Germany imposes ban on Tom Cruise
![[Cruise's] personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie's plot, themes or content. Paula Wagner, Tom Cruise's co-producer](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42425000/jpg/_42425104_wagner_203getty.jpg)
2. Comment #52078 by bitbutter on June 26, 2007 at 5:28 am
3. Comment #52079 by BillySands on June 26, 2007 at 5:34 am
4. Comment #52083 by Crazymalc on June 26, 2007 at 5:50 am
5. Comment #52086 by alfonso on June 26, 2007 at 5:57 am
"We believe the film will go a long way toward reminding the world that even within the ranks of the German military, there was real resistance to the Nazi regime," she added.
6. Comment #52088 by mattpenfold on June 26, 2007 at 6:00 am
It would have been better if the authorities has just recommended no one see the film because Cruise is a crap actor.7. Comment #52089 by Logicel on June 26, 2007 at 6:02 am
8. Comment #52092 by toomanytribbles on June 26, 2007 at 6:08 am
9. Comment #52093 by Dr Benway on June 26, 2007 at 6:10 am
"He should keep his hands off my father," Mr von Stauffenberg said.My guess is this is the reason for the fuss.
10. Comment #52095 by Robert Maynard on June 26, 2007 at 6:20 am
11. Comment #52096 by BMMcArdle on June 26, 2007 at 6:30 am
In a way, I am glad scientology is around. Whatever indictments are made about scientology can easily be applied to any other religion. That's why you don't see them throwing rocks at it, living in glass houses themselves.12. Comment #52098 by Robert Maynard on June 26, 2007 at 6:35 am
13. Comment #52107 by bitbutter on June 26, 2007 at 7:27 am
On that note, bitbutter, Tom Cruise is the most aggressively scientologist celebrity around. He has essentially been dubbed Scientology's 'head prophet' by senior leaders in the organisation. He'll denounce psychiatry whenever someone is willing to let him drift off topic, and claim that things like drug addiction are solely caused by body thetans, which can be teased out through 'expert' auditing. The man is a menacing clown, which (I think we can all agree) is the worst kind. :PI stand corrected.
Defense Ministry spokesman Harald Kammerbauer said the film makers "will not be allowed to film at German military sites if Count Stauffenberg is played by Tom Cruise, who has publicly professed to being a member of the Scientology cult".
"In general, the Bundeswehr (German military) has a special interest in the serious and authentic portrayal of the events of July 20, 1944 and Stauffenberg's person," Kammerbauer said.
14. Comment #52114 by Skeptic Jim on June 26, 2007 at 7:41 am
Doesn't Germany have a church tax? So they're actively complicit in helping the roman catholic cult make money.15. Comment #52115 by CJ22 on June 26, 2007 at 7:42 am
16. Comment #52117 by Feuerbach on June 26, 2007 at 7:43 am
Don't you people know that Tom Cruise has studied everything there is to know about psychology?17. Comment #52133 by an_ant_under_a_penny on June 26, 2007 at 9:00 am
Perhaps i'm being naive here but--questions about Cruise's skill as an actor aside--i'm confused about why his being a scientologist would have any bearing on whether or not he will give a 'serious and authentic' portrayal of Count Stauffenberg.I've googled around for a bit and I think I've found the answer:
18. Comment #52134 by BMMcArdle on June 26, 2007 at 9:01 am
Robert Maynard, did you miss the point I was making about other religions joining a critique of scientology? I said nothing about national governments.19. Comment #52135 by reason-first on June 26, 2007 at 9:02 am
Also, Germany has had 60 years to make a movie about the von Stauffenberg story. I wonder if they're feeling a little sheepish about having to wait for Hollywood to step in.
20. Comment #52144 by bitbutter on June 26, 2007 at 10:17 am
Their argument is that scientology uses the same inhumane methods to keep its members under control that the Nazis employed, and that bits of the scientologists' warped ideology follow in the tradition of Nazism.
21. Comment #52149 by Squirrel on June 26, 2007 at 10:55 am
Doesn't Germany have a church tax? So they're actively complicit in helping the roman catholic cult make money.
22. Comment #52151 by konquererz on June 26, 2007 at 11:02 am
23. Comment #52153 by MIND_REBEL on June 26, 2007 at 11:11 am
24. Comment #52158 by The author on June 26, 2007 at 11:32 am
25. Comment #52219 by Pallinn on June 26, 2007 at 1:52 pm
26. Comment #52264 by 82abhilash on June 26, 2007 at 3:34 pm
Can you really blame the Germans for being too careful? They already have experienced a cult that destroyed their country and killed millions of their people. Scientology is not a religion, in the sense there is no form of worship, but like all other religions, they supress free thought and discourage critical thinking, plus they file law suits like crazy.27. Comment #52271 by Shuggy on June 26, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Don't you people know that Tom Cruise has studied everything there is to know about psychology?
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28. Comment #52292 by nancy2001 on June 26, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Germany has banned Tom Cruise -- I think that's great.29. Comment #52510 by chapstick08 on June 27, 2007 at 6:44 am
Another brilliant episode in Germany's half-measured protection of civil rights. Now we can add state-sponsored religious persecution to the their gross infringement of the people's rights to speak their own mind. Pitiful!30. Comment #52546 by Fanusi Khiyal on June 27, 2007 at 8:44 am
Personally, I'd prefer them to ban the practice of Islam (or at least police it - giving the bum rush to anyone in favour of jihad or Shariah).31. Comment #52917 by brue68 on June 28, 2007 at 1:50 pm
Feuerbach:
Don't you people know that Tom Cruise has studied everything there is to know about psychology?
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I can't make up my mind which to flag it as.
32. Comment #53122 by Eric Blair on June 29, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Voltaire (reputedly) said it best. This is about freedom of speech and religion, despite our scorn of Scientology. Let's be careful what we wish for, in Germany or anywhere else.
1. Comment #52077 by stephenray on June 26, 2007 at 5:23 am
Unless and until Cruise starts proselytising, the German authorities should leave him alone. Goodness knows scientology is complete and utter rubbish, but then, Catholics aren't prevented from filming in Germany and they believe in six impossible things before breakfast.Other Comments by stephenray