 | Samuel
Goodstein Grand Illusion |
No two democracies are identical. Each has its own history, political institutions and cultural norms that shape the nature of governance and the relationship between people and the state. Germany, since the end of World War II, has enjoyed an era of what might be called "militant democracy:" The German constitution gives the state power to root out any threats to democratic order, by almost any means necessary. In effect, the government's principal task is to ensure that Germany never again falls prey to totalitarian rule, from the right or left. This militancy is understandable. The last German democracy - the Weimar Republic - was not militant enough; it is difficult to argue that civil liberties should be treasured in Germany to the extent they are in the United States. Who, after all, would want to see neo-Nazi groups be permitted to freely participate in the German democratic system?
There is, however, an inherent conflict in "militant-style" democracy: While it may be good for Germany (and the rest of Europe) that the government watches any groups that threaten democratic stability, the government is given the power to decide which groups constitute a threat. Therefore, the government is given the authority to decide who participates in democracy.
Enter the Church of Scientology. Developed in 1954 by L. Ron Hubbard, the Church of Scientology is a religion devoted to - according to its own literature - "a voyage of self-discovery." Perhaps best known for the famous entertainers who belong to the church, Scientology is growing fast and generating controversy worldwide. While Scientology was officially recognized as a religion in the United States in 1993, thereby becoming a tax-exempt organization, a host of European governments consider Scientology a cult, citing the fact that Scientologists proselytize and encourage members to spend large sums of money on church material. Nowhere is Scientology receiving more attention, and scrutiny, than in Germany - which brings us back to the notion of militant democracy.
The German government, particularly the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, has decided that Scientology poses a clear and present threat to the German democratic system. On the basis that Scientology is a dangerous cult with fascistic tendencies, Scientologists are no longer permitted to hold government jobs in Bavaria; in Baden-Wuerttenberg they are under surveillance. One German politician called Scientology "a totalitarian system and a violation of human rights." A confidential phone line has been set up for people to supply information to the German intelligence service regarding Scientologist action. Are you uncomfortable yet, reader?
Maybe you shouldn't be, if there is any evidence that Scientology poses a threat to democracy. If it does threaten democracy, maybe the United States is in more trouble than Germany: There are millions of Scientologists in the U.S. and only 30,000 in Germany.
The evidence appears to be nonexistent and the closest thing the German government offers is a statement that "Scientology can lead to psychological and physical dependency, to financial ruin and even to suicide." This will not suffice. If Scientology leads to financial ruin or dependency, it is no different from countless other organizations; if it leads to suicide, than suppressing it will hardly improve the situation.
We should be uncomfortable - the German militant democracy is deciding that one particular religious group (religious, I say, not political) does not fit into the system; even worse, there is scant justification for this exclusion.
When one religion is excluded from the political system, can others be too far behind? In this case, the answer is probably yes. It is unlikely that Germany is on the verge of reverting to totalitarianism; however, this should not dampen the alarm with which we should view current developments.
Enter Guenter Muenzloher and Mauro. As reported in Newsday, Muenzloher's daughter was asked to switch schools because her father is a Scientologist; now his neighbors will not talk to him. Mauro, a Scientologist entrepreneur, received a letter last December from the police, asking him to sign a declaration that neither he nor his employees are Scientologists and that he rejects the teachings of Scientology. These stories are becoming the norm in Germany, and actions on the ground may be more telling than any government declaration.
While it may be true, as the Washington Post suggested, that Germans have a better notion as to what represents a threat to civil order than Americans, it is also true that the German democratic system is excluding a religious group from civil life with little justification. While these actions are taken in the name of protecting democracy, they are chilling; the world must closely watch the German democracy to ensure it does not become militant in the wrong direction.
- Sam Goodstein can be reached over e-mail at faygo@umich.edu