'Going Clear' Author: Time For Tom Cruise To 'Open His Eyes' To Scientology
New Yorker writer, Lawrence Wright appeared on MSNBC's Morning Joe talk show to discuss his new book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief, and Tom Cruise quickly became the focus of the conversation.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author — who did some 200 interviews with current and former Scientologists, as well as other sources for his book — was in the process of discussing reports of "abuse and involuntary confinement" within its Sea Org unit — the equivalent of Scientology clergy, according to Wright — when host Joe Scarborough brought up the Top Gun star (around the 6:20 mark of this clip). "Do you think Tom Cruise knows of these alleged problems with Scientology. And secondly, what's in it for a guy like Tom Cruise, who has the freedom to do whatever he wants and chooses to stay in the church".
Wright's response: "I'm glad you've put your finger on Tom Cruise, because I think he has a moral responsibility — he's been the front pitchman for this organization for years. More people have heard about Scientology through him than any other person. There may be some willful blindness on his part, but if so, it's time for him to open his eyes because he's been selling this."
In the video, Wright points out that Cruise is "being treated very well" by church members. He even says they "hand-crafted a limousine for him."
I've asked Cruise's spokeswoman if the actor would like to respond to Wright's comments and will post them if they are forthcoming. As you might guess, the Church of Scientology doesn't have good things to say about Going Clear, and has called it an "Error-filled unsubstantiated bigoted anti-Scientology book."
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Comments
The book author is someone who can't read.
He refers to one sided media articles all over his book a refuses to speak of the other side... in effect he never did any research at all, just pretended he did..
Louanne -- Would you please "word clear" Pulitzer Prize and check out the book, THE LOOMING TOWER, that Wright won it for? He is one of the most respected authors in the world for his meticulous research and accuracy -- including taking on very complex subjects.
Tommy Davis -- your former cult spokeshole (now paid off to leave the Sea Org) -- asked Wright to come to LA to tour the cult facilities in conjunction with writing his book, and then when he traveled to LA, kept him waiting for a few days, and then refused to take him on the tour. This is your cult! They want to flex their power. Wright wanted to interview as many current cult members as he could but they refused or were uncooperative although he did interview a dozen or two, a couple on the condition of anonymity because they feared DISCONNECTION if they were named.
In his book, Wright wrote about the "other side" perhaps better than any author before -- why some people see great benefit in it -- usually people who are wealthy or going through the honeymoon phase. He made every effort to interview your cult leader David Miscavige who refused. He doesn't do interviews. Sea Org members don't do interviews.
It isn't up to a writer in the "wog" world, to write promotional material about your fictitious "millions of members" when all evidence points to 25,000 members in the U.S. and shrinking.
MRED, if you listen to the beginning of the clip, Wright talks about how he and and a number of New Yorker fact checkers met with lawyers and spokespeople for the church. This is a seriously researched book. Not a "pretend" exercise in journalism as you claim.
Is MRED short for Mired, as in mired in the progpaganda, paranoia and isolatationism of the cult of Scientology? And, assuming you are a Scientologist - which seems like a pretty good bet - you wouldn't know anything about this book, because you are forbidden from reading it. And, as we all know, if you DID read it, you'd end up scrubbing toilets with a toothbrush. In fact, you are probably only allowed on the Internet to follow the orders you were given to renounce this surprisingly objective, well researched book.
🙂 well did you ? I was inside for 17 years. Met DM, Tom Cruise... Took me 1 year to find out I was brainwashed... I am please to be out and seeing that life is not that bad outside 🙂 lol
Wow, MRED. Really? Reading comprehension was never a strong suit for Scientologists. He's a Pulitzer Prize winning author that conducted over 200 interviews with CURRENT and former cult members. The time has come for Xenu to lose its tax exempt status. And, for the love of god can someone finally get rid of that wacknut leader, David Miscavige? How has the FBI not locked up this delusional, little man by now? Please, get on that.
So you've read the book then MRED? Aaah, silly me you aren't allowed to read the book are you? Or form an opinion about anything said anywhere about the scam you defend. You are denied this freedom. You've been given a link and instructed to go and quickly make this comment without reading anything on this page.
See quite a few anti-Scientologists on this site defending this author. Looks like anybody not on his site is automatically deemed a Scientologist. I am Catholic by the way and still believe in the /freedom of Speech.
Your comment is semantically null. In english, that means you didn't say anything. Your earlier attack on Wright and the cut and paste comment scamatology gave you prove what side of the fence you are on. All card carrying members of LRONs fruity little club have explaining and soul searching to do. Read Jenna Miscavige Hill's new book. See how depraved and disgusting the CO$ can be.
Then speak away, but say something intelligent to defend your position. What you call anti-Scientologists also have freedom of speech and we can and will continue to exercise that freedom. Scientologist don't have the same rights as the we do because of the COS. Entheta must be avoided. So a Scientologist is not supposed to even read this type of book.
It is hard to be critical of something you are not allowed to read isn't it?
Let me explain this as clearly as I can. You sound stupid trying to make a compelling argument for something when you don't even know what the content of the book is, or what actual facts are presented and what proof is behind those facts.
But that is OK, keep on doing what you are doing. It just progresses our argument for us.
Hi Jan/Louanne, how long have you been in Scientology, what OT Level are you?
Scientologists are so firmly convinced in their rightness that anything they do is justified because it will help everyone in the world, and therefore anything and anyone critical of it is bad. They think they will loose their road to immortality, and don't speak out when they should, and tell lies when they shouldn't. When they inevitably realize it's shortcomings and faults they start to return to reality and slowly start to realize how they've compromised their integrity by doing things they knew were wrong in the name of Policy, or because of a leader's errant order. When the reality that the Bridge they've been sold doesn't go any further, life catches up, and they have to face the music. Tom will have to do that, also. He inadvertently aided bogus money-raising schemes, he turned the other way when he saw people working in concentration camp conditions and, while under the influence, blindly broadcasted it's hype and probably was a factor in some people signing up for their own departure from reality. How many broken families, how many abused and neglected children, how many phoney money raising schemes, how many tortured broken people in their rehabilitation camp, and how many more innocent believers will die because of these outrageous mind-control scams. 12 of their executives were tried, found guilty and were imprisoned for their crimes. Yet, they manage to hide under the phoney protection of Religion in this country through manipulation and influence . Other countries are not buying their lies and going after them. Why aren't we?
Hey, Mred (scientology Louanne troll). I heard you were spewing this kind of garbage. So I thought I'd saunter over and tell you that I was one of those that he interviewed and I personally witnessed over 40 people he interviewed. You're probably getting ready to say they were insignificant nobodies. Yeah, people like Paulette Cooper, Nancy Many, and a host of other infamous names that had decades of experiences with scientology's abusive bullying behavior and horrific damage all for the privilege of "Being Ron".
I hope all who watch his interviews and read his book will write to their appropriate government representatives to get laws changed concerning 501c(a) non profits: a) full financial transparency b) charity benefits test similar to Australia. This would be a very doable start to exposure that bypasses the whole religious cloaking issues which will take many years. We could accomplish these changes if enough raises their voices and demand it of our leaders. This would then cover All groups who operate similar to scientology. Louanne, you can write in too. We just want the abuses to end.
MRED, the resulting comments to you, if you come back, cover all the areas I understand and agree with. So here's my Ditto to those above, who state it so well for you.
I just read the book and have a great deal of respect for this author (having read other things he's written). The thing that's so hard to believe is: how could Tom Cruise and John Travolta --and anyone for that matter-- believe all that crap that Hubbard created?! You have to be either brainwashed or simply stupid. Hubbard was clearly mentally ill -- a mad genius of sorts. Scientology should be brought down-- it's all smoke and mirrors and the top guns are the only ones who get the rewards (money and power and special treatment).
I think just stupid because they let ole tom call the shots on the last mission impossible movie and it sucked.
Read my Comment below. I was in for 17 years... Yes you are brainwashed withou seeing you are. Took me more than a year to notify it. It is like being on drugs and being disconnected from the real world.
Tom and David Miscaviage ....What bubble heads
I have fun with, cause I found exactly what I was taking a look for.
You've ended my four day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a nice day. Bye
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I love this Author... Great job ... I was in scientology, in the Sea Organization for 17 years. I finally got out and I can tell you that I was completely brainwashed. In the Sea Org, you don't have access to the internet, you are in a group all together, you don't go out and meet people. You work 7 days a week. You think you are clearing the planet so you continue doing so all day, all weeks, years long. When I got out, It took me more than a year to disconnect "all those thoughts" out of my mind to release how life is great out of Scientology. Scn makes you think life out is BAD, everything is bad except Scientology. Well I could go on and on... I met Tom cruise. Great guy but when he is inside the Church, you see him thinking he is ABOVE ALL and that Sea Org Members need to work for him.... and when you see him on TV, he is not the same... This is PR, Public Relation... He learned about it inside Scientology... Well voilà. I am from France.
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