In early 2008 , Thomas Gandow , Sect Commissioner of the German Lutheran Church in Berlin and Brandenburg , and the historian Guido Knopp both likened the Scientologist Hollywood actor Tom Cruise to Goebbels , the Nazi propaganda minister . Gandow and Knopp cited a leaked Scientology video in which Cruise was seen asking the audience whether Scientologists should " clean up " the world , the audience responding with enthusiastic cheers – cheers which Gandow and Knopp felt were reminiscent of the audience 's response to Goebbels ' famous question , " Do you want total war ? " Gandow 's and Knopp 's comments found few critics in Germany . Most Germans consider Scientology a subversive organization . In 1997 , Time reported that 70 % of Germans favoured banning Scientology ; a poll conducted in September 2008 by Der Spiegel found 67 % support for a ban .