Scientology status by country

Scientology status by country describes the status of Scientology and its recognition as a religion in varying contexts or in different countries. The Church of Scientology pursues an extensive public relations campaign for state recognition of Scientology as a religion. The Church of Scientology has been given tax exempt status in its home country, the United States, and has received recognition as a religion in various other countries such as Italy, Australia, Portugal and Spain; it thus enjoys and regularly cites the constitutional protection afforded in these nations to religious practice. Some countries regard Scientology as a potentially dangerous cult, or do not consider local branches of the Church of Scientology to meet the legal criteria for being considered religion-supporting organizations, instead seeing Scientology as a business. Across the world, countries view Scientology through their own legal frameworks, and status is not definitive. For example, in the United Kingdom — in 1999 the Charity Commission for England and Wales "concluded that the organisation was not established for charitable purposes or for public benefit and so could not be registered as a charity," and later in 2013 the UK Supreme Court held that a Church of Scientology could be a 'place of meeting for religious worship'. But without a formal definition of what constitutes 'religious worship', Scientology's status in that country remains unclear and unresolved. The Church of Scientology's interest is to be recognized as a religion as well as a charitable organization. In an article titled "The Church of Scientology: Legitimacy through Perception Management", the lecturer Max Halupka observes "While a tax-exempt status is not a legal declaration of religious authenticity, the significance afforded the status by the public serves to color its true purpose. That is, to the public, tax-exemption denotes legal recognition and, thus, religious legitimacy." Using perception management, the Church of Scientology has sought legitimacy as a mainstream religion through public acceptance.