That blockhead, Tom Cruise, has been peddling his loony cult, Scientology, for years now. This interview in Spiegel Online is enlightening both for showing what an earnest kook Cruise is, and for the amazing spectacle of a critical press. When was the last time you saw a reporter with the guts to disagree with a big star?

The reporter is asking about a Scientology tent Cruise had set up while filming his latest movie.

SPIEGEL: The tent of a sect at someone's working place still seems somewhat strange to us. Mr. Spielberg, did that tent strike you as unusual?

Spielberg: I saw it as an information tent. No one was compelled to frequent it, but it was available for anybody who had an open mind and was curious about someone else's belief system.

Cruise:The volunteer Scientology ministers were there to help the sick and injured. People on the set appreciated that. I have absolutely nothing against talking about my beliefs. But I do so much more. We live in a world where people are on drugs forever. Where even children get drugged. Where crimes against humanity are so extreme that most people turn away in horror and dismay. Those are the things that I care about. I don't care what someone believes. I don't care what nationality they are. But if someone wants to get off drugs, I can help them. If someone wants to learn how to read, I can help them. If someone doesn't want to be a criminal anymore, I can give them tools that can better their life. You have no idea how many people want to know what Scientology is.

Scientology ministers on site to help the sick and injured? That's just quackery.

Here's the best part of the interview, I think:

SPIEGEL: Do you see it as your job to recruit new followers for Scientology?

Cruise: I'm a helper. For instance, I myself have helped hundreds of people get off drugs. In Scientology, we have the only successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. It's called Narconon.

SPIEGEL: That's not correct. Yours is never mentioned among the recognized detox programs. Independent experts warn against it because it is rooted in pseudo science.

Cruise: You don't understand what I am saying. It's a statistically proven fact that there is only one successful drug rehabilitation program in the world. Period.

SPIEGEL: With all due respect, we doubt that. Mr. Cruise, you made studio executives, for example from Paramount, tour Scientology's "Celebrity Center" in Hollywood. Are you trying to extend Scientology's influence in Hollywood?

Cruise: I just want to help people. I want everyone to do well.

Whoa. A skeptic in the press…I'm impressed. How refreshing!

Here is a brief rundown on Narconon. It's a scam.

This is a more detailed testimonial.

The main reason Narconon goes to such lengths to get graduates to work for their program, however, is because that is the tool Narconon uses to funnel money and people in to the Church of Scientology. Staff members who wish to earn more than $50/week must take "training courses" at the local Church of Scientology facilities. Rather than receiving training in drug and alcohol rehabilitation, substance abuse treatment or other such fields, Narconon staff members take regular Church of Scientology courses for which Narconon pays thousands of dollars to the Church of Scientology. Staff members must buy textbooks and pay for Church of Scientology auditing courses, as well as the "e-meters" that are used in these auditing sessions. I refused to take these Church of Scientology courses and requested permission to take courses at a local community college instead. I received open and outright contempt and pressure for choosing to take non-Scientology courses because I did not play in to their financial schemes of raising money for Scientology. The financial records I had access to as a staff member made obvious and evident the fact that of the $22,000 clients pay for so-called "treatment" at Narconon, more than half of that money goes to the Church of Scientology either directly, or through the Scientology-run Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE), which owns the trademark to Narconon. Notice that ABLE's official address is 6331 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. The Church of Scientology headquarters' address is also 6331 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. Narconon clients pay money for their "treatment", and these moneys are used to send staff members to the Church of Scientology for "training". The Church of Scientology wins on two fronts: hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in course fees as well as new recruits in the form of Narconon graduates turned staff members turned new Scientology church members.

Everything I've read about Cruise leaves me feeling that he's just not a very smart guy. This is more confirmation.

(via TalkLeft)