I heard about this yesterday when I checked Kirstie Alley’s twitter for the story about the National Enquirer featuring her on the cover. Kirstie was enthusing about all the Scientology people headed to Haiti to “help” with the disaster, just like they helped at Virginia Tech and at Ground Zero after the tragedies there. There will be those of you who initially think it’s wrong to criticize a “religion” for dispatching people to help where it’s so desperately needed. After all, they only want to help like the rest of us. The thing is, Scientologists consider psychologists and psychiatrists mortal enemies who must be stopped at all costs. (If you’d like to learn more, watch this video of Scientology head David Miscavige talking to his flock about taking down the psychiatrists. At 1:50 he talks about the “campaign to break the dark spell cast across the earth by psychiatry.”) In an e-mail intercepted from Scientology’s “Sea Org” after 9/11, a volunteer on the ground described one of their objectives on the scene – to divert grieving families from getting help from psychologists. “Additionally we are trying to move in and knock the psychs out of counseling to the grieving families and that could take another 100 plus people right now.” Make no mistake, the Scientologists think they’re “helping,” but their primary objection is to divert and convert, not to console.
So I have mixed feelings about hearing that John Travolta volunteered his time and jet to fly out a bunch of Scientologists to Haiti. At least they had a massive amount of supplies, 4 tons, on board to help victims who so badly need it. They also brought doctors supposedly, but I can’t imagine medicine and Scientology being entirely compatible. Below is AP’s report on the story. Scientology also put out a press release touting their efforts and – get this – they’re calling it “Operation Phenomenon”!
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — John Travolta has landed his own jet in Haiti carrying relief supplies and a team including doctors and Scientology ministers.
The 55-year-old actor flew the Boeing 707 from Florida on Monday carrying 4 tons of ready-to-eat military rations and medical supplies for earthquake victims.
Among those accompanying Travolta is his wife, actress Kelly Preston.
The Church of Scientology says the pair planned to return home after unloading their passengers and supplies.
[From Huffington Post]
Remember Tom Cruise’s manic Scientology promotional video? The Scientologists think they’re the only ones who can help after a disaster, and that it’s their duty to come bring people over to their way of thinking. Four tons of food is a lot of aid, but it comes with some massive expectations. This cult has made an empire out of exploiting vulnerable people. Travolta, like Cruise, seems like a decent person who got caught up in Scientology, but there’s something to be said for their willingness to continue to toe the party line and promote the cult, even with acts of charity. I’m not sure I’ll be supporting Travolta’s movies in the future – if he ever makes another one that isn’t a complete piece of crap, that is.
John Travolta is shown on 1/16/10. Credit: Fayes Vision/WENN.com
haven’t we Haitians been through enough, damn
Donating time and the jet and flying all the relief supplies there: GOOD. Also bringing along these ministers looking to capitalize on people’s grief and struggling: BAD.
That’s what so unsettling about that religion – no one in it can do anything without COS involvement.
CNN just reported that Travolta landed his jet in Haiti with supplies and “100 Scientology ministers”. What would be the purpose of 100 ministers? It looks to me like converting will indeed be as high a priority as consoling here.
Why would they even bother trying to convert Haitians? Most make barely enough to eat. I can’t imagine they will be able to pay enough to join this “religion”.
Scientology loves Operations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Guardian%27s_Office_operations
man, his movies really have been crap lately.
I’ve seen the trailer for latest one, and I cannot get over how laughable he looks.
the ridiculous bald head and goatee…he looks like a comic book villain. not to mention, the brief dialogue I heard was SO LAME.
the $cientologists are against psychiatry because it’s something that might make one of their sheep realize that their “religion” is just a money-making cult and that they don’t need the CO$ to be happy in life.
Most Haitians are deeply religious and very Catholic, with a touch of voodoo from Africa. I don’t think they will be swayed by a cult like this, I really don’t. At least not the adults. However, the Scis could try to take control of one or more of the many, many orphanages down there. That would be a way to recruit people to their cause.
I think at this point, they’d be willing to pretend to believe in anything for some food. What is worrying is that there are remote towns that aren’t getting the aid they need and may see these crazies as really their saviors.
This is why I hate charities that mix religion with their work. Why can’t they just give out of the kindness of their heart instead of trying to promote a agenda?
Actually, one of the major religions in Haiti is called Vodou, which is a combination of African Voodoo, and Roman Catholicism. Sorry. I have a strange and useless amount of knowledge.
AHHAAA.. they have as much chance converting a Haitian to Scientology as John’s got of a unicorn flying out his arse.
Whatever happened to just flying supplies down there and flying back and reloading??
Do they really have no idea that they will just get in the way?
I saw a photograph the other day of a Scientology whack-job trying the “heal” a Haitian victim with hand-movements. Yeah, that oughta help.
Help, at a price isn’t really help. Do these ministers speak the language? Ugh. Why do seemingly intelligent famous people follow and promote cults? And why doesn’t anyone (like, those hiring said cult members) take a stand and stop allowing them to work? We don’t let the mentally insane join the police force (hope not anyway), so why do we allow “celebs” (by seeing their movies, buying their music, etc. –keeping them relevant) to continue to be a part of our entertainment culture when they’re obviously deranged? We need to send them a message. Seriously.
I am Psych RN getting ready to be deployed to Haiti—believe me, the earthquake victims don’t need Scientology, they need trained professionals to help with indiginous population with psychiatric problems and new cases of post traumatic stress syndrome. Thanks to the Travotas for getting supplies on the ground, just wish he would take his disciples back with him.
@rreedy
My hat goes off to you. Stay safe and be well.
Haven’t the poor Hatians been through enough? I can only imagine losing everything, having members of your family killed, trying to survive and deal with the aftermath, and then there’s John f*cking Travolta and his cadre of cult loonies trying to convert you to their evil “religion”. Jeez, if your heart didn’t go out to them before, it sure should now.
And if anyone doesn’t already know about $cientology, I recommend xenu.net which is a great site that exposes these freaks and their f*cked up, vicious tactics. It’s sickening yet fascinating. The more you know….
why can’t these good “religious” people just administer medical/psychological help in these situations? why the need to convert people who have lost everything? helping those in need should be reward enough. they’re nothing but emotional vampires who should be ashamed of themselves.
agreed. Be safe to all those there and those planning on going to help. My husband helped in La and is going for 2 weeks on Friday.
Those people DO NOT need the Yellow Tents. If you are down there and see the Co$ yellow tents. Do what you can to warn people.
I don’t see why scientologists would try to find new members in Haiti. The people are dirt poor, they couldn’t afford one auditing session.
Very admirable, rreedy. I’ve got a huge amount of respect for someone who has the skills and fortitude to do something of value and comfort for those in need. Warmest regards.
Just like any deranged cult, these maniacs know that the best time to strike is when the iron is vulnerable. The coldest comfort imaginable is that there is no way Haitians would be able to afford membership in this bat-shittery. Although, I wouldn’t put it past the the Xenu Bots to go the drug dealer route and start off free–in any capacity that a person in the cult could be considered ‘free’–and continue the malignancy from there. I really don’t think they’d have a big impact in changing the ideology though. Religion in the Caribbean is no joke, and Scientology is known the world over for being some nebulous menacing society of the ultra-rich and insane. Let’s hope there’s a situation in which people can benefit from the supplies and tune out the lunacy.
They need to just feed em and leave and return only to bring more food.
Leave the poor Haitians alone! Keep your Scientology to yourself. Supplies etc. is what they need not your “religion”. They already have their faith of choice thank you.
@ Black~Kat – Actually, I think the unicorn thing could happen. Who knows what he’s put up there.
It would be funny if they all came back with shrunken heads like the guy in Beetlejuice.
Scientologists are weird people for sure, but the aim of EVERY religion is to convert people and gain money from others’ woe and misfortunes. So no news about it. We can talk about roman catholic church and the Vatican that is one of the wealthiest states in the world. I’m not talking about priests that really help people everyday but I’m talking about the bosses, the ones who kept the lid on that issue of paedophilia in US and Ireland.
IMO Scientology is not the worst religion out there, they are simply too loud while they do the wrong thing.
And this haitian story is a clear example of what is wrong with scientology… Haitian have already huge problems, no need to add more concern…
Ps, CB/moderator, I hope that censorship is not a matter of opinion. 😉
This effort by Travolta and CO$ is not admirable by any stretch, what they are doing are delaying delivery of aid by organizations that are actually capable of dealing with this sort of situation
maybe they could eat Kirstie? what does Scientology say about cannibalism??? Kirstie could feed probably 1,000, and then maybe obtain messiah status. what else has she been saving all that fat up for if not a scientology mission?
Let’s get real! These poor people are in very desperate straits and are in no position to refuse assistance from anyone! As far as I’m concerned, all religions have their pros and cons and it’s a waste of time “picking theological lint”.
What John Travolta and Scientology has done is very commendable from a humanitarian standpoint. I doubt very seriously, if many Haitians will abandon their chosen faiths for something they’re not very familiar with. If Scientology actually has another agenda, so be it!
As long as they are contributing with humanitarian assistance, why kick it?
“As long as they are contributing with humanitarian assistance, why kick it? ”
because if they don’t know what they’re doing.. they’ll end up consuming more resources than what they brought.
when going into disaster areas like that, it’s not enough to bring supplies for the poor.. you have to remember that you’ll be using those same supplies.
i really doubt they have trained professional rescue workers in their ranks. they could easily end up doing more harm than good… and it’ll be the real rescuse workers cleaning up the mess… and that will delay aid to the ones who need it.
or did you miss the whole tactic of diverting people from actual workers (aka “psychs”) and trying to get them in the scientology tents instead?
For once, I’m gonna give Travolta & the CO$ the benefit of the doubt & say that they probably did realize the Haitians don’t have any money.
However, this presents an even more malicious prospect: Recruitment to the Sea Org. In other words, a return to slavery.
Great that they brought 4 tons of supplies…in a plane that has a payload capacity of over 40 metric tons. Was that the entry ticket to land on the airport that is at the brink of bursting with traffic right now?