I liked what he said about being “in or out”, though maybe I’m just taking it the way I want to understand it. It seems to me a statement that, if you’re going to subscribe to this system of morality or ethics, you’re going to LIVE it, not just say it. It reminds me of the verses in Revelation about the church that was “neither hot nor cold”. I generally have more respect for a person who is ardently following what I believe to be an incorrect philosophical or religious system than one who blithely professes one which I agree with.

The thing that struck me so forcefully in watching this wasn’t the “help” part, although I agree that probably what he meant by “help” was “convert”, and that word was repeated awfully frequently…which could just be an artifact of the editing.

What hit me even more, and this is probably connected to having been Mormon, was the bit about “either you’re on board or you’re not on board” and that people are “either in or out”. That and the statement that “we are the authorities” on, among other things, psychology, which I believe he mentioned specifically.

I can’t begin to express how much that attitude bothers me…and I don’t really think that it is possible to interpret that any other way than that Scientiology is an incredibly exclusivist organization, in many of the same ways that Mormonism is an incredibly exclusivist organization. Because, you know, I can’t see how anything that was edited out could possibly change the vibe of those statements.

I hope he means that, “I’m the only one that can help because I can: I can stop. I can call on my cell for help if it’s required. I know enough CPR to do it until the EMTs get there.” But in retrospect, he probably means it in a creepy evangelist way.

Anyway, having semi-defended Tom in my last post, let me dig into what I think he actually means in response to Rich. I base this on what I have gleaned of Scientology as well as my personal experience as a Christian. When he talks about helping people, he means converting them. His language about “you know” and “You know you’re the only one who can really help them” seems to lead to this conclusion. If I, a Catholic, am driving by a car crash, I don’t think “I’m the only one who can pull that person out of that vehicle and administer proper medical attention.” but a Christian may indeed think, “If that person has never heard the gospel message, I may be the last chance his soul has of coming to know God.” That is my suspicion…of course Tom wants to help drug addicts, criminals, the sick, etc. The same way I do. Administer proper care, and introduce them to that thing that will help them change their life. In my case, I’d say it’s Jesus Christ. Tom would say it’s Scientology. The language is pretty much the same, and it’s the language of evangelization.

Also, “maybe it is a brainwashing cult like some detractors say” could be said of many, many religions. Although Germany has banned Scientology as a cult, so maybe we’re on to something…

As to his ineloquence, I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s him skirting around one of those wacky OT III things you’re not supposed to talk about.

As to ethics…I have this impression that he means something different than I do by ethics, but I could be wrong. There are plenty of ethical guidelines I would feel obligated to make others live by, and others, though I think they would improve someone’s life, that I wouldn’t. (Taking the Decalogue as an example, I would be fine having a government enforce “You shall not murder” “You shall not steal” “You shall not bear false witness” and [controversial as it may be] perhaps even “You shall not commit adultery”. But I wouldn’t expect that everyone must keep holy the Sabbath, acknowledge my God as one god above all others, etc.)

Tom Cruise is born again:

When I read it, I, you know, I just went *poof* this is it, this is exactly it!

Tom Cruise gets metaphysical:

It’s not good enough that I’m just doing okay.

Look, I wish the world was a different place.

I have to do something [...] because I can’t live with myself if I don’t.

I don’t care if someone thinks it’s hard or easy. You’re either helping & contributing everything you can. Or you’re not.

I wanna know that I’ve done everything that I could. Every day.

I think every one of these are admirable sentiments, whether they’re spoken by a Mormon, a Buddhist, or a Scientologist.

Now he’s not the most articulate person; my favorite quote:

I know. I know, so, okay, ya’know what you know!

but he certainly seems to believe what he says.
Some of the things he says sound down-right Catholic:

I won’t hesitate to put ethics in on someone else.

but I guess they don’t have a monopoly on the crazy.

I really recommend the Martini Shot (a podcast) episode I Heart Scientology. Listen to it or read it.