French Court Says Scientology Is A Scam, Not A Religion

[Ali]

I'm kind of with Recusant on this one.  I'll admit that I don't know a ton about Scientology other than the crazy stuff you hear about alien spirits and galactic battles, but I don't really understand what makes Scientology any more of a scam than any other religion.

Maybe the French government had an easier time going after Scientology b/c (based on the info in the article) Scientology is actually selling various products (tests, vitamins, treatments) that they claim will have X effect. It's got to be fairly easy for the government to prove that the products don't work as the CoScientology said they would.

W/ most other religions, the church is not purporting to offer a tangible benefit for the money believers give.

Good point.  I didn't realize that the Church of Scientology sells tangible products that can be objectively evaluated.

[Tank]

French Court Says Scientology Is A Scam, Not A Religion

What is the difference between a religion and a scam?

History.

[Buddy]

The Asmo, he wants to send Ze French his favourite seal:

Yes, the French seal is very pleased.

[Asmodean]

History.

Also, blood.

[squidfetish]

French Court Says Scientology Is A Scam, Not A Religion

About bleedin time.... 

[_7654_]

Not much, probably that's what took so long to figure out 

French Court Says Scientology Is A Scam, Not A Religion

What is the difference between a religion and a scam?

[_7654_]

To add a bit more detail:

On Thursday, an appeals court in Paris upheld a conviction against the Scientology organization for organized fraud, assessing a $530,000 fine to the Scientology Celebrity Centre in Paris and a $265,000 fine to its bookstore. Several leading French Scientologists, including the group's head in Paris, Alain Rosenberg, were given suspended sentences of up to two years in prison.

This is an appeals court ... so pretty much the end of the line, unless they can take it to the supreme court somehow, but since the verdict is for "organized fraud" as the newspaper reports it, http://www.businessinsider.com/french-court-says-scientology-is-a-scam-not-a-religion-2012-2
i don't see that as a likely course of events.

French Court Says Scientology Is A Scam, Not A Religion

A French court has slapped a fraud sentence on the Church of Scientology, saying it targets vulnerable people for commercial gain. The ruling is a major setback for Scientologists in France, and it marks the first time here that the Church of Scientology has been convicted of organized fraud.

The development puts its famous recruitment methods under a spotlight.

Scientologists vehemently reject the conviction, saying that they are the victims of anti-cult organizations trying to destroy them. "Respect my religion," chanted several dozen Scientologists, braving sub-zero temperatures in the front of a courthouse in Paris...

Excellent news!

[Sweetdeath]

History.

Also, blood.

History of what exactly?

[Tank]

History.

Also, blood.

History of what exactly?

History as in tradition, culture, familiarity etc. Religion has a 'get out of jail free card' in the same way that alcohol and tobacco do. They (and religion) have been doing damage for so long we have simply got used to them.

[Stevil]

Does anyone know if churches/religious outfits have any accountability with regards to what they do with tithings?
Even in places where tithing is tax free?

[Traveler]

...I don't really understand what makes Scientology any more of a scam than any other religion.

A few hundred years. Seriously. We are still close enough to the creation of scientology that we can see what utter bullcrap it is. A science fiction writer says the best way to get rich is to invent a religion. Then he invents a religion. And as if that isn't obvious enough, he puts the word "science" in the name. Hello? Who here could believe such utter nonsense as anything but a joke? A few years go by and gullible people are buying into it. If they aren't called out as a cult now, imagine how much momentum they'll have in a few hundred years. Or a couple of thousand years. People have very, very short memories. It scares the crap out of me sometimes.

[Whitney]

Does anyone know if churches/religious outfits have any accountability with regards to what they do with tithings?
Even in places where tithing is tax free?

In the US there is absolutely no accountability for what they do with their income...they don't even have to file like a real 501c3 nonprofit.

Basically the only thing they can't do is use money in a way that can be traced to supporting a politician, legislation, or political party.  Yet they get away with that too even when it is obvious.

[Firebird]

...I don't really understand what makes Scientology any more of a scam than any other religion.

A few hundred years. Seriously. We are still close enough to the creation of scientology that we can see what utter bullcrap it is. A science fiction writer says the best way to get rich is to invent a religion. Then he invents a religion. And as if that isn't obvious enough, he puts the word "science" in the name. Hello? Who here could believe such utter nonsense as anything but a joke? A few years go by and gullible people are buying into it. If they aren't called out as a cult now, imagine how much momentum they'll have in a few hundred years. Or a couple of thousand years. People have very, very short memories. It scares the crap out of me sometimes.

Yup, that's exactly right. It's all about how long it's been around, and how many people base their own self-worth around said scam. Now it's only a few thousand, but as the numbers go up and some of those people gain political power...well, you know.

Scientology is especially brutal in how much it strives to isolate its members and force them to disown people who don't buy into their crap, and it has cost people their lives too when they refuse to seek out medical treatment for members due to their wacky beliefs. They also try to "charge" people who leave the church because they supposedly "invested" in them, so they present a bill of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This was one of the best articles I read about them

[Sweetdeath]

Does anyone know if churches/religious outfits have any accountability with regards to what they do with tithings?
Even in places where tithing is tax free?

In the US there is absolutely no accountability for what they do with their income...they don't even have to file like a real 501c3 nonprofit.

Basically the only thing they can't do is use money in a way that can be traced to supporting a politician, legislation, or political party.  Yet they get away with that too even when it is obvious.

Ugh, and this is legal and everyone is okay with it?

[Tank]

There is one thing to be said about not taxing religious organisations. If they were they could reasonably demand representation in the governing process. What was it "No taxation without reprisentation." one cornerstone of America I would think?