Hello, All,
Please find below translations of two documents - one a press release issued by the French national anti-cult group, ADFI, and the other the result in the newspaper, causing us to cancel our meeting - the third that we had planned. Of course, there is really nothing we can do - the hotel doesn't really have to honor their agreement with us, and it's hardly worth paying a lawyer to fight, but this happens over and over again.
ITPN,
Helen Subrenat <hsubrenat@nordnet.fr>.
Here is the translation of the 'Communiqué de Presse' from the ADFI, and from the Nord Eclair :
Attention, Beware!
There will be a conference-debate : "Always in Love", given by Jean Luc Berlet, PhD in Philosophy, on Saturday, 20 November at the Hotel-Restaurant Campanile of Roubaix, 36 rue de la Communauté Urbaine, organized by the Family Federation for Peace.
According to our source of information, a large number of tracts informing the public about this conference was distributed in the area, especially on the university campus of Villeneuve d'Ascq.
The ADFI of the North-Pas-de-Calais would like to inform the public that behind this apparently honorable subject is an association which is responsible for proselytizing for the totalitarian Moon cult - The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity.
This sect is cited and listed in the parliamentary reports which deal with coercive cults, notably the report of June 1999, entitled "Sects and money".
Written in Lille, 19 November 1999, by Charline Delport, President of ADFI, North-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie
Here is the translation of the newspaper text from Nord Eclair of 19 November 1999 :
The Manager of a hotel in Roubaix was flabbergasted when we informed him of the warning from the 'Association for the Defense of Families and Individuals' (ADFI), concerning a meeting to take there.
In all good faith, he thought that the conference, entitled 'Always in Love', organized at his hotel and given by Jean Luc Berlet, PhD in Philosophy who teaches in Paris, was a simple meeting to prepare people for marriage.
However, ADFI would like to call attention to the fact that behind this conference is the Family Federation for World Peace, a branch of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, otherwise known as the Moon sect, listed in the parliamentary reports concerning sects, notably that of June 1999 entitled 'Sects and Money.'
In fact, it seems that it has been some time that the Family Federation for World Peace has been active in Roubaix. The meeting for this Saturday was the reason behind a large distribution of flyers on the campus of Villeneuve d'Ascq, especially at the exits of the large lecture halls.
Many meetings have already taken place on a monthly basis in this hotel in Roubaix. Previous meetings gathered on average about 15 people, with the theme of the conference: 'The Couple and Personal Development', given by Laurent Ladouce who is, according to ADFI, one of the most ardent Moonie propagandists.
It seems that Jean Luc Berlet, who was to give the conference today, was already there for one or more of the previous conferences.
The manager of the hotel explained that room reservation for the conference was negotiated by Mrs. Dedours, under the name of an organization, 'Pure Love Alliance', located at rue Monge in Paris.
Mrs. Dedours, who we contacted, thinks that the ADFI is making a mountain out of a molehill. 'Helping victims of sects. My goodness! If that is the case, it should be more concerned about the Sun Temple; with us, everyone comes voluntarily, there are no victims,' she replied vehemently.
Declaring herself from a Protestant background, Mrs. Dedours acknowledged however that the Family Federation for Peace, which is working for the unification of all religions, is Moonie, as is the Pure Love Alliance, which is responsible for proselytizing among young people.