Perhaps you've heard something or a lot about how Scientology encourages its female adherents to have "silent births." Much has been made in the press about how Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise's knocked up, common law fembot will be required by Cruise's religion to keep her mouth shut whist birthing.
Well, the Church of Scientology issued a press release yesterday intending to SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT on what this silent birth thing is REALLY all about. I guess they meant for their statement to make people feel better about the whole wacky idea.
Well, they failed.
The statement reads in part:
"Does this mean that a mother cannot scream or moan at all?
Of course they can make noises — the point of silent birth is NO WORDS. This is a principle of Dianetics and to fully understand why, read the book Dianetics the Modern Science of Mental Health, by L. Ron Hubbard."
No WORDS? Women cannot SPEAK while giving birth? This is nutso.
In addition to the normal communication that goes on between mother and baby's father during childbirth, a woman needs to be able to tell her midwifeor doctor what she's feeling. And most women I know who have given birth also tend to offer up a few "Holy mother of GOD, this hurts!!!" sorts of statements while having a baby.
The Scientologists' official statement also fails to address another of their weirder birthing tenets, which is that the mother should be separated from her baby following birth. This, of course, is not only cruel and bizarre, but downright dangerous. Human mothers and babies are designed to remain in close, skin to skin contact almost constantly in the days and weeks following birth.
Another weird SCientology thing is L. Ron Hubbard's claim that babies who are not breastfed should be fed not FDA-approved infant formula, but a concoction of his own devising that he claims to have picked up during his time travels while HANGING OUT WITH THE ROMANS. (I swear it says this. Click the link and read it.)
Poor Katie Holmes.
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Don't slam L.Ron. The Romans gave me the exact same recipe when I was hanging with Caligula that one time.
Romans used high fructose corn syrup? I never knew.
Do you know the story of how L. Ron Hubbard supposedly came to write Dianetics? It's said that he made a bet with another sci-fi writer that he could write a hoax book that would create a cult with x adherents in y years. The story varies (values of x and y, who he told) and may well be apocryphal. But there's certainly nothing in his life up until that point that would suggest that he wrote Dianetics as anything but a hoax.
It makes pretty interesting reading, btw, in a weird way. Also good is Martin Gardner's summary of Dianetics in _Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science_.
-DR
I find the idea that mother and baby aren't allowed to be together a lot more troubling than people trying not to speak during the birth!
Yeah ... Scientology is crap. What a ridiculous racket.
It is a hoax. The story is trua and has been recounted by several writers who were there. It evolved from a discussion of pulp fiction. They were talking about Edgar Rice Burroughs who created Tarzan in an attempt to write the worst, most cliched, outrageous story possible.
He wrote over a dozen sequels to the silly thing. People couldn't get enough of it.
L Ron bet he could do something similar.
He did.
I have not read L.Ron's book nor discussed child rearing with Mr. Cruise. However, I do know from his past interviews that he is an expert on childbirth, post partum depression etc. In fact, he probably knows what's best for all of us mothers! Besides, if Katie Holmes is silent during birth she can't possibly call him all those names she would like to. Maybe she just needs some vitamins...
I dont understand! scientoogy does not allow drugs, but also does not allow excessive noise during child birth...hmmm sounds reasonable! What a joke...check this site ot, it is hillarious!
http://celebrityreligion.typepad.com
hahah, that is a funny site! this is particularly funny!
Scientologists can give birth however they choose! The MOTHER may request that the doctors and midwives keep silent during birth, but that is up to the mother.
I have given birth 7 times, and there have been very few times when words needed to be spoken during my contractions and births. When speaking was necessary, we spoke! (Such as the one time when my 6th baby was being born... and he was on his way out on his own - I wasn't pushing - and the doctor didn't realize it! I yelled then or he would have landed on his precious little head!)
We also cuddle our babies following birth, unless there is a medical situation and the baby needs to be helped - which happened to my oldest baby when he was born one hour after a nurse gave me a narcotic. He was not breathing well and was blue and floppy - he was put on my belly for about 2 minutes, then taken to the warmer for help. But NORMALLY my babies are put on my belly for their first cuddles and love right after birth.
L. Ron Hubbard wrote:
"It is not possible to "spoil" a child with love and affection. Whoever postulated that it was possible was postulating out of bad data and no observation. A child needs all the love and affection it can possibly get."
Scientologists are, in general, very affectionate, loving parents. We cuddle and hold and love our babies - immediately following birth, and for their first week of life, and for years and years afterwards.
Don't believe every strange story you hear in the news. Especially when it comes to rumors about religions. My own personal approach to religious questions is to ask a few members of that religion - and not to believe the "news" or anyone else who appears to like to stir up trouble!
Scientology silent birth story
Silent Birth
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