Scoops
10-26-2009, 05:19 AM
I guess this explains all of those Tom Cruise homophobic comments that Bronson Pinchot was talking about.
Paul Haggis Renounces Scientology in Scathing Letter
Posted Monday 26 October 07:34 AM By: PopEater Staff
Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis has had enough of Scientology, and he enumerated his reasons for abandoning the celebrity-riddled religion in a scathing letter to Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre leader Tommy Davis. Roger Friedman of The Hollywood Reporter broke the story, pointing to the main cause of Haggis' angry departure: Scientology's support of Proposition 8 in California banning gay marriage.
In the letter to Davis - published in full on the blog of former Scientologist Marty Rathbun - Haggis wrote, "I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated ... In that first conversation, back at the end of October of last year, you told me you were horrified, that you would get to the bottom of it and 'heads would roll.' You promised action. Ten months passed. No action was forthcoming."
The 'Million Dollar Baby' director added, "The church's refusal to denounce the actions of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly. I can think of no other word. Silence is consent, Tommy. I refuse to consent."
Haggis also addressed the Scientologists' practice of "disconnection," which Davis publicly denied in a recent CNN interview. "We all know this policy exists. I didn't have to search for verification – I didn't have to look any further than my own home," Haggis wrote.
"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 ... Although it caused her terrible personal pain, my wife broke off all contact with them. I refused to do so. I've never been good at following orders, especially when I find them morally reprehensible."
Haggis acknowledged the likelihood that personal information shared during his audit sessions would be made public now that he has left the organization, writing, "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. Well, luckily I have never held myself up to be anyone's role model."
Haggis concluded his letter by definitively severing ties with the church: " I am only ashamed that I waited this many months to act. I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology."
Paul Haggis Renounces Scientology in Scathing Letter
Posted Monday 26 October 07:34 AM By: PopEater Staff
Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis has had enough of Scientology, and he enumerated his reasons for abandoning the celebrity-riddled religion in a scathing letter to Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre leader Tommy Davis. Roger Friedman of The Hollywood Reporter broke the story, pointing to the main cause of Haggis' angry departure: Scientology's support of Proposition 8 in California banning gay marriage.
In the letter to Davis - published in full on the blog of former Scientologist Marty Rathbun - Haggis wrote, "I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated ... In that first conversation, back at the end of October of last year, you told me you were horrified, that you would get to the bottom of it and 'heads would roll.' You promised action. Ten months passed. No action was forthcoming."
The 'Million Dollar Baby' director added, "The church's refusal to denounce the actions of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly. I can think of no other word. Silence is consent, Tommy. I refuse to consent."
Haggis also addressed the Scientologists' practice of "disconnection," which Davis publicly denied in a recent CNN interview. "We all know this policy exists. I didn't have to search for verification – I didn't have to look any further than my own home," Haggis wrote.
"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 ... Although it caused her terrible personal pain, my wife broke off all contact with them. I refused to do so. I've never been good at following orders, especially when I find them morally reprehensible."
Haggis acknowledged the likelihood that personal information shared during his audit sessions would be made public now that he has left the organization, writing, "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. Well, luckily I have never held myself up to be anyone's role model."
Haggis concluded his letter by definitively severing ties with the church: " I am only ashamed that I waited this many months to act. I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology."