Scientology on Trial

Here in the U.S., scientologists enjoy the legal protections afforded all religions. But in France, the Church of Scientology faces a bit more skepticism. The religion that believes—among other things—that disgruntled alien spirits are at the root of our anxieties, has long been accused of being a "money-making cult" in France. Now the church stands accused of duping several people into spending exorbitant amounts of money on books, "purification packs," and something called an "e-meter" that gauges a person's spiritual state. The prosecution also claims that the vitamins doled out by the scientologists should not have been freely sold. If the Church of Scientology loses the case, their Paris headquarters and bookstore will likely be closed.