I don't think anything is beyond Scientologists. You're most likely right, but if I was Katie it would be a very real concern of mine. JMO
I worry for Katie and Suri's safety.
SeaOrg is a very, very dangerous subgroup of the Scientology cult. It was established to protect LR Hubbard against lawsuits, both civil and criminal. It is the ultimate "off shore" organization, and tends to be away from shore for long, long periods of time. His paranoia, in the last decades of his life, was huge (and perhaps rightly so), and he developed the SeaOrg as a way to protect himself against his detractors.
It is a vile, evil part of the conglomerate that is Scientology. There are things which happen on the boats which is totally unconscionable, like enforced abortions, no education, and long days of hard work with little rest.
To hear that Suri may be "accepted" into the SeaOrg is a big, big issue. It goes far deeper than just who can say what to Suri, or how she practices a religion (or pseudo religion), and everything to do with not being able to parent her (either one). Basically, once in SeaOrg, she will not be seen for many years.
I speak from a different place than some of you. I worked for a Scientology couple as care taker for their three little girls. They always treated me with respect, and, once we went our seperate ways, they were always kind and helpful to me. We lost touch over the years, as these things go.
However, since one of the parents ended up being pretty famous and a mover and shaker in the Hollywood scene, I was able to sometimes see how this family, who I loved deeply, ended up.
Not a pretty sight. Lots of alienation of parents and children; lots of pressure to avoid SPs. Lots of not cool things.
I ran into the father at a Hollywood party while with my father about 8 years ago. I got some good time with him, and asked how the children were. He told me fine, and so on...and I was content with that. At one point, all the children were sent to a Scientology boarding school, and they had a hard time, but were apparently doing well now.
Recently, he left Scientology. It was a fairly public leaving, and he has been followed, ostracized, and battered a bit. But he did it for a huge reason, and that was the kids' alienation. I read a very long article about him, and found out that these precious children had been through what I'd call hell. And it took decades for him to understand, and, once understand, take action, and leave the "church".
I remember, being young and not longsighted, those days when the parents were politically active with the church; early mornings, late nights...protesting, activism, and strange practices (e.g. Cal-Mag cleansing, long exercise sessions, and other bizarre 'technology'). I had been raised (and still believe) that people have their own way of worship, and as long as it's not hurting anyone, then I was to respect it, and leave it be.
Problem is, Scientology hurts people; splits families against the family's will (read up on Suppressive persons, and PTS - potential trouble sources). Not only is there a huge financial issue, there is a wholehearted effort to seperate, and then "brainwash", the members.
This is a dangerous organization, but because they somehow got considered a religion, nothing really can be done.
LRH was a very disturbed individual, as is Miscavige. The organization has been very harmful to many people. And no, celebs kids don't always get treated as golden calves, especially when put on a boat off the coast of some other country, where no one can get to them and make sure they're all right.
Just my thoughts...
Best-
Herding Cats
So, I want to pose a few scenarios: "Breaking news! Katie Holmes, soon to be ex of star and Scientology spokesperson Tom Cruise, is missing! Reports that she had been followed and stalked by scientology henchmen have been rampant. She had asked for sole custody of the pairs' daughter and speculation that she was leaving the marriage due to scientology was high."
Now, what do you suppose would happen then? Massive FBI investigations, screaming relatives and friends of Katie Holmes, every ex-scientologist getting much more than their fifteen minutes, every channel doing mighty exposés on what everyone would now agree is a "cult".
How would that help TC's career? How would that help build the ranks of Scientology? It wouldn't. It would do the opposite which is why I believe it would never happen.
I'll admit that Scientologists are an angry, dangerous lot. But in the end, they are a massive business and the business is money. Publicity such as they would receive if Katie went missing or had an "accident", would be fatal to the group. They are too smart to risk that.
Second scenario: "Tom, I'm getting ready to have my car pick up Suri after
her custodial time with you, will you be at home?" "Don't bother. Suri wanted to join SeaOrg. She is currently on a boat. They don't have outside communication. It will be several months before they dock."
What do you think would happen then? Well, I'll tell you. First, the police would be called. They would be shown a copy of the custody orders. They would immediately go to TC's home and question him. Katie's lawyer would be called at once. The next day, they would be in court on an emergency motion. The court would immediately grant temporary sole physical custody to the mother and order the return of Suri. If that didn't happen, TC would lose his rights to custody of Suri, to make decisions in her life and to visit with her outside of an unsupervised setting. He would then be held in contempt of court and go to jail.
If that was not enough to unearth Suri and return her to her mother, the FBI would get involved. There would be search warrants served and executed all over the country. The coast guard would get involved. Interpol would get involved. Scientology headquarters across the nation would be searched and leaders extensively questioned. Phone records, e-mail records, etc., etc., would be investigated.
Then of course, would be the publicity. TC would lose his career in Hollywood in a heart beat. Again would be the massive exposés, every channel would do specials, the careers, lives and mental status of every celebrity member would be examined, and they would all lose credibility as part of the Hollywood elite. The BBC special would be aired over and over, Dateline, 20/20, 60 minutes, all of them would air investigative journalistic reports about Scientology. Cries for the cult to lose their tax exempt status would be raised all across the nation and based on this:
http://atheism.about.com/od/churchestaxexemptions/a/overview.htm
there would be good grounds to repeal their tax exemption of public outcry and national sentiment were strong enough to create a pressure the legislature could not ignore.
Membership would drop steeply. Those on the cusp - not totally immersed yet or besieged by doubtful family and friends, or having doubts themselves after years in the org., would drop out. New membership would dwindle to nothing.
Do you really think any of that benefits this business? It just ain't gonna' happen.
What could happen, though, is what I and some others have repeated. Insidious alienation of Suri. Let me make a prediction based on my expertise in family law. TC will get either joint custody of Suri in some configuration close to 50% or he will get extremely liberal visitation rights to her, including weeks at a time for vacations, etc. It will be a sealed settlement agreement or non-public court order, such that we will not be able to see or know about most of the terms.
If it is an issue or fear for Katie, there may be some, rational restrictions on religious activities Suri can take part in, like SeaOrg. But other than that, the court will be unlikely to preclude her involvement altogether in the church. She may even be allowed to participate in "auditing", depending on whether or not Katie does a good enough job of really proving what that entails and how "confidential confessions" are not confidential and are used against the members. But, I have little doubt that Suri will be able to be involved to a large degree in her father's religion.
I support what jjenny says. No court is going to issue orders restricting custody or even religious involvement based on what has happened to some other members or what some other members say has happened. That would be a tiny bit analogous to saying, "Your honor, I want custody and I want my ex to be prohibited from taking my child to Catholic mass because many kids have been molested by priests."
It just wouldn't fly.
You need to show proof that harm has actually occurred or is seriously imminent (e.g., "A neighbor let me know that my ex is moving all his belongings out of the home and our child's passport is missing. He has threatened to abduct our kid out of the country and into a cult compound overseas, for years. Please issue emergency orders so I can pick up our child right now.").
Courts otherwise do not get involved very often in religious decisions. They don't prohibit religious involvement much or mandate it. The few times I have seen that they do get involved, the religion the child has been raised in to date is the one that the child is allowed to follow and a new one may, in certain, limited circumstances, be prohibited.
:twocents:
