Scientology and Autism – Mutually Exclusive (WTF??)

At this point, no one really needs to sit down and detail how bogus Scientology is. The now-infamous South Park episode did a pretty admirable job of that amidst skewering some of its highest-profile celebrity participants. But something I read today really turned my stomach. It’s one thing to choose to be an idiot and partake in this “religion,” but it’s an entirely different matter when that choice starts negatively impacting others who do not have the ability to make that choice on their own.

What Would Tyler Durden Do? – a site not necessarily known for its journalistic poignancy – actually has a pretty succinct summary of the latest development(s) in a story involving the Travoltas (that’s John and Kelly) and their autistic son, Jett.

In a nutshell: Scientology refuses to acknowledge that autism is a real affliction, thus the Travoltas have used their extensive medical and scientific analytical ignorance prowess to determine that Jett in fact has a case of Kawasaki disease…

To elaborate, using a few quotations from the WebMD links provided above, the Travoltas insist that their child, who has a neurological disorder characterized as such…

Children with autism have trouble communicating. They have trouble understanding what other people think and feel. This makes it very hard for them to express themselves either with words or through gestures, facial expressions and touch.

An autistic child who is very sensitive may be greatly troubled — sometimes even pained — by sounds, touches, smells or sights that seem normal to others.

Autistic children may have repeated body movements such as rocking or hand flapping. They may have unusual responses to people, attachments to objects, resistance to change in their routines and/or aggressive or self-injurious behavior. At times they may seem not to notice people, objects or activities in their surroundings. Some children with autism also develop seizures, in some cases not until adolescence.

…actually has a disease with the below symptoms:

• Red, bloodshot eyes, usually without pus or discharge.
• A red body rash that varies in size, shape, and consistency. The rash rarely blisters and is usually most obvious in the torso or groin area.
• Red, swollen, cracked lips and a red (“strawberry”) tongue and lining of the mouth.
• Firm, swollen hands and feet with shiny red palms and soles. The skin begins to shed and peel between 1 and 3 weeks after the fever starts. Peeling starts beneath the fingernails and toenails and slowly spreads to the palms and soles.
• Swelling of lymph nodes in the neck.

I can see how easily they could get confused. It’s quite obvious that all of his outbursts, withdrawn behavior, and lack of reactions to emotions and body language are simply his manner of coping with the frustration of those pesky swollen lymph nodes. At least the watchful spirit of L. Ron Hubbard has managed to stave off every single physical symptom of the disease.

Furthermore, the Travoltas have determined that the root cause of this affliction is environmental toxins in their carpet. I really, really wish that I was making this up.

Hollywood, Interrupted has a extensive report on the Travolta’s neighbors, who have an autistic 4 year old and apparently are attempting to bring in social services to intervene.

And lastly, as if there was a lack of irony surrounding a religion with a name that etymologically means “knowing how to know” refuting every medical and scientific tenet accepted worldwide, Hollywood, Interrupted reported about a year ago that John Travolta’s brother – Joey Travolta – is a major autism activist!

Rarely do I use exclamation points, but I honestly couldn’t help it there.

The article details how the reports of Jett’s condition were independently verified and corroborated by 5 sources, as well as the Travoltas’ refusal to attend any of the autism awareness events sponsored by other prominent celebrities with autistic children.

In case you’re still in Scientology’s court at this point (Mr. Cruise…I’m honored…please tell John hello), check out the world’s premiere anti-Scientology site. This is one determined Norwegian, who has kept the site running (with a high-profile) despite repeated attempts by the “Church” to shut him down through any avenue possible.

But most importantly, please click here for any number of ways to contribute your time, effort, energy, and/or money to autism awareness.

It is only with your help that we can hunt down the vicious purveyor of disease named Kawasaki and his motorcyle riding ninja minions (what the hell) so he may be burned at the stake.

~ by Kent Francisco on Friday - May 11, 2007.