Scientologists

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Scientologists Buy Hollywood Studio

Organization snaps up historic Sunset Boulevard site

(Newser) - Whether or not you want to see more movies based on L. Ron Hubbard's writings—and most critics who saw Battlefield: Earth would sooner go blind—Scientologists now have the facilities to make them. The controversial organization has bought a landmark movie studio in Hollywood from a struggling public...

Inside Scientology: Abuse, Human Trafficking, FBI Probes

Extensive Paul Haggis profile reveals allegations against church

(Newser) - The New Yorker ’s massive, 26-page takedown of Scientology is here, and it discloses—among other things—that the FBI has been investigating the church on suspicion of human trafficking for more than a year. Staff writer Lawrence Wright offers an extensive profile of ex-Scientologist Paul Haggis, the writer-director...

Russia Bans Scientology Texts

  Russia Bans Scientology Texts 
Apr 22, 2010 4:27 AM CDT

Russia Bans Scientology Texts

Works of L. Ron Hubbard labeled 'extremist'

(Newser) - The works of L. Ron Hubbard are no longer welcome in Russia. Officials say they intercepted a shipment of books and recordings by the Scientology founder and decided that they should be banned as extremist literature that "undermines the traditional spiritual values of the citizens of the Russian Federation....

Kirstie's Weight Loss Plan: Scientology Scheme?

Alley's 'Organic Liaison' has links to church

(Newser) - Kirstie Alley’s new weight loss program may just be one more way for the church of Scientology to make money. An anti-Scientology campaign group first uncovered a link between the two: “Organic Liaison” combines an organic diet with “organic and natural diet supplements,” but critics believe...

Scientologists Fight to Block German Film on Sect

Critical film is 'intolerant propaganda,' group claims

(Newser) - The Church of Scientology is trying to block a a German TV movie that depicts the organization as totalitarian, dangerous, and unethical. Scientology leaders say the film—based on a true story of a young family torn apart by the organization—is propaganda designed to "create a mood of...

Katie Holmes Prepping for Baby No. 2
 Katie Holmes 
 Prepping for 
 Baby No. 2 
scientology alert
Mar 1, 2010 8:39 AM CST

Katie Holmes Prepping for Baby No. 2

Tom Cruise wants another, and she's doing a lot of 'auditing'

(Newser) - Suri Cruise may soon be getting a present even better than her $30,000 toy car or $850 handbag : a little brother or sister. Katie Holmes has been spending more time than usual at the Hollywood Scientology Center—more than four hours last week—leading some to believe she’s...

How the Scientologists Are 'Helping' Haiti

Scientology volunteers brought no food or supplies, just touch healing

(Newser) - A tipster who traveled to Haiti on a Scientology plane gives Gawker a firsthand account of how the religion is ineptly attempting to help. The "completely unprepared" volunteers planned to buy food once they got there instead of bringing it along, "but there was no food and no...

Travolta Lands Relief Jet in Haiti
 Travolta Lands 
 Relief Jet in Haiti 
Scientologist special delivery
Jan 26, 2010 6:00 AM CST

Travolta Lands Relief Jet in Haiti

Actor bringing plane back to US after unloading supplies, medics and ministers

(Newser) - John Travolta has landed his private jet in Haiti, loaded with relief supplies, medics, and Scientology ministers. The actor's Boeing 707 brought 4 tons of ready-to-eat military rations and medical supplies, the AP reports. Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston, plan to return to Florida after unloading the cargo and...

How Larry Anderson Spent $150K on Scientology

He wants money back for services he never received

(Newser) - Scientology has a longstanding reputation as an expensive religion—but now that Larry Anderson's story is out in the open, details are emerging about exactly where believers’ money goes. Here’s how Anderson—who now wants nearly $120,000 back from the church he’s leaving—spent some of the...

Scientology Releases Trove of Hubbard Recordings

All 970 CDs and 57 binders will be public—and on sale for $7,500

(Newser) - More than 1,000 unreleased recordings of lectures by L. Ron Hubbard and reams of booklets and teaching materials have been unveiled in the culmination of a 25-year project to locate, restore and transcribe lost pieces of the Scientology founder's work. Though sure to be derided by the church's many...

Inside the Scientology Holiday Catalog
 Inside the 
 Scientology 
 Holiday Catalog 
FOR THE XENU WHO HAS EVERYTHING
Nov 4, 2009 10:37 AM CST

Inside the Scientology Holiday Catalog

And yes, that is a picture of Santa at a Scientology Christmas bash

(Newser) - Not sure what to buy Tom Cruise for Christmas? Just take a gander at the Scientology Holiday Catalog, which Jezebel's Dodai got her hands on by way of a reader. Noteworthy items include a collection of 18 Nigerian goatskin-bound books of The Basics for a cool $2,000, a $4,...

Scientology Guilty of Fraud, Rules French Court

But ruling stops short of outright ban

(Newser) - A Paris court has convicted the Church of Scientology's French branch of fraud and fined it $600,000, but stopped short of the ban on the group that was sought by prosecutors. Church leaders were found guilty of pressuring members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain....

Scientology Boss Beat Staff: Defectors
Scientology Boss Beat Staff: Defectors
investigation
Jun 23, 2009 7:40 AM CDT

Scientology Boss Beat Staff: Defectors

Former execs accuse leader of conducting violent 'reign of terror'

(Newser) - The leader of the Church of Scientology routinely beat up execs who displeased him, defectors tell the St. Petersburg Times. The men—the highest-ranking Scientologists ever to leave the organization—say David Miscavige attacked and humiliated staffers on the slightest whim. Miscavige, the defectors say in this 3-part investigative series,...

Scientology Helps Travoltas Deal With Loss of Son: Pals

(Newser) - John Travolta and Kelly Preston have kept a low profile since losing their son Jett to a seizure in January, but friends tells People the family isn’t closing itself off. “They aren’t secluding themselves or paralyzed,” says one who’s seen them recently. “Nothing awkward...

Cruise: Jett's Death 'Horrific'

Actor slams 'false' accusations against Scientology

(Newser) - Tom Cruise mourns the sudden death of John Travolta’s son and defends Scientology in an appearance on The View taped to air tomorrow, ABC News reports. "It's just horrific. Here you have a man, both of them doting parents, they're wonderful people and…” Cruise says, trailing off....

Scientology Facing Trial for Fraud in France

Woman charges church bilked her out of $28K for supplies, drugs

(Newser) - An imminent court case could lead to the Church of Scientology being banned in France, the BBC reports, with the controversial sect being accused of organized fraud by a former congregant. The woman claims she was suckered by the offer of a free personality test, and wound up spending more...

Take a Toke of 'Tom Cruise'

Star in a purple haze over eponymous medical marijuana brand

(Newser) - Wonder what it's like to be as high—on life and on couch cushions—as Tom Cruise? Head west, where licensed California medical-marijuana dealers are hawking a bud called "Tom Cruise Purple." The vials reportedly feature the actor's maniacally laughing mug—and aficionados  say it'll have you hallucinating...

Cruise Out to Save World in Wacky Video

Calls Scientology 'rough and tumble, wild and woolly, and a blast'

(Newser) - The latest Tom Cruise thriller is a Scientology testimonial video circulating online in which the weirdly intense actor promotes the faith as the way to save the world, and urges fellow Scientologists to "educate to bring a new reality" to non-believers. "When you drive past an accident,"...

Stories 21 - 38 | << Prev