PARIS — The French branch of the Church of Scientology was convicted of fraud and fined nearly $900,000 on Tuesday by a Paris court. But the judges did not ban the church entirely, as the prosecution had demanded, saying that a change in the law prevented such an action for fraud. The church said it would appeal.
The verdict was among the most important in several years to involve the group, which is regarded by the Internal Revenue Service as a religion in the United States but has no similar legal protection in France. It is considered a sect here, where it says it has some 45,000 adherents, out of some 12 million worldwide. It was the first time here that the church itself had been tried and convicted, as opposed to individual members.
The case was brought by two former members who said they were pushed into paying large sums of money in the 1990s, pressed to sign up for expensive “purification courses” and harassed to buy a variety of vitamins and other forms of pharmaceuticals, plus electronic tests to
measure spiritual progress. One woman said she had been pressed into spending more than $30,000.
The major fines were rendered against the Scientology Celebrity Center in Paris and a Scientology bookstore. Six group leaders were convicted of fraud, with four given suspended sentences of 10 months to two years. One of them, the group’s leader in France, Alain Rosenberg, was given a two-year suspended sentence and fined $44,700. Two others were given only fines, of $1,490 and $2,980.
The judges said the individuals had avoided jail in part because of efforts by the church “to change its practices.”
There have been other cases brought against individual Scientologists in France, but this was the first time the organization was charged for its methods of functioning.
“This is a historic decision,” said Olivier Morice, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. “It’s the first time in France that the entity of the Church of Scientology is condemned for fraud as an organized gang.” He said that the tribunal “expressed its will to maintain the structure of Scientology in order to make it easier to control,” adding that “it gave this decision a national and international dimension so that potential victims can be warned of the methods of Scientology.”
Catherine Picard, who runs an association to help victims of sects, called the verdict “subtle enough and intelligent,” saying that it would help control Scientology in France, and expressed the hope that the state would be “more vigilant.” She said that “Scientology can no longer hide behind freedom of conscience.”
A spokeswoman for the church, Agnès Bron, called the verdict “an Inquisition for modern times.”
The Church of Scientology is based in Los Angeles. It was founded in 1954 by the writer L. Ron Hubbard. Belgium, Germany and other European countries have been formally criticized by the State Department for labeling Scientology a cult or sect and enacting laws to restrict its operations. After a 25-year battle, the Internal Revenue Service reversed itself in 1993 and agreed to grant the group tax-exempt status as a church.
In June, The St. Petersburg Times in Florida reported as part of a major investigation that the longtime head of Scientology, David Miscavige, ruled the church through a “culture of intimidation and violence,” including physical assaults on his aides. Last week, the ABC News program “Nightline” broadcast a two-part series reviving those allegations and interviewing former church executives who said they had quit after being beaten by Mr. Miscavige. Scientology has denied that Mr. Miscavige attacked any of his staff members.
Good to see the French standing up to such fraudsters. How come the accused didnt just ascend to the Mother wheel orbiting the earth and avoid Justice?
Originally posted by JBL266: HAIL XENU!! Soon these heretics will be defeated, and then XENU will be released from his intergalactic prison cell and RULE THE GALAXY!!!
Hey I'd like to see a hydrogen bomb dropped into a volcano.. From a distance
I heard Tommy Davis stormed off the set of an interview with Martin Bashir. Scientologists... they so funny
Did you see the interview where the Scientology rep got pi$$ed off and threw his microphone down when the reporter started asking him questions about the "GALACTIC RULER XENU..."? He said something like, "I'm not going to sit here and let you mock my religion.." Priceless...Xenu have mercy...
In the OT levels, Hubbard explains how to reverse the effects of past-life trauma patterns that supposedly extend millions of years into the past. Among these advanced teachings is the story of Xenu (sometimes Xemu), introduced as an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy." According to this story, 75 million years ago Xenu brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and detonated hydrogen bombs in the volcanoes. The thetans then clustered together, stuck to the bodies of the living, and continue to do this today. Scientologists at advanced levels place considerable emphasis on isolating body thetans and neutralizing their ill effects.
What we really need here is a Scientology believer who could try to defend his/her beliefs / religion. Now THAT would be interesting. Otherwise, it's a one-sided debate.
Originally posted by dupontgaf: What we really need here is a Scientology believer who could try to defend his/her beliefs / religion. Now THAT would be interesting. Otherwise, it's a one-sided debate.
Scientologists do not want to debate their "religion" - like so many others, they rebrand questions as attacks and dismiss them. I think they learned that from politicians.
Originally posted by dupontgaf: What we really need here is a Scientology believer who could try to defend his/her beliefs / religion. Now THAT would be interesting. Otherwise, it's a one-sided debate.
it *would* be so interesting to see someone actually defend a religion(cult)that started with a science fiction writer's imagination and "salvation" comes at a hefty financial price. Has anyone ever met a poor scientologist?(well one that hasnt been cleaned out by scientology)
Originally posted by FlankerFlyer: it *would* be so interesting to see someone actually defend a religion(cult)that started with a science fiction writer's imagination and "salvation" comes at a hefty financial price. Has anyone ever met a poor scientologist?(well one that hasnt been cleaned out by scientology)
Supposedly, it's more than that! It really got it's start because of a bet betwixt several of the "Father's of the Golden Age of SF;" basically, Hubbard bet he could successfully create a thriving religion. Heinlein, Asimov, Hubbard, John W. Campbell (not himself a writer, but a guiding light as an editor and publisher), Miller, Bradbury, Clarke and several others were apparently present.
Hubbard had the last laugh, although I suspect that he also foresaw and feared the Frankensteinian twist things would take later on!
It is not our belief or disbelief that can make or unmake the fact. ~ Thomas Paine
Scientology faces allegations of torture in Australia
The Australian prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has said he would consider an inquiry into the Church of Scientology after a senator tabled allegations against the organisation including forced abortions, assault, torture, imprisonment, covering up sexual abuse, embezzlement of church funds and blackmail.
Senator Nick Xenophon tabled letters from former officials and staff of the Church of Scientology alleging criminal activity, and demanded a review of the organisation's tax exempt status.
"Scientology is not a religious organisation, it is a criminal organisation that hides behind its so-called religious beliefs," he told the senate.
Among the letters tabled was one written by Aaron Saxton, from Perth, who said he engaged in torture and blackmail while working for the church in Australia and at its American headquarters between 1989 and 1996.
Rudd said the allegations were "grave" and that he would consider an inquiry, but said the evidence needed to be looked at carefully. "Many people in Australia have real concerns about Scientology. I share some of those concerns. But let us proceed carefully, and look carefully at the material which he has provided, before we make a decision on further parliamentary action," Rudd said.
Xenophon, an independent member of the Australian parliament who built a reputation fighting the spread of poker machines in his home state, South Australia, tabled the documents in the senate saying he had also referred the allegations to New South Wales and Australian federal police.
Xenophon said he had received letters from many more former church members who were too afraid to talk to authorities.
The letter from Aaron Saxton claimed he had assisted in the forced confinement and torture of a female church member who was kept under house arrest, Xenophon told the Senate. Saxton also said he was involved in coercing female followers to have abortions to keep followers loyal to the organisation and to allow them to keep working for it.
"Aaron says women who fell pregnant were taken to offices and bullied to have an abortion. If they refused, they faced demotion and hard labour," Xenophon said. "Aaron says one staff member used a coat hanger and self-aborted her child for fear of punishment.".
One letter from a former executive director of the Sydney branch of the church, Carmel Underwood, said that when she fell pregnant she was put under extreme pressure to have an abortion.
"Carmel says she also witnessed a young girl who had been molested by her father being coached as to what she should say to investigating authorities in order to keep the crimes secret," Xenophon said.
Anna and Dean Detheridge from Sydney, who spent 17 years on church staff, said they were "subjected to physical and mental abuse during their time with the organisation", according to the parliamentary statement.
"Anna and Dean also provided evidence where information they and others have revealed to the church have been used to blackmail and control. They also provided more information about coerced abortions," Xenophon said.
The Church of Scientology issued a statement accusing Xenophon of abusing parliamentary privilege. "Senator Xenophon is obviously being pressured by disgruntled former members who use hate speech and distorted accounts," the statement said. "They are about as reliable as former spouses are when talking about their ex-partner."
