Church of Scientology attacks film critics over Going Clear documentary
Source: The Guardian
Various reviewers of Alex Gibney’s documentary, which speaks to defectors from Scientology, have been contacted with emails demanding they include comment from the Church
Tuesday 3 February 2015 10.56 GMT
The Church of Scientology has started contacting film critics who have reviewed Alex Gibney’s documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.
In the film, Gibney outlines the inception and growth of the religion founded by L Ron Hubbard in 1953, which features an exotic mythology and unusual spirituality based around transcending earlier trauma. Gibney interviews defectors from the religion, including Crash director Paul Haggis, and paints its significant figures, like Tom Cruise and leader David Miscavige, in a negative light.
Reviewers of the film, from Us Weekly to Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post, have received an email which reads:
"The above article concerning Going Clear, Alex Gibney’s film, was posted without contacting the Church for comment. As a result, your article reflects the film which is filled with bald faced lies. I ask that you include a statement from the Church in your article. There is another side to the story which has to be told. Do not be the mouthpiece for Alex Gibney’s propaganda."
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Responding to the Church’s tactics, Gibney told Flavorwire: “Anytime someone writes something — film criticism or social criticism — about Scientology, the Church of Scientology counter-attacks by smearing critics. But a careful investigation of the church’s claims will reveal that most of the misdeeds by critics (Rathbun, et al) were committed on behalf of the Church of Scientology! As you saw in the film, these people are now repenting and the Church of Scientology wants to punish them for it.” Gibney said his requests for interviews with Scientology members were denied; the Church claims they offered interviews with family members of the defectors.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/03/church-of-scientology-attacks-film-critics-going-clear-documentary
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Very interesting. The only man that could talk over Robin Williams. 
the relative popularity of Scientology shows the power of religion on the human mind. The desire to feed the God part of the brain. Because here we have a religion, unlike Christianity or Islam where its founders and any facts surrounding their creation is clouded and mystified, this is PROVEN to be a made up money making scheme by a pulp fiction writer....and still seemingly intelligent people fall for it.
