Tom Cruise is a leading member in the fascist cult Church of Scientology, who is on record saying they can bring back people from the dead and levitate.
And? People also listen to Buddhists about depression, and Buddhists believe that enlightened people can fly!
EDIT: I'm rate limited so I can't reply to the child comments:
I think a majority of Buddhists believe that Buddhas and bodhisattvas have special powers. It is in a majority of the traditional scriptures, from both Mahayana and before. I don't think the authoritarian nature of scientology changes the situation. Scientologists were being mocked for believing in such things, but that is not far from the beliefs of most Buddhists which people will happily listen to.
I mean, you will likely even listen to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is literally a prophesied reincarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin in Chinese, Kannon in Japanese)
My point isn't that people can be right about some things and wrong about others, it's that people mock their disliked religious figures on one basis, but their mocking also applies just as much to their favourite religious figures, however they don't realise it because they are usually ignorant to many aspects of it. Everyone loves Buddhism, but go and criticise other religions for reasons that apply just as much to Buddhism, they are just ignorant that it also applies to Buddhism.
I am a devout Buddhist, and believe in these traditional things, such as Buddhas flying or having their own Buddha lands or faith in my rebirth in a western Pure Land. I emphasise it because you probably don't know of these things
"Buddhists" represents many sects, and many more individuals who aren't beholden to anyone. The majority of these assuredly don't believe anyone can fly, enlightened or not.
Scientology is a rigidly hierarchical, authoritarian cult that speaks with a single voice: that of a handful of leaders.
There is a slight difference between these two things.
It isn't whataboutism. I'm simply pointing out that the same argument people use to disparage Tom Cruise also applies to religious figures that they respect far more. I'm pointing out ignorance about other religions, it isn't whataboutism at all.
EDIT: I'm rate limited so I can't reply to the child comments:
I think a majority of Buddhists believe that Buddhas and bodhisattvas have special powers. It is in a majority of the traditional scriptures, from both Mahayana and before. I don't think the authoritarian nature of scientology changes the situation. Scientologists were being mocked for believing in such things, but that is not far from the beliefs of most Buddhists which people will happily listen to.
I mean, you will likely even listen to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who is literally a prophesied reincarnation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin in Chinese, Kannon in Japanese)
My point isn't that people can be right about some things and wrong about others, it's that people mock their disliked religious figures on one basis, but their mocking also applies just as much to their favourite religious figures, however they don't realise it because they are usually ignorant to many aspects of it. Everyone loves Buddhism, but go and criticise other religions for reasons that apply just as much to Buddhism, they are just ignorant that it also applies to Buddhism.
I am a devout Buddhist, and believe in these traditional things, such as Buddhas flying or having their own Buddha lands or faith in my rebirth in a western Pure Land. I emphasise it because you probably don't know of these things