Ghost of a flea: String theory

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March 28, 2006

String theory

Writing for The Scotsman, Brian Hennigan offers some unflattering commentary on a variety of religious opinion. What struck me was not any potential offense to Muslim, Christian or Scientological opinion but how freely the words "Xenu" and "body thetans" may now be bandied about without attracting a slap-suit for infringement of L Ron Hubbard's estate. So, mad props to Trey Parker and Matt Stone for expanding the culture if only to the private imaginings of a wonky 1950s sf-hack.

But spare a thought for the Church of Scientology in what must surely be an hour of spiritual crisis. The slings and arrows of Comedy Central they might endure but a threat to outrageous fortune is another matter entirely. Dianetics is not proving the nice little earner once it was with an exodus of celebrity to the Kabbalah Centre. I gather the Church has its hopes pinned on an Australian chap named James Packer. No Victoria Beckham, he; I had to look him up.

Scientology is having difficulty attracting new members thanks to a growing celebrity trend towards Kabbalah, the religion favoured by Madonna and - ironically - Packer's girl Erica Baxter. And without new, wealthy recruits, cash flow is an issue, the paper reported.

"There are the big earners like Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kelly Preston and Kirstie Alley, but even they don't earn like they used to," a source tells the newspaper.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at March 28, 2006 11:43 AM

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