Pop Culture Memo

Re: Your Public Relations Troubles

France 1.     Scientology 0.

A Paris court recently convicted the Church of Scientology–French edition, on charges of  fraud. The group was ordered to pay  US$900,000 in fines while four of its leaders were handed suspended jail terms ranging from 10 months to two years. The charges stem from complaints made from several of the organization’s former members who claimed they were coerced into spending tens of thousands of dollars on courses intended to aid their personal growth. While the church’s French spokesperson got biblical in her condemnation, calling the decision “an Inquisition of modern times,” the group’s international spokesperson, Tommy Davis took a less descriptive approach, preferring instead to rely on clever idioms. Davis dismissed the verdict as “all bark and no bite” and vowed to appeal, even going so far as saying that the church would take the case to the European Court of Human Rights, if necessary.

If you are unfamiliar with the work of this court, a recent case was Andreou v. Turkey where the applicant complained of “injuries and a death caused by the Turkish armed forces in the United Nations buffer zone in Cyprus.” The complaint was brought by the husband of Georgia Andreou. She witnessed the shooting and death of a protester during demonstrations in 1996. The protester’s crime was climbing a flagpole inside the buffer zone. When the Turkish soldiers opened fire on the crowd after they shot the protester, Georgia was also shot. She underwent three operations and suffered from various injury related illnesses until her death in 2005.

Clearly, this is the remedy for French Scientology’s complaints. Why shouldn’t the important work carried out by the European Court of Human Rights include the church’s case? Surely, Tommy Davis is right on track with his plan because being accused of exhorting money for “purification packages” deserves the same attention as fighting to hold a military accountable for unprovoked civilian casualties.

Reality 1.     Xenu 0.

In addition to the Paris court’s decision, Scientology was dealt another blow when director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis, (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) not so quietly quit the group. In a letter to Tommy Davis, Haggis, a member for 35 years, cites Davis’ “refusal to denounce the church’s anti-gay stance” as one of the reasons for resigning his membership. Haggis goes on to cite a CNN interview in which Davis denies that the church has a policy of disconnection, where members are ordered to sever ties with family and friends who have ‘harmed’ the group in some way.

Here’s where things take a more personal turn. Haggis expresses particular outrage at this denial because his wife was ordered to have no contact with her parents. She obeyed and didn’t speak to them for over a year. Did Haggis’ in-laws publicly criticize the church? Organize a protest rally? Question why they belonged to a group whose theology revolves around an alien warlord named Xenu? Not at all. In fact, Haggis describes them as “a lovely retired couple” who “never said a negative word about Scientology.” Their crime was apparently “something absolutely trivial they supposedly did twenty-five years ago when they resigned from the church.”

Haggis also condemns Davis for using damaging personal information, gained during the church’s required audits (think Catholic confession without the priest or confidentiality), to discredit high level defectors including Amy Scobee who was the head of celebrity recruitment for 20 years. Celebrities, it seems, are Scientology’s bling and deserve their own center away from the other less shiny and promising recruits.

As one of the valued celebrity clients, or um, worshippers, Haggis’ exit has led to speculation that John Travolta, a Scientologist for 34 years and one of its biggest supporters despite the effects on his career (Battlefield Earth anyone?), may also leave the church. Travolta is said to be rethinking his commitment to the group because of its inability to offer more help to his son Jett who suffered from autism and recently died after having a seizure. Scientology refutes the benefits of psychiatry as well as the existence of various physical and mental disorders.

Tom Cruise 1.     Cruel Media 0?

While these recent storms may not be enough to sink the Scientology ship, they have certainly caused some serious motion sickness. Perhaps the church’s A#1 member, Tom Cruise, should take to the bridge and man the wheel. Lately, he’s all about family togetherness in artfully constructed ‘candid’ shots of him with wife Katie and daughter Suri. Occasionally, he even reminds us that he has two other kids. No more couch jumping and Matt Lauer hating for T.C. He’s just like us.

Scientology, look to your assets and save yourself!

Paul Haggis