Church of Scientology goes on trial in France after members are accused of organised fraud

 

 

By Mail Foreign Service

Last updated at 4:37 PM on 25th May 2009

 

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The Church of Scientology in France went on trial today on charges of organised fraud.

Registered as a religion in the United States, with celebrity members such as actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, Scientology enjoys no such legal protection in France and has faced repeated accusations of being a money-making cult.

The group's Paris headquarters and bookshop are defendants in the case. If found guilty, they could be fined €5million and ordered to halt their activities in France.

 

Accused: The group's Paris headquarters and bookshop are defendants in the case and could be fined €5million if they are found guilty of charges of organised fraud

 

 

 

 

Seven leading French Scientology members are also in the dock. Some are charged with illegally practising as pharmacists and face up to 10 years in prison and hefty fines.

 

 

The case centres on a complaint made in 1998 by a woman who said she was enrolled into Scientology after members approached her in the street and persuaded her to do a personality test.

In the following months, she paid more than €21,000 for books, 'purification packs' of vitamins, sauna sessions and an 'e-meter' to measure her spiritual progress, she said.

Fan: Actor Tom Cruise is a big supporter of Scientology

 

 

Other complaints then surfaced. The five original plaintiffs - three of whom withdrew after reaching a financial settlement with the Church of Scientology - said they spent up to hundreds of thousands of euros on similar tests and 'cures'.

 

They told investigators that Scientology members harassed them with phone calls and nightly visits to cajole them into paying their bills or taking out bank loans.

 

The plaintiffs were described as 'vulnerable' by psychological experts in the case.

Scientology, founded in 1954 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, describes the 'e-meter' as a religious artefact that helps the user and supervisor locate spiritual distress.

Investigators have described the machine as useless and said vitamin cures handed out by Church members were medication that should not have been freely sold.

Judge Jean-Christophe Hullin ruled last year that the offices and members, including the group's 60-year-old French head, Alain Rosenberg, should be tried. The public prosecutor had recommended the case be shelved.

In a trial that has revived a debate about religious freedom in secular France, the defence is expected to argue the court should not intervene in religious affairs.

Scientology has faced numerous setbacks in France, with members convicted of fraud in Lyon in 1997 and Marseille in 1999. In 2002, a court fined it for violating privacy laws and said it could be dissolved if involved in similar cases.

The headquarters and bookshop account for most of the group's activities in France and a guilty verdict would in practice mean its dissolution, although it is unclear whether it could still open other branches in the future.

This is probably the worst idea. Now they're going to look like martyrs. Honestly if you want to keep people away from Scientology, try to get them to join Scientology. That cult is its own worst enemy.

^Yeah, but like they said, "The plaintiffs were described as 'vulnerable' by psychological experts in the case". Supposedly as I've heard it, there is no "religion" more psychologically damaging to leave. (A clear sign that it really is a cult...) They play dirty.

 

It's a hard balance to find, really, between preserving freedom and not reinforcing something by being to harsh against it, and on the other hand protecting the vulnerable from something that could be really dangerous to them.

This is wrong,Scientology is a credible religion and they should be left to practice it in peace.

I wouldn't call it credible but they should have a right to practice what religion they want.

It's too bad you can't take a logically consistent belief system (like rational objectivism or universally preferable behavior) and slap a zombie-alien born to a virgin on it to make it appealing to the masses.

I think the freedom to believe whatever one chooses is fine, so long as that belief does not infringe on the rights of others. "vulnerable" - well, there are many religions getting converts from those who are "vulnerable", so unique that's not! And one might portray any religion as a cult, if it's not the acceptable religion of the community or state. What would Ron L Hubbard have to say about this?:P

Hubbard would probably be peeved off about how crappy the current management of Scientology have been lately. He'd regain control of his wayward religion and say something sassy like, "DO I HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING MYSELF AROUND HERE?" and file a few lawsuits.

I think the freedom to believe whatever one chooses is fine, so long as that belief does not infringe on the rights of others. "vulnerable" - well, there are many religions getting converts from those who are "vulnerable", so unique that's not! And one might portray any religion as a cult, if it's not the acceptable religion of the community or state. What would Ron L Hubbard have to say about this?:P

 

I have no idea - but it would probably be something in Klingon.:rolleyes:

MY last comment wasn't serious by the way.I think anyone who joins this religion was either dropped on their head while young or has taken far too many drugs.

MY last comment wasn't serious by the way.I think anyone who joins this religion was either dropped on their head while young or has taken far too many drugs.

 

So which is Tom Cruise??:rolleyes:

So which is Tom Cruise??:rolleyes:

 

He's just insecure and short:P

I wouldn't call it credible but they should have a right to practice what religion they want.

 

boy, do i agree with that. religion causes so many problems! just let people believe what they want, who cares? as long as they aren't bothering you, shut up.

boy, do i agree with that. religion causes so many problems! just let people believe what they want, who cares? as long as they aren't bothering you, shut up.

 

 

So it's okay to ignore the fact they are preying on people who are mentally and emotionally vulnerable?

He's just insecure and short:P

 

So they're also criteria for becoming a Scientologist??:P

So it's okay to ignore the fact they are preying on people who are mentally and emotionally vulnerable?

 

If it weren't Scientology it would be something else. In the words of the wise philosopher Ron White, "You can't fix stupid."

If it weren't Scientology it would be something else. In the words of the wise philosopher Ron White, "You can't fix stupid."

 

And in the words of the inimitable Forrest Gump: "Stupid is as stupid does.";)

If it weren't Scientology it would be something else. In the words of the wise philosopher Ron White, "You can't fix stupid."

 

 

Ha! it's definitely not just Scientology that's guilty of this. But that doesn't mean we're not allowed to disagree and voice concerns over it.

Ha! it's definitely not just Scientology that's guilty of this.

 

Definitely not. The Catholic church has been brainwashing people for hundreds of years, for a start............... :rolleyes:

Agreed.

Definitely not. The Catholic church has been brainwashing people for hundreds of years, for a start............... :rolleyes:

 

lol and Dan Brown's been making a fortune off it.

lol and Dan Brown's been making a fortune off it.

 

 

He sure has, and the book wasn't even that good lol

So they're also criteria for becoming a Scientologist??:P

 

I don't think John Travoltas that short, I'm not sure what his excuse is.

He sure has, and the book wasn't even that good lol

 

And neither was the film for that matter!!:rolleyes:

I don't think John Travoltas that short, I'm not sure what his excuse is.

 

He's suffering from a severe case of Hollywooditis??:rolleyes: