French law on sectarian deviance now targeting Catholics

A conservative French Catholic is now being charged with ‘abuse of weakness’ (otherwise known as brainwashing).

At the trial, based on reports by the MIVILUDES (French government department that fights against sectarian deviances) and anti-cult “experts,” and disgruntled ex-members, Father Bernard, the head of the congregation was accused of using psychological techniques to subjugate and control the group’s members including by exciting their feelings of guilt through frequent confessions and “a drastic limitation of contacts between members and the outside world and even with their own families”—which is of course typical of most conservative Catholic religious congregations. They were also accused of producing “anxiety” by teachings novices about the existence of the Devil and Hell. These allegations are also coming from a number of disgruntled ex-members. See full article from Bitter Winter here [link]

The trial is adjourned until next month but when the State intrudes into the belief system of a religious movement to such an extent as to judge on its form and content this becomes a serious and unacceptable intrusion of State control into the field of religious belief. One has every right to reject beliefs one does not share or disagrees with – but when seeking  to prohibit or identify them as mental some form of manipulation, the State becomes totalitarian in its methods.

See full report from Bitter Winter here