Angry All Over Again

Well....I wrote that post about my depression and anxiety and, most of all, my agoraphobia, and mentioned the disservice people like Tom Cruise do on the mental health community when they speak about things they don't understand. Becca didn't know what he had said, and since I cited him as a specific example, I went back to make sure I had my facts straight. YouTube strikes again, and I found this: Tom Cruise on Psychiatry. (You may want to watch that now, as I'm going to make a lot of references to it in a minute, I think.) As I sat here watching the interview, I was sick to my stomach. 'Thanks a lot, Tom," I said. "Way to promote understanding." I even thumped him on my computer screen. I got pretty upset, and once I calmed down some, I decided that I would take a road I had before not even considered. I went to the official Scientology website, since he cited Scientology as a part of his beliefs, to find out what they actually say about such things. Here's what I found there: "In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results."

Now, I'm all for people searching and trying to find meaning for their lives. I understand that sometimes people have to go through a period of seeking answers before they settle on a belief system. However, when a core value of the belief system he or she settles on is that "that which is true is what you have observed to be true," it seems to me that one such person would be more understanding of what someone else is going through. Such a person, who believes that his truth is what he observes, should not speak out on something he has not personally observed, but has only read about. Such a person should not say that having observed a child on Ritalin does not make him an expert, because such a person would take what he has observed to be true. Scientology seems to be a very open-minded religion, but even for a follower of such a belief system, Tom seems very misguided. I'm not attacking Scientology.....though I could, because it seems really messed up.....but I'm attacking the thoughts that Tom expressed, and his method and reason for doing so. He contradicts himself, and as one who has benefited from something he says does not exist I resent that. *deep breaths* I don't know. I don't usually express very strong opinions about things, except for things that I have personally experienced, and I think that might be an approach Mr. Cruise might want to try. That's all.