The following story is from AP.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - A Belgian prosecutor on Tuesday recommended that the U.S.-based Church of Scientology stand trial for fraud and extortion, following a 10-year investigation that concluded the group should be labeled a criminal organization.
Scientology said it would fight the criminal charges recommended by investigating prosecutor Jean-Claude Van Espen, who said that up to 12 unidentified people should face charges.
Van Espen's probe also concluded that Scientology's Brussels-based Europe office and its Belgian missions conducted unlawful practices in medicine, violated privacy laws and used illegal business contracts, said Lieve Pellens, a spokeswoman at the Federal Prosecutors Office.
"They also face charges of being ... a criminal organization," Pellens said in a telephone interview.
In a statement, Scientology's Europe office accused the prosecutor of hounding the organization and said it would contest the charges.
"For the last 10 years, the prosecutor has been using the media, trying to damage the reputation of the Church of Scientology and not being able to put a case in court," Scientology said. "As a consequence, this created a climate of intolerance and discrimination" in Belgium.
Scientology has been active in Belgium for nearly three decades. In 2003, it opened an international office near the headquarters of the European Union to lobby for its right to be recognized as an official religious group, a status it does not enjoy in Belgium.
Investigators have spent the past decade trying to determine how far Scientology went in recruiting converts after numerous complaints were filed with police by ex-members alleging they'd been the victims of intimidation and extortion.
Justice officials seized financial records, correspondence, bank statements and other papers in their decade-long probe to track the flow of money to Scientology. Police also raided the offices of several consultancy firms linked to the Church of Scientology.
Belgium, Germany and other European countries have been criticized by the State Department for labeling Scientology as a cult or sect and enacting laws to restrict its operations.
The German government considers Scientology a commercial enterprise that takes advantage of vulnerable people.
The German government considers Scientology a commercial enterprise that takes advantage of vulnerable people.
She's a tomford wife. Lifeless after selling her soul.
ReplyDeleteI just flashed on an image of the woman who played Tippi Hedren's mother in "Marni".
ReplyDeleteLOL@ twist..Tomford Wife..classic.
ReplyDeleteI'm still standing by my claim that Katie is preggers again..god knows how, but she looked haggard like this last time.
Go Belgium Go!!!
ReplyDeleteP.S. - Jax - by who?
ReplyDeleteBy a turkey baster. Then she can say she was knocked up by "Tom", only it's not "Tom" Cruise, it's "Tom the turkey baster".
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's why she flew home to L.A. a few weeks ago (to see her gync, either for an implant at the perfect ovulation moment or a follow up) and then went right back to Berlin.
ReplyDeleteAw come on guys! I heard that looking like a zombie this fall is the new black. Shit, I'd pop pills too, if i had to look at Tommy's Tiny Timmy.
ReplyDeleteLMAO TS!!! Tom!!! :D
ReplyDeleteActually I think she looks sadly nostalgic as gazes at old pics of herself..."Aw shit I sold my soul to the Aliens and I'm never going to get it back."
ReplyDelete"oh i miss the days when I could say more than AMAZING and EXTRORDINARY...you know when Tom thought it was 'cute' to say cool and awesome. I miss my life. I miss my parents. God I miss my vibrator"
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine how sad and heartbroken her parents must feel? To see their once vivacious daughter reduced to looking like she's had tea with Nurse Ratched. I've often thought you'd feel like that too if your once perfect skinned (unlike Timmy) child came home from college with head to toe tattoos. Sorry if any of you are completely inked.
ReplyDeletePoor Katie certainly looks like there is something wrong with her.
ReplyDeleteGo Belgian lawyers!
Scientology is the alien Mafia.
Damn, so thats what you look like 2 years into a contract relationship with a megalomaniac.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the Joey Potter of my youth?
TomKatatonic
ReplyDeleteAs coldhearted as it sounds, zero sympathy for her. She knew what she was getting into and obviously it was worth more than peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the so called "Church" goes, I think it's quite an ironic bit of redemption for Germany, since they are the only one's willing to stand up to the lawyers and heavy hitters in the cult. They are absolutely right and if you check xenu and other sites that give survivors stories you will start to realize that this isn't just a glossed over 'celebrity' fad. These people can be downright dangerous.
CHeers to those willing to stand up to the lawyers who are paid highly to defend it, while (imo) losing their soul in the process.
I'll leave you with a quote from the Scientology guidebook as to how they feel about folks who question their legitemcy.
BBC, et al. (2007). "Scientology and Me: transcript" -- "Mike Henderson and Donna Shannon say they spent a million dollars in church fees and donations over 40 years. They joined the staff but left because they felt Scientology's road to enlightenment was going nowhere. Now regarded as heretics they fear for their future. Enemies of the church, wrote L.Ron, could be injured, tricked, sued, lied to or destroyed. He called this "fair game."
source is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_Me
Yeah, but fair game can be overcome by KARMA!!
ReplyDeleteThey have denied using fair game (yeah I KNOW!!) but hopefully there is a change in the air...
Noel -
ReplyDeleteScientology - bigger than ever
Scientology - more happy members than ever.
More and more and more people finding and enjoying Scientology and all it has to offer. And then there are a few whining malcontents who can't seem to find their happy thoughts....but they can find lots of time to whine and cry on blogs on the internet.
Hope you have time to enjoy life a little, and get on with your life.
It would be wonderful if you were to clean up your act and sort out why you are so critical of a group that helps people. That would be something, wouldnt it!
Mike and Donna Henderson have their own row to hoe, as it were, and they are completely responsible for their own condition. As are you.
Wow !!
ReplyDeleteI think Katie looks great!
Such a beautiful woman. Others could only...well...be jealous I suppose!
Best wishes to you Katie. Happy holiday, too.