Complaint about segment containing alleged hate speech against Scientology as a religion and in particular, its usage of the “e-meter”. Complainant is concerned that Scientology has been negatively stereotyped and programmes like “Kim’s Corner” perpetuate this false information about Scientology as a religion. Judged within context, it is clear that the comments were aimed at all four religions and not just Scientology, as the complainant may want to suggest.
Although freedom of expression must be limited when it sanctions, promotes or glamorises violence based on religion, no traces of this could be found in the segment. Regarding the question whether the comment might have been experienced as hate speech based on religion, the Tribunal concluded that there was no advocacy of hatred or incitement to cause harm to Scientology or its followers. Clearly the segment was not intended to injure, nor was it malicious or mala fide and thus cannot be seen to be injurious to Scientology. No contravention of the Code could be found and the complaint was not upheld.