Scientology recognition could open floodgates
The Mail on Sunday reports that the Crown Prosecution Service has agreed that the zany UFO cult known as the Church of Scientology comes under the protection of the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006.
The Act, although watered down by a free-speech amendment before being passed, still has serious implications for anti-religion campaigners. The amendment ensured that behaviour had to be “threatening”, rather than merely “insulting” or “abusive”, to be prosecutable. This may explain why it has not yet been put to the test.
However, now that the ultra-litigious Scientologists have been given the nod by the CPS, how long will it be before we see a test case against Anonymous come up in the UK courts?
surely they don’t need a test case? they just need a friendly copper to arrest protesters under the law, removing their anonymity along the way, and then decide not to prosecute?
Joe i’m totally with you it’s really doen’t make any sense.
I still fail to see how this bill protects anyone but people wanting to sell Snake Oil.
The scientologists should be prosecuted for promoting hatred of psychiatry. But I guess psychiatry isn’t protected as it is a science rather than a scam cult that gouges nutters.
Joe and Tom, the point I’m making is that the religious hatred law has never yet been put to the test, in spite of the fact that we have no shortage of religionists keen to take offence and claim persecution in this country. Perhaps none have thought they could prove “threatening” behaviour.
But now that the Scientologists have been included in this law, the chances of a case being taken to court have increased considerably, because it is Scientology policy to combat its perceived enemies using whatever means at its disposal.
Getting a friendly copper to arrest protestors is an option they have already taken. Now we will see if they are prepared to take the next step.
I’m guessing they will, Monitor. It’s more a case of when than if.
It’s not all bad – I wonder what your average ‘religious leader’ thinks now that the law of the land officially places him and his devotees in the same category as mindless loons that enthusiastically believe a pile of fictitious bullshit to be absolutely true.
George. I agree and have made a similar point over at the Freethinker website.
Now that the law is passed, I’m not sure that one made-up-with-no-evidence religion is any different to another, in terms of what they believe. This is exactly the sort of troubles that were inevitable with this law.
On the plus side, maybe this will help generate more opposition to the law. But it shouldn’t be a case of “The law’s okay, it just shouldn’t apply to CoS”.
Looking on the bright side for a moment, surely it means there can be a renewed push to get people who believe in the Jedi Religion to be treated as fairly and as equally under the law as any other group of people who have faith in a work of fiction?
The fact that some of those posting above don’t want to allow others freedom of thought is the very reason the Scientologits should receive the same treatment under the law as any religion. No one is forcing you to study Scientology so why can’t you allow them the freedom of choice to believe as they wish.
The Scientologists have documented evidence that psychiatry is responsible for many criminal acts and has brought justice where deserved. What’s wrong with them helping to bring justice where criminal acts have taken place. CCHR the branch that helps in investigating such criminal acts has all the documentation for anyone who cares to look.
If one of your family or friends had say for instance been forced in to sex while under psychiatric ‘care’ and drugged would you not be pleased that such a group as CCHR existed that would give their help to bring the guilty parties to justice.
It’s not that they hate psychiatry, they hate seeing people’s lives destroyed in the name of ‘help’ and unfortunately its endemic in psychiatry and that’s why there are 1000s of criminal cases bought against psychiatry each year and this is decided in the courts that crimes have been commited.
It’s like a cult to an outsider in my opinion!
Paul, if you knew families who have been financially ruined by a member giving all their money to the scientologists, as I do, then you might have an issue with people like you trying to whitewash this disgusting cult. Scientology preys on people with psychological problems and the demonisation of psychiatry is patently part of this strategy. Do you work for CCHR, whatever that is?
Paul is a standard issue Scientologist propagandist. As someone who campaigned against them for a while you came across a lot of people online who sounded exactly like him. The CCHR is an anti-psychiatry front group for the Church of Scientology. They hate psychiatry since the American Psychiatric Association pointed out that Church founder L. Ron Hubbard’s book “Dianetics” was a load of garbled nonsense without an ounce of research accompanying it.
Psychiatrists have been hated by Scientologists since before Xenu existed, although according to LRH psychiatrists have existed since before humanity and aided the evil alien overlord in his project of massive genocide via their sinister mind control techniques.
Hubbard, by the way, had psychiatric medication in his blood when he died.
Thanks Kamera.
I thought that Paul had said “the Scientology gits” at first, but it was just a typographical error!!!
By the way, I`m in complete agreement with Mark and George on this one. Why SHOULDN`T the Scientology gits` belief system be recognized alongside other completely irrational and totally unbelievable religions like Christianity and Islam, which are also based on fairy tales, myths, legends, and outright lies? It may be an uncomfortable thought for the Archbishop of Cant and his cronies, but the only real difference betwen a religion and a cult is numerical. Once you acquire enough adherents you also acquire “respectability”!!!
Paul says “It’s not that they hate psychiatry, they hate seeing people’s lives destroyed in the name of ‘help’ ”
Echoes of “We don’t hate gays we just hate thinking about them sticking thier willies inside each other.”
Scientology shouldn’t be recognised alongside religions as this is how in a few years it will suddenly become ‘a religion’. They already have their ‘supernatural’ woo-woo part – Xenu etc.
Rational people may realise that religions are just myths etc but have a look around…they are still massive controlling forces around the world. Scientology already controls places in the US: Clearwater. They are getting a foot-hold in the police in London, which is what they did in Clearwater.
Scientology do not look for control simply via brainwashing etc like other religions they also do it via litigation and threats.