MovieChat Forums > Defending Your Life (1991) Discussion > Is this movie a jab at Scientology?

Is this movie a jab at Scientology?

posted 11 years ago by dormerjam-1
3 replies | jump to latest

Since fear dictates whether you "move forward" in the film, it sounds like Scientology - self auditing (facing your fears), ridding the body of "thetans" (fear) and having lived many past lives on one's journey to ultimate bliss (eliminating fear). The "big brains" are the inner circle of Scientology - more enlightened, faced their fears, trapped in the "Inner Circle of Thought"...

Of course, there's no charge in Judgment City whereas Scientology will cost you quite a few dollars.

Thoughts?

[–] smoko 11 years ago

@dormerjam-1 Well I didn't think of Scientology until reading your post. If they had mentioned something about a scifi author, or aliens from ancient times, or (like you mentioned) mega-fees to do self-improvement courses, then I would've seen it as a satire of it.

As it stands, the only jab at any religion/cult I noticed was the jokes about the idea that people wear white robes after they die. But I think the white robes-idea is more of a Christian thing.

[–] WarpedRecord 11 years ago

Great theory, but I think any connection to Scientology are purely coincidental.

[–] FlyingPie 11 years ago

A connection to Scientology never occurred to me until I read your comment (and in fact, I did not know about Scientology when I first saw this movie). I don't really see much connection to Scientology, so I think any possible connection is coincidental. In fact, this movie has always made me think more about Buddhism or Hinduism due to the idea of going back to be reborn and the Past Lives Pavilion.

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