According to the Netherland Times, a Dutch court has revoked the status of Scientology as a “public welfare institution” (i.e., a nonprofit) because the “church” has been deemed a profit-making institution. And with that the Church’s tax-exempt status disappears”
The court decided that the sales of the Church’s expensive courses and therapy sessions are clearly aimed at making a profit, and thus it does not belong on the tax authorities’ charity list.
. . . The court ruled that these courses [the expensive series of courses that one must take to advance to “getting clear”] cost significantly more than commercial educational institutions’ average school fees. “If providers on the secular education market had similar prices, prospective students would experience it as prices for top education by top teachers in prime locations.” The court finds the prices to be very commercial. According to the court, Scientology consciously seeks profits to fill its purse and was able to build “substantial wealth” like this.
The Church can still appeal against this ruling, but it is not yet clear if they will. A spokesperson called the judge’s ruling “discrimination based on religious beliefs”.
This ruling puts a provisional end to a long ongoing process that started in the Amsterdam Court two years ago, according to newspaper Trouw. Back then the court ruled that the Church of Scientology does not have a commercial character because it gave courses and therapy sessions to poor Scientologists as gifts. The Supreme Court questioned this ruling late last year, also being concerned about the prices Scientology charges.
Of course the Church of Scientology retains its status as an official religion in the U.S., having gained it after a long battle with the Internal Revenue Service (it originally got that status in 1957, lost it a decade later, and then regained in in 1993 after a series of dubious maneuvers, including illegal actions that resulted in some Scientologists being jailed). Scientology isn’t religious in the sense of worshiping a divine being, but I suppose one could make the case that it has a theology (Xenu et al.) and is “churchlike.”
While its tax-exempt status should also be revoked in the U.S., so should the similar status of all churches. There is no legal justification for exempting churches from taxation, which includes ministers getting a tax-exempt housing allowance. But it will be a cold day in July when the U.S. finally bites the bullet and decides to end the tax-exemptions of churches. At present, religious organizations, like other “nonprofits”, are exempted as a way to further charitable giving, but this amounts to unconstitutional promotion of religion—and to taxpayers subsidizing religion—in a secular country (read the IRS regulations for defining a “church” here). And even if you think that “genuine” religions should be tax-exempt, there is no way that Scientology is a “nonprofit,” given the luxurious lifestyle its leaders enjoy and the way it exploits its members.
Scientology is falling on hard times. The book Going Clear by Lawrence Wright (which I read and highly recommend) shows the rotten status of the organization and its bizarre and cultlike activities, while the subsequent movie (which I haven’t seen) has garnered great reviews despite Scientology’s efforts to block it. And now Leah Remini, once a famous Scientologist who belonged to the organization for 37 years (since age 9!) and an actor known for her role in the television series “King of Queens,” is about to release a memoir, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology. Her book will undoubtedly cast further aspersions on the church.
While this is a bit Hollywoodish, Remini’s expose will do further damage to Scientology, and, as far as I’m concerned, the more damage the better. I feel sorry for the many people who have been impoverished, victimized, and even done to death by the Church’s malfeasance and greed. It’s also a sign of the times that had I written this post about twenty years ago, I would have been hounded, persecuted, and even sued by the “church.” They no longer have that power.
Here’s a report explaining why Remini left Scientology, which as far as I know is accurate:
When people start telling you that religions do good stuff, ask them what good stuff has ever been done by Scientology, which, after all, is an Official Religion.
And, for LOLs, here’s the odious head of the Church, David Miscavige, with his Sea Org acolytes. (As noted above, Miscavige’s wife Shelly has not been seen in public for eight years.) And, for grins, I’ll throw in a leaked video in which Tom Cruise, the Church’s most famous member, accepts Scientology’s Freedom Medal of Valor from Miscavige in 2004. If this video doesn’t curl the soles of your shoes, you’re immune to woo. Be sure to watch the mutual salutes and embraces at the beginning, and the salute to L. Ron Hubbard’s portrait at 4:28.
h/t: Gravelinspector
The thing is, it shouldn’t matter. Practically all the churches my extended family has gone to have also run charitable businesses. And all of those churches kept their books straight – intentionally separating the religion arm of the organization from the business arm, and reporting on them as separate tax entities. It shouldn’t matter whether we think of Scientology as a theism or religion; they could be that and operate a for-profit business at the same time, if they were honest about it. The question of whether they should pay taxes on exorbitant per-hour classes or property tax on educational (I use the term loosely) facilities should have little to nothing to do with whether they’re a ‘real’ religion or not; even real religious organizations can and should legally separate their for-profit operations from their nonprofit ones.
I rather thought that you’d like that one.
Not that Scientology had any significant credibility in mainstream Britain before, but they really lost a lot of support with the 2006 “Scientology and me” documentary by the Beeb, and John Sweeny’s infamous “exploding tomato” scene where he loses his rag at the Scientology Inc. mouthpiece.
Would it be an appropriate local convention to always refer to them as “Scientology Inc.” since they are irredeemably a profit-making organisation.
The L Wright book is excellent, but for a very personal expose read Jenna Miscavige Hill, Beyond Belief. Her childhood experiences are most harrowing. She is a niece of David. Talk about child abuse!
If simple profit making gets them the boot in the Netherlands, why not the Catholics or any number of religions. They run all kinds of business and used their bank for years to allow many others to avoid taxes. It’s a joke on all of us who pay taxes.
Startinig with Vatican City and its riduculously filthy wealth. And am I to understand Joel Osteen does not have to pay taxes?
Yes, I believe that’s the case. And “housing allowances” for ministers can be substantial, especially when they live in mansions.
Well, Lakewood church, where he hangs out when not in the mansion only seats something over 16,000 people per show, and that does not even get into the TV money and books. Texas is a big state with lots of suckers.
Sure. But then along comes a humble healer like Peter Popoff or Benny Hinn to restore one’s faith in televangistry.
If so, gets me to wondering if, in contrast, military service members getting shot in combat are simultaneously incurring income tax liability.
The catholic church is making a profit, but they still have problems. In 2011, in the archdiocese Utrecht, 326 parishes were reorganised into just 48. In 2030, only 20 will be left.
Church-attendance in the country has declined from 2 million in 1971 to 288.000 in 2009. The Netherlands has population of 16.8 million people. And the Catholic church is in financial trouble because of all the money they had to pay to victims of sexual abuse.
I think it is likely the Catholic church and other churches are “in trouble” as you say, also because society has become more secular and/or anti-religious/anti-theist, most notably since and following the 60’s-70’s “hippie” generation. Today in America the left scoff at religion and their president even denigrated “small town” Midwesterners for “clinging to their religion”.
Trouw has made a series of articles about people who became broke because they were pushed by scientology to spend more money on these courses and therapy sessions.
Belgium goes a step further though. The Belgians regard scientology as a criminal organisation and scientology is in court for fraud, extortion and practicing medicine without a license.
‘Practicing medicine without a license.’
Such cases are always amusing, if for no other reason than to watch a business admit under oath that they are blatantly lying to their customer base on a regular basis. Similar to Papa John’s defending themselves in court by admitting all their quality claims were puffery. No doubt the lawyers for the Scientology organizations being sued will say they are not practicing medicine without a license because they never claimed and don’t claim there is any medical value to their practices. And we will laugh.
Of course: The Mission Impossible theme music and the big-ass medal — has to be BIGGER than anyone else’s medal. Good grief, it’s a comedy show!
L. Ron Hubbard founded a brilliant scam for the new times. Mix a little science sounding stuff with mystical jargon and ask for money. Sure did better for him then trying to conjure up entities and writing awful Sifi. I like picturing him mummified on his luxury yacht still plying the blue waters even today enjoying the good death.
Although I have to shake my head at anyone joining the organization in the first place, it still shows…something…to be able to leave after so many years, considering all the hell they have to go through.
In Germany Scientology is watched closely by the German domestic intelligence agencies. (Verfassungsschutz – Office for the Protection of the Constitution). Much to the consternation of this “church” they got slapped down when they sued against that. Scientology is considered an authoritarian, anti-democratic commercial organisation rather than a religion. When I worked for the government in Hamburg as an IT-trainer I had to sign an official statement that I wasn’t using any “technology” from Scientology.
Wow – Germans really don’t like scientology! I also love this new word you’ve introduced: Verfassungsschutz
It’s a typical German portmanteau word (German (the language) notoriously loves long portmanteau words). I don’t know the word Verfassungs; but Schutz means protection.
[Looking up Verfassung ….]
[Die] Verfassung is directly analogous to the English word, constitution, as Monika has explained above.
So, just as she said: Protection of the Constitution. [“Constitution’s Protection”]
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verfassung
Interestingly, the German word [die] Konstitution is used to describe bodily constitution (same sense as in English):
“[D]ie körperlich-biopsychologische Eigenart des Menschen”
Gesundheit!
Well, yaaa, this is indeed a bit of good news for Latter Day Rationalists….
“Xenu, Xenu” or whatever Robin William’s alien character used to say.
So is the “Sea Org” is actually dressing as naval officers, or is that an arranged photo? If the former, how do they get away with nicking the status?
“Nanu Nanu!”
Shazbat!
Same way Gilbert & Sullivan nicked the Royal Navy, I suppose — an extra stripe here, some epaulettes there, a bit of draped brocade elsewhere.
I am the very model of a modern scientologist.
I’m clearer than a man after a visit to his proctologist.
I know of engrams, thetans, and how to use an e-meter
But my bank account’s now smaller than a Lilliputian’s pe-eter….
!
😀
If you are so clear then you are a Thetan.
When I watched the Tom Cruse clip I thought it looked like a clip from a third-rate science fiction movie based on an L Ron Hubbard story, and then it hit me. That’s exactly what it was!
After reading the Sea Org W’pedia page, I now understand the appeal to an organization that basically runs a cruise ship of having someone named Cruise in its ranks.
WTF? all those people impersonating naval officers? Isn’t that a felony? And isn’t wearing phony military decorations a separate felony? Looks like a lot of acting out of childish fantasies going on there.
Yep, read Going Clear to learn all about it. Ol’ Elrond (as I can L. Ron) had a thing for yachts and “commanding his own navy”. So he just made one up. It was also a way they tried to evade laws in actual countries: Take the show on the high seas.
He was a mentally ill, charismatic person, who had delusions of grandeur. And who could work hard and write very fast. He has a huge number of books to his credit (I forget the number but it’s in the hundreds — which probably tells you something about their quality.)
The guys was constantly throwing out crazy ideas; and because of his charisma (and skill at bilking people (well, he also made a lot of money off his books)) he had people hanging around, writing all the crap down and feeding his megalomania. And it all got turned into a religion (almost certainly for the tax relief such designation affords).
Charisma means “godly power” and such people do seem to have a greater generated EM field than the usual.
This is good news; it is obvious to me that Scientology is not a religion. It is new to me though that other countries also give tax exemption to cult-like organizations that call themselves religions. Do European countries also give tax exemption to Mormons? For whatever reason, I would have thought intrinsic American “religions” wouldn’t get the tax-exempt clout of the Old World religions.
There is no reason for any church to have tax exempt status. And in Christianity especially since they are told to pay the taxes. Why some thought that this Jesus fella was an agent of the Romans. So by not paying they are going against that religion they claim is so dear.
Good for the Dutch. Would that my country (and others!) could do likewise.
I do agree with the generalization: religions should not automatically be regarded as charities.
Seems to me if they want to be listed as charities they must at least have 80% of wealth generated go to it not 1%. And it has to be proven too.
Made my day! Just had a solid three minute chuckle watching the award ceremony, starting with the salute and the Mission Impossible music. No matter how much I learn about the underpinnings of religion and behavior in general, my default response to this type of group behavior is always “how do they take themselves seriously?”
Many thanks for sharing.
The non-profit status of huge mega-churches seems debatable although this is on the other side of the exchange than the high prices charged by Scientology.
However, if one revokes the tax-exempt status of churches, then they DO get to engage in a lot more partisan politics, including endorsing specific candidates for office!! I’m a tad unwilling to give them a free pass on this. And it is unclear that giving tax-exempt status to ALL churches constitutes an “establishment of religion”. The Founding Fathers arguably did not want to privilege any given religion, but if Buddhists and Christians are equally tax-exempt along with non-prophet non-profits, I’m not sure the First Amendment is being violated.
=-=-=
The use of the Mission:Impossible music in the Tom Cruise video really grates!!
I would be surprised if that would make any significant difference. Having tax exempt status doesn’t seem to stop them from wading knee deep in partisan politics. It certainly doesn’t seem to hinder the RCC or the Mormons.
Generally speaking the rules just aren’t enforced and if the religious organization has enough money, like the Mormons RE Proposition 8, not even the most egregious and highly visible cases of breaking the law are enforced.
I can’t speak to the Mormon Church, but organizations like Focus on the Family and the Christian Coalition have had unlawful activities stopped by Americans United and FFRF.
HBO aired documentary recently based on the Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief book. Crazy stuff!
HBO is way out of my price range. What we get for tiered cable.
Ye gods, look at all the flat hats and gold braid. All tarted up like Reichsmarshall Goering, or some banana republic’s navy. Even to the rows of phony ‘gongs’ on their chests.
Or possibly the committee of a pretentious but second-rate yacht club. Or the crew of one of those floating gin palaces and monuments to tacky euphemistically described as ‘cruise liners’.
I’m still looking for the right term of derision. Do none of them realise how ridiculous they look?
cr
Reminds me of paramilitary groups who created their own uniforms and played at being military in the 1920’s – 1940’s.
Here on the west coast of British Columbia, that look is called “going full Naniamo”, refering to the multitude of wealthy and tasteless yacht owners operating out of that city’s harbour.
Good for the Dutch! Now if only this starts two trends — more nations recognizing that Scientology is nothing more than a money-making scheme; and other for profit religions losing their tax-exempt status, in the Netherlands and other nations.
Sounds like a pyramid scheme dressed up in fancy suits. One wonders how semi-intelligent people get suckered into it.
Scientology actually has had more more deductions than other religions. You aren’t allowed to deduct money that is quid pro quo, where you are buying something for your “donation.” This includes payments for religious instruction and education. Tuition for Catholic or Jewish schooling is not tax deductible because you’re *buying something* with your payment. However thanks to a secret decision by an IRS Tax Court, Scientology is has been exempt in a way that other religions are not. An attempt by a Jewish parent to get the same privilege was appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case. It’s not clear to me if Scientologists still get this special exemption.
http://gawker.com/5374836/the-scientologists-have-gotten-to-scalia
As a Military Veteran I would like to know what the Medal Ribbons on Capt Miscaviges chest signify ? if they’re all as big as their “Medal of Valor ” he would need a Back Brace if he wore them.lol The stuoidity of some people knows no bounds when it comes to woo , Its about time these odious Organisations started paying their Taxes.