HBO is backing a documentary based on "Going Clear," a book about Scientology and Hollywood -- and isn't taking any chances with the legal side of things.
"We have probably 160 lawyers" looking at the film, HBO Documentary Films President Sheila Nevins told The Hollywood Reporter. (HBO, like CNN, is a unit of Time Warner.)
"Going Clear," by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Lawrence Wright ("The Looming Tower"), digs into the life of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and the influence his church has had on its believers, many of whom have close ties to Hollywood.
I have believed for years that Scientology exists solely as an opportunity for religious people to recognize how fundamentally ridiculous ALL religions are.
It is true that Scientology is filled with the so much batshit crazy that I tend to believe that L.Ron Hubbard was just putting everybody on, and would be shocked to learn that not only did his completely made up religion survive, but that it prospered. However if you if you really examine religions, there is really NONE that stand up to even the most basic scrutiny. (Golden plates transcribed in "reform Egyptian" that only Joseph Smith ever saw? Seriously Mormons?)
And the list of famous people who follow Scientology is jaw dropping. From Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Sharon Stone to J.D. Salinger, William S. Burroughs, and Van Morrison there are a number of highly intelligent and talented people who buy into its bullshit.
Well I certainly hope that HBO is adequately prepared for the backlash, because the Scientologists are famously litigious and not know for taking perceived attacks on their beliefs lightly.
After South Park's hilarious Scientology episode the "church" went after Trey Parker and Matt Stone with everything they had. Fortunately they found nothing they could use against the duo, but it was not for lack of trying.
Lots of people, including some of the people you mention, try to get out of the cult of scientology but are threatened and blackmailed into staying. They get personal information on you that they threaten to make public through their "auditing" sessions. It's a criminal organization that enslaves people and engages in human trafficking. Those people need to be exposed so, so badly. I wish HBO the best.
ReplyDeleteI meant to say they get personal information through their "auditing" sessions that they threaten to make public. Sorry for the bad grammar.
DeleteI think Sarah and the todd are scientologists...just look how they take pictures and stalk people and SUE people (unless it involves Discovery, ah hem)! They are secret scientologists with Greta and John Coale.
DeleteThat would party explain the protection they have... partly...People requesting FOIA even POLICE run into brick walls with the Palins? Does Johnny Mac REALLY have that kind of "Juice"?
Scientology is a Church and a perfect example of WHY all churches should be TAXED!
This country is "Rilly" fucked up and I do think it "blossomed" during the 2000 when Bushie stole the POTUS races...it got really bad the corruption... Its gonna take ALOT to smash it to smithereens, but lets start by TAXING so called Churches!
And Good for HBO! Going where no other spineless msm will go! Good on them!
I hope it will be online for us who don't own TV's!
Well, their good buddies greta & john coale are members of the cult. I often wonder what their mutual bud, franklin graham thinks about their affiliation. Afterall you're shit if you don't believe in exactly the same myths as good christians.
DeleteScientology is an easy target, but it has so few believers. It doesn't take guts to go after it, it just takes plenty of money to pay lawyers. What WOULD take guts would be to do a thorough and unflinching investigation of the origins and assembly of the Christian bible. So of course, that'll never happen.
ReplyDeleteAre you serious? Have you researched how they terrorize people? Christians are awful. But scientologists are organized and vicious. Please don't minimize them.
DeleteOh please -- I've read plenty about Scientology. I read Tony Ortega's blog on a regular basis. Tony is an expert, and according to him, Scientology is being run into the ground by its own greedy management. David Miscavige is vicious, but the number of people who've suffered under Scientology can hardly be compared to those who have suffered and continue to sufer under Christianity and the iron rule it has on our society and government. Scientologists are an infinitesimal drop in the overall scheme of things. So yes, they are an easy target. A news organization can target them without fear of reprisal from anyone but their minions, who are very, very few. Should CNN examine Christianity and all the damage it has done, though, it would probably go out of business from all the outrage it would engender from the brainwashed pious millions.
Delete3:42
Anonymous5:47 PM
DeleteScientology are masters of disinformation... oh who else is?
Fox news (Greta/John Coale) and Ms. Methburger!
Yes, if it has a mouth it will lie!
Tax all Churches and start with Scientology and fake churches, Scientology only got tax free status so it wouldn't have to pay taxes! As most Churches.
I can't wait to see this!!
Charlie ManSon was a Scientologist before it was a church, he was supposed to be "A clear" according to him....lol if you believe HIM you would believe la Palin....
DeleteOh wait...!!!!
LMAO!
"a thorough and unflinching investigation of the origins and assembly of the Christian bible" has existed for years, going back to the 19th cenytury German scholars of "higher criticism," and carried on until today. Gazillions of pages of research expose the history of the Bible, its origins, its mostly anonymous authors, and its redactors and editors over some three thousand years. The Bible is a collection of folklore, quasi-history, and political disinformation intended to shape a particular middle-eastern culture over centuries. This stuff is known. What hasn't happened is the dispersal of this knowledge in popular culture, and that's not likely to happen anytime soon. Take a college course sometime... it will be an eye-opener. And it's available to anyone who really wants to know.
DeleteIt only takes one pair of eyes to know that Scientology is a crack-pot cult.
ReplyDeleteAccording to my friend in LA, they get a lot of people into their church because of the Hollywood connections. People join to advance their careers. And the cult treats celebrities with kid gloves because they can bring in more wretched followers, and on it goes.
DeleteM from MD
4:23- absolutely spot-on.
DeleteThat is exactly what they do.
They are sadistic and cruel to their lower members, but the celebrities are wooed and their egos stroked to gain profile for the church.
I had several (quasi-famous) friends in the entertainment industry whose aspirations and vulnerable egos sucked them right into that cult and they are still there today.
I had a very hard time discussing the dangers of their cult with them because it was so emotionally important (and they perceived that they were part of a powerful, beneficial network) to them to stay with it.
I suppose that could be said about most every religious zealot and religion, but the truly flim-flam, cheesy, childish basis for Scientology, coupled with the organized destruction of those who speak out about it does make it unique amongst modern religions.
I don't think any religion makes sense, so this is not a defense of any of the Abrahamic faiths, but the people who follow Scientology are a breed unto themselves.
Those little Will Smith spawn are so fucked in the head because of this religion. I get their angst because they are Hollywood spawn and they got the short end of the "looks" stick but wow they are actually indoctrinated Scientology crazy kids and given their looks maybe that's all they have?
Deletehttp://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/jaden-and-willow-smith-exclusive-joint-interview/?_r=0
The thing to remember about Scientology is that it isn't really a religion. It's a pseudo-scientific self-help system that had pseudo-religious trappings bolted onto it after-the-fact as a tax dodge.
DeletePeople get sucked into it because they feel (or are led to feel) that they are actually gaining self confidence, personal power and control of their lives from it's teachings. At it's core, Scientology's main conceit is about teaching people to gain control over their minds, remain calm and focussed in the face of chaos and solve problems in their lives.
Essentially it is the opposite of other religions that require blind faith in supernatural beings to guide you and solve your problems for you, telling you you are helpless and worthless and powerless. Scientology claims to take a rational approach to teaching you to be self-motivated and empowered.
Ironically, it's the sociopathic management of Scientology that tries to make you feel helpless and powerless so you'll keep buying the books and paying for more self-help classes. LOL
From what little investigation into the books I've done, I'd wager a lot of it is placebo with ideas mixed in from various philosophies, especially Buddhism, all wrapped up with it's own unique jargon to make it impenetrable by outsiders. -and also trademark-able.
It was fun to investigate as food-for-thought, but I would stay away from actual Scientologists at all costs.
L Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer. He made a bet with other sci fi writers that he could "start/fabricate" a new religion. Obviously L Ron won...
DeleteThe group started as a business called the Hubbard Association of Scientologists. It created a 'church,' merged assets, and waged a tumultuous, underhanded legal battle with the IRS to get a religious tax-exemption. It's all about money and mind-effery.
ReplyDeleteTea Party wants Palin to primary McCain!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/guess-who-the-tea-party-wants-to-primary-john-mccain-go-on-guess/
That is why John decided NOT to retire after all.
I believe Greta Van Suckup is another cult member.
ReplyDeleteSheesh
Boggles my mind to think that CNN and HBO are related. As CNN sinks lower, HBO gets better (in spite of cancelling some excellent shows).
ReplyDeleteI LOVE IT! Cannot WAIT for this to come out. If you aren't already reading Operation Clambake, find it and catch up.
ReplyDeleteJust another awful religion stealing peoples free will. Gah, when will the majority of humans move beyond this shit?
ReplyDeleteAll religion is made up, and we realize that and if we had good parents we weren't exposed to any of them. The funny thing is the new ones, the mormonism, the scientology, sometimes get more credence than the stupid tales of the old timers. I will never understand the nature of some humans to grasp at the supernatural for their explanations and when I come across them in my life I am horrified at their idiocy and stupidity.
ReplyDeleteLeah Remini recently left the cult and she blasted them with both guns blazing a few times. There was a special on TV a few years back about a couple who left. They were locked up, tortured, told when to go to the bathroom, when to have kids, etc They were subject to physical and psychological torture until they broke. I forget how many years the Church kept them apart, but she found her husband and they escaped and were de programmed.
ReplyDeleteMy father was a US Customs agent in LA in the early 70's. L. Ron Hubbard and his crew sued him for seizing 30 thousand of his books that had been printed in SE Asia and not reported. They went after his house and his assets and his job. Needless to say it all fizzled out. They think they can bully people.
ReplyDeleteThe "church" has a shit load of money and will be around for awhile, however,their membership is dwindling. The internets is partly to blame and people are figuring out that it exists solely for the purpose of raising money and sustaining David Miscaviage's lifestyle and power.
ReplyDelete