Unintentionally, I’m continuing a theme from last week - words that might cause offence.
I’ve read a couple of posts over the past week (from Nickopotamus and GeekLawyer) highlighting the news that the police themselves have taken action over a member of the public allegedly offending a group of individuals. An unamed 15-year old has been served summons by the City of London police under s5 of the Public Order Act 1986 -“displaying any sign …which is threatening, abusive, or insulting … likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress”.
What did the sign say then?
Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult
A lot of references are being made to the fact that the City of London police are reported to be working closely with Scientology. Does it mean they’re corrupt?- well, maybe, but that’s not the point I want to make today.
Nor is it the fact that describing Scientology as a cult has been done by the judiciary themselves (by My Justice Latey in 1984).
The thing to question is - what’s the difference between a religion and a cult?
It’s actually frequently debated- often regarding Scientology itself. BBC News reported on the issue back in 1999.
Some people suggest that, according to dictionary definitions, there is no difference at all.
However, I think that describing something as a “cult” certainly does have implied meaning. It suggests, to me at least, fanatical devotion. A clandestine culture perhaps, dark, secretive, and illogical. There’s a suggestion that people are brainwashed to join a cult.
That’s certainly what the Cult Information Centre believes, working to assist people who have been harmed by a cult. They define a cult as having all of five characteristics:
1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society.
3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma.
4. It believes ‘the end justifies the means’ in order to solicit funds recruit people.
5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.
People are clearly taken in by ‘Cults’ (falling under the popular definition)- that’s why the Cult Information Centre is required.
I don’t know if Scientology could be described as a cult or not. From the outside, I can see why it evokes that opinion from people - but I’m not informed enough to make a statement of my own opinion on the matter.
And, going back to last week’s comment - is it enough to be considered as offensive speech? Is there an intention to incite hatred? It’s possible -but some people can be offended at anything. Once again there’s that very fine line between freedom of speech, and freedom not to be offended. If the CPS decide to go forward the summons, it’ll be interesting to see where it’s drawn on this occasion…
~Asp
It’s an interesting discussion. As you say, classic definitions of the word show little difference in meaning and one has to move to more idiomatic & contemporary definitions. Indeed were it not so he would have been accused on the basis of saying “$cientology is a religion” - weird indeed.
But prevalent use is the modern usage: Fowler’s Modern English simply says “a popular fashion followed by a specific section of society”.
As it turns out the CPS have dropped it but the point will be taken - one hopes - by the City and other police farces.
The CPS have also “advised” CoL police on how to handle similar cases in the future. The key point is that “insulting” has to be from J Random Pulblic’s point of view, not from a Scientologist’s.
What’s more worrying is the extent to which it appears CoS have affected the police force, not just in this country but worldwide (the Ontario Ministry of Justice declared them a criminal organisation after attempting a similar stunt for example). But was this particular incident due to that? Or was it just a police officer who didn’t understand the law completely getting a bit carried away, maybe under the direction of a Scientologist who took offence?
Dylan Thomas defined an alcoholic as “Someone you don’t like who drinks as much as you do.” To a religious person, a follower of a cult is someone he doesn’t like who believes in stuff as weird as he does.