There seems to be new hope for people who suffer mental illness thanks to work carried out by Edinburgh University. Along with American counterparts they claim to have found a gene which may be linked to psychiatric illnesses which may allow new treatments for bipolar disorder and depression.
To me, that’s something well worth investigating. Any attempt to help treat illnesses which are often swept under the carpet or talked about in hushed tones is a good thing.
Well, up to a point. There are some people – let’s call them the Church of Scientology – who think that psychiatry is the root of all mankind’s problems and that psychiatric medicines are a control tool. So they have their own “alternative therapies”. Expensive therapies. Therapies which pull families apart.
If you aren’t sure what Scientology is, and think it’s just a bit of Tom Cruise jumping up and down on Oprah’s couch, in a nut shell, 1950s sci-fi writer L Ron Hubbard decided that to become rich he would invent a “religion” based on evil aliens led by a warlord called Xenu taking over human beings. He also reckoned that psychiatrists were the crazy ones, and he would charge people to get rid of the pesky alien invaders in their heads through his “religion”, and ultimately save the universe.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love a bit of sci-fi. I’m a huge Star Wars freak. But as much as I think George Lucas could write a cracking story, I didn’t put down “Jedi” as my religion when the last census came round.
Most Scientologists don’t really like talking about the whole “aliens taking over people” thing. It can get a few funny looks down the pub. But mostly it’s because they haven’t paid the hundreds of thousands of pounds required to have these “secrets” revealed to them. By the way, just Google “Xenu” if you’re interested and save a packet.
Tom Cruise knows all about it, and so does John Travolta, but then, they have made a few bob in the movies and can afford this nonsense. And that’s what it is – total nonsense.
Scientology has tried to get a veneer of respectability in recent years. They even had the Metropolitan Police Commissioner speak at the opening of their London HQ a couple of years ago. But more importantly they want to be recognised as a religion, and get the charitable status and tax breaks that go with it.
Every week, loads of people put money in the plate at church, or financially support their synagogue or mosque. But that pays for the roof repairs or the pensioners annual dinner. What does Scientology want to do with the cash?
If Scientologists really thought they could solve all the world’s problems and could be, as Tom Cruise claims, a force for good in the world, why don’t they just do it for free? That seems the charitable thing to do.
It’s getting trickier for Scientologists to fool people any more. In Europe, where Scientology is seen as nothing more than a dangerous cult they’re facing a number of court cases that are going to spill what I can only imagine will be a can of extraterrestrial worms.
In the end Scientology is one of those things where you need to look inside yourself to find out if you really want to take the crackpot beliefs seriously. Go on try it. I doubt you’ll find any of Hubbard’s little green men inside yourself.
David Coyle is a finalist in stv.tv's The Write Factor competition. The views expressed are not necessarily those of STV plc. If you would like to read more from this writer, use our comment system below.
Last updated: 26 November 2009, 20:29
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