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The
Italian situation
On
February 1998 the Prevention Police National Executive Committee released
a report about Satanic sects and new religious movements in Italy by
which, while it was supplied a long list of the groups object of the
inquiry, they individuated a set of risks inborn their activity.
Among these risks it was pointed out the use of enchantment subliminal
mechanism and other methods, scientifically studied, in order to limit
freedom in self-determination of followers and to involve new supporters;
the target of these techniques is that to trick the individuals' psychical
defences by inducing him to an irrational attitude, unquestioning obedience,
to shame whenever he intends free himself from an associative bind,
turned into oppressive. Even on the trace of this report, last May,
on initiative of 24 Senators, a bill has been introduced (n° 4605) to
institute a parliamentary inquiry Board about sects in Italy. Such proposal
raised from the observation that the sects spread phenomenon in Italy
has reached such dimensions and aspects that cannot be anymore neglected.
The spread of alternative religiosities (that, in some cases, it would
be proper to define them as pseudo-religiosities) and the massive spread
of magic forms and superstitious practices have reached decisively meaningful
levels, as highlighted by senator Bosi, first signatory of the mentioned
bill: "Just for these aggregations introduced as a sort of 'consecrated
communities' ... is furthermore required a scrupulous evaluation of
the way such movements place themselves as regard to the whole social
body".
Another
initiative, introduced by the Honourable Member Mr. Testa on June 2nd
2000 at the Deputies Chamber, is the bill n° 7052. Possibly, the most
meaningful aspect of this bill is represented by the replacement of
art. 643 crime code, by recognizing, as an autonomous crime, not only
the circumvention of facile person, but also of temporary facile persons,
due to the special psychical conditions, even temporary or caused. Further,
article 5 of the bill at matter, foresees that, care of the Home Office,
it must be established a permanent observatory about religious sects
and new esoteric or magic movements. Conclusions It's obviously legal
believe in anything or to practice one's own creed by the means of the
assorted rituals.
It's legal giving up one's own democratic rights and freedom and having
a vision of society lacking democratic institutions. But religious freedom
has its limits: constitutional State principles and constitutional warranted
prerogatives cannot be offended in name of a "religion".
From the brief overview about the initiatives taken by several European
countries it arises the need of a State intervention able to protect
people fallen into psychological and physical dependency at the hands
of totalitarian groups. Not always it's possible to split clearly into
social general problems and specific individual problems. From some
of the mentioned reports it comes out that, as regard to the examined
groups, even if known since time by institutions, the state of the recollected
acknowledgments is often in delay in respect with the effective situation
lived inside groups. From the legislative initiatives, above mentioned,
it comes out also that, in accordance with the fundamental rights sanctioned
by national constitutions, prospectively abuses can be fought only if
overcoming a certain threshold, that means if they offend or put in
peril other fundamental rights.
The possibility by State bodies to enforce restrictive measures against
the totalitarian groups and their effectiveness, is strongly conditioned
by the fact that the group's teaching rejects the State authority or
deems it as subordinated to the sect's summit; by developing this trend,
supporters, while they increase the internal legitimation, lean to civil
disobedience till the deny of the State rules.The spread of specialist
information and education to tolerance and solidarity are needed to
defend individuals from make them be involved in 'problematic' groups,
but also to make accessible for the 'no problematic' religious communities
the space that corresponds to them.
A
rigorous study about the totalitarian movements must wonder which measure
the freedom in self-determination is performed, till which point adhesion
(and obedience) is wilful and how the group allows supporters leaving
at any moment and without pressing or releasing from any obligation
no directly referred to the group and passively accepted.
Such
a reflection seems especially important for State, whereas single groups
go as far as rejecting the secular authorities and movements' ideology
is accessible only to a circle of initiates, is transmitted only orally
or within a close ambit and followers are subjected to sanctions if
the secrecy of the teaching is violated.
Mainly certain practices and group structures, among which often it
has been detected an oppressing disciplinary system, allow achieving
limitation or the systematic annihilation of the free self-determination
of followers in order to provoke their dependency from group. Even in
the cases the less spectacular of conversions, sometimes an attentive
external watcher has the impression that the self-determination ability
of the subjects is strongly limited or further annulled. A consequence
of the troubles of the contemporary society, a symptom of a deep social
uneasiness, an image of a civil and moral crisis, the sect phenomenon
requires a global reply affecting the most important aspects of civil
life. If you find persons extolling the good effects of an "instant",
conversion, of radical changes in way of life on consequence of a brief
"course", do not neglect thinking about the so many that, to follow
a group, abandoned families that till then seemed untroubled, about
those that, on consequence of sect indoctrination, show a real inability
to discuss, provoked by the need to ask always the group for instructions,
or that enunciate slavishly ideological posits, ignoring counter arguments.
But mainly, let's treasure the advise of Jeanne Mills, ex member of
the sect People temple of Jim Jones, that recommended in a heartsick
way: "When you meet the most polite people you've ever met, that introduce
you the best group of person you've ever met, whose boss is the most
inspired, thoughtful, pitiful and intelligent, and you get wind of the
reason the group exists for, just that reason you didn't expected anymore,
and all that seems so beautiful, too beautiful to be true, maybe it's
real this way: too beautiful to be true.
Don't
entrust who promises you the earth!"
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