Tom Cruise, Big Love and Child Custody
Is any of it in the Best Interest of the Children?

Many years ago a man walked in my office wanting to hire me to defend him in a divorce proceeding. The man was adamant about not wanting a divorce. He loved his wife, but he didn't love her religion. The wife was a practicing Jehovah's Witness and the husband was unhappy participant in the religion. It seems the wife was convinced that her husband had an affair(the likes of which he vehemently denied) and he church ex-communicated him when she told them about the perceived adultery; subsequently forcing the wife to seek a divorce. Not only didn't the husband want the divorce, but he wanted his wife and kids away from the whole Jehovah's Witness religion. He brought me in all of the literature he could get his hands I and I research the religion myself extensively. The resulting findings were rather disturbing to this mainstream mother of 4. Birthdays are not celebrated, gifts are never given and for the most part celebrations in general are banned. There is never dancing allowed at weddings and the "Church" has some very strict ideas about medicine and science in general. Blood transfusions are strickly prohibited as are all forms of surgical intervention.
With all the recent press on Tom Cruise, the Scientolgist of note in this country as well as the recent HBO phenomena "Big Love" which explores the lives of those practicing polygamy (Yup, it is outlawed in this country, even in Utah). These so called radical religions brings up tons of issues in potential custody cases as to whether practicing this religion is in the best interest of the children. Interesting case law exists where the government has sought to intervene on behalf of a child where it is felt that medically the child is endangered by the parent's religious beliefs. Most of these cases involve Child Protective services being called in where medical treatment has been with held. The cases pretty much come down on the side of appropriate medical care when there is a dispute between the medical community and the parents, but one must wonder how many times children are harmed in the name of religious freedom.
Scientology is thrilled to have the royalty of Hollywood decrying their cause. Scientolgy claims to be compatible with all religions but depicts psychiatry and psychology as evil and abusive. As with Jehovah's Witnesses, Scientologists try to mold their followers into believing that modern medicine in general is evil and should not be trusted. Scientologists prohibit breast feeding of infants. Instead of this being a personal maternal choice, the "church" has decided what is in the best interest of the child.
One needs only to watch one episode of "Big Love" to feel how disturbing and disfunctional this lifestyle is to everyone in the family. Children are herded together as sheep with very little ability to develop their own outside interests in that their lives are shrouded in secrecy or lies.
Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that these "cults" label themselves as religions, thus allowing them to operate within the confines of the freedoms America was founded. The question, begs, however, at what cost and to whom.