Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'

[Athers]

A teenager is facing prosecution for using the word "cult" to describe the Church of Scientology.

The unnamed 15-year-old was served the summons by City of London police when he took part in a peaceful demonstration opposite the London headquarters of the controversial religion.

Officers confiscated a placard with the word "cult" on it from the youth, who is under 18, and a case file has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

A date has not yet been set for him to appear in court.

The decision to issue the summons has angered human rights activists and support groups for the victims of cults.

The incident happened during a protest against the Church of Scientology on May 10. Demonstrators from the anti-Scientology group, Anonymous, who were outside the church's £23m headquarters near St Paul's cathedral, were banned by police from describing Scientology as a cult by police because it was "abusive and insulting".

Writing on an anti-Scientology website, the teenager facing court said: "I brought a sign to the May 10th protest that said: 'Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult.'

"'Within five minutes of arriving I was told by a member of the police that I was not allowed to use that word, and that the final decision would be made by the inspector."

A policewoman later read him section five of the Public Order Act and "strongly advised" him to remove the sign. The section prohibits signs which have representations or words which are threatening, abusive or insulting.

The teenager refused to back down, quoting a 1984 high court ruling from Mr Justice Latey, in which he described the Church of Scientology as a "cult" which was "corrupt, sinister and dangerous".

After the exchange, a policewoman handed him a court summons and removed his sign.

On the website he asks for advice on how to fight the charge: "What's the likelihood I'll need a lawyer? If I do have to get one, it'll have to come out of my pocket money."

Writing on the same website, another anonymous demonstrator said: "We also protested outside another Scientology building in Tottenham Court Road which is policed by a separate force, the Metropolitan police, who have never tried to stop us using the word cult.

"We're completely peaceful protesters expressing a perfectly valid opinion. This whole thing stinks."

Liberty director, Shami Chakrabarti, said: "This barmy prosecution makes a mockery of Britain's free speech traditions.

"After criminalising the use of the word 'cult', perhaps the next step is to ban the words 'war' and 'tax' from peaceful demonstrations?"

Ian Haworth, from the Cult Information Centre which provides advice for victims of cults and their families, said: "This is an extraordinary situation. If it wasn't so serious it would be farcical. The police's job is to protect and serve. Who is being served and who is being protected in this situation? I find it very worrying.

"Scientology is well known to my organisation, and has been of great concern to me for 22 years. I get many calls from families with loved ones involved and ex-members who are in need of one form of help."

The City of London police came under fire two years ago when it emerged that more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology.

The City of London Chief Superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening
of its headquarters in 2006.

Last year a video praising Scientology emerged featuring Ken Stewart, another of the City of London's chief superintendents, although he is not a member of the group.

The group was founded by the science-fiction writer L Ron Hubbard in 1952 and espouses the idea that humans are descended from an exiled race of aliens called Thetans.

The church continues to attract controversy over claims that it separates members from their families and indoctrinates followers.

A spokeswoman for the force said today: "City of London police had received complaints about demonstrators using the words 'cult' and 'Scientology kills' during protests against the Church of Scientology.

"Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service some demonstrators were warned verbally and in writing that their signs breached section five of the Public Order Act.

"One demonstrator continued to display a placard despite police warnings and was reported for an offence under section five. A file on the case will go to the CPS."

A CPS spokesman said no specific advice was given to police regarding the boy's placard.

"In April, prior to this demonstration, as part of our normal working relationship we gave the City of London police general advice on the law around demonstrations and religiously aggravated crime in particular.

"We did not advise on this specific case prior to the summons being issued – which the police can do without reference to us – but if we receive a file we will review it in the normal way according to the code for crown prosecutors."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/20/1

Fair play to the young lad, especially his citing of an 1984 ruling (not bad for a 15 year old). I can see why the laws about insulting are in place (though they weren't enforced during the Danish cartoon protests!!) but surely that doesn't apply when he's repeating a High court ruling. Pretty easy to imagine a couple of phone calls to certain police superintendents, I didn't realise the police could still be bought...

[InsaneApache]

They're not a cult, they're a business. Hence...

The City of London police came under fire two years ago when it emerged that more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology.

The City of London Chief Superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening
of its headquarters in 2006.

Last year a video praising Scientology emerged featuring Ken Stewart, another of the City of London's chief superintendents, although he is not a member of the group.

Makes you feel all warm and rosy inside, don't it?

[a1]

s'all to do with some website

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/20 ... t_summons/

mentioned in there.

oh,

pyramid scheme .

[communistworkethic]

I quite like "she sells sanctuary"


Brainwashing, ludicrous beliefs, violence, miracle cures, damanation for non-believers, dubious finances, leader whose word cannot be questioned; aye cults are nowt like religions are they?

The difference between a cult and a religion? Numbers.

Scientologists are no madder than any other "follower". They just stand out because of their ability to make crap films and weird tom cruise ads.

Scientology a business? The Church of England is one of the the biggest private land owners in the UK.

Police corrupt for accepting stuff off them? Does anyone complain when the CofE gives the police stuff or Catholic MPs try to influence law?

[InsaneApache]

I do.

[communistworkethic]

I do.

with signs outside churches?

[InsaneApache]

No. I don't want a criminal record.

[communistworkethic]

pah, amateur

[Montreal Wanderer]

Commie makes a good point. It seems to me that section whatever of your public order act may go a little far in the suppression of free speech. I have no sympathy for scientologists (I consider them on the looney side), but their belief is really no less firmly based than other beliefs (none of which are firmly based in my view). I don't have a great deal of sympathy with Anonymous, who engaged in acts of "internet terrorism". I am not happy with police officers at any level accepting gifts to be frank. However, I do believe that people should have the right to peaceful protest so long as this does not involve disruption to the general public. Over here, police permits are required for major demonstrations which allows traffic to be re-routed, etc. and "hate speech" is illegal. The hate provision generally refers to an identifiable ethnic group. To suggest an institution is a cult would not be illegal.

[Prufrock]

Commie makes a good point. It seems to me that section whatever of your public order act may go a little far in the suppression of free speech. I have no sympathy for scientologists (I consider them on the looney side), but their belief is really no less firmly based than other beliefs (none of which are firmly based in my view). I don't have a great deal of sympathy with Anonymous, who engaged in acts of "internet terrorism". I am not happy with police officers at any level accepting gifts to be frank. However, I do believe that people should have the right to peaceful protest so long as this does not involve disruption to the general public. Over here, police permits are required for major demonstrations which allows traffic to be re-routed, etc. and "hate speech" is illegal. The hate provision generally refers to an identifiable ethnic group. To suggest an institution is a cult would not be illegal.

rant alert. now i am no fan of christianity, or any world religion, but scientology really grates me. i think that the big world religions cause a lot of conflicts, but also do a lot of good. i have yet to read about any good work done by scientology. what i have heard is horror stories of brainwashed people who have been taken to the cleaners and left with nothing in pursuit of extra levels of knowledge. now the idea that there were a load of souls in a volcano may not seem to me to be any less ridiculous than Jesus Christ walking on water, but Scientology was invented as a back story to provide tax breaks for El. Ron Hubbard.

i personally am an atheist, but i would strongly defend the rights of anyone to have a faith, or religious beleif. however, i am astounded at how religion still remains the last taboo. to have an opinion contrary to a religion does not make you a racist, and as long as you have reasoned arguments and evidence, and not just a hyped up sensationalist rabble, then you cannot start prosecuting people for 'inciting racial hatred'. the fact this 15 year old was conscious of this high court ruling suggests this was far from a bloodthirsty rabble. there is evidence of how Scientology has ruined the lives of people through aggressive tactics designed to extract money.

i dont know if anybody else on here has had any experience with them. i live quite near tottenham court road and when you walk past their office, you are often accosted and asked to take a free stress test. when i was fresh and new at uni, a couple of friends and i thought we might as well try it. now i am no expert psychologist, but what followed was a test rigged towrds making you seem stressed. for instance they would ask you an innocuous question with 4 answers, one would be an option saying you were not stressed, the other three differnet levels of being stressed. we finished the test and what followed genuinly shocked me. i have never been as exposed to such hard sell, a lady told me me test showed me to be suffering from dangerously high levels of stress (because life is so hard as an 18 year old student with freedom, no responsibiltiy, and for the first time money in you rpocket!!) and then brought out Omar who would not take no for an answer as he tried to sell me a vast array of lifestyle building courses. i felt very pressured. also they dont introduce the idea of religion straight away, just the psychoanalasis tests which they use to manipulate and hook you in. now i grewup around the christian church, and whilst likea any religion there was an attempt to indoctrinate, something i feel very strongly agaisnt, i never felt any where near as pressured, nor did i feel like i was being sold a product.

the point of this rant, and it is a subject that makes my blood BOIL, is that if somebody wants to beleive alien souls were trapped in a volcano, in my view that is fine, i dont see it any more ridiculous than beleiving God created everything in 7 days, people are entitled to beleive that and nobody should have the right to say they cant. if people use this beleif as a foundation and a shield for devious irresponsible money grabbing methods, damn right people should be allowed to protest, to make a stand, that does not make you a racist nor an incitor of racial hatred.

[communistworkethic]

it cured Tom Cruise's dyslexia. What more do you want??

[Prufrock]

it cured Tom Cruise's dyslexia. What more do you want??

them not to ruin the lives of many in order to make a quick profit?

[TANGODANCER]

the point of this rant, and it is a subject that makes my blood BOIL, is that if somebody wants to beleive alien souls were trapped in a volcano, in my view that is fine, i dont see it any more ridiculous than beleiving God created everything in 7 days, people are entitled to beleive that and nobody should have the right to say they cant. if people use this beleif as a foundation and a shield for devious irresponsible money grabbing methods, damn right people should be allowed to protest, to make a stand, that does not make you a racist nor an incitor of racial hatred.

Whilst accepting your points, I'm not quite sure where racism comes into it all? Sectarianism, surely?

[boltonboris]

I think there is a fine line between 'Racism' and ignorance of peoples beliefs - If he were to go and protest against Islam, he'd be punished much harder

[Montreal Wanderer]

I think there is a fine line between 'Racism' and ignorance of peoples beliefs - If he were to go and protest against Islam, he'd be punished much harder

I'm not quite sure how you define racism in the UK, but I'm with Tango on definitions. To protest against Islam is not racism - it may be many other things, but not racism in my definition, since all Muslims are by no means of the same race.

[boltonboris]

I think there is a fine line between 'Racism' and ignorance of peoples beliefs - If he were to go and protest against Islam, he'd be punished much harder

I'm not quite sure how you define racism in the UK, but I'm with Tango on definitions. To protest against Islam is not racism - it may be many other things, but not racism in my definition, since all Muslims are by no means of the same race.

That's why i put the little quote marks in, because lets face it.. The media and the police, in fact pretty much everybody who doesn't hold enough weight for an opinion sees every bit of indifference to another culture as 'racism' which is totally wrong and ignorant in its own right

[Montreal Wanderer]

I think there is a fine line between 'Racism' and ignorance of peoples beliefs - If he were to go and protest against Islam, he'd be punished much harder

I'm not quite sure how you define racism in the UK, but I'm with Tango on definitions. To protest against Islam is not racism - it may be many other things, but not racism in my definition, since all Muslims are by no means of the same race.

That's why i put the little quote marks in, because lets face it.. The media and the police, in fact pretty much everybody who doesn't hold enough weight for an opinion sees every bit of indifference to another culture as 'racism' which is totally wrong and ignorant in its own right

Fair enough.

[communistworkethic]

it cured Tom Cruise's dyslexia. What more do you want??

them not to ruin the lives of many in order to make a quick profit?

and your evidence of this is? And in comparison to the numbers whose lives have been "ruined" by other religions, Scientology has "ruined" how many?

May also I point you directly to the stations broadcasting on the upper reaches of Sky, where a "Christian" preacher will cure you of being a paraplegic, but don't forget to show your love for the Lord (must be said as if doing a James Brown impression) by sending lots of money to him.

If you're going to castigate one religion, gotta do them all or you're just as bad as them.

Like a wise man roughly said - We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.

[communistworkethic]

the point of this rant, and it is a subject that makes my blood BOIL, is that if somebody wants to beleive alien souls were trapped in a volcano, in my view that is fine, i dont see it any more ridiculous than beleiving God created everything in 7 days, people are entitled to beleive that and nobody should have the right to say they cant. if people use this beleif as a foundation and a shield for devious irresponsible money grabbing methods, damn right people should be allowed to protest, to make a stand, that does not make you a racist nor an incitor of racial hatred.

even more ridiculous that they claim it was 6 and he sat round being smug on the sunday.

[Lord Kangana]

it cured Tom Cruise's dyslexia. What more do you want??

them not to ruin the lives of many in order to make a quick profit?

and your evidence of this is? And in comparison to the numbers whose lives have been "ruined" by other religions, Scientology has "ruined" how many?

May also I point you directly to the stations broadcasting on the upper reaches of Sky, where a "Christian" preacher will cure you of being a paraplegic, but don't forget to show your love for the Lord (must be said as if doing a James Brown impression) by sending lots of money to him.

If you're going to castigate one religion, gotta do them all or you're just as bad as them.

Like a wise man roughly said - We are all atheists about most of the gods that societies have ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further.

Love it (who was it?)

May I add Oscar Wilde:

"I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability".