The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

Chapter 462

The room was utterly silent. Matthew sat in an armchair, facing the Scientologist he had been instructed to meet.

The Scientologist, David Miscavige, appeared to be around sixty years old. He wore the black and white uniform of a priest, with the Scientology logo—two triangles—embroidered on his chest. A perpetual smile on his face gave him the air of a kindly old man.

Matthew appeared relaxed, but internally he was on high alert. Men like this were often masters of brainwashing.

Besides, just before entering the room, Tom Cruise had introduced him to Amber in the hall.

It was clear Scientology was trying a two-pronged attack.

If the gossip from his past life about Depp was true, then Amber was the very woman who had fleeced him.

Clearly, Amber was Scientology's honey trap for him.

Of course, he might have been overthinking it; after all, Amber had done nothing more than greet him and exchange a few words.

After that, he had followed David into the room.

Matthew glanced at the armchair he was sitting in. It was a rather peculiar piece of furniture, the kind one might see in a Hollywood sci-fi movie, and it looked quite impressive.Earlier, David had spoken with him about Hollywood, the dynamics of life, the interpretation of good and evil, and other philosophical topics.

David seemed to be squinting, but he was actually observing Matthew, the Hollywood star who seemed bewildered, clearly thrown by the philosophical arguments he had just laid out.

This was his standard opening gambit, a prelude to his truly effective tactics.

David certainly didn't believe that a simple conversation could persuade a world-wise Hollywood star to embrace Scientology.

"Mr. Horner, what do you think a person is?"

Matthew considered the question and slowly answered, "A human is the most evolved creature in the mammalian and biological order."

"And do you believe a person is spiritual? Or material?"

Matthew scratched his head, not knowing how to answer.

"A person is neither spiritual nor material, but a spiritual entity. When they enter Earth's material, energetic, and spatio-temporal world, they forget their past. Through reincarnation, they become attached to other souls. Certain experiences they have while growing up create mental blocks that build up in their hearts."

"How can one truly know oneself?" Matthew asked, showing the kind of curiosity most people feel when they hear such talk.

David smiled. "Often, it is the mind that prevents a person from being themselves. Do you carry any sorrow in your heart?"

"Yes," Matthew answered without hesitation.

"If you want to be free of your anxieties, you must cleanse your heart. The reason people are anxious, the reason they are unhappy, the reason they cannot know themselves, is because there is too much sin hidden in their hearts."

His voice grew serious. "Scientology can help people achieve that cleansing."

Matthew seemed a little moved. "Really?"

David had chosen Matthew not only because he was so popular that he could become an icon after Tom Cruise. It was also because, as several people had mentioned during a previous discussion, Matthew was a man with no higher education, from a rough background, who had essentially never enjoyed the warmth of a family. He was a man unsure of even his most basic beliefs, who had lived a very chaotic life before making it in Hollywood.

Such people almost always carry psychological burdens, making them more susceptible to Scientology.

These Hollywood stars have to hide so much, and that secrecy often becomes an immense psychological burden, one they must carry deep within themselves for years.

Then David raised a finger, gesturing around the room. "Then confess your sins," he said. "And we will cleanse them away."

Matthew sat perfectly still, but he knew that someone in the adjoining room had almost certainly activated the hidden recording equipment.

This was a standard Scientology tactic: control celebrity members by recording their confessions under the guise of "inner cleansing" and "eradicating sin," making it impossible for them to leave.

In North America, where religion is deeply ingrained, most people have an almost inexplicable trust in clergy. Scientology had expertly exploited this.

Honestly, keeping secrets is incredibly difficult, especially when you have too many.

Matthew was no exception, but he had found the perfect outlet.

Matthew tensed at David's words.

He wore a hesitant expression, as if he wanted to speak but was afraid.

David said nothing, not wanting to push him. Seeing the look on Matthew's face, he knew the man wouldn't hold out for long. He let an encouraging smile spread across his kind features and slowly extended his right hand in an inviting gesture.

"Do you really have to confess everything? All the sins from childhood to now?"

"When you have confessed every sin buried deep in your heart, you will be completely cleansed."

Steeling himself, Matthew began, "When I was ten, I saw a neighbor's kid eating a hot dog. I was starving, so I snatched the food from him."

"When I was twelve, I got into a fight with a classmate and broke his nose..."

Listening to Matthew recount his childhood mistakes, David nodded slightly. These sins were trivial, but it was a good start. Now that he had begun, it wouldn't be long before Horner spilled all his deepest secrets.

Not only would Scientology have him in its grasp, but it would also forge a powerful bond, the kind that comes from shared secrets.

Already a confident man, David Miscavige was now certain that Horner was about to fall right into Scientology's hands.

No, the young man was already his.

A thought suddenly struck David, the current leader of Scientology. To get where he was, he had held a king in his hand: Tom Cruise. If he could secure Matthew Horner, invest the right resources, and mold him into another superstar of Tom Cruise's caliber, what would his own future hold?

David looked across the table at Matthew Horner, who had just finished talking about running away from school at fifteen, something he still regretted.

"At sixteen, I came to Dallas to work. One day, right after I got my paycheck, I ran into a homeless kid on the street. I only gave him ten dollars... I still remember that."

David couldn't care less about this particular moment from Matthew's life, yet he maintained a look of deep understanding.

Matthew looked remorseful. "Why didn't I give him more money? What if he had younger brothers and sisters to take care of? Ten dollars wouldn't have been enough, would it? I should have given him more!"

"..." David was at a loss for words.

"The next year, I became a car mechanic. One day, I was out on a call on a road outside of Dallas when I saw an accident where a woman was pinned under a car. A colleague and I stopped to save her, but the two of us couldn't move the Ford pickup. When the ambulance arrived, the doctor said the woman would have to have one of her legs amputated because she'd been trapped for too long."

"If I had been as strong as I am now, I could have saved that woman, and she wouldn't have had to lose her leg!"

At that, Matthew slammed his fist on the arm of his chair in anguish.