Scientology article series
Scientology articles, what the mainstream media doesn’t want you to know.
Scientology a religion in Portugal - full recognition
with tax exemption and all. though not really comparable, but: Scientology has now the same status as the roman catholic church there.
Germany Out of Step on Scientology Issue
Ten years of OPC surveillance on Scientology churches has uncovered absolutely no wrongdoing which could justify a ban, as conceded by Federal Minister of Interior Wolfgang Schauble in his interview with German Radio. The reason is very simple. There is no evidence of wrongdoing to uncover.
PRESS STATEMENT of the Church of Scientology International
Received today on email. It seems to go out to all kinds of media.
The Church of Scientology International sets the record straight:
Today’s media statements omit the fact that the German Ministers of Interior conference on Friday did not vote for a motion to instigate procedures to ban Scientology. Instead, those officials recognized that there is no evidence whatsoever to support such a motion. Furthermore, Federal Minister of Interior Wolfgang Schauble in an interview with German Radio, also on Friday, conceded that there is no legal basis for such a procedure.
The false report in today’s media statements stems from a story in the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag (and released internationally by the Associated Press) which mischaracterizes the result of the Ministers’ conference and omits the fact that there was no vote on the motion.
As in the rest of the world, Scientology is an expanding movement in Germany.
In the last 25 years, there have been over 40 German court decisions acknowledging the Church’s religiosity, including a decision of the Federal Administrative Court. These court decisions have repeatedly validated the rights of the Church of Scientology to operate per Article 4 of the German Constitution, have affirmed that its services are religious, that the Church has the right to disseminate its teachings, that Church staff members are motivated by idealistic and spiritual purposes, and that its fundraising methods are fair and aligned to what is expected of a charitable organization.
Furthermore, 10 years of OPC surveillance has uncovered absolutely no wrongdoing.
The suggestion that the OPC not only continue but expand its intrusive and illegal investigation represents a desperate attempt to concoct a justification for a never-ending investigation that wastes millions of taxpayer euros. There is no evidence of wrongdoing to uncover.
Since the opening of its major Church in Berlin earlier this year, the religious status of the Church of Scientology has been further acknowledged all over the world.
On the 24th of September 2007, the European Court of Human Rights confirmed the Court’s unanimous decision of April 2007 affirming that the Church of Scientology is entitled to the rights and protections of religious freedom that flow to religious organizations pursuant to Article 9 of the European Human Rights Convention.
The principles enunciated in that decision upheld the religious freedom of Scientologists and their religious associations and apply throughout the forty- seven member states that have signed and ratified the European Human Rights Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, including Germany.
On the 31st of October 2007, the National Court in Madrid issued a landmark decision recognizing that the National Church of Scientology of Spain should be entered in the Registry of Religious Entities as a religion.
On the 5th of November 2007, the Church of Scientology of Portugal was officially recognized as a religious organization.
On the 3rd of December 2007, the South African Revenue Service granted the Church of Scientology the status of a Public Benefit Organization as a religious entity with full tax exemption.
The Scientology religion was founded by L. Ron Hubbard. The first church was established in the United States in 1954. It has grown to more than 7,500 churches, missions and groups and ten million members in 163 nations.
end
Well, false news from Germany, what’s new!
Scientology in Germany and the world
Not only thanks to its prominent members like Tom Cruise or John Travolta Scientology is a hot news items every day. But aside from glamor and gossip the Church of Scientology can mark some major recognitions this year.
Since the opening of a series of new major Churches (in Berlin/Germany, Madrid/Spain and New York/USA) the religious status of the Church of Scientology has been further acknowledged all over the world.
On the 24th of September 2007, the European Court of Human Rights confirmed the Court’s unanimous decision of April 2007 affirming that the Church of Scientology is entitled to the rights and protections of religious freedom that flow to religious organizations pursuant to Article 9 of the European Human Rights Convention.
The principles enunciated in that decision upheld the religious freedom of Scientologists and their religious associations and apply throughout the forty- seven member states that have signed and ratified the European Human Rights Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, including Germany and other key European countries.
On the 31st of October 2007, the National Court in Madrid issued a landmark decision recognizing that the National Church of Scientology of Spain should be entered in the Registry of Religious Entities as a religion.
On the 5th of November 2007, the Church of Scientology of Portugal was officially recognized as a religious organization.
On the 3rd of December 2007, the South African Revenue Service granted the Church of Scientology the status of a Public Benefit Organization as a religious entity with full tax exemption.
The Scientology religion was founded by L. Ron Hubbard. The first church was established in the United States in 1954. It has grown to more than 7,500 churches, missions and groups and ten million members in 163 nations.
Church of Scientology gets tax exemption in South Africa
A tax exemption has been awarded to the SA Church of Scientology by the South African Revenue Services (SARS). The Church was issued a certificate approving its status as a ‘Public Benefit Organisation’.
