Globe Article on Phenomenon the Movie
 

John Travolta's latest film, Phenomenon, is riddled with secret references to his Scientology religion, charge two disc-jockeys. Mitch Gill and Tommy Walker of WWGZ in Flint, Mich., say they've discovered a mysterious message in the movie's theme song" I have the Touch," sung by British rocker Peter Gabriel.

"When you play the song backward, you can hear the words "Don't you miss Ron?" Mitch told GLOBE.

L. Ron Hubbard is the Church of Scientology's deceased founder and author of its 'bible,' Dianetics. The controversial sect has been accused of brainwashing its members, which, in addition to Travolta, includes such celebrities as Tom Cruise, Lisa Marie Presley, Nicole Kidman and Kirstie Alley.

"Ever since Travolta made his comeback in Pulp Fiction, we figured he'd work Scientology into his films," the DJs charge. "And Phenomenon is packed with its teachings."

In the movie , Travolta plays George Malley, a simple farmer who's hit by a strange beam of light from the sky, which gives him amazing new intelligence.

Sources say the plot has many astounding parallels to Scientology, which preaches that through its teachings, believers become 'enlightened' or 'clear'.

Here are some of the similarities:

Phenomenon: George memorizes textbooks just by scanning the pages.

Dianetics: "A clear mind...has complete recall of everything it has ever studied."

Phenomenon: "Things are coming clear to me," says George, who then goes on to decipher high-speed code.

Dianetics: "The (clear) mind thinks out solutions at such speed that the word stream of consciousness would be left at the post."

According to Peter Gabriel's publicist, the rocker is "not and never has been a Scientologist."

Travolta's spokeswoman Michelle Bega says there is no Scientology message in the movie's theme song, but DJ Mitch stands by his findings.

"Play it backward," he says, "and it's clear as a bell, 'Don't you miss Ron?' It's spooky."

---RICHARD BAKER, September 3, 1996/GLOBE

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