Showing posts with label Church of Scientology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church of Scientology. Show all posts

Monday, 31 December 2018

Russia keeps using anti-extremism law to prosecute peaceful worshippers and non-traditional groups

Religious freedom needs to move forward in the world. Unfortunately, 80 percent of the world’s population lives in a country where there’s some type of religious freedom restrictions, in some cases very significant

Russia has been criticized for banning Jehovah's Witnesses and abusing its anti-extremism law to prosecute peaceful worshippers and nontraditional groups including Scientologists.

Since the passing of Russia's 2016 law criminalizing missionary activity, NGOs have reported 156 cases of religious groups being targeted that also include Christian groups from various denominations, according to U.S. Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback.

Tuesday, 7 April 2015

Lawrence Wright’s 2013 bestseller made in documentary 'Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief'

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in Sunnyvale, CA
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in Sunnyvale, CA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The religion you choose (or don’t choose) is on you.
 writes Lee Vann looking at The 13 Most Controversial Religions 

The recent HBO documentary Going Clear didn’t do much to help the already spooky perception of L. Ron Hubbard’s signature faith. Scientology was allegedly a big part of why Katie Holmes ditched Tom Cruise and (allegedly) why she ran into the awaiting arms of Jamie Foxx. 

Such documentaries may have the spoken off groups to react. As such the Church of Scientology got to further ramp up its negative campaign against the upcoming HBO documentary, “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief,” that strongly criticizes the celebrity-centric religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard that includes Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley among its devoted members.

The film, directed by Oscar winner Alex Gibney, is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright’s 2013 bestseller of the same name. Among the former members of the church who are showcased in the film is actor Jason Beghe of “Chicago P.D.,” who is among those telling unflattering tales about Scientology. He is joined by other ex-Scientologists Marty Rathbun (once the church’s No. 2 guy), ex-church spokesman Mike Rinder, Travolta aide Spanky Taylor and Oscar-winning “Crash” writer-director Paul Haggis.

Whatever you will choose we do think you always shall get some positive but also some negative reactions. When going for a religion, which does not belong to the tradition great religions for sure you shall receive more negative reactions and get more people laughing at you.

Though Lee Van also knows that that doesn’t mean the rest of the world won’t laugh at your expense. From Tom Cruise’s affiliation with The Church of Scientology to Michael Jackson and Prince’s time as Jehovah’s Witnesses, nobody’s safe.


Black Jesus takes the offering
photo: Adult Swim screen capture
It would be wrong to cast shade on someone’s faith for a good joke, but the people have spoken. The following are typically viewed as the 13 most suspect religions. But like ‘Pac said, “Only God judge you.” Unless we get there first, that is.