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 Travolta Takes On the BBCPosted on May 13, 2007
Actor John Travolta and other members of the Church of Scientology are steaming mad about a BBC program about their controversial religion that aired Sunday in Britain, claiming that presenter John Sweeney was biased, as evidenced by his angry outburst at a church member during filming.
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By archeon of thrace, February 11, 2008 at 10:45 pm #
Isn’t Travolta gay?
Report thisBy Dr. Knowitall, PhD, PhD, May 14, 2007 at 8:16 pm #
Sondra, be a realist and reasonable. People who park 707’s in their front yard and jump up on a couch on national T.V. ‘cause they’re in love DO affect us. You’re not paying attention. I think this is all sour grapes. We need to take a good, objective look at Mormanism and Scientology; they worked out good for many famous people and we should all get on board and cash in instead of criticizing them. It takes confidence, I know, but YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Report thisBy Matt Platte, May 14, 2007 at 4:39 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Sweeney DID NOT LOSE HIS COOL—he was practising a Scientology technique called “bear-baiting”. Echoing “elitist” above, if you listen carefully you can almost hear in the background, something along the lines of “...brainwashing is a crime against humanity…” from (apparently) a Scientologist, whilst Sweeney attempts to foist a “bear-baiting” exercise on said Scientologist. While Sweeney may deserve a wee bit of credit for knowing of the technique, he should know that passing the bear-baiting test is one of, if not the first level of achievement for a budding Scientologist.
For this video clip, Scientology +1 for sounding rational, although tediously boring; Sweeney -10 for his over-the-top portrayal of a psycho freak.
Report thisBy SonOfaTRB, May 14, 2007 at 4:38 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is very clear Sweeney was trying to make a point and was not “losing it.”
Scientology is not a religion… it is a scam. Trying to speak to a Scientologist rationally is just like trying to have a conversation with a hopeless wingnut or 9/11 Truther. They are all cranks because no matter how evidence is presented, they will never turn.
Report thisBy Jesse L., May 14, 2007 at 4:17 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I agree with Mar Del Zur,
Americans are free to worship as they choose. But, in my mind, Scientology is a pyramid scheme masquerading as religion basically exploiting the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. Other religions which enjoy tax-exempt status do not require the exchange of money in order to be a participant. From what I know about Scientology, which isn’t much, one does have to pay for aspects of the “religion”.
Report thisBy A, May 14, 2007 at 4:11 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Just a small correction. The programme did not air Sunday. It airs Monday at 20.30 over here. The clips have been airing on news items.
Report thisBy QuyTran, May 14, 2007 at 3:05 pm #
I’ll never trust such religion like Church of Scientology. It’ll become Church of Sins tomorrow when it doesn’t make any big bucks and its followers start leaving it. The HELL door will open widely to welcome this kind of religion.
Report thisBy Bruce, May 14, 2007 at 2:27 pm #
#69791 by James Lightfield
Hold on a minute James! Comparing a religion thousands of years old, or rather what is in effect the race of that religion, to something cooked up in the late forties by a science fiction writer is nonsensical. Read about how this cooky ‘religion’ came into being. It was not started as a religion but an alternative to psychiatry. Then all the really weird bits were added, such as Thetans and us all having bits of these beings stuck to us.
All religions are barmy, but this one is definately the barmiest, and unlike Jesus, Mohammed or Abraham, the guy who invented it only existed until the 1980’s. His life is easily found out about, I suggest you Google “L. Ron Hubbard” and come back and tell me if his unscientific nonsense could possibly be accepted as a religion.
Report thisBy Dale Headley, May 14, 2007 at 1:49 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Wow! Sweeney may be loonier than Travolta - certainly a heckuva lot louder.
Report thisBy Lex Luther, May 14, 2007 at 1:46 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Ohhhhh foolish Teegeeack (Earthling) Mortals
How small your puny human brains truely are.
Know ye not that I, Xenu, survived the treachery of the Loyal Officers, but only just. SHAZBAT!!!
I had my revenge upon the people though with a fake Income Tax call. And the chumps came too. They came and I overpowered them, with the assistance of the Psychiatrits. We all boarded an engineless MacDonald Douglas DC-8 space planes (first class and inflight movies included).
Arriving on Teegeeack I, Xenu, placed the populace around volcanoes. Then lowered H Bombs into the mouth of the volcanoes. And the carnage was terrible. But a few survived and become known as Thetans and I used Elec…..
And I’d better stop before I get a headache.
Nanoo Nanoo
Report thisBy archeon of thrace, May 14, 2007 at 1:29 pm #
I like that scientologies holy texts are copyrighted. That my friends says it all. It’s about the money….....
I heard that in the secret Scientology rites they rape babies, and eat human flesh - to appease the wrath of the aliens who are raising us for food.
IT is BS, and anyone who claims it is a religion is a fucking shithead. IT is NOT! It is however a money makeing enterprise.
Report thisBy RAE, May 14, 2007 at 12:47 pm #
I spoke to my father on MY 39th birthday and asked him what he thought about having a 39 year old son.
He said, “don’t worry about being 39 - hell you don’t even know what’s going on until you’re 40!”
That’s what worries me. I guess I’m a slow learner because I didn’t figure “it” out until I was in my 50s… MUCH OF WHAT OUR SOCIETY FEEDS US IS BULLSHIT - our parents, friends, “churches,” schools, clubs, groups of almost any kind have ONE OBJECTIVE - to produce CONFORMITY and ADHERENCE to some concocted (usually for profit) cultural norm.
As children we are LIED TO right from birth - this one’s a BLUE one, this one’s a PINK one - and the socialization begins - boys “should” act like this - girls “should” act like that - BULLSHIT & PERVERSITY right from the beginning.
“Yes, Virginnia there IS a Santa Claus.” BULLSHIT.
There is a GOD in Heaven who looks after you and a Jesus who will judge your performance and decide if He’ll let you in when you die. BULLSHIT.
Children aren’t allowed to just grow up to be themselves - they’re pushed and prodded and threatened and conditioned and trained and intimidated TO CONFORM - to become PRODUCTIVE CONSUMERS, and to cause as little fuss as possible in the process.
So don’t get too excited by the Church of Scientology - it’s no better or worse than any of the other BULLSHIT that we’re into up to our necks in this society.
Report thisBy Sondra, May 14, 2007 at 11:07 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Jeez, WHO THE F CARES??????????
Report thisYou think theser Scientology freaks give a crap about YOU??????
Do some research! Who gives a crap about these celebrities?????? They are overpaid and think they are “royalty” or something, like thier lives affect your life in some way?????? they rant about global warming, giving us advice??? and look how they live????
Spare me. this is’nt even news. what a waste of time & money!
By James Yell, May 14, 2007 at 9:59 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I know very little about Scientology, except like Christ Scientist, not much to do with Science at all.
This is what I do know. Years ago I worked with a young woman, we were all young. She had a son that she supported by herself. She was too eager for help and after a few bad choices of boyfriends, who promised much, but left when they got what they wanted, she put her son with her parents and went off to St. Louis to perfect her Scientology. As I understood the system the acoylytes in order to move up in the organization had to pay for classes and each person higher up in the organization got a cut of the money generated. I don’t know what ultimately happened to the woman. I can’t think much use came of such a religion which exploited people like that.
In fact as I have never heard of a god head in Scientology I can’t imagine it is a religion at all, a philosophy perhaps, it may among some people have a certain use, but the stories of their bullying and using the law to attack people who question their belief—I have my doubt that it is good for society.
It isn’t that I think they are the only people who are crack pots about “religion”, Mormons have the silliest theology of any major group, they have some good disciplines, but really how can smart people be so gullible?
Report thisBy Jason, May 14, 2007 at 9:21 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
This says it all:
Report thisOperation Clambake - The Inner Secrets Of Scientology
http://www.xenu.net/
By godsucks, May 14, 2007 at 8:48 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Travolta is a nut case.
Report thisBy Leather Gimp, May 14, 2007 at 8:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Holiest of Holies: “The best way to become a BILLIONAIRE is to Invent a Religion”
Report thisBy Inherit The Wind, May 14, 2007 at 8:26 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Scientology is great at supporting its famous members:
Travolta, Cruise, Kirstie Allie, Chick Corea.
But it only supports other members as long as they pay and pay and pay. If their circumstances change and the flow of money slows down or (horrors!) dries up, they turn on that person and shun him/her.
If there’s a conflict between members, they don’t judge the situation on merits. They go with the one with more pull, even if he’s a total crook. Then the loser, if he doesn’t accept it, gets shunned.
You could be in the “Church” for 20 years and they’ll still toss you like yesterday’s garbage.
I say this because it happened to someone I know.
Report thisBy Jim C, May 14, 2007 at 8:21 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Scientology makes as much sense as christianity , islam and judaism which ain’t saying much .
Report thisBy Deano, May 14, 2007 at 7:36 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Awww, James, it’s so sweet of you compare a BBC investigation into a loony cult with the persecution of the Jews.
How about the BBC and all other media outlets tell us that Scientology is a cool way to spend your time and money.
Hexk, if yopu spend enough money those lovely Scientologists will tell you all about “The incident”
Isn’t that sweet of them?
I can understand why people join this religion that was invented by a Science Fiction writer and will only tell the juicy stuff to people who have paid enough money. It sounds like a very, very sensible descision to me.
I’m gonna go and join up right now.
Report thisBy elitist, May 14, 2007 at 7:05 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
glad I watched the clip, because it has been grossly misinterpreted from all sides.
here’s what I saw & heard:
the scientology psycho-robot was droning on at Sweeney like a true cult zombie, refusing to let allow Sweeney to respond.
That’s what crazy control freaks do.
Sweeney responded by shouting above the psychotic, mind-numbing droning, forcing his brain-dead interlocutor to hear him.
The better response when a crazy person drones at you like a malfunctioning robot & refuses to engage in dialogue is to just walk away
And now here is the really important part - please read 4-5 times slowly:
psychopaths are ALWAYS calm, cool, and collected.
their victims, however, are frequently hysterical.
this often leads to the psychopath being regarded as sane, and his victim as a lunatic.
Sweeney was upset at the hermetically sealed quality of the scientology cult & its clinically psychotic members.
He had just met a lot of people whose lived had been destroyed by this moronic & destructive killing machine.
3 cheers to Sweeney & the BBC for exposing this dangerous fraud.
Report thisBy Tony Rocky Horror, May 14, 2007 at 6:23 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Ezekiel 25:17 “....And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee”
Back off or Vincent and Jules will come a knocking at your door.
No?......Okay, que Comanche Alto Sax number (the raunchy bit).
The Gimp
Report thisBy Tom Doff, May 14, 2007 at 3:27 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Take it easy on Travolta, he’s doing some good things for the world and his religion.
He’s converted the engines on his personal Boeing 747 to run on methane derived from cattle manure.
Once a week, he flies around the world to each of the Scientology headquarters and empties the Bullshit Bins, loads the bullshit on his plane, and flies home.
So, thanks to Big John, our skies are a bit cleaner, and Scientology headquarters smell a bit better.
What a guy!
Report thisBy archeon of thrace, May 14, 2007 at 3:18 am #
Top scientololgist? Isn’t that like a “top” idiot?
John Travolta should just shut the fuck up.
Report thisBy niloroth, May 14, 2007 at 2:58 am #
Scientology is a scam, but the really scary thing is it is a scam with a lot of really really devoted believers. Sweeney may not be the best person to take them on, but just look at some of the things they have done to critics in the past. Try http://www.xenu.net for some examples.
Personally, i am pro anything that outs scientology as maybe the most insane version of religion on the market today.
Report thisBy Alberto, May 14, 2007 at 2:40 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Please, read my lips…
Scientology is not a religion.
The first thing you need to become part of the cult is a credit card.
They do have very clever (“clear”) minds out there, and like the talibans of Pat Robertson’s Regent University, their mission in life is to legislate and regulate behavior of other people.
Report thisBy THOMAS BILLIS, May 14, 2007 at 1:56 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Scientology as all religions and most movies ask you to suspend reason.The only thing adding legitimacy to scientology is the list of movie stars who are involved.Would this article have been on truthdig if not for one of the great religious thinkers of our time John Travolta had not been upset?Maybe tomorrow we can hear from the St Augustine of scientology Tom Cruise.
Report thisBy Mar Del Zur, May 14, 2007 at 1:46 am #
Scientology is not a religion. It is not science. It is a big business, nothing more. To compare Scientologists to the Jews has got to be the most inane things I’ve ever heard. This isn’t bigotry by the media, it’s really poor journalism. The solution is to start taxing “religions” for the moneymaking enterprises that they are. If they want to operate as non-profit/not-for-profits, fine. Otherwise, pay up. The fact that Scientology managed to get tax-exempt status from the IRS under the guise of being a religion says enough about how broken the tax system is in America.
Having said that, I do agree that Sweeney’s behaviour is an embarrassment. It doesn’t, however, change the cult status of Scientology.
Report thisBy James Lightfield, May 13, 2007 at 11:52 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
How would you feel about your religion being “investigated” if someone like Sweeney (with a long history of animosity) was assigned to do the show. Yet the BBC permitted. That speaks volumes about impartial news. I can now understand how the Jews felt when the media condemned them and no one came to thier defense. Bigotry by the media. Despicable.
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