Actor Jason Lee Leaves Church Of Scientology After Moving To Small Texas Town
Actor Jason Lee and his wife, Ceren Alkac, have reportedly left Scientology after moving to the small town of Denton, Texas. The Daily Mail reports that Lee quietly left the Church of Scientology and moved his family to Denton just over a year ago. Rumors have been swirling that residents of Denton fear Jason Lee has plans to start up his own Church of Scientology, but Lee apparently recently reassured the small community that he has no plans ever to rejoin the millions of people who are still a part of the Scientology religion.
The Dentonite published an interview with Jason Lee on Friday, saying they just wanted to “check in with him” to see what he’s been up to since relocating his family to Texas. The author of the printed interview, Sara Button, actually titled the blog post, “Checking In With Jason Lee,” and wrote that Lee has been “extremely helpful” and honest throughout the last year. The blog post goes on to say that Lee has plans to bring great things to Denton — not including Scientology.
We heard UNT is renaming the Football team the Jason Lee-ers, & if its a rumor in Denton, it's totally true right? https://t.co/U1dPDXO23e
— The Dentonite (@TheDentonite) September 18, 2016
According to Radar Online, Jason Lee explains that he didn’t move to Denton to buy it up, take it over, or change it. Lee actually even acknowledges the Scientology rumors but says he didn’t move to Denton to set up his own Scientology center. After spending a good portion of his adult life practicing Scientology, Jason Lee, 46, moved to Denton, Texas, to finally escape the unconventional religion that broke up his first marriage to actress, Carmen Llywelyn, and allegedly came between him and his second wife last year.
Even though Jason Lee assures Denton that he’s left the Church of Scientology for good, rumors were reported last year that his commitment to Scientology also split up his second marriage. Hubmesh actually reported in December, 2015, that Jason Lee and Ceren Alkac were divorcing after seven years of marriage due to conflicts related to Scientology. But Lee now appears to be living happily in Denton with his wife, Ceren, and their two children, Sonny and Casper. Lee says that even though there have been quite a few rumors about them “floating around,” they moved to Denton to be involved and help where they can.
No, actor Jason Lee isn't trying to buy Denton or convert everyone to Scientology | https://t.co/BaMQrRSSzW pic.twitter.com/6c9Cn6URqX
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) September 17, 2016
Jason Lee says he hasn’t even purchased anything in Denton, other than his home. Although, he told The Dentonite that he does rent a small space downtown, but not for Scientology.
“I do rent a little photo office space. It’s nice to have a place away from home for scanning and editing my film photos, listening to records, and just being around my cameras and books and whatnot.
“We don’t practice Scientology. We aren’t particularly interested in opening religious centers in general. We have no plans to open a Scientology center.”
Since Lee says he’s not doing any acting work “much anymore,” getting away from California and the Church of Scientology apparently seemed like the right move to keep his second marriage intact. Jason Lee’s first wife, Carmen Llywelyn, fully blames Scientology for ruining their lengthy marriage, saying that she only joined Scientology at the “behest” of Lee, and that she lost all sense of identity “in the name of the cult.”
“I started to feel like he was forcing Scientology on me, past the point where I didn’t want to go any further. He would never stop talking about it.”
Llywelyn explains that she was “heavily indoctrinated” into the controversial religion that teaches that people are “immortal spirits who have forgotten their true nature.” But Llywelyn continued to stay in the Church of Scientology for two years after divorcing Lee in 2001. Lee had reportedly already been in Scientology for five years prior to meeting Llywelyn in 1994. But after nearly 30 years and one failed marriage, Jason Lee finally decided it was time to move on from Scientology, following a bunch of other celebrities, including Leah Remini and Lisa Marie Presley, as recently reported by Showbiz 411.
Wonderwall reports that Jason Lee is making a fresh start after “quietly” moving from Hollywood and the Church of Scientology to a ranch in Denton, Texas, to create a new life with current wife, Ceren, who apparently never practiced Scientology.
https://twitter.com/ZERUDAH/status/774238789325754368
Entertainment Weekly reported that director Kevin Smith announced plans in June for a sequel to the 1995 comedy film Mallrats in the form of a 10-episode TV series entitled Mallbrats that will again cast Jason Lee as character Brodie Bruce, even though Lee says his time is pretty consumed with photography and two skateboard brands.
[Featured Image by Ari Perilstein/Getty Images]