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UK Teen Cited For Calling Scientology a "Cult"

Posted by kdawson on from the what-it-is dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A 15-year-old in the UK is facing prosecution for using the word 'cult' to describe the Church of Scientology at an anti-Scientology demonstration in London earlier this month. According to the City of London police at the scene, the teen was violating the Public Order Act, which 'prohibits signs which have representations or words which are threatening, abusive or insulting.' There's a video of the teen receiving the summons from the City of London police at the demonstration (starting about 1 minute in), and now he's asking for advice on how to handle the court case."

3 of 995 comments (clear)

  1. Re:This could be just what we needed by blind+biker · · Score: 1, Redundant

    That's a straw man argument (i.e. designed to derail the conversation), because Catholics, Anglicans, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists (you have members of all those religions in the police in the US) are not members of a cult that also resembles a criminal organization. However, the great majority of Slashdot patrons are way more sophisticated than that and will see through your puny attempt.

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
  2. Re:Whats the difference? by J_Omega · · Score: 0, Redundant

    A cult is a small, unpopular religion.
    A religion is a large, popular cult.

    (credit for the above goes to someone else.)

  3. The Late Dr. Gene Scott said by LM741N · · Score: 0, Redundant

    that "the only difference between a cult and a religion is that one has more members than the other." There you have it from a well known theologian.