Scientology Goes After Blog for Posting Video of Tom Cruise
For those of you unfamiliar with the Church of Scientology let us give you a very, very abbreviated background. Scientology was started in 1952 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. The secretive religion has proven to be very popular amongst the Hollywood elite, but has faced allegations that it harasses critics, abuses members trust, and is not a religious organization but a commercial enterprise and a cult.
Tom Cruise is one of the organization's most visible and vocal proponents. Not long ago at a ceremony held by the Church of Scientology International (CSI) Tom Cruise was awarded the Freedom Medal of Valor. His wild-eyed video acceptance speech talking about how Scientology holds the answers to everything made its way on to pop culture and gossip blog Gawker. CSI immediately jumped to legal action, as many of its critics would have expected, sending a cease and desist order to Gawker accusing them of violating copyright law by posting the video from the award ceremony.
Gawker has so far refused to remove the video, arguing that it was posted in the context of "news reporting and critical commentary" and therefore falls under the fair use doctrine. CSI has yet to respond, but we're pretty sure this isn't over yet. The Church of Scientology is, if anything, determined, as one BBC reporter found out.
The entire terrifying video, from fervent introduction and speech by the church's supreme leader David Miscavige, to border line psychotic description of the church by Tom Cruise is available here. And don't worry if they get taken down, we've got copies too.
Update:
Those videos in the last link were removed as expected. But don't worry as you can see we've already reposted. We're keeping an eye out for black SUVs parked outside of our apartments now.
From Boing Boing
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paul @ Jan 17th 2008 3:16PM
I can see that Tom needs script writers. Hold on for a while tom, they are on strike
LambLion58 @ Jan 17th 2008 3:37PM
I could only watch the first video, the others have already been pulled.
John Huckleberry @ Jan 17th 2008 3:47PM
Ahh censorship, the video is gone, what are they afraid of?
danny @ Jan 17th 2008 4:01PM
"What are they afraid of?"
Hmm... I got one link for ya!
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/
Gracie @ Jan 17th 2008 4:32PM
I swear I thought he was high. I am happy I saw it yesterday. For you all who missed it, it's so funny! Just hearing it does not do it. His expressions were priceless. At one point he starts laughing for no reason. I mean he can do what he wants, But I try to stay away from "religions" who make claims like Scientology does. I guess them adding "ology" makes them have all the answers. I just do not agree.
lin @ Jan 17th 2008 5:14PM
http://defamer.com/344987/the-tom-cruise-indoctrination-video-scientologists-dont-want-you-to-see
Lisa @ Jan 17th 2008 5:40PM
I've heard about the BBC reporter, and that was some scary stuff! Gawker better handle this carefully, because the church doesn't let things go very easily.
Skip Weatherford @ Jan 17th 2008 7:34PM
Cruise seems genuinely enthusiastic and the goals he states, helping others, changing the world for the better are laudable goals but the performance is slightly absurd. It seems scattered and incoherent. I can understand why CSI wants the thing exponged. It's a bad add.
Scientologists both current and former with whom I have had contact as a hypnotherapist speak mainly of personal groth not changing the world or world values.
As long as it remains harmless to others people have the right to be as crazy as they please.
coollikethat @ Jan 29th 2008 12:45PM
everyone should go to youtube and check out Jerry O'Connell's parody of this video - it's hilarious. I guess they didn't get to be friends during the making of Jerry Maguire...
Laura the SP @ Feb 1st 2008 6:56PM
NIIICE! Keep it going-- sunshine is the best disinfectant. Between this and the Scientology site being hacked, I'm ecstatic! Go Anonymous! By the way, remember there are only so many black SUV's and they can't be everywhere!
leslie @ Feb 3rd 2008 10:57PM
This is ridiculous! I am a Scientologist and a Jew (yes, you can be a Scientologist and another religion. No, you don't convert!). From the very first sentence of this posting, you were disparaging Scientology and spewing incorrect facts. Supreme leader? Psychotic description of the church? Secretive religion? Geez. This is bull! You haven't a clue what Scientology is, what the word even means, how it helps people (people even like you) and what Tom Cruise has been doing to help his fellow man. You should be ashamed of yourselves. You wouldn't dare mock Catholicism, Muslim, Judaism, etc., like you do Scientology!
marc @ Feb 7th 2008 12:51PM
Scientology is a cult just like Mormonism.