As a former zombie, I would welcome that. * Working Board Member, Environmental Media Association As a Catholic, I, like all Catholics living the Word, have a love for all people regardless of sexual orientation. It was over the church's refusal to denounce one chapter's statement of support for Proposition 8. A judge ruled on Friday that director Paul Haggis will be allowed to argue at his upcoming civil trial that the Church of Scientology is behind a rape allegation against him. You took Amy Scobee's most intimate admissions about her sexual life and passed them onto the press and then smeared them all over the pages your newsletter! This was my state of mind when I was online doing research and chanced upon an interview clip with you on CNN. The screenwriter, who left the church in 2009, writes that he was surprised how quickly "Leah was attacked . No action was forthcoming. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis testified on Wednesday in a civil rape lawsuit that his letter of resignation from the Church of Scientology helped motivate fellow celebrity and member. Paul Haggis Resigns from Church of Scientology Friday, 23 October 2009 22:57 Paul Haggis is the Academy award winning filmmaker who, in 2006, became the first screenwriter, since 1950, to write two Best Film Oscar winners back-to-back - "Million Dollar Baby" (2004) directed by Clint Eastwood, and "Crash" (2005) which he himself directed. A group of decent people mislead, betrayed and controlled by their management. Contributed to Lisa McPherson's demise. sexual And that is when I read the recent articles in the St. Petersburg Times. I hereby resign my membership in the Church of Scientology. ", Dwyane Wade's Words For Daughter Zaya At The NAACP Image Awards Were So Touching, Adam Lambert Defends Harry Styles Over Queerbating Accusations, Emma Corrin Got Candid About The Hate They Received For Being Non-Binary, Heres How You Can Make A Difference In Honour Of Brianna Ghey, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter. The organization says Wednesday that Haggis' resignation was accepted on Jan 4, one day before The Associated Press published accounts from three women alleging sexual misconduct by the. He said most former Scientologists leave the religion quietly, but because he was a more well-known, he said he felt it was his duty to be public about his decision to cut ties with the church. for whatever the reason. It is a example of total greed and nuttiness. They too are Christians. "He wanted the church to take an active stance on a political issue, which we don't do. The Church of Scientology lost one of its most high-profile members when the Hollywood film-maker Paul Haggis quit the organisation in protest at its stance on same-sex . I am/was Catholic and I hate to burst everyone's bubble, but they did extort. *Bill of Rights Award American Civil Liberties Union He also said he hoped it would "open the eyes" of those still with the church and help them "get out.". I have to believe that if they knew what I now know, they too would be horrified. You even felt free to publish secrets from the confessional in Freedom Magazine you just stopped short of labeling them as such, probably because you knew Scientologists would be horrified, knowing you so easily broke a sacred vow of trust with your parishioners. Independence, unfettered knowledge, freedom of thought etc. Here are some of the best resignation letter examples and templates for a variety of circumstances you can use to leave your job, including basic and formal letters, email resignation messages, letters giving two weeks' notice, letters with a reason for leaving, short notice or no notice letters, personal reasons letters, letters announcing a . We do not "disconnect" from family or friends who are gay. I refused to do so. The Catholic church is consistent, and failures in society do not change truth. Mistrial. "It worked with Leah Leah Remini, she was still in," Haggis said. According to reports, he said that. * Founding Board Member, Earth Communication Office Sure it starts off with a simple, "I hit my little sister" and the penance is to bake her some cookies and say you are sorry. L-Ron and the COM have had ownership of some "tech" that also look like a good alternative to the thinking of today. Their tax exempt status as a religious org. We're prohibited from taking stances on political issues. The contrast between the dignified and eloquent Mr Haggis and the screeching hysterical lying of Tommy could not be more pronounced. has to & must be ended as quickly has possible. abuses UPDATED with more testimony, 5:09 PM: Back on the witness stand Thursday, Paul Haggis denied sexually assaulting any of the four Jane Does who have testified in support of Haleigh Breest, the New Y The deception can continue only so long. Hey Lioness! Haggis claimed that he was unhappy with the fact the Church would not take a stand, because two of his daughters are gay, and thus he independently reviewed negative articles on the Internet about the Church and decided to leave. Excuse me? Dennis. And so, after writing this letter, I am fully aware that some of my friends may choose to no longer associate with me, or in some cases work with me. I saw the organization -- with all its warts, growing pains and problems -- as an underdog. With Paul Haggis, everything is calculated. And then another: Haggis cites the aforementioned reporting by the St. Petersburg Times, which including some of Scientology's most high-profile defectors in its history, as accurate and astonishing, considering the level of the defectors. I was shocked. Where does the redefining end? In fact it was they who introduced my wife to Scientology. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Paul Haggis is a screenwriter who pretended to be a Scientologist so that he could gain publicity for "leaving" the religion in 2009. To help you draft your resignation letter, here's a checklist of what to include: Your name and address - Follow proper business letter formatting and place your name and address in a centered list at the top of the page. I agree. I remember after the poor sap who was sued (the former CAN owner) had to give up CAN to the scientologist nutbags, CAN then became a new scientology tool. My younger brother got roped into a three year ordeal during a most vunerable time of his life, early 20's, and was forced to disassociate with our loving and very concerned family for ridiculous reasons, all the while spending hours, day and night doing whatever they instructed him to do in their downtown Toronto outfit. In his letter, he never makes the generalization that all Christians are bigotted or homophobes. "I can't . HERE AND NOW is what we have..NOTHING else, so make the best of it to everyone's satisfaction. You also destroy the most fertile source of ethics". That's just more BS persecution coming from those who wish to tear down the Catholic church. You had allowed our name to be allied with the worst elements of the Christian Right. It can only do good--that is the sort of person you appear to me. Haggis is currently standing trial in a civil lawsuit concerning a rape allegation. It was a terrible time. Hi. "The church's refusal to denounce the action of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly," Haggis wrote. The entire letter toof all peoplecreepy Church spokescreature Tommy Davis is below, but here are the highlights: Haggis has been asking the church to resign their support of Proposition 8. At the time of Larrys article and book I withheld the fact that Marty had reached out to me by email.I withheld that information from Larry Wright. Not that Larry Wright would have cared: Paul Haggis served his purpose for Wright, who did no fact checking. Listing the date is important because your . Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. rinder Shouldn't the test as to whether a spiritual philosophy or religion is beneficial be that it actually progresses one spiritually? ", "The church's refusal to denounce the actions of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly. *Peace & Justice Award Office of the Americas, presented by Daniel Ellsberg Mr. Haggis does condemn the CoS for casting its lot "alongside those who promote bigotry and intolerance, homophobia and fear," but I do not read anywhere that this includes all of Christianity. Spreading lies about other religions isn't helping the image of Scientology. If you redefine marriage for gay couples, why not includes polygamists or other variations? I don't have any problems with gay people or their life style. Same thing in Scientology. We all know this policy exists. And that is when I read the recent articles in the St. Petersburg Times. To the extent that anything prohibits or infringes on anyone's civil rights, we don't agree with it. What method would you use to wipe out religious thinking from the mind of humanity? Who you get in bed with is STILL a choice, as is all behavior. I'm a bit of an interloper, since I only happened upon this site accidentally via the "images of Paul Haggis" dealie. Davis apparently drew up a press release he showed to Haggis, which eventually got canned. With his resignation from Scientology, Haggis wrote an open letter to Tommy Davis, the former head of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre International. It would certainly be a good start for the UN to eliminate tax-free status for all religions and ensure the separation of church and state globally. From hair trends to relationship advice, our daily newsletter has everything you need to sound like a person whos on TikTok, even if you arent. But a friend from high school, who was with us last night, later moved to San Francisco, where his brother was in Sea Org. The Catholic church is GROWING. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Awards for outspoken support of Civil and Human Rights: * Valentine Davies Award Writers Guild of America for bringing honor and dignity to writers everywhere *Bill of Rights Award American Civil Liberties Union *Hubert H. Humphrey Civil Rights Award Leadership Conference on Civil Rights *Peace & Justice Award Office of the Americas, presented by Daniel Ellsberg *Signis Award, Venezia, World Catholic Association *ALMA Award National Council of Latino Civil Rights *Ethel Levitt Award for Humanitarian Service Levitt & Quinn *Prism Award Entertainment Industries Council *Humanitas Prize (2) Humanitas *Legacy Award, for Artistic and Humanitarian Achievement *Environmental Media Award EMA *EMA Green Seal Award EMA *Image Award NAACP *Creative Integrity Award Multicultural Motion Picture Association *EDGE Awards (2) Entertainment Industries Council *Artistic Freedom Award City of West Hollywood *Catholics in Media Award Catholics in Media Associates. Hard to really know, but perhaps the Christian social message might have been a appealing alternative to the morals of the day (that's still true for some of us). scientologists ", Auditing should be confidential, we know the xtians (Christians) use confessionals to extort money. as well as other partner offers and accept our. ", "That's not true. Paul Haggis testified his resignation letter from Scientology helped Leah Remini leave the church. Sadly, for humanity at large to embrace this simple truth would be like expecting intellectual discourse from a field mouse. Haggis isn't the first celebrity from the Church of Scientology to break with the faith. "Paul Haggis deserves, based on his record as a gentleman and humanitarian, to be judged when all the evidence has been taken under penalty of perjury in a court of law," Remini and Rinder. At some point it became evident that you did not value my concerns about the churchs tacit support of an amendment that violated the civil rights of so many of our citizens. As you know, for ten months now I have been writing to ask you to make a public statement denouncing the actions of the Church of Scientology of San Diego. During my twenties and early thirties I studied and received a great deal of counseling. *EMA Green Seal Award EMA Dennis igou says >>>we know the xtians (Christians) use confessionals to extort money. The church has maintained it took no stance on the measure. reverse I saw the organization with all its warts, growing pains and problems as an underdog. You misunderstand the context of this passage in the Bible. Haggis asserted that supporters of Prop 8 were bigoted and hateful, and supporters are the MAJORITY of Californians, most of whom do NOT belong to the Christian right. Priests have gone to prison to defend the secrecy of the Confessional. You could publicly state that it doesnt exist? Paul Haggis, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who directed "Crash," has been living under a cloud since a woman sued him in civil court . Steven Hirsch. Haggis for years falsely claimed he split with the Church because it would not take a position on Californias incendiary Proposition 8 campaign in 2008 regarding same-sex marriageknowing the Church would never take a stand on such a political issue. All roads to the same place, some are rocky, some are straight and flat. I just choose to not 'follow the rules' of any religious group. I am only ashamed that I waited this many months to act. "Unlike the rest of my former friends, she expressed real sadness that I was . Thank you for your courage despite the personal pain it may cause you. * Board Member, Center For The Advancement of Non-Violence You should not assume your own religion is the ONLY and BEST one in the world that leads to spiritual growth. They left me dumbstruck and horrified. Sorry, but you do not have the right to post comments. Scientology has claimed that their high-profile defectors hold personal grudges against them for demotions and other bureaucratic failings. lies Those poor, poor people who are still stuck in COS. A priest would go to jail before revealing secrets from the confessional, no matter what the cost to himself or his church. *Signis Award, Venezia, World Catholic Association Is this Jonestown 2 in the making? Bottom line: Once Haggis admitted that he lied about his story, he had no credibility. It wasnt the first time she defended Haggiseven when she knew he was lying. And when I pictured you assuring me that it is all lies, that this is nothing but an unfounded and vicious attack by a group of disgruntled employees, I am afraid that I saw the same face that looked in the camera and denied the policy of disconnection. According to Vanity Fair, Boniadi, 32, was audited . This requires nothing more than simple honesty, an admission of what happened and a willingness to begin anew with an honest, open culture. a few years ago, briefly after my family found out I was gay, my dad, twin brother, 2 sisters, uncle and aunt all in SCN totally disconnected from me, my mom after that started questioning SCN and decided to keep in touch with me. But I read the article and most of the comments (my apolgies to the last 1/4 of responders--it just went on for so long, and understandably so! I will always take their calls, as I always took yours. Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis testified on Wednesday in a civil rape lawsuit that his letter of resignation from the Church of Scientology helped motivate fellow celebrity and member Leah Remini to leave the religion as well. Haggis is currently standing trial in a civil lawsuit concerning a rape allegation. Their first venture is an adaptation of the celebrated Australian novel The Rangers Apprentice., Haggis was born in London, Ontario, Canada and moved to California in his early 20s. I do not know the woman, but no matter what she said or did, this is the woman who joined the Sea Org at 16! He tore apart international management. dianetics Haggis' legal team alleges the Church of Scientology, which he left, is behind the claim. I was left feeling outraged, and frankly, more than a little stupid. Over time, I think you will find a new sense of strength and solidity for having taken such a strong and public stand on your moral convictions, and for having stayed true to yourself. The intention was that Wright would use Haggis false narrative to protect and further his crafted image as a crusader, especially with Haggis daughters. I knew Jim Jones, and he also practiced disconnection, confessions, sleep dep, and physical abuse to defend his liturgy. But then again, Remini also proudly boasted that she refused to vet the credibility of her subjects, and that A&Es attorneys let her get away with it. She ran the entire celebrity center network, and was a loyal senior executive of the church for what, 20 years? While I admire Mr. Haggis' stance against hypocrisy in the Scientology Church, I must "out" some blatant hypocrisy of his own. You had allowed our name to be allied with the worst elements of the Christian Right. In 2009, Mr. Haggis left the Church of Scientology over its support of Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage passed by California voters and later overturned. * Board Member and fundraiser, The Christic Institute "IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE AS WE DO, YOU ARE ENEMIES! Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis is fighting a rape lawsuit in New York City. To see you lie so easily, I am afraid I had to ask myself: what else are you lying about? Some walk, some fly. pregnant I feel the need to defend Mr. Haggis. 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