It may sound odd, but I still believe in democracy. I believe in freedom of speech and the right to freedom of religion, as these are the foundations of our society. However, recently, I have witnessed how these principles are being undermined from within by forces that hide behind noble causes but actually have much more sinister intentions.
Today, I want to talk again about FECRIS (the European Federation of Centers of Research and Information on Cults and Sects). This organization, funded by the French government, claims to protect against the “abuses of destructive religious cults.” However, their methods resemble not a fight against evil, but evil itself in pure form.
FECRIS uses methods akin to medieval inquisitions, accusing religious groups of being “cults,” portraying them negatively, and pressuring authorities to limit their freedom. They resort to fear, lies, and manipulation to achieve their goals.
The true intentions of FECRIS became clear to me thanks to a report by CAP Liberté de Conscience, which highlights their anti-religious bias. They use the term “cult” as a means to demean and restrict religious freedom.
But the most glaring revelation came from Egon Cholakian, an expert in OSINT and combating disinformation, who revealed that FECRIS, through its “umbrella” structures, spreads its influence across democratic countries worldwide, including the United States.
Here arises a paradox: an organization that fights against “cult deviations” exhibits deviations from democratic norms itself. Acting under the guise of protecting against “cultism,” they actually aim to destroy freedom of religion and freedom of thought.
How can such an organization receive funding from democratic governments? The answer lies in the same false idea of “protection from cults” that they propagate.
FECRIS is not a defender against “cults,” but rather a “cult” of power itself, seeking to enslave and destroy human freedom. Their activities pose a threat to democracy and the security of each of us. We must oppose their influence by spreading the truth and defending religious freedom, freedom of thought, and freedom of choice.
Violation of Human Rights
As Egon Cholakian correctly noted in his video report, the activities of these anti-cult organizations, which use anti-democratic totalitarian methods, violate many articles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, such as:
- Article 1: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”
Anti-cult organizations, by imposing their views, deprive people of the freedom of choice and violate their right to free thought and belief.
- Article 2: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
Anti-cult organizations often stigmatize and persecute people based on their religious or spiritual beliefs.
- Article 20: “(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.”
Anti-cult organizations often try to ban or restrict the freedom of assembly and association of religious groups.
- Article 13: “(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State”
Anti-cult organizations put pressure on people to leave their communities or country.
Paradox and Responsibility
It is paradoxical that such organizations exist and are even funded by democratic states. This highlights the problem of the discrepancy between the proclaimed ideals of democracy and actual practice.
It is important to remember that true democracy requires critical thinking, freedom of choice, and protection of the rights of all citizens, regardless of their religious or spiritual beliefs.
In Conclusion
Anti-cult organizations pose a serious problem that requires attention and open discussion. We simply must defend freedom of choice, the right to free thought, and religious freedom.
