Editing Anti-cult movement (section)

=== Europe ===
In the [[European Union]], the [[European Federation of Centres of Research and Information on Sectarianism|FECRIS]] ({{Lang|fr|Fédération Européenne des Centres de Recherche et d'Information sur le Sectarisme, English: European Federation of Centres of Research and Information on Sectarianism}}) organization has been active since 1994 as an [[Umbrella organization|umbrella]] for European organizations investigating the activities of groups labeled to be cults or sects.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.hrwf.net/images/reports/2012/2012fecrisbook.pdf |title=Freedom of Religion or Belief, Anti-Sect Movements and State Neutrality, A Case Study: FECRIS |publisher=Religion – Staat – Gesellschaft, Journal for the Study of Beliefs and Worldviews |year=2012 |isbn=978-3-643-99894-1 |editor-last=Besier |editor-first=Gerhard |publication-place=Berlin |pages=183–189 |language=en |issn=1438-955X |editor-last2=Seiwert |editor-first2=Hubert |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528205709/http://www.hrwf.net/images/reports/2012/2012fecrisbook.pdf |archive-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>

The European Coordination for Freedom of Conscience, a participating organization in the EU Fundamental Rights Platform, issued a report on FECRIS in 2014, describing the differences between how the organization describes itself and what its key figures actually do and say. It summarized that "activities of FECRIS constitute a contravention of the principles of respect and tolerance of beliefs... [and] is in direct opposition to the principles of the [[European Convention on Human Rights]] and other international human rights instruments."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-09-17 |title=Question about a European "NGO" FECRIS {{!}} CAP Freedom of Conscience |url=https://freedomofconscience.eu/2014-04-question-about-the-fecris/ |access-date=2023-04-10 |publisher=European Coordination of Associations and Individuals for Freedom of Conscience |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== France ====
{{See also|About–Picard law|MIVILUDES|Centre contre les manipulations mentales|Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France}}

Anti-cult organizations in France have included the [[Centre Roger Ikor]] (1981–) and MILS ([[Mission interministérielle de lutte contre les sectes]]; English: "Interministerial Mission in the Fight Against [[Cult]]s"), operational from 7 October 1998. [[MIVILUDES]], established in 2002, subsumed some of their operations. MIVILUDES has been criticized for the broad scope of its list of cults, which included both non-religious organizations and criteria for inclusion which [[Bishop]] [[Jean Vernette]], the national secretary of the French episcopate to the study of cults and [[new religious movement]]s, said could be applied to almost all religions.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Williams |first=Elizabeth |date=2020-05-04 |title=An In-depth Look at the Negative Impact of the French Anti-Cult Movement |url=https://curiousmindmagazine.com/an-indepth-look-at-the-negative-impact-of-the-french-anti-cult-movement/ |access-date=2022-08-14 |magazine=Curious Mind Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> MIVILUDES officials are under the French [[Minister of the Interior (France)|Ministry of the Interior]] as of January 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kheniche |first=Ouafia |date=2019-10-01 |title=Lutte contre les sectes : la Miviludes va disparaître |url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/exclusif-lutte-contre-les-sectes-la-miviludes-va-disparaitre-2513982 |access-date=2022-08-14 |work=France Inter |language=fr}}</ref> The [[About-Picard law]] against sects and cultic influence that "undermine [[human rights]] and [[fundamental freedoms]]" as well as [[mental manipulation]] was established in 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hensley |first=Jon |date=2000-06-22 |title=Church attacks new French anti-cult law |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/jun/23/jonhenley |access-date=2022-08-12 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==== United Kingdom ====
{{See also|The Family Survival Trust|Cult Information Centre|Reachout Trust}}
In the UK, [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] [[Paul Rose (British politician)|Paul Rose]] established the first major British anti-cult group called [[The Family Survival Trust|FAIR]] (Family Action Information and Rescue/Resource) in 1976.<ref name=":4" /> In 1987, [[Ian Haworth]] founded the [[Cult Information Centre]].<ref>Elisabeth Arweck. "Anti-Cult Movement: FAIR, Cult Information Centre (CIC)." In ''Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements'', edited by [[Peter B. Clarke]], 35–37. London and New York: Routledge, 2006. 37.</ref> Other groups like [[Deo Gloria Trust]], [[Reachout Trust]], [[Graham Baldwin|Catalyst]], [[People's Organised Workshop on Ersatz Religion]], and [[Cultists Anonymous]] also grew during the 1970s and 1980s.<ref>[[The Family Survival Trust|Casey McCann]]. "The British Anti-Cult Movement... A View From Within." ''[[Journal of Contemporary Religion]]'' 3, no. 2 (1986): 6–8.</ref><ref name=":4">George D. Chryssides. "Britain's Anti-cult movement." In ''New Religious Movements: Changes and Responses'', edited by Jamie Cresswell and Bryan Wilson, 257–273. London and New York: Routledge, 1999.</ref><ref name=":0" />

In 1968, after a large movement from the public to investigate Scientology's effects on the health and well-being of its adherents, [[Minister of Health (United Kingdom)|Minister of Health]] [[Kenneth Robinson (British politician)|Kenneth Robinson]] implemented measures to prevent the immigration of foreign and [[British Commonwealth|Commonwealth]] Scientologists into the United Kingdom.<ref>John A. Robilliard. ''Religion and the Law: Religious Liberty in Modern English Law.'' Manchester and Dover, NH: Manchester University Press, 1984. 106–109.</ref><ref>Richardson and van Driel, "New Religious Movements in Europe," 154.</ref> One measure was the automatic denial of [[student visa]] applications for foreign nationals seeking to study at Hubbard College at [[East Grinstead]] or any other Scientological educational institution. Additionally, [[work permit]]s to foreign nationals seeking employment in Scientology establishments were restricted.<ref>Eileen Barker, "The British Right to Discriminate," ''[[Society (journal)|Society]]'' 21, no. 4 (1984): 35–41 [38–39].</ref><ref>Richardson and Van Driel, "New Religious Movements in Europe: Developments and Reactions," 154.</ref> These measures were lifted in 1980 after a [[Foster Report|1971 investigation]] headed by [[John Foster (MP for Northwich)|John G. Foster]] believed that the "Scientology ban" was unfair.<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://ia803209.us.archive.org/1/items/FosterReportEnquiryIntoThePracticeAndEffectsOfScientology/Foster%20Report%20-%20Enquiry%20into%20the%20Practice%20and%20Effects%20of%20Scientology.pdf |first=John |last=Foster |author-link=John Foster (MP for Northwich) | title = Enquiry into the Practice and Effects of Scientology | publisher = [[Her Majesty's Stationery Office]], London | date = December 1971}} UK National Archive piece reference [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=8070954&CATLN=6&accessmethod=5&j=1 MH 153/606]. ([https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/audit/fosthome.html alternative html version])</ref> Despite this investigation, the [[European Court of Justice]] ruled that the United Kingdom was entitled to refuse the right of entry to nationals of [[European Union]] [[member state]]s seeking employment in Scientology establishments.<ref name=":9">Barker, "British Right to Discriminate," 39.</ref> Sociologist [[Eileen Barker]] believes that three reasons led to the lifting of the "ban": (1) it was unenforceable, (2) it was hard to defend before the [[European Court of Human Rights]], and (3) it was unfair since it was the only new religious movement that received such treatment.<ref name=":9" /> In 1999, the Church of Scientology attempted to obtain charitable status through the [[Charity Commission for England and Wales|Charity Commission of England and Wales]], but their application was rejected and the Church did not appeal the decision.<ref name=":5">Johnathan Benthall. "Scientology's Winning Streak." ''Anthropology Weekly'' 30, no. 1 (2014): 3–4.</ref> In 2013, the [[Supreme Court of the United Kingdom|UK Supreme Court]] ruled that the [[Scientology in the United Kingdom|Scientology chapel in London]] was a "place of meeting for religious worship" that could be registered as a place of marriage to the [[General Register Office|Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages]].<ref name=":5" />

==== Austria ====
In Austria, the anti-cult movement is represented by GSK ({{Lang|de|Gesellschaft gegen Sekten und Kultgefahren}}), renamed in 1992 from the Association for Mental Health ({{Lang|de|Verein zur Wahrung der geistigen Freiheit}}), founded by psychologist Brigitte Rollett on September 29, 1977, engaged in an information campaign against religious minorities and new religious movements.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |date=2016-11-27 |title=AUSTRIA: GSK: Is the FECRIS-branch of Austria becoming a shadow of itself? |work=Human Rights Without Frontiers |url=http://hrwf.eu/austria-gsk-is-the-fecris-branch-of-austria-becoming-a-shadow-of-itself/ |access-date=2023-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161127221729/http://hrwf.eu/austria-gsk-is-the-fecris-branch-of-austria-becoming-a-shadow-of-itself/ |archive-date=27 November 2016}}</ref> GSK is a declared member of FECRIS.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |date=2015-08-15 |title=Members |website=FECRIS |url=http://www.fecris.org/members/ |access-date=2023-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815230029/http://www.fecris.org/members/ |archive-date=15 August 2015}}</ref> Between 1992 and 2008, GSK was funded by the state government of the city of Vienna.<ref name=":03" /> According to the HRWF report, further financing from the funds of the state government of Lower Austria is non-transparent.<ref name=":03" />

==== Czech Republic ====
The Society for the Study of Sects and New Religious Direction ({{Lang|cs|Společnost pro studium sekt a nových náboženských směrů}}), which is considered by religionists to be an anti-cult movement, has been operating in the [[Czech Republic]] since 1993.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-08-03 |title=NOVÁ NÁBOŽENSKÁ HNUTÍ |url=http://www.oleweb.net/nnh/hnuti.htm |access-date=2023-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803003332/http://www.oleweb.net/nnh/hnuti.htm |archive-date=3 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Nová náboženská hnutí (stručný úvod) [nová náboženská hnutí, sekty, nová religiozita] |url=http://www.david-zbiral.cz/NNHuvod.htm#_Toc151661446 |access-date=2023-04-09 |website=www.david-zbiral.cz}}</ref>

==== Finland ====
In Finland from 1993 operates organisation U.U.T. ({{Lang|fi|Uskontojen uhrien tuki}}), Support Group for the Victims of Religions, which is a FECRIS member.<ref name=":10" />