Text-Number: 0105E
Available: 13/08/1996
Category: Politics, CultureNumber of characters: 1906
Translation title: Mission? Impossible!
Translator: Steve Miller
Translation Copyright: Steve Miller
Author: Lutz Meiser
Written: 12.07.1996
Abbreviation (when applicable): Mei
Title: Mission? Impossible!
Pending publication by/on:
Previous publication by/on:
Copyright: Lutz Meiser
Diskussion/Letters to the Editor:

Lutz Meiser

Mission? Impossible!

Some German politics would not agree to call the controversy about Scientology a religious quarrel. Some American politics do not seem to understand the protest of young German conservatives against the producer and protagonist of "Mission Impossible", - and they either do not seem to understand political initiatives to forbid Scientology in Germany. A lot of reasons are given there to fight Scientology: racist or fascist attitudes in a "so-called" religion, totalitarian tendencies. Some critics of "scientological fanatism" or "fundamentalism" reject any discussion about it being a religion or not, because then the constitutional right of liberty of religious practice would have to be taken into consideration. Therefore public opinion deals with items of Scientology as deceit - as if religion is free of it. Detached from details - to discuss them needs more than a short comment - the latest German reaction on the film shows the problem: Scientology becomes an economic force. In Germany the film is a symbol - at least to christian-conservative people that are interestet in economic power (and its preservation). In Germany christian religion is one of the instruments to keep economic power in ones hands. And what suddenly happens: those people, who - concerning their own religious and economic values - are used to agitate with proselytism in foreign affairs, are confrontadet with aggressive missionary eagerness and zealotry at home. Their reaction is an echo: Mission? Impossible! They fly into passion, because they feel that their proselytes start running after different values. It is a religious quarrel. And in times of loss of traditional values there is no chance to get out of it, unless questions of religious references and preferences are not asked to both sides: for instance the question of deceit that inheres each mission of faith.