Scientology, a Religion in Germany

While failing to pursue the Hamburg Minister of Interior’s motion, 
the recently held Minister of Interior Conference in Germany, 
has demonstrated that they are completely out of step with the rest 
of the world. Their statement and recommendation are a blatant 
attempt at justifying the on-going and never-ending discrimination 
against the Church of Scientology and its members in Germany.
               
10 years of OPC surveillance has uncovered absolutely no wrongdoing 
which could justify a ban, as conceded by Federal Minister of Interior 
Wolfgang Schauble in his interview with German Radio.  There is no 
evidence of wrongdoing to uncover.
 
The suggestion that the OPC not only continue but expand its intrusive 
and illegal investigation represents a desperate attempt to concoct a 
justification for a never-ending investigation that wastes millions of 
taxpayer euros.  
 
In the last 25 years, there have been over 40 German court decisions 
acknowledging the Church’s religiosity, including a decision of the Federal 
Administrative Court.
 
Since the opening of its major Church in Berlin in February, the religious 
status of the Church of Scientology has been further acknowledged all over 
the world. 
 
On the 31st of October 2007, the National Court in Madrid issued a 
landmark decision recognizing that the National Church of Scientology 
of Spain should be entered in the Registry of Religious Entities as a 
religion. 
 
On the 24th of September 2007, the European Court of Human Rights 
confirmed the Court’s unanimous decision of April 2007 affirming that 
the Church of Scientology is entitled to the rights and protections 
of religious freedom that flow to religious organizations pursuant to 
Article 9 of the European Human Rights Convention. 
 
The principles enunciated in that decision upheld the religious freedom 
of Scientologists and their religious associations and apply throughout the 
forty-seven member states that have signed and ratified the European 
Human Rights Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and 
Fundamental Freedoms, including Germany.
 
On the 5th of November 2007, the Church of Scientology of Portugal was 
officially recognized as a religious organization. 
 
On the 3rd of December 2007, the South African Revenue Service granted 
the Church of Scientology the status of a Public Benefit Organization as a 
religious entity with full tax exemption.
 
The Scientology religion was founded by L. Ron Hubbard. 
The first church was established in the United States in 1954.  
It has grown to more than 7,500 churches, missions and groups and ten 
million members in 163 nations.
 
Scientology is part of our society and now a major religion internationally, 
as a member of ActionAfrica Interfaith Movement, we feel this message needs
to be known. 
Religious intolerance is out of step with modern society.