Scientology Guilty Of Fraud

Here in the United States, the courts give religions of all ilks a wide berth lest they be accused of denying religious freedom. Religious nuts can pretty much suck their adherents dry of their money, and their is nothing the law will do about it (just look at the TV "preachers" who are little more than shameless money machines preying on the dim-witted).

But things are different in France, especially if a religion is classified as a sect or a cult. That is how scientology is classified there. A French court has convicted two branches of the religion and several individuals of fraud.

The churches Celebrity Centre was fined 400,000 Euros and their library (bookstore) was fined 200,000 Euros. The head of scientology in France, Alain Rosenberg, was fined 30,000 Euros and given a two year suspended sentence, and three other church officials were also fined.

The case started in the 1990s when two women accused the church of manipulating them into parting with thousands of dollars for the church. The investigating judge said the church was little more than "a purely commercial operation designed to make as much money as it can at the expense of often vulnerable victims."

The prosecutor wanted the church to be banned in France, but a law in effect at the time the church was charged would not permit that. That law has since been changed, and if the church is convicted in the future it could well be banned.

I don't doubt the judge's description of scientology, and I think the same description could be applied to many religious entities here in the United States. I wish we could investigate and prosecute those entities whose primary function is to enrich the founders and leaders (on a tax-free basis).

But I don't see that happening any time soon.