Comments on: Is Neil Gaiman currently a scientologist?

Question: Is Neil Gaiman currently a scientologist?

PinkStainlessTail — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 07:03:02 -0800

Is Neil Gaiman currently a scientologist? The established facts I've been able to find are that his father was deeply involved with the CoS, but everything on Neil seems to be about fourth hand on message boards: he is, he isn't, he never was, he refuses to talk about it one way or another, etc. Anyone have a reputable source for a definitive answer?

By: Capn

Capn — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 07:12:09 -0800

You could just ask him.

By: Faint of Butt

Faint of Butt — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 07:30:59 -0800

I was under the impression that Gaiman's family was Jewish, by heritage if not by practice. I could, of course, be completely wrong.

By: taumeson

taumeson — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 07:34:51 -0800

His father was pretty high ranking in CoS in Great Britain, but I've heard that Neil isn't.

I saw something or other a few years ago where he said it gets a bum rap and he has nothing against it, having grown up a Scientologist, but didn't really say whether or not he followed it. Sounded like he didn't, to be honest.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 07:44:22 -0800

I thought that celebrity Scientologists never.shut.UP about it. If Gaiman hasn't mentioned the topic frequently enough to register in public consciousness, then he probably isn't a clam. A search of his site never turns up the terms "scientology" or "scientologist".

I did a Google search and found claims that his Dad was very CoS, that Neil was CoS, and that Neil was recognized as SP in 1983. It's plausible to me that his father could have been part of the cult, but that whatever Neil once did, he's no longer actively involved, being schtum and all, right? The claims that Neil did this and that in the CoS could just be misattributions of what his father did.

But you can go ahead and ask him if you like, although if you actually like the guy and don't want to cause him any awkwardness or embarrassment, maybe you'll decide to just let it drop.

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 07:55:32 -0800

Sounded like he didn't, to be honest.

Yeah, I actually doubt that he's currently a member as he'd probably be public about it, but all the references I can find to Neil and Scientology seem to be lacking an initial source. Everything's just what some people on the internet have said (even down to my "fact" that David and Neil Gaiman are related, now that I think about it).

I used Capn's link to ask Neil a question, but I don't really expect an answer: he gets thousands of questions and this one is silly, irrelevant, and really none of my business one way or another.

But you can go ahead and ask him if you like, although if you actually like the guy and don't want to cause him any awkwardness or embarrassment, maybe you'll decide to just let it drop.

Well, at worst it's come up before and his PA will just not pass the question on. There's no way Neil personally reads all the questions he must get.

By: Capn

Capn — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:05:31 -0800

Questions that are answered are answered here, by the by.

By: grabbingsand

grabbingsand — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:05:58 -0800

According to this out-of-date Who's Who list, Neil was declared a "Suppressive Person" in 1983. He was 23. Neil's CV lists nothing prior. Coincidentally, 1983 was the year that Neil discovered the comics of Alan Moore.

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:11:27 -0800

Re the 1983 SP declaration: at least one source claims that was against David Gaiman, not Neil.

By: Medieval Maven

Medieval Maven — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 10:40:24 -0800

Having actually met the man, and had tea with him, and also a very civil conversation, I would have to say I don't think he's a scientologist. I've read his site regularly for a long time now, and I would have thought it would have come up already. He's talked about everthing else under the sun.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:06:46 -0800

Let's all ask him and see if he answers it in his blog. If a bunch of people ask him at once, he's more likely to answer! Seriously.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:09:13 -0800

Also, you might try asking the question in the comments to the LiveJournal RSS feed of his blog; he doesn't read it himself, but people who know him IRL do seem to lurk there (I've met him several times IRL but only in large professional settings).

By: u.n. owen

u.n. owen — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:09:45 -0800

guys, the church of scientology isn't known for its...niceness. Maybe it'd be better if we didn't force him to answer that in the negative, as it could result in not-good stuff.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:16:40 -0800

For heaven's sake, u.n. owen. Saying, "I am not personally a member of the Church of Scientology" and letting it go at that is not going to bring their wrath down on him.

Also, he doesn't have to answer if he doesn't want to.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:46:27 -0800

I should also say that if it were I, I would rather make a carefully-considered public statement than having speculations floating all over the internets about it.

By: PinkStainlessTail

PinkStainlessTail — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:58:04 -0800

I should also say that if it were I, I would rather make a carefully-considered public statement than having speculations floating all over the internets about it.

Dunno if I agree with that: Neil's career and rep seem to be just fine. The internets don't always have that much influence.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 13:13:49 -0800

If it were about anything other than the Church of Scientology, I would agree, PST. But they get all worked up about what they read on the internets and it often takes attorneys and money to straighten it out.

By: Medieval Maven

Medieval Maven — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 18:22:26 -0800

I'm not sure the CoS could take the massive onslaught of Neil fans who would innundate them with email, faxes, and letters, a la the Sim's-Free-Cerberus offer . . .

By: bingo

bingo — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 21:05:29 -0800

I think that he is a lover of lore and myths of all kinds, and he enjoys the play between myth and reality, and it's probably just not in him to point to any given religion and say that it's just plain wrong.

I also think that the Sandman books could not have been written by someone who had chosen a specific faith and was following it dogmatically.