[C Elegans]

Originally Posted by Naffnuff

This, or some like document appeared in public here in Sweden a decade or so ago. I actually had the chance to read it, but I had to fight my way through the hordes of Scientologists put on guard at the public institution where the single copy was housed. Their strategy was to take turns at "reading" the single copy so that nobody else could get the chance. To say the least, I was amazed at its contents, pure science fiction. Just a short while later some U.S. congressman managed to put enough pressure on the Swedish government for them to withdraw it from public view. A black day indeed.

I remember this very well. Scientology has never been well known or popular in the secularised Sweden, so many people didn't actually pay attention to the events until the Scientologists actually managed to lobby on the US government to put pressure on the Swedish government and forced Swedish authorities to seal the Scientology documents. That made a lot of people realise that Scientology is an organisation with real influence in the US, not only a handful of loonies that people laugh at, as it is here in Sweden.

Originally Posted by SupaCat

I thought that in America Scientology was a religion, while here in Europe it is a cult.

Originally Posted by Fable

Most USians who know what Scientology is what regard it as a cult. The two words aren't identical.

Scientology is classified as a destructive cult, not only in Sweden or Europe, but by the international criteria (among them, authoritarian power structure, exclusive and esotheric system, demands for payment in order to "develop" within the cult, use of mind control techniques, harassment of ex members etc).

In Sweden, Scientology is a very small cult, but it is ranked as the most destructive of the destructive cults that exist at all in Sweden. In the late 1980s when Scientology was on its peak in Sweden, it was estimated to have a few thousand members. Now, the number of members are thought to be only about 200-300. Some of those make a lot of noise, however, Their main activity in Sweden is to spread negative information about psychiatry, especially treatment against depression, psychosis and ADHD, and research about neuropsychiatric disorders. They usually target one or two well known professors in the field, and start personal campaignes against those. They will write letters (usually the same person will write under 20 different names) to schools, hospitals, the County and various authorities and accuse that specific professor of mistreatment of patients etc.

Unfortunetly, Scientology is allowed in Sweden under the act of religious freedom, whereas in Germany and France, it is recognised that Scientology is in fact a destructive cult. In France, it is banned under the legislation against destructive cults. In Germany, it is not banned but scientologist are banned from holding official positions and positions within German authorities. Recently, German officials stated that Scientology was unconstitutional, so it is very possible that also Germany prepares for a ban. Contrary to Sweden, France and Germany had the guts to reject the complaints from the US government regarding the "unfriendly allegations" of Scientology.

Originally Posted by Naffnuff

True. But couldn't the same be said about most religions, including quite a few mainstream ones? While Scientology is more of a parody of a religion, everywhere they are is the same obviously unreal fantasy stories that for some reason we are all obliged to tiptoe around so as not to offend people's sensibilities. It is like insanity is the norm, and we should have to justify rejecting it. Man's stupidity is only surpassed by the viciousness with which he defends it.

Whereas I am personally an atheist, I do think it is important to distinguish between religion, cults and destructive cults. The important difference is not what stories each organisation believe in, the important and principal difference is the destructive part, that a destructive cult will contain elements that are inherently harmful to some or all of its own members. Core elements of this harm is mind control, totalitarian leadership, using members to recruit new members and to raise funds, and harassment such as threats or abuse when members leave or try to leave the cult.

For those who want to now more about definition of and effects of, destructive cults, I recommend the work by Dr Robert J Lifton and Dr Margaret Singer.