John Travolta, who tragically lost his son recently, is a Scientologist - as are many who orbit the planet called Hollywood. Like any religion, there are special customs to be observed when a member of the faith passes into the great beyond.

...What are they?

At a typical Scientology funeral, the one being honored is directly addressed “as a spiritual being, and is meant to acknowledge the life they lived and their right to move on,” according to Church of Scientology International spokesman Tommy Davis.

Scientology funeral services are generally kept simple and often include readings from the works of science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. But there may or may not be a coffin present, as the body is not the focus for subscribers to the Scientology faith. They believe in thetans, or energy, that is attached to the body. When the body dies, the thetan moves on to a new host. Scientologists do not believe in Heaven or a Nirvana-type place where the departed dwell in eternity, but rather that one’s life-force (thetan) will be recycled again and again.