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Scientology Takes Another Hit

Have you noticed how much energy the enterainment world has spent in the past 9 months defending Scientology. It seems that ever since Tom Cruise decided that depression is not an actual problem, every facet of the entertaiment industry has been poking fun at the religion. Yet it seems that Scientologists world wide are fighting back in an overly overt way. These battles between Scientologists and everybody else is just strengthening the silly jokes on shows such as South Park. While every other religion can get slandered on South Park without much argument, Scientologists can`t even stand to laugh at themselves a little.

Actress Kirstie Alley is criticizing a Rolling Stone article on Scientology, calling it a bash on her religion, boring, and -- Yikes! -slamming the hip magazine by comparing it to your grandmother`s Reader`s Digest. "Shame on you, Rolling Stone, for your slam piece on Scientology," the 55-year-old actress flames about Janet Reitman`s recent 13,500-word report on the belief system founded by L. Ron Hubbard. "Rolling Stone has been my favorite magazine since college, but come on ? religion-bashing for the sake of sales? Yikes, dudes ? your cool factor just dropped to Reader`s Digest."

Alley also disses the writer Reitman who "interviewed me for two hours as I watched her eyes darting around in her head like a trapped lab rat. Janet, dear, people like you will always bastardize good things like religion. ... That`s why you exist, honey. My problem with your article was its degree of boredom." Reitman, who reportedly worked on the piece for nine months - with the cooperation of church officials - shot back: "Alley`s letter perfectly exemplifies why the Church of Scientology has an image problem ? rather than debate points of substance, its followers all too often veer into personal attacks."