Unlike other countries, Germans have not fallen for the quasi-religious cover of the Church of $cientology. The country's security services have long been monitoring the organization's activities. Indeed, for taxation purposes $cientology is considered a business in that country and has to pay taxes accordingly. So, its fleecing of naive clients at last fills not only the coffers of the Church but also of the German government. The Church sued against the continuing surveillance, in a court of law, and lost. The court found that 'there are concrete indications that the plaintiff (Scientology), as well as its members, maintains ambitions against the free, democratic basic order.' Indeed, there is speculation that the company might be outlawed in Germany altogether. See a full English language report published in the German news magazine DER SPIEGEL here.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
$cientology remains on German government watch-list
Unlike other countries, Germans have not fallen for the quasi-religious cover of the Church of $cientology. The country's security services have long been monitoring the organization's activities. Indeed, for taxation purposes $cientology is considered a business in that country and has to pay taxes accordingly. So, its fleecing of naive clients at last fills not only the coffers of the Church but also of the German government. The Church sued against the continuing surveillance, in a court of law, and lost. The court found that 'there are concrete indications that the plaintiff (Scientology), as well as its members, maintains ambitions against the free, democratic basic order.' Indeed, there is speculation that the company might be outlawed in Germany altogether. See a full English language report published in the German news magazine DER SPIEGEL here.
