According to John Duignan, the author of The Complex, a book that claims Scientology members are subjected to sleep deprivation and systematic brainwashing, Tom Cruise is directly responsible for Amazon's unceremonious yanking of the book from both their UK and American sites.
Five days after The Complex's release, Tom Cruise paid a visit to the Amazon headquarters in Seattle, supposedly to host a preview of "Valkyrie," Cruise's newest movie. Several days after Cruise's visit, Amazon stopped selling The Complex , saying that the book allegedly makes "false claims" about a Scientologist mentioned in the text.
Duignan was a Scientologist for 22 years and claims in the book that church members, even children, were punished by the church for transgressing. Duignan says,
I directly know 20 members who went insane or committed suicide. I personally went through a period of insanity. I'm hoping this book can be a lifeline to my former comrades.
Duignan says he began doubting the church, coincidentally, at a Scientology gala that featured Tom Cruise. According to Duignan, he began to see that
the church was all about money.
Amazon spokespeople insist that Cruise's visit had nothing to do with their reluctance to sell The Complex.
Karin Pouw, a Scientology spokeswoman, says that the book is full of "false accusations."
Comments
WONT SHOP ON AMAZON ANYMORE...HOW DARE THEY BOW DOWN TO THIS CREEP...FREEDOM OF SPEECH...DID SCIENCETOLOGY IDIOTS FORGET THAT ONE...I SAY TO EVERYONE....BOYCOTT CRUISES STUPID FILMS AND BOYCOTT AMAZON.COM
How dare Amazon stop selling a book because some hollywood loser wants them too? If this is true, I will stop shopping at amazon and advise my friends not to either. BIG MISTAKE AMAZON.
How dare Amazon stop selling a book because some hollywood loser wants them too? If this is true, I will stop shopping at amazon and advise my friends not to either. BIG MISTAKE AMAZON.
Amazon are cowards real cowards and there now an organisation that backs up the propaganda of Scientology. Amazon is forever on my blacklist and I will make sure that anyone whom I know is never going to give money to an organisation that bows for a short bloke named Tom Cruise. This is truly outreagous
Amazon are cowards real cowards and there now an organisation that backs up the propaganda of Scientology. Amazon is forever on my blacklist and I will make sure that anyone whom I know is never going to give money to an organisation that bows for a short bloke named Tom Cruise. This is truly outreagous
What other corporations has Tommy boy made this "goodwill promotional tour" for?
I heart Tom Cruise!
Based upon the documenatry film "The Corporation", Amazon is a sleazy company.
People have been trying to get them to stop selling books on how to fight dogs, but Amazon claims they don't pull books. Dogfighting!
Yet they pulled this one. Amazon seems to either have been caught in a lie, or is hypocritical, or has 2 incompatible sets of rules it runs under.
Michelle,
You only alluded to what may be the real problem. In journalism it is important to report all of the information available to you.
An excerpt from a NY Daily News article appears below. The complete article can be found at the site below:
nydailynews com
(Your site does not allow comments to contain links or URL's)so it is not possible to give the complete site's address here. Although, it is easy to google it by using search words, "The Complex book"
"...A few days later, Amazon’s British Web site stopped selling “The Complex,” explaining to customers that someone mentioned in the book had alleged it defamed him with “false claims....”
“U.K. law gives us no choice but to remove the title from our catalogue,” Amazon said in a statement..."
If, the author, John Dunigan and his publisher Merlin have documented the authenticity of those statements that are allegedly false it will lead to a round of law suits. A legal battle usually won by the parties with the biggest war chest of litigation funds.
Add writer Neil Gaiman to the celebrity Scientology list. Neil Gaiman was a class VIII auditor and Executive Director of the Birmingham Org. He was case Supervisor at the Guardian Office. He's listed as completing three Scientology courses in 1988 and his family members are heavy-weight Scientologists; father David Gaiman was head of the Guardian Office and is active in Russia, sister Claire Edwards is an executive in Scientology Missions International (the recruiting end of Scieno), wife Mary Gaiman is listed as "clear" in 2002, Mother Sheila Gaiman is a big time Scientologist with her own site and is active in Russia. Sister Lizzie Calcione “runs a Scientology practice in East Grinstead , that is a mixture of auditing and WISE delivery.” The Gaiman Family are listed as founding US "Patrons" of Scientology for 2004 & 2006 so they donate large amounts of money to "clear the planet." Neil doesn’t talk about it because he is one. Sad. Sad. Sad.
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