Scientology gets down to business in Berlin

Religion Features

By Clive Freeman Jan 15, 2007, 18:12 GMT

Berlin - Coloured tinfoil still glittered in trees flanking the 'new' six-storey Church of Scientology centre Monday, following the weekend celebrations marking the official opening of the premises in Berlin's down-town Charlottenburg district at the weekend. But that was about the only splash of colour remaining, as Scientology staff, kitted out in identically-coloured sombre uniforms, assembled in ground-floor rooms at the start of their first working day at the premises. A glass and metal foyer featuring interactive videos on its activities and displaying books and DVDs on its founder, the late science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard, has already been opened to the public. Scientology spokesman Frank Busch says the organization aims to help Berlin, 'mainly in social areas such as the fight against drug abuse and violence among young people.' He claimed there was an international programme to open Scientology centres in capital cities around the world. 'A new building was inaugurated in London three months ago,' said Busch, when explaining that centres had also opened in Madrid and Brussels in recent years. Ursula Caberta, a Scientology expert employed in the Hamburg interior ministry claims the group aims to 'undermine German democracy with its cynical ideology' - a charge dismissed by Scientology officials. The organization has 'no plans to meddle in political affairs,' replies spokesman Busch, adding, 'we are a religious community.' There was no rush of 'customers' at the Scientology premises Monday. Mid-morning an elderly Berliner armed with a walking stick, paused to peer at the dark-suited Scientology members moving about the building. 'A rum organization,' he muttered. 'They call themselves a church, but conduct themselves more like big business operatives.' A Berlin advisor on religious sects was quoted in Berlin's daily Tagesspiegel newspaper as saying the police had already received one complaint of Scientology workers harassing passers-by with religious literature. Helmut Galaske, 67, whose home is near the Scientology building, said he'd warned off its workers when they tried striking up a conversation with him - albeit, he claimed, without indicating for whom they were working. At the city's Tribune Theatre, a few yards away, a warning posted at the entrance read: 'Scientology staff are forbidden from entering these premises.' Staff at the theatre had become alarmed at the pushy manner of its workers. Scientology's decision to locate in the capital has drawn a mixed reaction from official quarters in Berlin. The nation's domestic intelligence agency - the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, warned in its most recent annual report that there was 'substantial evidence that Scientology is involved in activities against the free democratic order.' On the other hand, Berlin's Interior Minister Erhart Koerting, is more cautious. He claims court decisions in 2001 and 2003 'did not allow the intelligence agency to monitor the Church of Scientology,' he claimed. 'Should there be a new evidence that the group is engaging in unconstitutional activities, we will discuss with the federal government how we can proceed,' he told Berlin media. Koerting does view Scientology as dangerous because it 'operates in the grey area between religion, commerce and sects,' but that, he argues, is not a sufficient reason for banning the organization. A better approach, he feels, would be to 'educate the public about the ideology behind the church.' The Los Angeles-based Scientology, founded in 1954 by US writer Hubbard, has around eight million members worldwide, among them Hollywood celebrities such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Accorded religious status in 1993, it enjoys exemption from paying taxes in the US. But in many countries in Europe its activities have long stirred controversy. German officials speak of between 5,000 and 6,000 Scientologists living in the country, whereas the Los Angeles- based organization puts the figure at 30,000. Wolfgang Huber, the head of the Lutheran Church in Germany, maintains that Scientology has nothing to do with religion and 'certainly not with Christianity. They want to pressure people and do business under the cloak of religion,' Huber told the tabloid daily BZ newspaper, when adding the aim was to make its followers into 'perfect machines.' © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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DragonflyJan 15th, 2007 - 18:33:31

Well, it's clear religious intolerance is alive and well in Germany. The government bleats about anti-democratic actions and in the same breath denies its own citizens the right to believe as they choose!! Do they know that's a human rights abuse? Surveilling a section of the population because they choose to believe differently - the German government should know better given it's horrific past of human rights abuses.

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e.bessieJan 16th, 2007 - 00:15:44

We support and accept retrictions on 'freedom of speech' therefore it is hypocritical not to allow restrictions on religion.

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DragonflyJan 16th, 2007 - 19:32:00

So, because we have wrongfully accepted restrictions on some of our human rights and freedoms, we should wrongfully accept restrictions on all of them?That makes about as much sense as pouring gasoline on a forest fire to put it out. Didn't your mamma ever teach you two wrongs don't make a right?

I guess by that logic, since it was 'okay' for Nazi Germany to kill off millions of people who didn't share the government's approved beliefs, it should be 'okay' to discriminate against Scientologists because they don't believe in the government sanctioned religion?

Your straw man argument is worse than ridiculous, it's evil. Try to force your beliefs on an American and our legal system allows us to throw you in jail. And that's the way it should be. People have the right to believe as they choose - period.

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e.bessieJan 16th, 2007 - 23:26:14

In the spirit of the above post I along with the sane people in the World believe that the Americans make the Nazis appear respectable.

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keith A.Jan 17th, 2007 - 23:32:37

LIFE IS GREAT!! PLANETARY CLEARING IS TAKING PLACE AS WE SPEAK!! WOW!! THIS NEW IDEAL ORG IS A VITAL NESSECITY TO PLANETARY CLEARING!! I AM FROM SACRAMNETO AND PEOPLE SAY well why don't we put big scientology churches in sacramento because it is such a big influence to the whole world but management is smarter than that. THEY HAVE AN EXTERIORIZED VIEW. THEY ARE SOME SMART FELLAS!! THERE ARE HOT SPOTS ON PLANET EARTH THAT IF THEY DON'T GET HANDLED NOW THIS PLANET WILL NOT SURVIVE!! i repeat THIS PLANET WILL NOT SURVIVE IF THE HOT SPOTS ARE NOT HANDLED!! this is such a great thing for mankind and I love it!! SCIENTOLOGY IS PUTTING IN SANITY TO CIVILIZATION. rationality is being replaced with irrationality.

I am a scientologist

I am making a better world!

keith A. sacramento staff member

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DragonflyJan 22nd, 2007 - 17:15:15

You're no more a Scientologist than my cat. At least try to understand what you're impersonating.

As a Scientologist, I look forward to a world where human rights and dignity are restored, and the gross violations of human rights are brought to an end. What does 'Clearing the Planet' mean? It simply means restoring the ability of man as a race to be humane to himself. For nations to truly resolve matters instead resorting to guns, bombs, economic slavery and pain. I don't think everyone has to be a Scientologist for that to happen. But it certainly wouldn't hurt to know the technology for making such a dream a reality, and use it.

I care about the world my children will grow up into. I know that I will have to come back and face this place again in the next life. So I want to leave it in good condition, the best I can. I am especially thankful to my Church for refusing to allow us to be crushed down into the dirt by those who rabidly support the status quo.

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tonny from belgiumApr 17th, 2007 - 22:21:13

SCientology is what we call a sect .Call it a religion if you want but it is in fact nothing more than the wild dream from a failed lunatic science fiction writer .As so many sects it(s goals are making money and brainwashing it's disciples.THe answer to this is simple,ban them and root out their influence .Does anybody realy think that we have to give tax benefits to any moron claiming to represent the only true religion.Nice try but no ,find better arguments to spread your nonenses

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Tom GApr 25th, 2007 - 21:21:51

Scientology is a cult, not a religion. It employs mind control techniques and follows an ideology so ridiculous it will make you laugh out loud when you read their materials. L. Ron Hubbard was a phony, a fraud, and just a general train wreck for unleashing this pretend religion on the world.

For information about the truth of Scientology, go to xenu.net.

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DragonflyMay 21st, 2007 - 21:29:18

Scientology teaches that a person is an immortal spiritual being, endowed with abilities even if those abilities are not currently realized. The creator of the universe, one comes to know personally through Scientology counseling. Scientology encourages that one walk the path to that discovery, and has a method of doing so. As a result the beliefs of Scientologists about god are quite diverse.

Sorry, but that qualifies as religious belief, no matter how you try to deny it.

Because you don't understand nor bother to find out what our beliefs really are, yet insist on attacking them, you'll always be viewed as a hater and a bigot. You simply have no control over what Scientologists believe and never will.

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BSaranacAug 3rd, 2007 - 15:57:36

'CHRISTIANITY is a cult, not a religion. It employs mind control techniques and follows an ideology so ridiculous it will make you laugh out loud when you read their materials. CHRIST was a phony, a fraud, and just a general train wreck for unleashing this pretend religion on the world.'

Scientology is no less legit than Christianity.

Wouldn't you be better served by your religion if you made up your own rather than subscribe to somebody elses.

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Tori OhnoAug 30th, 2007 - 22:55:08

As a pagan, who believes that this very planet is alive, there is no god only our living energies, and what you put out in this world comes back to you threefold, I'm torn between nausea and laughter. This 'sect' is based on a science fiction book! Nothing in the book is based on proven fact (just like the bible), if it were, we would be looking at the stars at night saying 'that one to the left is where our friends live' I can't believe people are buying into this insanity. Some of what they say they believe in makes sense to me, but you know what, become a witch instead if you believe in a karma-like power! But to worship a fictional book?! At least witches worship the world and the life around them, not some imaginary friends that a writer dreamed up.

It would not be taking anybody's freedom away from them to tell them that they're NOT a religion. (they're not paying taxes here in america? that's rubbish, they should be paying) Banning them from worship is going too far, but telling them that they can't solicit people wouldn't be. Nobody should have to be subjected to religious solicitation of ANY kind. And anyway, I thought Germany didn't allow cults and sects? Doesn't that mean these scientologists are breaking the law?

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ricky lester also paganMar 20th, 2008 - 12:45:45

and may i just make sure people understand what their posting and clarify that a cult is a SMALL SPLINTER VERSION OF A RELIGION BUT NOT YET LARGE ENOUGH TO BE A RELIGION

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