In February 1997 , a United States immigration court judge granted asylum to a German Scientologist who claimed she would be subject to religious persecution in her homeland . In April 1997 , John Travolta met personally with U.S. President Bill Clinton at a conference in Philadelphia . Travolta later said Clinton assured him that he would " really love to help " with the " issue over in Germany with Scientology " . According to Travolta , Clinton recalled that " he had a roommate years ago who was a Scientologist and had really liked him , and respected his views on it " , stating that Scientologists " were given an unfair hand in [ Germany ] and that he wanted to fix it " . In September 1997 , John Travolta , Chick Corea and fellow Scientologist Isaac Hayes were heard by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe ( CSCE , also known as the Helsinki Commission ) , voicing their complaints about the treatment of Scientologists in Germany , and had a briefing with United States National Security Advisor Sandy Berger , whom Clinton had assigned to be " the administration 's Scientology point person " . The German ambassador responded with a letter to the CSCE stating that the German government had come to the conclusion that Scientology 's " pseudo @-@ scientific courses can seriously jeopardize individuals ' mental and physical health and that it exploits its members " , adding that " membership can lead to psychological and physical dependency , to financial ruin , and even to suicide . In addition , it are indications that Scientology poses a threat to Germany 's basic political principles . "