In 1993, however, Scientology and the American government reached a settlement, in which the church dropped several legal actions in exchange for official recognition as a tax-exempt religion. Now the organization is fighting the same battle around the world.
Urban’s book raises many thought-provoking questions about the distinction (if any) between a religion and a cult, and why some faiths are officially exempted from the tax system while others are not. Paradoxically, the United States Constitution forbids promotion of religion by the state, yet the state’s revenue agency has the power to determine what is “really” a religion and what is not.
He also illustrates how in recent years, the tables have been turned on Scientology, which now finds itself under attack from decentralized “anonymous” members who organize through the Internet. The church itself has launched many copyright-infringement lawsuits against web sites on which confidential “scriptures” — including the ones about evil intergalactic ruler “Xenu,” famously satirized on South Park — have been posted, but it is practically impossible to stop the viral spread of anti-Scientology material on the web.
The author shies away from taking a clear position on whether, in his opinion, Scientology truly deserves its official recognition. Indeed, Urban tries to remain neutral as to the benefits and/or harm caused by the organization and its practices, and whether its followers and leaders are sincere as to whether Scientology is really a system of religious belief. (The question of whether religious organizations deserve tax-exempt status at all is largely ignored.)
Urban’s history of this controversial movement is a good starting point for authors and academics who wish to review the legal, moral, and theological issues surrounding Scientology. But it might have been an even better book had he not decided to pull so many punches.
Unfortunately, when the subject is Scientology, it’s hard to say whether the author was trying to be fair or whether he wanted to avoid being sued.
Article comments
1 - Sqeeky Franklin
Urban pulled his punches, because he didn't want to get punched out, by crazy cult. That's smart. If you've read their Freedom magazine attack on Haggis and Wright, anyone can see it. They are insane, and it is melt down end times for them.
2 - Narf
This article is funny because none of it is true. Good laugh. Thanks :)
3 - David Mudkipz
@Narf. Oh you know it's all true, every single word of it.
4 - SpearMeant
It's official. Every time any reporter or calumnist types the word "Scientology" onto a screen, s/he forgets all that was once learned in Journalism 101 about even-handed coverage and objectivity.
A snippy style of subtle hate-speech infuses each paragraph above with one or two anti-Scientology slurs. Defenders of Scientology are all benighted; every attacker knighted.
Writers who last month attacked Big Pharma for its rapacity suddenly tout those corporations' "humanitarian role on Earth" solely because Scientologists oppose psychotropic drugs.
Though some calumnists try harder for reportorial honesty than this one above, none it seems have the internal intellectual discipline to cover any story involving Scientology as dispassionately as they'd cover a meeting of the local water board or a debutante ball.
The many sly falsehoods and emotionally loaded words in this review reveal a reviewer who accepted and parroted all allegations against Scientology at face value.