Germany: 1 Scientology: 0

M

mikenostic

Stop pretending you're smart!
Registered Senior Member
I saw this on CNN a few minutes ago and found it quite amusing.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/25/cruise.germany.reut/index.html

Cruise, also one of the film's producers, is a member of the Church of Scientology which the German government does not recognize as a church. Berlin says it masquerades as a religion to make money, a charge Scientology leaders reject.
Click to expand...

Interesting little tidbit, as I did not know Germany had this stance towards Scientology.
I'm interested to see how this pans out. I wonder if Cruise will whine like a little girl much like he did when the Scientology episode of Southpark aired; then vehemently deny that he had any part of getting all the replays of it yanked.
 
The man that played "Chef" in South Park resigned his job because of that episode, he was a Scientologist. I think he was a cool character, too bad.
 
Wisdom_Seeker said:
The man that played "Chef" in South Park resigned his job because of that episode, he was a Scientologist. I think he was a cool character, too bad.
Click to expand...
Yep. Isaac Hayes. It's funny how he had NO problem with Trey and Matt making fun of; Judiasm, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, black people, asian people, white people...<insert topic to make fun of here>, yet he got all butt-hurt when Scientology rolled around. :confused:
While I don't have much respect for religion to begin with, I have ZERO for Scientology. I think Germany is right about Scientology though.

Nietzsche,
I agree about the definition of religion, but I think it's blatantly obvious about Scientology, especially when the only members of it you hear about, are the rich celebrities and high profile people. To each his own I guess.
 
In the UK, until 1976, we would not allow anyone into the country that declared themselves a Scientologist, and still now, the Charities Commission does not recognise them as a Religion, although a recent (and rather stupid) redefinition of 'Religion' by the commission may yet see them get Charitable status, if the Scientologists lawyers are successful.

Scientologists have managed to argue for low/no tax status in some areas, liek VAT, which is totally bogus. They sell a product, and are I would argue against their claim that they are 'charitable'.

Anyway, good show Germany, if only the UK were so feisty.
 
It is disturbing that a state will interfere with unrelated activities based upon what beliefs a person holds. That is a dangerous route to a form of discrimination that we haven't had since apartheid, and the ww11 persecution of the Jews.

While I am not a supporter of Scientology I do however wish to see a society where people can hold whatever beliefs they choose and be free from any form of persecution or discrimination especially where the activity has no relationship to the beliefs in question.
 
That doesn't give Scientology the right to be both tax free and earning a large amount of money at the same time though. Scientologists are not being discriminated against.
 
Cris said:
It is disturbing that a state will interfere with unrelated activities based upon what beliefs a person holds. That is a dangerous route to a form of discrimination that we haven't had since apartheid, and the ww11 persecution of the Jews.

While I am not a supporter of Scientology I do however wish to see a society where people can hold whatever beliefs they choose and be free from any form of persecution or discrimination especially where the activity has no relationship to the beliefs in question.
Click to expand...
Um, I don't think that's the reason why Germany doesn't recognize Scientology. They don't recognize it because they think it's a front/scam just to make money, and to be honest, I do too. I'm glad Germany doesn't recognize it. Maybe Scientology should take some cues from Christianity on how to make profit and not look like you're in it for the profit. :D
 
Whether you hate it or not, Cris was right, they're stopping something on the basis of a persons beliefs, which is wrong, especially when his beliefs have nothing to do with it! It's discrimination, simple as.
Shouldn't they know better by now?:rolleyes:
 
Orleander said:
Does the US recognize it? I assumed if it doesn't show up on a military headstone, they don't.
http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/hm/hmemb.asp
But I wouldn't know what a Scientology symbol looks like.
Click to expand...

Scientologycross.jpg
Scientology_new_style_logo.png
 
Cris said:
It is disturbing that a state will interfere with unrelated activities based upon what beliefs a person holds.
Click to expand...

Rather broad brush strokes there. The UK has anti-hate laws, and anti-discrimination laws, that prevent groups from expressing hateful opinions. The state however, does not prevent religious morons from being able to spout their crap. They may do so freely as long as they do not break any law.

That is a dangerous route to a form of discrimination that we haven't had since apartheid, and the ww11 persecution of the Jews.
Click to expand...

You are conflating freedom of speech into racial persecution here. Scientologists are not a race.

While I am not a supporter of Scientology I do however wish to see a society where people can hold whatever beliefs they choose and be free from any form of persecution or discrimination especially where the activity has no relationship to the beliefs in question.
Click to expand...

And scientologists are free to spout their crap. However, I don't think believing in any form of nonsense should grant the purveyor tax free status, or guarantee them access to a military facility.
 
Anti-Flag said:
Whether you hate it or not, Cris was right, they're stopping something on the basis of a persons beliefs, which is wrong, especially when his beliefs have nothing to do with it! It's discrimination, simple as.
Shouldn't they know better by now?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...


No, they are preventing Cruise from entering the facility because of his association with the organisation of Scientology, not his beliefs. The fact that the two are closely tied should not prevent you from seeing this.
 
Anti-Flag said:
Whether you hate it or not, Cris was right, they're stopping something on the basis of a persons beliefs, which is wrong, especially when his beliefs have nothing to do with it! It's discrimination, simple as.
Shouldn't they know better by now?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

They're not stopping anything.

If I tried to set up a charity where I sold people information, I doubt it would fly. The fact that you need to pay/bribe/do business deals to get to 'the next level' of bullshit says it all.

Tom Cruise is a short arsed twat and I want to headbutt him.
 
All Hail L.Ron Hubbard, the true master of laissez faire capitalism and the best piss taker of all time.
 
phlogistician said:
No, they are preventing Cruise from entering the facility because of his association with the organisation of Scientology, not his beliefs. The fact that the two are closely tied should not prevent you from seeing this.
Click to expand...

He believes scientology to be correct, just as people have all kinds of different religions. Whether it is a religion or cult is entirely another matter it IS his belief, and they want to prevent him shooting a movie in certain places because of it. It is in no way a security risk, and it is purely a belief based decision, which I think is entirely wrong and sets a very bad precedent. Substitute his belief with anything else that is entirely irrelevant to the decision(perhaps not something you dislike so much). Now what in the world does it have to do with the movie and what he's asking??
 
phonetic said:
They're not stopping anything.
Click to expand...
They want to stop him filiming at certain military locations because he's a scientologist. They probably won't follow through with it, but in principle it is wrong regardless.

If I tried to set up a charity where I sold people information, I doubt it would fly. The fact that you need to pay/bribe/do business deals to get to 'the next level' of bullshit says it all.

Tom Cruise is a short arsed twat and I want to headbutt him.
Click to expand...

That's all irrelevant to the decision in question. That he wants to set up and be part of a charity and gain from it is a seperate decision to be made, it should in no way affect filming a movie, the movie has nothing to do with scientology.
 
Anti-Flag said:
He believes scientology to be correct, just as people have all kinds of different religions. Whether it is a religion or cult is entirely another matter it IS his belief, and they want to prevent him shooting a movie in certain places because of it. It is in no way a security risk, and it is purely a belief based decision, which I think is entirely wrong and sets a very bad precedent. Substitute his belief with anything else that is entirely irrelevant to the decision(perhaps not something you dislike so much). Now what in the world does it have to do with the movie and what he's asking??
Click to expand...
Yes, but I don't think you fully understand this issue. Tom has a right to believe in whatever the hell he wants to. But the fact of the matter is, is that Germany (and France too, I believe) does not recognize Scientology. They think it's just a front to make money, and has no credibility; a scam if you will. And since Cruise is a firm believer in the 'scam' Germany thinks it is, then that is what happens.
Let me ask you this, do you think it was wrong for Cruise (and prolly Travolta too) to bitch and whine like grade school girls about the episode of Southpark when they made fun of Scientology, to the point where Comedy Central yanked any reruns of the episode? Keep this in mind; this is after SP had been on for several seasons and had made fun of basically every single religion they could think of before, yet not a peep out of Cruise, or that hypocritcal Isaac Hayes until the Scientology episode.
If you DON'T think it was wrong for Cruise to bitch about that episode to get it pulled, then you, Flag my friend, have double standards.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top