Cult

=== Western Europe ===
{{See also|MIVILUDES|Union nationale des associations de défense des familles et de l'individu|Parliamentary Commission on Cults in France}}
The governments of France and Belgium have taken policy positions which accept "brainwashing" theories uncritically, while the governments of other European nations, such as those of Sweden and Italy, are cautious with regard to brainwashing and as a result, they have responded more neutrally with regard to new religions.<ref>{{harvnb|Richardson|Introvigne|2001|pp=144–146}}</ref> Scholars have suggested that the outrage which followed the mass murder/suicides which were perpetuated by the [[Order of the Solar Temple|Solar Temple]]<ref name="refRichardsonIntrovigne" /><ref name="Robbins2002">{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/0021-8294.00047 |author=Robbins, Thomas |year=2002 |title=Combating 'Cults' and 'Brainwashing' in the United States and Europe: A Comment on Richardson and Introvigne's Report |journal=Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=169–176}}</ref> have significantly contributed to European anti-cult positions as well as more latent [[Xenophobia|xenophobic]] and [[Anti-Americanism|anti-American]] attitudes which are widespread on the continent.<ref name="Beckford1998">{{cite journal |author=Beckford, James A. |year=1998 |title='Cult' Controversies in Three European Countries |journal=Journal of Oriental Studies |volume=8 |pages=174–184}}</ref> In the 1980s clergymen and officials of the French government expressed concern that some [[Religious order|orders]] and other groups within the [[Roman Catholic Church]] would be adversely affected by anti-cult laws which were then being considered.<ref>{{cite book|title=Regulating religion: case studies from around the globe|last=Richardson|first=James T.|publisher=Kluwer Acad. / Plenum Publ.|year=2004|isbn=0306478862|location=New York |author-link=James T. Richardson}}</ref>