Why Catholics should not support Top Gun: Maverick

Tom Cruise’s latest big screen hit, a throw back to his 1980s hit Top Gun, certainly has fans and critics raving about the movie. The film, which hit theaters on May 27, scored over $100 million in the opening days and continues to drive in the cash. However, should Catholics be supporting Tom Cruise and his latest hit? No Catholic should support this film because no Catholic should support Tom Cruise.

Top Gun: Maverick has become an international success and continues to bring about additional fame and success to its star, Cruise. It’s not his on-screen performance which should cause fans and movie buffs to be concerned. It’s his off-screen actions which should cause Catholics to push back against the movie success of Cruise in an effort to prevent additional funds from being funneled into organizations that actively participate in child abuse and cover it up.

Catholics, of all people, should take a stand against child abuse given the Church’s history of abuse scandals itself. The same people who are angry at the Church’s clergy for abusing children are the same ones who are readily opening their wallet to Cruise and his new movie. On the other hand, let’s not forget Cruise is an active member of the Church of Scientology which, according to former members, is abusive in ways the Catholic Church could never imagine. Before we dive into some of the abuses alleged by former members of the cult, let’s take a brief glance at the core beliefs of Scientology since Cruise has seemed to be the poster boy for the religious movement in recent years. He has even rose to the third highest rank of the organization, directly behind it’s founder the late L. Ron Hubbard and David Miscavige, who is chairman of the board.

Those who follow Scientology believe that a human is an immortal being that is residing in a physical body here on earth and that being has experienced countless previous lives. Scientology, with more of a focus on making money than serving God, touts that the more money one can give during what is called an “audit” then the better off one is in their advancement. Scientology promotes the existence of a ruler who oversaw a confederation of planets 70 million years ago that was responsible for bringing aliens to Earth and then using weapons to kill the aliens.

In addition to these ridiculous beliefs, followers of Scientology are known to break the law and abuse individuals. In the 1970s, Hubbard’s followers of Scientology participated in a criminal infiltration of the government which would make January 6th look like a day on the playground. Several of the executives of the organization were convicted and sent to prison, including Scientology’s founder Hubbard. It has been condemned by government bodies, legal scholars, court judgments and parliamentary bodies as a dangerous cult.

The money Cruise makes off this latest hit, which has certainly turned him from a sofa jumping boy on Oprah back to a big screen star, will undoubtedly be used to continue funding this dangerous and diabolical cult. It is unclear just how much money Cruise has poured into Scientology but, according to ex-Scientologist Leah Remini, it could easily cost an individual up to $500,000 to reach the top tiers of Scientology. Seeing as Cruise certainly has the money to spend and has risen to third highest in the organization, it is easily understandable that he would certainly spend even more than that to reach his status.

Scientology has a subset referred to as Sea Org which, according to former members, is the core of where most abuse happens. Former members have spoken out against Sea Org and Scientology following their exit from the organization and accuse Scientology leaders of sexual abuse lasting years, including segregation from families, physical abuse, forced abortions, and emotional and mental abuse. One former member even said he was 16-years old and sent to Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) for forced labor and rehabilitation. Another former member said she was assaulted approximately 100 times, according to Top Class Actions.

Remini took to Twitter following the success of Cruise’s latest film and warned viewers against supporting Cruise. Her tweet, in part, read, “Tom Cruise knows exactly what goes on in Scientology. Don’t let the movie star charm fool you.” Remini made the post as she shared a social media from another ex-Scientologist, Claire Headley, who said, in part, “Personally, recent posts about this new movie only serve to remind me of Tom Cruise and his crimes against humanity. Extreme, you may think? Destroying families is a crime against humanity. My opinion….Tom Cruise promotes a dangerous cult that destroyed my family too, the same cult that almost cost me my marriage and my life. The same cult that forced me to have two abortions, and which I fled from in 2005 with the clothes on my back and $200 in my pocket, in which they tracked me down, across state lines, to attempt to prevent my escape. Thank God they failed…..Tom Cruise knows exactly who he is supporting and the abuses that organization perpetrates. I worked with him while I was there.”

The actions and abuses committed by the Church of Scientology against the dignity and value of individuals is only furthered and enabled by members like Cruise. If you are angry over allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church (as we all should be) then you cannot and should not support Cruise, who perpetrates even worse crimes and abuses under the banner of Scientology.