Background for Senate Resolution 230 IS
Rod Keller
[ Article reposted from alt.support.ex-cult ]
[ Author was atto...@nospam.inet-systems.net ]
[ Posted on Thu, 30 Dec 1999 04:45:12 GMT ]
The following is found in the Congressional Record and provides a
background for the introduction of Senate Resolution 230 IS:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r106:1:./temp/~r1068jpZYe:e4104:
Text is as follows:
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise to submit a resolution concerning
religious discrimination in Germany with my colleague, the
distinguished Senator from Louisiana, Ms. Landrieu. The resolution
urges the German government to eliminate religious discrimination
within its country because I believe, as a matter of general
government policy, no religion or belief should be discriminated
against. Anytime the government collects or allows businesses to
collect and use information that marks an individual as being
different, it is discriminatory and it is wrong. This is a human
rights issue. An individual or a group should be allowed to worship in
private without public repercussions.
A letter sent to me from the Department of State in August, states
`Wherever it may occur, discrimination against an individual or group
is a fundamental human rights violation, and the United States
government is still very concerned about incidents of discrimination
in Germany.' The Department of State Human Rights Reports on Germany
have disclosed discrimination based on religion or belief in Germany
in such forms as: exclusion from government employment and political
parties; the use of `sect-filters' (required declarations that a
person or company is not affiliated with a particular religious group)
by government, businesses, sport clubs, and other organizations;
government-approved boycotts and discrimination against businesses;
and, the prevention of artists from performing or displaying their
works.
I also am aware of the possibilities of United States companies based
in Germany being coerced by the German government to discriminate
against American and other employees based on their beliefs. We have a
number of German companies conducting business in the United States. I
do not want to see these discriminatory practices imported to our
country. This issue of government discrimination is not solely
contained within the borders of Germany.
The resolution is simple and straightforward. It urges the German
government to enter into a constructive dialogue with minority groups
subject to government discrimination based on religion or belief. The
resolution also calls upon the president to assert the United States'
concern to Germany regarding government discrimination based on
religion or belief.
If the goal of a world functioning under a flag of democratic freedom
is to be realized, the leaders of the free world must set the example.
Germany is a leader in the European and world communities. Germany
also is a strong United States ally. It is my hope that the German
government will allow its country men and women to be leaders of a
free society where an individual's beliefs are the sole decision of
the individual rather than a matter of state.
Mr. President, I would like to submit for the Record a letter I sent
to the Department of State on July 16, 1999 as well as the Department
of State's response to my letter.
The material follows:
United States Senate,
Washington, DC, July 16, 1999.
Hon. Marc Grossman,
Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, State Department,
Washington, DC.
[Page: S14427] GPO's PDF
Dear Mr. Grossman: Over the past six years there has been a steady
increase in the number of religious freedom violations in Germany.
These violations have been noted in the State Department Human Rights
Country Reports on Germany and the 1998 report of the State Department
Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom. They have also been a matter
of concern to various human rights groups. All of these reports have
described both government and private sector discrimination against
individuals and groups, including American citizens, because of their
religious beliefs.
Last November, several of my colleagues in the Senate and I wrote to
Chancellor Schroeder to express our concerns about this discrimination
and the need for dialogue between the German Government and
representatives of various religious groups. When we finally received
a reply to our inquiry from the German Foreign Office in March, it was
accompanied with a copy of the `Religious Freedom' section of the 1998
State Department Human Rights Report on Germany with a note stating
that the 1998 Report revised `certain views found in former reports.'
We were quite disappointed that the Foreign Office reply largely
ignored our concerns. While I do not share the German view that the
1998 Human Rights Report signaled that the State Department is no
longer concerned with religious discrimination in Germany, I find the
German Government's perception of the Report troubling.
One religious group in Germany that has been the subject of the State
Department reports is the Christian Community in Cologne (CCK), an
1,100 member Church headed by an American, Pastor Terry Jones. The
1998 Report stated that virtually no incidents of harassment,
discrimination, or death threats have been directed at CCK members
since 1992. However, I have seen statements from Pastor Jones, along
with other reports and news stories that indicate that the CCK has
been the subject of discrimination since 1992. Tax difficulties aside,
the CCK has been subject to harassment by government `sect'
commissions, threats of violence, and members being denied jobs and
child custody because of their Church affiliation. The sources of
these reports include the 1998 Interim Report of the State Department
Advisory Committee on Religious Freedom Abroad; an April 1998 CNN
Worldview story; the testimony of a CCK representative at a September
1997 hearing before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (CSCE); and a May 1997 Report from the British House of Lords.
Also, in testimony before the CSCE in July 1998, a representative from
the Center for the Study of New Religious Movements criticized Germany
for police raids that have occurred against small, independent
Pentacostal churches. The Universal Life Church has also suffered
discrimination in Germany. Press reports indicate that members of this
Christian Church lost their jobs, not because of any wrongdoing, but
because of their commitment to their faith.
Another minority group that has been subject to significant
discrimination in Germany is the Church of Scientology and its
members. The documentation of discrimination against both Americans
and Germans based solely on their Church membership seems irrefutable.
I especially find the growing governmental use and sponsorship of
`sect-filters' disturbing. Nonetheless, in spite of all this evidence
and documentation, the German Government seems to believe the State
Department has revised its views as to the existence of religious
discrimination in their country. I have also seen media reports that
characterized the 1998 Report as effectively ending earlier State
Department criticism of Germany for its treatment of Scientologists.
I cannot believe these characterizations of the Human Rights Report
are an accurate representation of the position of the State Department
on these matters. Clearly, the matter of religious discrimination and
persecution in Germany needs to be reviewed and the position of the
State Department clarified. That review should include a thorough
evaluation of the problem, the extent to which the German government
is responsible for these actions, and a determination of the
appropriate response for these actions, and a determination of the
appropriate response of the United States Government to this serious
situation.
As I mentioned earlier, the letter sent to Chancellor Schroeder by my
Senate colleagues and I expressed the belief that an open and direct
dialogue between the German Government and minority religious groups
was sorely needed. In particular, I am aware that the State Department
had undertaken efforts to establish such a dialogue between the German
Government and the Church of Scientology. I applaud this effort.
Unfortunately, I understand that the German Government has refused to
enter into any such dialogue. Is the State Department considering any
steps it can take to encourage such a discussion?
Given Germany's strong commitment to democracy, I am troubled by the
continuing reports and the evidence of government sponsored
discrimination in Germany against minority religious groups. For
Germany to abide by its international treaty commitments it must
respect the beliefs of all religious groups. At whatever level it
occurs, it remains the responsibility of the German Federal Government
to ensure that the entire country complies with its international
human rights treaty obligations. This should especially be true when
American citizens are involved.
While I commend the efforts of the State Department to address
discrimination in Germany based on religion or belief, it is very
important for your Human Rights Country Report on Germany to be
clarified so that the position of the State Department on this issue
is unmistakably clear. I hope to work with you to resolve these
important issues and look forward to your reply to my letter at your
earliest opportunity.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senator.
--
U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC, August 25, 1999.
Hon. Michael B. Enzi,
U.S. Senate.
Dear Senator Enzi: Thank you for your July 16 letter regarding
religious freedom violations in Germany and the State Department's
1998 Human Rights Report. I am responding on behalf of Assistant
Secretary Grossman. Your letter raises several important issues
concerning ongoing efforts at the State Department to work with German
officials and affected minority groups to end discrimination in
Germany based on religion or belief. Wherever it may occur,
discrimination against an individual or group is a fundamental human
rights violation, and the United States Government is still very
concerned about incidents of discrimination in Germany. As the past
six years of Human Rights Reports indicate, religious discrimination
in Germany continues to take place and the Department of State is
committed to addressing issues of religious intolerance.
We, too, were puzzled with characterizations of the 1998 Human Rights
Report as ending criticism of Germany. While we would rather devote
our time to working with the German government on ways to end
discrimination in Germany based on religion or belief, it is also very
important to express criticism and concern with ongoing German
discriminatory actions and policies. This critical review is one of
the primary purposes of the annual Human Rights Report. To interpret
the 1998 Report's greater inclusion of German government statements
attacking minority groups and rationalizing discriminatory acts and
policies as State Department agreement with such statements is wrong.
Perception of the report aside, we are particularly concerned with
growing use of sect filters in Germany which prevent a person from
practicing his or her profession or participating in public and
private fora, solely based on that person's religion or belief. This
clearly discriminatory practice is being used by the Federal Ministry
of Economics, state governments, private businesses and other
organizations in Germany. We have discussed with German state and
federal authorities the violation of individual rights posed by
sect-filters and will continue our efforts to end the use of such
filters.
On the subject of discrimination against the Evangelical churches in
Germany, specifically the Christian Community in Cologne (CGK), U.S.
Embassy personnel have met with two associate pastors of the CGK. We
have been unable to meet with Pastor Jones, the leader of the church
who testified before the Commission on Security and Cooperation in
Europe in 1997 about discrimination. The two pastors interviewed did
describe incidents of religious discrimination in child custody and
employment situations. However, until we are able to verify these
allegations of discrimination, the State Department is reluctant to
include such examples in an official report.
Over the past year, State Department officials in Washington and
Germany have undertaken a determined effort to bring together
representatives of the Church of Scientology with representatives of
the German Federal Government to open a dialogue on issues of concern.
To our dismay, the German Government has refused to meet with
Scientology representatives. Regardless of what the German Government
thinks about the nature and philosophy of Scientology, refusal to
enter into a constructive dialogue is troubling. We will continue to
press the German Government to take this step.
As your letter correctly states, Germany is obligated by various
international human rights treaties to respect the freedom of an
individual to worship alone or in community with other religious or
beliefs acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience.
And no matter at what level discrimination occurs, it is the
responsibility of the German Federal Government to ensure that the
entire country complies with its international human rights treaty
obligations. We look forward to working with you and other Members of
Congress to that end in Germany.
I hope our response has addressed your concerns. Please do not
hesitate to contact us if you have further questions about this or any
other matter.
Sincerely,
Barbara Larkin,
Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs.
*********************************************************************************
Sincerely,
Barry L. Hardy
atto...@nospam.inet-systems.net
Georgia State University
School of Law (1999)
[To send email, remove "nospam." from above email address]
--
Rod Keller / rke...@voicenet.com / Irresponsible Publisher
Black Hat #1 / Expert of the Toilet / CWPD Mouthpiece / Killer Rod
The Lerma Apologist / Merchant of Chaos / Vision of Destruction
Bigot of Mystery / OSA Patsy / Quasi-Scieno / Mental Bully
Wulfen
>
>[ Article reposted from alt.support.ex-cult ]
>[ Author was atto...@nospam.inet-systems.net ]
>[ Posted on Thu, 30 Dec 1999 04:45:12 GMT ]
>
>The following is found in the Congressional Record and provides a
>background for the introduction of Senate Resolution 230 IS:
>
>http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r106:1:./temp/~r1068jpZYe:e4104:
>
>Text is as follows:
(SNIP)
>Over the past year, State Department officials in Washington and
>Germany have undertaken a determined effort to bring together
>representatives of the Church of Scientology with representatives of
>the German Federal Government to open a dialogue on issues of concern.
>To our dismay, the German Government has refused to meet with
>Scientology representatives. Regardless of what the German Government
>thinks about the nature and philosophy of Scientology, refusal to
>enter into a constructive dialogue is troubling. We will continue to
>press the German Government to take this step.
Regardless of whether the German Government thinks that Scientology is
just another totalitarian organization, with marked resemblances to
the totalitarian organizations (Nazi and Communist) who've had about
57 combined years of tyranny over various portions of German territory
and citizenry? Really now - is it any wonder that Germany is
suspicious of yet another totalitarian organization?
And just what would a person or government discuss with Scientology?
Germany: "Please either repudiate or stop applying the LRH policies
that mandate profiteering, totalitarian activities on the part of the
Scientology enterprise."
Scientology: "No."
Germany: "Ok, US State Department geniuses... Now what?"
(SNIP)
-- Scientology's gate is down. --
http://www.total.net/~wulfen/scn/
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/8412/
Anton Hein
alt.religion.scientology wrote (<84fm1a$i...@netaxs.com>):
>[ Article reposted from alt.support.ex-cult ]
>[ Author was atto...@nospam.inet-systems.net ]
>[ Posted on Thu, 30 Dec 1999 04:45:12 GMT ]
Hardy is an amateur cult apologist who lies about ex-cult members and those who
help them:
About Barry Hardy
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/h00.html#hardy
He's among the cultists, cult apologists and other hecklers who subject
alt.support.ex-cult to a barrage of nonsense.
My response to his posting:
:===Begin Quote===
The leaders of the free world do set an example. Increasingly, governments
around the world are speaking out against the myriad human rights abuses taking
place in the United States of America - including the use of the death penalty,
wide-spread torture in prisons, and the sale of torture equipment to countries
known to use such items on their citizens.
See
Amnesty International report on human rights abuses in the USA
http://www.rightsforall-usa.org/intro/index.html
On the continued use of the death penalty in light of continuing failures of the
U.S. justice system, see this International Herald Tribune editorial:
Banal Death Penalty
International Herald Tribune, Dec. 29, 1999
http://www.iht.com/IHT/TODAY/WED/ED/eddeath.html
With that out of the way, let's look at some examples of how some folks in the
U.S. government twists or ignores facts.
> One religious group in Germany that has been the subject of the State
>Department reports is the Christian Community in Cologne (CCK), an
>1,100 member Church headed by an American, Pastor Terry Jones. The
>1998 Report stated that virtually no incidents of harassment,
>discrimination, or death threats have been directed at CCK members
>since 1992. However, I have seen statements from Pastor Jones, along
>with other reports and news stories that indicate that the CCK has
>been the subject of discrimination since 1992. Tax difficulties aside,
>the CCK has been subject to harassment by government `sect'
>commissions, threats of violence, and members being denied jobs and
>child custody because of their Church affiliation. The sources of
Earlier this year, cult apologist Irving Hexham reported:
German Charismatics Cautiously Watching to See If Government Will Continue
Harassment Campaign
Charisma News, July 29, 1999
http://www.charismanews.com/news2.cgi?a=119&t=news.html
(...)
Even more alarming was the revoking of the Cologne Christian Congregation's
tax-exempt status and the presentation of a bill for more than $130,000 in
back taxes to Terry Jones, its American pastor. The church's situation is now
improving.
However, on Aug. 2, Tilman Hausherr provided some background information:
He mentions also the case of "Terry Jones", a Cologne cult leader who
had tax problems. It seems to have escaped Mr. Hexham's intention that
even the usually stupid US state department has stopped to support him,
after Jones had to admit that they had somehow "forgotten" to file the
correct papers.
Indeed, this 1999 U.S. State Department report says "[t]he fact that the Church
apparently violated tax law, and the authorities' voluntary reduction of the
Church's tax liability, raise questions about the merit of the CCK's allegations
of harassment."
U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom
for 1999: Germany
http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/irf/irf_rpt/1999/irf_germany99.html
The Basic Law (Constitution) provides for religious freedom, and the
Government respects this right in practice.
(...)
According to the Christian Community in Cologne (CCK), no incidents of
harassment, discrimination, or death threats have been directed at CCK
members since 1992, with the exception of occasional letters from a
particular individual, whom they describe as harmless. CCK
representatives claimed that the Church's current tax difficulties were
due to harassment by local tax authorities. However, they admitted that
the Church's tax problem was based on errors made by the Church,
although they questioned the motivation of the authorities for
scrutinizing the Church's 1992 application for extension of tax-exempt
status (which must be renewed every few years, depending on state law).
The fact that the Church apparently violated tax law, and the
authorities' voluntary reduction of the Church's tax liability, raise
questions about the merit of the CCK's allegations of harassment.
[...more...]
>Also, in testimony before the CSCE in July 1998, a representative from
>the Center for the Study of New Religious Movements criticized Germany
>for police raids that have occurred against small, independent
>Pentacostal churches. The Universal Life Church has also suffered
>discrimination in Germany. Press reports indicate that members of this
>Christian Church lost their jobs, not because of any wrongdoing, but
>because of their commitment to their faith.
CESNUR is a cult apologist organization. Its leaders are working themselves into
a tizzy over the fact that Western European governments don't share their views
regarding the handling of new religious movements.
About CESNUR
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/c10.html
The Universal Life Church (UL) is an interesting case. There are indications
that it cooperates with the Church of Scientology in filing spurious claims of
"human rights abuses." Interestingly, another thing they have in common is that
both are, essentially, UFO cults.
One problematic sect in Germany is the "Heimholungswerk" or "Universal Life"
of the self-proclaimed prophetess Gabriele Witteck. In that group it is
taught that the earth is surrounded by UFOs from the semi-material worlds,
and that Mrs. Witteck's adherents will be evacuated at the proper time.
Nevertheless, the Mr. Enzi figures the movement to be a "Christian church."
This is likely due to the fact that, like many cults, the movement also has some
Christian characteristics, but it also reveals the depth of Mr. Enzi's
ignorance.
Like Scientology, UL has a decidedly commercial bend.
Many members of various groups work for a minimum salary or even for nothing
in commercial enterprises which belong to these groups or are operated by
them. This is true for the "Universelles Leben" ("universal life"),
"Scientology" or Colonia Dignidad.
- A Democratic Society and its Relations to the so-called "Sects and
Psycho-Groups"
Ursula Caberta
http://www.user.xpoint.at/gsk/CABERTAE.HTM
Ex-members report the cult breaks up marriages and families, cheats people out
of their own money, forces people to work long hours at virtually no pay or for
nothing, and threathens ex-members not to reveal negative information.
While there is a need for public information, some controversial groups are
pursuing a policy of disinformation -- and some (VPM, Universal Life, and
especially Scientology) even intimidate critics, if only by inundating them
with lawsuits.
- Endbericht der Bundestags-Enquete-Kommission
Full text (in German), can be downloaded from:
http://www.kultinfo.org/buecher.htm
Those who read Germany will find much information on the cult here:
http://www.michelrieth.de/index.htm
That kind of documentation is studiously ignored by cult apologists and some
folks in the U.S. government.
>Another minority group that has been subject to significant
>discrimination in Germany is the Church of Scientology and its
>members. The documentation of discrimination against both Americans
People who are familiar with the Church of Scientology's goals - and the means
by which it plans to bring those goals about - will applaud Germany's approach
to the cult. After all, Germany does not ever want another totalitarian
movement to gain power within its borders.
Scientology: Is There Religious Persecution in Germany?
http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/germany/
Religious freedom is to be supported and promoted, but not at the expense of
truth and free speech.
Ex-cult support resources
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/c09c.html
:===End Quote===
Anton
--
Proudly internetting from XS4ALL - a Scientology-censored ISP
Here's What Scientology Doesn't Want You To Know:
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s04.html
Gerry Armstrong
Did Pastor Jones get recalled to Flag?
>The two pastors interviewed did
>describe incidents of religious discrimination in child custody and
>employment situations. However, until we are able to verify these
>allegations of discrimination, the State Department is reluctant to
>include such examples in an official report.
>
>Over the past year, State Department officials in Washington and
>Germany have undertaken a determined effort to bring together
>representatives of the Church of Scientology with representatives of
>the German Federal Government to open a dialogue on issues of concern.
>To our dismay, the German Government has refused to meet with
>Scientology representatives. Regardless of what the German Government
>thinks about the nature and philosophy of Scientology, refusal to
>enter into a constructive dialogue is troubling. We will continue to
>press the German Government to take this step.
And we will continue to press the United States to enter into a
constructive dialogue about $cientology. It is the US refusal to enter
into a constructive dialog which is troubling.
There is something very dark behind the State Department's activities,
the IRS's activities, Congress's activities, and I'd bet
intelligence's activities about and with $cientology. It isn't just
stupidity.
>
>As your letter correctly states, Germany is obligated by various
>international human rights treaties to respect the freedom of an
>individual to worship alone or in community with other religious or
>beliefs acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience.
Oh, yes, and what $cientologist has been prevented from worshipping
alone or in community with other religious or beliefs acting in
accordance with the dictates of his own conscience?
>And no matter at what level discrimination occurs, it is the
>responsibility of the German Federal Government to ensure that the
>entire country complies with its international human rights treaty
>obligations. We look forward to working with you and other Members of
>Congress to that end in Germany.
And we look forward to the US being willing to work with people
persecuted by the $cientology organization on US soil and abroad.
>
>I hope our response has addressed your concerns. Please do not
>hesitate to contact us if you have further questions about this or any
>other matter.
Thank you for the invitation.
(c) Gerry Armstrong
Fredric Xenu L. Xenu Rice Xenu
>Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I rise to submit a resolution concerning
>religious discrimination in Germany with my colleague, the
>distinguished Senator from Louisiana, Ms. Landrieu. The resolution
>urges the German government to eliminate religious discrimination
>within its country because I believe,
This blackmail victim couldn't even name _one_ religion that was or is
being "discriminated against" in Germany. These idiots are employing
the logical fallacy known as "begging the question." First they must
show that a religion is being discriminated against and _then_ they may
start complaining about it.
--- "de omnibus dubitandum" All is to be doubted --- Descartes
24-hour file archive access: (626) 335-9601 (FidoNet 1:218/890.0) SP4
The Skeptic Tank: http://www.linkline.com/personal/frice/index.htm
Scientology Criminals: http://www.linkline.com/personal/frice/csindex.htm
What the Scientology cult doesn't want you to know: http://www.xenu.net/