Skip to main content.
Related sites:
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
Web religionnewsblog.com
Home | Site Menu | About RNB | RNB Store | Cult FAQ | Cult Experts | Apologetics Index | Cult Information Search Engine
Scientology:

Cruise blasted for psychiatry attack

Reuters, via The Australian
June 28, 2005
www.theaustralian.news.com.au
  • Article Tools  • Share This Story

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 11514 • Posted: Tuesday June 28, 2005  

Click here... More articles on this topic: Scientology

The American Psychiatric Association today sharply criticised actor Tom Cruise for televised remarks in which he called psychiatry a “pseudo science” and disputed the value of antidepressant drugs.

“It is irresponsible for Mr Cruise to use his movie publicity tour to promote his own ideological views and deter people with mental illness from getting the care they need,” APA President Dr Steven Sharfstein said.

Consumer Alert: Scientology

“Scientology is evil; its techniques are evil; its practice is a serious threat to the community, medically, morally, and socially; and its adherents are sadly deluded and often mentally ill… (Scientology is) the world’s largest organization of unqualified persons engaged in the practice of dangerous techniques which masquerade as mental therapy.”
- Justice Anderson, Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia, quoted at What judges have to say about Scientology

During interviews promoting his latest film, War of the Worlds, Cruise has discussed his deep scepticism of psychiatry while explaining his belief in the teachings of the Church of Scientology, founded by science-fiction writer L Ron Hubbard.

In one such interview last week on NBC’s Today show, Cruise was asked about his recent criticism of actress Brooke Shields for revealing that she had taken the antidepressant Paxil to cope with postpartum depression.

“Before I was a Scientologist, I never agreed with psychiatry,” Cruise said. “And when I started studying the history of psychiatry, I understood more and more why I didn’t believe in psychology. … And I know that psychiatry is a pseudo science.”

Disputing the effectiveness of antidepressants generally, Cruise said: “All it does is mask the problem. There is no such thing as a chemical imbalance.”

Cruise also singled out drugs, such as Ritalin, that are used to treat children for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, calling Ritalin “a street drug”.

As Today host Matt Lauer pressed the 42-year-old actor on his views, Cruise said: “Here’s the problem. You don’t know the history of psychiatry. I do.”

The rebuke from the APA, which represents nearly 36,000 physicians specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, challenged Cruise’s assertion that psychiatry lacked scientific merit.

“Rigorous, published, peer-reviewed research clearly demonstrates that treatment (of mental illness) works,” the APA said.

“It is unfortunate that in the face of this remarkable scientific and clinical progress that a small number of individuals and groups persist in questioning its legitimacy.”



Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe: Religion News Blog RSS feed  |  Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe by topic: Scientology
more cult news articlemore religion news More articles about Scientology

Like this story?

Today's Most Popular Articles

Doctor Says...

Share this

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:




Article and Site Tools

» PermaLink to: Cruise blasted for psychiatry attack
   Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final /
» More news articles + news archive on Scientology
» More religion and cult news

Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?]
» RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed
» RSS News Feed - Single Topic: Scientology
» Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines

More Article Tools
• Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us
• Bookmark / Tag: Furl
Save this article
Email this article
Print this article [Temporarily out of order]

More Information
Books about Scientology
Relevant books (and other goodies)

more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.