Talkin' trash to the garbage around me.

25 March, 2006

Who isn't a fucking Scientologist these days? Part II

Sigh. My capacity to enjoy popular culture is diminishing by the day. The Guardian lists lists and names names - all of these people believe in a religion based on really bad sci-fi novels. Bizarre.
Just as depressing as the news that Bart Simpson is a Scientologist, or more accurately Nancy Cartwright who voices him, is that some of the group's more unlikely acolytes are much-respected musicians. Advocates of the creed include the until now impenetrably cool Beck, funk pioneer Isaac Hayes and, at one stage, lovers' favourite Van Morrison, who devoted an album to founder L Ron Hubbard in the 1980s. Hip-hop pioneer Doug E Fresh, Chaka Khan and Courtney Love, who thanked the church in the sleevenotes of her America's Sweetheart album, are also followers. Even Leonard Cohen flirted with the alien creed when he was feeling even less sunny than usual in the 1990s.
Leave it to George Clinton to kick the absurdity up a notch:
In the 1960s, Funkadelic's George Clinton promulgated for the kookier end of Scientology, specifically its British offshoot The Process Church Of Final Judgement. The Process Church, who worshipped both God and Satan and believed in imminent Armageddon, were enlisted by Clinton to pen the sleevenotes to his Maggot Brain album.
I'm not sure what bothers me more, that these folks are Scientologists (which is strange), or that these people are somehow involved with Tom Cruise, who, as you all know, I find to be a horrible waste of skin.

Help me L.Ron, help, help me L. Ron!