Ahh. Thanks!

You know, when I was younger, I thought Tom Cruise was hot. His past few movies though, I've commented about how he just isn't very desirable anymore.

All this makes him just plain unattractive. The nerdy boy in high school has more sex appeal than he does.

When Scientology is involved, brainwashing can't be far behind.

Sounds like my ex-husband was a Scientologist!

I've never been a Tom Cruise fan - somehow, I think these two deserve each other.

I find the entire things very bazarre.

But what I reject is those people who talk about how young and impressionable Katie is. She is 26 years old! Not 16 or 18 or 22.

She's a grown woman regardless of how cute she is or how big her smile is.

It does give me the creeps a bit and I guess we'll have to wait to see how it all plays out.

SO SO true

I loved Tom Cruise until he started to divorce Nicole Kidman. He became creepy to me at that time. Now he has a maniacal laugh that isn't charming and is kind of scary.

You know, I think that's about the same time I started to not like him as well.

I've always wanted scientologists and christian scientists to duke it out.

-Rudey

I was never a huge Tom Cruise fan. It's not even the age difference between the two that creeps me out. It's the way they are behaving that creeps me out. Tom acting like he's in jr. high and just got kissed by the hottest girl in school, creeps me out. Tom hiring a minder to follow Katie everywhere she goes, creeps me out. The hole "pre-nup" and no sex thing, creeps me out. Tom "interviewing" other actresses and trying to get them to convert to Scientology creeps me out. Scientology in and of itself creeps me out.

The relationship itself just seems odd and I would say the same thing if it was a fellow GCer or my best friend. The whole thing is too damn weird...but it definitly should not be front page news.

This may be a dumb question but what is the difference between the two? :confused: I don't mean this in a sarcastic way either.

the quick answer
 

Christian Scientists believe there is no such thing as physical illness and you can cure pain strictly through prayer.

Scientologists believe if you pay tons of $$$$ you'll be spiritually delivered by aliens.

CS is a legit religion, Scientology is a cult.

Re: the quick answer
 

A deity born to a virgin mother is somehow more legit than a deity from another planet?

It's all about faith. Either you got it or ya don't.

-Rudey

So you know how Rudey and I pretty much never agree, but I was just about to point out that exact same thing. Which viewpoint is more "legitimate" is pretty debatable. "Aliens spiritually delivering you" is about as statistically probable as "some guy being born to a virgin and dying and then being resurrected and then spiritually delivering you." (Actually, statistically speaking, I'm pretty sure that aliens are more likely.)

You'll find that most people who study religions and belief systems either do not use the word "cult," or they use it in a much less negative way than it is used in pop culture. See here for an explanation:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/cults.htm


While I don't believe in Scientology (or a lot of other things), I'm not sure what makes it so much less plausible than many other belief systems out there, and I would think twice before denigrating it or labelling it somehow more dangerous than many other religious sects. Because, when you think about it, does the concept of Jesus really sound all that much more sensible?



And I'm out before Rob accuses me of climbing the ivory tower too many times in a pop culture thread again.

Nah, you (and Rudestar) are totally on the right track here - Scientologists are much less pernicious than, say, Mormon scriptures that refer to African Americans as spiritually inadequate compared to whites.

You're the grounded one here - pissing on spiritual/belief systems you don't agree with (which we can read as: "understand") is weak beyond belief.

-RC
--is Zen Buddhist, what you fuckers got on that?

The Nation of Islam believes an alien scientist named Yakub created the white man. Beat that.

-Rudey
--Funny how if you smoke a little bud you can reach enlightenment and skip that whole buddhism thang.