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Scientology: fraud, challenged faith and human flaws (video)
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On Tuesday, October 27, 2009, a French court found the French branch of the Church of Scientology guilty of fraud and fined them $888,000. The suit followed complaints from two former Scientology members claiming they were 'manipulated' out of $33,000 and $73,000 for ritual products. French Scientology leader, Alain Rosenberg, was also found guilty of fraud, fined $44,000 and given a two-year suspended prison sentence.
Georges Fenech, head of French government anti-cult unit Miviludes, stated that the court's decision "condemned [the French branch of Scientology] as an entity ... due to its fraudulent way of operating." He further said, "if they begin swindling again, they can be subject to dissolution in the future." According to Fenech, this ruling "is a historical turning point for the fight against cult abuses."
The Church of Scientology in the US and abroad has taken its fair share of blows since the 1986 passing of founder, L. Ron Hubbard. Wiki says Hubbard developed the body of beliefs and related practices in 1952 and incorporated the Church of Scientology in 1953. While Scientology has been granted tax-exempt status as a religion in the U.S., it does not have religious status in Germany, France or the United Kingdom. By definition, a religion is a system of human thought which includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth. Faith is belief in the absence of proof. Both of these key components, religion and faith, are under fire this week for the Church of Scientology.
Known for having a large celebrity following in the U.S., the Church of Scientology was shoved into the media spotlight when George Haggis, award winning writer and director of Crash, defected. His reasons for leaving the organization include Scientology's support of California's Prop 8 which bans gay marriage in the state, and an accusation of church policy ordering "disconnection" or disassociation with anyone who leaves the church, family members included.
Scientology's recent run of bad publicity effects not just an entity, but individuals who have believed in the teachings of the organization. As spiritual beings having a human experience, we are all connected. The pain and suffering of one is damaging to us all. Agreement or disagreement among religions is an age old debate. But when it comes to the people involved ...the humans ... shattered faith can have a devastating impact on people's lives. These unfortunate issues in Scientology may be a golden opportunity for mankind to exercise compassion in an area that sometimes fuels intense arguments and spawns wars as people fight over the 'true' meaning of God and religion. Perhaps it's our chance to take one tiny step up the ladder leading to higher thought and spiritual ascension.
If today you stand firmly in your spiritual and religious convictions, ask for the healing of members and believers in Scientology as they navigate through this difficult flurry of events. Seek connection with their hearts and spirits on a higher plane and wish them well as they search for their own meaning in these tribulations. Nothing is by accident and there is no such thing as coincidence, so we must all know that it is for the greatest good of the universe when we are forced out of our comfort zone into areas where heat and pressure facilitate personal growth.
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