Tom Cruise vs L. Ron Hubbard

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Katie Holmes faces two strong adversaries in her legal fight for sole custody of 6-year-old daughter, Suri, as she battles estranged husband Tom Cruise and his Scientology religion, experts said on Monday.

The "Dawson's Creek" actress, 33, made headlines last week when she filed for divorce from "Mission: Impossible" actor Cruise after nearly six years of marriage and one child.

While Holmes, Cruise and representatives for both have remained quiet about the reasons for the high-profile split, speculation in the media is that Suri, now at the age when she begins a formal education, and the Church of Scientology, of which Cruise is a key member, are central to the breakup.

"What's interesting is that there's three players in this case - the mother, the father and this very controversial concept of Scientology," said New York-based divorce lawyer Lubov Stark. "The daughter is in the middle of this whole divorce. She seems to have been raised in Scientology up to this age, so if the judge comes in and gives custody to Katie Holmes, she can change (Suri's) religion," Stark said.

The Church of Scientology was founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard (above right), and it describes its practices as a religion. The organization believes man is an immortal being whose experience extends beyond one lifetime, and it has attracted followers including Cruise and John Travolta. But some observers - including media mogul Rupert Murdoch - liken it to a cult. Critics think the group coerces followers to think like they do, and they accuse Scientologists of harassing people who seek to quit.

PS - I met Hubbard in the late 50's, very charismatic. Then, he was promoting his theory of  Dianetics, which later evolved into Scientoloty. I know very little about Scientology, and not sure how Dianetics worked into the present "religion." As I recall, he left the country, went to England, and some time later, resurfaced in this country with another "idea" which later became Scientology. His thoughts were somewhat radical, and his "clear" of Dianetics followed much of Adolph Hitler's concept on how to create his "Superman." Clear the brain of "engrams," which increases brainpower, and thus, the German Superman. Same concept. When I heard him speak in Reno, he insinuated that he had acquired some of those teachings, and they were somewhat the basis for Dianetics. His book on Dianetics is still available, an interesting read, and some insights into basic psychology. 

The Tale of the Watchman

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.

Congress said, "Someone may steal from it at night." So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.

Then Congress said,

"How does the watchman do his job without instruction?" So they created a planning department and hired two people, one person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.

Then Congress said,

"How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?" So they created a Quality Control Department and hired two people. One to do the studies and one to write the reports.

Then Congress said,

"How are these people going to get paid?" So They created the following positions, a time keeper, and a payroll officer, then hired two people.

Then Congress said,

"Who will be accountable for all of these people?"

So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant

Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said,

"We have had this command in operation for one Year and we are $18,000 over budget, we must cutback overall cost."

So they laid off the night watchman.

NOW slowly, let it sink in.

Quietly, we go like sheep to slaughter.

Does anybody remember the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY....

during the Carter Administration?

Anybody?

Anything?

No?

Didn't think so!

Bottom line. We've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency...the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember!

Ready??

It was very simple...and at the time, everybody thought it very appropriate.

The Department of Energy was instituted on 8-04-1977.

TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL.

Hey, pretty efficient, huh???

AND NOW IT'S 2010

-- 33 YEARS LATER --

AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS "NECESSARY" DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR. THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES; AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE!

THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?"

Ah, yes -- good ole bureaucracy.

AND, NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN THE BANKING SYSTEM, HEALTH CARE, AND THE AUTO INDUSTRY OVER TO THE SAME GOVERNMENT?

HELLOOO! Anybody Home?

L. Ron Hubbard

In reply to a couple of inquiries.
I met him, probably late 50's. He gave a brief talk to a group of locals in Reno, Harold's Club, 7th Floor. There was a Dianetician in Reno who had studied in Maryland, Baltimore, I think, and was using Dianetics in his practice.
He had quite a group in Reno studying Dianetics. I was one.
Hubbard was a very impressive man, very charismatic, and you got under his spell when you heard him speak. I was very impressed with him.
I remember some of his history from his talk, and they conflict a bit from what is published about him.
I know nothing much about Scientology, it was in its infancy in those days, and most of his concern was about Dianetics.
I knew, personally, some people who were greatly changed, and/or healed, through Dianetics. To this day, I use some of his philosophies from the book.