Accountant Andrew Yong was near his office in the Panmure shops in east Auckland when he met a man who would change his life. Andrew Wenborn was from the Church of Scientology, headquartered a few hundred metres away. An Australian on secondment from Sydney, Wenborn persuaded Yong to take a Scientology "stress test", using an electrical device called an "e-meter". Sure enough, Yong was stressed and his health poor, Wenborn told him, and Scientology could help. What's more, said Wenborn, he ...

A German court has deemed that the country's government is within its rights to watch over the Church of Scientology. But the debate over whether Scientology is a sect or a genuine religion is sure to continue. An administrative appellate court in Muenster handed down the verdict in the case, brought by the Scientology organization, which challenged an early decision allowing government surveillance. The Muenster judges found that the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution was within its authority ...

Dear Peter, I was disappointed by your recent column on Scientology and Tom Cruise. You say some things that are surprising coming from a man of your intelligence and education. You seem to recognize that, in America, we are all supposed to be free to practice – and even preach – the religion of our choice. Then, you appear to deny this fundamental right to Scientologists because of "their beliefs and protocols." You add "To be a Scientologist is not like ...

Commentary Scientology's Cruise Control Kai Falkenberg 02.07.08, 10:30 AM ET Hollywood celebs like Tom Cruise typically want as many folks as possible watching them onscreen. Not so with a recently leaked video of Cruise promoting his Scientology religion. The nine-minute clip features a wide-eyed Cruise trumpeting his Scientology beliefs with what many have described as messianic zeal. Soon after the video surfaced on the Web, the Church of Scientology International demanded it be removed–claiming the posting of the stolen video violated ...