In previous articles (Part 1, Part 2), we discussed the Church of Scientology and its contributions to strengthening civil rights in society and advocating for religious freedom. We also covered Scientology’s fight against modern-day Nazi successors — anticultists — and the role of Nazi psychiatry in advancing the plans of global anticultism. Additionally, we explored the country that today serves as the hub of anticult activities and coordinates the actions of global anticultism. We also described the model of state government this movement ultimately seeks to establish (Part 3).
The European Reality
In Russia, democracy is in its terminal stage, and we can now observe the result of anticult activities in that country. What is alarming, however, is that a very familiar anticultist pattern is also observed in developed countries that consider themselves democratic.
Sect Filters in Germany
Germany is a signatory to all major UN human rights conventions and their additional protocols. As a member of the Council of Europe, Germany, along with its European Union partners and in cooperation with the United Nations (UN), advocates for the protection and further development of human rights standards worldwide. Respect for human rights is enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law, and the country actively defends fundamental freedoms across the globe 2.
“Human dignity shall be inviolable. To respect and protect it shall be the duty of all state authority.” This is the clear duty imposed by Article 1 of the Basic Law, in which Germany has committed itself to “inviolable and inalienable human rights” as “the basis of every community, of peace and of justice in the world.”
We have already noted the connection between the American Family Foundation (AFF) and the German Association for Child Psychiatry, where the honorary doctors until the 2000s were Nazi psychiatrists, whose hands are still in the blood of innocents. As we noted, psychiatry in Germany is not much better. This subject warrants a separate article, so we will omit it here.
We also previously covered the Nazi Walter Künneth and his followers Johannes Aagaard and Friedrich-Wilhelm Haack.
At Haack’s initiative, the so-called “blacklist” of new religious movements was compiled in 1990. It was not until November 9, 2006, that Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court ruled that the fight against “sects” involved defamation. However, Haack’s work had already borne poisonous fruit, and not only in Germany. The hysteria stirred by anticultists spread globally, particularly after the Waco tragedy in 1993. This became a major ground for fear-mongering and German society was also subjected to this campaign. Special attention in fueling hatred was directed toward the Church of Scientology.
The most prominent followers of Aagaard include Thomas Gandow and Helle Meldgaard, co-authors with Aagaard of the book “New Religious Movements in Europe,” published in 1997. This also brings to mind Alexander Dvorkin, who received legal assistance in 1997 from Aagaard and Gandow in court using their materials.
Let us remind, that in 1996, when the Russian government issued the order “On Revoking the ‘Methodological Recommendations for the Detoxification Program’ by R. Hubbard”, it was commented on a Russian Orthodox website in the following way:
“European experts are well aware of Scientology’s successes in Russia and warned from the beginning about ‘Scientology’s intervention in Russian healthcare organizations.’ ‘I believe this order is undoubtedly a success for the Russian government,’ noted Pastor Thomas Gandow. ‘However, it would be a mistake to stop there. The next step for the Russian government should be conducting a serious investigation into Scientology’s activities in the military and defense industry, particularly the so-called Hubbard College.’” 3
We wonder whether pastor Gandow, a deprogrammer, is currently concerned about Russia’s military and defense industry after it unleashed war in Ukraine.
In 2012, Lutheran pastor and deprogrammer Thomas Gandow became the new president of the Dialog Center International (DCI). He was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his fight against Scientology 3. Alexander Dvorkin served as DCI co-vice president.
Thus, in 2012, the headquarters of the Dialog Center International moved to Germany—a country where anticultists had accumulated a vast body of knowledge on dehumanizing specific groups of people. Here, anticult efforts advanced beyond mere labeling of people.
“…for several decades now, Germany practiced what they call the “sect-filter”, which consists of the following: Anybody looking for a job, or for doing business with public institutions and companies, should sign a statement that she or he is not a Scientologist nor does she or he “uses the technology of L. Ron Hubbard.” 4
In some regions of Germany, potential employees or the recipients of government grants must sign statements commonly referred to as “sect filters” to prove they have no connection to the Church of Scientology. In one case, a man was fired from a long-held official position for his affiliation with the Church of Scientology. By April 2021, an administrative court ruled that he had been unfairly fired. 5
These sect filters can go as far as asking whether you, your employees, or even volunteers have attended a lecture organized by a Scientology group, church, or affiliated organization within the last three years. If your answer is “yes,” you will never be eligible for employment in a government institution or even in a private company or association that has contracts with a government agency. And if you are a business, you will have to terminate your contract with anyone (be it your employee or a contractor) who answers “yes” to the questions above, if you want to continue doing business with government institutions.
While one might assume this applies only to sensitive jobs or contracts, these sect filters are also applied to professions such as tennis coach, gardener, marketer, engineer, architect, typist, IT expert, event manager, engineer, trainer, accountant, auditor, driving school teacher, programmer, supplier of trash bags, web designer, translator, and many others.
Dozens of court rulings in Germany, including some from federal high courts, have found these sect filters to be illegal, and that they violate the right to non-discrimination of Scientology, with many rulings emphasizing that Scientology and Scientologists should be protected under Article 4 (Freedom of Religion or Belief) of Germany’s Basic Law (Constitution). Germany is also part of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. Yet government institutions continue to discriminate against religious groups. 6
For example, the U.S.-based Church of Scientology claims “human rights abuses against Scientologists in Germany” and that that its German members
- are being systematically discriminated
- have been dismissed from jobs
- have been dismissed from schools
- have been dismissed from political parties
- have been dismissed from social, business and political organizations
- have been denied the right to professional licenses
- have been denied the right to perform their art
- have been denied the right to open/maintain bank accounts and open loans
- have been denied the right to use public facilities and concert halls
- are regularly blacklisted, boycotted, vilified, ostracized and threatened simply due to their association with the religion of Scientology.
What is even more concerning, is that such “sect filters” of Germany can be found by the hundreds on the EU official website for European public tenders.4 The European Commission is then unwillingly forwarding these discriminatory practices, without having yet tried to correct them.
As of 5 October 2024, 512 public tenders submitted by Germany to the EU in the nine first months of the year were accepted and published by the EU Tenders Transparency Portal despite their egregiously discriminatory nature. 7
Their peculiarity was that they contained a “Bidder’s declaration of protection” against a specific religious group to be mandatorily filled in and signed on a “form 2496” for the bidding to be valid.
The imposition of faith-related requirements in public tenders is a serious violation of the European Charter on Human Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights. Such a provision should be removed from the EU tenders without delay or the German submissions should be rejected.
In conclusion, Scientology turns out to be a persecuted religion in Germany. And this occurs in a European country that is a member of the European Union and the Council of Europe, the country that claims to protect civil rights worldwide. However, with such associations with modern-day Nazis, the defense of civil rights becomes absurd.
Swedish historian Nils Bertil Alexander Persson states: “…Nazism and similar movements provided the ideological tools for today’s anti-democratic, anti-cultist, and antisemitic movements.” No country is safe until the root of the problem — anticultism, as a form of hatred toward a human being — is eradicated.
The Opening of the Church of Scientology in Paris
The USCIRF report “Religious Freedom Concerns in the European Union” of July 2023 states:
“Several governments in the EU have supported or facilitated the propagation of harmful information about certain religious groups. For example, the French government has funded the European Federation of Centres of Research and Information on Cults and Sects (FECRIS), a French non-profit created in 1994 that has pejoratively labeled some religious associations as “sects” or “cults.” Similarly, an official body under the French Ministry of the Interior and a member association of FECRIS — the Inter-Ministerial Mission in the Vigilance and Combat against Sectarian Derivatives (MIVILUDES) — releases an annual report that regularly disparages groups including Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Church of Scientology. The organization has partnered with government agencies, religious organizations, and civil society to inform them about so-called “cults” and has generated largely positive reactions from French media outlets, which has in turn negatively impacted societal respect for those associated with religious organizations that MIVILUDES labels as sects or cults. MIVILUDES has also funded various NGOs that target religious organizations considered harmful “sects,” including the National Union of Associations in Defense of Families and Individual Victims of Sects (UNADFI) and the Centre Against Mental Manipulation (CCMM). 5
French anticultists have launched a real harassment campaign against Scientology.
Emmanuel Fansten, author of “Scientology, Autopsy of a State Sect” described the situation with Scientology in France in the following way: “France is clearly on the frontline in the fight against Scientology.” 8 Fansten says France has been fighting the organization since it was included in a parliamentary list of dangerous cults under government surveillance in 1996.
In April 2024, the Church of Scientology opened a new center in Paris in the Saint-Denis district, home to the new Stade de France Olympic stadium. 9 In 2017, a petition was filed against the church’s purchase of the building for €33 million ($35 million). The municipality has since tried to stop the work, but an appeals court ruled in favor of the organization.
The attacks on the Church of Scientology continued even during its construction. On the surface, the French government defends secularism and actively promotes it. However, how can this be reconciled with the participation of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in FECRIS conferences? How do we explain their posing for photos with FECRIS members and the organization’s propagandist support of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine? 10 Let us remind you that FECRIS is funded by the French government! Even now, the ROC priests boast of documents confirming their membership in FECRIS. 11
Once again, we must highlight that the vice president of this organization is Alexander Dvorkin, a disciple of Haack and Aagaard, and a Nazi by vocation. The consequences of such collaboration are evident.
At the opening of the Church of Scientology, prominent public figures advocating for human rights were present. Here are a few quotes.
Mr. Jean Maher, an international human rights expert who has served as advisor on rights issues to both European and US national governments, first became aware of the Church’s passion for the subject over a decade ago. Since that time, he has partnered to champion the adoption of human rights in France and around the world. “It is an honor to speak to you at this unbelievable moment,” Mr. Maher said during his address. 12
“As a citizen of France, I certainly consider it a duty and honor to carry forward this legacy of human rights. And your tradition of service includes delivering no less than 400,000 Human Rights booklets to the city squares, the train stations and all across France. By your actions in our communities, you are helping create a society that is not selfish, but rather one where people respect one another.” 12
Mr. David Guyon, a constitutional law expert and university lecturer who has fought against forced psychiatric commitment, works alongside the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR). “I speak to you today out of our shared partnership in seeking to shine the light of truth onto injustice. The restriction of freedom must be systematically contested and severely fought.” 12
“Forced incarceration inside hospitals has doubled in recent years in this country. And with 80,000 hospitalizations a year, the real scene is grim. But with CCHR, I was able to push open doors where I couldn’t before, to counteract this rising abuse,” Mr. Guyon said. “You are the ones breaking the stranglehold of psychiatry and giving thousands back their lives!” 12
However, according to the USCIRF Issue Update: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM CONCERNS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION of July 2023,
“In January 2023, France passed a law, which, under Article 29, section 3.1.2., empowers authorities to use special techniques outlined in the criminal code to investigate “sects,” including through the impersonation of a delivery person, remote access to electronic communications, and the installation of recording devices in private or public places or vehicles. Under the law, those found guilty of exploiting or seeking to exploit people through “sectarian” activities may face up to $1,068,130 (€1,000,000) in fines and seven years in prison.” 5
This is a striking example of the consequences of collaboration between the state and anticult representatives, coordinated by a single center — pro-religious organization RACIRS in Russia.
Source:
1.https://www.tagesspiegel.de/potsdam/brandenburg/bundesverdienstkreuz-fur-scientology-experten-6415009.html
2.https://www.tatsachen-ueber-deutschland.de/en/peace-and-security/protection-human-rights
3.https://orthodox-newspaper.ru/numbers/at343
4.https://europeantimes.news/2023/10/germany-bavaria-and-religious-cleansing/
5.https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2023-07/2023%20Status%20of%20FoRB%20Issue%20Update_07.19.pdf
6.https://bitterwinter.org/germany-and-cults-sect-filters-are-illegal/
7.https://europeantimes.news/2024/11/germany-religious-segregation-condoned-european-union-10-years/
8.https://theworld.org/stories/2017/05/13/france-labels-scientology-fraud-not-church
9.https://kingnewswire.com/church-of-scientology-celebrates-the-opening-of-its-ideal-organization-in-paris-24040910991/
10.https://cesnur.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/tjoc_6_3_2_whitepaper.pdf
11.https://ansobor.ru/page.php?id=15
12.https://www.scientology.org/scientology-today/events/paris-grand-opening.html