English Yokel

Scientology still has problems with demos!

Yokel notes a report on another blog: "Glasgow anti-Scientology protestors told to bin "cult" signs", this time with the Scottish police doing the enforcement.

So Yokel has been for a sit down and a read, and then a bit of a think. What he read was the judgement of a custody battle in the High Court in 1984. Unusually for a Family Division matter, the judgement was pronounced in open court (these matters being usually dealt with in a closed court). Below are a few sentences that sprang out at Yokel from the document. But please, read the whole thing yourself, Yokel cannot do it justice with a few extracted sentences.

Re: B & G (Minors) (Custody) Delivered in the High Court of Justice - Family Division, London, 23 July 1984

JUDGMENT (As approved by Judge)

MR. JUSTICE LATEY:

... ...

What is Scientology?

It is a word invented by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Cult.

... ...

The evidence is clear and conclusive: Mr. Hubbard is a charlatan and worse as are his wife Mary Sue Hubbard (she has been convicted of criminal offences in the United States in connection with Scientology and imprisoned) and the clique at the top privy to the Cult's activities.

... ...

Conclusion as to Scientology

In Re: T Minors (Transcript of judgments given on 10th December 1975) the Court of Appeal was concerned with children one of whose parents was a member of another and very different sect. In the course of his judgement Lord Justice Scarman (as he then was) stressed that "it is conceded that there is nothing immoral or socially obnoxious in the beliefs and practices of this sect". Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious. Mr. Kennedy did not exaggerate when he termed it "pernicious". In my judgement it is corrupt, sinister and dangerous. It is corrupt because it is based on lies and deceit and has as its real objective money and power for Mr. Hubbard, his wife and those close to him at the top. It is sinister because it indulges in infamous practices both to its adherents who do not toe the line unquestioningly and to those outside who criticise or oppose it. It is dangerous because it is out to capture people, especially children and impressionable young people, and indoctrinate and brainwash them so that they become the unquestioning captives and tools of the cult, withdrawn from ordinary thought, living and relationships with others.

Read it all. More detailed notes on it here, including reference to what the Court of Appeal actually decided when the Scientologists appealed (in a custody battle?).