------------------------------------------------------------------- F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, Incorporated) a non-profit computer bulletin board and electronic library 601 16th St. #C-217 Golden, Colorado 80401 USA BBS 303 530-1942 FAX 303 530-2950 Office 303 473-0111 This document is part of an electronic lending library and preservational electronic archive. F.A.C.T.Net does not sell documents, it only lends them according to the terms of your library cardholder agreement with F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. ===================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 France: Sciengologists Arrested [alleged fraud, illegal medicine. Jean-Claude Chappelet, Heber Jentzsch mentioned in story.] French authorities have charged 13 members of the Church of Scientology with fraud and practicing medicine illegally. Those arrested in a police raid on the church's headquarters on January 15 include Jean-Claude Chappelet, the president of the French branch of the church. The raid was stimulated by former members' claims that the church had bilked them of $750,000. Scientology said the raid was part of a campaign of intimidation against it because a Scientology publication recently accused French undercover police of corruption and drug trafficking. (St. Petersburg Times, 1/17/92, 13A) About 30 "active members" were actually arrested, and then released. (Two days later, 12 other Scientologists were arrested in Nanterre, but it is not yet clear what their disposition has been.) The charges against Scientology president Chappelet, of fraud and illegally practicing medicine, were reprises of an indictment in Lyon in 1990. The former members say their money went for auditing [Scientology counseling], courses, and a bizarre therapy called "purification." Scientology leaders say the ex-members have no case since it is the group's policy to repay dissatisfied customers asking for refunds. Apparently not. Speaking from Los Angeles, Scientology international president Heber Jentzsch protested that the whole affair was a "conspiracy by the French Secret Services." In Paris, meanwhile, the Scientology lawyer, Mr. InchauspŽ, compared the police action to the roundup by French Police of tens of thousands of Jews in July 1942. (They were brought to a stadium and then sent to concentration camps, where most died.) Either Mr. InchauspŽ is a Scientologist himself, or he has learned the "newspeak" of Scientology very well. Scientology, as usual depicting itself as the victim of religious persecution, blamed not only the French Secret Service, which has been much criticized lately, but also journalists, "makers of chaos," and of course A. D. F. I. [Association for Defense of the Family and the Individual, the leading French cult education organization], which it has called "fascistic and criminal." Chappelet's case in Lyon continues with a judicial investigation, and Scientology is employing its usual delaying tactics. They have tried to have Judge Fenech removed from the case as "prejudiced," although he had never heard of Scientology before, and have harassed the expert witness psychiatrist to the point that he has sued them, and won. (Cult Observer Report from Emanuelle Kaufmann in Paris) 2 Call for UN Inquiry on Children of God The Rennes affiliate of the Association de Defense de la Famille et de l'Individu (A.D.F.I.) called late last year for cult education associations around the world to urge the U.N., through their national governments if necessary, to investigate the Children of God, testing the utility of the 1990 International Convention on Children's Rights. (Cult Observer Report) 3 Canada: Protest Soka Gakkai A community group has formed in the Toronto suburb of Caledon to protest the request of the Nichiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai to develop a religious cultural and educational center on property zoned for residential use. The opposition says, among other things, that the controversial Japan-based group is a destructive cult. (From "Soka Sect Has Problems in Canada Too," by Amy Pyle, Los Angeles Times, 11/17/91, J1, 6, 12) 4 New Zealand: Raid Commune [Centrepoint. Alleged drugs, child abuse. Bert Potter.] More than 100 police and customs officers raided the well-to-do Centrepoint commune near Auckland in May of last year and eventually charged six members with drug offenses and child sexual abuse.The commune, home to more than 100 adults and 100 children, practices a sexual therapy developed by founder Bert Potter based on his experiences at Esalen in the U.S. in the 1970s. Potter is currently serving a jail sentence for drug offenses-he allegedly gave "ecstacy" capsules to teenagers. (From Take A Closer Look, CCG Ministries, Nollamara, Western Australia, Oct./Nov. 1991, 5-7) 5 Zambia: TM Scheme Chased from Zambia. [Kenneth Kaunda. Maharishi Heaven on Earth Project. Rick Lyman.] Transcendental Meditation (TM) scheme to turn Zambia into "heaven on earth" appears to have collapsed in the wake of the electoral defeat late last year of the scheme's chief patron, long-time Zambian president Kenneth Kaunda. The devoutly Christian president's interest in mystical matters - he already had an Indian spiritualist as an advisor - was well known when TM representatives sold him on a plan to take over one quarter of the country on which to develop ideal communities by sowing unused land and creating new villages while teaching Zambians TM techniques. This in a once prosperous country with its economy now in tatters, food and medicine in short supply, and a decaying infrastructure. The Maharishi Heaven on Earth Project - "crazy, isn't it," said opposition politician Derrick Chitala - had managed to establish a training center where hundreds of Zambians studied meditation via videotape, farming, solar energy, holistic medicine, "conversion of gasoline engine cars to pollution-free electric technology," and other skills needed for the new world. The school was run and promoted by Humphrey Mumba, a 34-year-old devotee who says TM cured his asthma. He sees TM as a scientifically proved life-improvement technique used successfully around the world. President Kaunda, who denied any personal involvement in TM - "That is not in my line" - said the project was merely an experiment, an attempt to try something radical and new to solve Zambia's endemic problems. He said it was a development scheme, not a religious one, and that no one would be forced to join a cult or meditate. A local newspaper editor explained: "The gurus came to him with this idea to put up this funny project of theirs and found the president very receptive to the idea. They are very clever. They see the psychology of the man and they exploit it." During the run up to the election, an opposition spokes-man told a rally, "They are going to give our land to the gurus of India! We say, when we are elected, we will send them home!" (From "Heaven's strange bedfellows," by Rick Lyman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/16/91, 1A, 14A; "Kaunda Swept From Office in Lopsided Zambian Vote," by Karl Maier, Washington Post, 11/2/91, A1, A19) The night before the election, TM had a half-hour TV ad about how the TM scheme would make Zambia invincible among its neighbors and a world leader. The day after the election, which saw Kaunda get only 20% of the vote, TM officials reportedly fled the country. (Cult Observer Report) 6 Britain: Scientology Doings [St. Hill tours. Forgiveness for anti-Scn deeds. Nigel Dempster. Adnan Kashoggi's œ3 million to Scn.] Scientology recently advertised a special tour of St. Hill Manor, "the home of L. Ron Hubbard" [Scientology founder], described as a stately home, an historic building with beautiful gardens and grounds. "Admission is free," says the handbill. "Do not miss this opportunity for all the family to experience a sense of local history. Hosted by the Church of Scientology." A companion leaflet offers studying Dianetics [Scientology philosophy] as a way to get out of life what you have always wanted, also at St. Hill, with new clients welcomed on the same date as the house tour. Scientology in September mailed to followers "International Amnesty Guidelines" promising forgiveness of all anti-social or anti-Scientology deeds if admitted in writing. But "an amnesty does not absolve a person of any debts or contractual obligations of any kind." Nigel Dempster reported in the Mail in October that Lamia, the second wife of multi-millionaire Adnan Kashoggi, and their 12-year-old son have come under the influence of Scientology. Lamia has allegedly given œ3 million to the group. (From FAIR NEWS (Family Action, Information, and Rescue), London, Autumn 1991) 7 Sweden: [Church of Sweden's] Response to Cult [Livets Ord] The Church of Sweden has set up New Faith System (Nya Trossystem), a pilot project based in Uppsala, home of the controversial Livets Ord group, "not as a spearhead against the cults but rather meant as a help to those who have been innocent victims of their own longing." Writing in Svenska Dagbladet (8/28/91, 11), H. Bostrom says that formerly the Swedes were too zealously orthodox; "now we seem to have fallen into the other ditch." The result is involvement in new religious groups, among them Livets Ord which - according to Uppsala physician Per Swartling, and his wife Gudrun, an occupational therapist - has stimulated the suicides of a number of former members in recent years and caused many psychological problems among other followers. According to the researchers, life in Livets Ord is strictly regimented and puritanical, thought control is used to suppress doubts and critical thoughts, and information control extends to a prohibition of unapproved books and to any radio or TV exposure. In short, they conclude that life in the group is similar to that in the Unification Church, the Hare Krishnas, or Scientology. (Uppsala Nya Tidning (6/13/91, 1, 12) 8 Canada: Scientology Papers Returned [Alleged tax fraud. Confession records.] Ontario Justice James Souhty has ruled that authorities can no longer keep Sciengoloty records seized by police investiatgion tax-fraud allegations against the group. The documents contain confessional folders with intimate details about members' lives. A struggle over the records has delayed trials for 10 Scientologists charged with theft, possession of stolen documents, and other offences. (St. Petersburg Times, 1/29/92, 10A) ================================================================= If this is a copyrighted work, you are acknowledging by receipt of this document from FACTNet that on the basis of reasonable investigation, you have not been to obtain a copy elsewhere at a fair price, and that you are and will abide by the following copyright warning. WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS: The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photo copies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified by law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. FACTNet reserves the right to refuse to accept an order for copying or other duplication, or delivery of copied or duplicated material if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD CATALOG ENTRY DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: E:\PCB\AFF\FILES\CO0292\CO0292AC.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: SECURITY CODE: DISTRIBUTION CODE: NAME FOR BBS: SORT TO: CONTRIBUTOR: American Family Foundation (AFF) LOC. OF ORIG: American Family Foundation (AFF) NOTES: Back issues and selected reprints of the Cultic Studies Journal are available from the American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 33959-2265. For additional verification see image files contained in the file with same name and .ZIP extension. UPDATED ON: UPDATED BY: F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, Incorporated) a non-profit computer bulletin board and electronic library 601 16th St. #C-217 Golden, Colorado 80401 USA BBS 303 530-1942 FAX 303 530-2950 Office 303 473-0111 This document is part of an electronic lending library. F.A.C.T.Net does not sell documents, it only lends them according to the terms of your library cardholder agreement with F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD CATALOG ENTRY DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: CO0292AC.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: none ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: OK SECURITY CODE: SCO DISTRIBUTION CODE: RO DESCRIPTION FOR BBS FILE LISTING: The Cult Observer July 1991 SORT TO: AFF CONTRIBUTOR: American Family Foundation (AFF) LOCATION OF ORIGINAL: American Family Foundation (AFF) NOTES: Back issues and selected reprints of the Cultic Studies Journal are available from the American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 33959-2265. FOREIGN STORIES: | 1 France: Sciengologists Arrested | [alleged fraud, illegal medicine. | Jean-Claude Chappelet, Heber | Jentzsch mentioned in story.] | 2 Call for UN Inquiry on Children of God | 3 Canada: Protest Soka Gakkai | 4 New Zealand: Raid Commune [Centre- | point. Alleged drugs, child abuse. | Bert Potter.] | 5 Zambia: TM Scheme Chased from Zambia. | [Kenneth Kaunda. Maharishi Heaven | on Earth Project. Rick Lyman.] | 6 Britain: Scientology Doings [St. | Hill tours. Forgiveness for anti-Scn | deeds. Nigel Dempster. Adnan | Kashoggi's œ3 million to Scn.] | 7 Sweden: [Church of Sweden's] | Response to Cult [Livets Ord] | 8 Canada: Scientology Papers Returned | [Alleged tax fraud. Confession | records.] For additional verification see the contributor of the document. UPDATED ON: 8/30/94 UPDATED BY: FrJMc =================================================================