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FINAL REPORT OF THE ENQUETE COMMISSION ON "SO-CALLED SECTS AND PSYCHOGROUPS"

New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups in the Federal Republic of Germany

Overall production: Bonner Universitäts-Buchdruckerei Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Final Report of the Enquete Commission on "So-called Sects and Psychogroups"
New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups in the Federal Republic of Germany
Transl. into English by: Wolfgang Fehlberg and Monica Ulloa-Fehlberg
[Ed.: Deutscher Bundestag, Referat Öffentlichkeitsarbeit].
Bonn: Dt. Bundestag, Referat Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 1998
(Zur Sache; 98, 5)

Bonn, 1998

SCIENTOLOGY -- L. RON HUBBARD'S INCORRIGIBLE BRAINCHILD

Table of Contents

• Foreword
• Members
• 1 Mandate and Implementation of the Work of the Enquete Commission on   "So-called Sects and Psychogroups"
  • 1.1 Description of the Problem, as well as the Commission's Establishment and Mandate
  • 1.2 The Commission's Methodological Approach
• 2 Phenomenological, Terminological and Conceptual Clarification of the Subject under Review
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 The Term "Sect"
    • 2.2.1 Historical Meanings of the Term "Sect"
    • 2.2.2 The Term "Sect" as Used in Scientific History
    • 2.2.3 The Term "Sect" as Used in Colloquial Language
    • 2.2.4 Understanding of the Phenomenon in Social Sciences
    • 2.2.5 Summary
  • 2.3 The Term "Psychogroup"
  • 2.4 Types of Conflict with "Sects" and "Psychogroups"
  • 2.5 The Term "Sect" and Religious Conflicts
  • 2.6 The Term "Sect" as Used by Governmental Bodies
  • 2.7 Summary
• 3 Macrosocial and Microsocial Dimensions of the Phenomenon
  • 3.1 Societal Causes of, and Conditions for, the Emergence and Growth of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
    • 3.1.1 Preliminary Remarks
    • 3.1.2 From the Traditional Community to the Elective Community
    • 3.1.3 Modern Biographies
    • 3.1.4 Societal Secularity and Religious Indifference
    • 3.1.5 Supply of, and Demand for, Meaning, Life-Counselling, and Personality Development
    • 3.1.6 Globalisation and Localisation
    • 3.1.7 Media and Public Awareness
    • 3.1.8 Experience Orientation as a Selection Criterion
    • 3.1.9 Modern Society: A Communication Society
  • 3.2 New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups as Perceived in Society
    • 3.2.1 Historical Review
    • 3.2.2 Objectives and Instruments of Governmental Intervention
    • 3.2.3 New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups: A Challenge for Society
    • 3.2.4 Survey among Various Groups
    • 3.2.5 Conclusions
  • 3.3 Group Structures, Activities and Objectives
    • 3.3.1 Opportunities for, and Limits to, a Typology
    • 3.3.2 Overview of Structural Elements of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
    • 3.3.3 Description of Typologically Generalised Groups
    • 3.3.4 Mixed Forms, Business and Pyramid Selling
    • 3.3.5 Potential Conflicts
    • 3.3.6 Digression: Enlistment and Recruitment Strategies
  • 3.4 Occultism/Satanism
    • 3.4.1 The Scope of Occult and Satanic Phenomena
    • 3.4.2 Modern Occultism
    • 3.4.3 Modern Satanism
    • 3.4.4 Typologies of Satanism
    • 3.4.5 Examples of Problematic Practices and Rituals in Satanism
    • 3.4.6 Areas of Conflict
  • 3.5 The Psycho-market
    • 3.5.1 Issues and Hypotheses
    • 3.5.2 Study on the Alternative Life-Counselling Market
      • 3.5.2.1 Consumers
      • 3.5.2.2 Providers
    • 3.5.3 Problems, Risks, Negative Experience
    • 3.5.4 Conclusions
    • 3.5.5 Suggestions for Further Research
  • 3.6 Entry Pathways and Membership Histories in New Religious and Ideological   Communities and Psychogroups; Results of the Research Projects on "Drop-outs, Converts, and Believers: Contrasting Biographical Analyses of Why Individuals Join,   Have a Career, and Stay in, or Drop out of, Religious/Ideological Contexts or Groups"
  • 3.7 Social and Psychological Effects of Membership in New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
• 4 Information and Counselling
  • 4.1 Information Provided by Governmental Bodies
  • 4.2 Counselling and Information Provided by Non-governmental Bodies
    • 4.2.1 Need for Information and Counselling from Non-governmental Centres
    • 4.2.2 Current Basic Elements of Conflict Perception
    • 4.2.3 Need for Counselling and the Underlying Conflicts: Findings of the Expert Report Prepared by the Department for Sects and Ideological Issues in the Diocese of Aachen
    • 4.2.4 General Conditions of Counselling Work
    • 4.2.5 Lay Helpers
    • 4.2.6 Conclusions
  • 4.3 Education and Continuing Education
    • 4.3.1 Information and Education Provided to Individuals and Associations
    • 4.3.2 Information and Education Provided to Public Officials
  • 4.4 Research and Teaching
• 5 Analysis of Specific Priority Issues
  • 5.1 Forms of Social Control and Psychological Destabilisation
    • 5.1.1 Issues
    • 5.1.2 Problems
    • 5.1.3 Levels of Psychological Dependency
    • 5.1.4 Religious Dependency
    • 5.1.5 Levels of Social Control and Manipulative Elements
    • 5.1.6 Potential Dangers
    • 5.1.7 Interim Summary
    • 5.1.8 Opportunities and Need for Governmental Interventions
    • 5.1.9 Ethical Standards, Voluntary Commitments, (Moral) Appeals
    • 5.1.10 Institutional Recommendations
    • 5.1.11 Recommendation to Fund Research Aimed at Shedding More Light on the Issues at Stake
  • 5.2 Children and Adolescents in New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
    • 5.2.1 Background
    • 5.2.2 Conflicts and Approaches to Coping with Conflicts in New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups, as Compared with the Principles of Modern Life-styles
    • 5.2.3 Assessing the Education of Children in the Belief Systems of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
    • 5.2.4 The Situation of Children and Adolescents in New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
      • 5.2.4.1 The Unification Church
      • 5.2.4.2 Fundamentalist Currents in Groups and Movements of Christian Origin
      • 5.2.4.3 Hindu and Meditative Currents
      • 5.2.4.4 Scientology
      • 5.2.4.5 Summary
    • 5.2.5 Educational Conflict Areas and Potential Hazards
      • 5.2.5.1 Problem Clusters within the Family
      • 5.2.5.2 Problems and Conflicts in Relation to Schools, Peers, Youth Culture, and Other Fields of Experience of Children and Adolescents
      • 5.2.5.3 Problems and Conflicts Affecting the Social Integration and Individualisation of Children and Adolescents
    • 5.2.6 Digression: Ritual Abuse of Children: An Occult-Satanic Phenomenon
      • 5.2.6.1 Ritual Abuse, Dissociation, Multiple Personalities
      • 5.2.6.2 Qualifications and Question-marks
      • 5.2.6.3 How Widespread Are these Practices?.
      • 5.2.6.4 Ritual Abuse: Summing Up
    • 5.2.7 Conclusions
  • 5.3 Economic Aspects
    • 5.3.1 Introduction
    • 5.3.2 Examples of Commercial Enterprises
    • 5.3.3 Pyramid Selling and Multi-level Marketing Systems
    • 5.3.4 Pyramid Selling as a So-called "Commercial Cult"
    • 5.3.5 Profit Expectation Systems
  • 5.4 International Aspects of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
    • 5.4.1 Comparable Problems in Other Countries
      • 5.4.1.1 Problem Description and the Enquete Commission's Mandate
      • 5.4.1.2 Scope and Scale of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
      • 5.4.1.3 Legal Framework
      • 5.4.1.4 Legal Disputes
      • 5.4.1.5 International Connections
      • 5.4.1.6 Perceptions in the Public
      • 5.4.1.7 Counselling and Information
      • 5.4.1.8 Parliamentary Action
      • 5.4.1.9 European Parliament
      • 5.4.1.10 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
      • 5.4.1.11 Conclusions of Parliamentary Reports
      • 5.4.1.12 Implementation of Parliamentary Reports
      • 5.4.1.13 Conclusions for the Debate in Germany
      • 5.4.1.14 International Co-operation
    • 5.4.2 International Links
    • 5.4.3 Visit by a Delegation to the United States
  • 5.5 Legal Aspects
    • 5.5.1 Overview of Relevant Case Law
    • 5.5.2 General Problems Involved in Legal Disputes
      • 5.5.2.1 Behaviour of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups in Terms of Legal Proceedings
      • 5.5.2.2 Typical Difficulties for Individuals in Legal Disputes
    • 5.5.3 Constitutional Appraisal
      • 5.5.3.1 Article 4 of the German Constitution
      • 5.5.3.2 Rights of Corporations
    • 5.5.4 Application and/or Extension of the Scope of Existing Law
      • 5.5.4.1 Association and Tax Law
      • 5.5.4.2 Act on Non-Medical Practitioners
      • 5.5.4.3 Provisions of the Law on Parents and Children
      • 5.5.4.4 Usury
      • 5.5.4.5 The Act on Psychotherapists
      • 5.5.4.6 Aspects of Labour and Social Security Law
    • 5.5.5 Legal Provisions to be Adopted in Future
      • 5.5.5.1 Establishment of a Foundation in the Field of "New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups"
      • 5.5.5.2 Introduction of a Legal Regime on the Provision of Public Funds for Private Counselling and Information Centres
      • 5.5.5.3 Act on Commercial Life-Counselling Services
      • 5.5.5.4 Introduction of Criminal Liability of Legal Entities and Associations of Persons
      • 5.5.5.5 Making the Organisation of So-called Pyramid Games a Separate Criminal Offence
• 6 Opinion and Recommendations for Action
  • 6.1 Opinion of the Enquete Commission on the General Societal Phenomenon of New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups
  • 6.2 Recommendations for Action
    • 6.2.1 Constitutional Appraisal
      • 6.2.1.1 Article 4 of the German Constitution
      • 6.2.1.2 Rights of Corporate Bodies
    • 6.2.2 New Legal Provisions to be Adopted in Future
      • 6.2.2.1 Act Establishing a Foundation
      • 6.2.2.2 Introduction of a Legal Regime for the Provision of Public Funds for Private Counselling and Information Centres
      • 6.2.2.3 Act Governing Commercial Life-Counselling Services
      • 6.2.2.4 Introduction of Responsibility under Criminal Law for Legal Entities and Associations of Persons
      • 6.2.2.5 Making the Organisation of So-called Pyramid Games a Separate Criminal Offence
      • 6.2.2.6 Including Pyramid Selling in the Scope of Application of Legislation on Financial and Insurance Services Intermediaries
    • 6.2.3 Applying, and/or Extending the Scope of, Legislation Currently in Force
      • 6.2.3.1 Activities of the Federal Administrative Office in the Field of "New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups"
      • 6.2.3.2 Association and Tax Law
      • 6.2.3.3 Act on Non-Medical Practitioners
      • 6.2.3.4 Legal provisions on the Relationship between Parents and Children
      • 6.2.3.5 Usury
      • 6.2.3.6 Act on Psychotherapists
    • 6.2.4 Observation of the Scientology Organisation by Germany's Offices for the Protection of the Constitution
    • 6.2.5 International Co-operation
    • 6.2.6 A Common Approach towards New Religious and Ideological Communities and Psychogroups in the European Union
    • 6.2.7 Occultism/Satanism
    • 6.2.8 Education and Continuing Education
    • 6.2.9 Funding of Research
    • 6.2.10 Transparency of the Psycho-market
    • 6.2.11 Conflict Reduction
    • 6.2.12 Avoiding the Use of the Term "Sect"
    • 6.2.13 Duty of the German Federal Government to Submit Reports
• Minority Opinions
  • Minority Opinion Submitted by Commission Members Dr Jürgen Eiben, Professor Dr Werner Helsper, Dr Angelika Köster-Loûack, MP, Professor Dr Hubert Seiwert with Regard to Chapter 4.2.1 "Need for Information and Counselling from Non-governmental Centres"
  • Minority Opinion Submitted by the Working Group of the SPD's Parliamentary Group in the Enquete Commission on "So-called Sects and Psychogroups" with Regard to Chapter 5.5.3.2 (Rights of Corporations) and the Relevant Recommendation for Action in Chapter 6.2.1.2
  • Minority Opinion Submitted by Ursula Caberta y Diaz, Alfred Hartenbach, MP, Dr habil Hansjörg Hemminger, Renate Rennebach, MP, Gisela Schröter, MP, Dr Bernd Steinmetz and Professor Dr Hartmut Zinser, Members of the Working Group of the SPD's Parliamentary Group in the Enquete Commission on "So-called Sects and Psychogroups" with regard to Chapter 6.1 "Opinion of the Enquete Commission on the General Societal Phenomenon of New Religious and Ideological Communities   and Psychogroups"
  • Minority Opinion Submitted by Commission Members Professor Dr Ralf-Bernd Abel, Ursula Caberta y Diaz, Dr Jürgen Keltsch, Professor Dr Hartmut Zinser with Regard to the Commission's Final Report
  • Minority Opinion Submitted by Dr Angelika Köster-Loûack, MP, and Professor Dr Hubert   Seiwert, Members of the Working Group of the Parliamentary Group of BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN in the Enquete Commission on "So-called Sects and Psychogroups"   with Regard to the Commission's Final Report
• Annex
  The Research Project on "Drop-outs, Converts, and Believers: Contrasting Biographical Analyses of Why Individuals Join, Have a Career and Stay in, or Leave, Religious/Ideological Contexts or Groups"