Cults in France

N° 2468

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

CONSTITUTION OF OCTOBER 4, 1958

TENTH LEGISLATURE

Recorded with the Presidency of the National Assembly on December 22, 1995.

REPORT

MADE

President

Humans right and public freedoms.

INTRODUCTION

88 members of the Branch Davidian cult died either by suicide or at the end of confrontation with the police in Waco, Texas on April 19, 1993; 53 members of the Solar Temple cult died, committed suicide, or were assassinated in Switzerland and in Canada on October 4, 1994; 11 died and 5,000 were wounded in the attack with gas perpetrated in the subway of Tokyo by the Aoum sect on March 5, 1995: without returning on older facts - but everyone still remembers the collective suicide of the 923 members of the People's Temple in Guyana in 1978 - here, in less than three years, the assessment of the most serious criminal intrigues of which certain cults were guilty. When such things happen, the media hastens to investigate the cult phenomenon, the opinion is moved - rightly - then the attention falls down until the following spectacular episode which will be the subject of the same processing. But, during this time, a certain number of cults insidiously continue to achieve their daily misdeeds in the quasi-general indifference.

The report written by Alain Vivien at the request of the Prime Minister and published in 1985 under the title "Cults in France: Expression of Moral Freedom or Factors of Manipulation", which presented a picture of the cult phenomenon and analyzed the principal aspects of them before formulating a certain number of proposals, had the great merit to constitute the first thorough and objective study on the dangers of cults and to alert the public authorities and the opinion on a reality the strength of which was hitherto badly known. That being, here we are now more than ten years since this document was published, and are forced to note that the measures that it recommended for the most part, in spite of their interest and simplicity, remain as a dead letter, sects continue to thrive and exploit, for their more large profit, the distress in which the evolution of our society plunges many of our contemporaries, ready to allow themselves to be deceived by the apparent spirituality of a speech of which they have the illusion that it can bring the response to their waitings.

It was thus legitimate that the national representation is concerned to measure a phenomenon whose evolution, since the report of Mr. Alain Vivien, is known little about, to appreciate the dangers which it poses to individuals and society, and to give a report on the measures necessary to fight it. Therefore the national Assembly has it, by adopting unanimously on last 29 June the motion for a resolution presented by Mr. Jacques Guyard and the members of the socialist group, created a board of inquiry "charged to study the phenomenon of cults and to propose, if it is necessary, the adaptation of the texts in force."

Constituted on last 11 July, the Commission decided, during the meeting that it held on July 18 to organize the course of its work, to place under the mode of the secrecy the whole of hearings to which it would proceed in order to allow the greatest freedom of speech to the people of which it would request testimony. Pursuant to the commitment entered into with the witnesses, this report will thus not comprise in appendix the report of hearings which nourished the reflexions of the Commission, nor even the list of the people that it heard. In the same spirit, is not mentioned in the report the origin of the remarks of which it quotes.

Twenty hearings were carried out under these conditions, for a total duration of twenty-one hours. They have enabled the Commission to gather knowledge of information, people's experiences and analysis, people of various titles, a thorough knowledge of the cult phenomenon, some in administrative capacities, some doctors, some lawyers, some men of the Church [priests?], some representatives of association of assistance for victims of a cult, and, of course, some former followers of cult movements and some leaders of cult associations. The Commission, in addition, requested the input of various administrations to try as well as possible to refine the knowledge of the field of its study. One must note that the requests were answered with unequal eagerness and zeal. If the Ministry of Social Affairs, that of the Foreign Affairs, the Prefecture of Police of Paris and, especially, the Ministry of the Interior (Central Dept. of General Information), helped the Commission very effectively in its search and its reflexions, the Ministry of Economy and Finances (General Dept. of Taxes), and the Ministry of Justice (Dept. of Criminal Affairs and the Graces[?]) indeed transmitted only very tardily information they have.

Such as it is presented in this report, the result of the whole of the work undertaken by the Commission will disappoint those which would have expected to find there revelations or new anecdotes. It did not have the means, and, moreover, it was not its mission, to devote itself to search or call into question something which fell within the competence of the services of the police and, if necessary, of justice. While being based on the work of a very great interest carried out by the central Management of the general Information, on the search and the analyses carried out by specialists in various disciplines, finally, on oral or written testimonies of people having lived themselves within a cult or whose close relations knew or know this experiment, it tried to apprehend a moving, complex and often disguised reality as well as possible pretences.

As it will be seen, the Commission was at the first confronted with the difficulty in defining the term of "cults" to delimit its field of study. Nevertheless, it chose not to be deterred by what is actually only one false obstacle, and to follow with perseverance an empirical step that some could judge insufficiently ambitious but whose modesty hides a preoccupation of realism and an effectiveness. So it is that without a systematic spirit [? esprit de systme], without a fixed mental image of any kind, and taking great care not to proceed with some amalgam abusive nor to fall into paranoia, without showing of other-worldliness or, at least, naivety, that the Commission tried to appreciate contours of a phenomenon which, although difficult to understand, seems to develop, before noting that it reveals itself in diversified forms and is often characterized by dangerous practices, and, finally, to release the means of a response adapted to this danger.

The Commission first of all sought to appreciate the current extent of the cult phenomenon and, in the light of some of its characteristics as well as its recent evolution, to release the its probable tendencies of development. In spite of the difficulties which it met to define the phenomenon being the subject of its study and to measure it, it appeared to the Commission that it conceals potentialities of expansion which must justify an increased vigilance on behalf of the public authorities.

A.- A DIFFICULT PHENOMENON TO DEFINE

First, the approach to the phenomenon of cults, like every other, assumes that this concept is clearly defined.

However, all the studies, all the works devoted to associations known as cults recognize the difficulty of such a step, that the Commission measured throughout its work: indeed, the concept of cult, particularly difficult to define in the current language, is completely unknown from the French law.

Obviously, this situation could only make the Commission's task more difficult. Having been confronted with this difficulty from the very start of its search, the Commission did not want to let itself lock up in the alternative to which it leads logically: either to try to give a legal definition to the concept of cult intended to be used as a basis following its work, with the risk to run up against the principle of the freedom of conscience, or to consider that it could not validly continue to work because of impossibility of proceeding to such a definition. It has, with modesty but also in a preoccupation with an effectiveness, follow-up an empirical step, by noting the existence of organizations various commonly called cults and while seeking to specify contours of what can be included under this name to establish from them the characteristics which can justify that one is interested in it, even that one is worried some.

1.- The impossible legal definition

The legal absence of definition of cults in law results from the French conception of the notion of secularity.

The origin of this conception is to be sought in article 10 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the citizen who lays out that "no one should be bothered for his opinions, even religious, provided that their demonstration does not disturb the law and order instituted by the law ". The writers of the Declaration thus clearly posed the principle of the neutrality of the State, of its discretion with regard to religious opinions.

This attitude must be supplemented by a more positive approach, which entrusts to the State the responsibility to ensure each one the free exercise of the religion of his choice; Article 2 of the Constitution of October 4, 1958 specifies thus that France, [la•que?] Republic, "ensures the equality in front of the law of the citizens without reference of origin, race or religion" and it "respects all beliefs." This recent constitutional dedication[?] had been outlined by the preamble to the Constitution of 1946 which, whatever the debates relating to its legal consequences, recalled the attachment of the French people to the declaration of 1789 and with the "fundamental principles recognized by the laws of the Republic."

The legal status of the worships which result from such a conception of secularity is contained entirely in the first two articles of the law of December 9, 1905 relating to the separation of the Church and the State, which lay out that "the Republic ensures the freedom of conscience ] guarantees the free exercise of worships " (Article 1) and that it "does not recognize, does not pay, nor does not subsidize any worship." (Article 2).

The principle of neutrality of the State thus means that the religious beliefs are not a public fact subject to the restrictions related to the respect of the law and order, that the religious fact concerns the only individuals, of the only private sphere of the citizens.

Thus is explained that the State, faithful to its "indifference" displayed with regard to religions, never gave a legal definition of those. If the doctrines admit that they are characterized by the meeting of subjective elements (faith, belief) and of objective elements (the rite, community), a definition of a religion cannot be noted in the substantive law.

This one is restricted to regulate the life of the legal structures as well as social practices which constitute the support of the religions (associations, [cultuelles?] or not, religious congregations); it does not make any legal distinction between the various worships, does not carry out any discrimination, positive or negative, between them.

One conceives legal impossibility consequently to define the criteria allowing to define the social forms which can take the exercise of a religious belief, [a fortiori?] to distinguish a Church from a sect.

The board of inquiry was thus confronted from the very start of its activity with the paradox to have to work on a juridically non-existent sector. Its position was all the more delicate since, impossible to define in right, the concept is also difficult to handle in the current language.

2.- The imprecision and diversity of the definitions resulting from the current language

The concept of cult, even in the current language, is not unequivocal; various levels of analysis are not undoubtedly enough to testify to the diversity - and the richness - of the concept.

a) Etymological approach

An etymological study shows that the term "cult" [the actual French word is "secte." I have been using "cult" because that's the sense in which it's used in the report. Wherever "cult" appears in this translation, "secte" is the original French. To my knowledge, there is no separate word for "cult."] appeared around the 13th - 14th centuries and that it can be connected to two Latin roots: one connecting it to the verb to follow, the other with the verb to cross.

This hesitation on the semantic origin still today impregnates all of the dictionaries.

Significant is the definition provided by the LittrŽ dictionary, for which a cult is "the whole of the people who make profession of same doctrines " or "which follows a marked opinion of heresy or error."

The Robert dictionary distinguishes between those people "who have the same doctrines within a religion" and those who "profess the same doctrines."

In all the cases, the two supposed origins of the concept induce, simultaneously or alternatively, the two ideas of common belief and/or rupture compared to a former belief.

It is on this concept of rupture that the dictionary of the religions (PUF, 1984) insists, defining a cult as "In the original sense, a group who dispute the doctrines and structures of the Church, generally involving dissidence. In a wider sense, any minority religious movement."

B) Sociological approach

Sociology defines a cult as a group in opposition to that of Church. Thus Max Weber proceeded to specify these two concepts one compared to the other; for him the Church is an institution of health [salut?] which privileges the extension of its influence, whereas a cult is a contractual group which stresses the intensity of the life of its members.

Ernst Troeltsh continued the work of Weber and stressed that the Church is ready, to extend its audience, to adapt to society, to pass compromises with the States. A cult, on the other hand, is located in withdrawal compared to global society and tends to refuse any link with it, and even any dialogue. It adopts an identical attitude with regard to the other religions, so that in this sense ecumenism could be used as a criterion to distinguish Church and cult.

c) Approach based on the danger of the cults

The term "cultish" appeared during wars of religion and impresses of a strong pejorative connotation. It is applied to the member of a cult characterized by his intolerance, blind adhesion, and narrow-mindedness.

The modern language was strongly marked by this pejorative connotation: nowadays, the term "cult" makes reference to minority religious or pseudo-religious movements of recent appearance, secessionists or not.

The debate regarding "dangerous cults" or "cultish drifts" still accentuated the pejorative aspect of the concept.

Several people heard by the Commission developed in front of it approaches of the definition of cults based on the danger of the movements. One of them thus formalized the result of this step, while giving as a definition of cults:

" Groups aiming by operations of psychological destabilization at obtaining from their followers an unconditional allegiance, a reduction in the critical spirit, a rupture with the references commonly allowed (ethics, scientists, civic, educational), and involving dangers to the personal freedoms, health, education, the democratic institutions.

These groups use philosophical, religious or therapeutic masks to dissimulate objectives to be able to influence and exploit their followers. "

From such a point of view, the stress is laid moreover on the insidious character of the cultish drift, because it is difficult to trace a border between "legitimate " operation and the danger zone, i.e. between:

- free association and the coercive group,

- conviction and a certainty which is impossible to circumvent,

- engagement and fanaticism,

- the prestige of the head and the worship of the guru,

- voluntary decisions and completely induced choices,

- search of alternatives (cultural, morals, ideological) and rupture with the values of society,

- loyal group membership and unconditional allegiance,

- skillful persuasion and programmed manipulation,

- the mobilizing language and the nŽolanguage (the "set language"), [literally "langue de bois," language of the woods, meaning perhaps language that hides things?]

- l'esprit de corps and the fusionnel [melted together without any individuality] group.

One measures at which point it is, under these conditions, difficult to reason in an objective way, to be located between vulgarizing and the diabolisation, blindness and the abusive tolerance on the one hand, generalized suspicion on the other hand: it is however this way which chose the Commission.

d) The concept retained by the Commission

The Commission indeed noted that if the difficulty of defining the concept of cult were underlined by all the people that it heard, the reality concerned seems unanimously encircled, except naturally by the followers and leaders of the cults which deny this character with their grouping (while being able to recognize it with others) and prefer to evoke the terms of "Churches" or of "religious minorities."

The Commission does not claim to succeed in it with what all those which work on the question of cults, often for many years, did not arrive, i.e. giving an "objective" definition of cults, likely to be accepted by all. Work of the Commission is thus based on a certain number of ethical choices which it does not seek to dissimulate.

Among the indices making it possible to suppose the possible reality of suspicions resulting in describing as cult a movement being presented in the form of a religion, it retained, endorsing the criteria used by the General Information in the analyses of cult phenomenon to which proceeds this service and which was communicated to the Commission:

- mental destabilization;

- exorbitant character of the financial requirements;

- isolation from society

- danger to physical health

- embrigadement [bringing into the "troops"] of the children;

- the more or less antisocial speech;

- disorders with the law and order;

- importance of the legal contentions;

- the possible diversion of the traditional economic circuits;

- attempts at infiltration of the public authorities.

Your Commission insists on the fact that, the definition of cults proving with many regards difficult, it carried out its work while taking care not to endorse the definitions of cults suggested by its interlocutors, by nature engaged, with a title or another in the promotion of the new religions or the fight against their excesses - realities or supposed --.

It was conscious that neither the innovation, neither the small number of followers, nor even the eccentricity could be retained as criteria making it possible to describe a religious movement as a cult; the greatest contemporary religions were often, at their beginnings, sects with a small number of followers; many established and socially allowed rites today could in the beginning cause reserves or oppositions.

The field of the Commission's study has thus been voluntarily restricted to a certain number of association joining together, generally around a spiritual head, some people sharing the same belief in a being or a certain number of transcendental ideas, itself located or not in rupture "traditional" religion" (Christian, Moslem, Hindu, Buddhist) which have been excluded from this study, and on which have, at one time or another, weigh the suspicion of an activity contrary with public law and order or with personal individual freedoms.

The difficulty in defining the concept of cult, which will however be used in the continuation of this report, led the Commission to retain a beam of indices, of which each one could lend to long discussions. It thus preferred, with the risk of [froisser?] many susceptibilities or to carry out an analysis partial to reality, to retain the common direction that the public opinion allots to the concept.

With defect[?], the Commission could not, noting the difficulties encountered at the time of the attempt at definition of the phenomenon, allow that to stop its work. Such an attitude would undoubtedly have diverted, and, moreover, would have prevented the Commission from analyzing the real problems arising from the development of a certain number of associations.

Difficult as it is to define, the phenomenon of cults cannot in addition - but also of this fact - be measured with precision.

B.- A DIFFICULT PHENOMENON TO MEASURE

Any attempt at total measurement of the cult phenomenon encounters a certain number of obstacles, which must be briefly described.

The inaccuracy surrounding the definition of the concept is of course the first of them: how to measure a phenomenon of which there is not a definition accepted by all?

Secondly, it is difficult to quantify the activity of multiple associations revolving around such and such a movement, to distinguish, for example, the regular listener of conferences organized by an association close to a cult, with a follower of the latter.

Thirdly, the choice of criterion being used to measure the phenomenon is so random: Does one have to obtain the number of followers or that of the sympathizers, to suppose that one or the other of these two concepts can receive a satisfactory definition? Taking into account the family or social impact of the phenomenon, does one have to include the entourage of people directly concerned to correctly appreciate the number of "victims"?

Moreover, the cults themselves are not always able to quantify with relative precision the number of their members. Various indices even make it possible to affirm that some of them artificially inflate in order to accredit the idea of an audience which they do not have in reality, whereas others voluntarily minimize it with an aim of not drawing the attention of the public authorities.

The real audience of different cults cannot, finally, be measured only by the yardstick of numerical criteria: the international establishment of the sect, its financial capacities, its possible strategy of infiltration contribute for much to its audience, its capacity of interference, its danger.

These methodological reserves posed, it is, however, necessary to try to better encircle, on the quantitative level, the cult phenomenon.

Two types of evaluation were communicated to the Commission: one results from the observations of the Central Management of General Information; the other, more indirect, of the studies of a certain number of experts.

1.- The evaluation by General Information

The cult phenomenon has been an object, since a score of years, of a regular follow-up by General Information. However, the topicality of the phenomenon and the limited means of the DCRG [Direction Centrale des Renseignements General = General Information] do not authorize the frequent execution of work of synthesis.

Two assessments have been drawn up to date, one within the framework of the development of the report of Mr. Alain Vivien "Cults in France,", in 1982, the other at the request of the Board of Inquiry.

The very complete and fine analysis which was given to General Information retains a definition of a cult based on the supposed danger of the various movements, itself deduced from the existence of one or more indices among the following: mental destabilization, exorbitant financial requirements, rupture with the environment of origin, attacks to the physical integrity, enlisting of the children, antisocial speech, disturbances with the law and order, legal contentions, diversions of the economic circuits, infiltration of the public authorities. On these bases, were listed, within the framework of each metropolitan department, associations filling at least one of these ten criteria.

Additionally, for each movement, the following are distinguished: "the organization mother" of the various "subsidiary companies" which revolve around it, that those are "official" (local antennas bearing the name of the cult), or "masked" (various associations, even civil or commercial companies).

The various "organization-mothers" have, moreover, is the subject of a quantitative evaluation allowing to distribute them between those which count less than 50 followers, between 50 and 500 followers, 500 and 2,000 followers, more than 2,000 followers. It is to be announced that only the movement of the Jehovah's Witnesses exceeds in France the 10,000 faithful ones (their number is estimated at 130,000).

For the most part, esoteric movements or those attached to anthroposophie [humanism?], although sometimes predisposing individuals weakened with a "cultish advance," were not mentioned, because of their objective harmlessness. In the same way, the immense majority of the groups claiming exclusively to be New Age, multiples and with the often confidential audience, were excluded from this study as being still at the "cultish fringes."

Aggregation, at the national level, of the results obtained by department makes it possible to initially draw a certain number of charts, the first showing the number of cults, the second showing the number of their followers, the last showing the dynamics of the movement.

The number of movements listed by the DCRG and answering one of the criteria of danger indicated above amounts today to 172 for the "organization-mothers." The inclusion of the "subsidiary companies" in the study makes it possible to note the existence, in France, of a veritable "cult nebula" numbering more than 800 satellites.

A study of the geographical distribution of the sects shows that the phenomenon is not uniformly distributed over French territory.

The organizations mothers concentrate essentially on four large areas (Chart No. 1):

- the first includes l'Ile-de-France and its departments bordering to extend to la Manche and part of Brittany;

- the second irradiates around the estuary of the Gironde to touch the North of Aquitaine and the South of the Poitou-Charentes area;

- the third draws a radius to extend itself to the near total of the area Provence-Alpes-C™te d'Azur;

- the fourth finally is circumscribed at two Lorraine departments, the Moselle and Meurthe and the Moselle.

Conversely, the areas Centre, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Maine et Loire, Franche-ComtŽ seem relatively saved.

The inclusion of the "subsidiary companies" in the cartographic representation does not modify the representation of the cult phenomenon, even if it increases the impression of diffusion on the whole of the national territory (Chart No. 2).

This impression is still increased if one associates with this last cartographic representation the influence represented by the Jehovah's Witnesses, whose places of worship ("Kingdom Halls") are numerous in a certain number of departments little touched by the remainder of the cult phenomenon, in particular le Calvados, le Finistre, les PyrŽnŽes Atlantiques, le Doubs (Chart No. 3).

If it is difficult to carry out a precise figuring, it is more difficult to distinguish the true follower from the occasional disciple or of the simple sympathizer. General Information estimates at 160,000 the number of at least occasional followers, and at 100,000 the number of sympathizers.

It is however necessary to refine these results while making the point that 80% of the movements gather less than 500 followers, nearly 60 sects number even less than 50 followers. One thus notes a concentration of the cult phenomenon in forty movements, which one will see, in addition, that it is those which generally answer a great number of criteria of danger.

The following lists present, classified alphabetically and in sections by number of followers, those movements which can, using the yardstick of the defined criteria, be described as cultish.

- Cult Movements of Less than 50 Followers: [I left the names in French, with translations in brackets when needed. - Translator]

Alliance Rose Croix / Association Recherches Culturelles [Rose Cross Alliance/Cultural Search Association] [Rosicrucians -editor]
AMPARA
Association Culturelle ALPHA
Association de soutien à l'oeuvre de Sundari - L'Ecole de l'essentialisme [Association of support with work of Sundari - TheSchool of Essentialisme Association]
Association Le Droit de survie [The Right of Survival Association]
Association spirituelle d'Haidyakhan
Centre d'applications psychiques "Raphaël" [Center of Psychic Applications "Raphael"]
Centre d'épanouissement et aide François de Sales [Center of Blooming? and Aid Franois of Sales]
Centre de développement humain [Center of Human Development]
Centre de thérapie Dalmatie [Center of Dalmatie Therapy]
Clé de l'univers [Key of the Universe]
Club prélude à l'Age d'or [Prelude to the Golden Age Club]
Communauté de la Thébaide [Community of ThŽbaide]
Communauté Les boucheries [The Butcheries Community]
Cosmicia
Cosmos - Intuition - Ailes
Dakpo Shampa Kadgyu
Ecole de la préparation de l'évacuation extra terrestre [School for Preparation for Extraterrestrial Evacuation]
Eglise Khristique de la Jérusalem Nouvelle ordre de Raolf, d'Arnold et d'Osmond [Church Khristique of the New Jerusalem order of Raolf, of Arnold and of Osmond]
Eglise philosophique Luciférienne [Philosophic Church of Lucifer]
El - Etre son corps [El - Be its Body]
Emissaries of the divine light
Enseignement et thérapie de recherches évolutives [Teaching and therapy of evolutionary search]
Etre-Exister-Energétique [Be-Exist-Energetics]
Fondation Saint-germain
Grande loge souveraine internationale magique et theurgique de rite égyptien - Cagliostro [Grand Lodge Sovereign International Magic and Theurgique[?] of Egyptian Rite - Cagliostro]
Ermitage du Christ de la paix [Hermitage of Christ of Peace]
Imagine
Insight seminars - Innergy
Institut de psychanimie
Institut de recherches psychanalytiques [Institute of Psychoanalytic Research]
Institut Frank Natale
Kofuku no kagaku (institut pour la recherche du bonheur de l'homme) [Institute for Research of Happiness of Man]
L'arbre au milieu [The tree in the Environment]
La nouvelle ère [The New Era]
Le suicide des rives [The suicide of the banks (as in river banks)]
Landmark education international - Le forum
Le club des surhommes [The Club of the About-men]
Le village du verseau [The Village of Aquarius]
Les amis de la confrérie Saint-Andréas [The Friends of the Saint-AndrŽas Brotherhood]
Les amis de Marie - Les pauvres de Marie [The Friends of Mary -- The Poor Ones of Mary]
Les croisés de la nouvelle Babylone [The Cross Ones of the New Babylon]
Les jardins de la vie [The Gardens of Life]
Loisirs et santé - Le corps miroir [Leisures and Health -- The Body Mirror]
Lumière dorée [Guilded Light]
MAEV
Méthode Sylva de contrôle mental [Silva Mind Control]
Ordonnance des scribes scientifiques et des mystères initiatiques [Order of Scientific Scribes and Initiatory Mysteries]
Ordre des chevaliers de France et de la Trinité Sainte [Order of the Knights of France and of the Holy Trinity]
Ordre du temple universel [Order of the Universal Temple]
Red concept limited
Révélation de la 7ème heure [Revelation of the 7th Hour]
Sanctuary
Savoir changer maintenant [Savior to Change Now]
Shinji Shumeikai France
Spiritual Emergence Network France - Respiration holotropique [Holotropic Breathing]
Viveka

- Cult Movements with from 50 to 500 followers:

Amis de la croix glorieuse de Dozule
Arche de Marie
ASPIRAL
Association de défense des libertés d'expression dans l'institution française (ADLEIF)
Association de méditation en France
Association Nouvelle Acropole France (ANAF)
Association pour l'unification du christianisme mondial
Association pour la promotion des arts industrieux (APPAI)
Association pour la recherche et l'étude de la survivance (APRES)
Association Vo Vi de France - Amis de la Science du non être de France
ATHANOR
AZAZEL INSTITUTE INC
Centre d'Etudes Gnostiques
Centre d'information OSHO
Centre de documentation et d'information et de contact pour la prévention du cancer
Centre de méditation Mahatayana
Centre du cygne Djivana Prana - Source de vie
Centre du Paraclet
Centre international de parapsychologie et de recherche scientifique du Nouvel Age
Cercle initiatique de la licorne Wicca occidentale
Comètes oxygènes - Le moulin du soleil
Communauté pour la propagation de la vie universelle
Communion de satonnay
Eckankar France
Eija
Energie et création - Energie et créativité
Energy world
Espace culturel Etre maintenant (ECEM)
Etude tradition et recherche en énergétique (E.T.R.E.)
Faculté de parapsychologie
Famille de Nazareth
Fédération française pour la conscience de Krishna
Fédération internationale pour le développement de l'alimentation instinctive (FIDALI)
Fondation Elan vital
Harmonie holistique
Humana France - TVIND
Iesu no mitama kyokai (Eglise du Saint Esprit de Jésus)
Institut de recherche physique et conscience
Institut de Saint-Preux
Institut des sciences holistiques de l'Ouest
Institut théologique de Nimes
L'Eglise à Paris
La famille (ex-enfant de Dieu)
La science du mental
La voie de la lumière (unité de recherches pour l'évolution de la lumière)
La voie internationale
Le grand logis
Lectorium rosicrucianum (Rose-Croix d'or)
Lumière du Maat
Maha Shakti Mandir
Mandala 33
Mission Swmi Atmananda Atma Bodha Satsanga
Mission Timothée
Mouvement humaniste
Office culturel de Cluny - Fédération nationale d'animation globale
Ogyen Kunzang Choling
Ordo Templi Orientis
Ordre apostolique - Therapeutic healing environment
Ordre du Graal ardent
Ordre du lys et de l'aigle
Ordre monastique d'Avallon
Ordre rénové du Temple (ORT)
Oxyon 777 (ex-Harmonia)
Paravidya sagesse suprême
Partage international communication
Philosophe de la nature
Reine de la paix - Ordre du coeur immaculé de Marie et de Saint Louis de Montfort
Reiyukai
Saint Bani
Saman
Seimeikyo Europe
Siderella
Sister mouvement rasta
Société holosophique de France
Star's edge international - Méthode Avatar
Sukyo Mahikari - Lumière de vérité
Tradition Famille Propriété
Trans-mutations
Venture
Vital Harmony SA

- Cult Movements with 500 to 2,000 followers:

Alliance universelle
ANTHROPOS - Association pour la recherche sur le développement holistique de l'homme
Association Subud de France - Susila Dharma France
Association Sri Chinmoy de Paris
Culte Antoiniste
Domaine d'Ephèse
Eglise évangélique de Pentecôte de Besançon [Evangelical Pentacostal Church]
Eglise universelle de Dieu [Universal Church of God]
Eglises du Christ international en France [International Churches of Christ in France]
Fraternité blanche universelle
Fraternité Notre Dame
Invitation à la vie intense
L'oeil s'ouvre
La maison de Jean
La parole de foi - Evangélisation mondiale
Mouvement du Graal en France
Ontologie méthodique culture et tradition
Paris Dharma Sah - Lotus Sangha of European social buddhism
Société internationale de trilogie analytique -sarl-
Union des associations centres et groupes Sri Sathya Sai
Université spirituelle internationale des Brahma Kumaris
Vie chrétienne en France - Centre de vie chrétienne
Viswa Nirmala Dharma - Sahaja Yoga

- Cult Movements with 2,000 to 10,000 followers:

Association Lucien J. Engelmajet
CEDIPAC SA (ex-GEPM)
Chevaliers du Lotus d'or [Knights of the Lotus of Gold]
Communauté des petits frères et des petites soeurs du Sacré-coeur [Community of the little brothers and little sisters of Sacred Heart]
Eglise de scientologie de Paris [Church of Scientology of Paris]
Eglise néo-apostolique de France
Eglise universelle du royaume de Dieu
Energie humaine et universelle France - HUE France
Institut de science vedique maharishi Paris - C.P.M. - Club pour méditants ( " Méditation transcendentale " )
Mouvement Raëlien français
Shri Ram Chandra Mission France
Soka Gakkai internationale France

Lastly, the number of Jehovah's Witnesses can be estimated at 130,000.

One could a priori think of appreciating the dynamics of the cult phenomenon by comparing the two assessments drawn up with thirteen years of interval by General Information ().

A certain number of reasons, however, prohibit us from being able to draw significant conclusions from such a comparison. Indeed:

- the investigation of 1995, unlike that carried out in 1982, does not incorporate the results of the investigation (in progress) in the DOM-TOM;

- the least sensitizing of the investigators to the specificity of the cult phenomenon had not been able, in 1982, to make it possible to include in the study the "masked subsidiary companies";

- the qualification of certain movements considered as cultish in 1982 (Christian dissidents, anthroposophie [humanism?], esoteric groups) was re-examined in 1995. Conversely, new movements were qualified as cultish in 1995 whereas they did not seem such in 1982 (Lucien J. Engelmajer Association, said "the Patriarch"). the question remains hanging in addition for groupings recently appeared, which were not retained in 1995 (Grouping, Herbalife).

Only of main tendencies can thus be released, which can be synthesized in the table hereafter:

Most significant seems to be the multiplication of the "subsidiary companies" of the cult movements, much more today than those detected in 1982, even if a precise enumeration had not then been carried out. Like it was already known as, the phenomenon of the "hidden satellites" was embryonic at the time and, in a general way, the cultts definitely were more disseminated than today. As an example, one will mention that, according to DCRG'S, nearly 60 subsidiary companies are attached to the Church of Scientology.

The increase in the number of cult movements is undeniable. Typology study (cf. infra) shows that this increase is due to some extent to strength of the current "New Age," which saw the number of its structures increasing considerably, even if those gather only one low number of followers.

The progression of the number of followers and sympathizers is considerable since it is 60% for the former and 100% for the latter.

Even if it cannot be measured with a scientific exactitude, cult dynamics is thus significant, whatever the criterion selected to appreciate it.

This appreciation is corroborated by more indirect observations, more indirect of the experts who have studied the cult phenomenon.

2.- Evaluation by Different Experts

Two great associations have today as an aim the fight against the cult phenomenon.

The oldest is the National Union of Associations for the Defense of the Family and the Individuals (UNADFI), which gathers twenty local associations, whose first was founded in 1974.

Seven years later the Center for Resources, Education, and Action Against Mental Manipulation (CCMM) was formed on the initiative of Roger Ikor, following the death of his very young son, a victim of a cult.

It is to be announced that other experts have a recognized competence on the cult phenomenon: doctors, academics, men of the church, journalists, they belong to the most various horizons.

The table hereafter recapitulates the estimates provided on the number of followers of certain cults by certain a shade of works published between 1977 and 1987. It shows clearly that in the space of these ten years, the supposed number of the followers of each one of them increased considerably, except the Mission of Divine Light.

UNADFI in addition communicated to the Commission an estimate, for 1995, of the number of followers of principal cults established in France. This partial census reveals, for only about thirty cults quoted, which does not include Jehovah's Witnesses, a number of followers higher than 120,000. This estimate thus seems appreciably higher than that of General Information, which estimates at 160,000 the number of followers of the some 172 groupings that they recognize as cults.

The same variation is perceptible for the number of cultish structures, generally evaluated between 200 and 300 (one of the interlocutors of the Commission has even advanced the figure of 1,000).

The following statement, made before the Commission, correctly translated the estimated importance of the cult phenomenon at the same time as the difficulty of apprehending it.

"In quantity, it is very difficult to quantify the cult fact. The maximalists see cults everywhere and consider that there are hundreds of thousands of French who are touched. I believe that it is necessary to be more reasonable. There are undoubtedly a little aberrant forms of religiosity which are not therefore cults, the behavior of whose followers is not even particularly remarkable, nor even condemnable. I would say that there must be in France, at the present time, between 200 and 300 cults which have an importance and an extremely varied audience, that these environments are completely unstable, at the same time because some, like all the humanitarian organizations, develop whereas some others die, that they are influenced by foreigners, which means that some passage of foreign population foreign carries itself out and that at the same time some French expatriates to some other site where the cult is established. All these associations must concern, directly or indirectly, approximately a half-million French. When I say "directly," I'm thinking of course of the followers themselves, those which entered a cult and those which came out of there, with rigor those which are on the point there to enter, but also all the home and social environment of the followers of cults which naturally undergoes the repercussions of the practices and the cultish behaviors of the followers.

FOLLOWERS OF CULTS (1) IN THE YEARS 1970 - 1980: ESTIMATES

An indirect measurement of cult activity can be provided by the analysis of the phone calls received by the Parisian center of the ADFI which, in 1994, was seen questioning on the activities of 1,150 associations or movements. If this measurement is connected more with one survey than with a precise analysis, it makes it possible however to appreciate the proselytism of the various movements, like, probably, their relative audience in Paris area.

Consultations received by telephone
in the buildings of the ADFI (Parisian center) and relating to certain groups

NR : non répertorié. Source : ADFI Paris

In addition, the various experts heard by the Commission, in general, confirmed that during recent years, the cult movement has, in terms of structures as well as in number of followers, developed considerably, even if they do not have precise statistical data on this tendency.

Beyond the difficulties of measurement, it does not appear contestable that the cult phenomenon is in France quite real today, and that it seems in progression.

In addition, the characteristics of its evolution allows us to predict potentialities of expansion which worry your commission.

[TRANSLATOR'S NOTE: From this point in the report forward, I am translating "secte" as "sect" rather than "cult." I began by using "cult" because of the negative connotations the word "secte" seems to have in French and also because they used the word to describe groups Americans would call cults: the Branch Davidians, Solar Temple, Jonestown, etc. In this part of the report, they discuss sects from a historical perspective. The term "secte" is very broad, and can also refer to the beginnings of Christianity itself, which while considered a sect by American standards, would not be considered a cult. It seemed better to use the English word most similar to the French term.]

C.- A PHENOMENON WITH EXPANSION POTENTIAL

The sectarian phenomenon has been known for a few decades of significant evolutions which influence the currently noted tendencies; a consideration in perspective appreciation additionally shows the tendency to a potential expansion.

1.- Main current tendencies

It is obviously not possible to proceed within the framework of this report, of which it is moreover not the object, to a historical study of the sectarian phenomenon, in which the specialists underline permanence in time and the universality.

Tite Live in his work "The Sects [Nuns?] in Greece and in Rome" was devoted already to a detailed account of the business of the Orgies, followers of the worship of Bacchus.

Under the Roman empire, the first Christian communities were persecuted as well because of their refusal of the oath to the Emperor as because of the charges of sorcery (night meetings) or anthropophagy (rite of the communion) whose they were the object. The lawsuits in sorcery of which were victims in the Middle Ages until the beginning of the Reform, nearly 100,000 people in Europe testify to persistence to the sectarian phenomenon. The Christian religions are not the only source of examples: thus the Islam whose current esoteric is represented by the Sufism it gave rise to the sect of Hashishins, which fought Holy Land Templiers.

The recent evolution of the sectarian phenomenon makes it possible however respectively to release a certain number of main tendencies relating to the nature of the sects, their organization, the topics developed by them, the way in which they are perceived finally.

a) The nature of the sects

A study of the sects currently established in France shows that those settled in two vague but quite distinct groups.

The first emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, which saw religious movements born for the majority in Anglo-Saxon countries [enraciner? coming from the same race? descendents?] from the French society. Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Pentecostals, Adventists, Baptists: all these movements resulting from the protesting world joined their dispute of the official doctrines of the Church to that already expressed by groups resulting from catholic mobility (Antoinistes, followers of the Christ of Montfavet).

The second wave breaks at the end of the years 1960, always coming from the United States, but marked by a greater oriental print on the one hand, esoteric or gnostic on the other hand. It is relevant to note inn particular the International Association of Krishna Consciousness (founded in 1966), Association for the Unification of World Christianity (AUCM, or Moon sect) and Soka Gakka•.

In accordance with the second current, one will cite the groups related to Rosicrucian brotherhood, the Church of Scientology or the anthroposophie [humanism?]. Other sects proposing of the total alternatives founded on ecology (Ecoovie), the belief in extraterrestrial (Movement ra‘lien), the techniques of meditation (Meditation transcendantale), even fraternity (New Acropolis) also make fast great strides.

These oriental and esoteric movements should not however make us forget the permanence, even the rise to power, of movements resulting from the Judeo-Christian trunk, which they are millenarists (Jehovah's Witnesses, nebula of the movements of the New Age) or [guŽrisseurs?] (Invitation with the Intense Life, IVI).

This evolution, traced rapidly, makes it possible to release a certain number of characteristics:

- increasing proliferation of these movements, relatively recent origin. No classification nor description can be regarded as final or satisfactory, so much of multiple movements mix the kinds or the influences previously definite: if the general information counts with a relative precision the movements being able to be qualified "sects", any enumeration on the matter incurs the reproach to be incomplete, because of its restrictive nature;

- the increasing part which plays in this movement the entirely new organizations of denominational origin proposing a total explanation of the world, to the detriment of the organizations being presented in the form of a secession, a schism of a Church previously established;

- evolution in the nature of the touched public. The Protestant movements of the first wave recruited their followers in relatively underpriviledged mediums, at the adult people, generally of the female sex. The organizations being developed after 1968 were characterized by the youth and the co-education of their public, resulting in general from the middle class.

Beyond these elements relating to the nature of the sects, one in general notes other common points which, without applying to the whole of the sects quoted above, are nevertheless characteristic of an evolution of their structures and topics developed by them: it is thus the way in which are perceived the sects which is deeply modified.

B) The structure of the sects

The majority of the sects, continuing in an evolution started long ago, are organized on a pyramidal model guaranteeing the exercise of the capacity to the profit of a person (the guru) and/or of a restricted elite.

Like all the pyramidal structures, they rest on a cut between the basic followers and the leaders, moderated by the existence of intermediate levels, of which the number is reduced as one progresses towards the node.

It is established between these various levels of the complex links of dependence, organizing the distribution of the roles, the knowledge, the capacity. Such a system guarantees the existence of effective filters restricting the access paths to the guru or the elite, protected from the base by their insulation and the symbolic system to be able to them.

Reciprocally, the followers are rewarded for their fidelity by a progression within the sect, materialized by obtaining ranks and diplomas, even by more material benefit. The passage at a higher level is often the occasion of an initiatory ceremony.

Still it is advisable to stress that, in many movements, there coexist several types of pyramidal structures relating to the [cultuelle?] organization of teaching, of the administrative and financial services: this proliferation of the structures still rigidifies the described organization.

c) Topics Developed by the Sects

With the difference of the topics developed by the schismatic organizations of established Churches, which concentrate on a certain number of criticisms and alternative proposals of a religious nature, the speech held by new the sects makes a broad place with the individual improvement, preferred with the collective action or layman.

It is in this spirit that are generally promoted the topics of the personal example, of proselytism. For this reason is often preached, in various forms, a certain asceticism being characterized by the abstention from a certain number of practices (consumption of tobacco and alcohol), the promotion of new food or sexual practices, even the reduction of the time of the sleep.

To the extreme, such an asceticism can lead to the rupture with the former relations, with work for the partial or exclusive benefit of the sect, even with the conjugal life. Such an attitude of return on oneself or a restricted group is in contradiction with any external engagement with the sect.

It is conceived that the considerable evolution of nature, the structures, the topics developed by the sects modifies considerably the way in which they are perceived.

d) The Perception of the Sectarian Phenomenon

Whereas until the beginning of the years 1970, the warnings against the sects were before all the fact of the Churches, which were located in a resolutely theological and pastoral logic, overflows of certain organizations, the real or supposed confrontations with law and order or the personal freedoms contributed to a brutal modification in the way in which they are perceived.

This phenomenon resulted in the constitution of associations of defense (Center Roger Ikor, UNADFI in France) and the development of a relatively significant legal dispute. The gravity of the criminal intrigues of certain sects (attacks, collective suicides, assassinations) has rightly moved the media and the public opinion.

Source: J.P. MORIN - Futuribles - November 1994 - Table supplemented for events after 1994.

If it is advisable not to over-estimate the risks that occur in France of such overflows, an increased vigilance is essential.

And if the media's focus on extremely alarming trends should not result in covering all sects with the same reproach, it does not have either, while putting in "value" of the extreme minority groups, to result in underestimating the risks which the broader movements pose to their followers, a danger much more considerable although - and at the same time, because - it is much less obvious.

This remark is all the more significant since one can today count a certain number of indices which makes one think - and fear - that the sectarian phenomenon has considerable potentialities of development.

2.- Factors of Potential Expansion

Two principal factors make it possible to advance the idea of a potential expansion of the sectarian phenomenon: the sects have indeed today powerful financial means powerful, put at the service of their active proselytism; especially, they meet significant needs, although expressed in a diffuse way.

a) The response to significant needs

It would be false to present the development of the sectarian phenomenon as being reduced exclusively to handling fragile personalities by coercive groups by the application of tested psychological techniques.

Such an explanation would be singularly reducing of an extremely complex phenomenon. The Commission could note that the sectarian phenomenon was on the contrary [indissociablement?] related to the existence of a request, needs which do not find an other means of being satisfied.

A doctor heard by the Commission, not very suspect of kindness with regard to the sectarian phenomenon, thus insisted on the complexity of dialectical between supply and demand in this field: "you meet the best and the worst in the sects (...). Sometimes, by means of the sects, of some people find a sense of belonging to a warm and friendly group, others find again a direction for their lives, others still are structured. Among my patients, some entered sects. I would not want for them to come out of there for anything in the world, because the sect is used by them temporarily as a tutor. Of course, that does not legitimize the whole of the phenomenon, but that is to say that there are very positive aspects. If that is not understood, the success of the sects will not be better understood. Our contemporaries are not imbeciles. If they are drawn by hundreds of thousands to these movements, it is because they have reasons and especially that they find answers there (...)"

The emergence of new spiritual needs results from the conjunction of a certain number of known factors, which will be recalled here only for memory.

It is certain that the dispute of the productivism, the collapse of the political ideologies, the questionings of science, the materialism, the continuous decline of the "traditional" religions strongly called into question the model on which the Western societies had developed since the 19th century.

This shock of the traditional beliefs and the great principles of social organization caused a number of disappointments, frustrations, attempts at redefinition. The uncertainty of the future consequently contributed to the multiplication of the groups proposing a total explanation of the Man, new religiosities.

This return of the religious or, more precisely, of the spiritual, paradoxically did not profit with the traditional Churches - and more particularly in France with the Catholic Church, always confronted with a continuous fall of the religious practice and vocations.

It was obviously not the role of the Commission to stick to a thorough study of this phenomenon. No one however, even within the Catholic Church, seeks to deny the shift between waitings of faithful or old faithful and the speech held by the Church sometimes, even if this one tries to release its responsibility by showing the contemporary mentality, which aims to "immediate satisfaction and material comfort, sets up 'absolute freedom' libertŽ in absolu', without reference to the Truth and different values than those 'of the individual, medium and group.' The new forms of religiosity, the development of the sects reveal the gaps of 'practical atheism' which develops everywhere in Europe." (conclusions of the East-West Synod, 1991)

From the whole of these evolutions there has resulted a certain spiritual spontaneousness: the belief is lived today in a relatively libertarian way, in any case out of the traditional institutions.

It is on this compost favorable to the blossoming of new religious movements that the economic crisis and the upheaval of the family structures intervened.

The Vivien Report already noted "aspirations to more family happiness or to more emotional abundance and completeness than preexistent at the entry into a sect and that in spite of the appearance of harmonious family relations." The entry into a sect often represents a sedentary response to the expression of emotional or user-friendly needs which are not satisfied within the family or work framework.

Lastly, the individualism of the years 1980 caused a current preaching of personal transformation, the improvement of the capacities of each one. It is rare that this topic is not exploited by sectarian associations. One of the persons heard thus told the Commission, "it is true that if one mobilizes oneself, one increases one's capacities. The light functional disorders - small evils of belly, of head or rheumatisms - disappear for little that one has a strong motivation. The sects thus obtain results. It is true that one increases his capacities, it is true that if one mobilizes oneself around anything, even the worship of beet, one can become better, more extremely, more effective and more dynamic (...). We all are tempted to develop our potential. Who among us would not be? (...). the people are drawn to the sects because they do not find any more in the world that we built the reference marks to them, the means of mobilization, he credibility of the apparatuses. Of course, we are heavily responsible. One does not catch flies with vinegar. People need ideals. One enters a sect above all by ideal. One should not be mistaken. The sects handle a set language which one does not dare even any more to practise elsewhere!."

One will deliver finally the testimony of a former follower of a sect, particularly revealing of the reasons which can push individuals to be approved by such structures: "First of all, I believe that there is this evil of the century, this evil of living which is increasingly present. The family unit is often burst, the father in particular is often missing or, on the contrary, too present, by his violence for example. Through a sect, one seeks a family, a father on loan, an authority, a model which was missing to us. Day at the following day, one finds oneself with two hundreds, three hundred friends, who will receive you, who will accomodate you. You are covered. You will be heard. You feel in confidence.

The people who enter the sects are often idealists, people whoseek perfection, not always, but partly.

Personally, the family bursting, the idealistic desire pushed me.

The guru said to us: "The world goes bad." It is enough to watch television for an hour of information to be convinced some. There are wars, diseases, problems everywhere. The world goes bad. What can one do on a purely individual basis to test which it is better? This is what the guru proposed to us.

Did we want to improve the situation of the ground, planet, others? 'Start with yourself, start with you to transform and you will transform the world.' I believed in it. I changed to transform the world."

It is thus conceived that the vision of the world proposed by the sects allures a growing number of individuals in all the layers of the French population.

The assumption of a preexistent given profile at the entry into a sect and thus predisposing there, today is largely beaten in breach. Many studies showed that the psychological profile of the followers of the new religious groups is in a normal zone, even if the existence of a depressive episode seems a factor favorable to attraction to a sectarian group. As raised it the Vivien report, "even if one cannot conclude on the existence or not from a sectarian profile of customers, it seems that acute difficulties or sufferings, however, constitute a favorable compost."

It should in addition be announced that the topic of the individual improvement attracted towards the sects customers which were until recently inaccessible for them: that of the students (seeking to increase their performances for the success with an examination...), intellectual elites, and in particular scientists.

Many interlocutors of the Commission tried to explain this phenomenon by the difficulty for certain scientists of supporting the idea of doubt, and, consequently, by their attraction to movements proposing total explanations. In addition, the intellectuals for the majority are convinced of their capacity to resist the suggestive techniques of the sects: "Who more than an intellectual is certain not to be manipulated? The man in the street will be wary, but the intellectual will say: "I am not manipulable." The vulnerability of the elites precisely lies in their certainty that they will not be easy to manipulate."

It results from the preceding developments that it is particularly difficult - not to say impossible - to define a profile of the followers of the sects which is different from that of the general population.

Some tendencies can nevertheless be released:

- the followers come mainly from the middle class and easy of the society, much more rarely of the modest classes, which is partly explained by the wish of the sects to meet a "solvent" public;

- if the age of the followers is extremely variable, two groups seem to dominate: that of the young adults (25 - 35 years), in the Oriental, gnostic, or New Age sects, that of the people of 50 - 60 years in the groups of prayer or cure;

- adhesion with the sect often represents a response to social conflicts or family with which the future follower is confronted.

In the same spirit, it should be noted that the Church of Scientology specified to the Commission that "its followers belong to all the social categories. They are mainly socially integrated and mature people since their average age is 35 years."

B) Increasingly Sophisticated Recruitment Techniques

The recruitment techniques of of sects are largely known today. They are not based in any manner on a coercive process, unlike certain methods that are employed when the follower is better integrated within the sectarian structure, and which lead to practices of "collecting of express consent," as it hereafter will be seen. The characteristics of the methods of recruitment used by the sects explains the paradoxical situation of the new member of a sect who is a willing victim.

The recruitment techniques of the sects are pressed on a very great diversity of topics and instruments; the psychological steps of the future followers is better known today.

The topics of propaganda used by the sects are extremely varied. One will mention, in addition to the religious topics:

The instruments of propaganda used by sects are extremely varied: canvassing in the street or in residence, diffusion of newspapers, publicity by way of display or press, conferences, cycles of formation.

Whatever the topics and instruments used by the sects, the psychological steps of the future follower seems better known today.

As Dr. Jean-Marie Abgrall (author of The Captive Brain) indicates, "the recruitment of a follower passes by three phases, from which adhesion will be obtained gradually, at the same time as appears a form of intellectual and emotional dependence. In turn, the new follower will be allured, persuaded then fascinated by the sect and his member recruiters."

The first phase of recruitment is obviously that of seduction. It aims at proposing a tempting alternative to the difficulties of everyday life. It is rare that the future followers present themselves spontaneously to a sectarian structure: the first contacts generally take place on the initiative of the sect recruiting agents, themselves measured by the effectiveness of their proselytism.

The principle of seduction wants that the first contact is intended to support the process of identification between the recruiter and recruited. This identification rests on a certain number of criteria making it possible for the potential follower to perceive a similarity between himself and its interlocutor. This feeling can be obtained by resemblances of attitude, the systematic approval of the cogency of the questions expressed by the future follower. The success of this phase of seduction is of course largely conditional on the type of audience in which the recruiting will take place, and thus that of place of meeting, which is in general given according to their density of frequentation. Dr. Abgrall specifies thus that "door-to-door sales" (typical of Jehovah's Witnesses) will use canvassers in family (father, mother, child, or supposed such), the family recruiting being often illusory and made up without real family links. The "young framework dynamic" of the Scientologists will be more appropriate for canvassing in university cities, health clubs, or outdoor cafes (...). Who cannot recognize the young Mormon evangelists, with the close-cropped cut hair, the eternal navy blue blazer and the discrete club tie? How not to note the character good smart good but a little obsolete kind of the Jehovah's Witnesses?

All this has been the subject of deliberated choices, proceeding from a precise study of the image to transmit to others."

The feeling of identification is also obtained by the choice of the tools used for the initial contact: if the famous "personality test" of Church of Scientology can suggest that every passer-by appears somewhat [dŽsoeuvrŽ?], the organization of a cycle of conference on ancient civilization will lend itself more to the concerns of some students and history faculty than to that of a pupil of economics, while others will be more drawn by an initiation with technique of communication or of improvement of effectiveness... One will recall finally that the principle of seduction had been thoroughly used in its ultimate logic by David Mo•se, founder of the sect Children of God, who had clearly preached "pche par le flirt" [literally "fishing by the flirt"] or "missionary solicicitation" to recruit new followers, and whose movement was dissolved in 1978 for prostitution.

In any event, the recruiter must have a good capacity to perceive the framework of reference of his listener, his emotional components.

The second phase of recruitment, once the supposed links of sympathy are established, consists in persuading the future follower of the credibility of the speech. Lionel Bellanger (Persuasion, PUF, 1985) defines the "4 C's" of healthy persuasive communication: for a message to be persuasive while recognizing the supposed free will of the possible future convert, it is appropriate that this message is credible (it is necessary that it can be based on evidence), coherent (intrinsic absence of contradiction), consistent (continuity of the matter) and congruent (suitability between the delivered message and the expectations of the listener). The objective of the recruiter, in the field of proselytism, consists in making its listener gradually pass from the real world to that of beliefs, without triggering the phenomenon of final rejection. This progressive passage is obtained by fabrication (dressing-up of reality), simulation (credibilization of an erroneous message), dissimulation, calumny, ambiguity, all are techniques which make it possible to adapt to the expectations of the listener, to pass from persuasion to mystification. These techniques are not in themselves reprehensible; in any case, they form the basis for the actions of marketing of any kind and are not punishable by law. One of the personalities heard by the Commission thus presented the defense which could be called upon by the sects: "Everything is manipulation, one can't make anything of that. Business, politics, the process of love, democratic discussion, publicity, television, all aim at manipulatining the people. In any event, one should not panic: everyone in the world manipulates everyone in the world."

It will be seen that the danger of the speech of persuasion used by the sects does not hold as well with the techniques used, as with the consequences of the adhesion to which they lead.

The last component of the step leading to adhesion is the fascination, generally obtained at the time of the meeting with the centerpiece of the sectarian dynamics (positive results with a test, assistance to a rite, meets guru, etc...), which will introduce the magic character into the relation between the future follower and the sect, will cause the irruption [bursting violently into] the symbolic universe of the sect and will lead to the will of engagement.

This quick overview of the dominant features of the techniques of recruitment used by sects shows the very particular character of the steps, which aim at obtaining the express assent of the future follower, and shows that the techniques implemented are not techniques of coercion but of persuasion: the follower is formally agreeing.

Several interlocutors of the Commission highlighted this paradox: the originality of the sectarian groups lies in the fact that, in particular during the process leading to adhesion, the victim is an actor [actor in the literal sense of one who acts, one who does, is not a passive victim]. A certain parallelism can be established with the stages of drug addicts: "We have controversies with the parents of drug addicts. Those think - in a certain way rightly - that without the horrible dealer their child would be an angel. They forget the nine tenths of the way which the unhappy child traversed, person in charge or not, but of his own will, to go into the arms of the aforesaid dealer. One should not exclude the voluntary share from the follower, who is not an imbecile that one would manipulate - it is you and me --, but (...) who went deliberately." Accordingly, the recruiters of the sects could be introduced as "dealers of transcendence." In this respect, an image used by a person heard by the Commission appears particularly ready to render the conscious character of the step of the future follower comprehensible: "the sects are not a net which falls down on people, but a bow net in which they go."

c) A Financial Power

It is undeniable that a certain number of sects have particularly significant financial means.

Lafayette Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, had proclaimed besides, not without cynicism, in his speech at Newark: "If one wants to really become a millionaire, the best means consists in founding one's own religion."

This fact is obviously recognized by the majority of the leaders of the sects heard by the Commission, even if they were very evasive concerning the exact budgets of their associations. An appreciation of those thus remains largely the concern of those which are opposed to the sects, and thus incurs the risk of being considerably overestimated. That being, if the sect estimates that the information which circulates is not in conformity with reality, the burden of proof is on them to make a clearer presentation of their financial means, which is very far from being the case. They have little reason to complain - which they however do not fail to do - about the lack of objectivity in the judgements related to their financial base.

The collective work of the Roger Ikor Center "The Sects, State Emergency" comprises much information making it possible to become aware of the true financial empire of which certain associations consist.

The cases of the Moon sect or Scientology are too known to be pointed out here.

CCMM notes, concerning Transcendental Meditation, that the right to initiation is attached to the quarter of the monthly wages, that the price of a course of Sidhi amounts to 40,000 F [$6,564.00].

The same source advances, for the Ra‘lien Movement, a contribution of 3% of the annual net income for admission to the French movement, of 7% for adhesion with the international movement, and of 10% for membership to the world government [geniocrat?].

The financial power of Soka Gakka• results, according to the same source, from the recent real estate investments of the sect (domaine des Forges ˆ Trets, ch‰teau des Roches ˆ Bivres) [(field of the Forging Mills at Trets, castle of the Rocks with Beavers)].

The importance of the sums concerned explains the strategy of many associations, which choose to be established in countries equipped with a "tolerant" tax legislation: thus it goes from there to the United States (where the first amendment with the Constitution is interpreted in an extremely liberal direction), many States of South America or former communist European countries.

The leaders of the sects heard by the Commission in general did not deny this financial power, going so far as, not without humor or cynicism, to affirm that their associations do not represent religions preaching poverty as a virtue.

They in general put forward:

- that their resources come from voluntary contributions versed by the faithful ones to compensate for certain services (religious or not), from the sale of publications, and financial gifts emanating from private individuals;

- that their accounts are approved by certified public accountant firms whose reputation is solid;

- that they are in compliance with the tax authorities, having generally accepted the rectifications imposed by the administration.

Certain leaders even go so far as to recognize the particular links linking them with companies. In the written contribution deposited before the Commission by the Church of Scientology of Paris, one can thus read: "Moreover, like any citizen, certain scientologists work in the business world and for this reason direct private companies. It sometimes happens that they support the Church by financial gifts but this is not in any way an obligation. It is with the discretion of the person.

Lastly, there is a structure called WISE, the purpose of which is to gather companies having decided to employ the management technology of Mr. Hubbard and to create a business world where greater ethics reign."

As for the former followers, of which the Commission heard a certain number, it arises in their testimonies:

- that the amount of the contributions largely exceeds the rendered services... and the means of the followers, who are often brought to pour a great part of their incomes into the sects, to be even involved in debt in proportions that are difficult to imagine;

- that the voluntary character of these contributions can often be prone to guarantee, so great is the state of dependence of the givers with regard to the sect that it leads them to question themselves about the permanence of their free will;

- that the way of life of the leaders allows one to presume sometimes that the well understood interests of these seems to come before the officially declared religious goals of their association.

Such a situation does not leave by worrying: indeed, associations assign significant means to proselytism and in addition set up legal structures enabling them to increase the means of which they could profit.

Indeed, it was based upon a strict interpretation of the religious character of the associations which constitute the diverse religious movements and philosophies that the Council of State until now refused from some of them the benefit of the possibility of receiving gifts and legacy.

The decree Association Fraternity of the Servants of the New World (EC, 21/01/1983) thus confirms the legality of a decree of the Prime Minister, rejecting the administrative recourse of the association against a prefectoral decree which refused the authorization to accept a legacy because "to admit even that the association (...) has also as an aim the exercise of a worship, is to condone its creation of editions and its diffusion of doctrinal publications: since (...) it does not have such an object exclusively, that consequently it is unfounded to sustain that the attacked decree wrongly confirmed the prefectoral decision refusing the authorization to receive a legacy."

In a case of the same kind (Cultuelle [? worship in French = culte. My guess is that cultuelle means worshipful or religious. I will use this, but it is just a guess.] Association of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Paris, EC, 29/10/1990), the Council of State, without proposing the existence of a commercial activity as in the former case, confirms the rejection of the request of association: "Considering that under article 2 of its statutes... the purpose of the Religious Association of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Paris is in particular to "to promote the spiritual, educational, social, and cultural life of the Armenian community," that the applicant association cannot, consequently, be viewed as having for an exclusive goal the exercise of worship..."

It is for all of these reasons that a certain number of associations chose to distinguish several poles within their activities, while separating in particular from their exclusively religious activities, carried on within religious associations, their commercial activities (publishing, bookshop) carried out within limited liability companies.

Such a change, moreover perfectly legal, cannot however miss worrying, the majority of associations clearly displaying (and one cannot, from only a legal point of view, reproach their viewpoint) their will to assign to the expansion of their movement a big part of their financial means: all the leaders of the sects heard by the Commission affirmed the vocation of their association to develop and spread their beliefs by proselytism.

The importance from the means available to a certain number of sectarian associations, to which the documents given to the Members of the Commission testify in particular of the luxury of their activities, incontestably comes to reinforce the capacity of attraction of the sects and to augment the effectiveness of the recruitment techniques used.

II.- A MULTIFORM PHENOMENON WITH COMPLEX EFFECTS

A.- A DIVERSIFIED PHENOMENON

It is particularly difficult to draw a complete picture of the sectarian phenomenon in France, because of the extreme diversity of the movements which make it up.

The report of Mr. Alain Vivien divided, in 1982, the 116 sects listed into three categories: Eastern [or Oriental], syncretic and esoteric, racist and fascist.

General Information recently adopted a step which makes it possible to refine the analysis considerably. We will explain the method adopted by the DCRG and the principal results of its study, such as they were communicated at the request of your commission.

1.- Method adopted by General Information

The step followed by General Information consists in attaching each movement studied to a "family" of thought or practice. Thirteen qualifiers were retained to carry out the classification, that it is appropriate, for the clarity of the analysis, to briefly specify.

- Analysis of the criteria of doctrinal qualification of the sects

Gathered under this qualifier were the organizations claiming nŽo-spiritualistic current referring to the absolute as "energy-consciousness" and implementing various techniques to connect the follower with this absolute.

The New Age doctrines, popularized by a great number of authors, rest on the idea that the world is about to enter a new era, that of Aquarius, corresponding to a new spiritual awakening and marked by profound changes. They are thus based on a millenarism for the year 2000 (the millenium is the thousand years reign awaited before the day of the Last Judgement)./P>

The holders of these doctrines often aim to define the destined new world religion, according to them, to replace the Christian religions of the Era of the Fish which supplanted the mosaic religions (Era of the Ram) and Babylonian religions (that of the Bull).

As the dictionary of religions indicates, these doctrines are based on a certain number of convictions, among which are "reincarnation and the law of karma. The spiritual achievement as the objective of individual existence, and awakening with a planetary consciousness as the objective of collective existence, the divine nature of the interior consciousness, and the role of the body as a place of cosmic integration, an anthropology making place with the subtle, etheric, astral body; and a cosmology making place with the angels and the spirits, belief in a cosmic Christ animating the universe as a subtle energy, and in the existence of Christic embodiments, such as Jesus, coming periodically to guide humanity towards its spiritual destiny."

They in general propose an organization different from the economic circuits, mode of production, world trade, human reports.

The Humana France movement (schools TVIND) thus has as doctrines humanitarian aid (primarily devoted to the victims of famine, war, disease, catastrophes), assistance with promotion of projects in the Third World and studies aiming at contributing to research on the causes of poverty and suffering.

The Humanistic Movement, founded in 1969 by Argentinian Mario Rodriguez Cobos, known as Silo, is based on the ideology of silo•sm, having for itself the goal of eradicating violence and personal suffering by means of personal development and social transformation. This movement is centered on solidarity, non-violence activity, non-discrimination, fight against the monopolies, co-operatives, and self-management.

Gathered under these two qualifiers are movements which, while referring to the Christian tradition (Protestant in a case, Catholic in the other) are joined together around people (pastors, former priests) who develop a guru attitude. In the case of the "pseudo-catholic" groups, their doctrines are generally so far away from the theology of the Church that they are excluded from its communion.

Among the most active evangelic groups , one can in particular list the Universal Alliance, the Evangelic Church of Pentecost of Besancon, the Family (ex Children of God) and, of course, the Moon sect.

The Moon sect (Association for the Unification of World Christianity) professes the failure of Jesus, his poor death and without having been able to create a perfect family. It is allocated to the reverend Moon to create this family, in accordance with the wish even of Jesus Christ, who appeared to him in 1936. For the achievement of this objective, the reverend must in particular acquire an economic power which enables him to overcome Satan. This organization is very representative of the pure evangelic movements.

Among the most active pseudo-Catholic movements, one will mention Invitation to the Intense Life (cf will infra), and Family Propriety Traditions [TFP], related to the association "Future of the Culture."

The objective of TFP is to restore Christian civilization (campaigns of Future of the Culture against the Blue message service, distribution of condoms, campaigns of TFP against [les fils? the threads? possibly movies?] I greet you Marie, or the Temptation of Christ) but also to fight against land reform in Brazil (the founder of TFP is Brazilian Plinio Correa de Oliveira), against socialism and to restore monarchy.

They all predict a forthcoming world cataclysm (such as those already announced by the Jehovah's Witnesses with four repetitions for 1874, 1914, 1925 and 1975), while referring either to the Apocalypse of Saint John [Revelation], or with Hinduist doctrines of cycles.

Whereas from the Christian point of view, the pagan ones are the members of the people who have not been reached by Christian preaching or who have refused it, the concept of nŽo-paganism returns, with that of men referring to other gods than that of the Bible.

The "neo-pagan" movements generally refer to Celtic or Scandinavian mythologies, even to animism.

One will quote, for France, three movements professing such doctrines: the Monastic Order of Avallon, the Suicide of Banks [as in river banks] and Key of the Universe.

These movements have as a common point the return to a worship of the "Adversary" of Biblical tradition, Satan, in a plentiful demonology.

Arising from this current are the following movements: Azazel Institute, the Initiatory Circle of the Western Unicorn, the Luciferian Philosophical Church, and the Crosses of the New Babylon.

One can define "curing" theories as those professing a mode of cure not recognized by current medical science.

The degree of danger of these theories varies according to how much they supplement or replace more scientific techniques and the degree to which they involve or do not involve interactions with active substances prescribed by doctors.

The curing movements are extremely varied.

One of oldest is the Antoinist religion, founded by Louis Antoine at the end of the last century. The concept of disease is denied, just as is that of death (belief in the reincarnation): it is intelligence which creates suffering, it is only faith in and of itself which removes it, and not the intervention of health professionals.

The movement HUE France (French branch of the Institute for Human and Universal Energy Reseach, Inc. - IHUERI) is connected with the more New Age or Eastern trends. The therapy suggested consists of "injecting universal energy into the organism of the patient (...) by freeing the channels of energy," thanks to an action consisting of keeping chakras open. All pathologies are covered by the techniques of the IHUERI.

More recent and of Catholic appearance, the group Invitation to Intense Life (IVI) was founded in 1977 by Yvonne Trubert. The doctrines, founded on the assertion of the beneficial character of certain "harmonizations" and "vibrations", borrow from multiple theories, including medical ones.

It should be noted that the curing movements recruit, in considerable proportions, from among health, medical or paramedical professionals, which one of the interlocutors of the Commission explained in the following way: "Today, many [m- (I assume "m" is an abbreviation for a doctor or nurse or some sort of health professional)] it is not me which will give an opinion - it is traditional. They thus seek new ways in the [ms (another abbreviation for a medical title? or perhaps an abbreviation for medical science?)] that one sees flowering: [mn (abbreviation for medical title?)] particular [m (abbreviation for medical title?)] yes [‚æ (abbreviation for medical title?)] I have found are in the train of newcomers thus has the guarantee of his [confrante?], I was going to say on a scientific level. It enters so the sect, it [y dle?]. All the gurus of which I have knowledge!"

One gathers under this referring qualifier an extreme diversity of movements, while canting them, with the religions and doctrines of Eastern metaphysics, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism.

One can include in this trend the Association Sri Chinmoy of Paris, the Center of Mahatayma Meditation, the French Federation for Krishna Consciousness, Maha Shakti Maudir, the Snimi Atmananda Afma Bodha Satsanga Mission , Shi RAM Chandra Mission, and, of course, Soka Gakka•.

Soka Gakka• claims to teach (in spite of the schism of 1990 with Nichiren Sh™shž) the doctrines of Nichiren, a Buddhist monk of the 13th century who professed a nationalist and intolerant version of Buddhism. The access to peace and happiness is guaranteed to the faithful one who respects a certain number of practices, among which are the gonkyo recitation of certain chapters of Sžtra of the Lotus, the da•moku recitation of the crowned formula of worship, the devotion with the mandala, roller where was registered this invocation. Soka Gakka• poses as a universal religion, which will unify Buddhism and society.

By occultism one indicates the belief in the existence and the effectiveness of practices (the Robert dictionary evokes in particular alchemy, astrology, cartomancy, chiromancy, divination, magic, necromancy, dowsing, telepathy) which are recognized neither by religions, nor by science, and require a particular initiation.

Whereas esotericism postulates the existence of a paramount tradition of Man which would not have been revealed to him and which can be known only by teaching, occultism is the search for initiatory magic capacities. There are nevertheless innumerable links between the two trends which authorize some discussion of the esotero-occultism trend.

For those, Man is formed of three principles (the physical one, the astral one, and the divine one) whose balance was broken, and that it is advisable to restore by initiation, which makes it possible to restore a link between the visible one and the invisible one, what one perceives and what escapes the senses.

Relevant to this trend of most varied practices are: the methodical ontology movement Culture and Tradition, Association New Acropolis France (ANAF), the Rosicrucian brotherhood [la Rose-Croix d'Or, literally the Rose-Cross of Gold], and the Order of Scientific Scribes and of Initiatory Mysteries.

Also relevant is the Solar Temple Command, founded in 1984 by Luc Jouret and whose activities tragically ended on October 5, 1994 (massacres of Morin Heights and Freiburg, in Canada and in Switzerland).

The "Psychoanalytical" Movements

Difficult to define, the "psychoanalytical" movement develops various parapsychologic techniques applied to cure various unconscious traumas.

The Faculty of Parapsychology, the Family of Nazareth (founded on the teaching of existential psychology, confusing the roles of psychotherapist and spiritual Master) are representatives of this movement, of which the Church of Scientology is, however, the dominant element.

A publication of the association, published at the time of the fortieth anniversary of the movement, presents the doctrines of Scientology thusly:

" Scientology includes a whole of knowledge which comes from certain fundamental truths. Among the first of these truths are the following ones:

Man is a spiritual and immortal being.

His experience goes well beyond the duration of one life.

His capacities are unlimited even if they are not carried out in the present.

Moreover, Scientology considers that man is basically good and that his spiritual safety depends on himself and of its similar as well as achievement of his brotherhood with the universe. Thus, Scientology is a religious philosophy in the profoundest sense of the term, because it is concerned with complete rehabilitation of the innate spiritual identity of man - his aptitudes, his state of consciousness and the certainty of his own immortality. Moreover, since the religion is interested in the spirit compared to itself, with the universe and the other forms of life, and is primarily the belief in spiritual beings, Scientology follows a religious tradition which goes as least as far back in time as humanity. And yet, what Scientology represents is altogether new. Its religious technology is new, its ecclesiastical organization is new, and its significance for the man of 20th century is entirely new (...).

The first means of applying the fundamental truths of Scientology to the rehabilitation of the human spirit is called hearing. It is the central practice of Scientology and it is managed by an auditor, of Latin audire, "that which listens". (...).

The auditors of Scientology are aided individually to achieve this goal by their being made to examine their existence by means of a series of stages carefully conceived by Ron Hubbard. While following this gradual process, these people can improve their capacity to face things so that they are and with their environment - while withdrawing one by one the layers of experience which oppress them so heavily.

Audition is thus not a thing to which a person submits. One can benefit only by means of active participation and good communication.

The use of the electropsychometer, or electrometer, by auditors is specific to the religion of Scientology and a one of a kind revolution in the field of spiritual development. The auditors use the electrometer to help locate the zones of distress or spiritual suffering which exist below the current level of consciousness of the person. When these painful zones are highlighted, the person can then examine them without the subjective influences which accompany the practices of spiritual consultants of the other religions.

Ron Hubbard developed the electrometer by knowing that the spirit retains mental images, true recordings of last experiences. These images contain energy and mass. When a person looks at one of these mental images or thinks of something, the electrometer records with precision the changes which this mental mass and this energy undergo (...)

Dianetics has announced the discovery of a part hitherto unknown and harmful to the mind, a part which contains many recordings of experiences of pain and unconsciousness, in the form of mental images. Those are below a person's level of consciousness and their unit composes what is called the reactive mind - the source of all fears, emotions, pain and undesirable psychosomatic diseases . Step by step, audition acts on the reactive mind until its contents are revealed and its harmful effects on the individual are removed. When that has occurred one reaches a new state of being which is called in Scientology a state of Clear. The fundamental personality of a person, his artistic aptitudes, his personal force and iss individual character, kindness, honesty which are inherent for him are restored.

Clear is a new state for the man, but the Bridge leads him to summits of even higher spiritual freedom . Beyond the state of Clear appear the levels of Operating Thetan (OT). The thetan is to be spiritually immortal, the individual himself, not his body neither his mind, nor anything of other. It is not a question of what he has, but of what he is, a state of things which appears clearly on these higher levels.

The state of Clear aims to eliminate that which does not belong inherently to the spiritual being himself. The goal of Operating Thetan is to overcome the sufferings of existence and to find the certainty and aptitudes of his first spiritual state of being. At this level, he knows that he is well separated from material things such as the physical form and physical universe (...)

Another fundamental practice of the religion of Scientology is the formation or drive [there may be technical Scientology terms for these two words; I could not find them] - the study of the principles of Scientology. The religion of Scientology offers many courses of drive because a person can, as has been said, can put the truths discovered in Scientology to use himself of the to improve the conditions of each field of life. That said, the most significant courses of drive are those which make it possible to become an auditor. This is because the first principle for all the courses is that Scientology is an applied religious philosophy, and all drive depends on application.

The path used by the scientologist who receives audition and studies the writings of Scientology is called the Bridge. This gives body to an old concept - a way imagined for a long time which connects the existing abyss between the current state of man and the much higher levels of consciousness. The Bridge is composed of gradual stages so that the acquired benefits are progressive, foreseeable and apparent (...)

Here is thus the essence of Scientology: The Bridge, audition and drive; and those take place each day of the year in all the churches of Scientology in the whole world. The mission of Scientology is neither more nor less than the rehabilitation of the human spirit. And four decades after the founding of the Church, it is this aptitude to achieve this goal which goes back to the night of times which makes that more and more men and women of all environments and cultures turn to Scientology."

The UFO [Outerspace, Extraterrestrial] Movements

UFO-ology is a belief in a plurality of inhabited worlds and in the reality of visitors from space; in other words, it postulates the existence of extraterrestrials.

The best known association of this trend is without question the Ra‘lien movement.

The Ra‘lien movement was founded in 1975 by Claude Vorilhon. He would have been contacted in 1973 by the president of the council of Eternal ones so that he spreads, as a prophet, the new atheistic religion. This religion is based on the belief of the existence of Elohim, inhabitants of a planet located nine billion kilometers away and scientific creators of all forms of life on earth. Those would have revealed to him the true significance of the events reported in the Bible (the whale of Jonah was an atomic submarine, the tower of Babel a space rocket) and inspired its message, based on the questioning of the democratic system to the profit of the "geniocraty," the hierarchy of human races and the promotion of eugenic values . "Sensual meditation," which makes it possible to reach a cosmic orgasm, constitutes one of the practices preached by Ra‘liens, always in search of a place - and resources - favourable for the construction of an embassy where Elohim will come to make official contact with man.

Syncretic movements

Gathered under the term "syncretic" is a heterogeneous whole of movements presenting a synthesis between various religions, including primitives, even between the Eastern and Western traditions.

This trend includes extremely varied movements, such as the domain of Ephse, Seimeikyo Europe, and the Association of Meditation in France.

The two associations which gather the greatest number of followers are undoubtedly the Knights of the Gold Lotus and the Universal White Fraternity.

Founded by Omraam Mikha‘l A•vanhov in 1947, the latter is presented in the form of an initiatory school proposing a syncretic esotericism, based on the worship of the Sun, the laws of karma, and "spiritual galvanoplasty