People all over the world have used to the thought that Church is the sacred place, that Church is aimed to help people, and that people should trust Church. Unfortunately, there are cases when Church begins to abuse its power and tries to make people to commit wrong actions. There are some cases when some “faiths” are not real, are not true. Church begins to commit illegally in these cases and there is a reason to go to the court. Tort Law is amen to maintain legality and people should fight for the truth and defend their rights.
Children are very easy to be influenced and some illegal organizations try to use it in their actions. The case we are going to consider is the case of parents of Rob Jr. v. the Church of the Divine Light, whether Rob Jr. and Bunny will be able to succeed in their causes of action against the Church of the Divine Light. We are going to consider which evidences are going to be the strongest and which are the weakest.
Illegal Imprisonment
People are free. Freedom is the main part of people’s life. Illegal imprisonment is the tort which is always used when criminals want something from their prisoners. Money is one of the main reasons why people provide illegal imprisonments
Element of tort
There was one more case, Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology, where the problem of cults’ influence on people’s minds was considered. This case is about children’s abuse when they had to commit some actions against their will. The same appears in the case with The Church of the Divine Light. (Ellis, 2008) Rob Jr. did not want to stay in the Church of the Divine Light but he was made to.
Element of tort
The fire of hell was the main aspect to frighten children. Children were forbidden to see their parents and all possible was done not to allow parents to see their children.
Mental Distress
One of the ways to override people, which criminals use, is the emotional and mental abuse. Relatives who want to take the imprisoned children will do all that criminals want. There is one more situation where people are suffered from spoiled reputation.
Elements of tort
The reputation in the society is protected by law and people who dare to spoil it should be punished. Parents’ reputation in the society was damaged by the actions of their son, which were influences by the Tom Marsden’s threats.
Elements of tort
The other reason which may be used in this case is the “compensation for the emotional suffering it caused them” (Snow, 2003, p. 117). The same evidences were used in the case of George v. International society for Krishna Consciousness. George v. International society for Krishna Consciousness case became the model for the cases of such nature (Wolfgang & Erikson, 1996).
The emotional suffering may also be confirmed by the witnesses or by doctors who treated parents from that emotional suffering.
Elements of tort
The boys did not know what they were doing. The members of the Church of the Divine Light committed brainstorming actions on them, they were frightened. It was the members of the Church of the Divine Light who made Rob Jr. and Bunny to write letters to their parents in order to get money. Money was their main concern. The Church of the Divine Light cared about nothing but money
Children were frightened and could not contradict the Church of the Divine Light. They were made to believe them. There is one more fact which may help to win the case is the emotional danger and suffering which were provided on children while their staying in the hands of the representatives of the Church of the Divine Light.
The evidences of parents are rather strong and to the point. They are proved and the representatives of the Church of the Divine Light will not be able to contradict them, so the case may be won. There is always a chance that the confronting side will present the facts or evidences which are also very strong and parents will not be able to refuse them.
The presented evidences will help us to win the cases. The court trials against cults are nor so rare nowadays. It is a great problem of modern society. People are told to believe in God and attend church as it is the only way for safe life, and there are some people who want to make a profit from people’s belief and devotion to God.
The problem of cults and wrong faith has always been a problem. People were afraid to come to the courts as were afraid to fail, but now they fight for their rights and in most cases they win. Several first cases were the most difficult ones but when they were won, the similar cases appeared in the courts (Cookson, 2003). We are going to win both these cases as the truth is on our side.
Reference List
- Cookson, C. (2003) Encyclopedia of religious freedom. Published by Taylor & Francis
- Ellis, J. K. (2006). Perfected Mind Control – The Unauthorized Black Book of Hypnotic Mind Control. Lulu.
- Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology 796 F.2d. 1076, 1986
- Snow L.R. (2003). Deadly cults: the crimes of true believers. Greenwood Publishing Group
- George v. International society for Krishna Consciousness case, 505 U.S. 672 (1992)
- Wolfgang, M. E., & Erikson, K. (1996). 7 Sociology and the New Religions: “Brainwashing,” the Courts, and Religious Freedom. In Witnessing for Sociology: Sociologists in Court.
- George v. International society for Krishna Consciousness case, 505 U.S. 672 (1992)