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Filming of Tom Cruise movie banned in Germany
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And besides which Scientologists themselves bully and spy on people all the time. Them complaining about it is laughably hypocritical.
Cult is precisely what scientology is, and many of its leaders are guilty of conspiracy, harassment, defamation, racketeering and fraud. They usually respond to any criticism of their organization, however valid, by accusing the critics of membership in a vast international conspiracy to "destroy the Scientology religion" and of concealing a secret criminal past. They then attack their critics with a multi-pronged shitstorm of litigation, harassment, impersonation and slander, for example by calling up their relatives, friends and colleagues and telling them the critic is a child molester. I would frankly be floored if Tom Cruise, who has basically become the figurehead of Scientology, were not in some way involved in such activities.
He's likely not, and neither is Kirstie Alley or that little red head from Grounded for Life. Scientologists celebreties are much like the British royalty, Tom Cruise just seems to take his role with a bit more zealotry than others.
I mean, hell, they have an entire division of their command structure dedicated to recruiting and keeping celebrities, with their own center in Hollywood. It's a very different thing for them than it is for the stupid little dipshits that tried to get in a fight with me at Kennesaw State University for wearing a t-shirt that said "SP" on it.
Well, let's see here:
Tom Cruise, prior to obtaining clearance to access a German military base: Not allowed to access a German military base.
Tom Cruise, after attempting to obtain clearance to access a German military base: Not allowed to access a German military base.
That poor, oppressed Tom Cruise! What have they done to him!?
The fact of the matter is that even though the German government is more than justified in denying Cruise access due to his ties with Scientology, who have been shown to engage in espionage against the German government, they don't fucking have to justify it. By default, people are not allowed on a German military base; it's a goddamn privilege. People can't just go up and gain clearance automatically.
It means suppressive person. Hubbard coined it himself, and anybody that is deemed an SP is subject to loss of their property, harm, destruction, etc. as acted upon by any member of the church. A few people came to campus one semester and started handing out pamphlets on Dianetics, and had decided to make a regular thing of it. I stood about thirty feet away handing out t-shirts I made with "SP" branded on them, extolling the virtues of the church.
One of the fuckers walked over to me and stuck a loudspeaker in my face and made that squealing noise, so I found their van later and flattened their tires. I really need to stop sharing all my stories of aggression and hatred to you, Hacks.
Is there some sort of vetting process to select the few top dogs in these cults?
He does have terrible taste in women, but still.
They're going to snipe you.
Yeah, but people hated him way before that.
Hey look, I just created a religion; it's called you're an idiot.
What we do is form a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of your stupidity. I'd like you to join, because without you-there would be no religion.
@ege02: It's the same reason why we think you're a douche-because you are.
It's just much more transparent in its being full of shit than most since people have grown up believing in magical spirits and not magical aliens.
I'd argue that the relevant thing that's more transparent about it are its clandestine activities.
Maybe you haven't read much about the history of, say, the Catholic church.
It really just comes down to people being more skeptical about "Zomg, Aliens!" than "Zomg, Angels!"
Mind you, I do not look forward to the future possibility of the Crusade of the Space Pope.
But this organization is being far douchier than most, go back and look at the links for project snow white or project freakout, or just type them in wiki.
If you disagree with these people publicly, or show them in anything other than a flattering light they will do their utmost to ruin your life. This is not an exaggeration. Aside from the aforementioned calling everyone you know and telling them you might be a pedophile they have also tried to frame crtitics for bomb threats and once tried to have a woman commited to an asylum. This is not secret information. Anybody who still choses to associate with folks like these deserves whatever shunning they get.
look, people are wondering why Scientology gets all the shitalk. It's because they are, to this day, doing those clandestine things that have been mentioned, on top of bullying people who speak out against them with legal threats and other unseemly, but legal means.
that is why they're generally classified as a cult where other religions aren't. now if you want to argue that other religions are, right this very instant doing shit as bad/worse than Scientology, fine, argue that. If you want to argue that if Scientology was more popular and widely accepted, it wouldn't be so cultish and unseemly then fine, argue that.
As it is now, I'm not entirely sure what you're arguing, other than,"buuuut look what the christian/islam/othermajorreligions did X years ago! that was also bad!" If that is what you're saying, I do not care. I do not care about religions, or how valid they are. I care about their impact on society, and I think Scientology is much more of a net loss than the other major players today.
The valid concern with scientology is that they are doing things that, for the most part, other religions STOPPED doing a century or so ago in the West.
But it really hasn't been that long since heretics have been slaughtered for questioning church edicts.
My point is that it's stupid to pretend they aren't a religion. They're just unusually aggressive for a modern Western religion at this particular moment. They should still get the shit kicked out of them, but stop pulling this rhetorical crap.
So what are your thoughts on governmentally classified cults?
steam-taliosfalcon
XBL-AdeptPenguin
NO BECAUSE IN AMERICA WE ALLOW ANYONE INTO MILITARY BASES WHO WANT TO SHOOT MOVIES ON THEM!!
Oh wait we don't do that here either..
Seriously I think people just read the first few lines and see "Tom Cruise.. filming.. in Germany.. banned.." OH SHIT TOM CRUISE IS BANNED FROM GERMANY!
I never asked for this!
You obviously know nothing of the outnesses about you.
How is it discrimination? non military personal are refused access to an army base. Hardly sounds terribly unjust given the background of scientology. Also shut the fuck up mate.
Oh snapz! His thetans be _vexed!_
For some reason some people think that Germany is obligated to allow Hollywood filming crews on operational military bases.
I dont think anyone's questiong whether they had the right to do it. It was more the reason they chose to give.
I know absolutely nothing about scientology - other than anectotal assertions that its either ridiculous or evil. I'm agnostic myself, but I dont like the idea of anyone being singled out purely on the basis of their beliefs. I certainly dont like it.
I cant help but think that there may be more to it - and that we dont know the full extent of the difficulties between scientology and the German govt?
Go to wiki and type in Project Snow White or Project Freakout. I think any government would be justified in keeping that oraganization out.
so..it seems like Germany treats Scientology almost as a terrorist organization, hell they apparently have them under surveillance, it's common sense that a Government that views an organization as terrorists shouldn't allow its members inside military installations...
steam-taliosfalcon
XBL-AdeptPenguin
Yeah yeah yeah, hurr all religions are the same, but the pope isn't planning on defrauding the german government.
I hope.
Edit: Plus, L. Ron's books were shit. Why couldn't Hal Clement have started a cult?
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