Forbidden Video
Tom Cruise & The Forbidden VideoA Scientology Video has surfaced, and segments have been aired on news channels. As usual there's the sly innuendos that Tom Cruise is as mad as a hatter weaved within the stories, but after watching the video I was struck with how sane Tom is. I'd much rather Tom Cruise live next door than the average Hollywood star. And with Mr. Cruise's enthusiastic commitment to helping humanity I'd rather he be a neighbor or a friend than the average Joe. Still others may not give Tom a chance - the chance he deserves to be perceived without a veil of bigotry and intolerance being shoved between us, and him, and that's why I wrote this post. I hope that people listen to what the man has to say. You may not agree with Scientology, but listen carefully, and you'll hear the passion of a man who cares very much about the fate of the world, and who very much wants to help humankind. There's a highly creative, and charged mind at work here, and that enthusiasm has been used to label him as off the edge by others used to destroying celebrities that speak their mind.
Let's look at what Tom Cruise is saying. Is he saying anything else that any other highly religious person doesn't believe true of their religion?
If he were talking about a mainstream religion, he might be criticized in the same way as Mel Gibson has been for being highly religious in a Christian way, but would people be claiming he's insane? Well, people claim Mel Gibson is insane, but he also has millions of Christians who share his beliefs, and would never criticize him for believing in such a way.
So it seems to me that it's really a matter of size. Which religion is bigger than the other, and which one can beat up on the little guy.
I've taken a few quotes out of his video, and I've inserted the word Christianity next to it. Everything he claims for Scientologist have been, and are being claimed in the name of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc.
Photo: Tom Cruise
Yet people are trying to suggest that this video proves Tom Cruise in less than sane. That's a form of religious intolerance, and bigotry. I realize that Scientologist don't claim that Scientology is a religion, but it functions the same way, and we need to take time to make a comparison, and ask ourselves why Scientologist are such a focus of criticism.
Tom Cruise on Scientology Compared to Christians on ChristianityTom Cruise said, I think it's a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist, and I think it's something you have to earn. But don't Christians say they think calling themselves Christians is a priviledge, and I that there are obligations to calling themselves Christians?
Why is what Tom Cruise said so different, or odd?
Tom Cruise said, a Scientologist has the ability to create new and better realities, and better conditions. Don't Christians believe that they have the ability to create new and better realities, and better conditions. Don't Muslims, and Jews believe the same thing too?
How is that crazy?
Photo: Tom Cruise in Tuxedo
Tom Cruise said, Being a Scientologist you look at someone, and you know absolutely that you can help them. But don't Christians feel that being a Christian you look at someone, and you know absolutely that you can help them? Don't Jews, and Muslims feel the same way?
Where's the harm in that?
Tom said, Being a Scientologist isn't like being anybody else, you know when you drive past someone at an accident you can't just drive by like everyone else, you know you have to stop, and do something, because you can help them.
But don't Christians expect more from their members, don't they say that being a Christian isn't like being anybody else, that they know when they drive past someone at an accident that they can't just drive by like everyone else? Isn't what Tom said similar to what Christians, Jews, and people of the Islamic faith say? Isn't what Tom Cruise said pure "Good Samaritan" in nature, one of the fundamental lessons of Judeo-Christianity?
What's so crazy about that?
Tom said, That's what drives me, to know we have an opportunity, to really help.
But don't committed Christians say, that's what drives Christians, to know they have an opportunity, to really help? Of course they do, just like Jews, and Islamic people who get a thrill out of the belief that they can help people.
Where's the irrationality in that?
Tom said, We can bring peace, and can unite cultures.
But haven't Christians claimed that they can bring peace, and unite cultures?
Of course they have, and so have the Jews, and people of Islam.
Who can take fault in that?
In Defense of Tom Cruise Maybe it's not what Tom says, maybe it's how he says it, and he's received a great deal of criticism for laughing too loud, for breaking all the talk show rules, for being too enthusiastic. But aren't creative people expected to step outside the boundaries of the ordinary, of the little petty rules that we construct?
So what if Mr. Cruise seems a little manic, would we be happier if he were a drug addict, or worse - like so many other big time actors?
Photo: Tom Cruise
What we really should be asking is what his goals are. He repeatedly mentions helping other people as his central goal. He repeatedly mentions helping humanity.
That sure beats strapping on a suicide belt, and killing children in the name of God doesn't it? Yet the act of killing innocent women and children in the name of Allah is seen a heroic in the eyes of millions, maybe hundreds of millions of Islamic faithful.
Is Tom Cruise highly enthusiastic? It appears so, but any more so than most men are about football, sex, cars, and beer? Or when women start talking about their children?
Tom Cruise believes he knows the answers to some of the biggest problems that have plagued human beings for a very long time, and he's excited about being able to share his beliefs. Doesn't Tom Cruise's enthusiam beat the sense of depression, and hopelessness felt by a large percentage of the population? Is being very happy, and enthusiastic now considered a form of insanity? If so, then what type of society is this?
I've heard, and read a lot of hateful things being said about Tom Cruise, but in actuality isn't this criticism really just an attack on Scientology? And isn't the criticism of Tom Cruise's "odd behavior" just a way of getting around the general prohibition of attacking other people for their religious beliefs?
Photo: Tom Cruise with Family
Aren't the attacks on Tom Cruise just another way of a larger group of people attempting to stomp on a minority? Of a dominant ape trying to mount a smaller one? Of a gang attacking an individual? Isn't this vilification of Tom Cruise just a reflection of our desire to stamp out individuality, in the name of normalcy? If so, we need to look at ourselves, and why we are so frightened of allowing people the freedom to grow.
Could it be that we're frightened because we know that by being different, like Tom Cruise is different, that we'd subject ourselves to same criticism that Tom Cruise has been subjected too? And doesn't our submission to that fear, and our participation in that collective social attack on Tom Cruise make us quiet cowards, and not the "know betters" that we believe ourselves to be?
No one is asking anyone to join Scientology, or have faith in Mr. Cruise, but I say let's give Tom Cruise, and Scientology a break.
