Interesting Article About The Religious Cult & Why Tom Cruise is looking like a loose cannon to the Scientologists
By Damian Thompson
8:25PM BST 02 Jul 2012
Tom Cruise is 50 years old today. Actors and actresses who trade on their looks rarely enjoy passing this particular milestone, and Cruise has plenty of other reasons to feel miserable.
He’s stuck in rainy Iceland, filming a thriller, while his third wife, Katie Holmes, files for divorce and sole custody of their six-year-old daughter, Suri. At the weekend, his spokesman asked the media to respect the couple’s privacy. The tabloids thought about this for a split second before splashing with “TOM AND KATIE TO DIVORCE – more details pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 20, 21.”
Why the hysteria? Cruise is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, but he’s in the twilight of his career as a leading man. There used to be rumours that he’s gay, but no one has ever stood them up. If showbusiness reporters wanted to “out” A-list stars, which they don’t, then there are more obvious candidates.
But here’s another headline from yesterday: CULT STALKS KATIE. The “cult” is Scientology, to which Tom Cruise has belonged since his twenties. The headline comes from the Sun, whose owner, Rupert Murdoch, took to Twitter on Sunday to describe the religion as “something creepy, even evil”.
Tom Cruise is not only the world’s most famous Scientologist but also one of its most powerful operatives. Some sources claim he’s Number Two to David Miscavige, the leader of the organisation and best man at his wedding to Holmes.
For more than 20 years, the star of Top Gun has publicly saluted the Church of Scientology. His wholesome, reporting-for-duty eagerness has persuaded countless fans to try the therapeutic “auditing” courses pioneered in the Fifties by Hubbard.
Reputedly, no religion in the world extracts more money from its followers. (Many, it should be said, insist that it’s worth every cent.) Reaching “Clear”, a level of enlightenment that strips you of all inherited fears and irrational thinking, could set you back as much as £30,000 over several years. But don’t expect to hear about Xenu, the intergalactic dictator who tried to kill billions of souls by stacking hydrogen bombs around volcanoes 75 million years ago. That yarn costs a whole lot more.
In addition to the courses, you need accessories, such as an E-meter, a portable lie-detector with dials and switches that looks as if it was knocked up by BBC special effects for a Pertwee-era episode of Doctor Who.
One way to earn the money for “auditing”, as the brain-cleansing technique is known, is to work for one of the Church’s military-style organisations. It has built a Disneyfied castle in the grounds of Saint Hill Manor, Hubbard’s country house in the West Sussex dormitory town of East Grinstead. There you can see young people strutting around in uniforms that make them look like, well, extras in a Tom Cruise movie.
Tom really was the jewel in Scientology’s crown. But the question he ought to be asking himself today, as he contemplates his mid-century, is whether the scales have tipped and he’s now a liability.
From a public relations point of view, the Cruise-Holmes divorce is more than a car crash: it’s as if Xenu’s spaceship (which, according to Hubbard, looked like a DC-8 without engines) had plunged into one of those volcanoes.
Katie Holmes has filed for divorce in New York, where it is thought she stands a better chance of being granted sole custody than in Scientology-saturated California. The message sent out from her supporters is unequivocal – and one calculated to appeal to parents everywhere: she wants to drag little Suri out of the strange world of auditing, E-meters and “Thetans” – floating souls trillions of years old who inhabit human bodies.
But could Scientology harm Suri? Scientology’s online enemies have been quick to jump in. Tony Ortega, editor-in-chief of New York’s Village Voice and a ferocious opponent of the Church, reckons that “what may have convinced Katie to run was the frightening prospect that faces all Scientology kids beginning at six years old – a form of interrogation known as ‘sec [security] checking’ ”.
Ortega has posted on the Village Voice website a list of questions drawn up by Hubbard entitled, “Children’s Security Check Ages 6-12”. It begins: “What has somebody told you not to tell? Have you ever decided you did not like some member of your family? Have you ever gotten yourself dirty on purpose?”
There’s no evidence that Suri was going to be “sec checked”. A spokesman for the Church said yesterday that he’d never come across Hubbard’s document except in material from the group’s critics (though he didn’t deny its authenticity). But ex-members of the group who grew up in it claim to have been subjected to inquisitions when still very young – the aim, they say, being to extract information about their parents.
Scientology often has to fend off accusations of spying on members and former members. There were reports yesterday that sinister men in sunglasses were stalking the New York apartment where Katie Holmes has taken Suri. Nothing to do with us, said the Church.
It’s also claimed by critics that Tom Cruise himself is closely monitored by his Scientology minders. Again, it’s denied – but one can understand why Miscavige might regard his star turn as a dangerously loose cannon these days.
Remember the time he jumped up and down on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa to declare his love for Katie? Scientologists squirmed. The Church also threw a fit when the gossip website Gawker hosted an “indoctrination video” – intended for internal consumption only – in which Cruise spoke passionately but incoherently about the meaning of his religion. (Gawker’s founder, Nick Denton, has flatly refused to take it down.)
“When you’re a Scientologist, and you drive by an accident, you know you have to do something about it, because you know you’re the only one who can really help,” Cruise said.
Cruise also features prominently in the biggest single PR disaster to hit the Church of Scientology since Hubbard unveiled his “spiritual healing technology” in 1950. This was an episode of South Park entitled “Trapped in the Closet” in which the character of Tom hides in Stan’s closet and flatly refuses to come out.
Far more damaging than the references to rumours about Cruise, however, was the episode’s animated Xenu, based on Hubbard’s own esoteric teachings and captioned, “This is what Scientologists actually believe.” Which it is. Or, to be more precise, it is a secret imparted only to the tiny minority of Scientologists who have handed over truckloads of money to reach Operating Thetan level III.
But that doesn’t mean ordinary Scientologists don’t know about it. As recently as a decade ago, if you mentioned the top-level teachings to a church official, you would probably cause massive offence: such knowledge was so potent, hinted Hubbard, that it might even kill the person who misused it.
In an age of Gawker, YouTube and hundreds of anti-cult blogs, however, all of Hubbard’s revelations – plus allegations of serious financial mismanagement by rogue Scientologists – are available to any would-be recruit with access to the internet.
Scientology’s own websites have also been hacked into by the internet-based activist group Anonymous, members of which have staged demonstrations against the Church’s alleged policy of “disconnecting” members from their families. This loosely organised but savage mockery of Scientology drew furious responses from its lawyers – but to little effect.
It’s worth noting, though, that Anonymous only started its cyberwarfare in response to the Church’s clumsy attempts to suppress the Tom Cruise video in which the star gushed so embarrassingly about the efficacy of Scientology at the scene of road accidents.
David Miscavige’s policy of cultivating Hollywood must have seemed inspired when posters of Cruise hung on the walls of millions of teenage girls. But that was before the actor embarked on a policy of marrying progressively younger women (the last two Mrs Cruises were each born 11 years after the previous one, meaning that number four should be 23) and saying things that confirmed suspicions that he isn’t the smartest Thetan in the volcano.
Put it this way. Xenu was once the most closely guarded secret in the Church of Scientology. Today it yields 451,000 results on Google – thanks, in part, to the film star Miscavige once described as the world’s most dedicated Scientologist. And now it looks as if Rupert Murdoch is using the divorce as an excuse to declare war on the organisation. Watch your back, Tom.
Hillary Clinton Is Not The Arbiter Of Blacks.
The United States of America claims to be a nation where freedom of religion exists. However, it appears this so called religious autonomy is not truly genuine. In America there appears to be a religious hierarchy since Christianity is at the apex. Judaism is the second most acceptable religion in the United States. However, various religions such as Hinduism, Mormonism, Buddhism, and Islam, are considered inferior. The question is why?
In the United States white American Evangelical Christians are a powerful voting bloc for the Republican party. Evangelical Christians are some of the most racist people in America with political power. The Republican party counts on these religious bigots to obtain their vote. The Religious right utilize religion in their attempts to force their views on to other people. For instance, it has taken decades for the morning after Pill to be approved by the FDA due to the treachery of the religious right. The morning after pill is currently available at United States pharmacies but only to people eighteen years of age or older. Christians lunatics also utilize religion as a weapon to discriminate against religious minorities and homosexuals.
The Democratic party in the United States always claims to be more secular or open minded about religion then the Republican party. Is this really true though? Senator Clinton bluntly patronized Senator Obama by telling him to denounce The Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. The Nation of Islam is a controversial organization that has actually done some good work for the black community. I don’t agree with all of Louis Farrakhan’s views but I don’t think he is dangerous either.
The sinister message of Hillary Clinton’s “statement” is she seems to think she is the arbiter of blacks.Who does Hillary Clinton think she is? Is Hillary Clinton the arbiter of Senator Obama? What right does Hillary Clinton have to tell Senator Obama who he can or cannot associate with? It is just interesting that white liberals such as Hillary Clinton think they have a right to lecture and patronize black people. Give me a break.
Why doesn’t Hillary Clinton tell the white Jewish community in America to denounce their anti black racism? Clinton’s statement to Obama reeks of paternalism. Why doesn’t Senator Clinton bluntly tell Republican Mitt Romney to denounce Mormonism? After all, there is a section of Mormonism that believes in polygamy. There is a component of the Mormon community in the United States where teenage girls are forced into heterosexual relationships with grown men. Why doesn’t the Democratic party demonize Mormonism? Louis Farrakhan has made some controversial statements about the Jewish community that some interpret as Anti Semitic. However, Farrakhan doesn’t speak for Senator Obama and the Clinton campaign are clearly trying to create religious hysteria and provoke voters to vote for her.
It is well known in the Democratic party in the United States has extremely powerful Jewish community that have a problem with Farrakhan. However, the mainstream media always ignores the racism of the Jews against blacks. The Jewish community in North America hides behind white skin privilege they refuse to acknowledge the power and social currency of whiteness. However, when convenient the Jews hide behind the perfidious lie that they are some “invisible minority” when they are part of the white American majority.
Why is there this double standard to the anti black racism of the Jewish community? Why does this invisible code exist? Are the Jews perfect? It sure seems like it? The mainstream media and even the black media are afraid to call out the pernicious racism and double standards of the Jews. I personally do not subscribe to any religion because I believe religion is a form of social control of the mind. Now this is just my personal opinion. However, I believe people should have the freedom to practice any belief they want with out prejudice.
The Hillary Clinton campaign has been a red alert trying to strike a fear in American voters that Barack Hussein Obama is a Muslim. The Clinton team released a photo of Senator Obama that was taken a few years ago in Kenya dressed in traditional Kenyan clothing wearing a turban. It is well known in North America that there is a strong current of xenophobia and prejudice against Muslim people. We have all heard about driving while black. Have you heard about the new slogan flying while Muslim? The United States government has used the Patriot Act to discriminate against Muslim men.
The truth is Senator Obama is a Christian but because Marsha Brady I mean Hillary Clinton is so desperate she is using scare tactics and igniting islamophobia. Senator Obama is proud of his Kenyan heritage. I find the low down dirty tactics of Senator Clinton’s team pernicious and dangerous. Senator Obama should be proud of his Kenyan heritage but Hillary Clinton is hoping some Americans will become afraid and not want change. Senator Clinton is the same woman that accused Obama of plagiarism a few weeks ago.
However, the governor of Massachusetts Devon Patrick immediately defended his friend Barack Obama. Patrick is only the second African American to become a governor in the United States. Speech writers borrow phrases and quotes all the time from famous speeches from Martin Luther King, John F Kennedy, or Gandhi.
The NPR show “Tell Me More” hosted by Michel Martin had an interesting discussion during the Barbershop segment about Hillary Clinton. Senator Clinton complained that she gets asked the questions in the debates first. However, Ruben Navarrette Jr. program pointed out Senator Clinton was upset because she was asked a “tough first question”. Jimi Izrael called Clinton “Marsha Brady” and she does come across as whining a lot.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87796389
Why Is The Racism Of The White Jews Palatable?
I decided for Black History Month instead of discussing the usual prosaic subjects such as slavery, underground railroad, and the Civil Rights Movement.
I am flipping the script. I am turning the page. One issue the Occidental world refuses to explore is the racism of the “invisible minority” the white Jewish community. The question has to be asked, why is the racism of the white Jews palatable?
Why are we silent to the bigotry and prejudice of white Jews? I think the global community should be aware of the history of the racism of Jews against the North American black community.
I mentioned in an earlier post that a white history teacher a few years back at York University attempted to fail and punish me for writing the groundbreaking and explosive piece “Whitewashed Black Studies”. My earth shattering article exposed York University for their pernicious racism against professors of colour.
The racist professor is a white Jewish man. The same Jewish history professor he fired off an angry e-mail to me after the story was published and attempted to destroy me. The white Jewish professor claimed that I have the same ideology as bell hooks about white people. I agree with bell hooks to a certain extent I do believe there should be more black professors teaching black studies. However, I never said whites cannot teach black studies I simply questioned why does the imbalance exist and persist at York University? Isn’t university about provoking thought? Or is university just about maintaining the status quo and conforming to the standards of white supremacy and white cultural domination? Yes, I am talking about the same teacher that attempted to fail me because I challenged his white supremacist views about education.
I also recall a high school white Jewish English teacher in grade twelve she was such a racist bigot!
All my English teacher talked about was how hard Jewish people had it in Canada. My classmates and I we just rolled our eyes because this same teacher always ignored the bigotry of the Jewish community. Last time I checked, the vast majority of Jews are white people in this world. If you look at a white Jew in Canada or America they look like any other white person!
My former English teacher also forgot to mention she also has white skin privilege. The system treats people of colour differently then whites of course my English teacher forgot to mention this fact.
I remember in grade twelve I was walking through the hallway one day and the English teacher wondered why I wasn’t in her class. I just bluntly said “I’m taking grade twelve English correspondence.” There was no way in hell I was going to let this English teacher block me from advancing to university.
If you challenge white Jewish people about their racism they automatically brand you as an “Anti Semite”. Are we supposed to be silent to the hypocrisy and racism of the Jewish community? I certainly don’t think so. It is also interesting, that the racist white Jew Al Jolson is still revered in North America for his abhorrent 1927 film “The Jazz Singer”.
In the movie “The Jazz Singer”, Jolson a white Jew performs in blackface as he demeans black people with various racist caricatures and stereotypes. Recently a Toronto media publication NOW Magazine reviewed this insipid film that is now available on DVD. What artistic merit does this piece of filth have anyway?
The word “Anti Semite”, is a loaded term it is also a weapon the White Jews in Toronto they exploit very well to their advantage. The word freezes you in your steps, it makes you question if you cannot speak up about the Jews deleterious anti black racism. Why is there this insidious double standard?
A few years ago, the white Jewish former mayor of Toronto Mel Lastman he made a racist statement against Toronto’s black community. At the time, Lastman uttered the deleterious statement the city of Toronto was attempting to win the bid to host the summer Olympics. Mel Lastman stated that he didn’t want to visit Africa because he was afraid of being skinned alive. The international media was horrified and disgusted with Lastman’s racist comments.
By contrast, the Toronto press of course immediately jumped to Lastman’s defense and downplayed his obvious pernicious bigotry. Even some house Negroes in the black community in Toronto defended Lastman. Is the white Jewish community in Toronto free from criticism? It sure seems like it.
In the Occidental world, there seems to be this double standard where the invisible code of the white Jewish community’s racism is ignored. It is also interesting that white Jews hide behind the currency of whiteness and utilize their white skin privilege when it is convenient for them.
The mainstream media will rally to support all the causes of the white Jewish community regardless of whether there is any merit to it or not. The “invisible minority” status of the white Jewish community is a social blanket that works for them. However, when white Jews are challenged about their own racism against people of colour they play with the issue of race and revert back to their “invisible minority status”.
Next, as I entered university I learned about the pernicious racism of the Jews against Palestinian people in Israel. Just like South Africa, the Palestinians that live in Israel have to have identification cards and pass through check points. Also, did you know the black Jews in Israel also encounter a lot of racism from white Jewish majority? I wonder why this isn’t mentioned on the Six O’ Clock news or in the print media? There are double standards, hypocrisy and racism of these white Jews!
In May 2007, an African American speaker Malik Shabazz was going to speak to black students at Ryerson University about the importance of education. The racist white Jewish group B’nai B’rith used their political power and influence to have Mr. Shabazz barred from entering Canada. Since when are white Jews the decision makes for the black Toronto community?
Of course, Premier Dalton McGunity supported B’nai B’rith because he wanted to score some cheap political points. If the Ontario government is so concerned about hate speech why wasn’t racist homophobic minister Fred Phelps from protesting against gay gays a few years ago? It appears despite Phelps bigotry he received a free pass from the Ontario government because he is white and Malik Shabazz was barred because he’s a black man.
It was a incredible moment where white supremacy and prejudice prevailed. The Canadian media has a pathetic, racist, and hypocritical perspective when it relates to the racism of the Jewish community in Toronto.
Of course, just a few weeks ago the anti black slurs splashed across the black student office at York University in Toronto generated some press. However, why did it take Mamdouh Shoukri the president of York University two days to respond? Would Shoukri wait two days to respond to the white Jews?
It is well known York University has a very large white Jewish student population. If someone vandalized the white Jewish student office at York University you can be certain there would of been an immediate response ASAP. However, when racism occurs against black people there is only double standards, racism, and indifference.
Link: To article about Mel Lastman’s Racist Anti Black Statement
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2001/06/21/lastman010621.html
Link: http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/297338
Link: http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2002-11-28/news_story3.php
Link to articles about Malik Shabazz barred from entering Canada
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070515/panther_speech_070515?s_name=&no_ads=
Violence Against Women Of Colour Does Premier Dalton McGunity Care?
Is the Ontario Government apathetic to our concerns about violence against women of colour? On Monday Aqsa Parvez a sixteen year old girl was murdered. We just cannot dismiss this violent murder and say its just Muslim community internal politics. As a society the murder of a young woman affects all of us. We must not remain silent to violence against women of colour. Just because Aqsa Parvez was from a different culture does not mean we should be apathetic to the concerns of Muslim women. We are all human beings here. Doesn’t anyone care?
The media reports have focused on the private sphere of the Canadian Muslim community and have ignored the public sphere. Everyone is walking on egg shells. Everyone doesn’t want to appear as though we are offending the Muslim Canadian community. However, nobody can justify violence against women and say it is about “honoring” the family.
I have read numerous articles about apologists stating that “religion” was not a factor in Aqsa Parvez’s death. How can people just blatantly lie and say this? “Religion” may not have been the “only” factor in Aqsa Parvez’s death. However, “religion” is a convenient tool that misogynists utilize to control women. It is obvious to me that patriarchy and misogyny are the root issues here. Why are we so afraid to speak the truth?
My dear readers what are we going to about this? It is a vicious cycle we can all play the blame game. Religion cannot be used as an excuse to conceal male domination and misogyny. We live in a world that is racist, sexist, and anti woman. Male violence is pernicious, vile, abhorrent, and totally unacceptable. However, the question has to be asked where was the social safety net? Aqsa’s high school knew she was having problems at home and didn’t do enough to help her.
Where are the services the programs for women of colour that are victims of domestic violence? The province of Ontario is a rich province we cannot cry poverty. What are we going to do about this? Another young woman’s life is gone and a family is shattered. Why are we silent about the concerns of women of colour? Domestic violence is still a taboo in society we just don’t want to talk about it. Women of colour are even more marginalized then white women due to race and gender. Are domestic violence shelters equipped to deal with the racial, cultural, social, religious, political issues women of colour encounter? You have to wonder? I understand that domestic violence is a serious issue and that money isn’t the solution. However, the more funds available could of helped Aqsa Parvez.
I think the Ontario government should be doing more to reach out to women of colour that are in distress. If you want to make your voices heard contact Premier Dalton McGuinty. You can contact Premier McGuinty either by e-mail, fax, telephone, or write a letter. If people speak up the government must listen. We must shatter the silence about domestic violence in society. If we are united against misogyny and male domination we can make the world a better place.
Dalton McGuinty Main Legislative Building, Room 281,
Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
416-325-1941
Fax: 416- 325-3745
Sixteen Year Old Girl Murdered In Toronto Area Over Religion and Culture Clash With Her Family
In Mississauga Ontario yesterday a sixteen year old girl Aqsa Parvez was murdered, she was allegedly choked to death by her father. According to news reports Aqsa Parvez’s father Muhammad Parvez has now been charged with murder. Mississauga is a suburb of Toronto its a part of the greater Toronto area. The senseless murder is very chilling, depressing, and very sad. Aqsa’s older brother has been charged with obstructing police.
The teenage girl was a Muslim and there was a culture, generational, and religious clash with her family. The story according to Aqsa’s friends is that she did wear the hijab when she left her home for school. However, once the Aqsa arrived at school she removed the hijab . Family members followed Aqas to her high school and found out she wasn’t wearing the hijab.
The mainstream media are framing the young girl’s death as an “honor killing?” What do you think? Do you think the murder was an “honor killing” or is this just mainstream media sensationalism? Or a mixture of both? Will the press be culturally sensitive or paternalistic? Paternalism will not bridge the miscommunication gap between the Muslim communities and the rest of Canada. Will blaming occur and the mainstream press state that Muslim Canadians are not “assimilating” into Canadian culture? Will more finger pointing and blaming take place?
The Ontario government has a critical role here in this case. Once again the question has to be asked, where are the services for women of colour?Some women’s shelters due to inadequate funding have difficulty dealing with the cultural, racial, religious issues that relate to women of colour. Will the Ontario government step up to the plate and address this very important issue or not? Or will Premier Dalton McGuinty provide a politically correct speech and do nothing. The money is available Ontario is a rich province there is no excuse. Premier Dalton McGuinty has a responsibility here and he must act accordingly.
We cannot just sit and watch young women die and say its none of our business just because our cultures are different. We cannot just say we don’t understand Muslim culture and allow another life to perish due to our apathetic attitude and indifference. If we remain silent to misogyny then we are condoning it. I guess the question is now what can be done? What can the public do?
I think there needs to be more studies conducted, more research, and instead of just talking action needs to take place. The Ontario Government needs to realize domestic violence is a top five issue. Why are we so complacent to violence against women?
In Canada we have laws and violence against women. It is clear there needs to be more social services available for younger women and teenaged girls across racial, cultural, and religious lines. I believe not enough money is being spent on domestic violence services for women of colour. Maybe if there was a social safety net available this girl’s life could of been saved?
It is important when these tragic news stories occur to not jump to conclusions or make generalizations. The mainstream media should be careful to not “frame” and make stereotypes about an entire religion and focus on the news. However, I hope “othering” does not take place here and the mainstream media will utilize caution. However, it is well known when tragic news occurs outside of the mainstream community there is a tendency that “othering” may occur. The news here is that a young girl was terrified of her father to the point that she even left her home a few days ago.
My perspective is that religion should not be used as a blanket to conceal misogyny. The teenager obviously wanted to fit in with her classmates. It is normal for a sixteen year old girl to want to belong and be just like her friends. The murder is a tragedy a young life is now lost and a family is shattered.
If you want to voice your concerns to Premier Dalton McGuinty here is his info:
Dalton McGuinty Main Legislative Building, Room 281,
Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON, M7A 1A1
416-325-1941
Fax: 416- 325-3745
Link: http://www.mississauganews.com/article/9341
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN1151774720071211
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071212.GIRL12/TPStory/National
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