Dear Sir, Madam,

 
We are an association born out of the observation that spiritual orientations and practices in France have been mistreated for several years by the biased mixing of ideas from a discriminative crusade against new expressions of spiritual search.

The CICNS is an independent center aimed at supporting and counseling the new spiritual movements, as well as informing authorities on the important and delicate subject of new forms of spiritual search.

The objective of the CICNS is to ensure that spiritual search may be respected in all its diversity, and to put an end to the unacceptable association consistently made between spiritual movements and criminality or mental manipulation. The term “cult” summarizes, for the public at large, this odious confusion. The people in charge and active members of the CICNS are conscious of the need to base their actions and their words on an impartial outlook so as to restore the truth about spiritual seeking and about the intentions of the anti-cult activists in France.
 
Nevertheless, we do not believe that there can be significant and profitable advances in seeking adversity, provocation, polemics and confrontation with one or several definite enemies who would be particularly responsible for the situation that we denounce. We believe that waging a war against war does not bring it to an end but makes it last. We believe that there are no enemies other than fear and ignorance.

The CICNS thus chooses dialogue, information, support and mediation, while authorizing itself to speak and act firmly when the situation demands it.

The CICNS is an association of persons linked by its object, beyond the differences of their spiritual or ideological paths and choices. The CICNS is not related to any movement labeled as a cult, nor does it represent any particular spiritual path. The vocation of this tool is to serve those who are confronted in one way or another with the current reality for “new spiritualities.”

The object of the CICNS is to bring balance in the debate and to answer questions about new spiritualities through: taking an active part in the defense of freedom of spiritual orientations and practices by putting its knowledge and skills at the disposal of others with the aim of mediation and resolution of problems encountered; making public uncut information on the reality of the spiritual phenomenon, namely by the use of the right of reply and the organization of public conferences and demonstrations, the moral and juridical support of any person victim of discriminations in the field, and by any other legal means, known or unknown to this day, useful to this object.
 
The fundamental objectives of the CICNS are:
 
1.      To stimulate the creation of an official watch, competent and impartial, for new religious movements and spiritual minorities, that would include researchers and academics (sociologists, philosophers and historians), leaders of  spiritual movements and groups, specialists in psychology and psychiatry as well as diverse psychotherapies, social workers, leaders of associations, NGOs and associations campaigning for human rights, and Government representatives.
 
2.      To obtain the end of public funding for groups and associations acting against spiritual freedom and new spiritual movements.
 
3.      To have a legislation adopted in favor of tolerance, protecting and guaranteeing the right of each individual to practice, express and live freely, without discrimination, the spirituality of his or her choice.
 
To this end, the CICNS will pursue and develop the work begun more than a year ago, through actions you will be informed about more precisely in the coming weeks. The best way to keep in touch with us and to take part in our actions and debates is to visit the official website of the CICNS on Internet at www.cicns.net.
 
 
We thank you for your attention,
 
With our warmest and fraternal thoughts,
 
The CICNS team
contact@cicns.net

www.cicns.net