Scientologists shut down Tom Cruise spoof site
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Tom Cruise, Politics
The proprietors of ScienTOMogy - a website in which the fake voice of Tom Cruise claims that changing the name of the religion to ScienTOMogy will clear up Scientology's public relations problems ("It's kind of like the word gummy bears. Bears by themselves are scary, but if you just ad the word gummy to it, it now becomes a fun enjoyable treat.") – have been hit with a cease and desist by the Church of Scientology. Though ScienTOMogy comes with its own disclaimer ("Obviously this website has ABSOLUTELY NO connection whatsoever with the Church of Scientology, its affiliated organizations or, needless-to-say, Tom Cruise"), the Church's complaint in part states: "The fact that you have changed one letter (“m” instead of “l”) does not protect you from trademark infringement.” It's funny that all the Churchies can find to get upset about is the name – the image above notwithstanding, ScienTOMogy also advocates that kids to join Scientology without informing their parents ("Don't ask your parents before joining scientomogy. Your parents are glib. I'm Tom Cruise. I was in Top Gun"). That's just wrong.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-18-2005 @ 5:57PM
Margaret said...
I wish we could shut down Scientology AND Tom Cruise as easily as the web site was probably shut down. I keep feeling so sorry for Katie when she wakes up some day and finds herself in one hellish situation. I feel as sorry for her family, too. It must be heartbreaking to see what's happening to their daughter.
Tom has even chosen the designer of the wedding dress and is making major decisions about what it will be like. Is this man the biggest control freak with the biggest ego, or what? I used to like Tom and his movies, but I don't think I'd walk across the street to watch one for free now. He's good looking on the outside, but I think that's about all he has going for him right now -- and in my book that's not nearly enough to make him desirable in my book.
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10-18-2005 @ 7:08PM
Finished.Law.School said...
Katie will never know the truth of her situation as the public sees it. She has been completely brain washed and might as well be deaf, blind and illiterate.
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10-18-2005 @ 9:29PM
Marta said...
You means: poor Tom, HE has been brainwashed.
Katie is well aware of the situation as her family. they abuse Cruise like the church of scientology.
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10-18-2005 @ 10:31PM
me said...
I think you've all been brainwashed into hating Tom Cruise by repeated mockery and lies by the media. Learn to think for yourself, if that's possible.
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10-19-2005 @ 2:12AM
Martin Tibbitts said...
It is my understanding that parodies are protected by law.
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10-21-2005 @ 2:15AM
Glen Stollery said...
This news item is completely ficticious and it's contents totally false.
1. You are confusing http://www.scientomogy.com (which has the spoof article above) with http://www.scientomogy.info which is the site Sientologists are unhappy with... however
2. Scientologists have NOT shut it down!
PLEASE CHANGE TO ARTICLE TO THE FOLLOWING;
The Church of Scientology has threatened legal action in order to take over ownership of the domain name of a web site which links to the odd behaviour of one of the world's most famous scientologists, Tom Cruise.
www.ScienTOMogy.info has apparently received faxes and over a dozen emails in under a week from Scientology representatives and lawyer Ava Paquette of Moxon & Kobrin threatening a lawsuit of up to US$100,000 if the domain name ownership is not transferred. This type of letter is often called a cease and desist letter.
The owners of scienTOMogy.info who are based in New Zealand have posted the complaints and their replies, saying that the site simply expresses opinion, does not make any claims, and clearly states that it has no connection to the Church of Scientology. "The site was put up as a single source to view all the recent hype Tom has made about the church - it does nothing but show Tom, so we are at a loss as to why the church is acting so rashly."
The Church of Scientology is notorious for pursing legal action against its critics, under the name of the "Religious Technology Center" (RTC). It previously made headlines when it used the US's Digital Millennium Copyright Act to remove xenu.net, a site critical of Scientology, from Google's listings.
Full details can be seen at http://www.scientomogy.info/threats.htm
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