Scientology Case Remains Unresolved - 1997-10-28
Scientology Case Remains Unresolved October 28, 1997,
BERLIN (AP) _ Federal judges considering Germany's fight with Scientology signaled today that they would not decide the central question of whether the Los Angeles-based church is a religion or a business.
The Church of Scientology claims widespread discrimination against its members in Germany, and had hoped for a ruling that would give it legal grounds to challenge the treatment of followers.
Scientologists went to court after the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg revoked the non-profit status of a local branch in Stuttgart in 1986. The state said the group was primarily concerned with making money by selling books and self-improvement courses, not the "idealistic goals" generally associated with a non-profit organization.
{{cite news | title = Scientology Case Remains Unresolved | url = http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1997/Scientology-Case-Remains-Unresolved/id-8a92502d58db080d89f492f92c386fc6 | work = Associated Press | date = 1997-10-28 | accessdate = 2015-02-27 }}