Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive
Faith, hope and... the Church of Scientology
"Sci-fi" religion tries to convice commissioners and the Revenue that it is a charity, not a cult
The Observer, 12 January 1997
[Byline:] Charities, Martin Wroe The Charity Commission is scratching its head and taking theological advice. The Church of Scientology has submitted an application for registration as a charity. The church, founded by the late sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard, has a major problem: large numbers of people regard it as a weird religious cult that brainwashes converts. But its main obstacle is metaphysical - proving that it believes in a god. There are 182,000 charities registered in Britain. 22,000 of them 'religious' - from organ funds to church building projects and religious relief agencies. In last year's list of the top 500 charities, funds raised by religious bodies accounted for more than 12 percent of the total, surpassed only by funds raised for cancer charities. But this figure grows dramatically if you include the tens of thousands of churches and other religious groups that do not need to seek registration by the commission because they are recognised as 'charitable' bodies where it really matters -at the Inland Revenue. When last measured in 1993, Church collections accounted for 8 per cent of all donations to charity. In fact, the oldest form of tax-effective charitable giving, the deed of covenant, is rooted in tithing and nearly half of all deeds of covenant are in favour of churches. The Church of Scientology wants official registration because, as a controversial and relatively new religious grouping -even though it claims 100,000 British members and 8 million worldwide -it is not seen as a charity by the tax man. The law lays down four criteria as acceptable objects of a charity -relief of poverty, improving education, generally benefitting the community or furthering religion. While it draws no distinction between one religion and another and, in general, presumes that religion is for the public benefit, it does state that a religion 'must be founded on a belief and reverence for a god or gods'. It must also 'promote spiritual teaching and the doctrines of these beliefs' as well as religious rites and observance. But the law makes clear that 'advancement of religion' is not always charitable -for example, where the benefit of an organisation is entirely private, where a religion benefits only its members or its beliefs 'undermine accepted foundations of religion and morality.' The problem for the Scientologists is that they believe in reincarnation but not in a god. they have had prolonged private discussions with the Charity Commissioners before formally submitting their application. If the commissioners agree to accept their 'god', then they will need to determine that the benefits of charitable status would not merely be for members and will not undermine existing religion. This is a hard call to make by any standards. [picture of Hubbard in sailor's cap. Caption: God-like status?: L Ron Hubbard]
Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive