The best you offered was a weak and carefully worded press release, which praised the church's human rights record and took no responsibility. Where does the redefining end? terror He created the acclaimed, if short-lived, CBS series EZ Streets which the New York Times cited as one of the most influential shows of all time, noting, that without it there would be no Sopranos.. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It isn't a far stretch of the imagination that something like this can balloon, especially when Catholics are programmed from birth to do what the priest says for forgiveness without question. I didnt have to search for verification I didnt have to look any further than my own home. lies attack During my twenties and early thirties I studied and received a great deal of counseling. Sorry Dave, but you need to do some research on that one. Ps. That was my last brush. In order to contain a potential 'PR flap' you allowed our sponsorship of Proposition 8 to stand. for whatever the reason. Ive attached our email correspondence. By Christie D'Zurilla Staff Writer. I am intrigued by your suggestion of "doing away with ALL religion" especially from one self-described as "kind, generous, and concerned for people I don't even know". Yes!!! To Dennis Igou- you "know" nothing of the sort. Spreading lies about other religions isn't helping the image of Scientology. Besides the fact that so many of the church's most high-profile members have long been subject to gossipy speculation of being gayto name a few: Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Will Smiththe Church is now going to have to (A) take a stance on homosexuality, (B) come out against Haggis, one of the most revered, successful writer-directors of the last decade, or (C) stay quiet and look even sketchier than they already did after Tommy Davis blew up on national television earlier this weekend. It was a terrible time. But the accused rapist continues to shop his scripted story to media who will buy it. * Member, President's Council, Defenders of Wildlife While I admire Mr. Haggis' stance against hypocrisy in the Scientology Church, I must "out" some blatant hypocrisy of his own. People are so attached to their money it would have never lasted this long. This is the beginning of real spiritual exploration to my mind. torture That's the kind of integrity I thought we had, but obviously the standard in this church is far lower the public relations representative can reveal secrets to the press if the management feels justified. pregnant You want to rebut her accusations, do it, and do it in the strongest terms possible but that kind of character assassination is unconscionable. Mistrial. As a former zombie, I would welcome that. Thats the kind of integrity I thought we had, but obviously the standard in this church is far lower the public relations representative can reveal secrets to the press if the management feels justified. "I refused to do so. Haggis false story served as the opening anecdote and linchpin for a 2011 article in The New Yorker by anti-Scientology author Lawrence Wright, and Wrights subsequent book. As for the issue of homosexuality - yes, the Bible states that it is forbidden. They too are Christians. On September 2, Oscar-winning filmmaker and former Scientologist Paul Haggis wrote an e-mail to Showbiz 411 confirming the auditing took place. "I can't . Haggis is currently standing trial in a civil lawsuit concerning a rape allegation. These accusations were made by top international executives who had devoted most of their lives to the church. Have you read it? We all know this policy exists. And that is when I read the recent articles in the St. Petersburg Times. I would dearly love to be honest with everyone concerned, but I can't. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis testified on Wednesday in a civil rape lawsuit that his letter of resignation from the Church of Scientology Read more on insider.com. I learned a long time ago that believing in any type of god is very primitive to say the least. Thank you for your courage despite the personal pain it may cause you. You are wrong. First, spokescreature Tommy Davis publicly flamed out on his prime time interview. However - the Bible also states that we are not to judge, that we are to love our neighbor.. and that's how most Christians live their lives. Then one day he showed up in New Jersey and met me at work. Now, Oscar-winning Crash director Paul Haggis' public resignation from Scientology has leaked. I called and wrote and implored you, as the official spokesman of the church, to condemn their actions. Discover what people really say about all things Scientology. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis testified on Wednesday in a civil rape lawsuit that his letter of resignation from the Church of Scientology helped motivate fellow celebrity and member Leah Remini to leave the religion as well. We, as a planet, would all do better if we eliminated these groups of intolerance and hatred. divorce It is a "religion" that considers all who don't agree with their belief SYSTEM or even their point of view on any topic to be enemies. ", "I was truly disturbed to see you provide private details from confessionals to the press in an attempt to embarrass and discredit the executives who spoke out. On the stand this week, Haggis said the church has tried to make his life a living hell. "Mr. Haggis had a disagreement with the church that went beyond having anything to do with the church," Davis told ABCNews.com. mithoff UPDATE: The Church of Scientology has reached out to Bustle, stating: "The accusations made in the film are entirely false and alleged without ever asking the Church.". Ive never been good at following orders, especially when I find them morally reprehensible. He also said he hoped it would "open the eyes" of those still with the church and help them "get out.". Both sides would be agog, so who knows if it will happen, but such dynamics are seldom as simple as some of these posts. I noticed. Mike Rinder could certainly spin a lot more convincingly. He also helped pen Casino Royale, which garnered considerable acclaim for reinvigorating the James Bond spy franchise and has written the screenplay for the next Bond production Quantum of Solace.. Then comes another bomb: Haggis' wife cut off contact with her parents when they defected from the church. It was a terrible time. You might recall that my wife was ordered to disconnect from her parents because of something absolutely trivial they supposedly did twenty-five years ago when they resigned from the church. :-), I am proud of Mr. Haggis, I do wonder why it took so long for him to "see the light.". "The church doesn't tell people who they should and shouldn't be connected with. I got out form the S.O. * Member and supporter, Death Penalty Focus These accusations were made by top international executives who had devoted most of their lives to the church. hidden That's just more BS persecution coming from those who wish to tear down the Catholic church. I was shocked. I attended 2 years of Catholic High School and wrote a paper for religion class about "buying forgiveness" and the dangers it presents - and got kicked out of school for my troubles. This is really very arrogant of scientologists to think this way. How dare you use private information in order to label someone an "adulteress?" Scientology cult Core Secrets and the Bait and Switch into Exorcism, Scientology, celebrities, & children: why people stay, & why they leave - with Karen De La Carriere, The Life and Death of Alexander Jentzsch, 27, born in the cult of Scientology. All roads to the same place, some are rocky, some are straight and flat. Haggis views the church's actions as "cowardly," and thus, after thirty-five years of membership, is resigning. The Paul Haggis Lie Smoking-gun evidence has long exposed Haggis' lies, from his sham "resignation" from the Church of Scientology to his latest conspiracy theory. To see you lie so easily, I am afraid I had to ask myself: what else are you lying about? I had my disagreements, but I dealt with them internally. Say what you will about them now, these were staunch defenders of the church, including Mike Rinder, the church's official spokesman for 20 years! And you could laugh at the question as if it was a joke? Marty hopes that the author of the letter will understand that by publishing the letter we mean no disrespect. Now, Oscar-winning Crash director Paul Haggis' public resignation from Scientology has leaked. *Bill of Rights Award American Civil Liberties Union * Member and fundraiser, Environment California and CalPirg You said straight-out there was no such policy, that it did not exist. When disgraced director Paul Haggis was arrested in Italy on June 19, 2022, for what police are calling the violent sexual assault of a young woman, Leah Remini was notably silent. Listing the date is important because your . *Peace & Justice Award Office of the Americas, presented by Daniel Ellsberg Just because marriage is defined in the way it's been used historically does not mean that gay couples can't live together or be connected in some other fashion like a civil union. I feel very sorry for him, especially with such an unsupportive mother. assaulted Steven Hirsch. He said most former Scientologists leave the religion quietly, but because he was a more well-known, he said he felt it was his duty to be public about his decision to cut ties with the church. Tommy, if only a fraction of these accusations are true, we are talking about serious, indefensible human and civil rights violations. ", "How dare you use private information in order to label someone an adulteress? You took Amy Scobees most intimate admissions about her sexual life and passed them onto the press and then smeared them all over the pages your newsletter! Ten months passed. I had my disagreements, but I dealt with them internally. Haggis was deathly afraid Rathbun might reveal the truth to Wright and expose the crusading image as a farce, as Rathbun notes in recalling their conversation: He [Haggis] said Look, for the sake of my image with my daughters, can you please avoid telling Larry Wright that you were the personthat you prompted me?. You misunderstand the context of this passage in the Bible. Their tax exempt status as a religious org. - marketing the work of artisans from the poorest countries in the world, ..H. Praise for Paul Haggis. *Legacy Award, for Artistic and Humanitarian Achievement So, I am now painfully aware that you might see this an attack and just as easily use things I have confessed over the years to smear my name. You even felt free to publish secrets from the confessional in Freedom Magazine you just stopped short of labeling them as such, probably because you knew Scientologists would be horrified, knowing you so easily broke a sacred vow of trust with your parishioners. I openly and vigorously defended the church when ever it was criticized, as I railed against the kind of intolerance that I believed was directed against it. Cult is defined as a group or religion that worships and or follows what a self-appointed leader tells them. Director Paul Haggis has already been the worst kind of publicity for the Church of Scientology, penning this letter in August 2009 in which he resigned from the group over its support of . "During my twenties and early thirties, I studied and received a great deal of counseling. If you are tired of DM running the show and letting his out ethics destroy us, call or email me today. I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated. The bottom line is this: this is bad, bad news for the Church. violently I find it amazing how a person will talk about 'tolerance' and then talk down other groups from 'other religions'. I've read the whole thread up to this point, and just wanna say, I'm a huge fan of you! It was over the church's refusal to denounce one chapter's statement of support for Proposition 8. Paul Haggis testified Thursday in graphic detail about the sexual encounter he had with rape accuser Haleigh Breest. Say what you will about them now, these were staunch defenders of the church, including Mike Rinder, the churchs official spokesman for 20 years! This website is NOT affiliated with the Church of Scientology, nor with Anonymous. money The root problem is the concept of religion itself. * Member and active supporter, Amnesty International I heard the same voice that professed outrage at our support of Proposition 8, who promised to correct it, and did nothing. secretly. Scientology is now in a state of Civil War. Perhaps if you had done a little more research on me, the churchs senior management wouldnt have dismissed those concerns quite so cavalierly. You can read what I had to say about this back in January 2018 Concerning Paul Haggis. And for those that have had questions about Scientology before, Haggis' letter proves to reveal some interesting facts from someone once on the inside, and while we see some of it in HBO's Going Clear, there's a bit more when you look at the entire document. 0:00. The screenwriter, who left the church in 2009, writes that he was surprised how quickly "Leah was attacked . *Creative Integrity Award Multicultural Motion Picture Association A jury has ordered Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis to pay at least $7.5 million to a woman who accused him of rape. The entire letter toof all peoplecreepy Church spokescreature Tommy Davis is below, but here are the highlights: Haggis has been asking the church to resign their support of Proposition 8. And theyve never molested children either I suppose; tithing used to be more than just a suggestion "(Christians) use confessionals to extort money." This is a lovely retired couple, never said a negative word about Scientology to me or anyone else I know hardly raving maniacs or enemies of the church. But what happens when you are an adult - and someone of power like a city council member, senator or other influential entity? You could publicly state that it doesnt exist? Be creative, come up with a different type of union that provides the same rights for gay couples. "I joined the Church of Scientology 35 years ago," Haggis writes. * Member, Citizens Commission on Human Rights The point is this is a huge blow to David Miscavige, at least he's still got Tom Cruise fooled. Prior to Leah Remini's break from Scientology this summer, Paul Haggis was arguably the most high-profile and outspoken celeb to resign from the organization. Sadly, for humanity at large to embrace this simple truth would be like expecting intellectual discourse from a field mouse. donations I noticed. ", "While I have not been an active member for many years, I found much of what I learned to be very helpful, and I still apply it in my daily life. I refuse to consent. Jones earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in the film. Oscar-winning "Crash" director leaves faith, admonishes Church of Scientology. In order to contain a potential PR flap you allowed our sponsorship of Proposition 8 to stand. What a tragedy to see current and/or former members of CoS wasting decades of their lives (ironic to see how much they detest the LDS church, given they both exist because of the teachings of a modern-day man). "IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE AS WE DO, YOU ARE ENEMIES! Silence is consent, Tommy. ", Auditing should be confidential, we know the xtians (Christians) use confessionals to extort money. scientologys chairman Tommy, if only a fraction of these accusations are true, we are talking about serious, indefensible human and civil rights violations. I wish I could tell you that they rang true. I called and wrote and implored you, as the official spokesman of the church, to condemn their actions. You want to rebut her accusations, do it, and do it in the strongest terms possible but that kind of character assassination is unconscionable. Shouldn't the test as to whether a spiritual philosophy or religion is beneficial be that it actually progresses one spiritually? Silence is consent, Tommy. Step one, as always, is to throw the bums out and get some honest leadership. Well, luckily I have never held myself up to be anyones role model. Haggis wrote that he had for months tried without success to have the church publicly denounce its San Diego chapter for its support of Proposition 8, the legislation to ban gay marriage in California. "He wanted the church to take an active stance on a political issue, which we don't do. Although it caused her terrible personal pain, my wife broke off all contact with them. We're a minority, we don't discriminate. * Patron with Honors, IAS Breest will not look the other way any longer.". This was the only way an unemployed high school grad like himself could pay for the multi-thousand dollar "auditing courses," which they convinced him would make everything clear. There has been corruption through all religions. This was my state of mind when I was online doing research and chanced upon an interview clip with you on CNN. To see these great human beings so misguided - especially about other faiths (Christian "Protestant", Catholic, etc) - what they are taught breeds hate, distrust all the things the CoS supposedly abhors. Paul Haggis renounces, secret-spills on Scientology In an email to Showbiz 411 published Sunday, the Oscar winner confirmed that he met Boniadi three years ago while he was looking. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Sure it starts off with a simple, "I hit my little sister" and the penance is to bake her some cookies and say you are sorry. Paul Edward Haggis was born on March 10, 1953 in London, Ontario, Canada. Many of us just wish to live our lives in peace, not involved with the manic race up the bridge. How can they legally split up families - separate parents from children - if one or both parents do not agree to it?? I find it funny how if you say anything negative about CoS that you are an SP when in reality the true SP's are the brain-washed drones who will try to harm you in any way possible if you publicly say anything negative about CoS. Every scrap of evidence I read or hear about ex $cientology members damns the organization more and more. I have never pretended to be the best Scientologist, but I openly and vigorously defended the church whenever it was criticized, as I railed against the kind of intolerance that I believed was directed against it. The church has maintained it took no stance on the measure. They left me dumbstruck and horrified. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. The film, which starred Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon, was a suspense drama of a fathers search for his missing son, who is reported AWOL after returning from Iraq. *Environmental Media Award EMA But they would MAKE you pay by saying if you didn't you wouldn't go through the pearly gates. I carefully read all of your rebuttals, I watched every video where you presented the churchs position, I listened to all your arguments ever word. He is married, the father of four children, and splits his time between residences in Los Angeles and New York. trafficking Four other women testified with similar allegations of sexual misconduct against Haggis during the trial. And I have always had a thing for underdogs. Reformed Episcopal Church Wikipedia. After 35 years as a Scientologist . Haggis testified the sex act went on for 10 to 20 minutes before . Haggis also asserted that the church "ordered" his wife, actress Deborah Rennard, to "disconnect from her parents because of something absolutely trivial they supposedly did twenty-five years ago when they resigned from the church. Crash director Paul Haggis testified the sex act went on for 10 to 20 minutes before race up bridge..., `` how dare you use private information in order to label someone an adulteress ''. Other religions is n't helping the image of Scientology a political issue, which we do, you are!! Adulteress? for gay couples I dealt with them internally over the church, '' Davis told ABCNews.com similar of... How quickly & quot ; as to whether a spiritual philosophy or religion that and... Other religions is n't helping the image of Scientology 35 years ago ''... People who they should and should n't the test as to whether a spiritual philosophy or that! 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