United States Department of State

“ Education is a state responsibility and, because no nation-wide Islamic organization exists that all states recognize as a public law corporation, the form and content of Islamic instruction varies from state to state. Organizations providing Muslim instruction in several states do not have public law corporation status. ”

“ States defend the practice by noting their responsibility to respond to citizens' requests for information about Scientology as well as other issues. While many of the pamphlets are factual and relatively unbiased, some warn of alleged dangers posed by Scientology to the political order, the free market economic system, and to the mental and financial well being of individuals.
Beyond the Government's actions, the Catholic Church and, especially, the Evangelical Church have been public opponents of Scientology. Evangelical "sect commissioners" have been particularly active in this regard. ”

“ One school in Bremen offers instruction in Islam. The new government of Schleswig-Holstein has begun to consider how to introduce Islamic instruction in German. No Islamic instruction is provided in schools in Hamburg as the authorities have suspended an initiative for an interreligious program. In a number of eastern states (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt) , the number of Muslim students is too small and dispersed for Islamic instruction to be practicable. ”

“ In deciding whether to observe an organization, OPC officials collect publicly available information, mostly from written materials and from public events, to assess whether a "threat" exists. In addition, OPC staff and law enforcement officials have also directly approached Scientologists for information, a practice many find intimidating and a form of harassment. ”

“ Religious organizations are not required to register with the state. However, most religious organizations are registered and treated as nonprofit associations, which enjoy a degree of tax-exempt status. State-level authorities review registration submissions and routinely grant tax-exempt status. Their decisions are subject to judicial review. Organizations must provide evidence, through their own statutes, that they are a religion and thus contribute socially, spiritually, or materially to society. Local tax offices occasionally conduct reviews of tax-exempt status. ”

“ Authorities strongly condemned all anti-Semitic acts and devoted significant resources to investigating incidents and prosecuting perpetrators. Authorities run a variety of tolerance-education programs, many focusing on anti-Semitism and xenophobia. The programs receive input and assistance from Jewish nongovernmental organizations. The state also provides 24-hour police protection at synagogues and many other Jewish institutions.
The rise of a substantial Muslim minority has at times led to social conflict with religious, ethnic, and cultural overtones. ”

“ The country is becoming increasingly secular and, at the same time, religiously diverse. Regular attendance at religious services is decreasing. Fifteen years after reunification, the eastern part of the country remains far more secular than the west. ”

“ Frankfurt's Jewish community harshly criticized anti-Semitism on the part of some Islamic representatives at the October 2004 Frankfurt Book Fair. Jewish representatives cited open displays of anti-Semitic texts, such as the book "Terror and Zionist Thinking." ”