Tuesday, July 24, 2007

German Church: Not A Big Tom Cruise Fan

With Scientology’s controversial beliefs and practices, it’s no wonder that traditional, reformed theological parties have a problem with it’s followers. For Tom Cruise, his position in the Church of Scientology has led to some pretty harsh criticism from one German church.

The German Protestant Church has called cruise the “Goebbels of Scientology”. The tag makes reference to Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels, and claims that Cruise will be just as destructive as the Third Reich leader.

The reason for all the drama centers on Cruise’s portrayal of a German World War II hero, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. The Germans don’t like having such a controversial actor play the part of the legendary Colonel, who led an unsuccessful plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

The film, which has been going under the titles of “Valkyrie” and “Rubicon,” is causing all kinds of protest from the Germans - and it hasn’t even been released yet. “This film will have the same propaganda advantages for Scientology as the 1936 Olympics had for the Nazis,” said Thomas Gandow, the German Protestant Church’s chief spokesman.