Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith recently announced plans to open a private school in Calabasas, California, just outside of Los Angeles. New Village Academy is scheduled to open in September, and while the couple may have funded the school for philanthropic purposes, their plan has backfired. Many of the school's teachers are members of the controversial Church of Scientology, and the school's curriculum has an emphasis on 'study technology,' which was developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Other study techniques mentioned in website material (which was taken down yesterday after articles questioning the Smiths' motives began to appear) included an emphasis on dictionary study. Hubbard believed that all illnesses, from colds to headaches, were the result of M/Us, or "misunderstood words," and that looking up any misunderstood word in a dictionary would eliminate these illnesses or injuries.
Because of Will and Jada's high-profile friendship with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, rumors have circulated for months that the couple has embraced Cruise's faith. Some staffers who worked on Smith's latest movie, "Hancock," say that the actor handed out certificates for a personality test at the movie's wrap party--and these 'personality tests' are one way that local branches of the Church of Scientology get new prospective members, or 'raw meat,' in the door. Recently, the daughter of a government minister in Norway committed suicide after getting a negative result on one of these tests.
Smith, for the record, has said many times that he is a student of all religions and not a Scientologist. New Village Academy's director, Jacqueline Olivier, told the L.A. Times that "We are a secular school, and just like all nonreligious independent schools, faculty and staff do not promote their own religions at school or pass on the beliefs of their particular faith to children."
More information about Scientology teaching methods and educational programs can be found at ExScientologyKids.com.
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Subscribe
The founder of Scientology performed abortions on his wife with a close hangar.
The FBI has files upon files on Ron Hubbard.
Google it if you like.
He also was trying to create the anti-christ as his son Ron Hubbard Jr. has mentioned in an interview. His son was scared to death of his father.
Christianity & Scientology are nothing a like as Will Smith claims.
As you get into Scientology they teach that Jesus had a microchip implanted in his brain by space aliens.
The Scientology cross is manipulative to trick former Christians or Christians to thinking they are compatible.
Is Scientology any more unbelievable than other religions? No, as some have virgin births, people coming back to life after being killed on a cross, performance of "miracles", angels, babies waiting in "heaven" to be sent to certain parents, a place called "hell" where unbelievers or those that don't behave go, etc. So why is scientology any different?
will smith and his wife are just gwtting lost and sadly they are dragging their children with em. If there are still true christians in the world, i plea with all of you that let us start praying 4em.
Will and his wife are getting lost AND dragging their children with them? That is just an opinion on your part, cil. No one's religion is THE Religion...not even yours. IF Will wanted to become a scientologist, how is that a problem for you?
Before saying Scientology is "just another religion", why not look into it?
Google
"Scientology fair game policy"
"Scientology Disconnect"
Scientology "Supressive Persons"
"Operation Snow White"
"Operation PC Freakout"
No one, or hardly anyone, has a problem with Scientology because they believe wierd stuff. Wierd stuff is in and of it's self harmless. Certainly, we don't see mass mobilization against Hinduism, or Sufis, or the B'hai.
Why Scientology? Because they force people to cut off contact with friends and family who in any way "disrespect" - which includes asking questions they find uncomfortable - their beliefs.
Why does Scientology use fronts to teach "Study Tech" instead of just offering it under their own name? I've never seen Mormons sponsor "Healthy Family Classes" under some front organization banner in order to scout converts....and Mormons are certainly in the "believe wacky stuff" club.
Why does Sceintology pay Auditors a commision every time they get someone to fork over some money? Doesn't that sound a lot more like Avon than like a Religion?
Does any other "religion" sue people for accurately quoting their founder? Do Christians claim that quoting a few lines from the Bible is a "copyright violation"?
The FreeZone are break-away Scientologist who believe that audits and all the teachings should be free, and who do not proport to "discipline" or "ethics review" members, who do not go after members who talk about what they know after leaving, and who do not libel and slander and harras those who publicly disagree with them.
FreeZoners believe the EXACT same goofy thetan/e-gram/xeemu stories....but no one messes with them at all...because they aren't out to hurt people and rake in huge stacks of cash from the gullible.
Google "Lisa McPherson" Scientology
Google "Heribert Pfaff" Scientology
This is not just some random wierdness, like people paying for crystal rub-downs or trying to commune with dead relatives. Mere cash scams are a dime a dozen, and fools and their money are soon....
But people are being killed, and families are being intentionally torn apart by this organization, and that's the difference between a religion and cult in any sane system of judgement.
Post a Comment
By submitting these comments, I agree to the beliefnet.com terms of service, rules of conduct and privacy policy (the "agreements"). I understand and agree that any content I post is licensed to beliefnet.com and may be used by beliefnet.com in accordance with the agreements.