Apparently, the word “cult“ will get you prosectued under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. A 15 year old member of Anonymous taking part in an anti-Scientology protest in London earlier this month was handed summons by the City of London police. The act reads
A person is guilty of an offence if he:
(a) uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or
(b) displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting, within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby.
The problem? He was holding a sign that said
Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult
There’s a video of the young man being approached by the police on YouTube. Apparently, despite numerous nation’s judicial systems declaring Scientology a cult, the common people are still not allowed to say it, just in case you offend cult members.
Oh yeah, and the City of London Police aren’t in bed with Scientology at all…
May 21, 2008 at 11:20
At first glance this is pretty scary, but let’s look a little bit deeper:
1) This is in England, a nation with a long and murderous history of religious persecution. I’m sure the government – especially in these Euro-secular times – is a bit nervous about religious prejudices.
2) Let’s change the noun and see how we feel -
– “Islam is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult”
– “Catholicism is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult”
– “Wicca is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult”
– “Labor is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult”
OK, the last was just for fun, but how about the first three? Set off any reactions? Governments have to enforce laws equally – even when it protects dangerous cults like the CoS.
May 21, 2008 at 14:25
The problem word in those phrases is dangerous. Cult and religion can be used interchangably – both are “A system of religious beliefs and rituals” (to pick a definition, this one from WordWeb). However, the word that CoL Police had issues with was cult.
However, I see your point – everything has to be treated equally in the eyes of the law. And I’m sure that if a similar protest was held outside a mosque, everyone there would be arrested for inciting ratial hatred.
May 21, 2008 at 17:44
One of the definitions (The best in my opinion) in the Oxord English Dictionary is “a small religious group regarded as strange or as imposing excessive control over members”
Whilst I agree that the CoS is exactly that, it gives negative connotations that you can understand them getting upset about. Just because they get upset about it, however, doesn’t make it any less true.
Best way to solve the problem: ban organised religion – its a load of b*****ks anyway!
May 22, 2008 at 07:31
The interesting part of this of course is that the Met didn’t care about the word ‘cult’. Now why would it be that when multiple governments acknowledge the Co$ to be a cult, when the Co$ isn’t acknowledged as a religion and is repeatedly denied charitable status, that it should gain protection from a demonstration which didn’t incite anything against scientologists? The City Police said they were authorised to act by CPS advice, yet the Guardian article proves otherwise – it suggests those links the Co$ has been cultivating with them are a little too cozy…
Oh and you should be able to say those things about actual religions. The law is extremely clear that you are wholly allowed to insult, ridicule and protest against religious organisations – they’re not immune, nor should they be. The thing is Scientology isn’t even that.
May 23, 2008 at 17:25
This is one of the reasons why I am seriously considering not living in England anymore.
I’d also like to direct you to a channel 4 programme called ‘Taking Liberties’, which, before anyone points this out, IS very biased. But many of the facts in the documentary are scary enough.
I really don’t want to be affiliated with this country anymore. And it makes me very sad to feel this way.
May 24, 2008 at 11:01
[...] read a couple of posts over the past week (from Nickopotamus and GeekLawyer) highlighting the news that the police themselves have taken action over a member of [...]