Well Funseekers. HBO finally went and did it. They finally released Going Clear, the tell-all , but no kisses tribute to one of my favorite happy-fun cults.
And Scientology could not be happier! Urr…..- could not be happy?
In case you haven’t heard the news, author Lawrence Wright wrote the book on the whole Scientology mess. It’s very readable, I strongly recommend it. Oddly enough the book is very genial in dealing with Scientology. It’s not a complete hash-job. Wright points out that movements like this have been around for a long time and cater to natural desires that most humans have. (Like making lots of money by swindling people, megalomania and sadism but let’s not stray from the topic too much!)
The HBO documentary “Going Clear” , derided as “pure fiction” By Scientology, is less easy on the cult itself and very hard on some of it’s stars. Tom Cruse and John Travolta to name a couple The film features testimonies from ex Scientology stars (not ex stars, just celebrates that broke from Scientology and discovered they did not immediately burst into flame.)
I found the HBO film, interesting. Certainly better than Baghdad ER. It’s a very slick- professional production and here I believe it has the most value. Most humans think Scientology is just a kooky religion. A religion of famous people. Celebrities can be a bit strange so this is not too unusual. But Scientology uses celebrities as recruitment tools, L. Ron Hubbard laid this process out in great detail, much like how he instructs his flock on the correct way to clean an automobile. (You MUST use a goose-feather duster, I’m not kidding!)
Well the HBO film IS derided as pure fiction by Scientology. The part of people bursting into flame after leaving the organisation? Not so much.
Of course one of the stars of Going Clear is John Travolta, taking a break from flying his DC8 (except his has jets and not rockets) – just like Xenu’s minions he had this to say
“”I’ve been so happy with my (Scientology) experience in the last 40 years that I really don’t have anything to say that would shed light on (a documentary) so decidedly negative,” Travolta said”
(It’s a lot funnier if you read it in Travolta’s voice. )
That’s well and good. It’s always useful to shut oneself off of painful (but truthful) information. We all know that fantasy and Science Fiction are more – comfortable.
The other star of Going Clear, Tom Cruse has not commented on the film and nobody expects him to .
One of the most of the more amusing chunks of fallout from “Going Clear is this parody music video from Saturday Night Live.
“We, we are the future
We’re like a rocket into the sea…
We used to be starfish
Enslaved by the seagulls
But now we are free”
I’m waiting for Freedom Magazine to do a treatment on mean old Saturday Night Live. We all know that the folks over at Freedom are far more funny anyway. (Damn seagulls!)
I’d sure hate to be working close to DM right now. I hear he’s a bear when he wakes up in the morning!
Worship Me!
Hey Meep! How’s it hanging?