In Bulletin No. 188 Info-RIES, edited by the Latin American Studies of Sects, we published the news about the law that enacted the province of Cordoba in Argentina about the cult phenomenon and the protection of victims, offering the full text of this law. The following is a review prepared by expert Mara Argentina Martinoli, head of the Advisory Grupodependientes (APG) of La Plata. And under article, we reproduce the fundamentals presented for discussion of the legislative action necessary to understand the background, as noted Martinoli.
feedback Cordoba Law
The intention of implementing this program will try to respond to address-as the proposed Act, the problem from two aspects: preventive, which would be realized through the achievement of social awareness, awareness, counseling and coordination of actions to achieve early detection "and" repair, which will be implemented through assistance to the victims of these groups. "
As stated in the Law, "is to highlight the difficulty in defining these groups," he demonstrates the ambiguity of future perspectives and then those groups which were introduced, we already know from their influence of power, prevent determine the scope of the "Assistance Programs victims of totalitarian religious groups and sects "Who is responsible for making a difference to integrate the categories? What victims and what type of groups attending the program if there is "difficulty" defined? How
state custody for their citizens if sectarian groups are registered in the Registry of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Argentina (only small sectarian groups, gurus or leaders are not "registered", perhaps unprofitable) and how if they are not religious and it is mind-control groups, self development, personal growth, successful achievements, Eastern practices, alternative medicines and all that the consumer consume?
On the other hand, if not I will criticize the ideas of the group why the law includes the investigation of ideologies and guidelines of the groups' emphasis on group behaviors that hurt society? For this, we need only enforce laws we already have.
consider helping "The fans eager to leave the group, shows us little information on the subject, as sectarian dependence is its inverse, the result of distortion affects desire displaced learned conditioned stimulus submitting to the desire of "others."
If the program is directed to assist victims, through interdisciplinary teams why the project was not previously considered by the Committee on Health? Does the probable traumatic stress disorder or dissociative disorder difficult to diagnose atypical, "is not an issue of community health and quality of life? Many former members
contained displaying their solidarity and many others do not even expect to be considered within the category (a way to avoid being stigmatized). Will we in search of alleged victims of coercive persuasion assumption that we will have "witnesses" of discomfort individual dependent on the belief that, in the generalization or particularization, as interpreted, can be considered destructive?
And in the case of Jehovah's Witnesses What will happen to the victims if the environment refuses to refuse life-saving transfusion? What if the situation worsens as a minor? There seems to be a very thin boundary between state intervention and respect for the belief, this limit is difficult to fix and also easy to overcome as experience shows that the group is not always presented as "sectarian" which manipulates .
On the one hand the "Fundamentals" of this Act continue to have "the sectarian" and that something quasi-permanent in everyday life and on the other hand, presents the "Program", yet undefined, as a solution within reach of the trigger sectarian, noting diachronic situations, omitting the reference to renowned international scholars speaking.
know that cults hide their goals under various disguises, infiltrating the social fabric with the most varied ways, including educational outreach programs (prevention of addictions, personal development and even psychological care centers).
Finally I wonder what will prevent Program that sectarian groups continue unfolding his power? If quality of life for our citizens to begin is to prevent the actions of many international groups and were classified as sects or cults destructive, that is not the same but they share the same objective: to gain more power social, institutional, political and economic.
Believing in freedom is a right, unquestionably, also a right to know what happens when pseudo-religious groups to "freely" damaging, because through the introduction of new beliefs can induce dependence. I dare ask these questions because they collaborated on the orientation of families affected by sectarian groups and it is time to consider what quality of life, personal and communal hope and need.
Fundamentals of Law
The emergence of different groups, which have been called, new religious movements, cults, totalitarian groups, psychological manipulation groups closely linked with social historical moment that led to its emergence, development and expansion. The space left by the great religions, the fall of totalitarian ideologies that tried to provide all the answers to man, the failure of modernity and rational arguments that have not been able to meet subsistence needs and welfare of large sectors of the population occurred in the past quarter century, a crisis of hope. So these groups are born with simplistic answers, magic and saving.
The problem does not arise by their doctrines and dogmas, no matter how strange they are. No question the ideas which are based on the groups analyzed, but its conflict with society, since some of these groups do not respect and systematically violate the human rights of individuals, using manipulative and unethical in their followers , causing the individual's loss of the notion of citizenship by adhering to a group that develops a clan opposed to the identity of the individual citizen which is part of society and, in society creates zones beyond the law. The laws of "guru" or higher in the group are reported to state law. Both were rejected science as scientific progress. This is ultimately a return to the parallel world (parallel medicine, education and alternative education, new economy, new urbanism, etc.) And a return to tradition biased.
This program addresses the problem from a social perspective, focusing on those group behaviors that hurt society that violate human rights and destroy the person who is captured by an organization., Regardless of ideology, age, popularity or number of members.
In recent times it is customary to speak of these groups in Argentina, but the truth is that we know little about them. It is worth noting the difficulty of defining these groups, this has meant that, in general, tend to find a phenomenological definition or conjunction of a number of features that would include sociological, psychological and religious and different currents , anthropological, psychological, sociological, have agreed to assign certain characteristics in common.
Any legal action against the phenomenon of "sect" enters a perverse and inseparable dichotomy between different manifestations of the right to freedom (religious, ideological and association) and the protective action of the State. In the background lies a highly sensitive matter and indefinable as the ability of social tolerance compared to the difference or the minority of religious practices, moral, ethical or spiritual. Therefore it is understood that government intervention is justified and necessary in cases in which these groups use techniques of coercive persuasion and mind control, which of course must be determined factually, turning into criminal techniques, either because they cause an injury to a legally protected or because their use include the aims of the group are criminal or using these techniques led to commit crimes.
The use of three factors: leader, power structure or relationship between the leader (or leaders) and followers, and thought reform, allow us to evaluate the sectarian nature of a specific group or situation regardless of belief system.
In Argentina, these groups are made public when former members or relatives of victims report the violations to their rights, their dignity as individuals, their fundamental freedoms. Remember the Children of God sect, in 1987 several sites were detected illegal sect banned in Argentina. The Court acted quickly and recovered several young men. The case of the Unification Church, better known as "Moonies", reported by fraud and embezzlement, money laundering, arms sales.
Justice acted on complaints made primarily by parents and relatives of such victims: Children of God, 1989-93; The 8 Queens 1990, Tradition, Family and Property, 1991, Cosmic Community Hamir, 1991; the possible link a group of saucer-Valentina de Andrade, the ritual death of a child in Brazil, 1992; problems in a garden infants by Ananda Marga, l993; School of Yoga in Buenos Aires, 1994, the newly appointed Master Love, accused of sexual abuse and corruption of minors.
Damage victims are not limited to the above, the domination, loss of identity and autonomy, its devastating effects in the field of personality, in which the sect represents the whole and there is no room for any signs individuality. Psychological coercion, as a technique for capturing and domination is manifested in the use of threats, fear, pressure. Exclusive loyalty to the sect practice involves dissolution of any relationship outside the group, so family and friends should be abandoned.
Michael Langone and psychologists Margaret Singer (1994) state that there are six types of psychological reactions that occur between the ex-followers: "Reaction majority", "reactive type schizoaffective psychosis," "posttraumatic stress disorder," "Disorders atypical dissociative, "" Anxiety-induced relaxation "and" Mixed reactions ", among which include anxiety, self-mutilation, phobias, suicide and homicide.
This is a problem of totalitarian groups that undermine civil rights and in many cases against the principles of democracy.
The Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or belief (11/25/1981), adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations, recalled that the freedom to manifest religion or belief had by limits laws "necessary to protect public safety, public order, health, morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others" (Article I Section 3). Also stressed that "the practices of a religion or belief in a child to be educated should not cause any injury or physical or mental health" (Art. 4, paragraph 5, refer to Article I mentioned).
The state is in a democratic system, the main guarantor of the observance of fundamental rights when these rights are violated or are at risk should be switched on automatically the mechanisms that defend them. In the first survey conducted in Argentina, in the province of Buenos Aires on the cult phenomenon prevailed in the population the idea that the state must act: is controlling its operation (34%), is cautioning the public about the danger they represent ( 32%) or directly by prohibiting their operation (22%). Only 7% the government should not act.
The central task of the state should be divided into information and prevention by the Executive and quick action by the Justice.
For all we request the approval of this bill. Signed
.: Nadia Fernandez - Maria Chiofalo
Source: Bulletin RIES Nero 190 - 25.feb.2011
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