LOS ANGELES 鈥� As it launched a new TV channel this week, the Church of Scientology vowed that it will be candid about every aspect of the church and its operations but isn鈥檛 seeking to preach or convert.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of talk about us. And we get it,鈥� church leader David Miscavige said in introducing the first night of programming Monday.
鈥淧eople are curious. Well, we want to answer your questions. Because, frankly, whatever you have heard, if you haven鈥檛 heard it from us, I can assure you we鈥檙e not what you expect.鈥�
Scientology is an 鈥渆xpanding and dynamic religion and we鈥檙e going to be showing you all of it,鈥� he said, from the 鈥渟piritual headquarters鈥� in which he was standing 鈥� a Florida-based and corporate-looking building鈥� its churches around the world and a behind- the-scenes look at its management.
The channel also will explore the life and philosophy of Scientology鈥檚 late founder, L. Ron Hubbard, whom Miscavige called 鈥渁 true-to-life genius.鈥�
With all that the channel intends to present, he said, 鈥渓et鈥檚 be clear: We鈥檙e not here to preach to you, to convince you or to convert you. No. We simply want to show you.鈥�
The first hour offered a slickly produced taste of the series to follow from an in-house studio, including Meet a Scientologist, Destination Scientology and the three-part L. Ron Hubbard: In His Own Voice. The channel is available on DIRECTV, AppleTV, Roku, fireTV, Chromecast, iTunes and Google Play.
Miscavige didn鈥檛 directly address critics, but Scientology doesn鈥檛 lack for them.
Several high-profile projects have investigated the church鈥檚 alleged abuses of former members, including actor Leah Remini鈥檚 A&E docuseries Scientology and the Aftermath and Alex Gibney鈥檚 Emmy-winning documentary, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.
Instead, the channel鈥檚 debut offered interviews with church members who touted Scientology鈥檚 rewards, showed off its impressive facilities in cities including Melbourne, London, Tokyo and throughout the United States and its work with other churches and community groups.
Viewers were introduced to ethnically diverse members including blue-collar workers, professionals and business owners.
Miscavige noted that the church鈥檚 followers include 鈥渟ome of the most well-known artists and celebrities in the world.鈥�
He didn鈥檛 name them, but Tom Cruise and Kirstie Alley are among long-time Scientologists.
In one segment, members boasted of the church鈥檚 technological achievements, including development of the 鈥淓-meter鈥� that reads 鈥渕ental energy鈥� and is used by an auditor to diagnose and improve people鈥檚 lives. An auditor, as explained in an on-screen caption, is 鈥渙ne who listens.鈥�
