Articles on Scientology

Rueters news serviice reported in December of last year that the Church of Scientology had been fined millions of Francs by the French government for imcome tax evasion. A Scientology spoleswoman in Paris denied the report. She did confirm that the church had accrued a tax debt amounting to $ 1.8 millions dollars for the years from 1981 through 1984. The Paris branch of Scientology has been placed in receivership.

The Scientologists have formed a new legal entity inorder to carry on business. Franch law does not permit foreign branches of a national entity to pick up the tab for domestic tax bills. The Scientologists had offered tto pay thedelinguent taxes from out of country funds.

In Germany there is a call for closer scrutiny of the Scientology church. The Minister for Family Policy, Claudia Nolte, told reporters, "Under the cloak of a religious community hides an organqzation which unscrupulously and unabashedly engages in dubious activities and whose ideology bears totalitarian characteristics." The occasion of Ms. Nolte's remarks was the introduction of a pamphlet warning the German public about Scientology. Rueters reported that Nolte reasoned that "it would `be very sensible' for the domestic intelligence agency to place the organizaron under surveillance to glean `better information about the inner workings of the organizaation.'" Rueters reported that Interior Minister, Manfred Kanther had reservations about the legal issues involved in authorizing surveillance. The ministers of all 16 jGerman states had been considering the recomendation last December but could not reach a concensus.