I don't think this will ever get to court - the CPS won't want to look stupid, and they press ahead with this, they will look stupid.

BTW - as the article rightly points out, city of london police are not to be confused with the metropolitan police.

I'm also hoping that the "gifts" are investigated - it's bad enough that so many police officers are masons, if they start becoming scientologists as well, we are all surely doomed

Originally posted by budski
I don't think this will ever get to court - the CPS won't want to look stupid, and they press ahead with this, they will look stupid.

I'm not so sure. The only bad press is no press. I wonder what Anonymous will have to say about this....seems like they kind of just died away...so much for their 'cause'...

I don't understand.. Scientology is a cult.

Cult, as defined by Merriam-Webster Online:

1: formal religious veneration : worship
2: a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents
3: a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents
4: a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator
5 a: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b: the object of such devotion c: a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion

Yep, Scientology is most definitely a cult by this definition. In fact, so are all of the world's religions. However, Scientology is a better example of a cult because it fits in with more than a few of the definitions, most notably 5, a.

I hope the dude sues them for all they're worth.

Agreed.....the CoS IS a cult....a nasty, evil cult!!

Not only a cult....CoS is worse....'they' prey on the weak.....and take all of the money they can....and fight back at all costs, up to and including murder, when necessary.

I'm am thinking many should come forward, in a pro bono fashion, to help this teenager from England.

After reading the OP, I thought to myself that there must be more to it than just what was stated, but after reading the entire article, I am flabbergasted. He was indeed issued a court summons just for having the word "cult" on his placard.

Now, this was after a warning that the use of that word to describe the CULT was not allowed, but still?!?!?! How can they ban the use of a common english language word? I could understand it if the word used was profanity, but Cult? C'mon, this just stinks to high heaven.

Let's hope the gets the backing of whatever organizations they have over there that deal with free speech, etc, and fights this all the way.

Me thinks that there must be some cultists...er, scientologists high up in the police force for this to be allowed.

Did anyone else notice this near the bottom of the article?

The City of London Chief Superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening

The City of London police came under fire two years ago when it emerged that more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology.

Could this be the police protecting there interests? Just a thought.

What are the laws on freedom of speech in london?

In America, as long as it is not direct slander/libel or threat to harm another individual you can pretty much carry a sign insulting just about anything and everything.

I've heard that in new zealand offending someone with a bumper sticker will land you in jail......

I just find the idea of people being prosecuted or jailed for having an opinion to be so outrageously idiotic. So what if someone has a viewpoint counter to the accepted version of something or against a certain group? It's their opinion and as the saying goes, "opinions are like (censored as I got told off before, but use you imagination), we all have one".

I don't care if someone thinks differently than me, no matter how distasteful I may think their opinions are. I can choose to ignore them if I wish and walk away. I don't need to cry about it and deem it a "hate crime" if someone calls me gay, for example, as an insult (I'm not, just ask all the foxy chicks I've ....errrr.... well you get the picture).

What I really find distasteful in the extreme is that the people earning large salaries to think up these crazy laws and have them imposed on us all are paid by us, the taxpayers.

Erm.. other than that, the Cult of Scientology is a Cult...

I used to call them a cult all the time too.

Infact, Scientology is a cult.

Scientology is a cult!


Scientology is a cult!

edit; If it's illegal to call Scientology a Cult, then they can come knock on my door and say so.

[edit on 20-5-2008 by Anti-Tyrant]

Originally posted by Anti-Tyrant
Erm.. other than that, the Cult of Scientology is a Cult...

I used to call them a cult all the time too.

Infact, Scientology is a cult.

Scientology is a cult!


Scientology is a cult!

Ooooooh! You Nazi

Mods... burn the heretic!

I sincerely hope that some high powered lawyer helps this kid out pro bono.

This would be a great case to show how freedom of speech is being limited by the "kinder gentler" crowd.

People should have the right to express their opinions even if someone else might take offense and/or be insulted.