Friday, May 29, 2009

Scientology on trial in France

Is Scientology a religion, or a scam? That seems to be the crux of the debate in France where French prosecutors are charging Scientology's French affiliate with organized fraud. Time article here.
While I am persuaded this movement is more cult than religion and poses a serious threat to the spiritually and emotionally vulnerable, I am ill at ease with the potential of a government meddling in even this quasi-religious morass. It will be interesting to see if the prosecutors can demonstrate that this group is essentially scamming its members and what fallout there may be for orthodox religious groups.

1 comment:

  1. You might be interested in reading author David Brear's take on Scientology by clicking here. Is Scientology a business masquerading as a religion? Is Amway a religion masquerading as a business? Enquiring minds want to know?

    I can understand your misgivings about a cult who bases their existence on utopian myths being wound up the by the French government as a fraud. After all, there are many people who believe things like 'the flood' and 'the garden of Eden' to be myths as well.

    Your concern is for the bretheren who believe that all Biblical myths are 'the gospel' truth sanctified by faith. And they walked two by two onto the Ark.

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