Anti-cult law in France

by expatbrit 3 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  expatbrit

  Article from the freaks at CESNUR.

  the weakest link: http://www.cesnur.org/2001/fr_may03.htm

  Can someone who speaks French give a summary (in English, of course!)

  Expatbrit
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  GinnyTosken

  Let me preface this with a caveat. I took a few semesters of college French. I use an online translator to get a base document in English, and then comb through it again with a French dictionary. I'm not good with colloquialisms and idioms. Legal language is difficult to mull through, even in English.

  From what I can understand, the French are trying to create a law that will allow them to quickly intervene in cases where people are being exploited by cults. At the same time, they want to protect fundamental freedoms, such as the right to believe as one chooses.

  They are particularly concerned about children and anyone in a state of weakness who might be easy prey for a cult, such as the elderly, infirm, or mentally ill. A state of weakness is difficult to define. While children are usually subject to the wishes of their parents, when is an adult responsible for his religious choices and when is he not? How does one delineate between religions that coerce, con, and exploit and those that do not?

  Most of the text was concerned with fine tuning the exact wording of law. How does one define "mental manipulation"? Do cults place people in a state of dependence or a state of subjection?

  Other questions were asked. Will a law against cults lead to a Middle Ages witch hunt mentality? Since most of the established religions began as cults or sects, is a law against cults unfair and discriminatory against minority religions?

  I don't know the answers to these questions. I tend to side with those who emphasize prevention. Insurance policies come with full disclosure statements. Medicines come with pamphlets explaining possible side effects. I wish religions came with warning labels, too.

  Ginny
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  MacHislopp

  Hello Hexpatbrit,

  Thanks for the post . All together is about 20 pages long, and it very
  interesting for us in Europe, because the French legislation " jurisprudence" is closely
  followed as ex. in other European nations. I'm fluent in french and I'll examine the
  document more closely.
  What I can say now is , that Ginny Tosken, gave a very concise but accurate
  description of the "reason " of the law .

  I'll give more details in another post.

  Agape J.C. MacHislopp
• 

  mustang

  Mac,

  Looking forward to your review. But, I have one disturbing thought.
  I have been exposed to what are called 'Napoleanic codes', in overseas dealings (with a former French colony). French law is about the opposite of British law in theory & execution. (American law is based on British law.) For instance, presumption of guilt versus presumption of innocence. The term lawyers use here is ONEROUS. That means oppressive in lay terms.

  So, are you are telling me that the more oppresive form of law is the popular one in Europe? This bodes ill.

  Mustang
  US law student