The struggle of New Religious Movements in the current antagonistic climate of state and mass media is reaching higher levels.

Often the term “Brainwashing” seems to be used in the discussions of cults - how is this term relevant?

Most scholars of new religious movements agree that “brainwashing” does not exist, and its incrimination is basically a fraud. When the normal process of religious persuasion has as its object beliefs and practices that the powers that be regard as “normal,” it is argued that there is no “brainwashing.” When the beliefs and practices are non-conventional or unpopular, this is offered as evidence that only “brainwashed” victims can embrace them because they have been put in a status of “psychological subjugation” (or “subjection”).

The French government solemnly proclaims that through the new law it is not criminalizing beliefs, only the techniques through which certain beliefs are promoted. In fact, however, the proof that a belief has been inculcated through “illegal” techniques is that the anti-cultists, the MIVILUDES, the majority of society, or the media regard it as a “cultic deviance.” Source: https://bitterwinter.org/france-plans-to-make-a-bad-law-worse/

Prof. Massimo Introvigne interview offered to Soteria International brings further perspectives. Here is third part of three.

It seems that France is back to the year 2000 and plans to re-introduce the crime of “psychological manipulation” that the drafters of the About-Picard law had to abandon in 2001 due to constitutional concerns. Sometimes, the State Council in France exerts a moderating influence. In this case, it has examined the draft law on November 9 and rendered its already mentioned preliminary opinion. As far as the new crime of “brainwashing” is concerned, it has noted possible problems of violations of religious liberty. However, it has only recommended to change the original word “assujettissement” (subjugation) into “sujétion” (subjection), which the government did, and to specify that the crime should concern a one-on-one manipulation exerted by the defendant on the victim and not a generic manipulating discourse addressed to a plurality of potential victims, including through the Internet.

This is not enough to avoid serious violations of freedom of religion or belief. Most scholars of new religious movements agree that “brainwashing” does not exist, and its incrimination is basically a fraud. When the normal process of religious persuasion has as its object beliefs and practices that the powers that be regard as “normal,” it is argued that there is no “brainwashing.” When the beliefs and practices are non-conventional or unpopular, this is offered as evidence that only “brainwashed” victims can embrace them because they have been put in a status of “psychological subjugation” (or “subjection”).

The French government solemnly proclaims that through the new law it is not criminalizing beliefs, only the techniques through which certain beliefs are promoted. In fact, however, the proof that a belief has been inculcated through “illegal” techniques is that the anti-cultists, the MIVILUDES, the majority of society, or the media regard it as a “cultic deviance.”

Source https://bitterwinter.org/france-plans-to-make-a-bad-law-worse/