A 2003 review in New York City's The Village Voice compared the show to The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, stating:  "Just as Ui doesn't explain the complex phenomenon of the Third Reich, Scientology Pageant doesn't probe the psychology of cults; instead, both demystify subjects whose appeal stems in no small part from the mystique their acolytes have attributed to them." Though most of the media reception of the musical was positive, New York Church of Scientology President John Carmichael did not have kind words for the production.
In 2003, The Village Voice in New York City noted that Scientology Pageant mirrored The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by simplifying complex subjects without delving into their psychological underpinnings. Both productions gloss over the appeal of cults, which stem from followers' attributions of mystique. Despite positive media reception, John Carmichael, President of the New York Church of Scientology, did not endorse the musical.