Germany Bans Tom Cruise

Apparently, Germany has declined to allow a film production company to operate in certain locations within their nation on the grounds that the company is producing a film involving Tom Cruise. The reason that Germany has banned Cruise is that he is a scientologist, and the Germans believe (correctly in my opinion) that scientology is a ruthless, money-grubbing cult that focuses on feeding hocus-pocus to celebrities who want to buy morality but who don't want a religion that entails personal responsibility for anything they do. From the BBC article:

"Germany has banned the makers of Tom Cruise's new movie from filming at military sites in the country because the actor is a Scientologist.

The German defence ministry said Cruise has "publicly professed to being a member of the Scientology cult"."

Whether the fact that scientology is clearly a silly cult justifies the banning of Tom Cruise is interesting to think about. Despite my discomfort with scientology, I really don't think that banning a person from filming in a certain nation based on their beliefs is a good idea. Banning a group of Muslims from filming a movie that was backed by a major American production company simply because they are Muslims would create a massive furor. The Germans should know this about banning beliefs better than anyone. After all, there's that old holocaust-related tale. You know how it goes:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me--
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

:::

On the other hand, the article states that Cruise has been banned from filming at "military sites" on the basis of his scientology, presumably leaving the rest of the nation open for him to film in. This I can understand. After all, scientology is a cult, and what rational commander would allow a cult member (and possibly a cult leader) to film their base? I'm not saying that scientology is plotting to overthrow German military bases, but I am saying that it's a rational security decision to block a known and prominent cultist from entering a military installation regardless of their intent.

What do you think?

"The best way to make a million dollars is to found a religion." ~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology