The documentary, titled Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, aired on the HBO network last week in the United States and features accusations that the church has physically abused and blackmailed some of its members – including John Travolta, one of the Church’s highest profile members.
John, 61, has been a member of the Church for over 40 years and has moved to defend Scientology while also saying that he has not seen the documentary, “and I don’t really care to.”
John said the documentary was a result of “people who were disgruntled with their experiences” with the church.
He added: “I haven’t experienced anything that the hearsay has (claimed),” John said. “So why would I communicate something that wasn’t true for me?”
“It wouldn’t make sense, nor would it for Tom [Cruise], I imagine.”
Tom Cruise and John Travolta are amidst some of the highest profile members of the church. Other celebrity members include John’s pal Kirstie Alley, and as revealed by Ryan “Fitzy” Fitwilliams in an unsettling tale of his brush with the church on The Project last week , Jenna Elfman, of Dharma and Greg fame.
The film features the testimony of Mark “Marty” Rathbun, who was previously the second-highest ranking official in the Church of Scientology but who left in 2004 and is now speaking out against it.
Amidst his revelations were that Nicole Kidman has her phone tapped by the church while she was married to its highest profile member, Tom Cruise, after she was labelled a “Potential Trouble Source” (PTS) by the head of Scientology, David Miscavige.
John is very defensive of the church though, saying that it has aided him through many dark moments in his life — including the sudden death of his son Jett in 2009.
“Oh, my God, I wouldn’t have made it,” he said.
“I’ve been brought through storms that were insurmountable, and (Scientology has) been so beautiful for me, that I can’t even imagine attacking it,”
“I’ve helped so many people through hard times,” said John.
“Loss of children, loved ones, physical illnesses. Through many tough, tough life situations, I’ve used the technology to support them and help them. It always worked.”
