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France takes on Scientology


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Church of Scientology Convicted of Fraud in France

 

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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: October 27, 2009

 

Filed at 9:44 a.m. ET

 

PARIS (AP) -- A Paris court convicted the Church of Scientology of fraud and fined it more than euro600,000 ($900,000) on Tuesday but stopped short of banning the group as prosecutors had demanded.

 

The group's French branch immediately announced it would appeal the verdict.

 

The court convicted the Church of Scientology's French office, its library and six of its leaders of organized 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.

 

However, 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.''

 

Prosecutors had urged that the group be dissolved in France and fined euro2 million ($3 million).

 

The verdict is ''an Inquisition of modern times,'' said Scientology spokeswoman Agnes Bron, referring to efforts to rout out heretics of the Roman Catholic Church in centuries past.

 

The head of an association that helps victims of sects, Catherine Picard, called the verdict ''intelligent.''

 

''Scientology can no longer hide behind freedom of conscience,'' she said.

 

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.

 

Defense lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve said during the trial that neither the Church of Scientology nor the six leaders on trial had gained financially from the group's practices.

 

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.

 

Olivier Morice, lawyer for civil parties in the case, said the verdict was ''historic'' because it was the first time in France that the Church of Scientology has been convicted of organized fraud.

 

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.''

 

The Church of Scientology teaches that technology can expand the mind and help solve problems. It claims 10 million members around the world, including celebrity devotees Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

 

Belgium, Germany and other European countries have been criticized by the U.S. State Department for labeling Scientology as a cult or sect and enacting laws to restrict its operations.

 

Oh the hughmanity.

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The Church of Scientology teaches that technology can expand the mind and help solve problems

Hey.......how do they know that? I thought their brilliant insights were all secret n stuff.

 

PS wasn't "Joe and the Volcano" really a secret message to the faithful? Prepare for the new world order you Hulkamaniacs!

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:wacko: Well, it wasn't as unexpected as say, a Spanish Inquisition.

 

[JARRING CHORD]

 

 

[The door flies open and Cardinal Ximinez of Spain [Palin] enters, flanked by two junior cardinals. Cardinal Biggles [Jones] has goggles pushed over his forehead. Cardinal Fang [Gilliam] is just Cardinal Fang]

 

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.

 

[The Inquisition exits]

 

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

 

[JARRING CHORD]

 

 

[The cardinals burst in]

 

Ximinez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as: fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, and nice red uniforms - Oh damn!

[To Cardinal Biggles] I can't say it - you'll have to say it.

Biggles: What?

Ximinez: You'll have to say the bit about 'Our chief weapons are ...'

Biggles: [rather horrified]: I couldn't do that...

 

[Ximinez bundles the cardinals outside again]

 

Chapman: I didn't expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition.

 

[JARRING CHORD]

 

[The cardinals enter]

 

Biggles: Er.... Nobody...um....

Ximinez: Expects...

Biggles: Expects... Nobody expects the...um...the Spanish...um...

Ximinez: Inquisition.

Biggles: I know, I know! Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. In fact, those who do expect -

Ximinez: Our chief weapons are...

Biggles: Our chief weapons are...um...er...

Ximinez: Surprise...

Biggles: Surprise and --

Ximinez: Okay, stop. Stop. Stop there - stop there. Stop. Phew! Ah! ... our chief weapons are surprise...blah blah blah. Cardinal, read the charges.

Fang: You are hereby charged that you did on diverse dates commit heresy against the Holy Church. 'My old man said follow the--'

Biggles: That's enough.

[To Cleveland] Now, how do you plead?

Clevelnd: We're innocent.

Ximinez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[DIABOLICAL LAUGHTER]

 

Biggles: We'll soon change your mind about that!

 

[DIABOLICAL ACTING]

 

Ximinez: Fear, surprise, and a most ruthless-- [controls himself with a supreme effort] Ooooh! Now, Cardinal -- the rack!

 

[biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack. Ximinez looks at it and clenches his teeth in an effort not to lose control. He hums heavily to cover his anger]

 

Ximinez: You....Right! Tie her down.

 

[Fang and Biggles make a pathetic attempt to tie her on to the drying rack]

 

Ximinez:Right! How do you plead?

Clevelnd: Innocent.

Ximinez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack [oh dear] give the rack a turn.

 

[biggles stands their awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders]

 

Biggles: I....

Ximinez: [gritting his teeth] I *know*, I know you can't. I didn't want to say anything. I just wanted to try and ignore your crass mistake.

Biggles: I...

Ximinez: It makes it all seem so stupid.

Biggles: Shall I...?

Ximinez: No, just pretend for God's sake. Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[biggles turns an imaginary handle on the side of the dish-rack]

 

[Cut to them torturing a dear old lady, Marjorie Wilde]

 

Ximinez: Now, old woman -- you are accused of heresy on three counts -- heresy by thought, heresy by word, heresy by deed, and heresy by action -- *four* counts. Do you confess?

Wilde: I don't understand what I'm accused of.

Ximinez: Ha! Then we'll make you understand! Biggles! Fetch...THE CUSHIONS!

 

[JARRING CHORD]

 

[biggles holds out two ordinary modern household cushions]

 

Biggles: Here they are, lord.

Ximinez: Now, old lady -- you have one last chance. Confess the heinous sin of heresy, reject the works of the ungodly -- *two* last chances. And you shall be free -- *three* last chances. You have three last chances, the nature of which I have divulged in my previous utterance.

Wilde: I don't know what you're talking about.

Ximinez: Right! If that's the way you want it -- Cardinal! Poke her with the soft cushions!

 

[biggles carries out this rather pathetic torture]

 

Ximinez: Confess! Confess! Confess!

Biggles: It doesn't seem to be hurting her, lord.

Ximinez: Have you got all the stuffing up one end?

Biggles: Yes, lord.

Ximinez [angrily hurling away the cushions]: Hm! She is made of harder stuff! Cardinal Fang! Fetch...THE COMFY CHAIR!

 

[JARRING CHORD]

 

[Zoom into Fang's horrified face]

 

Fang [terrified]: The...Comfy Chair?

 

[biggles pushes in a comfy chair -- a really plush one]

 

Ximinez: So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in the Comfy Chair!

 

[They roughly push her into the Comfy Chair]

 

Ximinez [with a cruel leer]: Now -- you will stay in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at eleven. [aside, to Biggles] Is that really all it is?

Biggles: Yes, lord.

Ximinez: I see. I suppose we make it worse by shouting a lot, do we? Confess, woman. Confess! Confess! Confess! Confess

Biggles: I confess!

Ximinez: Not you!

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Is Scientology crazier than some old white dude with a long white beard created everything, had a kid with a virgin, then the Jews killed him and he rose from the dead a few days later and you simply have to ask him for forgiveness and believe to go to some magical happy place after you die?

 

You religious people are funny.

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Is Scientology crazier than some old white dude with a long white beard created everything, had a kid with a virgin, then the Jews killed him and he rose from the dead a few days later and you simply have to ask him for forgiveness and believe to go to some magical happy place after you die?

 

You religious people are funny.

 

what do you think ?

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Is Scientology crazier than some old white dude with a long white beard created everything, had a kid with a virgin, then the Jews killed him and he rose from the dead a few days later and you simply have to ask him for forgiveness and believe to go to some magical happy place after you die?

 

You religious people are funny.

 

I know... I mean... just one god? Who do you pray to when he's being all uppity? Give me a whole slew of Gods so they can multitask.

 

Helpful chart

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Is Scientology crazier than some old white dude with a long white beard created everything, had a kid with a virgin, then the Jews killed him and he rose from the dead a few days later and you simply have to ask him for forgiveness and believe to go to some magical happy place after you die?

 

You religious people are funny.

If it doesn't matter then why do you keep posting these kinds of comments?

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If it doesn't matter then why do you keep posting these kinds of comments?

 

 

Since many people won't ask that question of themselves, someone has to ask it for them.

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If it doesn't matter then why do you keep posting these kinds of comments?

 

likely to get responses but i agree with you and your question

 

Since many people won't ask that question of themselves, someone has to ask it for them.

 

not sure i would say many people ...I believe without a doubt , that most people who follow a faith likely believe in it and understand / know what they are following

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likely to get responses but i agree with you and your question

 

 

 

not sure i would say many people ...I believe without a doubt , that most people who follow a faith likely believe in it and understand / know what they are following

 

I would put you in the small portion of the equation Isle. You have thought long and hard about your choice and are comfortable with it. I would argue that most people don't give it a second thought once they walk out of those doors on Sunday and most of the time they are inside the Church they're thinking about something else.

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I would put you in the small portion of the equation Isle. You have thought long and hard about your choice and are comfortable with it. I would argue that most people don't give it a second thought once they walk out of those doors on Sunday and most of the time they are inside the Church they're thinking about something else.

i would agree but i only play a Doctor on T.V.

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