That's interesting, have you ever had any encounters with any of them? I heard Tom Cruise was moving to Saint Hill, I'm not sure how true that is. They caught me when I was having a hard few weeks. Even with what I know about the church, and I am a non believer in general, I went into the store when they invited me in, and I sat and watched their video about Dianetics. lol. They were nice enough, if not a little persistant, but I guess that's what they have to draw people in. I did not take up the offer but I can see how people get involved in it, especially when things are tough, it was very alluring.
I didnt know Gaiman was an ex-Scientologist! If he left the church would his family still speak to him, I wonder?
Apparently Tom was there all through lockdown, but no one saw him! If he was holed up there he would have no reason to leave, it is huge! The house itself is a mansion abd the rest is like a mini city. It is beautiful, they do a big Christmas fair every year (not this year!) All free, iceskating, reindeers, santa. Very slick and proffessional. Didn't feel pressured, but it is very obviously to win over hearts and minds. I think they do an Easter egg hunt too but I've not been to that.
In general the kids are homeschooled (although some do send their kids to school, but they tend to be private schools) so they don't really mix.
Scios are in the main very ordinary looking people. They do indeed 'worship' celebrities and they have a 'celebrity centre' which is like the upper circle. Life for 'normals' is very different in the church from celebrities. That's why Kirstie Alley/Travolta etc always deny anyone being treated badly. They think it's all glitz and glamour.
No clue about Neil Gaiman but i noticed he is friends on FB with a couple of 'Gaimans' in my local area!
The only drama I've noticed with them is on FB on the local mums group. Apparently a couple of years ago on Halloween loads of kids got home from trick or treating and their parents realised there were Scio leaflets in their bags/buckets.
There was a picture of a gun and drugs on them and apparently quite scary paragraph about the dangers of young people going down the wrong path in life (i never saw it)
It was a 'join the church to save your life' kinda thing. The mums were going crazy and a few contacted the police. Apparently they apologised but no clue what became of it!