John Travolta: Scientology ‘not understood,’ targeted because it ‘works’

John Travolta has some advice for people who might be hating on Scientology: Don’t speculate about something you don’t understand.

His religion is simply “not understood,” he told “Good Morning America” in an interview that aired Monday. “People really need to take time and read a book. You know, that’s my advice. You can read ‘New Slant on Life,’ you can read ‘Dianetics.’

“I think if you really read it, you’ll understand it, but unless you do that, you’ll speculate, and I think that’s a mistake to do that,” said Travolta, 65, during a chat to promote his new movie “The Forger,” which opens Friday.

Of course, Travolta said a couple of weeks ago that he won’t be looking into “Going Clear,” the movie that sparked the Scientology questions. Alleged abuses by the church are at the heart the documentary, which features former members of the organization who are highly critical of its practices and references Travolta.

The church’s Freedom magazine says “Going Clear” is “glorifying admitted liars” and that the film and the Lawrence Wright book that inspired it are “transparent vehicles for their vendettas against all religion and people of faith.”

Travolta offered an explanation Monday as to why Scientology is the subject of so much criticism.

“Sometimes when something really works well, it becomes a target,” he said. “You know, 40 years for me, I’ve been part, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”

His family has also done well with Scientology, he said.

“I’ve saved lives with it,” Travolta said. “Saved my own life several times. Through my loss of my son [Jett, in 2009], it helped me every step of the way for two years solid.”

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