Denouncing Certain Religions by Affiliating Them with Dangerous "Cults" or "Sects"
Some Western European governments continue to use restrictive legislation and practices to brand minority religions as dangerous "cults."
Belgium. The Government continued to observe and monitor some groups that a parliamentary commission's unofficial report listed as having been investigated as possible "harmful sects." In July 2003, a report issued by the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights asserted that the Government had not taken any effective measures to counteract the hostility and discrimination suffered by members of religious groups depicted as "sects." The Government has denied visas to volunteer teachers of the Assemblies of God because they did not qualify under visa limitations on foreign teachers. Since late 2003, the Church of Scientology International has sought to establish a dialogue with the Government to address the Government's perceptions and concerns. Due to ongoing Belgian criminal investigations of some local Belgium Church of Scientology officials, the Government has not yet agreed to their request.
France. Since being established in November 2002, an inter-ministerial Government organization has observed and analyzed the movements of "sects" and "cults" that allegedly constitute a threat to public order or that violate French law. The organization also coordinated responses to abuses by cults, informed the public about potential risks, and helped victims to receive aid. The 2001 About-Picard law remained in force, though its provisions for the dissolution of groups have never been applied. In 2002, the Council of Europe passed a resolution critical of the law and invited the Government to reconsider it. In March, the Government passed a law (to be implemented in September) that restricts the wearing of "conspicuous religious symbols" — including Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps, and large crosses — in public schools. Implementing regulations finalized in May provide for the display of "discreet religious symbols" and grant considerable discretion to individual schools to interpret and implement the law. Some religious leaders, human rights groups, and foreign governments voiced concerns about the law’s potential to restrict religious freedom.
Germany. The Church of Scientology, which operates 18 churches and missions, remained under scrutiny by both federal and some state officials, who contend that its ideology is opposed to the democratic constitutional order. The Hamburg Office for the Protection of the Constitution published "The Intelligence Service of the Scientology Organization," which outlines its claim that Scientology has tried to infiltrate governments, offices and companies and that the Church spies on its opponents, defames them, and "destroys" them. Scientologists continued to report instances of societal discrimination.
Part II: Significant Improvements in the Promotion of Religious Freedom
Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
Lemme see, uhm, working to bring back Cthulhu from the city of R'lyeh, and trying to organize an anarcho-syndicalist soccer league. And then there's the grow-op, but we don't talk about that. As for child-care, those thieving street urchins are almost as much bother as the revenue they bring in, so I'd have to call that a break-even.
2 - Eric Olsen
Say, do you know a guy named "Artful Dodger"?
3 - Jim Carruthers
But I do know about food, glorious food. But, yah, I might have seen him. Who wants to know?
4 - Eric Olsen
his mum misses him