The War is Not Over

Scientology, Resilience, and the Resurgence of State-Sponsored Anti-Cultism in France

Authors

  • Donald A Westbrook San Jose State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsnr.25965

Keywords:

Dianetics, Scientology, France, laïcité, Sonia Backès, MIVILUDES, sectes, cults, new religions, new religious movements

Abstract

This article offers a brief introduction to the institutional history of the Church of Scientology in France (1959–present) before turning attention to the current state of Scientology in relation to state-sponsored anti-cultism and laïcité. In France, groups regarded as “sectes” (cults) are monitored by the French government’s MIVILUDES (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires, the Interministerial Mission of Vigilance and Combat against Cultic Deviances). As of late 2022, MIVILUDES is overseen within the French government by Sonia Backès, Secretary of State (Deputy Minister) for Citizenship. Backès, a former Scientologist, was raised in the Church of Scientology, completed Scientology courses, and attended a “Study Tech” school that made use of the educational methods of L. Ron Hubbard, among other aspects of participation, before ceasing activity in the group as a teenager. Backès has become a vocal opponent of Scientology, claiming she escaped from the group in an exit narrative that is disputed by family members. Backès’s apparent transformation from an “ordinary leave-taker,” “defector,” or “invisible former member” to a highly vocal “apostate” serves as a case study of a new expression of Scientology ex-member identity that is not well examined in the NRM literature on apostasy and disaffiliation—that of a second-generation (former) member in a position of political power. In a country like France, this form of political power can be operationalized and weaponized against new or minority religions such as Scientology, all with the backing of the state.

References

Abgrall, Jean-Marie. 2002. Le mécanique des sectes. Revised and expanded edition (originally published 1996). Paris: Payot.

Anthony, Dick, and Thomas Robbins. 2004. “Pseudoscience versus Minority Religions: An Evaluation of the Brainwashing Theories of Jean-Marie Abgrall.” In Regulating Religion: Case Studies from Around the Globe, edited by J. T. Richardson, 127–149. New York: Kluwer Academic.

Antoine-Perron, Charlotte. 2021. “New Caledonia votes to stay in France; separatists boycott.” Associated Press, December 12. https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-boycotts-paris-storms-bcdf16be51e3bd94e0f332c405c2da8e

Ariès, Paul. 1998. La Scientologie: laboratoire du futur? Villeurbanne: Éditions Golias.

Ariès, Paul. 1999. La Scientologie: une secte contre la république. Villeurbanne: Éditions Golias.

Backès, Sonia. 2023. “Sonia Backès: ‘Pour lutter contre les dérives sectaires, l’action de l’Etat doit changer d’échelle.’” 8 March. https://www.lefigaro.fr/vox/societe/sonia-backes-pour-lutter-contre-les-derives-sectaires-l-action-de-l-etat-doit-changer-d-echelle-20230308

Baubérot, Jean. 2014. “Laïcité and Freedom of Conscience in Pluricultural France.” In Secularism on the Edge: Rethinking Church-State Relations in the United States, France, and Israel, edited by Jacques Berlinerblau, Sarah Fainberg and Aurora Nou, 103–111. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Baubérot, Jean. 2021. Histoire de la laïcité en France. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.

Beckford, James A. 1981. “Cults, Controversy and Control: A Comparative Analysis of the Problems Posed by New Religious Movements in the Federal Republic of Germany and France,” Sociological Analysis 42(3): 249–264, https://doi.org/10.2307/3711037

Beckford, James A. 2004. “‘Laïcité,’ ‘Dystopia,’ and the Reaction to New Religious Movements in France.” In Regulating Religion: Case Studies from Around the Globe, edited by J. T. Richardson, 27–40. New York: Kluwer Academic

Berzano, Luigi, Boris Falikov, Willy Fautré, Liudmyla Filipovich, Massimo Introvigne and Bernadette Rigal-Cellard. 2022. “Sympathy for the Devil: The Anti-Cult Federation FECRIS and Its Support for Russian and Chinese Repression of Religion.” The Journal of CES-NUR 6(3): 25–67.

BFMTV. 2022. “Dérives sectaires: la secrétaire d’État Sonia Backès répond aux questions de BFMTV.” November 2, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gPjSqO-YLg

Bowen, John R. 2007. Why the French Don’t Like Headscarves: Islam, the State, and Public Space. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Bowen, John R. 2010. Can Islam be French? Pluralism and Pragmatism in a Secularist State. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Bromley, David G., ed. 1998. The Politics of Religious Apostasy: The Role of Apostates in the Transformation of Religious Movements. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Chagnon, Roland. 1983. “Nouvelles religions et quête d’identité: Le cas de l’Eglise de Scientologie de Montréal.” Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 12(4): 407–432. https://doi.org/10.1177/000842988301200405

Chagnon, Roland. 1985. La Scientologie: Une Nouvelle Religion de la Puissance. Ville de LaSalle, QC: Hurtubise HMH.

Chagnon, Roland. 1987. “Religion et santé: le cas de l’Eglise de Scientologie.” Social Compass, 34(4): 495–507. https://doi.org/10.1177/003776868703400411

Champion, Françoise and Martine Cohen. 1999. Sectes et démocratie. Paris: Éditions du Seuil.

Churches of Scientology for Europe. 2022. “The Druze and Scientology: a conversation with Éric Roux and Sheikh Kasem Bader.” YouTube. https://youtu.be/WMWZA_C6-hs

Church of Scientology International. 2023a. “David Miscavige: At the Helm in the Era of Expansion.” https://www.scientology.org/david-miscavige/at-helm-in-era-of-expansion/

Church of Scientology International. 2023b. “The Scientology Religion in France.” https://www.scientologyreligion.org/religious-recognitions/france.html

Claude, Stanislas. 2022. “Une BD qui porte bien son nom avec la reparution de Dans la secte aux éditions La Boîte à Bulles le 5 janvier 2022.” Publik Art. 4 January. https://publikart.net/une-bd-qui-porte-bien-son-nom-avec-la-reparution-de-dans-la-secte-aux-editions-la-boite-a-bulles-le-5-janvier-2022/

Cusack, Carole M. 2020. “Apostate Memoirs and the Study of Scientology in the Twenty-First Century.” Implicit Religion 23(2): 148–155.

Darcondo, Julia. 1998. La pieuvre scientologique. Paris: Fayard.

Dericquebourg, Régis. 1998a. “De la thérapie à la spiritualité et inversement: l’exemple de la scientologie et du rebirth.” Recherches sociologiques, Université catholique de Louvain 29(2): 37–51. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00010480

Dericquebourg, Régis. 1998b. “La controverse sur les sectes en France.” Fides, Heritage et Projet. https://shs.hal.science/halshs-00087025

Dericquebourg, Régis. 2000. “Les stratégies des groupes religieux minoritaires face à la lutte antisecte française.” Religiologiques 22: 119–130. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00067753

Dericquebourg, Régis. 2001. Croire et guérir: Quatre religions de guérison. Paris: Éditions Dervy.

Duval, Patricia. 2021. “More Money to MIVILUDES: The French ‘Mind Police’ Is Back.” Bitter Winter, 19 April. https://bitterwinter.org/more-money-to-miviludes-the-french-mind-police-is-back/

Duvert, Cyrille. 2004. “Anti-Cultism in the French Parliament: Desperate Last Stand or an Opportune Leap Forward? A Critical Analysis of the 12 June 2001 Act.” In Regulating Religion: Case Studies from Around the Globe, edited by J. T. Richardson, 41–52. New York: Kluwer Academic

Erhel, Catherine, and Renaud de La Baume, compilers. 1997. Le Procès de l’Église de Scientologie: 30 Septembre - 8 Octobre 1996. Paris: Albin Michel.

FECRIS. 2023. Homepage. https://www.fecris.org/

Le Figaro. 2021. “La justice confirme autoriser l’Église de scientologie à installer un centre à Saint-Denis.” No author name given. 21 December. https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/la-justice-confirme-autoriser-l-eglise-de-scientologie-a-installer-un-centre-a-saint-denis-20211221

Fouchereau, Bruno. 1996. La mafia des sectes: Du rapport de l’Assemblee nationale aux implications des multinationales. Levallois-Perret: Filipacchi.

France Info. 2022. Interview with Sonia Backès, 8.30 FranceInfo. Reposted to YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cWVQrBY1eU

French Republic. 2023. “LOI n° 2023-22 du 24 janvier 2023 d’orientation et de programmation du ministère de l’intérieur (1).” https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000047046768

Frisk, Liselotte. 2018. “Applied Scholastics and Study Technology: The Educational Perspective Developed by L. Ron Hubbard.” In Children in Minority Religions: Growing up in Controversial Religious Groups, edited by Liselotte Frisk and Peter Akerback, 382–397. Sheffield: Equinox.

Garay, Alain. 2018. “New Religious Movements in France: The Legal Situation.” In Minority Religions in Europe and the Middle East, edited by George D. Chryssides, 99–113. London: Routledge.

Guillon, Patrice and Louis Alloing. 2021. Dans la secte. Saint-Avertin: La Boîte à Bulles.

Haarscher, Guy. 2021. La laïcité. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.

Haskell, Josh. 2022. “Karen Bass says it’s ‘ridiculous’ for Rick Caruso to associate her with the Church of Scientology.” ABC7 Eyewitness News, Los Angeles, September 28. https://abc7.com/la-mayors-race-2022-karen-bass-rick-caruso-los-angeles-elections/12269452/

Hervieu-Léger, Danièle. 2001. “France’s Obsession with the ‘Sectarian Threat.’” Nova Religio 4(2), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2001.4.2.249

Hubbard, L. Ron. 1970. “The Ideal Org.” Executive Directive 102 International, 20 May.

Hubbard, L. Ron. 1972. “How to Handle Black Propaganda.” Hubbard Communications Office Policy, Letter of 21 November. PR Series 18.

Hubbard, L. Ron. 2007. Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Los Angeles: Bridge Publications. Originally published in 1950 by Hermitage House, New York.

Introvigne, Massimo. 1995. “The Secular Anti-Cult and the Religious Counter-Cult Movement: Strange Bedfellows or Future Enemies?” In New Religions and the New Europe, edited by Robert Towler, 32–54. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.

Introvigne, Massimo.1999. “Defectors, Ordinary Leave-takers, and Apostates: A Quantitative Study of Former Members of New Acropolis in France.” Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions 3(1): 83–99. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.1999.3.1.83

Introvigne, Massimo.2021. “France’s Strange War Against the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Bitter Winter, 18 May. https://bitterwinter.org/frances-strange-war-against-the-jehovahs-witnesses/

Introvigne, Massimo.2022a. Brainwashing: Reality or Myth? New York: Cambridge University Press.

Introvigne, Massimo.2022b. “France: Is State Secretary Sonia Backès a ‘Scientology Survivor’? Her Brother Tells a Different Story.” Bitter Winter. 28 November. https://bitterwinter.org/is-france-state-secretary-sonia-backes-a-scientology-survivor/

Introvigne, Massimo.2023. “France Joins China and Russia by Introducing Special Police Techniques Against ‘Cults.’” Bitter Winter. 1 February. https://bitterwinter.org/france-special-police-techniques-against-cults/

Introvigne, Massimo, and J. Gordon Melton, eds. 1996. Pour en finir avec les sectes: Le débat sur le rapport de la commission parlementaire. Paris: Éditions Dervy.

Introvigne, Massimo, and Bernadette Rigal-Cellard, eds. 2022. La Scientology sur la scène religieuse et sociale contemporaine. Louvain-la-Neuve: EME Éditions.

Kaiser, Hilary. 1994. “The American Connection of Certain Religious Bodies in the Paris Area.” Revue française d’études américaines 59: 75–84. https://doi.org/10.3406/rfea.1994.1529

Kent, Stephen A. 2001. “The French and German versus American Debate over ‘New Religions,’ Scientology, and Human Rights.” Marburg Journal of Religion 6(1): 1–63. https://archiv.ub.uni-marburg.de/ep/0004/article/view/3742/3559

Korzybski, Alfred.1933. Science and Sanity. New York: The International Non-Aristotelian Library Publishing Company.

Lenzini, José. 1996. Scientologie: vol au-dessus d’un nid de gourous. Toulon: Plein Sud.

Luca, Nathalie. 2004. “Is There a Unique French Policy of Cults?: A European Perspective.” In Regulating Religion, edited by James T. Richardson, 53–72. New York: Kluwer Academic.

Luca, Nathalie and Frédéric Lenoir. 1998. Sectes: Mensonges et idéaux. Paris: Bayard Éditions.

Machi, Hervé. 2013. “The French System against Sectarian Deviations.” In State Responses to Minority Religions, edited by David M. Kirkham, 115–119. Surrey: Ashgate.

Adenor, Jean-Loup. 2022. “Sonia Backès: ‘Nous devons travailler sur l’arsenal législatif autour de l’emprise mentale.’” 2 November. https://www.marianne.net/societe/sante/sonia-backes-nous-devons-travailler-sur-larsenal-legislatif-autour-de-lemprise-mentale

McManus, Tracey. 2020. “Clearwater City Council Seat 2: Scientology critic Bunker earns historic win, awaits coronavirus test results.” Tampa Bay Times, March 17. https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2020/03/17/clearwater-city-council-seat-2-bunker-leads-four-opponents-in-early-results/

McManus, Tracey. 2022. “Lina Teixeira wins Clearwater City Council Seat 5.” Tampa Bay Times, March 15. https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2022/03/15/lina-teixeira-wins-clearwater-city-council-seat-5/

Melton, J. Gordon, and W. Michael Ashcraft. 2021. “Ex-Member Accounts from New Religious Movements: A Compilation, 2000–Present.” The Journal of CESNUR 5(6): 70–103. https://cesnur.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/tjoc_5_6_5_meltonashcraft.pdf

MIVILUDES 2022. 2021 Annual Report. https://www.miviludes.interieur.gouv.fr/publications-de-la-miviludes/rapports-annuels

MIVILUDES 2022. 2023a. “Qu’est-ce qu’une dérive sectaire?” (“What is a Sectarian Drift?”), https://www.miviludes.interieur.gouv.fr/quest-ce-quune-dérive-sectaire

MIVILUDES 2022. 2023b. “Santé” (Health), https://www.miviludes.interieur.gouv.fr/questce-quune-d%C3%A9rive-sectaire/o%C3%B9-la-d%C3%A9celer/sant%C3%A9

Le Monde. 1980. “L’ancien président de l’Église de Scientologie relaxé.” 3 March. No author listed. https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1980/03/03/l-ancien-president-de-l-eglise-de-scientologie-relaxe_2814780_1819218. html?xtmc=scientologie&xtcr=588

Le Monde. 1981. “La Scientologie est une ‘nouvelle discipline religieuse.’” 23 February. No author listed. https://www.lemonde.fr//archives/article/1981/02/23/la-scientologie-est-une-nouvelle-discipline-religieuse_2706658_1819218.html

Le Monde. 1997. “Les précédentes décisions de justice.” No author listed (informational sidebar to articles by Jean-Michel Dumay and Cecile Prieur on Scientology and court cases), p. 7, 30 July. Digital copy of newspaper available from Virginia Tech Library, https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/InterNews/LeMonde/issues/1997/lm970730.pdf

Moreau, Alain. 1982. Dossier S…comme sectes. Paris: Éditions Alain Moreau.

Morin, J. P. 1982. Sectarus: Le violeur de conscience. Nangis: Eboli.

Négroni, Angélique. 2023. “Sonia Backès: ‘Il faut redonner une impulsion à notre politique pour lutter contre les dérives sectaires.’” Le Figaro. 29 January. https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/sonia-backes-il-faut-redonner-une-impulsion-a-notre-politique-pour-lutter-contre-les-sectes-20230129

Ollion, Étienne. 2013. “The French ‘War on Cults’ Revisited: Three Remarks on an Ongoing Controversy.” In David M. Kirkham, ed., State Responses to Minority Religions, 121-135. Surrey: Ashgate.

Palmer, Susan J. 2002. “France’s Anti-Sect Wars.” Nova Religio 6(1): 174–182. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2002.6.1.174

Palmer, Susan J. 2008. “France’s ‘War on Sects’: A Post-9/11 Update.” Nova Religio 11(3), 104–120. https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2008.11.3.104

Palmer, Susan J. 2009. “The Church of Scientology in France: Legal and Activist Counterattacks in the ‘War on Sects.’” In Scientology, edited by James R. Lewis, 295-322. New York: Oxford University Press.

Palmer, Susan J. 2011. The New Heretics of France: Minority Religions, la République, and the Government-Sponsored “War on Sects.” Oxford: Oxford

University Press.

Pansier, Frédéric-Jérôme. 2018 “La Scientologie est-elle une religion?” The Journal of CESNUR, Supplement to Vol. 2, Issue 2, March–April 2018, I-LVII. doi:10.26338/ tjoc.2018.supp.fra.2.2

Pasquini, Xavier. 1993. Les sectes: Un mal profond de civilisation. Paris: Jacques Grancher.

Petit-Castelli, Claude. 1979. Les Sectes. Paris: Éditions de Messine.

Ranc, Paul. 1993. Une secte dangereuse: La Scientologie. Saint-Légier: Editions Contrastes.

Richardson, James T. 2009 “Scientology in Court: A Look at Some Major Cases.” In James R. Lewis, ed., Scientology, 283–94. New York: Oxford University Press.

Richardson, James T., ed. 2004. Regulating Religion: Case Studies from Around the Globe. New York: Kluwer Academic.

Richardson, James T. and Massimo Introvigne. 2001. “‘Brainwashing’ Theories in European Parliamentary and Administrative Reports on ‘Cults’ and ‘Sects.’” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 40(2): 143–168. https://doi.org/10.1111/0021-8294.00046

Rigal-Cellard, Bernadette. 2019. “The Visible Expansion of the Church of Scientology and its Actors.” The Journal of CESNUR 3(1): 8–118. https://cesnur.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/tjoc_3_1_2_rigal-cellard.pdf

Rigal-Cellard, Bernadette. 2021. “‘Do not dare speak of Scientology in France!’” Implicit Religion 23(2): 182–192. https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.19163

Rothstein, Mikael. 2014. “Emblematic Architecture and the Routinization of Charisma in Scientology.” International Journal for the Study of New Religions 5(1): 51–76. https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsnr.v5i1.51

Roux, Éric. 2014. “Recent Developments in Relation to the RELIGARE Project Report.” In Belief, Law and Politics: What Future for a Secular Europe?, edited by Marie-Claire Foblets, et al., 275–282. New York: Routledge (2016). First published by Ashgate, 2014.

Roux, Éric. 2018. Tout Savoir Sur La Scientologie. Paris: Pierre-Guillaume de Roux.

Roux, Éric. 2019. L’improbable banquet: quand scientologues et francs-maçons se mettent à table. Paris: Le Nouvel Athanor.

Roux, Éric. 2021a. “Scientology Behind the Scenes: The Law Changer.” In Reactions to the Law by Minority Religions, edited by Eileen Barker and James T. Richardson, 58–78. New York: Routledge.

Roux, Éric. 2021b. “Academic Study of Scientology: The Scientology Perspective.” Implicit Religion 23(2):175–181. https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.42445

Šoryte, Rosita. 2021. “Scientology, Anti-Cultists, and Scholars: An Interview with Bernadette Rigal-Cellard.” Bitter Winter, 14 April. https://bitterwinter.org/scientology-anti-cultists-and-scholars-an-interview-with-bernadette-rigal-cellard/

Siuberski, Philippe. 2016. “Belgian Court Rejects Case Against Scientology.” Yahoo, March 11. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/belgian-court-throws-case-against-scientology-branch-002415553.html

United Religions Initiative (URI). 2022. “Éric Roux, Global Council Trustee for Europe.” https://www.uri.org/eric-roux

Urban, Hugh B. 2011. The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Westbrook, Donald A. 2018. “The Art of PR War: Scientology, the Media, and Legitimation Strategies for the 21st Century.” Studies in Religion/Sciences Religieuses 47(3): 373–395. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008429818769404

Westbrook, Donald A. 2019. Among the Scientologists: History, Theology, and Praxis. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Westbrook, Donald A. 2022. L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology Studies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Woodrow, Alain. 1977. Les nouvelles sectes. Paris: Éditions du Seuil.

Wright, Stuart A. and Susan J. Palmer. 2016. Storming Zion: Government Raids on Religious Communities. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Published

2023-08-14

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Westbrook, D. A. (2023). The War is Not Over: Scientology, Resilience, and the Resurgence of State-Sponsored Anti-Cultism in France. International Journal for the Study of New Religions, 12(1), 115–143. https://doi.org/10.1558/ijsnr.25965