L. Ron Hubbard was a shrewd, clever, savvy individual with a feverish imagination to boot. Incidentally, it is not difficult to surmise that Phillip Seymour Hoffman derived his inspiration from LRH in creating the character of the seedy guru in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. Hubbard cobbled together a system of self-examination with inspiration derived from his own pulp sci-fi fiction (a catalogue of some 1000 volumes) psychoanalytic principles and Eastern religions. The result was Dianetics which then led to the founding of some type of "religion" called Scientology. He has not been the first of those self-styled false profits who have emerged from time to time. It is not clear to me how this group falls under the heading of religion. Whom do the adherents worship: God or LHR or David Miscavige (the current, very controlling leader)? This dramatic doc provides a solid introduction to Scientology, its origins, practices, structure, the levels of membership, its astonishing amount of wealth derived from investments in real estate and its intolerance and abuses and its paranoia (re: toward its critics and former members who have left the fold) Newsreel clips, animation, reconstructed scenarios, personal interviews from former believers (eg. Paul Haggis) all provide a shocking look into an organization of dubious distinction. Tom Cruise's membership is a singular irony. A way back when-before his Hollywood days-Tom was a devoted Catholic whose avowed intention was to enter the priesthood. Many years ago I listened to the cassette of Dianetics for about 20 minutes. I came to the conclusion that this watered down version of Psychoanalysis was at the very least balderdash and at the very worst downright dangerous.
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