When anti-cultists discovered that the respected scholar was also the president of an organization promoting biodynamic agriculture and an admirer of Rudolf Steiner, all hell broke loose.
France
An American Scholar Looks at Scientology in France—and at the Sonia Backès Saga
A scholarly article notes how in France “political power can be weaponized against minority religions with the backing of the state.”
A Visit to Bergerac. 2. In Search of “Mere Christianity”
A visit to the exhibition “Bergerac and Protestantism” and a dialogue on “basic orthodoxy” as a need in our secular age.
A Visit to Bergerac. 1. Protestants, Catholics, and the State Between War and Peace
Bergerac is famous for literature, food—and bloody wars.
Why Secularism Is Dangerous. 2. French “Laïcité” as a Source of Major Injustice
Sometimes words have two meanings, and great abuses may come from ideological confusion. It is not a French problem only.
Why Secularism Is Dangerous. 1. An Outrageous Crime in France: Kids Pray
Recent events confirm France’s stubbornness in preventing any public manifestation of religions. To get the work done, secularism mobilizes state teams aimed at re-educating children in schools.
“Psychological Subjugation”: France Ready to Invent a New (or Old?) “Cultic Crime”
Secretary of State Sonia Backès announces a new anti-cult statute. It is yet another incarnation of the discredited notion of brainwashing and of the fabrication of false “victims.”
“Cult Victims”: Real, “Time-Bomb,” and Imaginary
A controversial Belgian report offers the opportunity of reflecting on real and fabricated “victims” of new religious movements.
French State Council Confirms Hijab Ban in Soccer Games, Against Public Rapporteur’s Advise
The opinion of the “rapporteur public” is generally followed, but the female pro-hijab soccer players prefer to wait for the final decision before proclaiming victory.
“The Fish Stinks from the Head”: MIVILUDES President Resigns Over Fonds Marianne Scandal
Another obnoxious story of taxpayers’ money liberally distributed to dubious associations hit Christian Gravel, who had to leave the French anti-cult mission.