Scientology's® Claims
From: publicrelations@scientology.org Twelve Church of Scientology ministers has been licensed to perform marriage
ceremonies, the government announced Monday. The ruling ends a 40-year-long
battle for recognition by the controversial church.
A legal technicality had previously prevented scientology ministers from
becoming marriage officers, said Hennie Meyer, spokesman for the home affairs
department.
''There was a problem of fitting them into the definition of a Christian
church in the Marriage Act. That has been solved now,'' he said.
Paul Sondergaard, the church's South African spokesman, said the ruling
showed the government's commitment to protecting the rights of minority
religions and prohibiting both religion and racial discrimination. He also said
the ruling placed Scientology on an equal footing with other religions.
The church says it has 65,000 followers in South Africa and 8 million
worldwide.
Sondergaard said the church had previously been discriminated against in
South Africa because it took a strong stand against apartheid, which ended with
all-race elections in 1994.
Subject: South African Recognition
of Scientology
Date: 2000/04/05
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