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This chapter focuses on Western Europe, an area that has been a hotbed of controversy about new religions movements (NRMs) and other minority religions. France is the nation most critical of minority faiths, as shown by actions of its government over recent years and the public opinion of its citizens. Germany has been a major arena of conflict over NRMs and also some older groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses have been controversial there. Especially well known is the German campaign against Scientology.

This chapter offers remarks on historical and legal developments of Germany's Islamic minorities. The best solution for establishing Muslim communities was to found an organization in accordance with the German law for clubs and associations. This development took place at the beginning of the 1970s, when the first club constitutions were written by German Muslims. In the past most Muslims were of foreign nationality, but the basic constitutional human right of religious freedom does not ask whether an individual is German or not. This right requires that everybody be treated equally, whether German or not.

This chapter explains the work of the German Enquete Commission on sects and the political processes that restricted it. The installation of the Enquete Commission on sects marked the culmination of a public debate in Germany that goes back to the early 1970s. At that time, a number of new religious movements was introduced into Germany. During the years preceding its installation, public fear of sects had increased.