This is a current article on Scientology in the news. I wasn't sure where to place this article but didn't want to open another thread to the subject.
Authorities in Germany are investigating whether a major Munich art gallery has been co-opted by Scientology, the controversial maybe-religion perennially in the crosshairs of the country's intelligence organizations.
German Authorities Investigate Munich Art Gallery 'Infiltrated' by Scientology
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201703041051273316-germany-investigates-scientology-gallery/
04.03.2017 - The Haus der Kunst, which describes itself as a globally significant contemporary art center, recently ended the contract of a high-level personnel manager after years of rumors and employee complaints about his behavior and his ties to Scientology, DW reports. Now, Bavaria's state intelligence agency is investigating how deeply the gallery may have fallen under Scientology's influence.
The human resources chief in question, who was a contractor and did not work directly for the museum, was nevertheless involved with the museum for more than 20 years and took on substantial duties, including controlling hiring, work distribution and wages, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung reported earlier this week.
Everything passes through his desk, almost all of us were hired by him," a museum employee told the paper. In November 2015, several dozen employees filed a joint complaint about their poor treatment at his hands.
According to DW,
staff members allege that the man exerted "great psychological pressure" on them. One employee told the supervisory board in February of last year, "I wouldn't be writing here if the man called Mr Scientology would only operate privately. The ideology flows directly into his work." He also said the manager had invited three board members to a nearby Scientology center.
At least one other member of the gallery's supervisory committee is also thought to have tried to recruit colleagues to Scientology.
However, more than a dozen of the sacked HR head's colleagues held a demonstration in solidarity with him last week, saying he's a victim of a "smear campaign," the Telegraph reports.
Okwui Enwezor, director of the Haus der Kunst, sent a letter to employees earlier this week announcing the man's termination and later called a staff meeting on the issue.
While Germany has not banned the organization, it does not recognize Scientology as a religion, as the United States, Australia, and a handful of other countries do, but rather as an abusive business practice. Because of what German critics call its abuse of human rights and "master race ideology," Scientology and Scientologists in the country have been monitored closely for the last 20 years. Germany regards the organization as having a fascist political dimension that is at odds with the country's constitution.
Isabell Zacharias, a member of Bavaria's state parliament and cultural spokesperson for the Social Democrats (SPD) in the state, told German paper The Local, "This [Haus der Kunst] is a building with a certain history. It was built by the Nazis in the 1930s and is known around the world for this. And now there is a man in an important position there who belongs to an organization with fascist-like structures."
If the museum was a private organization, she would not be concerned, she noted. "But
this is a state institution which gets big grants every year."
Zacharias is demanding that the Bavarian Culture Ministry investigate the entire management of the gallery, including looking into its previous two directors.
The Haus der Kunst affair is "the most interesting Scientology case we've had so far in Germany," lawyer Arnd Diringer, who writes about Scientology in Germany, told DW.
"If he deliberately hired other Scientologists, then he may of course have violated his responsibilities as a personnel manager," he said. "He is of course obliged to hire people impartially."
If the man was found only to have used Scientology-based management techniques, it would be interesting to see if they are determined to be valid reasons to fire him, he said.
According to DW, since 1996, Scientologists must declare their membership of the Church when applying for public positions. In 2007, the US criticized Germany's treatment of Scientologists in its annual State Department survey of human rights abuses.
A court in Moscow has banned the local branch of the Church of Scientology, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the courtroom Monday.
Moscow Court Bans Church of Scientology
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201511231030602483-scientology-church-ban/
23.11.2015 - During the inspection the Russian Ministry of Justice found out that the word 'scientology' had been registered as a trade mark owned by the US Religious Technology Center.
The court backed the Russian Justice Ministry's claim that the organization's activity did not comply with the federal law on freedom of religion.
"The representatives of the Church of Scientology have created many legal conflicts by themselves by restricting the religious freedom through the use of trade marks," the Ministry of Justice said.
A nearly two-month trial of the Church of Scientology’s branch in Belgium is coming to a close, with a final verdict on whether the controversial organization will be banned in the country to be announced early next year.
Will Belgium Follow Russia’s Example and Ban Scientology?
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201512121031623951-will-belgium-ban-scientology/
12.12.2015 -
The Church's branch in Belgium is no stranger to fighting fraud and extortion allegations in court. It already survived two major investigations there; one was launched by Belgian authorities in 1997 following former members' accusations of the Church's illegal practices. Another inquiry was triggered in 2008 by an employment agency claiming that the Church had made fake job offers in order to recruit new members.
The most recent charges against eleven members of the church and two affiliated bodies include allegations of running a criminal organization and violating privacy rights. If the Church is convicted of the offences, it could face a total ban in the European nation.
The church's officials claim they represent a peaceful religion and deny all accusations. They argue the charges are meant to defame the Church's reputation.
Federal prosecutor Christophe Caliman has asked the court to completely dissolve the Belgian branch and to levy a fine against it. The court heard final arguments on Friday, with a verdict expected in February.
Public financing is provided alongside large private donations received by the Scientology group in Australia.
Revealed: Australian Taxpayers Fund Scientology Schools
https://sputniknews.com/business/201607141042928676-scientology-australia-schools/
14.07.2016 - Based in Riverside County, California, the Church of Scientology has a large presence in Australia. Last month, the organization announced that it was preparing to open a $57 million office in Chatswood, in New South Wales.
Scientology’s finances are infamously murky, but a new report shows that the organization also operates a pair of schools that are subsidized by the Australian government.
The Athena school, in Newtown, and the Yarralinda school in Victoria are officially operated by the Way to Happiness Foundation, a group that promotes a philosophy invented by the organization’s founder L. Ron Hubbard, and is widely considered a front organization for the church.
Combined, these schools teach less than 60 students. Despite that the schools take in some $170,000 in tax-free private donations from Scientology members and roughly $470,000 in school fees, the schools also receive $475,000 in public funding annually.
On a per-student basis, this is more money than Australian public schools receive.
The Yarralinda school receives as much as $11,000 per student. The nearby Rolling Hills public school receives just $8,300 per student annually.
While the Athena branch receives less, it still receives $2,000 less per student annually in taxpayer money than the local public school, an unnecessary public expense, according to many.
Officially, the Scientology organization denies affiliation with the schools.
"[They are a] completely independent secular association which was founded by a group of concerned parents who wanted to educate children," a spokeswoman claimed to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Founded by American science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s, Scientology is known internationally for a handful of high-profile celebrity members, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta. While some point out that the organization conducts itself in the manner of a simple for-profit cult, others maintain it is a legitimate religion.
