Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 3
Forward I:
For Scientology Adherents"<The Scientology Church is in Truth not the world's largest organization for mental health, but the world's largest organization of unqualified people. Its practice is a serious threat to society, medically, morally and socially. Its adherents are pitiable seducers and frequently mentally ill.>"
This quote originates from an Australian parliamentary Report of Inquiry. The Scientology sect wanted to stop the ABI from using this quote. The State Court of Stuttgart expressed its opinion on the matter ([case #] 17 0 321/ 75). The sect appealed to the State Superior Court, and subsequently withdrew its appeal.
The author of this booklet is of the opinion that the booklet's contents will show why.
Only a fraction of the available material could be processed for this booklet, and we have not, by any means, sought out the especially crass cases. So that the Scientology adherents will not have to read this booklet to its end, let it be said here: the principle of religious freedom does not grant the right to continually violate other principles and laws. The principle of religious freedom contains the right to express oneself critically with a group which calls itself a church and which claims the privileges of one.
Here is a promise: the ABI will be concerned with the Scientology sect only until such time as the sect adheres to applicable German law.
Forward II:
For other ReadersThe ABI [Aktion Bildungsinformation: Learning Information Campaign] is involved with consumer protection on issues of learning...
...and also with all companies and organizations which sell instructions, courses, books and magazines. That includes consumer information: the interested party's information about price, contents and contract agreement. That also includes review of advertisement.
Since 1965, consumer organizations have been authorized to take action against violations of the law against unfair competition (UWG: unlauter Wettbewerb Gesetz). The UWG is, so to speak, the basic law of the social business market: it is supposed to ensure effectiveness of competition. The buyer should accept an offer or buy a good because he is convinced of the offer or because the good appeals to him. Not to escape further annoyance. Because of this, accosting pedestrians is against the UWG because the intention to sell something is associated with the action. According to the terminology of the UWG this behavior is a counter-custom.
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 4
Prior to 1975, the ABI had taken action in response to numerous such competition violations, primarily against book clubs.
After the Scientology book sales people appeared on the streets of Stuttgart, procedures against them became a routine thing. The sect had filed, as they had elsewhere, for a variance based on a statement to be given later so they could could engage in street advertisement and that would be the end of the matter. The sect would not ever submit the statement, so the matter would routinely come before the 17th chamber of the Stuttgart State Court. This gave rise to a temporary restraining order: street advertisement was prohibited (case 17 0 285/75).
The Scientologists defended themselves in their own way: they organized two street demonstrations. At the first, about 15 demonstrators and a "clergyman" took part. This was the same man who later took a young Stuttgart lad to a loan shark so that he could take out a DM 10,000 loan on 30% interest to pay for Scientology courses. At the second demonstration about 50 people participated, including two "clergymen." The Scientologists can make the claim of holding the first street demonstration ever against consumer protection organizations.
Numerous banners were carried at this demonstration, which led through downtown Stuttgart and ended on the Alten Poststrasse: "ABI against Religious Freedom" could be seen upon them, and "ABI = False Information Campaign" and other similar niceties.
Photographs of this demonstration appeared in the daily press. The Scientologists had probably not counted on what effect that would have: on the basis of the photographs the ABI instantly instituted proceedings against the sect. The extent to which the organization was willing to go had been made clear.
Forward III:
About this bookletThis booklet is not meant to replace anything which has previously been written about Scientology. That includes the ABI bulletins, which continue to be available. This booklet presents much information which has not yet been published in Germany. It includes court decisions from France, England, and the USA:
the last especially. As of mid-November - as these lines are being written - the sentence passed against the sect bosses has not received one mention by the German press.
The language in this booklet has undoubtedly suffered from the reality of the situation. This has been to the sect's advantage: no time has remained for smoothly formulated phrases, such as are contained in the Feb. 15, 1978 edition of the French daily newspaper "L'Aurore". They wrote about the sentence against Hubbard:
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 5
"A prophet has been banned . . . Of all the magicians, fantacists and sect manipulators, the grand master of the Church of Scientology is surely the most brilliant and the most flourishing. He has beat the renowned Moon at his own game. He, who is honored as a living god, has invented a religious system which musters the industriousness of America, psychoanalysis and the spirit of total obedience to his call, in particular there, where Scientology has built its fortresses: England, where the mother church is located; Denmark, where its central publishers are located, and in the United States, where the FBI has already made a raid upon the "temple" of Scientology."
Sentence has since then been pronounced: details appear for the first time here in this booklet.
The reader may also find some things over-inclined, exaggerated. He may ask about these things at the ABI. Due to a shortage of space and time, we have not written: about abduction on the open street in the middle of Munich, little on the exploitation of members, and nothing about either the hierarchy or the punishments inflicted for trivialities. We have been forced to neglect numerous aspects of the matter.
Heinemann 1979 : "The Scientology Sect ..." page 6
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Hände Weg von der Religionsfreiheit / Hands off Religious Freedom |
| In the
foreground a banner of about 3 by 8 feet:
A total of about 10 demonstrators visible. ABI = Aktion Religionsverfolgung ABI = Aktion Falschinformation ABI = Religious Persecution Campaign ABI = False Information Campaign |
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