Quotes

Rev. Jean-Arnold de Clermont, President of the French Protestant
Federation:

"If it is not clearly defined, this law will be extremely dangerous for
everybody."

Also he said:

"Where is the limit between the convinced speech, the passionate sermon
and mental rigging? In reality, behind the anti-cult fight it is the
whole religious movements which must feel threatened. I wait that one
precisely defines what mental rigging (mental manipulation) is. Is it
possible that one day, I will be suspected too?"

-- La Croix, June 22

"In a statement made in December 1993 by the National Consultative
Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) on this subject, it made itself
extremely clear: it considered that it was 'inopportune' to adopt
legislation specific to cults and advised the simple utilization of the
entire range of laws in order to reprimand movements which commit
offenses."

- Le Figaro, June 23

"The representatives of the Catholics, Protestants, Jewish and Muslims
have arguments, which cannot be igored. All are anxious about the
possible shiftiness of the 'exceptional law', without any equivalent in
the world."

-- Le Figaro, June 23 (editorial)

"Young girl who has chosen to live outside of the world, who has left
her belongings, left her clothes, cut her hair, who obeys without a
murmur to anything, works hard sometimes without any fee and who gets up
several times a night to recite formulas learned by heart, will she be
considered one day, by a judge, as the victim of a business of 'mental
manipulation.' Nevertheless, that is the way Carmelites live."

-- Le Figaro (editorial)

"The major religions and several jurists are already expressing their
suspicion regarding a text which could threaten the very principles of
freedom of belief and of thought."

Mgr Jean Vernette, delegate from the episcopate for cultural matters
(Catholic Church). "If one adds to the penal code that type of
provision, what will make the difference between a spiritual way and
mental rigging? I'm afraid that the necessary fight against cults
becomes, in some people's mind, the booster to the anti-religious
fight."
- La Croix, June 22.

[There is a better translation of the same quote in the Italian Avvenire
of June 23, "How can one establish with no mistake the difference
between spiritual guidance and mental manipulation? My fear is that the
fight against sects, although necessary, will become for some the
vector of a new fight against religion."]

"Father Jean Vernette, the episcopate's delegate on the issue of
sects, believes in particular that defining mental manipulation as a
crime may well lead to 'the exceptional legislation [law of exception]
we were trying to avoid.'"

-- Le Monde, June 23.

"This new law doesn't provide who will decide what group brings on a
person serious and repeated pressure in order to create or take unfair
advantage of a physical or mental dependence state... What to think of
those who are novices, ascetics, make vows of poverty or retire in a
monastery?"

-- Jean Vernette quoted in France Soir, June 23.

National TV FR3 reported 22 June that there was "concern also in the
Vatican and among the defenders of human rights, so Elizabeth Guigou
[Justice Minister] promised to specify the contents of the mental
manipulation crime to avoid any drift towards a legislation of
exception."

"The role of the State is to protect religious liberty and guarantee its
exercise, not to limit it. We want a laity which shows respect [for
religion], not intolerance."
-- Monseigneur Claude Dagens, Roman Catholic Bishop of Angouleme, quoted
in Independent (UK), June 24.