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Magne Berge

Former scientologist, Norwegian. Sued the Church of Scientology and won.


NEWS: "WAS RUINED BY THE SCIENTOLOGISTS: THE SOUL, TIME AND MONEY DEPART"

[Source: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.scientology/msg/992165b7e7f720c5]

He was a member of the Church of Scientology for five years and collected debts for [NOK] 300,000. Magne Berge is now warning against the methods of the sect.

He broke out of the movement after having been economically ruined on self help courses and Scientology books. After fighting for several years Magne Berge won in 1997 in high court. The Norwegian Church of Scientology had to pay [NOK] 600,000 in compensation in addition to legal cost. Berge got private loans for totally 300,000 kroner to pay for courses and books. "I could not end one course before I had signed up for a new one. That went on for five years," Berge says.

"I was mentally broken after a divorce, I would not have joined this circus if not. People must be aware that if they let themselves be tricked by the Scientologists, they will experience their soul, time and money depart," Berge says.

But he believes the Scientologists have learned after the golden age in the eighties and all the lawsuits thereafter:

"They probably don't dare to create new debt victims. They are inventive and will likely limit themselves to only take the money you earn..."

COS LOST IN NORWAY!!! IT'S NOW FINAL!!!

[Source: http://groups.google.com/group/nl.scientology/msg/e80148e8a88d6e5c]

The Church of Scientology in Oslo vs. Magne Berge

The appeal from The Cult of Scientology in Norway was turned down unanimously by 3 judges in High Court last week!

This is final and the verdict (also unanimous) now stands for ever. It's pay up time for the cult in Norway, if not they are demanded bankrupt. You remember my lawyer who answered Helena several months ago? He also represented Magne in this case.

Magne Berge is an ex-scientologist who sued the cult to get his money back. He was awarded 600.000 kroner (about 100.000 US$) and the cult had to pay all legal costs. That must be well over a million kroner by now.

The verdict is very similar to other lawsuits in Norway against the cult, but each of them were settlement out of court. This is the first final verdict against the cult here.

Time: "Cult Control"

Apart from rare criminal cases, European courts are also starting to take a consumer protection attitude towards people who put their money where their new belief is, then recant. In October, Norway's Court of Appeals ordered the Church of Scientology to pay about $95,000 to former member Magne Berge, who had taken out hefty loans to pay for courses during five years with the Church. The Scientologists are seeking leave to appeal to Norway's Supreme Court.

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