Scientology.....a CRIMINAL organzation??

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_re_eu/belgium_scientology

According to the news story, Scientology is coming under fire in Europe, mainly in Germany, where the prosecutor has recommended they face criminal charges.

How does this make Scientologists feel?
How does this make other religious people feel? (In other words, do you fear for your own religion also coming under the microscope?)
How does this make those of us who have no religion feel?

Answer 1

Hi So-crates

I'm a Scientologist , for the past 36 years, so I have a longer term persepective on this kind of governement based attack on my religion.
This kind of attack has been going on since Scientology was first founded back in 1952.
The first Church in Washington DC was raided in the early 60's.
The CIA/FBI raided the LA Churches in 70's.
The OPP raided the Toronto Church in Canada in the 80's
Governments of the UK ,Spain, France and Italy have all made similar attacks in the past.
Each time we fought back for religious freedom and each time we have won.
In the USA the battle was long and only finally won about 15 years ago when the IRS eventually stopped making unfounded "accusations" and actually LOOKED. They finally agreed to our request to inspect and audit all the US church accounts as well as our affiliated activities. After a THOROUGH financial audit of all our organizations
gave us full religious recognition with tax exempt and charitable status.
In other words, they (the IRS) found nothing criminal of "profit making" so they had no choice. You can imagine that if there had been ANYTHING to find of this nature the IRS would have found it.
The deal with Germany is that they are not prepared to do this and would rather continue with a general black propaganda campaign against Scientology , making unproven accusations and innuendo with a 10 year "investigation" which has basically found nothing , but with the help of the media stirred up continuous doubt in the public mind to justify descrimination against the Scientology religion in Europe. ( Nazi Germany did a similar thing with the Jews , only they did not fight back. Hopefully we remember that result !)
The "raids and attacks" get the media attention. Not the results of lengthy and costly court battles, none of which have been won by the governments that launched them. (The tax payers of those countries paid for their govts "investigations" and legal court costs. We have to pay ourselves to fight these false accusations).

Yes, this is just what they want, tie us up in costly legal battles for as many years as they can and stir up as much contraversy as possible using the media while doing so.

For Scientology it all comes down to the price of freedom.
All Scientologists know that the real price of freedom is constant alertness and constant willingness to fight back.
Bottomline when real freedom is at stake, which it is , there is no other price.
So we're used to it. We are expanding and growing like never before in our history. Each time in the past when we have expanded we have been attacked. So this time is really no surprise. In fact it is an indication of just how well we are doing, particularly in Europe.
For me media hype about a government attack like this aginst my church is confirmation that we are achieving our goals as a religion.
Although we could ALL do a lot better without it.

Answer 2

Assuming the news story accurately reports the charges being brought against the Scientologists (unlawful practices in medicine, privacy law violations, illegal business contracts, coersion, etc.), I would have to say it would seem they are in deep manure. I am unfamiliar with European criminal justice laws, but understand that the initial burden of proof (i.e. to bring a party or individual before a tribunal to ascertain whether they will be prosecuted) is actually HIGHER there than here. I think this explains the reason why it took so long to accuse them of these violations. This also must have been an extensive, convoluted investigation -- similar to the ones we see here in the U.S. involving organized crime. I will try to be neutral until this case wends its way though the legal system, which should be sometime after I am dead of old age or Raptured to be with the Lord, LOL!

This case doesn't make me fearful of Christianity being put under the microscope. In fact, if there is any denomination or preacher that's guilty of any similar charge or charges, I would lead the pack to cry out for their prosecution.

Answer 3

I tried abit of Scientology and then quit it.
But I still think its a good deal for some people (I found very little "cult" accusations to be true about them at least at the level I was seeing)

I think that Germany draws the line on religion abit too tight. If you pass judgement on what is or isnt a religion then you cannot say that you have religious freedom. Anyone who says "this is" and "this isnt" cant help but violate that line.

Answer 4

Same old news. I was in a taxi today today when I heard the latest made up rubbish. I was and will continue to wear my International Association of Scientologists t-shirt.

I talk to most people I meet about Scientology because they ask or I can see that they may be able to use some of the technology.

Why do some people oppose Scientology?
http://www.scientologytoday.org/Common/question/pg56.htm

Answer 5

Thetaalways really said it best. I do want to add though that Scientology in Germany is actually doing quite well, per reports from the churches themselves. The German Lutheran church is not happy with losing members and thus attacks not only Scientology but other religions as well.

And Tom Cruise got to make his film in Germany anyway. Cool stuff.

Answer 6

i think some criminals are misunderstood & maximum are products of their atmosphere; yet there are nevertheless people who purely have a malicious mentality inspite of the existence they have lived . i think of many are misunderstood contained in the experience each physique is speedy to bounce to the conclusions that in the event that they have been arrested & convicted they must be "undesirable human beings" & did something incorrect with no longer bearing in innovations how corrupt the government & surprisingly the police could be at cases. Even removing the corruption ingredient; i think for ever action there's a reaction & human beings have motives at the back of their strikes, case & factor the Charles Starkweather case , if somebody is continually bullied day in & holiday that is in basic terms predicted quickly they'll advance a hatred for humanity & at last insurrection . i think there's a narrative at the back of each criminal; justification or no longer, desires to be taken into consideration . BQ: Yea i think of hip hop perpetuates misogyny to a factor...yet I additionally experience that's the way the listener seems at it . i in my opinion experience there is particularly women human beings in this international & then there are b^tches, & there's a superb line between the two; & the two must be uncovered & addressed for what they are. consistent with possibility some rappers experience women each physique is inferior, yet i think that is greater a made from their atmosphere & observations in accordance with studies - if all they have been uncovered to is gold diggers, promiscuous ladies, diverse heartbreaks, opportunists, ect...needless to say their perspectives approximately them could replace & i will comprehend that. I actually have a difficulty while rappers &/or listeners generalize that each and all of us women each physique is b^tches, on account that is obviously no longer real . BQ2: a mixture of the two, i admire to be sure artists shop it genuine by exhibiting their vulnerability & honesty ; yet there is not any longer something incorrect with self assurance as long because it does not go the factor to narcissism.

Answer 7

Germany apparently does not have the freedom of religion that the United States does. I don't think it is a criminal organization, it is a cult and one I would not belong to, but it is a religion, and not criminal.

Religion can produce criminals like the men who rip people telling them to give to God, but they give you their address, but that is not a reflection on the religion, but a reflection on those people who use religion to deceive people and rip people off.

Now I am all for ministers and preachers getting paid, but really, when some of these guys have their own personal jets, three of four summer houses worth millions they are not getting paid for services rendered, but are ripping people off.
BB

Answer 8

No surprise to this gal. All organized religion will be under fire big time very soon. See Revelation 17:16.

Answer 9

It's about time somebody really went after them.
They're correct, they are a criminal organization, who are really the religious equivalent of the mafia. They stalk, harass, and threaten people, and there's even evidence that they've killed people.

Answer 10

How does it make me FEEL?

Well... it makes me feel proud, I suppose. Proud that more and more people are recognizing Scientology for the dangerous cult and criminal enterprise that it is.

There are multitudes of people who have suffered tragic experiences during their involvement with Scientology. Read about them here:
http://www.lermanet.com/persecution/
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/
http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/cheryl_s

Here are more "bad experiences" with the cult including an illegal plot to infiltrate the government, brainwashing techniques, mind control camps, attacks on critics, and DEATHS caused by Scientology doctrine and members:

● Operation Snow White – Under this official program, Scientology operatives committed infiltration, wiretapping, & theft of documents in government offices. This program constituted the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history. Among the 11 prominent Scientologists convicted of this conspiracy was Mary Sue Hubbard, the wife of Scientology’s “prophet”.
http://lisatrust.freewinds.cx/scientology/snow-white/index.html
http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/op/operation_snow_white.htm

● Operation Freakout - Their campaign of sabotage & violence against Paulette Cooper, the writer who published her research & findings on several cults, including Scientology. Scientology’s official plan: to frame Paulette, ruin her career & reputation & get her either incarcerated or locked up in psychiatric confinement.
The official plan: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Krasel/cooper/frk1.html
Her book: http://holysmoke.org/cos/books/scandal-of-scientology-cooper.pdf

● Fair Game - the Scientology policy detailing how the organization may confront & handle critics & perceived enemies. Here is a direct quote: "Enemies may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”
http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm
http://www.planetkc.com/sloth/sci/Fair_game_ord.html
http://www.fairgamed.org/

● Physical & psychological punishment: Scientologists who "break the rules" while members of the "Sea Org" must subject themselves to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), which includes regimes of harsh physical punishment, forced self-confessions, social isolation, hard labor and intensive ideological indoctrination.
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/rpf.html
http://www.lermanet2.com/scientology/gulags/BrainwashinginScientology'sRehabilitationProjectForce.htm
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/rpf/escape_2.htm

● Brainwashing & mind control: Scientology exerts control over its members by means of typical cult tactics, including but not limited to controlling information about internal doctrine & criticism of the organization, severely restricting social contact outside the cult (including the practice of “disconnecting” with any family who question the credibility & trustworthiness of the cult), creating an “us against them” mentality by villainizing a specific out-group (for Scientology, it’s psychiatrists), & claiming all those outside the cult are unenlightened.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml
http://www.factnet.org/Books/SocialControl/scs.html#toc http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/s/scientology/pignotti/
http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny.html

● Violent Kidnapping - Lisa McPherson was a Scientologist, was involved in a car accident & resultantly became mentally unstable. She was kidnapped from the hospital by agents of Scientology, held against her will, refused proper psychiatric treatment & allowed to STARVE TO DEATH.
Video: http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/
News Coverage: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/Lisa_McPherson_Scientology_Deaths.html
Website: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

● Tragic Murder - A CBS “48 Hours” special on Jeremy Perkins, the mentally disturbed son of Scientologist parents who, because of the Scientology doctrine of opposing psychiatry, refused to put him on the anti-psychotic drugs that would have stabilized him & prevented him from killing his own mother.
Video: http://www.scientomogy.com/jeremy_perkins.php
CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/25/48hours/main2124568.shtml
Website: http://perkinstragedy.org