text: John Travolta claims Scientology has helped him 'save lives', including his own. The actor believes the controversial church is targeted 'because it's not understood'. And despite allegations that he has been blackmailed by the elders to remain in the congregation, he insists: 'I've loved every minute of it.' His words came in an interview with Good Morning America to promote his new thriller The Forger about the world's most infamous art plagiarist. But amid questions about the 61-year-old's penchant for oil painting, interviewer Amy Robach brought up Going Clear, the explosive new documentary that alleges church elders have a 'blackmail file' of 'damaging material' from Travolta's sessions with auditors. 'I've loved every minute': John Travolta smiled as he spoke out in defense of his controversial religion . 'It's helped me save lives': The 61-year-old actor insists the church is not as evil as it has been depicted . He fielded the questions about Scientology during a press stop on his promotion tour of his movie The Forger . Dismissing the claims, Travolta said it has been a support system for his family for four decades, particularly as he mourned the death of his 16-year-old disabled son Jett in 2009. 'My family has done so well with it,' he said. 'It's been a beautiful thing for me. I've saved lives with it and saved my own life several times. 'Through my loss of my son, it helped me every step of the way for two years solid, and here I am.' He urged critics to 'take time and read a book.' 'You could read A New Slant on Life, you could read Dianetics,' he said. 'And I think if you really read it, you'll understanding it. But unless you do, you'll speculate and I think that's a mistake.' The film features a number of allegations about how members are threatened and tortured in prison-style camps and cut off from their family if they decide to leave Scientology. Others belonging to the most senior order of the faith have been forced to play musical chairs to the sound of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in a fight to secure a chair to stay in the church, it was claimed. The claims have been disputed by the Church of Scientology who have branded those who featured in the show - many former senior members - as 'admitted' liars and perjurers and 'professional anti-Scientologists.' Directed by Alex Gibney, Going Clear aimed to expose the secrets behind the mysterious faith followed by thousands of people including Travolta and Tom Cruise. Controversy: The documentary Going Clear alleges that church elders have a 'blackmail file' from Travolta's sessions with auditors that will stop him (pictured right with his wife Kelly Preston) and his family from leaving the church . Dismissing the claims, Travolta said it has been a support system for his family for four decades, particularly as he mourned the death of his 16-year-old disabled son Jett in 2009 . It included interviews with former senior members and officials who made explosive claims about punishments endured by members and how followers have been manipulated. These included descriptions of a 'prison camp', revealed by former member Sylvia 'Spanky' Taylor. People put into this camp are forced to do around 30 hours of hard labour, broken up by three hour rest breaks. Spanky was once the point of contact between the Church and Travolta and said she was sent to this 'prison camp', known as the Rehabilitation Project Force which, she claims, is where members are 'reindoctrinated.' The documentary also claimed Scientology chiefs hold a 'black PR package' on Travolta, with all the disclosures he made during auditing sessions. During these sessions a trained auditor asked pointed questions such as 'What are you willing for me to talk to others about?' Travolta is said to have requested that his sessions were not filmed, but secret cameras were allegedly installed anyway. As well as the claims about Travolta, former senior members of the faith told documentary makers about the various forms of punishment meted out by leaders. Big names: John Travolta and Tom Cruise are pictured together at a Scientology session in the front row . Another form of punishment involved members of the highest ranking order within the Scientology church, Sea Org, whose members are said to be punished by being thrown in 'The Hole'. As well as beatings in 'The Hole', they are allegedly also subjected to demeaning tasks including mopping up the floor with their tongue to force them to confess their crimes against the Church. Others are apparently ordered to play musical chairs to the sound of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody - fighting each other for chairs which allow them to remain in the church, with losers being expelled. Being expelled from the Church of Scientology comes at a high price, because all friends and family that are still with the religion are forced to cut any ties with departing members. Scientology is believed to be one of the reasons behind the breakdown of Tom Cruise's marriage to Katie Holmes because he was understood to have wanted to send their daughter Suri to Sea Org, according to reports at the time. In an interview with the New Yorker in 2012, Scientology spokesmen denied the claims. The Church of Scientology, which is believed to have around 50,000 members, denied the allegations featured in Going Clear and said the statements included were 'entirely false.' People interviewed in the HBO documentary included Lisa-Marie Presley, who has dissented from the church . In a statement it said: 'The Church has documented evidence that those featured in Gibney's film regurgitating their stale, discredited allegations are admitted perjurers, admitted liars and professional anti-Scientologists whose living depends on the filing of false claims. All have been gone so long from the Church they know nothing of it today. 'Yet Gibney and HBO stonewalled more than a dozen requests by the Church to offer relevant information about them, with more than 25 individuals with first-hand information eager to speak. To this day, neither HBO nor Gibney can deny that they have yet to present the Church with a single allegation from the film so the Church may have an opportunity to respond. The Church never sought special treatment, only fair treatment.' Since Going Clear premiered at the Sundance Festival in January, the church has created a website dedicated to criticising the film and released its own version, called 'Get the truth.' Representatives also branded the documentary a 'bigoted propaganda piece.' Other famous members have also criticised the show. Danny Masterton, a second generation Scientologist and former star of 'That 70s show', said he thought the book the documentary was based on was full of lies. He told eonline: 'I wonder if Sundance would allow a documentary of, like, eight people who hate Judaism. But you know, my religion's fair game, I guess, "cause it's new".' At the end of the documentary Gibney lists the people who refused to be interviewed, which included Miscavige, Travolta, Cruise and Kidman.
target: The actor, 61, appeared on Good Morning America to promote The Forger .
  Was asked about controversial Scientology documentary Going Clear .
  Film alleges church elders hold a 'blackmail file' to keep Travolta with them .
  Travolta insists he has 'loved every minute', it is 'misunderstood' and it has helped him get through hard times over 40 years .
  Tells his critics to 'read a book' and not to 'speculate'