GERMAN Scientologists are trying to block the broadcast of a film that depicts the cult as dangerous and unethical.
The 90-minute film Bis Nichts Mehr Bleibt (Until Nothing Remains) tells the story of a family’s strife as a result of its involvement with the cult. According to this report, it tells the true story of Heiner von Rönns, a young man who decided to leave the organisation and subsequently lost all contact with his daughter.
An anti-Scientology protest in Germany
Scientology leaders claime the film is a piece of propaganda by Germany’s state broadcaster and have demanded to see it before it is aired at the end of the month.
Scientology officials insist that the film is incorrect and are investigating legal means to prevent the programme from being broadcast .
Jürg Stettler, a spokesman for Scientology in Germany said:
The truth is precisely the opposite of that which the ARD is showing.
Stettler said the organisation was planning its own film to “spread our own side of the story”.
Volker Herres, ARD’s programme director, has dismissed the accusations, saying the aim of the drama is to reveal the truth about the Scientology.
We’re not dealing here with a religion, rather with an organisation that has completely different motives. Scientology is about power, business, and building up a network. Its lessons are pure science fiction, it’s no religion, no church, no sect.
The row mirrors growing concern in Germany over the influence of Scientology. The group has several thousand members in the country, but its critics complain that it is anti-constitutional.
Hat tip: PaulEd
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
March 12th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Hang on…
Scientology leaders [...] have demanded to see it before it is aired at the end of the month.
Scientology officials insist that the film is incorrect and are investigating legal means to prevent the programme from being broadcast .
How can they deem it incorrect if they haven’t seen it yet?
But, then again, I ask a rhetorical question…
March 12th, 2010 at 10:12 am
Herres doesnt seem to understand that scientology is exactly like other religions
What he should have said was:
Scientology & EVERY OTHER RELIGION are about power, business, and building up a network. Their lessons are pure fiction.
March 12th, 2010 at 10:19 am
The Scientology saga is a fascinating one. It’s taking its last gasps and I think in 20 years time society will look back in amazement at how it managed to dupe so many people with such transparent bullshit.
I hope that society can learn lessons from it and look at other transparently bullshit stories, suicide zombie saviours and woman-hating riders of magical fying horses, with the same eye.
March 12th, 2010 at 10:31 am
“ Its lessons are pure science fiction, it’s no religion, no church, no sect.”
But..but…but… all religions were simply the science fiction of their time…
March 12th, 2010 at 11:49 am
AnonymusMBerlin is an anti-scientology organization which is planning a protest march in Berlin this Saturday. To protect themselves against physical attacks from scientologists they wear masks, as in the picture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlXT6U2LREg
and others in English explain their aims. http://www.diekartegesehen.de is the organization’s website in German.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:58 am
AnonymousMBerlin is an anti-scientology organization which is planning to hold a protest march in Berlin this Saturday. The members wear masks to protect themselves against physical attacks by Scientologists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlXT6U2LREg
and others in English explain the organization’s aims.
http://www.diemaskegesehen.de is their website in German.
March 12th, 2010 at 12:31 pm
This is all wonderful stuff. These nutters, disrupting families, ripping off the money of the gullible who join, behaving like gangsters when their members decide they want out and, to top it all, with the extreme delicacy of feeling for themselves that reminds me of MPs who object to being treated like the rest of us when they find themselves fingered by the law, don’t even want the film to be shown.
Almost on a par with the Stalinist cencorship excercised on Thought for the Day to exclude anyone who does not “have faith.” I say “almost” because Thought for the Day succeeds 100 per cent in censoring freedom of speech; this film may be shown.
ps Now there’s a thought – the Scientolgy outfit do have “faith” so they could have a Thought for the Day spot. Why not? You know it makes (non)sense.
March 12th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Scientology does this nonsense all the time. What is surprising is they continue to do it after all the bad publicity it continues to bring them.
http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesi.....567DZ4Q4CO
Scientology flack strikes out – NY Post 10/27/09
“LESS than an hour before a damaging piece on the Church of Scientology was set to air on ABC’s “Nightline,” the controversial faith’s spokesman, Tommy Davis, showed up unannounced at the studio and tried to get the segment spiked…”
“”He demanded to a security guard that he be let in,” a network insider told Page Six. “The guard called ‘Nightline’ staffers down to come deal with him. He was told as politely as possible that the piece was cut and in the can and could not be changed and that Martin would be unable to see him. He was then asked to leave.” Adds our source, “He was not happy.”"
March 12th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
I’m tried of people pulling the “all religions” card. Doing so only ignores the abuses being pointed out, as if to say that because “other religions do it”, then it’s okay for Scientology to do it. However, there’s also a difference between people acting on their religious faith, and those who participate in a closed and controlled cult, and operate under the policies of a leadership. Scientology operates strictly like a business, claiming self-help through non-religious psychological courses. When Hubbard first introduced Scientology, he said that it was not a religion, but a scientific philosophy of sorts. It wasn’t until the AMA concluded from a test on Hubbard’s form of medicine that it was quackery, that Hubbard started using “religion” as a cloak. It also became a part of their push for tax exemption in several countries.
March 12th, 2010 at 11:49 pm
Has everyone seen the “scientology” episode of South Park? Hilarious!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnUoyWJjUzE
One thing all religions seem to have in common is that once they wind their tentacles into your life, your circle of friends, your family, your belief system, they will not easily let go. If you reject them they will use every influence in their power to maintain their hold, and they are willing to destroy your life to make an example of you. It could be worse, a couple of hundred years ago, they would have tortured you to death, and they still would if they still could. Praise their loving god.
The catholic church has it’s “excommunication”, JW’s have their “disfellowshipping”, Amish have their “shunning”, even Nichiren Buddhists (that do not believe in literal gods or demons) threaten those who have practiced their religion and then reject it, will enter a earthly hell. There’s nothing new here about breaking free of the brainwash. In the words of Ringo, “You know it just ain’t easy”.
NeoWolfe