Remember Jerry...it's not a lie if you believe it's true.

Well my guest post fell through today based on technical difficulties (read here: Tony not following instructions correctly), so I'll throw my two cents out on a subject that is in the news and breaking my heart.

Scientology has fallen on hard times.

(cricket noises)

I shutter.

Officially know as the Church of Scientology by people who don't understand the true definition and origin of the word church (from the Greek kyriakon which means thing belonging to the Lord), Scientology is...and I'll be nice...a made up belief system by science fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard, started in 1953 as a continuation of the concepts found in his book Dianetics.

That's right. 1950's...Hubbard...science fiction...Dianetics. For those of you thinking the self-proclaimed, self-help book was a product of the 80's, think again. Hubbard died in 1986 and his book was repackaged and released by the now legally chartered Church of Scientology.

Same crap with new and improved wrappings...and an erupting volcano on the cover. uhhhhhhh

Now France is trying to rid their country of the cult. I normally wouldn't have a good thing to say about France...but bravo. The ironic part is the U. S. State Department is being critical of France for suppressing religious freedoms. The same State Department that branded Tea Party participants in the U.S. as possible domestic terrorist...

You read between those lines.

A French court ruled the sect (Scientology doesn't have legal status as an established religion in France) was guilty of organized fraud based on separate claims brought forward by two women. The sect was ordered to pay fines close to $1M and the organizations leader in that country was sentenced to two years in prison.

Vive la France! (God forgive me)

The cult...excuse me...sect has also seen an exodus of high profile members, a move which normally draws relentless, retribution from the Scientologist. Most recently, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis defected. Rumors have Travolta leaving after Scientology spokesperson Tommie Davis stormed off a sound set during an interview taping of Nightline when he was asked if he believed in Xenu, the intergalactic warlord reportedly at the center of Scientology's theology. ABC aired the footage to the dismay of the group.

No...I'm not making this stuff up...they are. Click on the links.

The fact that the Church of Scientology is legitimized enough to actually be taken serious by anyone is beyond my understanding. Yet, the cult continues to recruit and promote for a fantastically outrageous system of beliefs that goes beyond the supernatural into the realm of extraterrestrial...fronting the likes of Cruise, Travolta and Alley to give validity to the organization.

The United States and Australia are the only two countries that recognize Scientology as a religion. France has gone on record in Parliament labeling it as a dangerous cult. Please tell me what kind of world we live in when France actually makes more sense than the United States?

There are some things much scarier than Halloween...