Paul Haggis Renounces Church of Scientology in Blistering Letter

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The Church of Scientology has long claimed many of Hollywood's most elite talents amongst its members, but now, one famous Scientologist is leaving the church, and he's not going quietly. In a candid, confrontational letter to Scientology top brass that's just been published online, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis (Crash) details the abuses and cover-ups that have forced him to to leave Scientology after 35 years. It's a must-read.

The letter was originally published in four parts on the blog of ex-Scientologist Marty Rathbun, and it's directed at Scientology's current national spokesman, Tommy Davis. In it, Haggis takes Davis to task for doing nothing after the church's San Diego branch publicly sponsored the anti-gay Proposition 8.

As you know, for ten months now I have been writing to ask you to make a public statement denouncing the actions of the Church of Scientology of San Diego. [...] I called and wrote and implored you, as the official spokesman of the church, to condemn their actions. I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated.

In that first conversation, back at the end of October of last year, you told me you were horrified, that you would get to the bottom of it and "heads would roll." You promised action. Ten months passed. No action was forthcoming. The best you offered was a weak and carefully worded press release, which praised the church's human rights record and took no responsibility. Even that, you decided not to publish.

The church's refusal to denounce the actions of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly. I can think of no other word. Silence is consent, Tommy. I refuse to consent.

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Comments

  • Martel says:

    You weren't raised as a Catholic, were you? Most religions use blackmail against their members. They're all cults. Some of these cults, however, are far more vile and sinister than others, and the Prison of Scientology (PoS) is the paramount example.

  • Johnny Bristol says:

    So Haggis is a Scientologist? No wonder he's built up such a good writing career in Hollywood, they all help each other. Any so-called religion that forces you to undergo a "personality test" when you join is deeply suspect. Strange that it took an intelligent man like Haggis 35 YEARS to figure it out!

  • Rich Monk says:

    35 years to figure this out!
    One cult is the same as any other.
    Make believe everything, secret rights, handshakes and initiations.
    Keeping all females repressed.
    When will you fools figure out that there is no God period, nevr was, and never will be and that cause and effect rule the Universe?
    Today, and everyday into the future on Planet Earth a million people will die agonizing deaths and not one of them will receive a life saving miracle from any man made God!
    What you get is birth to death, and no more.

  • Apres Ski says:

    No matter the secrets, Haggis is sick & tired of being pushed around & bullied by these Cowards. He just tired and his secrets be damned! He's outing CoS because he wants the other celebs hiding behind CoS to come out & denounce them as well.
    This is the best thing that's happened. However, I don't see Tommy Cruise coming out because he's clung to this shield tightly to hide his own person & professional secrets. There's no magic solution and everything inside CoS is just smoke & mirrors. I do see others & more celebs coming out & leaving CoS and finally making people realize there's just a man behind the curtain, like in the Wizard of Oz, who also is trying to use smoke & mirrors. to fool the public.
    With the exit of more and more celebs and people, I do believe there is a nice HUGE crack in their mirror and it's just a matter of time before the whole church collapses around Tommy Boy's well crafted image.

  • Azieran says:

    LOL Thanks for the good laugh. "This is a man who, I have it on good authority, poos in his pants." priceless

  • E. Joyce says:

    I have never understood the attraction of this wholly man-made religion to begin with. If ever an organization had the earmarks of a cult this one certainly does and seems to be built upon power run amok. Keep in mind that L. Ron Hubbard was a sci fi writer rejected by the publishing houses. Still not clear how that qualified him to become a leader these folks follow, even in death.

  • Xenu says:

    MU-HU-HA-HA-HA! I, Lord Xenu of the Galactic Confederacy will relish feasting upon your thetan, Mr. Paul Haggis. To the volcano with you, fool!

  • thrutheseasons says:

    I've seen your type before. You are a liar and a shill.

  • EAT A CRAP BURGER says:

    Co$ even when a "billion" *snicker* other things pop up to take you out of the spot light you find ways to continue to fail. This makes me happy. Paul Haggis I will now watch Crash. Congratulations on leaving the cult and pointing out infalably that disconnection exists. Forcing a child to disconnect from their parents. All $ciFa_s should be utterly ashamed of themselves. Pathetic cult is pathetic as are those who pathetically follow them.
    Co$.... HA HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!
    So deserve the way you get treated.

  • Shae says:

    THE SO-CALLED CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IS NOTHING BUT AN EVIL CULT LED BY A BUNCH OF RICH IDIOTS!! YOU SEE WHAT IT DID TO THOMAS CRUISE, HAD HIM JUMPING OFF COUCHES AND CRAP! NOW HE'S RECRUITED HIS POOR WIFE INTO IT. "JOIN US...JOIN US...JOIN US." WOW.

  • David Miscabbage says:

    Keep spreading the truth Tommy; clearly, Haggis must be delusional and a homosexual to boot. That was a really big fish you caught and it was only through practicing the principles of scientology that anyone could ever catch a fish that big. ROLMFAO

  • Mike m says:

    Its sad that it took prop 8 for this man to denounce scientology. He should have denounced it years ago for the ridiculous teachings and absolutely baseless and insane beliefs. I find absolutely no credibility from this person after following them for 35 years.

  • Martel says:

    All religions are "wholly man-made". At the very best, they're equal parts helpful and terminally crippling. At worst, as is the case with scientology, they're almost completely worthless idiocy employed to imprison the minds of those who aren't strong enough to utterly reject the drumbeat of persistent propaganda and its criminal priesthood.

  • hellcat says:

    Yes he still believes. Just like I am not a Catholic anymore but I still believe St. Anthony helps me find things.

  • Elvis Gump says:

    Why should we give a crap about what Haggis has to say NOW? The guy joined this zombie cult and was dumb enough to hang around how many years? Only NOW does he get what a bunch of wankers they are? He can list his awards ad infinitum, but he's still a wanker for having believed in Scientology nonsense in the first place. To me he's still a colossal asshole.
    If only science could sue Scientology for misuse of the word science!
    Just another example of what stupid little monkeys the majority of humans on this planet are. And the smuggest ones think they are 'normal' believing in imaginary men in the sky that see and hear everything you do and who will damn your enemies to hell, you know for not believing in their imaginary man in the sky.
    You can't fix stupid.

  • sss says:

    Kudos to him! I hope that others will follow his example and leave this group. It is nothing more than a huge money making cult.

  • stormy7 says:

    The original head of this church, L. Ron Hubbard, was a full blown addicted. Why would so many people follow his teachings?
    Scientologists believe aliens came to earth and impregnated humans and made hybreds. Christians believe Jesus walked on water. Made the blind see. Raised the dead and rose from the dead himself.
    If I had to choose which belief is wackier, it would be the latter. Of course I don't believe in religion of any kind so none of this is irrelevant.
    We are born. We live. We die and become part of the earth. This is the cycle of life. Live you life to the fullest and be kind to one and all.

  • What a crock of sh*t this is. The church has been anti-gay since it's inception and he is only now complaining about it? Hubbard was calling gays the worst sort of people for years:
    http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_scie.htm
    35 years in and he's never read any of those bits? Science of Survival is one of their core books, if he hasn't read it in 35 years he is a bad Scientologist by their standards. I know some celebrities are really out of touch when it comes to what the church is really about. They quite often have a santitized view of the religion provided to them by their Celebirty centre handlers, but he wasn't a celebrity 35 years ago. Hell, before Crash, did anyone even know who this guy was? Only since Scientology has become unpalatable to the general public do you get to see defections and denouncements like this.

  • larry says:

    "You can't fix stupid."
    ...hard to take these words (and the rest of your post) seriously from someone who calls himself Elvis Gump 🙂

  • Rube says:

    Tom Cruise will jump on Haggis' couch.

  • Chris R says:

    These "churches" are supposed to be for the good of man kind. I see all churches as a means of using religion to profit from and to control people. Why anyone would want to join any church is beyond me.

  • Jeronimo Dan says:

    It's gonna be hard to see a figure that stands just three foot six inches in elevators...in the dark

  • Jeronimo Dan says:

    At least Tom and CoS have taught Katie how to stoop over, when standing beside Tom.

  • Jon says:

    Cheers Paul !!! Religions that prevent you from using common sense and dictate certain rules without a good explanation or logic behind them, such religions are to be avoided by far.
    Scientology has always been a hoax in my book. The good, philosophical bits are mostly stolen from Buddhism from what Ive read about it (not a lot), I think that is why it succeded as far as it has. Buddhism is the most logical and common sense philosophy there is (it is not a religion).

  • Jeronimo Dan says:

    Greg, your a very preceptive individual, showing an abundance of level headiness and intelligence, which isn't all that common in todays times. I don't know you, but if I ever met you, I know we'd be friends.