LOS ANGELES Apr 12, 2006 (AP) Tom Cruise has been practically shouting from the rooftops about his love for his pregnant fiancee, Katie Holmes. But when their much-anticipated baby is born, the superstar dad probably won't say a word.
Cruise, a longtime Scientologist who introduced Holmes to the faith, is likely to follow Scientology's practice of quiet birth. Followers believe the absence of talk and other noise in the delivery room is more healthful for mother and baby.
No one's saying publicly where baby Cruise will enter the world, but if it is at the actor's Beverly Hills home then noise control might prove a challenge. Buzzing paparazzi are already camped aside the property.
With the little one expected soon, tabloids and gossip Web sites have been rife with chatter about silent birth, spawning much speculation about what it is and isn't.
Some are sure it means the mother can't make a peep during childbirth forget the popular image of a chaotic hospital-room scene with a laboring woman spewing invectives. Others have claimed silence must be maintained for a full week after the baby is born and that Scientology opposes medical exams for newborns.
According to the tenets of Scientology, known as Dianetics, words - even loving ones - spoken during birth and other painful times are recorded by the "reactive mind," or subconscious. Those memories, adherents feel, can eventually trigger problems for mother and child.
What the doctrine doesn't say is that labouring moms can't make some noise during delivery.
"We're not going for absolute silence," said self-professed "Scientology mom" Michelle Seward. "If a sound is made, that's OK."
After years studying the faith, established in 1950 by fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, Seward went the silent route for the birth of her son, Sage, five years ago.>> moreName: Michael Delaware, 39.
Residence: Battle Creek resident for about five years
Family: Wife, Margarita; two children.Profession: Full-time minister in the Church of Scientology. "And my wife is the executive director of the church. That is a full-time job, too. In my youth I was an agnostic. My parents were Catholic, and I went to church with them, but I never considered myself a Catholic."
Q: How long have you been a part of the Church of Scientology? "Since the late '80s. I read some books and took a look for myself. I pursued it further and joined within a few months."
Q: In what ways do you prefer to express your faith? "We try to live by it every day. We're not a once-on-Sunday religion. We work on communication with our spouses and friends and family. We apply principles of how to have good relationships with people that we meet. There's a great deal of study that I do every day; Scientology teaches us how to study properly. I took courses through the church, and then I finally took the ministerial training within the church. This took place over several months."
Q: Have you been inspired by any particular books, movies, music or works of art? "The first book I ever read on the subject of Scientology was a book called 'Dianetics' by L. Ron Hubbard. As for the arts, any appreciation for the arts is encouraged in the church. The principles of Scientology are applied to daily life, so you take it and learn about aesthetics so that what you really want to communicate is understood at the other end. It's therefore not surprising that artists find that very useful. There are a lot of talented artists, actors, producers, directors, painters, illustrators and musicians of all kinds who are in the church. We also have a lot of professional businessmen, doctors, people from all walks of life."
Q: What are the origins of Scientology? "We have truths which come from all religions. We bring together the three things that Christ intended for man: wisdom, good health and immortality, but really we are in a whole new classification of our own. It's a new religion of the 20th century and the 21st century."
Q: If people are interested in learning about Scientology, what should they do? "If anybody is interested, they should come by our church and talk with us. We have free films and we're friendly people. There are small missions in Holly and Grand Rapids, but Battle Creek is really a headquarters. Altogether we have about 10,000 members."
I found this article on the Malaysian Star today:
Movies > Movie Buzz Hollywood couple John Travolta and Kelly Preston have spoken out in support of fellow Scientologist Tom Cruise and his fiancée, Katie Holmes’, controversial silent birth in the coming days, IMDb.com reports.The heavily pregnant Holmes will be adhering to a Scientology rule and give birth without screaming obscenities or making loud noises.
Travolta insists that the birthing procedure, which has been mocked in the press over the past few months, isn’t like what people think it is.
He said: “There are unwanted emotions and pain that goes along with any birth.”
Meanwhile, Preston insists the Scientology-friendly labour doesn't forbid the mum-to-be from yelling out in pain: “Screaming is fine... It's the words. If you can avoid saying certain phrases and words... Just try to keep it as quiet as possible. Of course you're going to groan and yell. It hurts. Just keep it to a minimum.”
It's so odd that there is so much manufactured controversy on this subject.
The Church of Scientology International put out a media advisory on the subject last week. which I'm reprinting below:
Los Angeles — Church of Scientology International responds to inquiries concerning the application of Dianetics and Scientology principles to child birth.
What is a quiet or silent birth?
Having a quiet, gentle birth is all about providing the best possible environment for the birthing mother and her new baby.
It is labor and delivery done in a calm and loving environment and with no-spoken words by everyone attending as much as possible. Chatty doctors and nurses, shouts to “PUSH, PUSH” and loud or laughing remarks to “encourage” are the types of things that are meant to be avoided.
As L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of Dianetics and Scientology, wrote, “Everyone must learn to say nothing within the expectant mother’s hearing during labor and delivery.” And, “A woman who wants her child to have the best possible chance will find a doctor who will agree to keep quiet especially during the delivery, and who will insist upon silence being maintained in the hospital delivery room as far as it is humanly possible.”
Does this mean that a mother cannot scream or moan at all?
Of course they can make noises — the point of silent birth is NO WORDS. This is a principle of Dianetics and to fully understand why, read the book Dianetics the Modern Science of Mental Health, by L. Ron Hubbard. It is words that are the culprit. Outside of not speaking, the objective is generally to have as peaceful and relaxing an environment as possible for the mother and child. It is doubtful that any woman could give birth without making any noise at all.
Mothers naturally want to give their baby the best possible start in life and thus keep the birth as quiet as possible.
Does the application of these principles preclude a mother from using medicines?
The Church has no policy against the use of medicines to help a person with a physical situation. This, too, is up to the mother and her doctor.
For more information:
If you have any questions, or would like to speak with a representative of the Church of Scientology International about the above, please contact Pascal Cottier. Phone: (323) 960-3500 — e-mail: mediarelationsdir@scientology.net
HeraldToday.com has a great article today about one of my favorite musicians.
I had the opportunity to attend the most marvelous concert I've ever been to, at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre about three years ago, where I heard Chick and his band and his singer-wife Gayle Moran, jam for several sets of the most compelling jazz I've ever heard.
Here's what the HeraldToday had to say about him:
He's one of the greatest jazz pianists alive. Chick Corea has excelled in the studio and on stage — as a performer, composer and band leader — for the past 40 years.
The pianist attributes his good fortune to Scientology, the religion founded by science fiction/fantasy novelist L. Ron Hubbard. In fact, Corea's past two albums have been inspired by Hubbard novels of the same titles. "Browsing through my collection I was drawn to the title 'The Ultimate Adventure,'" reads the album's liner notes. "Remembering that this unique fantasy story had a backdrop of scenes and characters from the ancient tales, 'Arabian Nights,' it immediately had me conjuring emotions, sounds, rhythms and music."
Corea relocated to Clearwater about seven years ago to be closer to Scientology's headquarters and the courses he takes at their facilities. One of the pianist's "treasured" possessions is a collection of correspondence he shared with Hubbard from 1971 to 1984. The two men became mutual fans. "
(Hubbard) was an amazing man and we became friends in that way," Corea said. "He listened to a lot of my records — he really liked 'Return to Forever.’ ” .... Scientology is the greatest thing that's hit the planet in a long time."
Two weeks ago at the annual celebration of L. Ron Hubbard's birthday in Clearwater, Florida, and even emcee’s by Mr. David Miscavige and later shown to the members of every Scientology church and mission in the world, the Churches of Scientology of San Francisco were acknowledged for accomplishing a very important level of expansion.
It is referred to as their having reached the size of old Saint Hill. Saint Hill was the church that was established when L. Ron Hubbard lived in
Two weeks ago it was announced that the Churches of Scientology of San Francisco (two churches - one that is open during the week days and one that is open in the same location during week nights and over the weekend), had achieved the same level of expansion as Saint Hill in its heyday.
Mr. David Miscavige came to San Francisco a couple of years ago to dedicate the new building these churches had just moved into - a beautiful landmark in downtime San Francisco, impeccably restored and set up to service this great city.
Here is an excerpt from the speech David Miscavige gave at this grand opening event:
Thank you very much and it is truly my great pleasure to join you in opening this new
Yet, while that alone may be cause for celebration, the importance of this new church, your new church, extends far beyond this structure, or this city.
In that regard, today marks a milestone step in our planetary Crusade to urgently bring on our help on a global scale, with the importance of today's occasion extending across the Scientology world.
For while the official ribbon cutting will mark the completion of one cycle-of-action, it actually is the start of another you can mark down as a pivotal point in history. And no, none of it is by chance, none of it isolated. Rather, and whether you were aware of it or not, there are specific reasons for: "Why
As for timing, it has everything to do with crucial strategic programs launched as part of our "wake-up call".
As for
For if this church marks the beginning of a new era it is only appropriate since it is also where the entire journey began. Or, put another way, when LRH delivered his famed lecture "The Story of Dianetics and Scientology" the events in this city are that story.
