Scientology is a religion fraught with controversy. From the Tom Cruise biography to the death of Lisa McPherson, where can the line be drawn between fact and fiction?
Labelled as “corrupt, sinister and dangerous” yet zealously adhered to by some of Hollywood’s most influential luminaries, The Church of Scientology is never free from the public eye. From its contentious human ‘auditing’ processes to its fervent anti-psychiatry standpoint and silent drug-free birthing requirements, this controversial religion seems to belong in the midst of a slightly alarming Phillip Pullman novel.
With such practices in mind, it comes as no surprise that from the moment of its inception the Church has been implicated in numerous scandals, from murders to brainwashing, blackmail and abuse.
Tom Cruise Biography
Most recently, an explosive new biography of celebrity supporter Tom Cruise has caused a stir in the global media. Combining an excess of shock-value with a disconcertingly unbiased tone, the book makes no attempt to camouflage an intense aversion to Cruise’s religion of choice.
Among other claims, author Andrew Morton alleges that Cruise is currently second-in-command at the Church of Scientology, that his next mission is to recruit David Beckham and that his former wife Nicole Kidman was blackmailed by Church officials. Despite their shocking nature, these allegations are mere child’s play when compared to the most controversial claim in the book – that Cruise’s daughter Suri is the product of a sperm donation from Scientology’s late founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Far from turning the other cheek, Church officials have responded harshly to Morton’s claims, alleging that the book is “a bigoted, defamatory assault replete with lies” and that “accuracy and truth were not on Morton’s agenda”.
Scientology and Murder: Lisa McPherson
Despite its disapproving tone and highly publicized status, the biography of Cruise is only the most recent – and by no means the most controversial – of numerous scandals that have plagued the Church of Scientology.
Possibly the most highly publicized religious controversy of last decade, the 1995 death of 36-year-old Lisa McPherson hit the very core of the Church, resulting in both a continuous array of harsh public backlash and a $100 million civil law suit.
The case revolved around McPherson – a mentally ill woman and scientology advocate who, despite her erratic and unusual behaviour, was prevented from seeking psychiatric treatment and forced to remain isolated in Church custody. Whilst the details of her final days remain a mystery, it is believed that McPherson was part of a Scientology program dealing with mental breakdown known as the ‘Introspection Rundown’.
It was in December, when she was finally admitted to hospital, that a starving, dehydrated and cockroach-bitten McPherson was pronounced dead.
No doubt an occasion that Scientology officials would rather forget.
Scientology as a Big Business
Despite describing itself as a religion, the Church of Scientology has further been repeatedly condemned by governments, ex-members and critics alike as a purely materialistic business venture. Whilst such allegations have been vehemently denied by church officials, a degree of focus on economic gain is revealed in the Scientology “Governing Policy”, in which L. Ron Hubbard argues for the need to “MAKE MONEY. MAKE MORE MONEY. MAKE OTHER PEOPLE PRODUCE SO AS TO MAKE MONEY.”
With such an emphatic statement made by Scientology’s founding father, it is perhaps no wonder that staunch criticism has ensued.
In line with this founding policy, and unlike the typical work of religious institutions, it is often noted that, due to scientology’s doctrine of exchange, services provided by the church must always be paid for.
And the fee is by no means economical.
With the cost of a single auditing session being up to $29,600 and the requirement for numerous ‘processing steps’ before a state of ‘clear’ can be reached, the total cost of being a true scientologist can equate to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Add this to the requisite ‘International Association of Scientologists’ fee – ranging from US $300 for an annual membership to US $1 million for ‘Gold Patron Meritorious’ status – and it seems this religion could break the bank of even the most well-off devotees.
Scientology Controversy: The Verdict
Allegations of brainwashing. Abuse of donations. Criminal activities of Church officials. Preferential treatment of celebrities. Tax evasion. Demonisation of psychiatry. Harassment of critics. Blackmail. Abuse of copyright. Domestic espionage. Unlawful use of medicine. Embezzlement. Bribery of police. Intimidation tactics.
The scandals no doubt abound in the world of Scientology.
Taking such accusations into account, it is clear that many of the Church of Scientology’s practices – both past and present – are questionable.
Despite this, it is also clear that the high profile of members and a public demand for scandal is likely to have resulted in an exaggeration of the truth about these controversial customs.
The key to understanding media reports is to get a grip on the raw fact behind the embellished fiction surrounding Scientology. As in any media story…or science fiction novel…the truth is out there. It just may not be nearly as easy to uncover as it appears.
References
‘Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power’, Richard Behar, Time Magazine, May 6 1991.
‘Unauthorized biographer defends Tom Cruise claims’, Mike Celizic, TODAYShow.com, Jan 15 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologyscandals/index.html
