Scientology is Recruiting Kids through Facebook

Investigators in Germany are concerned that the "church" of Scientology has orchestrated a targeted campaign to recruit children and teens. Unlike the situation in the United States, where it has "religion" status, Scientology in Germany is considered to be a money-making cult and a "threat to democracy," ranked right alongside "Islamic extremism" and "Organized crime."

Scientology and its front groups have been using platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and their German equivalents StudiVZ and SchülerVZ to post videos with titles such as “Youth for human rights,” and “Say no to drugs, say yes to life."

Young people searching online for information on drugs or human rights quickly land on Scientology sites, which provide a glossy presentation of the organization without revealing exactly what it is.

Viewers are then encouraged to sign up for its online groups, which provides Scientology leaders with a means of direct contact to spread their message.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz -- BfV) is Germany's domestic intelligence agency. It is tasked with intelligence-gathering on threats concerning the democratic order, the existence and security of the federation or one of its states, and the peaceful coexistence of peoples; with counter-intelligence; and with protective security. Along with several state-level agencies, this is the agency tasked with monitoring the Scientology organization's activities.

BfZ officials say they are worried about the trend, which is drawing children and emotionally vulnerable young adults into an organization that is "essentially totalitarian in nature."

Meanwhile the Church of Scientology is reportedly looking to buy a building to build a "church" in the city of Düsseldorf.

Last year, the German state of Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann encouraged the country to completely ban the group, but failed to gain enough support.

Herrmann said the organization was clearly contemptuous of human values, posed a danger to the Germany’s constitution and was “at odds with the basic principles of our democracy.”

Although there are fewer than 5,000 Scientologists in Germany, out of a worldwide population of around 40,000, they are very energetic in their efforts to recruit new followers.

Scientology maintains dozens of front groups worldwide, with seemingly-benign names such as "Youth for Human Rights," "The Way to Happiness," "World Literacy Crusade," "Applied Scholastics," and other such titles.

Resources:

• Scientology Critical Information Directory
• Scientology (Wikipedia)
• Scientology Task Force of the Hamburg Interior Authority
• Why We Protest (anti-Scientology activism forum)