Germany has recently contemplated banning Scientology from the country stating that “the goals of Church of Scientology to be in conflict with the principles of the nation’s constitution.”

That’s pretty strong stuff. Those of you who read this site with regularity know that I’m not all that enthusiastic with religion and its affect on the population at large, but I draw a very bright line where someone’s individual choice about religion could be impaired by a state. Having been in and around Germany and Germans frequently over the past 20 years, I can say this sort of activity surprises me. If it were a little more targeted, aimed at keeping religious dogma from invading the government, that would be much more sensible. Church and State shouldn’t mix.

But that goes both ways, I don’t believe the State should ever be involved in someone’s personal choice about faith and/or religion. There are some simple facts about this subject:

• There are many different religions in the world
• Many claim to be the “one true faith”
• No one can prove that any given religion is more or less valid than any other

Taking steps down the path where the State determines which religions/faiths/gods are valid oversteps the State’s power and responsibility. These are choices best left to the people to express. When State’s seek to intervene, they tend to look like the People’s Republic of China and its repression of Falun Gong (a movement many Westerners wouldn’t even classify as a religion.)

So Germany, take a deep breath, think about this one. The world is watching what you do…

This entry was catalyzed by this news story at CNN.