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Crash Director Leaves Scientology
After 35 years as a member of the Church of Scientology, Crash director Paul Haggis has left the institution. Haggis, known for his support of civil rights and his humanitarian efforts, was shocked when the San Diego branch of Scientology publicly defended California's Proposition 8 referendum. Though he says Scientology’s current national spokesman, Tommy Davis, said he would do something about San Diego’s support of Prop 8, ultimately, Haggis says he took no action. “Despite all the church's words about promoting freedom and human rights,” Haggis wrote in his resignation letter to Davis, “its name is now in the public record alongside those who promote bigotry and intolerance, homophobia and fear.” Haggis says Davis also lied when he claimed in an interview that he did not support the practice of “disconnection.” Haggis himself was reportedly asked to disconnect from his in-laws, who had left Scientology years earlier. The Oscar-winning director also became wary of the church after reading a St. Petersburg Times series, which quoted high-level defectors who claimed current Scientology leader David Miscavige physically abused church members.
jomama
Is it ironic that the entertainment industry full of egoists and sycophants is the popular base of the Scientology movement? Or real life poetic justice? Tom Cruise was illiterate when doing hist first couple movies. Now he's a demi-god of Scientology, and he likely believes that he is truly a level above the peasants. And they probably tell him his acting is good as well ... At least much of the conservative 'nobility' were educated and capable, and the classical religions have aspirations of spiritual development granted they are mired in human failure. We've traded them for people who aspire to power through veneered teeth ... I'm looking forward to this century ... L Ron Hubbard is laughing from his grave - sorry, from his spaceship to Xenu :)
Ottoheinz
Ah, no need to be so harsh on these fools. The arts are full of creative types whose rational minds....aren't. And the sciences are full of creative types whose rational minds....aren't. It's all bullshit, religion and science, yet it's all good entertainment.
One helps some people survive their cancer. One helps some people reach a higher plane of existence. You tell me which is which.
T1Brit
" people who aspire to power through veneered teeth "
- LOL quote of the day.
SandraZ8122
All religions are BS, everyone knows before there was a male deity there was a Mother Goddess, She was created by women because women felt the need to thank someone for their bounty.
Men allowed women to keep their God to control women. blah blah blah and now men use religion to what? What is that? Control women?
RandyRose
"and now men use religion to what? What is that? Control women?" -- I would phrase it rather that the few use it to control the many.
Historically, perhaps, it was a men vs. women game but the lines have become blurred in more recent times. In many world religions, men still dominate, true. But, it is time that we (the many, the oppressed, whatever you want to call us) call bullshit on the institution of religion and unite, men and women, against the churches.
Seriously, why is it that in 2009 we still believe in virgin births, men raising from the dead, paradises with 72 virgins, people walking on water, etc etc etc??
SandraZ8122
RandyRose
I am sure you do not want me to start lecturing on the religions of the world and all their weirdo isms.
So I won't, but it is the majority of women that believe and force their children to go to church, women out number the males to this day.
government and religion control the masses, that is what it was created for. Mothers want their children to behave and not turn into bad people etc.
Crooks use religion to hook people in so they can rob them, blah blah blah.
Flippin people need an education, especially in history that would change a lot of things.
Education should be free to all those that wish to learn! NO MORE student loans, NO MORE grants and BS.
RandyRose
I agree with you. I was just saying that I think we should throw out the men vs women mentality and join together as people who oppose the lies, threats, etc., that religion perpetuates.
I was raised in a fundamentalist family and around 16 began to realize that none of my questions were truly being answered. I began to look outside of my religion and after many years of complete rejection, I returned to study the history of Judeo-Christian origins. I studied diligently for several years, including some studies of other religions, namely those of Ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Babylonians and Persians.
I am familiar with the Goddess image. I believe in her no more than I believe in the invisible beard-bearing man in the clouds. Come to www.atheistnexus.org/ and join in some of the discussions. We would love to have you!
wolverine1987
Wow, an atheist group that loves to discuss their atheism so much that they have a group!! Where can I sign? Now that's some good fun.
wolfboi1970
And another light switches....ON! Phone the press...
Granite
It only took him 35 years to figure this out. Better late than never.
I hope its the start of Hollywood trend.
TWBBug
Finally, maybe they are waking from their sleeps. Scientology is a Cult, no more-no less. BUNK
vulgrin
Scientology is idiotic. At least they could believe that some magic alien from somewhere "up there" who came down and decided to create the Universe, the Earth, the people, and all of the animals. With his super powers he managed to get it done in 7 days! And while he's obviously a very skilled designer, he is pretty dang vengeful too with a REALLY short temper. To top it off, he's pretty schizophrenic and bi-polar, and can turn on a dime if he gets pissed at you. Step out of line and BAM! he sends you off to be tortured forever. And let's not forget the big Flush when he drowned every one like a temper tantrum throwing 3 year old. Not a very nice guy.
Never mind. Scientology is COMPLETELY rational compared to this.
PinkoLefty
This story is a great testament to the reasoning powers of humans.
Apparently Haggis had no problem whatsoever with the story of Lord Xenu dropping off billions of people around volcanoes via a fleet of DC-8's 150 million years ago, but his mind was simply unable to digest the support of his "church" for Proposition 8. Amazing. What the hell did I ever do to deserve to be born into this pack of howling baboons? I want out.
princeminski
I love the closing sentiments. I feel a vague urge to look into Scientology now just to see what this Lord Xenu thing means, but the "howling baboons" part applies to 99% of what I hear from "mainstream" people every day. A perfect mantra for a gloomy Monday morning.
princeminski
Omigod, I looked up Lord Xenu. Holy Mother of "Bob"! "Many Scientologists avoid mention of Lord Xenu in public statements." My day is made. What can you expect from a religion invented by a bad science fiction writer?
steve-annie
Exactly! The whole Hubbard story always reminds me of a little, tiny entry in the personals of The Village Voice, first edition after the first Reagan election. It said, "If he'd been a good actor, this wouldn't have happened."
hectornooga
Can anyone tell me if Scientology claims to be able to "cure": homosexuality? That would explain why many tortured Hollywood types are so fond of it!!
RandyRose
http://www.washblade.com/2007/5-18/view/editorial/10592.cfm
http://www.lermanet.com/cisar/usa/g80922ae.htm
http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2132
and
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/109514/detail/
bbucol
Sure it's ridiculous, outrageous and dangerous... just like a lot of other religions.
sonofloud
The Scientology scandal is far more interesting than 99.99% of actual movies that come out of Hollywood......and the best part, if they ever make it into a movie, the stars can play themselves.
RandyRose
for all you free-thinkers:
join us at www.atheistnexus.org/
wolverine1987
My non-believing prayers are answered! Nothing I'd like better than to discuss how much I don't believe!
princeminski
You need a club to talk about what you don't believe? "For all you free-thinkers." And non-conformists.
angst7
If all it took was Prop 8 then Haggis did not have that much belief. Hollywood and its ilk need to get and keep a grip on themselves. It appears they soon will not be relevant to anything.
Bojangles54
Is any religion any more believable than another? Isn't it enough to just be a good person, live your life on earth to the fullest, and quit being terrified about death? When you die, you die. Your body will decay and some day, millions of years from now, if anything is left of your remains, you will be vaporized when the sun explodes. So live life to the fullest and quit reaching for some insane, unbelievable, belief that you are too important to not live forever in one form or another.
hfb1053
Congrats to Paul Haggis....
absbel
I was treated like a pariah by top Scientology executives when I realized I was gay and though I get many calls to return to the fold the policy has never changed. It took Prop 8 to make Haggis realize that the current incarnation of the Board of Directors is homophobic? L. Ron Hubbard was not homophobic. Everyone who came after him pursued a different and new policy pushing those who wished to remain in the church pushing gays back into the closet.
PinkoLefty
Maybe you were outcast because you were old enough, and aware enough, to decide to join their religion on your great journey to self-discovery and ultimate enlightenment, but you were too dumb to realize the meaning of all of the cock fantasies.
By the way, the word "pariah" is a bit offensive. I would suggest that looking up the etymology of that one. Not that I give a flying fetus about it, but others might.
princeminski
Here, PinkoLefty, you disappoint me a little. "Pariah" has been general usage for many years, and worrying about its original source is not that far from worrying about offending followers of Lord Xenu...or offending followers of four-armed dancing elephant head guys.
PinkoLefty
I realize that pariah is in general usage and has been for quite a while. So has "the pot calling the kettle black." General usage is not really good enough as an excuse.
That being said, I don't really give a rat's ass. The original poster seemed like the sort of person who might be concerned about that sort of thing. I was just using it to get under his skin by pointing out his political incorrectness. That's just the kind of a-hole I can be sometimes.
JamesMMartin
Gee. it sure took a long time for this fool to figure out he belonged to a flying saucer cult. I hated his movie and all the films he has written. Now I know why.
magoo363
I love the story with the volcano and the souls and the aliens. It makes a great pulp comic book but a lousy religion.
sippewissett
It took Haggis long enough to become wary of Scientology practices, but at least he has struck a blow for civil rights and exposed their homophobia, amongst other things like "disconnecting". What a cult! Nothing more.
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