Scientology conviction in France

The Church of Scientology has been convicted of fraud in France. I know a lot of people have been gunning for Scientology and this will vindicate their position. I still feel uncomfortable by the fact that they are not recognized as religion and are placed under a more loaded term of "sect" (see an earlier discussion: Cults, Sects, and the Scientology Trial). In fact, the US State Department has criticized several European countries (Belgium, Germany, etc) for labeling Scientology as a sect and for restricting their activities. Germany, in particular, has been quite harsh and has moved in the past to ban the Church of Scientology. We may disagree with religious practices, but the line impeding freedom of religion is not that far - especially for the French, who are also dealing with banning headscarves in state schools. In any case, here is the French Scientology case:

The court convicted the Church of Scientology's French office, its library and six of its leaders of fraud. Investigators said the group pressured members into paying large sums of money for questionable financial gain and used ''commercial harassment'' against recruits.

The group was fined euro400,000 ($600,000) and the library euro200,000. Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences of between 10 months and two years. The other two were given fines of euro1,000 and euro2,000.

The court did not order the Church of Scientology to shut down, ruling that it would be likely to continue its activities anyway, ''outside any legal framework.''

May be they have been pressuring and defrauding people more than other religions - perhaps that is what convinced the court, but here is the bit that makes me think twice about it:

The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology, founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, has been active for decades in Europe, but has struggled to gain status as a religion. It is considered a sect in France and has faced prosecution and difficulties in registering its activities in many countries.

And here is some information about the case was about:

The original complaint in the case dates back more than a decade, when a young woman said she took out loans and spent the equivalent of euro21,000 on books, courses and ''purification packages'' after being recruited in 1998. When she sought reimbursement and to leave the group, its leadership refused. She was among three eventual plaintiffs.

Investigating judge Jean-Christophe Hullin spent years examining the group's activities, and in his indictment criticized what he called the Scientologists' ''obsession'' with financial gain and practices he said were aimed at plunging members into a ''state of subjection.''

Read the full story here.

P.S. Also, Paul Haggis has left the Church of Scientology.