SES in Germany - no representation / prohibited ?

Discussion of the SES, particularly in the UK.
Saint James
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SES in Germany - no representation / prohibited ?

Postby Saint James » Sun May 21, 2006 11:43 am

Does anybody know why SES has no representation in Germany ? Germany is a big country but I cannot find anything about them in that country.

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Free Thinker
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Location: USA

Postby Free Thinker » Sun May 21, 2006 6:08 pm

This is total speculation but Germany has a very low tolerance for what it considers cults. Their treatment of $cientology is pretty severe. Just a thought...

Alban
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Postby Alban » Sun May 21, 2006 7:24 pm

Does that Mean that Tom Cruises films bomb in Germany...(I do hope so)!

George
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Postby George » Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:03 pm

Germany does have a Parliamentary "Enquete Commission on Cults and Sects", which is what Scientology has had problems with, but I do not think this is the reason for the absence of the School.

I'm a bit out of touch now, but as of 10 years ago, if you looked at the "SES flags" on a world map, it very closely followed the pattern of the former British Empire (USA, NZ, Australia, South Africa, Malta...) with Belgium and the Netherlands thrown in for good measure. As I recall, to start a school in another country one had to give a lifetime commitment to maintain it, and presumably to have been in an existing School for a number of years? So it would also depend on who was available and willing (or did they send out "missionaries"?)

But there is another organisation, called "New Acropolis", which started in South America and has spread through the Spanish-speaking world, and it has a couple of branches in Germany (and was investigated by the Commission). It is a fascinating blend of similarities and differences to the SES. In Germany it has the same predominantly white middle-class membership, and all the same stereotype member personalities are there. It also starts with an introductory course ("Abenteuer Philosophie", something like "The Adventure of Philosophy") which whizzes through the history of philosophy (though more methodically and fairly than the old "Part 1", and yikes! you have to do an exam at the end of it and each subsequent "Part") before gradually revealing its true colours. In this case it believes itself to be the "true heir" of the Theosophic tradition of Mme. Blavatski, and started up as the Theosophic school was falling apart in the USA. Big differences: they actually do charitable work (conventional day-schools, hospitals etc) in poor parts of Latin America: they don't seem to have hooked up with meditation (or maybe I didn't get far enough), and they seem to have missed out on letting the attention rest in the space between the working surfaces (it was so weird to have cleaning and decorating week-ends with a radio blaring away in the background).

So I think that, unintentionally, the School and the New Acropolis have divided up the Western world between them based on language. NA is also moving into Russia, I believe. Is Falangong the Chinese equivalent?

Saint James
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Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 9:42 pm

re: presence in Germany

Postby Saint James » Fri Jun 09, 2006 8:58 pm

thanks for your great insight, George.

I conclude that S.E.S. cult do not play any role in Germany, and are not accepted by society in Germany.

It would be interesting to know if S.E.S. have made any attempts at all to enter Germany, or if there are any links to German goverment websites on this.

George
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Postby George » Wed Jun 14, 2006 4:57 pm

I conclude that S.E.S. cult do not play any role in Germany, and are not accepted by society in Germany.


Not quite what I said. I think that "society in Germany" has never heard of the SES and so has no opinion on it, and that those who are drawn to this kind of organisation find one in NA.

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non-conformist
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Re: re: presence in Germany

Postby non-conformist » Tue Jun 20, 2006 7:02 pm

Saint James wrote:thanks for your great insight, George.

I conclude that S.E.S. cult do not play any role in Germany, and are not accepted by society in Germany.

It would be interesting to know if S.E.S. have made any attempts at all to enter Germany, or if there are any links to German goverment websites on this.


I'm sure SES have tried to get a foot or three on German soil but to no avail..... When can I move there??????

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ET
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Postby ET » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:57 am

I have recently heard on the grapevine that the SES "philosophy" material is being translated into German - so it seems they may be planning to attempt an invasion.

Let's hope they don't get far.
Pupil at St James Girl's School from 1979-1989, from age 4-14. Parents ex-members of SES.


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