Was Scientology Responsible for the Death of John Travolta's Son Jett?

May the soul of Jett Travolta rest in eternal peace, a peace that perhaps he'd never known on this earth. When news broke that the 16 year old son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston had died as a result of a "seizure", my heart broke both for this young man and his parents. No parent should ever have to bury their child. It must be a pain beyond comprehension.

My sorrow soon turned, frankly, to anger. I knew that both Travolta and Preston are high-profile practicing Scientologists, a "religion" that I find terribly disturbing. So many precepts of Scientology are based on denial: there are no physical conditions that drugs, even prescription drugs, can or should cure. The beliefs of Scientology are enough to carry one through. Was Jett Travolta autistic? Did his parents refuse to accept this diagnosis, bowing instead to the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard and insisting that their child suffered from Kawasaki's Syndrome? Was there more that could have, should have been done to make life better, happier and certainly healthier for Jett?

I am in genuinely in favor of any religion, beliefs, or chosen lifestyle that brings a sense of meaning, purpose and joy to one's life.

But I have a problem witha number of the tenets of Scientology.

I am suspect of a group which honors its "celebrity" members to the point where it has actual structures dedicated to celebrity members only. I am confused as to why one's genetic qualities, whether they be in physical appearance, skill or talent, makes one human being more valuable as a person than another.

I am confused as to the secretiveness of Scientology. Many of their beliefs and rituals are known only to those who have officially been accepted by the group.

I recently saw an advertisement in New York magazine for the city's Kaballah Center. In the ad, the catch phrase was something to the effect of "Do You Want To Know The Secre?", a blatant reference to the best-selling book "The Secret". In the ad, the Kaballah folks were very specific as to what their one-day seminars would include. It was both an intriguing and well thought through offer, and I that I would personally follow through were I a resident of New York City. This group WANTS you to know more about what they are. Not so much the Scientologists.

I am troubled by a group that was founded by a science fiction writer with a sketchy educational background, including one in philosophy/religion/human development. A writer - no matter how clever or talented - does not a true prophet make.

Scientology's poster boy for both boyish good looks and crazed behavior is actor Tom Cruise. While Cruise's film career appears to be badly flailing, most of us do remember a) his jumping on Oprah Winfrey's couch while declaring his love for the ill-fated Katie Holmes, and b) his feuds with both Matt Lauer and Brooke Shields over the existence of mental illness as a treatable condition. While he attempted to patch up the image of a truly crazed man with both Shields and Lauer, the incidents themselves were so bizarre that they are unforgettable - much like his latest film.

I honestly believe that Scientology, like all religions, fills a particular void in the lives of a certain type of person. Did you know that Cruise is only 5'6" tall? Or that Travolta lost the love of his life, actress Diana Hyland, in his arms while still a very young man? Perhaps the appeal of Scientology for celebrities is its incessant homage to them as more worthy than others, despite what deep, dark secrets about themselves they harbor.

If Jett Travolta was truly autistic, his parents and the Church of Scientology should have accepted that fact. They had a responsibility to provide for this young man the support that someone with his condition needs and deserves. Following his death, the family released still, posed photographs of Jett alone, with his father, and with his family. From all appearances, he did not look like a 'normal' 16 year old boy. His beautiful eyes, so reminescent of his father, had a vacant look. His face was full, rounded, unformed. In candid shots, Jett was often shown holding hands with his father as they left an airport, as they headed towards a waiting car: none of this could be considered 'natural' behaviors for a boy of his age. News sources state now that he was in the care of two nannies at the time of his death. Two nannies for a 16 year old boy?

Kelly Preston has stated publicly that Jett nearly died at the age of two. According to her release, he was deathly allergic to toxins and chemicals, and it was through the Church of Scientology's 'detoxification' program that he was saved. She and her husband speak of constantly monitoring his environment, of "constantly cleaning his carpets".

Why could no one in his family accept the child for what he appeared to be? Part of loving a person, especially your child, is accepting them for what they are.

The only information released on Jett Travolta's death certificate was that he died as a result of a "seizure". The official results and document were given only to the immediate family. Following his autopsy, Jett Travolta was cremated in the Bahamas with only the family's doctor and funeral director present. His urn will be returned with the family to Ocala, Florida, where funeral services are planned.

Rest in peace, young Jett. Your life was cut far too short, and we'll never know for certain that it had to be.