I've just lost my respect for John Travolta

[mickeym]

By way of hanncoll:

Like hanncoll says in her post, in general I'm in favor of every person believing (or not believing) what seems right to/for them, and I try not to get judgmental about ANY religious beliefs. However.

If what I've just read today about Scientology's position on autism is true, they can officially kiss my ass.

Apparently, Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of John Travolta and Kelly Preston who recently passed away, had autism, but his parents, who are Scientologists, refused to acknowledge it. (John's own brother, an autism activist, believes Jett had autism.) Scientology is pretty well known as eschewing psychology (think Tom Cruise here.)

That's bad enough. But. Here's worse:

According to the Church of Scientology, people with mental illnesses are "degraded" and capable of curing themselves by working harder on the church's teachings.

Source.

Degraded.

Comments

[raynedanser.livejournal.com]

I .... I don't even have any words for this. DAMN.

[lamis-p.livejournal.com]

It makes me so sad for that poor boy and the many children who could be getting help but aren't. How can you be that blinded?

[nopseud]

Scientology's position on *everything* is fucking nuts.

[tabularassa.livejournal.com]

I have no respect for Scientologists, period. If they believe that bullshit, forget it.

<3

[cormallen.livejournal.com]

I've read about this when Joey Travolta's autism documentary aired -- and I was pretty disgusted then, and I'm even more disgusted now. The Scientology position on a number of things (giving birth, mental illness, etc etc etc) really angers me, but overall, I generally find it really disheartening to think that a parent won't do whatever he or she can to help their child, and... god, this really is just sickening, isn't it?

[noelql.livejournal.com]

I have no idea the reality of Jett's situation or diagnosis, but I've been completely befuddled by the continued mention of Kawasaki's in the news. There is absolutely NO link between Kawasaki's and seizures. Nor is there any link between Kawasaki's and cleaning products or toxins, which is I guess what the Travolta's have alleged in the past. It's just sad really.

[twasadark.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they are something else. One of them tried to talk me out of taking antidepressants, which were keeping me functioning as a semi-normal human being. I ignored him. :-)

[aislinn-tredor.livejournal.com]

Scientology leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[arabella-hope.livejournal.com]

I have always ALWAYS hated that man. And while I feel for his loss...nope. I shall continue to boycott him forever.

[brighton-girl.livejournal.com]

You know making a decision as an adult for yourself is one thing, but to not treat a child's illness because of some crazy dead guy's theories...is flat out neglect.

He was a beautiful child, and just based on pictures I can see that some thing was up with him, how could a parent ignore that?

[hunters-retreat.livejournal.com]

I really have no idea how to respond to this. I was aware of the accident, but until someone pointed it out, I didn't know about the autism aspect of all this. As a parent of a child with autism... i'm beyond amazed and frankly... ashamed of anyone that could have a child with autistic symptoms and NOT do something to try to help them. We spend over 12 hours a week in different therapies with my son to help him learn to communicate and play with others. I can't say how much this short of thing enrages the parent in me.

[fpvs.livejournal.com]

Scientologists are insane. They just... Tell me any other "Religion" who requires you to spend more and more and more money to become more enlightened. I'm on their mailing list and all the books and CRAP you can/should buy astounds me. The COST of the stuff makes me even more stunned.

And their books? I bought their Dianetics book when I was in LA. My friend who majored in Psychology then went and became a high school science/psychology teacher? She read that and used it as an example, in her classroom, of "Pop Psychology" (aka psudo-psychology). It's a load if shit. It's damaging.

And, yes. It was all created by L. Ron Hubard. He was a science fiction writer. DECADES ago. He created this religion after travelling the world. The museum in LA? Their display of his works... *shakes head* The fact that people can look at this man's past and then believe his creation ought be used to live your life by? It makes me think of Star Wars fans and the force and the code of the Jedi. Makes me think that it went down that track, but went wrong!

The fact that something so damaging has such power over people is incredibly sad. The only reason they aren't listed as a cult by the world over is that they have, for lack of any better word, brainwashed a bunch of celebrities into being spokespeople. Tom Cruise - the Pontiff of Scientology.

[clumsygyrl.livejournal.com]

yeah, we were talking about this at the counseling center today. i don't even know how that is real. ugh.

[gestaltrose.livejournal.com]

that is even more of a tragedy if it's true. :(

[pensnest]

I do feel unashamedly judgmental about many, if not most, religious beliefs, but it baffles me that anyone of even average intelligence would *believe* in Scientology. This is just another reason why. Appalling. That poor boy needed his parents to help him and they didn't.