1) I agree. Of course.

2) Again agree. :)

3) Cruise either lost his mind or we're seeing the 'real' Tom at long last... His opinions regarding religion are his beliefs... and that's fine; we all think our faith is the 'right' one... though how one could join a religion based on what a novelist says...? :/

But he has no degree in medicine that I'm aware of, so off the wall assertions like "there's no such thing as a chemical imbalance" just make him look like a fool.

www.xenu.net
Operation Clambake is all about Scientology, and as you might guess from the name, they're none too positive about it.

One of the things it talks about is the "celebrity Scientologists" and how they get myriad perks and privileges not available to the peons— all in the name of presenting a good face on the religion.

It also has a link to a good set of definitions for a cult (vs. a religion):
"1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society.
3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma.
4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds / recruit people.
5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society."

(That site also has the great comment that a cult results in "reduced use of irony, abstractions and metaphors.")

Anyway, my point is that there are, in fact, some followers of Scientology that I would consider to be truly religious. Namely, they are those that have split away from the Church (and shunned as a result). Their beliefs are strange but people can believe that their left pinky orders the world and it doesn't do the kind of damage that the Church of Scientology does.

(A family friend had a sister who went in to Scientology and they stopped hearing from her entirely for several decades. I am disinclined to see the good of that organization.)