FEARS are rising that religious cults masquerading as companies could pose a danger to the psychologically vulnerable, if recent press reports are to be believed.
The US-based Church of Scientology, which its detractors accuse of exercising dangerous forms of mind control, has shown signs of trying to swell its membership in Cyprus, according to a succession of reports in the daily Politis. The paper yesterday published a letter in which a Cypriot woman went as far as to ask a church superior for permission to go to the hairdresser.
On Wednesday, the same newspaper alleged that an unnamed Cypriot diplomat’s daughter had fallen into the clutches of a religious cult run by the Church of Scientology.
Scientologists have attracted considerable attention throughout the world, largely because of their success in attracting Hollywood stars to their ranks, including John Travolta, Kristie Alley, Tom Cruise and Lisa Marie Presley.
According to Dianetics, the theory behind Scientology, the purpose of people on earth is to cleanse themselves of passions with spiritual and medical methods so they can travel to the planet from which they came from.
Some, however, doubt the spiritual motives of the organisation, citing Scientology founder and best-selling science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard that "writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion."
Those who pursue the path to ‘enlightenment’ through Dianetics are encouraged to give large amounts of money to the church and cut off relationships with family and friends.
Politis reported on Wednesday to have found exclusive sources indicating that a new company linked to Scientology had just been registered in Cyprus. The paper said it was comprised of five different commercial logos, all of which could be traced to the US-based church.
The paper claims many Cypriots may already have fallen victim to these ‘companies’, which present themselves as research centres or help groups offering psychological counselling. Former cult members and police estimate the current number of Scientologists on the island at about 50, but the new companies may suggest an effort to expand.
Yesterday, Politis claimed several Cypriots had handed over their property to companies that could be traced back to the Scientologists.
The group has already obtained a large house worth over £150,000 for meetings every Sunday, the paper alleges, saying the property had belonged to a Cypriot who signed it over to the church after becoming a member.
Politis said it obtained much of its information on the group’s efforts in Cyprus when a former member contacted it to report he was in physical and psychological danger after leaving the cult and had had to seek help at a psychiatric clinic.
He claimed that in addition to the effects on his mental well-being, he had lost a lot of money in his quest to travel down the church’s path to ‘spiritual enlightenment’.
Apparently, President Clerides is aware of the situation and has sent a formal letter to the Education Ministry to take measures.
It is thought the Ministry has asked the Attorney-general to adopt legislation that would allow measures to be taken. The Cyprus Mail was unable to reach anybody at the Education Ministry for Comment.
The Mail contacted the deans of several local colleges, none of whom reported any proselytising by such groups as the Scientologists. The general consensus was that if these groups were hosting meetings that were free and open to the public, then this was totally permissible under most college rules as well as the laws of the Republic.
Cyprus, however, may just be witnessing the start of a trend already well-established elsewhere. Scientology has major centres in every country in Western Europe and North America. A number of these countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Greece have seen high profile cases where governments have sought legal action against the church and won.
In 1997, a Greek judge ordered a branch of the church of Scientology registered as a company in Athens to close down and pay all the court’s legal fees, ruling that the group had obtained a license to operate under false pretences.
