"Buddhism is Grandather of scientology": Tom Cruise

[Flagg]

"Buddhism is Grandather of scientology": TOM CRUISE


PARIS, Jan 9 (AFP) - Tom Cruise, who stars in Edward Zwick's "The Last Samurai", Friday praised eastern religion saying "Buddhism is the grandfather of scientology" and climbed up on a chair to show off his new-found strength and flexibility in the making of the film.
The 41-year-old star, sporting short hair and a grey suit, waxed lyrical on Buddhism during a Paris news conference at the Ritz hotel held to promote the release in France of the movie next week.
"I was struck by the code of Bushido (the way of the Samurai). It's powerful, it talks about compassion, helping others, responsibility, integrity ... timeless values, ways I identify with," said Cruise, who has practised scientology for 20 years.
"Buddhism is the grandfather of scientology," added the actor, flanked by Zwick and his Japanese partner Hiroyuki Sanada.


http://www.ttc.org/sa40109b.htm

[Loonman]

1. Huh?

Buddhism is pretty sound.

Scientology is deranged ravings of a lunatic mind.

[hlthe2b]

7. Tenets of Buddhism are common to most of the major religions, especially

Christianity. Read the book by the Dalai Lama on the issue to get a better sense of that.

But, I'm not buying the scientology argument. While many religions are sound on their face and simply become "bastardized" by those who exploit it for their own purposes, I don't get the sense that that is the issue with Scientology. I think it has pretty much kept in tune with Ron Hubbard's original vision, and much of that I find strange and sometimes upsetting.

[jimbo fett]

2. GMAFB. Scientology is the child of a egomaniacal sci-fi author.

[wingnut]

3. He was struck

by the Stark Fist of Removal.

[catzies]

5. ah gaze on this Tommy Boy

[wingnut]

17. or kill me.

n/t

[reprehensor]

4. No...

L. Ron Hubbard is the grandfather of scientology, silly.

Bare Faced Messiah, the True Story of L. Ron Hubbard
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/bfm/bfmconte.htm

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. My God, that asshole is even dumber than I thought

and I thought he was pretty damn dumb already.

What an idiot. Does he even know what Buddhism is, or where it came from? Is Bushido his whole concept? Does he not realize that the way of the samurai is also about death and killing as a hired mercenary in order to maintain the heirarchy and aristocracy and that life of peasants has no value yada yada yada?

What a moron.

#(&(#$^*%-ing *@&^$%@.

Fricking scientology apologist fool.

[Robb]

8. Clearly Cruise wouldn't know a Buddhist

...if he walked up and smiled at him. Or bit him on the ass, whichever. Same diff. ;)

[ET Awful]

9. I didn't know Buddhism was based on greed and brainwashing.

I also didn't know that Buddhism taught you that you had thousands of alien spirits (thetans) attached to you and they were commanded by an alien overlord named Xemu.

I don't think Scientology and Buddhism have much in common.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. I also don't remember Buddhism requiring cash outlays in advance

every time you want to learn some more "scripture" and "lessons".

10. Scientology is the double bastard grandchild of Buddhism

so I guess I agree sorta

[DrWeird]

12. Yes, when I think of Buddhism...

I immediately think of Hubbard and the Samurai warrior code. What was that Buddha said about the proper way to disembowel your enemies?

[Screaming Lord Byron]

21. with serene patience, i believe

[Liberal Classic]

13. STFU $cientologist

Lafayette Ron Hubbard once compared his cult to Buddhism, calling it "twentieth century Buddhist thought" or some such nonsense. This shows how large a liar Hubbard was as well as how ignoran Cruise is of Buddhism. For one thing, $cientology firmly stands by its "body theatans" which are reborn souls, for lack of a better word. One of Buddhism's central doctrines is the 'non-self' or 'non-soul' characteristic that the soul or 'essence' of a person is not what is important, rather what a person does is important, i.e. karma. $cientology which claims the existnace of an eternal soul does not have this in common with Buddhism, and if anything runs contrary to it. Note that I am no expert of comparitive religions.

[PVnRT]

14. Wrong

Why must Scientologists be so idiotic? What the hell does Buddha have to do with Xenu's mass genocide of his political opponents here on Earth?

Isn't that a funny name to say? Xenu. Xenuxenuxenu. Xeeeeeeeeeeeeenu. Xeeeeeeeeeeeeeenuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

[HuckleB]

15. How did Cruise get past the "personality test"?

Oh, man. Now I know why I don't want to see that movie.

[Scurrilous]

16. Cruise is wrong.....

.....P.T. Barnum is the real Grandfather of Scientology.

[Liberal Veteran]

18. Best. Response. Ever.

I couldn't agree more.

Far be it from me to bash someone's religion, but scientology is just bizarre.

[blindpig]

19. sounds like a dis to me n/t

[GoddessOfGuinness]

20. Charles Manson had a granddaddy too...

It wasn't his grandfather's fault.

[mitchum]

27. Interestingly enough, Manson was very well-schooled in Scientology...

he first started studying it in prison and once released continued with both Scientology and its off-shoot Church of the Process. Manson used a number of Scientology techniques on his followers.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

31. I had no idea...

but I'm really not surprised.
I went to the local headquarters once, because I wanted to understand more about who they were and what they believed.

What I learned was that my head was basically screwed-up, and it was going to take a good deal of money and even more blind faith for me to become "clear".

The people I saw there who were followers were highly energized, glassy-eyed, and gave me every impression of being brainwashed.

creeeeepy :scared:

[Philostopher]

22. My guess is Buddha would be very surprised.

And not very surprised.

[Metrix]

23. Probably a different Joe Trippi

http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/ccint/celebrity013.html

Celebrity Magazine Issue # 13 < circa September 1974 >
COMPLETIONS
BASIC STUDY
. . . Joe Trippi . . .

[Interrobang]

24. I get so tired of hakujin who think they know anything about Bushido.

Yeah, I'm talking to you, Stupid White Boy. I have one advantage over you -- at least I *know* I'm an ignorant hakujin* and I don't go around spouting off about what I think about Bushido and Buddhism, and I probably know more about it than you do.

I have one friend who's exactly like this, minus the $cientology bit, of course. He thinks he's like the grand maven of Japanese culture, and he doesn't know shit. Man, that kind of an attitude bugs me so bad...

Take your attitude and shove it, Scieno Boy!



________

*hakujin = "white person," used as a descriptor when "gaijin" is not appropriate; in this case I mean "white" in its slightly pejorative, mayonnaise-and-Wonder-Bread meaning...

[Kamika]

25. Y'all needs to cut Tom some SLACK

He looks FINE!! it's ok if he says some weird stuff

[KFC]

30. He is also a good guy

I saw something on TV last night (E channel?) at his London premiere that showed him signing autographs, posing with fans, even taking a fan's cell phone and speaking to her friend. He did it for 2.5 hours and missed the first part of his own movie. His girlfriend went in without him.

Now that $cientology crap is another matter.

[HuckleB]

33. Not.

Looks tend to be enhanced or diminished by personality. And Cruise ain't looking so good in his middle age.

[Dogmudgeon]

26. Time to get some ARC in on your MUs, W/Os and TA!

I'm not an expert on either -- or an adherent -- but I consider myself well-read in both Buddhism and Scientology.

First of all, you have to make the usual distinction between the theory and the practice -- of both.

And second, the purblind hatred of Hubbard is about as useful to understanding the cul ... I mean, religion ... as Hubbard's purblind hatred of anything that rubbed Hubbard the wrong way.

Hubbard actually was a bright guy. Scientology is, in fact, drawn largely from Buddhism, especially the northern schools of Buddhism that incorporate complex meditative techniques. Some of the "tech" is still so close to Buddhist practice that it could be fairly said to be a blatant appropriation -- also known as a "rip-off". If you read some of the books by the Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), especially How to Practice, you'll see the similarities. (Robert Thurman's writings are probably even better for a Western interpretation of Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhism.)

Yet more of Ron's Tech is taken directly from the Dhammapada. Even the (in)famous E-Meter was developed by non-Scientologists. GSR as a tool for therapy was pioneered by Carl Jung, and Roger Sperry (one of the "holographic brain" guys) did a great deal of research on it during his post-graduate days.

The other big influences on The Tech are Epictetus, Logical Positivism, and Horatio Alger. There is quite a lot of the Gospel of Personal Responsibility in Scientology, and a lot of "memes" that would eventually devolve into right-wing buzzphrases.

And unlike Buddhism, Scientology is utterly lacking in the concept of compassion. Compassion is central to Buddhism. It is also central to Christianity and Islam.

If you can find them on the web on in a used book store, check out "The Phoenix Lectures" and/or "The Philadelphia Doctorate Course" (a.k.a. "PDC"). They provide an interesting look into the mind of Commodore Ron, raw, uncut, uncensored -- "Ron Acoustic", as it were. Neither has been redacted by the current bunch of Co$ leaders, though The Phoenix Lectures is not directly sold to the public anymore.

By the way, if you think I'm "soft-balling" Hubbard, think again. I'm capable of ranting about him with the best of you. But with so much vitriol already here, why bother? The fact is, simply calling Hubbard names, proclaiming the group as a cult, and heaping abuse on Tom Cruise is about as useful as "auditing" your "body thetans". (And OF COURSE Tom isn't going to see the bad side of the Org.) Like fundamentalist Christians and Moslems, Republicans, and businesspeople, most Scientologists are decent people, and most of them should be considered to be victims rather than vermin. Even the late, idolized Lisa McPherson joined Scientology of her own free will.

There's also a movement of "Free Zone" Scientologists, who use The Tech but who are disconnected from The Church. Some of the Free Zoners are also stark, raving nuts, but again, most are decent folks. (FYI, I am not a Free Zone Scientologist, either.)

Speaking of "why"s, why should anyone take the time to understand Scientology? Because there is enough to it to suck people in. In many ways, "The Tech" is highly effective. Enormously effective. Dangerously effective, since the Co$ has become so totalitarian. With a better understanding, it will be easier to fight the deleterious effects of Scientology and other belief systems that cause cultish behavior.

After all, the Ship of State currently has its own demented "Commodore" at the helm, and supporters who behave very much like Ron's Sea Org.

--bkl

[Philostopher]

32. Y'know I had forgotten about this.

Wish I could remember where I read it -- probably somewhere on xenu.org -- but I seem to recall he claimed he'd spent time in a Buddhist monastery when he was a young man, didn't he? Wish I could recall ... from what I read, it turned out Hubbard had asked for help at the monastery, then made fun of the monks for giving him something for nothing.

He did study eastern philosophies, though, you're right about that. I suspect he did so to use it in his writing, but ultimately it -- and everything else in his head -- was perverted into a pseudo-religious moneymaking scheme.

You're also right that the current Ship of State resembles what I've read about SeaOrg. And my disclaimer, too -- I have no connection with Co$, either positive or negative. I just enjoy abnormal psychology and have had a fascination with pseudo-religious organizations since I was an 'insufferable little Jesus*' and belonged to a Protestant church in my teens.



*Bono Vox's description of U2 on their earliest albums.

[ET Awful]

34. I've often thought that myself. . .

I've known a few Scientologists and researched it pretty thoroughly.

The Sea Org analogy is pretty spot on.

Anyone who thinks anyone who is a Scientology shill is okay needs to just research the Lisa McPherson case.

[mitchum]

28. I thought Buck Rogers was the grandfather of Scientology

[ulysses]

29. "Tom Cruise is an ignorant fuckstick": ulysses

:eyes:

[Deja Q]

35. Scientology is a cult that takes all your money and gives you nothing

It's like any other organized non-Buddhist religion except it's more modern and sucks in more witless actors than anybody else... right John? (Travolta)

[baldguy]

36. Didn't L Ron Hubbard start Scientology on a drunken bet w/ Hugo Gernsback?

Somehow I don't think Siddhartha Gautama would have been a gambling man. Or a drunkard.