UK teen prosecuted for calling Scientology a cult

20 May 2008 by David H. Sundwall | 3 comments

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A UK teen is being prosecuted for calling Scientology a cult.

A teenager is facing prosecution for using the word “cult” to describe the Church of Scientology.

The unnamed 15-year-old was served the summons by City of London police when he took part in a peaceful demonstration opposite the London headquarters of the controversial religion.

Officers confiscated a placard with the word “cult” on it from the youth, who is under 18, and a case file has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

As annoying as it is to be called a “cult,” why is prosecution necessary? The LDS Church has likely been called a cult a time or two in the UK. Has that ever been prosecuted? Hopefully, no.

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20 May 2008 at 6:01 pm

Michael

People who haven’t lived in Europe don’t realize that western Europeans are not free in the way Americans are free, and it is disturbing to see the USA moving in the direction of western Europe with respect to these types of items.

Part of the reason this young man is being prosecuted is that Scientology aggressively pursues its detractors in a way that the Church does not.

23 May 2008 at 8:12 pm

David B

The guarantee of freedom of speech is nearly unique to the US. (For example, in Germany it’s completely illegal to speak approvingly of the Third Reich.) This doesn’t seem to bother non-Unistatians for the most part, but it somehow seems strange and possibly immoral to US citizens. Go figure.