-Russia: Court Bans Scientology Books
by Dr. D ~ June 30th, 2011
(Image by didkovskya via Flickr)
A Russian court in Moscow has banned Scientology books by L. Ron Hubbard.
The Prosecutor General’s office said in a statement today that the Shchyolkovo court has ruled that “What is Scientology?” and other books by L. Ron Hubbard “contain calls for extremist activities.”
Accordingly the Scientology books will now be put on the federal list of extremist materials banned for release throughout all of Russia. Previously the Russian Orthodox Church had denounced Scientology as a “totalitarian sect” making it difficult for the ‘church’ to receive official registry in the country.
Scientology officials who claim to have “tens of thousands” of members in Russia say that they will be appealing the court decision.
Response: This is not a good sign for ‘Freedom of religion’ in Russia. To ban these books is tantamount to banning the religion based upon them. If a court in Russia can do that, what is to prevent them from banning other religious books like the Book of Mormon or even Protestant versions of the Bible? Can you say ‘slippery slope’?
I am not sympathetic to the so-called ‘Church of Scientology’ in any way and even question whether it is a religion at all. Nevertheless, the court in Russia doesn’t even bother with questions of religious freedom but decides it has the power to ban the whole thing regardless?
Not a good portent for religious freedom in Russia. Today they are coming for the Scientologists, maybe tomorrow for the unregistered Pentecostals. *Top
October 8th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
[…] June, a court in a Moscow banned several books by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard as dangerous. At the time the court ruled that “What is Scientology?” and other […]