Image
Miviludes is an official governmental body created to fight against abuses by sects. In reality, it is nothing more than a group of French right wing establishment catholics in disguise trying to monopolise all religious and moral space in France.

The latest battle that has sparked this article concerns a recent report by Miviludes concerning 'apocalytic' sects that forecast the end of the world.

Here is Miviludes' definition of how to define a sect

- Mental destablization ;
- Exhorbitant financial demands ;
- Break with original environment ;
- Attacks on physical integrity ;
- Recruiting of children, anti social discourse, public disorder ;
- Number and importance of judiciary 'skirmishes' ;
- Diversion of money from traditional economic circuits;
- Infiltration of public institutions.

And how to recognize a sect's activities

- Adoption of special terms only used by the group;
- Change in eating habits;
- Refuse medical care;
- Break with family and/or social peers;
- Exclusive committment to the sect;
- Absolute submission to the group and its leaders;
- Loss of critical mind with answers to all existential questions.

If we were to apply these criteria impartially, most of them would logically include the Catholic Church to which many Miviludes' supporters undoubtedly belong.

It is interesting to note that a list of dangerous sects that appear on another famous French 'info-sect' site is followed by the following banner with a quote from the Bible, 2, Corinthiens, 11.13

Image
Other criteria, such as "economic circuits" above are simply geared to maintaining the status quo and smack of right wing Catholic politics and political liberalism.

Milivudes has also started to attack other groups outside of France and immediately clashed with more tolerant Protestant anglo-saxon values.
Criticism of the Miviludes is fierce, and, since the organisation began extending its activities to organisations outside of France, it has also been attacked by foreign government agencies such as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has in the past been highly sceptical about the motives of the Miviludes.

Yesterday (19 May 2009) saw the release of their 199-page Annual Report, of which ten pages are consecrated to a stinging criticism of the activity of sects and their supporters in the UN and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.) The OSCE is the biggest security-oriented intergovernmental organisation on the planet. Its job is to surveille and uphold principles such as fair elections, press freedom and human rights. It is an ad-hoc UN Agency.

Source and complete article: (Worldwide Religious News)
Finally, when it comes to what is certainly the most widespread abuse of vulnerable people in recent times by a religious group, Miviludes has absolutely nothing to say.

Image
© Miviludes
What a surprise !!!

See also CICNS against Miviludes (in French)