A Belgian prosecutor has secured a hearing to bring charges against the Church of Scientology — in particular 12 as yet unnamed individuals — under laws against the unlawful practice of medicine, and fraud. The church has responded that they are being “hounded”. The hearing will take place in the next two to three months and the Church had indicated that it will, of course, contest.
Days after TheSpoof.com satirically speculated that footballer David Beckham might be joining the Church of Scientology — adding that wife Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham “wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole” — it has been non-satirically suggested that the reverse is in fact the case.
Following David Beckham’s expensive signing to soccer team LA Galaxy, questionable British newspaper the Daily Express mulls over the friendship that the Beckhams share with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes (who are both infamously members of the Church). The article drudges over rumours that Victoria Beckham “spent time getting to know” David Miscavige (Cruise’s best man and the head of the Church) at the Cruise-Holmes wedding. Victoria Beckham is also quoted as saying: “I’ve spoken to Tom about Scientology. I’m quite inquisitive but I don’t know anything about it. They do what they do and they’re cool.”
Under the Freedom of Information Act, the Guardian newspaper (London) has exposed more overt attempts by Scientologists in the UK to buy influence among powerful friends. (Guardian: “Gala dinners, jive bands and Tom Cruise: how the Scientologists woo City police“.)
Germans are being warned about the dangers of Scientology amid growing concerns over the number of after-school tutoring clubs promoting the movement. The German government has also told internal security forces to increase their scrutiny of the organisation - which is officially labelled a cult - claiming that Scientologists are seeking to take advantage of problems in the German education system to recruit children.
