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submitted 1 year ago by some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org to c/news@beehaw.org

The three women were members of the Church of Scientology, as is Masterson. All three women said they were initially hesitant to speak to law enforcement because they said church teachings discouraged reporting to police. The women eventually left the church.

Cults are bad, people. Religion is bad because it's a normalized / accepted cult. Eff this guy.

I noticed that Topher Grace didn't get mentioned for writing a letter to the judge. I've never thought he's a great actor (he was pretty good in Traffic), but I like him a bit more now.

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[-] Exaggeration207@beehaw.org 103 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I doubt Ashton and Mila apologized because they actually regret writing those letters; this is just damage control because they got caught defending a rapist. Also, Scientology isn't a religion, it's a criminal organization, and it ought to be treated as such.

I was disappointed to hear that Kurtwood Smith wrote a letter in support of Masterson too. I really liked him in RoboCop... but I guess there's a reason why he was so good at acting like a total bastard.

[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 30 points 1 year ago

Cult vs Criminal Org. Both can be true.

[-] liv@beehaw.org 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Yeah the largest biological weapon attack on US soil was a cult.

[-] HarkMahlberg@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago

One of my favorite Down The Rabbit Hole videos. Too bad it's not on Youtube anymore...

[-] liv@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Sounds good! I learned about it from Wikipedia, which is a bit dry.

[-] HarkMahlberg@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago

For those looking, the video is about Rajneeshpuram. But you can also find a well-done Netflix documentary on it.

[-] liv@beehaw.org 1 points 1 year ago

Will look out for it!

[-] Synnr@sopuli.xyz 22 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Hasn't Ashton Kutcher essentially stopped acting and dedicated his life to fighting child predation?

Edit: I guess it's Moore and Kutcher. https://www.thorn.org/about-our-fight-against-sexual-exploitation-of-children/

[-] FoundTheVegan@kbin.social 24 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Except when defending adult rapists I guess?

"As a role model, Danny has consistently been an excellent one," Kutcher wrote, later writing, "He has always treated people with decency, equality, and generosity."

Not that I want to throw shade at his current work, but this is a pretty big red flag on his credibility towards siding with victims. ESPECIALLY since this is was in relation to defending a Scientologist, a known organzation for SA.

[-] abbadon420@lemm.ee 15 points 1 year ago

People can have multiple personalities, not as in a mental condition, but as in that you're a different person at work than who you are at your parent's. Rapist are also like that. Rapists aten't rapists 24/7. Sometimes they can be just nice people. That doesn't make it right, but that does make that you can't judge someone for not knowing that a coworker or even a friend was a rapist all this time.

[-] Synnr@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 year ago

I guess I should RTFA, but it's definitive he knew that Masterson was a scientologist, and knew about all the scientology stuff?

[-] DessertStorms@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

So you'd think he'd know better.

[-] amotoohno@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Well, if republican politicians and catholic priests are any guide, this means Kutcher and Moore are almost certainly prolific child abusers.

EDIT: oh FFS, their org is THORN?!? The same group of wine mommies trying to destroy the internet with that awful and mislabeled “kids online safety act”?

Fuck them AND their parent-pandering bullshit. Scientologists are nasty business.

[-] Conyak@lemmy.tf 20 points 1 year ago

Religion and criminal organizations don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Just look at the Catholic Church.

[-] teft@startrek.website 37 points 1 year ago
[-] CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world 37 points 1 year ago

Celebrity. Gossip. Is. Not. News.

[-] library_napper@monyet.cc 30 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Rapists in a cult that have been convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison is definitely news, celebrity or not.

[-] gaytswiftfan@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago
[-] lobut@lemmy.ca 31 points 1 year ago

Topher's wife put out a statement in support of the victims. Which is where the support should be, in my opinion.

[-] gregorum@lemm.ee 12 points 1 year ago

and Topher, afaik, knew well enough to stfu

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 26 points 1 year ago

I was the right age for That '70s Show during the original broadcast. Eric was always the character I liked the most, and Grace was the better actor of the bunch. Literally discovered at a high school play. Awesome. He did some great villains over the years (David Duke, holy hell) and when he shows up in random things, like Black Mirror, it's like, "dang, dude is a pro"...

It was known back then that Scientology had their fingers in the pot on this series. Especially when it ended. That is how I learned about Scientology, in fact.

I am blown away by how successfully these 2 have tanked their careers in the past few days. I mean, they will continue to be in films. But, when the internet is the courtroom and the public is the jury... they're boned. Predictable apology video? Come on! Just... don't.

I am so disappointed that one of the defining series of my adolescence is ruined. I am not an emotional person. I am pretty cold about things, in fact. This is not a disappointment fueled by the bubbling rage of the internet. This is sincere. Most of all, I am disappointed that it has taken so long for him to receive his punishment. Those poor people that have had to wait, and retell their stories and nightmares again and again.

Vilmer and Laura will likely make statements, maybe not soon, but hopefully they will do a more believable job than these two. Both were part of the, uh, "belief system" at different points in their lives.

[-] hitmyspot@aussie.zone 3 points 1 year ago

Isn't she a scientologist too?

[-] bbbhltz@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

Laura was around the time she dated Danny's brother. Story goes she left.

Vilmer and Danny were close after the show. I think they went into business. I think they bought the Vista Cruiser from the series together? I don't remember everything, just watched Entertainment Tonight every evening at dinner because that's what was on.

[-] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee 19 points 1 year ago

FTA:

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis issued an apology

No, they didn't. That video wasn't an apology. It was a "sorry if you got upset" PR skit.

[-] ashtrix@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 year ago

They're just trying not to get canceled.

[-] Contend6248@feddit.de 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Can we please start to cancel these scientology fuckheads altogether

[-] Omegamanthethird@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

I don't even have to actively boycott. I just feel weird watching Scientologists leading movies and shows. I find it odd that people can get excited to go watch Tom Cruise in a movie.

[-] Uniquitous@lemmy.one 10 points 1 year ago

I hadn't been aware that Scientology was mixed up in all this but I am not in the least surprised to learn it.

[-] Ransom@lemmy.one 7 points 1 year ago

I like Topher. His podcast was charming as heck.

[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 6 points 1 year ago

Well damn, Jackie, I can't control his sentence

[-] Omegamanthethird@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

They were asked to write their personal experience with him. And that's what they did. I didn't see anything defending his actions or condemning the charges.

[-] iheartneopets@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago

It was specifically done after the ruling and after they read the horrific victim statements. Make of the fact that they could still stomach writing a character testimony letter after that what you will. They weren't subpoenaed, they were asked by his family. Also, Ashton Kutcher runs a nonprofit dedicated to helping sexual assault victims.

[-] fruitleatherpostcard@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago

Too late. You are now marked as Scientologist scum.

[-] balderdash9@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 year ago

shoulda talked to their PR person first on this one

this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2023
171 points (100.0% liked)

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