Protests Before ALL MY SONS

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 9:46pm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26782006/
Updated On: 9/18/08 at 09:46 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 9:47pm

Oh please, give me a break.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 9:57pm

Kind of hypocritical, I mean they carry signs telling people to spend money on Broadway instead of Scientology. I say let people do what they want & mock from a far.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 9:58pm

I love the contrast between the two 27 year old people that were interviewed for that article.

[BroadwayBoy2]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 10:03pm

Me too "frogs" i would see this production regardless whose in it, its just one of those shows that you cannot pass up. Its interesting the crowd broadway audiences are pulling in, ya got your wackos for katie, happy potter fans for Daniel and I'm SURE you will have a few Dolly Parton Fans.

Updated On: 9/18/08 at 10:03 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 10:04pm

Haha, I think that is the best part.

Edit: Er, I didn't see someone else had posted. I was referring to what frogs_fan85 said.

Updated On: 9/18/08 at 10:04 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/18/08 at 10:05pm

That's tremendously uncalled for, Broadwayboy.

[LindaTNo1]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 10:34am

I have been reading all the initial reviews on line from various websites, etc. It seems like this show will go well. The dress rehearsal reviews and the preview show last night seems to be pretty positive overall. I hope that Katie Holmes does fantastic during this limited run. If I were lucky enough to be able to attend one of the shows, I would just watch the performance and not get into the politics/religious personal and PRIVATE life of any of the actors affiliations and just sit back and enjoy a show with spectacular performances, and that would include Katie Holmes. Tom Cruise is a wonderful husband and father and has gone all the way 100% in supporting his wife and her career separate from his. He has worked hard to find a good place for them to live while in NYC and to make every effort to make her dressing room as comfortable as possible. He is taking care of home and he should be commended for that. I hope that Katie really shines for herself in this performance as an individual first and foremost. Good luck to all the cast and crew and "break a leg"!!

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 10:50am

LindaTNo1, It's nice to see someone write something so positive about the Cruise family. It is absurd how prejudice people are when it comes to religion. It seems so disrespectful to bash this families faith and ruin a persons opening night on Broadway. Tom Cruise is such a positive and hard working man, and it is so off-putting that people treat him and his family this way.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:05am

It is absurd how prejudice people are when it comes to religion. Tom Cruise is such a positive and hard working man, and it is so off-putting that people treat him and his family this way.

He's not so positive when he's mocking and insulting others for using prescribed medicine or engaging in psychology. He's pretty pushy and abrasive on the subject, as a matter of fact. And that's not rumor, that is based on actual interviews.

I'm still not convinced Scientology is a "religion". It appears to be more of a very expensive elite science fiction fan club. Do Scientologists refer to themselves as "religious"?

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:21am

As absurd as I find Scientology, these protests are really...um...weird. With all that's going on in the world, you're protesting Scientology??

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:25am

"I'm still not convinced Scientology is a "religion". It appears to be more of a very expensive elite science fiction fan club."

Wow. How on earth can you claim this? Christianity is based on a faith with talking serpents, conceiving virgins, beings with wings, a man walking on water and turning it into wine, talking bushes, arcs built to hold over 50 million animals that did not destroy each other, and the list goes on. The amount of money given to the christian church is most likely mind boggling.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:26am

Ridiculous. As much as I don't care for Tom Cruise or Katie Holmes, protesting a show because of Scientology is dumb. Nobody is forcing these people to follow the religion, or to see the show for that matter. And actually, it's just dumb that they won't see the show for that reason.

I just don't like Tom Cruise because I don't think he's good looking, and he does seem a little weird now, but that's it. Heck, if he was in a movie I wanted to see, I'd still see it anyway.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:35am

God, this whole thing is RIDICULOUS!!! I'm no scientologist, believe me, but those publicity hungry protesters are only doing this to promote their ridiculous ideas. Let people believe in what they want! And to protest outside a broadway show just because of one performer's religion is completely ridiculous.

And NYC4Life, do not turn this into a religious battle. Christianity has historical facts and a history of thousands of years to back it up. Scientology was CREATED by a normal man in the 1950's. No historical significance, no facts to back it up, end of story.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:49am

I'm not too surprised, at least this time it's well-directed. I only say this because earlier this year (Julyish) I was at In The Heights stagedooring and the same Anti-Scientology folks came up and started (protesting? yelling? recruiting?) very loudly. And ITH is like the least faith-based show there is, much-less dealing with Scientology. So I just pointed to the Scientology church quite literally across the street from ITH and told them to go there and leave Robin and everyone alone (he was the one I was talking with when they came up and started freaking people out). So yeah, not very nice but not at all surprising.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 11:55am

Vaguely off-topic, but doesn't a religion need a diety or figurehead, whether it be Jesus, Mohammed or Buddha?

All Scientology has is a dead science fiction writer.

I look at Christianity and the Bible as a mixture of history, philosophy and fable. In fact, all religions are based on philosophy....so I suppose Scientology might count only under those terms.

I personally wish Katie the best. I gave her a huge amount of credit for taking that step to build some credibility by doing stage work...something her husband has not and probably will never do.

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:13pm

I was at August: Osage County last night and I could hear the protesters throughout the whole show. Not cool.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:17pm

Now that's beyond the pale...if they have to protest, do it before the show, not during. Especially if you can hear it at the show NEXT DOOR.

[wicked_beast4]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:20pm

Not even next door. The Music Box is across the street. Those protesters are complete morons.

edited for stupid spelling mistake.

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 12:20 PM

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 12:40pm

Couldn't do the street layout in my head, but that makes it even worse.

[logan0215]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 1:10pm

I actually think the walls at the Music Box may just be thin as when I saw August you could hear the "warning beep" from a truck backing up outside along with other street noises.

Scientology was able to get its message out via celebrity endorsement which these protesters unfortunately do not have. They simply took advantage of an opportunity where news media and many bystanders would be present to get their message across about what they believe to be the dangers of Scientology. Inapropriate? Maybe. Surprisingly/Shockingly out of place? No

EDIT: Some interesting videos I watched regarding what is being protested were featured on Kate Shindles blog:

http://shindleslist.blogspot.com/2008/04/watch-your-back-dude.html Updated On: 9/19/08 at 01:10 PM

[commasplice]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 1:12pm

Anonymous are NOT protesting Scientology as a religion/system of beliefs or worldview. They're not saying that you can't believe in the things that Scientology believes in. They are protesting the actions of the Church of Scientology, the corrupt ORGANIZATION behind the religion. When you look at the actions of the Church of Scientology -- how they abuse their tax-exempt status, separate families, mistreat their members, and harass their critics (which is why the protestors disguise themselves) -- it's pretty shocking.

Also, for those curious: the guy who wears that "SPEND MONEY ON BROADWAY, NOT SCIENTOLOGY" sandwich board at TKTS (and elsewhere) is a former Scientologist himself.

I do think it's a shame that it's disturbing some shows, but I doubt that it was/is their intent to ruin the night of people attending shows.

(I don't participate in Anonymous [so don't fair game me, please], but I am interested in their movement from an academic perspective, mainly as a social/cultural networking system and in the field of community informatics. They're unusual in that their movement is very much viral and wholly internet-based/sourced and lacks any kind of formal organization and/or leadership, yet they manage this level of engagement and interaction. From a scholarly POV, it's fascinating.)

Updated On: 9/19/08 at 01:12 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 1:53pm

The difference between Scientology and other religions (I hate to use that term because I don't view Scientology as a religion) is that L. Ron Hubbard himself is the person who put into place policies like Fair Game, disconnection, and engaged in criminal activities like Operation Freakout.

It'd basically be like Jesus telling pro-life people to blow up abortion clinics.

[LindaTNo1]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 2:13pm

I know that I could debate ALL religions as ALL OF THEM have their shortcomings and flaws in some way or the other. I firmly believe in keeping professional separate from personal. Katie has been working hard for rehearsals and for the show and that is where my focus would be if I were able to sit in a seat at the theater and watch ALL the show. I want to compartmentalize and so I would keep it at that. I am spending my hard earned finances to fly to NYC, pay for a hotel, and taxi fares and meals AND the tickets and merchandise (if they have a gift shop) so I am not about the faith/religion thing, I am about the show, period. There is no need to protest at a theater where the show is about the ENTIRE cast and the story itself. To each his/her own and different strokes for different folks, I say! There is a time and place for everything and so I am not feeling it with those protestors who claim an agenda. They should step up to the box office, purchase a ticket, and just watch a show and ONLY a show. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have the strength of character to be able to withstand all of this and they have my respect for that. It must not be easy for them. BTW Dustin Hoffman was there on Opening night too to see the show. I am sure that ALOT of A-listers will see it too and just might be a springboard to offers for the cast, who knows? Connections, visibility, etc. Again, "break a leg"!!!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/19/08 at 2:15pm

Wow. How on earth can you claim this?

Pretty easily, apparently.

Christianity is based on a faith with talking serpents, conceiving virgins, beings with wings, a man walking on water and turning it into wine, talking bushes, arcs built to hold over 50 million animals that did not destroy each other, and the list goes on.

You are correct. But I wasn't talking about Christianity, which is nearly 2000 years old and written in a very different period of history with a completely different level of scientific intelligence and a primitive approach on morality.

The amount of money given to the christian church is most likely mind boggling.

Apples/oranges. I'm not aware of many Christian churches in this day and age that require fees for membership or as a necessary means for enlightenment. If they did, I would say the same about them. The exposes written on Scientology are plentiful and easy to access.


L. Ron Hubbard listed his twelve points of Scientology financial success himself in 1972, still in use by the Church of Scientology today:

MAKE MONEY

Buy more money made with allocations for expense (bean theory).

Do not commit expense beyond future ability to pay.

Don't ever borrow.

Know different types of orgs and what they do.

Understand money flow lines not only in an org but org to org as customers flow upward.

Understand EXCHANGE of valuables or service for money (P/L Exec Series 3 and 4).

Know the correct money pools for any given activity.

Police all lines constantly.

MAKE MONEY.

MAKE MORE MONEY.

MAKE OTHER PEOPLE PRODUCE SO AS TO MAKE MONEY.


-Church of Scientology of California v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, US Tax Court, September 24, 1984