Featured Image Credit: Alamy/AFF/Fox
Topics: Celebrity, The Simpsons
Jess Hardiman
Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, has received a Scientology honour after donating a cool $21 million to the church.
Cartwright, 65, has famously voiced the Simpsons’ son Bart – among other characters – ever since the animated sitcom premiered in the late 80s.
In her personal life, it seems she’s been very generous indeed, having reportedly donated millions to the Church of Scientology, a controversial religion created by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.,
According to its website, it offers a ‘precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one’s true spiritual nature and one’s relationship to self, family, groups, Mankind, all life forms, the material universe, the spiritual universe and the Supreme Being’.
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“Scientology addresses the spirit - not the body or mind - and believes that Man is far more than a product of his environment, or his genes,” it adds.
Cartwright converted to the religion in 1991, having defended the church after the release of a 2015 documentary.
Now, she’s been honoured with an award for reaching ‘Patron Excalibur with Honours’ status, thanks to donating around $21 million to Scientology.
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In the new issue of Scientology's Impact magazine, Cartwright said: “This was the most beautiful acknowledgement I have ever received in my entire life.”
In 2007, she was also awarded Scientology's 'Patron Laureate Award' after donating $10m to the church.
12 years later, she also achieved ‘Diamond Laureate With Honours’ status – reflecting that she’d donated about $17.5m to the church – according to Scientology blogger Tony Ortega.
In a 2017 blog post, Ortega detailed some of 'Scientology's most wealthy donors', writing: "Every year, all Scientologists are under intense pressure to donate huge sums for a variety of different projects and in a variety of different ways. But one of the most important ways a member contributes to the cause is by donating to what started out as a defense fund for the church in 1984."
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According to Ortega, the IAS statuses increase as the donations roll in, saying a total contribution of at least $20 million equated to 'Patron Excalibur'.
Cartwright has previously defended the religion, having hit out at Going Clear, an HBO documentary adapted from Lawrence Wright’s 2013 book.
Speaking to the Associated Press, she said: “Dude, it’s like you gotta be kidding me. It was such a lie. That book and that movie, I don’t even know what to tell you.
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“It’s called prejudice. It’s like, very irresponsible reporting. You know, anybody wants to find out about it you should find out about it for yourself. It’s called integrity.
“And, look at me. Look at who I am, seriously. Look what it is that I am doing. You can’t knock me for what it is that I’m doing. I am helping.
“There’s a whole administrative technology that has nothing to do with religion it’s just how to run a business. And, it’s crucial. I’m quite trained as a businessperson.
“Shame on them, anyway. And the truth is, find out for yourself. Go to freedommagazine.org, or scientology.org and find out for yourself what it is about.”
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UNILAD has reached out to a representative for Nancy Cartwright for comment.