Hitler and Sect

French MP and Mayor Gilles Bourdouleix (member of the Union of Democrats and Independents), could not refrain from saying, in front of caravan of gypsies members of the Evangelical mission Vie et Lumière (Life and Light), on July in his town of Cholet: “For me, this mission is a sect“, “so maybe Hitler did no kill enough of them…”(1)

Such words by the MP and mayor, labelling « sect » an evangelical mission and adding this sentence ” so maybe Hitler did no kill enough of them …” are the result of the campaigns organized against religious minorities since 30 years.

A big night and IIIrd Reich

This is not the first time that such abuses take place against religious minorities, labelled as  « sects » by officials of the Republic.

On June 28 2006, for example, during the parliamentary debates about the establishment of an Enquiry commission on « sects and minors », MP Olivier Jardé stated:

« This is why, although no action, in this matter, can be definitive nor be enough to solve such a serious problem – one cannot, unfortunately, hope for a big night of sects, helping to settle the matter once and for all. » (2)

This hope for a « big night » is reminiscent of the darkest hours of our history.

In February 2008, Georges Fenech, president of the 2006 parliamentary inquiry commission on « sects », former president of Miviludes (2008 to 2012) and present president of the study group on « cults » in the National Assembly, drifted about the safety retention law.

Here is what was written in daily Progrès of Lyon on February 2, 2008:

To justify such a text, the former judge had explained that several democratic countries had similar laws, quoting in particular the “German set of laws”. “The measure of safety retention was introduced in the German Criminal Code in 1933, under the Republic of Weimar”, insisted Fenech. A speech condemned by Socialist Elisabeth Guigou. “This positivist philosophy lead to the worst outbreaks in Germany”, answered the former Minster of Justice. While Rachida Dati, the present Ministry of Justice, declared that she was “deeply shocked”. Daily Canard Enchaîné brings a precision that Georges Fenech did not mention: this German law was signed by the then Reich Chancellor, Adolf Hitler(3).

A black list in France

But all this started in 1995, with a list of 172 groups labelled as « sects » made by a parliamentary commission.

It is of interest to note that this idea of a list of « sects » published by a government sprouted for the first time in the mind of Nazis. On February 28 1933, the government of the Third Reich headed by Adolf Hitler established a list of « sects » forbidden on behalf of « protection of the people and the State ». Jehovah Witnesses, Anabaptists, Adventists of the seventh day, Bahaï’s and Pentecost churches belonged to the forbidden groups(4). Some of these groups were also included in the black list of the French Parliament.

The black list of the Parliamentary commission of 1995-has no legal value.

In a letter by the Minister of Interior (then Jean-Pierre Chevènement) dated March 10, 1998, he writes: « The parliamentary report of MM. Alain Gest and Guyard has no legal effect upon the State administrative action regarding what common language calls «  sects », these being, like all religions, simply ruled by the common law. » And this circular letter concludes that: « No group was ever classified as a « sect » by the Republic. »

 (1) More details on radio Europe 1: http://www.europe1.fr/Politique/Gens-du-voyage-un-elu-invoque-Hitler-1590425/

(2) http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/12/cri/2005-2006/20060255.asp

(3) http://www.coordiap.com/Document/6-lyonmag-fenech-surete.pdf

4) http://la-liste-noire.nouvelle-religion.fr/3.html

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