16 June 2009 - 11H45
Court urged to shut down Church of Scientology
French prosecutors have asked a court to shut down the Church of Scientology in France and hand its leaders huge fines and suspended jail sentences for using "fraudulent" tactics to recruit followers. Scientology is considered a sect in France.
French prosecutors have urged a court to shut down the Church of Scientology in France and punish its leaders for using "fraudulent" tactics to woo new followers.
Prosecutors Maud Morel-Coujard and Nicolas Baieto called on the court to dismantle the movement's French structures, the Scientology Celebrity Centre and an associated bookshop in Paris, and fine them each two million euros (2.75 million dollars).
They also demanded a four-year suspended jail sentence and 150,000 euro fine against the French centre's founder, Alain Rosenberg, and asked the court to deprive him of civic and civil rights for five years.
The prosecutors further asked for suspended jail sentences of up to three years and fines of up to 50,000 euros against five other top French Scientology officials.
"A whole series of fraudulent manoeuvres were used in the search for new followers," Morel-Coujard told the court.
Known for its Hollywood celebrity followers Tom Cruise and John Travolta, Scientology is in the dock in Paris for the second time in six years, although French courts have prosecuted several individual Scientologists since 1978.
The group's French branch has rejected the accusations, insisting that Scientology was a legitimate religion whose members faced persecution.
France officially considers Scientology to be a sect.
The defence will plead its case on Tuesday and Wednesday and the court will issue a verdict in several weeks' time.
Speaking to FRANCE 24, Agnes Bron of the Church of Scientology in France said the case was “an inquisition that puts freedom of religion in France in peril”.
According to Bron, the demands of the prosecutors “show that the French public prosecution service is essentially totalitarian and is working with pressure groups that want to stifle religious minorities in France”.
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Comments
Scientology
I guess judge just used common sense in this case, sure they can call themselves as minority but point me to another religion where you have to pay 50,000$ to believe??? Right now I can stand up and go to any church, mosque, synagogue or Buddhist temple... I won't be charged any money and I'm sure I can find someone to talk to over there that won't trying to sell me E-meter for 3000$... so Scientology is just cult that clocks itself under religion to fraud people out of money. Look up YouTube and Jason Beghe interview...
Methods?
Are you talking about method used in Scientology?
This is the end of line, a person donate money to a church and after suit the church because wants the money back trying to proof the staff are making a fraud! This two woman are very smart right?
This is very interesting how the people create lies, considering that a person said Niacin which is vitamin, is consider "drug" in France. What more? Vitamin considered drug, this is very bad!
It's not about being right or wrong
It's not about their ideas, it's about their methods. People can beleive in what they want, I don't especially care, but I do give importance to the methods used. In that sense, I'm personnally satisfied with the judge decision. Don't mix everything up ! As for the "impact on freedom", again, this shouldn't stop them to believe in what they think is right, it's not supposed to. This decision aims at stopping liars to use religion as an excuse to get themselves rich.
Scientology
It seems that history has a sure way of repeating itself. If you read the history of the crusades, or how Native Americans where consider animals because of their spiritual practices. What about enslaved Africans who where brought to the Americas and forced to change their religious beliefs.
Scientology is no different than any other religion. To make claims towards one religion you must truly evaluate all religions govern under a state. With that said, many people have their own personal belief towards religion and spiritual practices. Who can really state that one religion is right while the other is wrong?
Scientology
Finally a justice system that is prepared to call a sect a sect. A justice system that refuses to allow it citizenry to be infiltrated and exploited by chicanery, mensonge and a pyramid scheme of such cunning and deceptiveness that even when they have their hands in your finances you are expected to smile and behave gratefully for their theft of your resources. Scientology make the Inquisition look like a self improvement organization.