I don’t really care to.”
On renewed calls for him to speak out against CO$: “I haven’t experienced anything that the hearsay has (claimed), so why would I communicate something that wasn’t true for me? It wouldn’t make sense, nor would it for Tom, I imagine.”
His take on the CO$: “[It] has been nothing but brilliant for me. I’ve been so happy with my [Scientology] experience in the last 40 years that I really don’t have anything to say that would shed light on [a documentary] so decidedly negative. I’ve been brought through storms that were insurmountable, and [Scientology has] been so beautiful for me, that I can’t even imagine attacking it.”
On his Scientology assists: “I’ve helped so many people through hard times. Loss of children, loved ones, physical illnesses. Through many tough, tough life situations I’ve used the technology to support them and help them. It’s always worked. So, why would I even approach a negative perspective? That would be a crime to me, personally, to do that.”
[From Tampa Bay Times]
Well I’ll give Travolta one tiny ounce of credit — he’s a lot less abrasive than Danny Masterson when questioned about his slavish devotion to a cult. Travolta is laying it on thick (again) because he’s always wanted to displace Tom Cruise as the face of Scientology. David Miscavige may never agree, but Travolta has shown himself to be the star pupil. He’s the only high-profile CO$ member who’s cheerleading after Going Clear. There’s virtually no chance of Tom saying anything about the film. He knows better than to stick his finger out and call someone “glib“ ever again.
Travolta will never leave the cult. His main residence is in Ocala, Florida, which is a 2-hour drive away from the main CO$ headquarters in Clearwater. He travels for training and audits several times per week. As a celebrity, Travolta enjoys a coddled CO$ existence, and he can ignore all the bad stuff Scientology has to offer. He’s happy to maintain that illusion.
P.S. In case you missed it, SNL did an amazing Scientology sketch last weekend.
Photos courtesy of WENN
He’s either got Stockholm Syndrome or doesn’t want to play Miscavige’s muscial chairs FOR YOUR LIFE.
OMG LOL I totally RuPauled the delivery of the last half of your sentence!
HE never experienced those things…it was nothing but brilliant FOR HIM.
what about the others, John? the ones that don’t have the riches that you have? the ones that are kept captive and sign their lives away? the children cut off from their parents?
I mean, Hitler never did anything to me personally…why should I have a negative image of him? Jeffrey Dahmer never killed any of MY family, so why should I think he’s a bad guy? I was raised Catholic, but I was never molested by a priest, so why should I say anything negative about my church? /S
that’s right John, just turn your head…if it doesn’t affect YOU, why should you care? F*CK THIS GUY. I hope he never works in Hollywood again.
You are on point in your criticism. Still, I feel bad for him. I wish him true freedom to come out of the church closet.
I say this with no sarcasm…you must be a more compassionate person than I am…I used to feel bad for him, but no longer.
what he’s doing is the adult equivalent of a kid putting his fingers in his ears and going “lalalalalala I’m not listening lalalalalala”
the church’s shenanigans and abuse have been exposed. he can no longer claim ignorance but yet he refuses to see what is right in front of him. no sympathy here.
if he did come out, and denounced the church and their abuse and even apologized for his complicity…I would forgive.
ETA: there’s an article on Salon about Elizabeth Moss, and whether or not she should have to answer questions on Going Clear. not sure that the link will be allowed…here’s one part.
(quote is from Tony Ortega)
FTA: “He agrees with Wright that staying silent makes celebrities complicit in Scientology’s crimes. “Tom Cruise may not be personally splitting apart families or imprisoning executives, but he represents a group that does,” says Ortega. “If Tom Cruise tomorrow came out publicly and expressed how unhappy he was with the abuses in Scientology, that would shake the organization to its core… [Celebrities] have the power to fundamentally alter the organization, no question.”
and that’s it. if a celeb member spoke out and said “I am really unhappy about this abuse, it’s got to change”, I’d have more sympathy for that person.
Totally, doogus. Cruise is considered a “god” in the Co$, and not only that, seems to have some strange control over Miscavige (or Miscavige is just plain old obsessed with Cruise). Cruise can easily bring down $cientology if he wants to. But he doesn’t and he won’t. He thrives on the adoration and heightened status the cult seems to give him.
@littlestar : I think it’s a little from column A, and a little from column B. Two little men with egos that need stroking, and how better to do it than to use a crazy ideology to get control of vulnerable and/or idealistic people?
Honestly, the whole idea that “if you succeed, it’s because of the church, and if you fail, it’s because of you” is disgusting and feeds off of vulnerability. Any organized “group think” (thanks, George Orwell) does, whether it’s $cientology or Weight Watchers. Find that vulnerability, and exploit it to the nth degree for profit.
ITA, you are all right, it’s an organisation that needs wiping off the face of the earth.
@littlestar, I do think Miscavige is obsessed with Cruise, but I don’t think he’s controlled by Cruise. Going Clear revealed that Miscavige would read aloud information from Tom’s auditing sessions, and mock him. I think Tom may be controlled by Miscavige. Remember, Miscavige arranged for the girlfriend that preceded Katie, and Tom screamed at her and dumped her when he felt she disrespected Miscavige.
I understand what you’re saying, and agree to an extent; however, did you see the documentary? They made it clear that members are forbidden from looking anything up. And if they do, it likely comes out in auditing. And they are punished for it. So many people have no idea what’s said in the media. And they’re brainwashed into thinking this is ok. It’s Stockholm syndrome. I just think it’s sad. They’re so far in they can’t see their way out. The documentary was really eye opening. I kept drawing parallels to domestic abuse victims.
It must be so nice to live in complete denial. I would also be so nice if one reporter somewhere had the fucking balls to ask real questions. Oh you know like, so John you did finally admit after the tragic death of your son Jett that he was in fact autistic. Can you also elaborate on the reports that he was removed form his epilepsy drugs because COS viewed them as a brain altering.
Seriously if all that went down with Jett is not enough to get him to leave the church he never ever will.
Yes! Thank you. Domestic abuse victims. The cult can build up the fame and tear it down. While I’m annoyed by these celebs, the egos are totally controlled. Tom and John are fragile without the co$ and really aren’t strong enough to leave.
Auditing is a strong from of autohypnosis. Scientology TRs are exactly like brainwashing because they are brainwashing. Those who’ve been in a long time have the farthest to crawl if they want out.
Puppet. What else could he say at this point? So sad.
+1 Makes sense that after 40 years of brainwashing, there’s no going back.
Now I just assume that any celebrity involved won’t leave because of the fact that their lifestyle is furnished by slave labour. Why would they give that up?
That, and they know where you’ve buried the bodies. Real or imagined. And it ain’t in volcanoes.
Seriously. I just saw photos of Tom Cruise’s house that’s up for sale – it’s beautiful, but all I could think of was all the slave labor that probably went into it, and still does with maintenance, cleaning, etc.
John will never leave Co$ he would have to cut off contact with his children. How many times have we seen Tom Cruise with Suri since his divorce from Katie? Tom was always showing off Suri to the media then it all stopped.
You mean his “hair”, don’t you?
Lol, it has a life of its own
Last night in the grocery store Life & Style front cover 540 days since Tom has seen Suri in person.
That alone is reason enough to hate the cult (and Tom). That poor child.
I believe the cult gave Travolta a way to survive his son’s death and for that he will never leave them, right or wrong.
If it weren’t such a terrible thing, it’d be almost funny that $cios gets up in arms over people pointing out that a guy KNOWN as a science fiction writer also wrote their doctrine, and to them it’s completely ridiculous that people would ever think that $cientology isn’t completely legit.
Now, I’m all for peacefully believing whatever you want to believe. And if they JUST wanted to believe the crap about overlord Xenu, and all that jazz, that’s fine. But they’re so far into blackmail, and slave labor, and so much against people seeking psychiatric help that there’s nothing ‘peaceful’ about that. When your ‘church’ is telling you that you can not have contact with your loved ones – there’s something majorly wrong as well. I don’t care if it’s $cios, or Baptists, or what have you. If your group is telling you the kind of crap that $cientology is, you need to get the hell out.
Personally, I’m not really sure what I believe. I guess I’m somewhat an agnostic, but at the same time I take absolutely no issue with those who put out warmth and help those in need without super pushing their religion. My best friends family is a perfect example of this – wonderful, amazing people that are so full of love and joy, but who never sit there and complain about the non-believers or ‘the gays’ or whatever else. If all religious folks – hell – if EVERYONE was more like this, the world would be a much better place. Unfortunately, a lot (or maybe the most vocal – not all though) of people seem to find religion as an excuse to judge and hate, which seems to be kind of backwards, really.
Bravo, Erinn. Well said.
Well said, Erinn! I completely agree with you on all points. I grew up in the church (my grandmother was a Sunday school teacher, my cousin & her husband are both ministers), and the message was always to love thy neighbor. Much to my mother’s chagrin I took on more agnostic views during teens and no longer associate myself with any church or religion, but I still believe in the messages that I learned (to love one another, to not pass judgement, to show compassion & tolerance). I’m not sure when things took such a negative turn, like you said, to where religion is now used as an excuse to hate and pass judgement, but it really is sad. And the CO$ is just beyond any kind of leap of faith. I can’t even begin to wrap my brain around it.
Well said and I agree.
When it comes to Travolta though, I doubt he’s fully aware of most of this.
Keep your head in the sand, protected from the outside evils/truths and what your life is, your comforts, your normalcy will remain intact.
They will tell you all you ever need to know. They will always be there for you as long as you follow their rules. And if you stray They will destroy your life with such ease by using the trust you placed in them against you.
Travolta likely knows this and knows confronting his doubts will end in nothing good for him and those he holds close. So his head remains firmly in the sand to stay unaware of how things come to him. Total willful ignorance.
That is just it, if you want to believe all the nutty science fiction stuff as a religion ok fine go for it. But don’t enslave people, don’t harm children, don’t deny them education, don’t blackmail and harass, beat people etc etc. just believe your crazy science fiction book and be good moral people. If they did that no one would care because no one cared when we didn’t know about all the horrivle stuff happening. We just thought it was odd but you can point to odd things in all religions.
This is why Mormonism is mostly OK – another completely and obviously made up religion but at least the followers mostly do good
Not sure what to think of his answers. One could guess, because Scientology worked for him and they treated him well, he isn’t going to question the treatment of others. Saying: it didn’t happen to me, so why should I care if it is true or not!?
But, on the other hand, he isn’t outright denying anything, is he? John is just saying how “brilliant” it was for him and how happy he is. John is not saying he has never heard of these accusations before or that those are untrue, right?
I guess how his son Jett was treated or not treated just doesn’t count with John. Boy, he has a short memory. Ugh!
OMG you said it beautifully.
What happened with Jett was overall very sad, but he was being treated in a a way many with the same conditions are. Special diets and mental exercises are common methods outside of using a cocktail of medications that can sometimes leave someone in a sedated state. And we can’t know if Jett passed because of lack of medical care or it was just his time. Anything else is an assumption.
When there’s a level of brainwashing so deep it’s just not as simple as you’d think.
But if you want to oversimplify this then sure.
FLORC, it was reported from church insiders that they were constantly pressured to deny everything about Jett, don’t forget this church made it money by claiming to cure all illnesses of the brain. He died of an epileptic seizure, it was reveled after that they removed him from his epileptic medicine on advice of the church “doctors” as the medicine was preventing him from getting better. Blunt force trauma from an seizure that could have been prevented had he been properly medicated is a pretty preventable way to die.
Jett was actually on anti-seizure medication.
Kendra
I remember reading his meds were taken away, but that was proven fallls information. Given the COS reputation no one questioned it.
And I remember the Travoltas did have to say/truly believe Jett was just more severely afflicted with what causes harm in their belief structure.
To add, anti-seizure meds aren’t 100% and you can die as a result of injuries secondary to that like a fall down the stairs.
There is MUCH the COS should be blamed for rightfully. Jett’s condition he was born with is not one. And that he passed away from having a seizure resulting in head trauma from a fall is also not their fault. It’s just unfortunate.
I’m with FLORC on this.
I think we can all agree that CO$ is a frightening, manipulative, and wholly corrupt “religion”, but using the tragic death of Travolta’s son to support that idea feels really….exploitative and wrong to me.
When Jett died, I read that he had been taken off his anti-seizure medicine because of the church. After a while I read that was untrue. No meds solve the problem. I take 4 different prescriptions 3x a day and still have seizures everyday.
It’s sad that he had to die, but I’m glad that his parents didn’t keep the medicine from him. That would have been unfair to their child
Kitten
The way CO$ exploited their grief over losing their son and kept them under constant and extreme watch was terrible. Like the worst thing that could happen was they have to deal with their own feelings and question their lives as a method to deal with their current reality. Imo they were not allowed that and could be worse off for it.That’s sick and sad. What happened to Jett was simply tragic. And you could see how devastated his parents were.
Maeliz
A friend of mine has epilepsy. On her meds she has a facial twitch that goes largely unnoticed. It can be worse, but the med she takes is a popular anti-depression med. If she takes it a few hours late or misses a day entirely the results can be quite extreme and scary to witness.
I hope your condition improves!
I just think it’s bad enough to lose a child, but to have people insinuating that it’s somehow your fault…that would push me over the edge. It just seems in very poor taste to me.
Honestly, I feel the worst for the CO$ children–they didn’t sign up for this. Take a look at the Suri thread–all the speculation about her relationship with her dad, whether he’s even her biological father? She’s just a child, and this seems really wrong to me.
I have no problem with it being open season on adult CO$ members, but I wish we could leave the kids out of this.
Kitten
Well said. The kids get a lot of the rumors and personal opinion projected on them. It’s not fair. They’re kids. Hate the parents, but don’t bring the kids into this. Using them to reinforce your point aboutthe parents.
Though Tom not seeing his daughter much seems very off.
I also guess he doesn’t give a sh*t how his old auditing pal Spanky was treated. She was separated from her baby, and held in “the hole” until she was rescued (with her severely sick baby) by someone who worked for Travolta. There is no way he didn’t know that.
This! I watched the doco and the way that poor woman was treated was terrible. He just sat back and let it happen.
John is a celebrity so he’s only going to see the good side that benefits him. Denial is a strong thing when you’re that deep into a cult.
The movie was riveting. Everyone needs to watch. I knew what they ultimately get revealed as far as Xenu or whatever, but I had no idea the details of it. It was insane.
My heart went out to Nicole. I think she was naive to what as going to happen with her children and then it was too late. They were bit by by turned against her as a SP.
Noticed how he keeps repeating how great it has been FOR HIM. Because it has. He is a big celebrity and they treat him like royalty. And they also have him backed into a closet…er…corner. So he really can’t say anything negative.
Good point(s). Having him speak kind of just reinforces what Going Clear was saying.
When he ends an interview by mouthing the word *HELP ME* I’ll worry.
No one at CO$ can counter what Going Clear was saying without having to admit some of it is true or at least acknowledge some. If they defend themselves and their cult they are only reinforcing GC by demonstrating the tactics used.
I doubt those who will speak out against it will even see it. Maybe a heavily editted version or a written summary, but not the actual docufilm.
He made the obligatory response.
He did. I think the only thing that will influence this stance is a SURGE in public opinion. Ultimately, these people care about their public image and bankability. If allegiance to Scientology proves too corrosive to that reputation, they’ll turn.
That’s what’s interesting to me about the current burst of negative press. I don’t think the heat has ever been quite this high on T.C. and J.T.
One big test is how well the new Mission Impossible film does.
Of course Scientology would be brilliant to him. He pays them top dollar, doesn’t he?
He and Tom need to look beyond themselves. Giving to charity (I’m assuming they do) and all don’t make sense if you can’t take a look around you. It just looks you’re trying to take tax reduction or enhance your image.
Urm…Travolta’s face looks wierd.
They give to charity in the name of taxes. I’m pretty sure 90% of rich people do simply for that fact.
Theses rich people know how to be careful with taxes. Donating to a charity. When the rich and famous members donate to this church, they must know churches don’t pay taxes
Sci-fi tololgy better be brilliant to all the loony celebrities that pay them top dollar to keep the cult going. I hear more about the church they belong to rather than John and Toms work.
Yeah, his face is kind of big, long, puffy, and has beady eyes, Never been cute to me
I think they give money to their or Sciento-organizations. They have them with names that don’t relate them directly to Scientology. They have even bought domain names that were once legit. They have thought in everything to convince poor unaware souls.
Travolta is very careful to simply state his own experience, without insulting anybody else’s experience. That’s the right way to deal with this. He may very well have found something in Co$ that helped him through dark times – at least there are escapees from Co$ who continue certain procedures, saying the church is corrupt but the principles are correct. I’m baffled, but it’s no weirder than other religions when considered objectively. I suppose if you could strip away the parts mirroring Hubbard’s increasing mental illness and the greedy megalomania, there might be something useful to somebody.
I would cut Travolta loads of slack since his wife is a true believer and he would be cut off from his children if he left. He seems to just deal with things as best he can. I think they skirted Co$ guidelines quite a bit when dealing with his son Jett, who seemed to have drug-resistant seizures which are hellish to manage, in addition to being somewhere on the autistic spectrum. People criticized Travolta quite a bit, assuming Jett was not being treated properly because of Co$, but I don’t agree. The life expectancy of children with such seizures is poor. They have to periodically go off any drugs (which don’t provide good control anyway) because of side effects and quality of life issues. It’s a very difficult balancing act and parents will forever wonder if they did the right thing or not. Jett’s parents obviously loved him very much and treasured the time they had with him. They must have known the poor odds for long-term survival. They had no obligation to let Jett become the poster child for autism as some seemed to demand, and I’m sure avoiding the label was important to avoid more trouble with Co$.
He’s surely treading a line. He did not attack anyone. But it’s likely that he was required to say something.
My thoughts as well, Kiddo.
What can u really say when someone or something has you by the short n curlies & you’ve spent your whole life invested in something that’s a charade? He can’t turn back to undue what has been done. And I’m sure that some of the techniques have helped just as much as being a part of a smallish intimate community has. A lot of people attend church and church functions for those same reasons. To “come clear” would be courageous; however, it would also take an emotional / psychological / mental big something (I don’t have the words) for him to make that leap. He’d have to confront so much (his own gullibility / vulnerability even his own culpability in his son’s death, if one wants to look at it from that angle). Plus, his and his families’ roots are planted too deeply now. Does he really have a system of support outside of the church? He probably doesn’t want to even see the pity in folk’s eyes if he left. He has probably already made peace with himself about his choices(s) and, in his own way, may have already mentally/emotionally distanced himself in the best ways that he knows how. Shrugs shoulders.
That’s what I think too. They have something on him he does not want public, or have threatened to cut him off from his family, and he’s stuck in it and defending it publicly. I’m sure he got a not subtle request to make this statement.
Great post. Yes to everything you said.
My sentiments exactly.
Anytime I look at him all I can imagine are three wig stands in his bathroom: one large one for his toupee, and two miniature ones for his eyebrow wiglets.
And a big drawer for all the makeup he’s been piling on lately. Eek.
I tried to watch Saturday Night Fever last night while waiting for Better Call Saul. They went heavy on the shadow back then too. What a terribly acted film, at least for the few minutes that I could tolerate. I guess it was all about the dancing, but I couldn’t hold on long enough to get to that portion of the film.
In college we used to hate watch and make fun of some of the terribly delivered lines from SNF! So bad.
I haven’t watched last night’s Saul yet, but I plan to over lunch today. I think it’s the season finale, right? Last week was devastating.
He just had this sort of dumb/blank look on his face, and the way the woman delivered her lines was just…BAD. Is it worth watching for being gloriously bad?
Yes, Saul was the finale. I won’t reveal spoilers.
Please don’t make me laugh or bust out with a fit of the giggles thinking about wig, wiglets and toupee stands. I can see him in his bathroom doing a Saturday Night Feveresque dance routine as he approaches his stands. Night fever. Night fever. We know how to do it. Will it be you? Will it be you? Or will it be you? Mmmm. We know how to do it 🎶🎶🎶
Kiddo, not worth watching, imo. I think the alcohol and recreational drugs likely consumed while watching probably enhanced our amusement back in the day.
I wonder if another reason not to leave is Kelly Preston. While he would be supported, I think she would be crucified. So maybe he is maintaining the status quo in part for the mother of his children…I don’t know just a thought.
I don’t know, she creeps me out. I wonder how much she is controlling him? He seems kinda passive to me.
Probably the structure and level of importance directed toward her is the hook chorus in a song. She went directly there and to marrying Travolta after a relationship with Charlie Sheen and the gun-firing incident, which would seem to epitomize out of control, structureless-ness and being an unimportant female.
Kelly Preston is a true believer. She’s not leaving.
Hey John, remember your old friend Spanky Taylor? Shame on you! John Travolta had all the proof he needed of what $cientology was after that incident, and just turned a blind eye.
People, don’t forget to sign that petition at whitehouse. gov asking the IRS to revoke the $ciloons’ tax-exempt status.
Yo Xenu, come and get me. I’m not afraid of you.
IZZY did you see Mike Rowe’s article about Spanky? She works for him now and boy does he hate Scientology- but he rspecislly hates the tax exempt part. And I agree with him.
I’m not even American but my god did it make me angry how the IRS basically folded to them because of a lawsuit campaign, thus fueling the already massive ego of David Miscavige
his facebook post on that was awesome.
and he’s right. they SELL a form of therapy, and make billions, and they need to be taxed for it.
Rowe’s post was BRILLIANT.
When she said that all those babies had fevers. I was really angry that nobody called DYFS. How can such abuse of children be allowed to continue?
Yes! That was one of the things I took from the documentary. I guess it’s all he said/she said, but why would Spanky claim that he helped her make up her mind to leave the church if he didn’t? And she still seems to have so much love for the man who had been her friend. Maybe if he were just keeping quiet….. but for him to release press statements saying he knows of no one who has ever been abused by the church? That goes beyond drinking the Kool-Aid.
Its a symptom of brainwashing to think your beloved whatever can do no wrong…. Ugh.
He is pathetic. He and Tom should be deeply ashamed of themselves.
They probably are, and that’s what’s keeping them in? Plus the years of investment. It’s very difficult after 30(?) something years to say, “I was wrong about this thing I dedicated my life to and gave all my riches away to”.
I don’t think that’s the only things keeping them in. I think Tom and John believe they owe their success to Scientology. If Scientology goes away their success goes away.
You’re probably right. But isn’t that the same for anyone who is religious? Owing a debt of gratitude toward gifts given to them?
There’s a factor missing. Tom and John might feel their success will vanish if they leave, but how it will vanish and if they stop believing they owe their fortune to COS. Blackmail. The secrets kept could ruin many lives that rely on Cruise/Travolta.
It’s character and values that make people feel their good fortune is to be paid forward or to pay debts. That’s a part of religious people, but not the same. And that COS actively uses Blackmail in their basic handbook of operations is a good example of how they have none. Entitlement is what replaces it. COS isn’t due a tithing. It’s entitled to it.
Neither of them seems particularly bright. Plus, they became CO$ while they were pretty young and education obviously isn’t encouraged. Makes me mad and sad at the same time cuz I loved both these guys back in the day! Thankfully there are others who are swoon-worthy.
My husband and I watched some of it… Totally creepy. And eye-opening.
I’ve never experienced police brutality or been pulled over because of my race but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. I happens I know it happens and I have a responsibility to say it’s wrong and it shouldn’t happen. To attempt to engage in ways to make it stop.
John has heard about this a lot, it’s been reported by credible sources a friend of his was a victim and he is going to sit there and say it hasn’t happened to him so he can’t speak about it. Bull!!
I always think he is terrified about being outed, but is that so bad? Would anybody care? It probably goes deeper than that. Maybe he is afraid for his children.
Heh heh-at first glance, I thought John was wearing Candace’ black pantsuit, and I chuckled..then I saw the picture of his hand on Scarlet, and I got a cold chill!
Scientology is clearly evil when it’s devotees do things like this.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlWvoyMN7yU
What Co$ has on Travolta and Cruise would bring their careers down if they were exposed. That’s why Nicole Kidman crept quietly away and didn’t fight to see her kids because they’ve undoubtedly got some damning information on her from audits that, if leaked, would at the very least embarrass her horribly. Also Connor and Isabella have been brainwashed into treating her like an SP so it’s obviously their choice to shun her. What an evil, evil organization that deliberately tears apart families unless they’re all marching to the beat of the same drum.
Katie Holmes certainly has something BIG on Tom which is why he slunk away without a fight – payback’s a bitch isn’t it Tom….
The thing is, he can’t watch it. Church members are not allowed to watch or read material that attacks the church or is negative to it in any light. My step-dad is still a Scientologist and he has tried to ask me NOT to read or watch negative info on the church and it was forbidden when I was a child. In fact, he snooped through my ex-husband’s computer history, found a history that linked back to anti-sci sites, and he threw the biggest temper tantrum, berating my then husband in front of me and my mom, and refused to speak to him or one of his friends. All of this went on during a holiday trip he had taken to visit us in our house. Once he went back home he had a What is Sci book mailed to my husband and that was the end of our marriage. One final straw to break that camel’s back. My dad’s response? “Good, he was too antagonistic toward the church anyway.”
ETA: We have very little contact now and I broke from the church quite a while back. And this is only one instance in many that mirror what was told in Going in Clear. Watching that doc was incredibly heartbreaking and triggering for me, but I’m glad it’s out there and people are paying attention.
That’s what surprised me about Oscar winning director, Paul Haggis. I just assumed these more sophisticated celebs, not a peon, were well aware and chose to ignore it. But he literally never went on the internet and looked at these things until he did regarding his daughters being gay and the support of Prop 8 signed by the COS in a petition was brought to his attention by I think his daughter That’s when he started really investigating and learned of the defectors speaking out and the human rights violations, etc. He said he feels like a fool now, but he always was skeptical of some of the bogus teachings by COS.
A lot of these celebs have taken all the courses years ago. They just give them money and live their lives pretty free in many respects compared to the minions. Although, the disconnecting even happens to them. Paul Haagis talked about how his wife a little while before they left had to disconnect from her parents because her parents were declared SPs again, and also had to earlier in their marriage when the COS considered them Suppressive Persons.
I can’t recommend the documentary on HBO enough. I know they could only cover a portion of the book it was based on, which I want to read, because of time constraints, but it still did a great job.
I cant stand him or his movies anymore along with tom cruise. These 2 think Scientology is reason for their success in life. Well Scientology is successful thanks to these 2 nobs glorifying it to the public ..sick!
Here’s my interpretation of his responses:
Has he watched Going Clear? “No, I haven’t, and I don’t really care to” = Why would I? I’m chained to them for life because I won’t come out of the closet. I won’t, I wont, I WON’T!
On renewed calls for him to speak out against CO$: “I haven’t experienced anything that the hearsay has (claimed), so why would I communicate something that wasn’t true for me? It wouldn’t make sense, nor would it for Tom, I imagine ” = Do you know how much s#%t they have on Tom and me? If those audit tapes come out we’re through — I might as well just disco dance my way onto Xenu’s spaceship never to return, and Tom can just have himself airdropped from whatever helicopter he’s dangling off of into the next Hedwig cast…….
His take on the CO$: “[It] has been nothing but brilliant for me. I’ve been so happy with my [Scientology] experience in the last 40 years that I really don’t have anything to say that would shed light on [a documentary] so decidedly negative. I’ve been brought through storms that were insurmountable, and [Scientology has] been so beautiful for me, that I can’t even imagine attacking it” = see above responses
On his Scientology assists: “I’ve helped so many people through hard times. Loss of children, loved ones, physical illnesses. Through many tough, tough life situations I’ve used the technology to support them and help them. It’s always worked. So, why would I even approach a negative perspective? That would be a crime to me, personally, to do that” = You know what happens at that f$&@ing Celebrity Center, don’t you? E-meters 24/7 and a bazillion milligrams of niacin until we’re all basically puking blood and gibbering like idiots. We’re in the trenches, man. They know everything. EVERYTHING.
Well, from what I have read, they are not allowed to see, read, etc. anything about CO$, so it’s no surprise that he won’t. I do think, by watching the documentary that Travolta was their celebrity spoke person ’till Cruise came along.
Guess they want to live in the shadow of what was once Scientology. While Hubbard was a charlatan, crazy, sometimes abusive & controlling he wasn’t as abusive or fist wielding as Miscaivage. Hey in America it’s no crime & a privilege too believe in batshait crazy. Hubbard actually believed in some of the crazier parts of the church but think David is purely in it for money & too wield power through abuse. The real crime is in what they’re extracting from its members. Money, their confessions, complete loyalty, their ID & even their families. In some cases their entire existence. The church seemed to changed under Miscaiviage. Maybe at one time the church was relevant in these people lives but now it wants too control their entire life. Its why there embedded in it because at one time it may have served them now seems they serve it. Feel bad for the people trapped in it & they at least as a church need to get rid of little Napolean.
The organization has always been about money and manipulation. As investigators, we have no clear idea how creepy it was before the era of social media. I read the whole organization was on a giant ship in the 70s literally to avoid any laws. L Ron Hubbard had sexy underage female crew at one point. So the cult has always been subversive and evil. No one can blame Miscaviage as Hubbard, the creator, was likely an imbalanced person.
To me it seems it’s like a Pyramid Scheme. If you’re on the top reaping all the benefits with no loss and no risk, then of course everything is ‘nothing but brilliant.’ But everybody on the bottom are the ones who are considered expendable and put through the ringer.
Lost respect for John Travolta. I want to see this “Going Clear” but I’m on the other side of the World. How can I see it? I’m glad this doco slammed the IRS.
For free on VPN + HBO Go app on iPad, iPod, iPhone.
Or buy the Kindle edition book.
SCIENTOLOGY IS ‘NOTHING BUT BRILLIANT’” of course they are brilliant! you’re the cash cow. You don’t do the hard labor for the cult like other alleged “disgruntled and abused followers” You are treated and elevated like God because of the large amount of money you contributed to Scientology. Time to take them blinkers off John before its too late.