[BITList] Fwd: Tom Cruise...Scientology in France

[John Feltham]

Tom Cruise and a trial that could drive Scientology out of France

Movement accused of 'organised fraud' against two female members  
persuaded to part with €20,000

By John Lichfield in Paris
Tuesday, 26 May 2009


REX; GETTY

Tom Cruise (right) lobbied Nicolas Sarkozy not to support prosecution  
of the Church of Scientology, founded by L Ron Hubbard (left)

   enlarge

The Scientology movement went on trial in Paris yesterday for  
"organised fraud" in a case which could lead to the cult's organising  
bodies being outlawed in France.

The French state prosecution service has failed to back the trial but  
denies that its decision was influenced by the lobbying of French  
politicians, including Nicolas Sarkozy before he became President, by  
leading Scientologists, including the actor Tom Cruise. After an 11- 
year inquiry, following complaints from four French former  
Scientologists, an independent, investigating magistrate decided that  
the prosecution should go ahead.

Two female plaintiffs allege that, between 1997 and 1999, the French  
movement persuaded them to pay the equivalent of €20,000 each on  
drugs, vitamins, counselling, saunas and equipment to improve their  
mental and physical health. This included an "electrometer" to measure  
the state of their "spiritual condition".

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Scientologists in France go on trial for fraud
The movement is accused of pretending to "identify and resolve alleged  
psychological difficulties" and "promoting the personal flowering" of  
its adepts with the "sole aim of seizing their resources" and  
"establishing psychological control over them".

Although individual Scientologists, including the cult's founder, L  
Ron Hubbard, have previously been convicted in France, this is the  
first time that the movement itself has been accused in a French court  
of systematic criminal activity. Seven leading members of the movement  
in France are also on trial.

Scientology, officially accepted as a religion in the United States,  
is on trial for "escroquerie en bande organisée" – or organised  
financial fraud. It is also accused of dispensing drugs illegally to  
its members. Two of the original plaintiffs have withdrawn their  
actions.

If convicted after a two or three-week trial, the main French  
organisations of the movement could be ordered to close down.

The cult's French spokeswoman, Danièle Gounord, protested yesterday  
that Scientology was the victim of a "heresy trial" and "mendacious  
accusations". Maitre Olivier Morice, lawyer for the two remaining  
plaintiffs, said the court would have an opportunity "once and for  
all" to examine the evidence that the leaders of the Church of  
Scientology are driven by financial gain.

This was the conclusion drawn by the report submitted by the  
investigating magistrate, Jean-Christophe Hullin, three years ago. He  
said that Scientology was "first and foremost a commercial  
organisation" motivated by "an absolute obsession with profit".

The French state prosecution service rejected Judge Hullin's  
conclusions and decided in 2006 that Scientology should not be sent  
for trial. Whatever outsiders might think, the prosecution service  
decided, Scientology was motivated by "religious conviction" and not  
"personal gain". The actor and Scientologist Tom Cruise had led a  
lobbying campaign to block the legal action, which is the latest of  
five against the movement in France since the 1970s. At one point, he  
sought, and was granted a meeting with M Sarkozy, before he became  
President. The prosecution service, or parquet, denies any connection  
between this political lobbying and its decision to recommend an  
acquittal.

Judge Hullin decided to send the case for trial despite the parquet's  
decision. Under French law, the investigating magistrate can, in  
effect, overrule the state prosecution service but the chances of a  
successful prosecution are inevitably dimmed.

The defendants, including the Church of Scientology itself, are  
formally accused of cheating the defendants "by systematic use of  
personality tests of no scientific value ... with the sole aim of  
selling services and products".

Scientology was founded in 1952 by a former science fiction writer, L  
Ron. Hubbard. Although the complete teachings of Scientology are  
available only to senior adepts, the core of its beliefs is that all  
humans are immortal beings who have strayed from their true nature.  
Human souls or "thetans" can be reincarnated. Many have already lived  
on other planets in the universe.

The movement "audits" the souls of members and would-be members and –  
in return for fees or donations – prescribes "purification" courses,  
including vitamins, drugs and lengthy saunas.

Scientology claims that it is a religion, like any other religion with  
beliefs that may seem implausible to outsiders. Its approach would,  
the cult argues, lead to a world without crime and war.
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