Yahoo Entertainment posted an article by Suzy Byrne March 12, 2020, Jenna Elfman defends Scientology in new interview: ‘The controversy is boring’ that once again highlights how clueless members are about their cult.
Jenna Elfman dismisses “the controversy” surrounding Scientology with blasé indifference “‘The controversy is boring,’ she told the outlet. ‘It’s nothing to me. I know what I know, and how much it helps me.’”
To which controversy is Elfman referring? There are so many one cannot help but wonder which one qualifies as “The” controversy.
The article never defines “the controversy” though it continually refers to it as if the readers know what the reference is.
Does Byrne mean the Danny Masterson accusations?
Could it be the recent stalking and harassment suit?
Perhaps the article is pointing to Valerie Haney’s incredible lawsuit.
Leah Remini’s Scientology and the Aftermath raised a number of uncomfortable questions.
Why haven’t survivors gotten justice for being raped/molested as children?
How on earth can mothers simply accept the suicide deaths of their children?
Why aren’t the allegations of financial fraud being investigated?
Human trafficking?
Maybe the reference is more current, Scientology supports the anti-vax community.
Recently they rented space at the University of Ottawa where they angered and alienated the students over Scientology front group the CCHR’s attacks on psychiatry.
Balloongate?
Scientology’s issues with the citizens of the City of Clearwater?
Where is Shelley Miscavige?
These are just a drop in the ocean of questions surrounding Scientology and it’s abuses.
Many former members have come forward with painful, emotional stories from their time in this faux religion.
Jenna Elfman dismisses each and every one as “boring”? These hurting, aching people are “nothing”?
Elfman, like many Scientologists uses her years involved with the group as some kind of proof that the claims and accusations by so many cannot be true.
“‘Well, I’ve been a Scientologist for 28 years and that’s a huge part of what helps keep our [with husband of 25 years Bodhi Elfman] communication going in our relationship….’”
Mike Rinder was born into the organization, joining the SeaOrg at 18 where he diligently worked his way up the ranks until he blew in 2007. Setting aside the fact he was a member of COS since he was a child, his adult participation lasted about 34 years. If one is using the quantity of years to judge credibility shouldn’t his words then be respected?
The fact is that Scientology is a carefully secretive group. Even the executive and upper management echelon is on a need to know basis. The left hand is carefully kept ignorant of what the right hand is doing.
That Elfman or any other public member is in the dark is par for the course.
This writer has been Roman Catholic her entire life. I attended Catholic boarding school and unlike Elfman, spent several years in one of the Church’s religious orders.
In spite of all that, I had no idea that there were priests sexually abusing children until the stories began appearing in the media. Beyond that even as a parishioner of 53 years I cannot lay claim to knowledge about what goes on in the offices of my own diocese let alone in The Vatican.
There is a continual inability with members of COS to separate religious belief from societal abuse and crime. Jenna speaks about her beliefs while not touching on the very real, concerning allegations of people in her community committing serious offenses.
Scientologists who refuse to acknowledge the possibility of corruption or abuse within the ranks of their organization are being both intentionally naïve and ignorant. It also displays an egregious lack of understanding of a basic human truth; whenever two or more are gathered there is the propensity for wrongdoing.
Religion or secular, people are people and where there is the capability for good so too exists the capability for evil.
Scientology is a billion dollar tax free conglomerate. It is disingenuous to believe that where that much money is at stake there is no corruption.
Jenna Elfman’s one example in defense of Scientology concerns her marriage; “‘We’ve never cheated on each other, we’ve never broken up. We hang in there,’ she continued. ‘Raising children, maintaining my sanity in a crazy world. Our world is crazy, it’s getting crazier, and Hollywood is the ne plus ultra of crazy.’”
This is not a real endorsement for Scientology. In fact it’s rather laughable considering the Founder, L. Ron Hubbard was married three times and accused of domestic violence in two of them.
Thousands of marriages have stood the test of time without Scientological input. Fidelity and steadfast loyalty are testaments to the couple’s love and dedication to one another more than hypocritical advice from a man incapable of a relationship.
Elfman indicates Scientology is the reason she and her husband have never broken up while embracing the teachings of someone who threw his third wife under the bus, leaving her doing time in prison while he hid, protecting his own skin.
As for her claim that it helps her maintain her sanity, one might argue that after paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to finally discover Xenu one could pretty much face anything else.
Jenna defends Scientology, repeating the cult’s mantra that “anything that works tends to get attacked”.
With ever diminishing membership, thousands of square feet of empty real estate, multiple lawsuits and increasing defections one wonders at her definition of “works”.
In all this article reveals nothing new, nothing relevant. Jenna Elfman carefully repeats Scientology’s tired standbys while avoiding any actual substance. The reader has no idea what controversy is being addressed, or rather not being addressed, by Elfman and Byrne asks no probing questions.
At the end of this article, almost as an aside, Byrne mentions the Masterson case but it seems non sequitur nor does Elfman address it.
Just one member of Scientology coming forward to admit that they, like every other group religious or secular, have flaws, members who are prone to abuse and violence, and policies that are wrong would go a long way to mitigating the offensive arrogance.
The first step for any change is recognizing that there is a problem. Jenna Elfman’s glowing defense in the face of such obvious evil just makes her look complicit.
Brushing off the destruction of families, protection of child molesters and Fair Game Policies as “boring” or “nothing” is cruel to those who suffer under those circumstances.
It speaks clearly to the disconnection from reality that Scientology engenders in it’s members.
To Jenna Elfman, Elizabeth Moss, John Travolta and others the willingness to accept your blindness makes you part of the problem. That you hand over control of your reasoning does not excuse your dismissal of the pain and destruction your so-called religion leaves in its wake.
“‘The controversy is boring,’ she told the outlet. ‘It’s nothing to me...‘”
But shouldn’t it be?
Shouldn’t the health of a religion claiming to be THE most ethical be of utmost importance?
Ignorance may be bliss but it’s also a convenient cop-out.
Confront And Shatter 