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Adidas Bans Scientology

In Germany, employers must abide by the General Act on Equal Treatment:

employers are now expressly prohibited from discriminating against job applicants or employees on the basis of gender, race or ethnic origin; religion or belief; age; disability; or sexual orientation.
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http://www.wilmerhale.com/pages/publicationsandNewsDetail.aspx?NewsPubId=88471

Since Scientology membership does not fall under any of those categories in Germany, I presume the discrimination is lawful.
 
I can see the argument that if it applies to $cientology then it could apply to other categories like skin-colour and so on -- but ... what if $cientology is racist and sexist and cruel and crooked? What if it's a mind-control cult that breaks-up families and suppresses free speech? What if it's a basically horrible organization and should be prejudiced against, for all the right reasons?
 
Donn said:
I can see the argument that if it applies to $cientology then it could apply to other categories like skin-colour and so on -- but ... what if $cientology is racist and sexist and cruel and crooked? What if it's a mind-control cult that breaks-up families and suppresses free speech? What if it's a basically horrible organization and should be prejudiced against, for all the right reasons?
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Editing tip: Remove each occurrence of "what if" and "?" and your post reads more clearly.
 
Belz... said:
Can they have a clause excluding black people ?
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If the plan was to be universally reviled and condemned, I suppose they could.

On the one hand, since they draw up the contract for the offer of their sponsorship, it's entirely up to them what conditions they place on it. One would expect such clauses only to exclude things which their customers would find distasteful or objectionable in order to protect the brand's reputation. One would hope that your example would have exactly the opposite effect.

On the other hand, Scientology is not a religion in Germany, and seems to be widely regarded more as a cult which preys on the vulnerable and masquerades as a religion. If that's what Adidas's German customers think of Scientology then I can see why they don't want to sponsor Scientologists.
 
Professor Yaffle said:
In Germany, employers must abide by the General Act on Equal Treatment:


http://www.wilmerhale.com/pages/publicationsandNewsDetail.aspx?NewsPubId=88471

Since Scientology membership does not fall under any of those categories in Germany, I presume the discrimination is lawful.
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Would a sponsor legally be classed as an employer? I suppose they might, if they require the sponsored party to attend events or advertising photoshoots.

In that case the answer to the question of whether they can withhold sponsorship on racial grounds would be no.
 
Dissolution said:
pgwenthold said:
The reasoning is clear - Christianity does not adhere to the Adidas ideals of diversity and acceptance. How can you force Adidas to support something they don't support?
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Would this still work?
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Probably not but.....

"The reasoning is clear - Nazism does not adhere to the Adidas ideals of diversity and acceptance. How can you force Adidas to support something they don't support?"

....probably would!

The thing its that its a German company sponsoring German sportsmen & women, and Scientology is considered to be an abusive political organisation that is tolerated but not endorsed.
 
I doubt very much that Adidas would take a similar stance on Islam.
 
Belz... said:
What a brilliant riposte !

Can they exclude black people from their sponsorship or not ?
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Being black isn't a choice. They're not excluding people on a basis of preexisting conditions, but on a conscious choice.
 
Kochanski said:
Is this for footballers only in Germany? Because if that is the case, Germany does not accept or recognize $cientology as a religion.
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Nor does the rest of the world.
Its a cult invented by a scifi writer who wasn't allowed ashore until he died
 
Donn said:
"Islam" is not one thing. $cientology is. It's much simpler and transparently crooked.
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It's because $cientologists don't throw homicidal temper tantrums when their risible and intolerant beliefs are refuted.

Bram Kaandorp said:
That's because it IS considered a religion in Germany, in contrast with scientology.
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So in Germany it's not a religion unless the government considers it to be a religion? :confused:
 
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ravdin said:
It's because $cientologists don't throw homicidal temper tantrums when their risible and intolerant beliefs are refuted.
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Not so. They have killed, they have sued, they have lied, they have slandered. They harass and stalk. They are bullies and worse. All in the name of silencing questions.

So in Germany it's not a religion unless the government considers it to be a religion? :confused:
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Dunno about Germany, but as a larger point, isn't this always the case? Unless "recognized" by the powers that be, a religion is just a wanna-be. Once official they get tax breaks and other kinds of grift.
 
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