SF writer Gary Gibson

It's funny the route procrastination can lead you. I was googling around, doing some research, when I somehow found myself led to this Wikipedia entry on Scientology. Funny enough; particularly the bit about the South Park debacle (there's a famous episode of South Park - I haven't seen it - which not only lampoons Scientology, but also Tom Cruise. It's called 'Trapped in The Closet'. 'Nuff said).

Cruise attempted to stop the episode being broadcast; I knew that much. What I didn't know was the the episode of South Park in question also featured an animated dramatisation of the story of Xenu - a deeply, deeply whacked out story of aliens coming to Earth (in, eh, exact replicas of Douglas Dc-8's, apparently ...) some tens of millions of years ago and blowing up a lot of volcanoes. All with the words THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE plastered across the screen throughout.

I. Need. To. See. This. Episode.

Even better is the statement Trey Parker and Matt Stone made after the episode was initially yanked:

"So, Scientology, you may have won THIS battle, but the million-year war for earth has just begun! Temporarily anozinizing our episode will NOT stop us from keeping Thetans forever trapped in your pitiful man-bodies. Curses and drat! You have obstructed us for now, but your feeble bid to save humanity will fail! Hail Xenu!!!

Xenu

—Trey Parker and Matt Stone, servants of the dark lord Xenu, Daily Variety"

Trey and Matt, I kiss your shiny pink feet.

PS - every time I invent some nutjob religion for a story, and I worry they're just too bizarre, I'm going to reread that entry.