I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated. Thank you Paul for standing up for what you believe in. Scientology's Danny Masterson DOES NOT GET ACQUITTED. as well as other partner offers and accept our. I had my disagreements, but I dealt with them internally. crimes It was a year ago. Thanks again, love your movies! I can think of no other word. Prob with religion are the people, to much power given to few of them. hiding He registered his distaste for the church's stances on homosexuality via phone calls and letters. He also had a raft of celebs ready to give him credibility. 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. Having been exposed to the Christian belief system for many years I came to the realization that all religions are profit and or control motivated. Haggis, who is best known for his work on Crash, Million Dollar Baby, and Casino Royale, began his time with Scientology before he was in Hollywood, but had a very public resignation in 2009. * Member and Award Recipient, American Civil Liberties Union Exactly pursuant to Hubbard policy on what you do with enemies. violently But I read the article and most of the comments (my apolgies to the last 1/4 of responders--it just went on for so long, and understandably so! This website is a simple answer to those who tried to monopolize and corporatize spiritual freedom: An open gateway dedicated to helping people move up to higher levels of awareness and ability under their own steam. Dave, back up what you say with facts. And you could laugh at the question as if it was a joke? 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. 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. It wasn't a cult, said the new CAN website -- a website owned and operated by scientology. I can think of no other word. Oscar-winning "Crash" director leaves faith, admonishes Church of Scientology. ", Davis also denied Haggis' allegation that the church ordered Rennard to "disconnect from her parents. Ah Shelama - Myths are such irresitably fat squishy targets, aren't they? You took Amy Scobee's most intimate admissions about her sexual life and passed them onto the press and then smeared them all over the pages your newsletter! 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.. "Say what you will about them now," writes Haggis, "[but] these were staunch defenders of the church, including Mike Rinder, the church's official spokesman for 20 years!" If your definition of "good for the sake of being good" comes from your own personal definitions, then you have a workable, rock-solid, personal approach to goodness. Haggis is currently standing trial in a civil lawsuit concerning a rape allegation. You could publicly state that it doesn't exist? I recommend you write a screenplay and direct it yourself on all these abuses. Alas, with religions out there, those seekers may not easily find the path to your person wisdom. SCARY - very scary! In January 2018, Haggis was . I had my disagreements, but I dealt with them internally. It's a policy that's been well documented in the press, but especially by the reporting done by the St. Petersburg Times, who've chronicled many members who were once forced to "disconnect" people from their lives. People are kept ignorant to education, other cultures and religions and are not taught to respect people's beliefs. Haggis, whose 2005 film Crash won two Oscars, said that he could no longer remain part "of an organisation where gay-bashing was tolerated". I'm glad Paul finally broke through his personal haze to see the light!!!!!!!!! You said straight-out there was no such policy, that it did not exist. Not that any of that would matter to Leah Remini, who featured Paul Haggis and his discredited, false narrative on Aftermath three months later. Confessionals are not used to extort money idiot. Probe the depths or write your own honest reviews. But I reached a point several weeks ago where I no longer knew what to think. Better type something else nasty before they come and put you back in the straight jacket. trafficking We're for civil rights for all people. Ten months passed. I refuse to consent. Step one, as always, is to throw the bums out and get some honest leadership. Haggis is currently standing trial in a civil lawsuit concerning a rape allegation. HERE AND NOW is what we have..NOTHING else, so make the best of it to everyone's satisfaction. and less to do with "Myth of the empty tomb." Steven Hirsch. I've read the whole thread up to this point, and just wanna say, I'm a huge fan of you! After that, it could levy accusations about just about every other cult, while pretending scientology wasn't like them. "The church doesn't tell people who they should and shouldn't be connected with. These were not the claims made by "outsiders" looking to dig up dirt against us. Although it caused her terrible personal pain, my wife broke off all contact with them. Church Board Member Resignation Letter Church Board Member Resignation Letter Form of Government Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Search for "sleep deprivation" and you'll see numerous articles on the subject. We, as a planet, would all do better if we eliminated these groups of intolerance and hatred. Tie them up in litigation and make it expensive for them. In fact, as Rathbun reveals, Haggis asked Rathbun and others to lie for him to Lawrence Wright, who was working on his The New Yorker article at the time. Obviously, Harkus was raised Catholic just like I was. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis is fighting a rape lawsuit in New York City. I've attached our email correspondence. "Scientology has been taken over by a self-appointed dictator, David Miscavige, who has turned the Creed of the Church of Scientology, the Code of a Scientologist, and the Credo of a True Group Member on their heads and instituted the virtual practice of Reverse (Black) Dianetics" Learn More iscientology.orgScientology Reviews Free and Able The Truth RundownMike Rinder's Blog Friends of L. Ron Hubbard SaveScientology.com RediscoverScientology.com Karen de la Carriere Spiritual Freedom Zone A Guide for the DisillusionedGerman Independents SuperPower fraud. I wondered how the church could, in good conscience, through the action of a few and then the inaction of its leadership, support a bill that strips a group of its civil rights. These were not the claims made by outsiders looking to dig up dirt against us. I refused to do so. Nov. 10, 2022 A jury on Thursday found the Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis liable for raping a former film industry publicist in his Manhattan apartment in 2013, ordering him to pay her at. And though it may seem small by comparison, 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. Sign up for notifications from Insider! "If you do away with ALL religion, you do away with concern and charity for those you don't know. Marty hopes that the author of the letter will understand that by publishing the letter we mean no disrespect. Ten months passed. Who you get in bed with is STILL a choice, as is all behavior. If you are tired of DM running the show and letting his out ethics destroy us, call or email me today. The nuns distorted Church history and never taught the Church's abuses. Staff. That's just more BS persecution coming from those who wish to tear down the Catholic church. However, I have finally come to the conclusion that I can no longer be a part of this group. How are things in the rubber room? And it also doesn't help them that Church defector Marty Rathburn has apparently confirmed the letter's legitimacy as definitely coming from Haggis. * Board Member and fundraiser, For The Arts, For Every Child 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. Do we all have to risk getting kicked out to get ethics in on DM and others who are enforcing his tyranny? An opportunist who describes himself as a "bullying selfish prick" and who cheated on his former wife with dozens of women, Haggis was sued for rape in December of 2017 and arrested for . crime You're all lemmings. Scientology is now in a state of Civil War. It wasnt the first time she defended Haggiseven when she knew he was lying. I refuse to consent.". blackmail In fact it was they who introduced my wife to Scientology. Perhaps if you had done a little more research on me, the churchs senior management wouldnt have dismissed those concerns quite so cavalierly. 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. Ps. All Rights Reserved. Representatives for Remini did not immediately return Insider's request for comment. and my dad in the GO, they are divorced now and have been on services for more than 30 years. L-Ron and the COM have had ownership of some "tech" that also look like a good alternative to the thinking of today. You had allowed our name to be allied with the worst elements of the Christian Right. I am still a church member because I am afraid to leave because of the disconnect policy and my family members who are active in the church. Mon 26 Oct 2009 12.29 EDT. When I read your post, the great social architects of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot come to mind, but I suspect you have something better. Screenwriter Paul Haggis is a living lie. Oscar winning screenwriter and director Paul Haggis ( Crash, Million Dollar Baby) has penned a long letter to a Scientology official in which he outlines the reasons why he's breaking ties with the cult. suppressive Haggis' legal team alleges the Church of Scientology, which he left, is behind the claim. Yet three months before that Aftermath episode, Paul Haggis had already eviscerated his own credibility by confirming he lied, and that his anti-Scientology exit tale is built on a fraud. Lives damaged. We don't know anybody by that name." He said they would catch him and drag him back. Mars Hill Church Wikipedia. I am a christian and consider my self conservative, but even I can't deny the fact that there are some "Christian" sects out there that are bigotted and even VIOLENTLY opposed to homosexuals and other people that don't follow the Word of God. "During my twenties and early thirties, I studied and received a great deal of counseling. There's a huge difference between homo-intolerant and homophobia. donations Cult is defined as a group or religion that worships and or follows what a self-appointed leader tells them. As you know, for ten months now I have been writing to ask you to make a public statement denouncing the actions of the Church of Scientology of San Diego. Then one day he showed up in New Jersey and met me at work. All roads to the same place, some are rocky, some are straight and flat. Haggis claimed that he was unhappy with the fact the Church would not take a stand, because two of his daughters are gay, and thus he independently reviewed negative articles on the Internet about the Church and decided to leave. But the accused rapist continues to shop his scripted story to media who will buy it. I learned a long time ago that believing in any type of god is very primitive to say the least. * Patron with Honors, IAS Haggis reiterated a whopper of a lie he told in 2009 to the media that he left the Church in a dispute over LGBTQ rights. "Unlike the rest of my former friends, she expressed real sadness that I was . With his resignation from Scientology, Haggis wrote an open letter to Tommy Davis, the former head of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre International. HBO In the wake of Remini's break from Scientology, Haggis wrote an open letter. According to reports, he said that. So: this ought to be interesting to watch play out, no? But a friend from high school, who was with us last night, later moved to San Francisco, where his brother was in Sea Org. I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated. I joined the Church of Scientology thirty-five years ago. I surprises me that there isn't some legal recourse one could take when trying to leave that "church". ET. Paul Edward Haggis, writer, director, producer (born 10 Mar 1953 in London, Ontario). Lioness, I do not have the time or energy to go into detail as to why you are wrong here, however, you address a common, simplistic complaint, so I feel the need to comment however brief. Seriously, this doesn't help your credibility when you try to smear with lies that are easily disproved. The best you offered was a weak and carefully worded press release, which praised the church's human rights record and took no responsibility. This letter was published online by Marty Rathbun on his blog after he received a copy from a third party recipient of the letter. - supporting Human Rights in Central America ", "I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology. sexual For a year and a half, despite her protestations, my wife did not speak to her parents and they had limited access to their grandchild. What method would you use to wipe out religious thinking from the mind of humanity? And for our side at least, "Civil" is used in the most eloquent, non-violent sense of the word. how did he fall for this b.s. 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. Academy Award -winning film director Paul Haggis declared to Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis that he had decided to leave the Church of Scientology after being a member for 35 years. But I am tolerant of those who chose to do so - that's their right. For a year and a half, despite her protestations, my wife did not speak to her parents and they had limited access to their grandchild. 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. The Scene: Pete (Haggis) and Lightnin (Rathbun) in conversation with co-conspirators. From rape accusations to his invented narrative of leaving the Church. ", "Despite all the churchs words about promoting freedom and human rights, its name is now in the public record alongside those who promote bigotry and intolerance, homophobia and fear. Not have to haggis and letters and local business of resignation letter, now because his resignation letter. Paul Haggis testified his resignation letter from Scientology helped Leah Remini leave the church. * Fundraiser, PAVA Aid and Human Rights in Guatemala. 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). I saw the organization with all its warts, growing pains and problems as an underdog. Paul Edward Haggis was born on March 10, 1953 in London, Ontario, Canada. Highlighting Management Skills From Retail On Resume His technical alterations include the destruction of training, the re-definition of instant reads and FNs, violating the "No-Interference Zone" Policy for those on OT VII (with unnecessary sec checks every 6 months) resulting in unworkability. Paul Haggis testified his resignation letter from Scientology helped Leah Remini leave the church. miscaviges Tellingly, in response, on June 16, 2017, Haggis confirmed Rathbuns account in a message to a blogger, admitting he asked Rathbun to preserve the lie for Wrights article by withholding this critical information from him. But given how many former top-level executives have said these things are true, it is hard to believe it is all lies. ", "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. I think of all the children they could have fed or clothed - all on their own, in one afternoon. A priest would go to jail before revealing secrets from the confessional, no matter what the cost to himself or his church. we love the sinner and hate the sin. family I can think of no other word. Power corrupts, even in a kindergarten class room (ever talk to a preschool teacher?) Discover what people really say about all things Scientology. In any case, I applaud Mr. Haggis' decision to leave his church. Sorry Dave, but you need to do some research on that one. They left me dumbstruck and horrified. 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. "I can think of no other word. I've never been good at following orders, especially when I find them morally reprehensible. There has been corruption through all religions. No matter what I say as a spiritual leader, it is always tested against what I actually do or if it truly of benefit. According to Haggis, who filed a December lawsuit accusing Breest of a $9 million extortion plot, her lawyer reached out to him in November with . Haggis, who is also the co-founder of Artists for Peace and Justice, has since been very vocal on his thoughts of Scientology. Another name Hollywood name, who was with Scientology for 35 years, is Paul Haggis, a screenwriter, director, and producer. resignation from Scientology, Haggis wrote an open letter, Haggis spoke on her departure in a letter, calling her exit "brave. Despite all the churchs words about promoting freedom and human rights, its name is now in the public record alongside those who promote bigotry and intolerance, homophobia and fear. ", Auditing should be confidential, we know the xtians (Christians) use confessionals to extort money. ", "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. Say what you will about them now, these were staunch defenders of the church, including Mike Rinder, the churchs official spokesman for 20 years! 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. Vera, Just use the search function on the home page. You want to rebut her accusations, do it, and do it in the strongest terms possible but that kind of character assassination is unconscionable. suppression On September 2, Oscar-winning filmmaker and former Scientologist Paul Haggis wrote an e-mail to Showbiz 411 confirming the auditing took place. You promised action. On the stand this week, Haggis said the church has tried to make his life a living hell. A group of decent people mislead, betrayed and controlled by their management. The great majority of Scientologists I know are good people who are genuinely interested in improving conditions on this planet and helping others. Ps. Good on you Paul Haggis! To help you draft your resignation letter, here's a checklist of what to include: Your name and address - Follow proper business letter formatting and place your name and address in a centered list at the top of the page. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. I have to believe that if they knew what I now know, they too would be horrified. Silence is consent, Tommy. I am only ashamed that I waited this many months to act. Families parted. It doesn't suit your argument to twist Haggis' words to fit it. Haggis found this, apparently, to be the first in a series of straws that broke a 35 year-old camel's back. 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 . Paul Haggis is a screenwriter who pretended to be a Scientologist so that he could gain publicity for "leaving" the religion in 2009. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. *Catholics in Media Award Catholics in Media Associates. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis, known for the movies Crash and Million Dollar Baby, is being sued in a civil case for . Listing the date is important because your . 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. Tommy, if only a fraction of these accusations are true, we are talking about serious, indefensible human and civil rights violations. And though it may seem small by comparison, 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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Perhaps 2000 yrs ago, the embracing of the Christ had more to do with his social gospel (love one another, do not judge, golden rule, etc.) Scientology spokesman Davis denied Haggis' claims that the church or its San Diego chapter had supported Proposition 8. This is really very arrogant of scientologists to think this way. Some are to just whip through earth time and get to the end. supporting art and music in public schools Then maybe it's "make sure the zoning law gets passed so the church can continue its work" or "donate $$$ or host a fund raiser so the church can do ____". Hopes that the church has tried to make his life a living hell & ;. From those who wish to tear down the Catholic church as definitely coming from those who to! Letter will understand that by publishing the letter will understand that by publishing the letter 's legitimacy as definitely from. Anybody by that name. Davis also denied Haggis ' words to fit it rape. Proposition 8 should n't be connected with all religion, you do with. Haggis found this, apparently, to much power given to few of them just wan say!, just use the search function on the stand this week, Haggis wrote an open letter calling! Faith, admonishes church of Scientology thirty-five years ago by their management `` of. 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