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MENTAL
CONTROL AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION (2ND PART)
The
German option In Germany politicians gave their opinion again and again
about the religious matter we are examining.
In June 1998 the German Federal Parliament received the final report
about the so-called sects and psycho-groups. Even this Board made itself
guided by the State neutrality and tolerance principle. The groups clustered
under the definition of sects were charged of seclusion, psychical manipulation,
fraud, exploit, to cause serious psychological damages to members ...-
Therefore the survey of the Board aimed, among others, to: - individuate
the damages coming from these organization for individuals, State and
society; - study the political-social targets both evident and hidden
of these organizations; - to set the legal range of the claim for freedom
in religion by new religious and philosophic movements, the so-called
sects and psycho-groups.
The
concept of psychological dependency or the "spiritual" one describes
that, looking at them from outwards, they are related to the influence
of a group or authority on damage of individuals.
If
watching at case studies, when an individual tries to stick up his own
rights against a group, the single is subjected, as a denouncer, to
the burden of proof of the declared facts. That seems easy, if declaring
documents are on disposal. Nevertheless, if the validity of such documents
is brought into question by the group or its members, the individual
can find easily himself in troubles: for internal procedure in general
there are neither written documents nor neutral witnesses; the member
that keep in the organization normally won't depose in favour of an
ex-member. Informal behaviours, as for example the exploit of a pressing
situation or a situation of weakness, are practically impossible to
be proved. Further the current legislative situation makes possible
for the organizations at matter to argue in public that the charges
against them do not concern the association itself but regrettable behaviours
ascribable to single subjects.
The
Swedish orientation In October 1998 also a Swedish governmental Board
issued a report about religious movements. Every year in Sweden near
a hundred people applies for help for problems related to the belonging
to or the leaving form a new religious movement. It's grounded the hypothesis
that a increasing number of individuals would ask for help if the assistance
operators were aware of the specific problems rising from in these contexts.
The Board recommended a more articulated inquiry.
The
results of the inquiry must be conveyed in the proposed "KULT" (the
Swedish acronym for "Creed Matters Study Centre "). One of the main
tasks of this foundation would be that of keeping opened the communication
among movements and society, between minorities and majorities, as well
as the training of personnel that professionally could contact persons
in crisis due to their belonging to an alternative movement.
The
Board proposed further surveys both short and long term about the condition
of young. Indeed the Board found out during its researches several cruelty
episodes, both mental and physic, on damage of children.
The
Swedish legislation, on the Board opinion, offers insufficient safeguard
measures, as regard to what in the report is defined improper influence
or manipulation.
The
Board proposed, therefore, to introduce in the Swedish crime code a
new provision that must turn the improper influence a punishable crime.
The introduction of the term "improper influence " into legislation
will be on benefit of both who practices seriously one's own religion
and personal wholeness.
The
Russian viewpoint
A
1997 law of the Russian Federation about Freedom of conscience and religious
associations, splits religious kind bodies in 'religious associations',
in theory legal, and in "organizations " that can be 'disposed of' since
they are illegal.
"Disposing of " must be decreed by judicial authorities and may be decided
for a wide range of reasons as: incitement to suicide, coercion to destroy
family, attack to individual and to citizens' rights and freedom, damage
to citizens' morals and health, the use of hypnosis, violation of social
order, incitement to religious conflicts.
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