Cult News

Scientology’s top star Tom Cruise is jetting “down under” with his pregnant fiancée Katie Homes to attend the memorial service in Sydney of Australian tycoon Kerry Packer reports The Australian.

During filming of The Last Samurai in New Zealand Cruise “struck up a friendship” with James Packer, heir to the Packer fortune, estimated at more than $4 billion dollars.

Scientology’s “Top Gun” managed to get Packer involved in the controversial church, often called a “cult.”

James Packer reportedly became involved with Scientology courses and/or training.

However, since taking over his father’s financial empire Packer has distanced himself from Scientology and specifically said he is not a member.

Is Tom Cruise simply showing respect for the father of his “friend,” or swooping in on his jet hoping to make another pitch for Scientology?

But this is no doubt a difficult time for James Packer, which may make him somewhat more vulnerable to the suggestions of a “friend” offering to help him.

Does the “world’s biggest movie star” think this is a good time to suggest some more Scientology?

This might prove to be a “mission impossible” for the man many regard as a missionary for the controversial church.

Cruise is likely to end up just another famous face at the Sydney Opera House memorial service that will include a eulogy by Oscar-winning actor Russell Crowe.

Perhaps James Packer should look up and consult with another Oscar-winning Aussie and Sydney resident Nicole Kidman and ask her about Scientology if he has any lingering questions.

Ms. Kidman doesn’t appear to be attending the memorial service, but she was quite involved with Scientology courses while married to Tom Cruise.

If Mr. Packer still has any doubts he might ask Kidman why she dumped her ex-husband’s church so quickly after their divorce.

Hot cross buns have become a hot topic at an elementary school in England.

The traditional Easter bun that bears a cross is apparently too much for Jehovah’s Witnesses to bear.

“Hot cross buns are a pagan symbol of fertility no different [then] bunnies, eggs and Easter…The bible states we should not worship things of a pagan origin,” a local spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses told the Evening Star.

The headteacher of Oaks Primary School in Ipswich has asked suppliers to get the cross off its buns.

Interestingly, the Witnesses insist that they are “Christians,” but actually reject the trinity and see Jesus as an angel rather than the Son of God.

Doesn’t seem very “Christian” does it?

No Christian denomination has historically ever accepted Jehovah’s Witnesses as Christian.

It seems Witness children at the Ipswich school who are already forbidden to participate in its holiday programs such as Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day and are also routinely barred from celebrating birthdays, must now forswear hot cross buns too.

A seemingly startled local told the newspaper, “I have never heard of anything so ridiculous.” 

However, hot cross buns appear to be serious business for the Witnesses.

Former sitcom queen Roseanne wants everyone to know that the Kabbalah Centre is just like other religions when it comes to its attitude towards gays reported Contact Muisc.com.

“They’re heavy on pushing the reproduction thing, as are all religions,” she said.

Madonna must be relieved to know that she has nothing to worry about regarding offending her large gay following due to the diva’s passion for the Kabbalah Centre.

Boy George walked away from a documentary about the group, which is often called a “cult,  with the impression that they believe “gay people are diseased and can be cured.” 

But don’t worry about that Roseanne observes, “You can find homophobia anywhere you want to look.”

Should Boy George take solace in the consolation that others feel that way too?

Is this an example of Roseanne’s supposed “religious enlightenment”?

All this from the same star that once shocked America with her controversial lesbian kiss?

Maybe that’s the difference a “cult” makes?

It’s official; Katie Holmes has started “shilling for Scientology.”

At Fox News Roger Friedman reports that he got a gift pack from the couple known as “TomKat.”

His latest “Scientology package [came] as a brightly-colored cardboard box with many inserts, including a CD and a DVD. The DVD contains a weird music video called ‘United.'”

The music video includes shots of Scientology celebs Jenna Elfman, Erika Christensen, Isaac Hayes and Catherine Bell “all sort of nodding in a trance and clapping along.”

Along with this updated version of Tom Cruise’s old gift pack sent out last year comes the same note advising journalists that a donations have been made to Scientology in their name.

But this year the note comes from both Cruise and Katie Holmes with both their signatures.

Sorry no sonogram.

Nevertheless isn’t that note something to frame and hang over a desk with pride?

Hardly.

But maybe good enough for a few laughs in a column as Friedman has done.

It seems Scientology has found a fresh new face to add to its aging lineup of middle aged Hollywood stars.

Maybe recruitment efforts are getting desperate for Scientology?

Recently the group has taken to the streets and subway tunnels in an effort to proselytize.

In California one of its branch directors was actually giving “stress tests” on the sidewalk.

Katie Holmes might just help the organization often called a “cult” market its wares more effectively to a younger audience, even though college kids and teens don’t typically have enough money to buy into Scientology.

Some interesting responses were posted regarding recent articles about Falun Gong at CultNews.The fiery deaths and mutilations of Falun Gong protesters that set themselves on fire didn’t seem to raise any troubling questions to those still committed to Li Hongzhi and his “evil cult.”

Somehow the horrific spectacle in Tianamen Square was an indictment of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

According to some Falun Gong devotees it was all a conspiracy and the CCP faked it.

“I have direct experience with communist governments from other parts of the world and this is how they operate. They tell lies upon lies and will double cross their friends and kill them.” And concludes, “I am a scientist in some ways and I believe that anything is possible until proven.”

However, that response directly contradicts a statement made by one of the survivors Chen Guo.

“We decided burning ourselves was the best way,” said Chen, who lost both hands. “It was totally due to our own will. We were not forced by anyone” she told the European news service Reuters.

“We wanted to strengthen the force of Falun Gong,” Chen explained while lying in a hospital bed in her hometown of Kaifeng.

Chen Guo now in her early twenties has a face that is a mass of skin grafts. She has neither a nose nor ears.

Nevertheless Hongzhi’s followers seem to believe whatever they are told through their own propaganda.

“The police in Tianamen Square, that day¦had cameras readied to take videos of the incident.”

It was all part of a conspiracy concocted by the CCP.

One devotee said, “the girl and her mother was reported to have NEVER practice Falun Gong.”

But Wang Jindong, the man that masterminded the self-immolations told Reuters, “As to whether I am a practitioner or not, it’s not for other people to say.”

Wang’s face is badly scarred and his fingers blackened from the fire that claimed two lives.

Falun Gong has distributed CDs that claim to unravel the CCP conspiracy.

Here is an interesting comment.

“I’m not sure why you repeatedly refer to Falun Gong as a cult. According to Margaret Singer [there are] Six Conditions for thought reform” says another citing each in an attempt to disprove anyone that might label the group “cult-like.” “Please do more unbiased research to find out the facts,” concludes this comment.

But this Falun Gong devotee must not have bothered to read the article just below the one he or she was commenting about.

That article “Why all the fuss about Falun Gong?” quoted Margaret Singer.

She said, “If you want a good description of a cult, all you have to do is read what they say they are,” Margaret Singer told the San Francisco Chronicle at a Seattle conference in 2000 explaining her expert opinion about the group.

Those remarks drew some harsh feedback.

“Regarding your quote from Margaret Singer, well, let me just say that this whole experience has made me lose any respect for people who claim to be cult experts,” said another one of Hongzhi’s angry disciples.

Chen agreed with Singer. “I think Falun Gong has developed into a cult with anti-human and anti-society characteristics,” she explained.

“I hope those who still believe in this cult can be awakened and throw it away,” she told Reuters. “I don’t want to see another victim like me,” She told Reuters.

Wang concluded, “I feel humiliated because of my stupidity and fanatical ideas.”

But rather than examine and carefully consider those “fanatical ideas” Falun Gong goes on blaming everyone else, especially the CCP.

“Please explain why you don’t have one single page on the biggest cult in the world today: the Chinese Communist Party?” asks one devotee.

“We are dealing with this CCP and its mass of slanderous propaganda that has been exported globally.”

Hongzhi and his followers are quite adept at slinging their own propaganda, which has been effectively transmitted globally, with the help of Western journalists.

It seems that many Westerners are willing to believe almost anything about the CCP, rather than consider Hongzhi’s influence over his followers and its consequences.

The endless attacks against the CCP by Falun Gong devotees don’t change Hongzhi’s racist rant, or his homophobic statements. And that response won’t put Cheng Guo back together; her life has been shattered forever and it will never be the same again.

Why can’t Falun Gong followers consider these things?

“They actually say Don’t Think.’ Just recite the master’s teaching,” observed Margaret Singer.