Despite the headline, I have to say that I'm actually a lot confused. While I was sitting around this weekend enjoying each second away from that thing called work, I stumbled upon a bunch of photos from a Scientology event that happened Saturday night. Always wanting to see which celebrities admit to being Scientologists, I looked through the photos. As I was looking at the entire cast of My Name Is Earl (minus Jamie), I felt something was a little off. Then I figured out what it was.
The party at the Celebrity Centre was actually their 16th annual Christmas Stories Presentation. That's right. For the last 16 years, the same people who don't believe in Christmas have gone out of their way to have this really warm and fuzzy party featuring all of the celebs they can muster to read Christmas stories and sing Christmas Carols to as many potential recruits as they can. Umm, why would they do that? Why would an organization which doesn't believe in the holiday go to such great efforts to convince the general public they do? I guess they could invite everyone over for a free stress test, but they probably figured out a long time ago that giving people something comfortable, even if it goes against everything the church believes in would make them more likely to attract new members.
So, to make everyone get into that holiday spirit, Laura Prepon, Erika Christensen, David Carradine, Jenna Elfman, Michael Pena, Jason Dohring, and Holly Palmer all performed while other actors and actresses mingled with the crowd all while being watched by Anne Archer dressed in a tuxedo. Maybe someone else has a reason why the Scientologists go to such great lengths to celebrate something they don't believe in, and I would love to hear it.
whoa big guy changing up the blog...RADICAL
ReplyDeleteWe don't believe in Christmas? That's news to me. For all the things people accuse us of doing or not doing, it all gets even better when people make up things about us.
ReplyDeletePS: We don't do the Christmas presentation for "recruits" as you claimed, it's done to benefit The Police Activities League in their work with kids who are at-risk of becoming involved in gang.
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ReplyDeleteEnty, they finally sicced a monitor on you! Run! Hide! Ack!
ReplyDeleteWhatever they may say are their motives, it always comes down to making more money. Always.
oh Sara you aren't going to like me.
ReplyDeletewould that gang be anyone with agnostic values or christian ones for that matter? i find it highly hilarious that you put on this show to benefit kids that could be swayed by gangs..oh the irony!
oh and while you're here can you please explain why Sea Org members have to leave when they become pregnant or get an abortion?
-thank you from your friendly SP.
OMG Scientologists are real?
ReplyDeleteThroughout history, Christians have used this tactic to convert people to the religion. If you make something comfortable and identifiable it is easier to accept.
ReplyDeleteShady.
The COS is now infiltrating biker events too. A few weekends ago my hub & I participated in the Great Teddy Bear run and at the festivities afterward there was a "Free Stress Test" tent set up. I couldn't believe my eyes. I almost wanted to take it just to see if I could fu*k with their "meter".
ReplyDeleteIs this the new format? I thought my 'puter was acting up...
ReplyDeleteSara,
wow, a real Scientologist I can ask... Really and truly, I'd like to know if there an Amway- or Shaklee-type multi-level marketing or pyramid effect in Scientology?
Do members get something, or get more of anything, or "move up" in some way if they recruit new members?
This is a real question; I'm very curious for a real Scientologist to answer this for me, thanks in advance!
Oh Sara, you stumbled into the wrong sea of sharks today.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how many of the CDAN readers are going to side with you on this one...
Hope you're really secure in your beliefs and dumb enough to stay naive, because you deserve a good b!tching. I'm sure you're about to receive it here.
Oh crap, the person above me who said something bad about Scientology removed their comment. Does that mean the Scis tracked them down? I'm locking my office door!!!
ReplyDeleteNo, that was me... I just couldn't edit and wanted to be slightly snarkier than I was... LOL
ReplyDeleteThe guy who plays Crab Man on the show looks like he has Christmas lights in his afro! I don't think he has an afro in real life (or in this pic) but it looks that way.
ReplyDeleteI was excited to see Crab Man as he is my favorite character on the show. But is he a scientologist or just there for the event?
kimmypie, it sure did sound like all the people there were scientologists... or did i read it wrong? makes me never want to see my name is earl again though
ReplyDeletehaha @mooshki
Get the fuck out of here you nasty Sciento scum.
ReplyDeleteEnty,
ReplyDeleteYou're important enough to be watched!
Sara, curious - how much money have you contributed in '08? Have you gone up any ranks?
linnea, my thoughts exactly. Everytime I watch the show I get mad at Jason Lee. If the entire cast is also scientologists, it makes me wonder who did the casting....
ReplyDeleteWell, considering that Christmas and Easter were pagan holidays to start that were coopted by Christianity to promote their religion, it's not really that much of a shocker.
ReplyDeleteI'm more confused by Jenna Elfman wearing tiara and a tutu to a Christmas party.
I really hope that most of the cast isn't Sciento. Its bad enough that they have Jason Lee and Beck.
ReplyDeleteIt's all so eerie.
ReplyDeleteWhich reminds me, I met Tom Cruise yesterday. The PR machine is very obvious, but it goes over so effectively in person.
Before I read the post, I thought it was the picture that had confused Enty! ;-)
ReplyDeleteAmusing that dear Sara has left us.
ReplyDeleteBut I advise everyone to NEVER give a stress test, no matter how "fun" you think it might be. My mom had a stress test done 30 years ago in Dallas because she had never heard of the Co$ and was intrigued. She said their diagnosis made her cry.
Anyways, after Dallas she moved to Denver for 15 years, and then moved to Houston 18 years ago. Over the summer she received a letter from the Church, addressed to her maiden name, telling her how much they have missed her and asking her to come back for another free stress test. Scared the shit out of her and me. These people are sick--they WILL track you down.
@ bad fish
ReplyDeleteThe lowest common denominator route makes you look worse than the organization you have a problem with. Sara was polite and does not deserve to be told to fuck off.
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As for My Name Is Earl - I know Jason and Ethan are members as well as the creator of the show...last name is Garcia.
Blogger amh.producer said...
ReplyDeleteBefore I read the post, I thought it was the picture that had confused Enty! ;-)
Me too!
Hot Cha Cha, be careful, or you'll end up his next wife!!!
Mooshki: Nah, I don't go in for the Cruise type. I like them brainy and naughty.
ReplyDeleteBesides I'm way too willful.
Sara: Get thee behind me Satan!
ReplyDeleteOn a serious note, are you here to keep tabs on enty? Because that doesn't sit too well with me :(
yeah, it IS scary that one finally popped up here and then disappeared.
ReplyDeletei've done a lot of reading about them (and yes, selenakyle, amway/nutrilife IS scarily like scio, isn't it? at least shaklee actually has actual products) and, enty, i'd watch my back very carefully.
they DO have eyes everywhere.
in fact, i think i see one in the shrubbery, now!
eek!
Yeah, I hate that Shaklee is run that way, bionic bunny!, cuz they DO have some good products.
ReplyDeleteGot some Basic H in the cabinet myself.
But I just LOATHE the MLM shit.
Annndd, if they say they "tithe" just like regular church does, I still call bullshit cuz it's not the church's business either how much you tithe there.
ReplyDeleteJust put yer damn cash in the damn basket when it rolls by and don't make a fuss about it and do that shit anonymously.
Whew. Bond movie got me all het up.
ahh, basic h! my aunt used to brush her teeth with the damn stuff!
ReplyDeleteDon't go anywhere near LuluLemon (yoga apparel) either. It's definitely a cult. The owner is a total whackjob and has publicly stated anyone who works for him must be a believer in the motivational program he follows. Problem is that this 'program' denies participants sleep on it's retreats etc. It's a brainwashing weekend, not a motivational weekend. I'll see if I can dig up the link to a fantastic article written about LuLuLemon and the owner.
ReplyDeleteMs., that sounds a lot like Landmark Education, previously known as EST. Maybe they're connected?
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry to hear David Carradine is involved in this. I didn't know.
ReplyDeleteWhat confuses me is this - how does Jenna Elfman have enough money to buy a tiara and a tutu? Sure, they're probably from the dollar store, but I would have thought her residuals from Dharma and Greg would have dried up long ago.
RE:c17 Really? I just attended a Landmark Forum and was able to get up and go to the bathroom if I needed to. So often we need to look at why we are getting up though. Is it truly a need or are we being confronted by what is being said and the truth behind it? With Landmark you get the power to Be, Do , Have anything you want for yourself instead of a humans normal mode of If I Have this, Then I can Do this, and Then I can Be this. Sound like "The Secret"?
ReplyDelete