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Chanology?

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Switchblade:
I don't know how many of y'all have been keeping up to date with this but...

Today (February 10th) marked the day when a motherlode of Anonymous hit the streets worldwide to stage protests against the "church" of Scientology.

Looks like the Australians were the only ones to get any real media coverage, but it's nice to see the world taking note.

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,25642,23189467-5014239,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/technology/gallery/0,25793,5029503-5007151-1,00.html

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-Lu3aBZWfo

I understand that there's another protest planned for March 15th. Considering how successful this one has been, I might go to the Birmingham demonstration.

oh yeah, if you're wondering WHY people are feeling the need to campaign against Scientology, I suggest you visit http://www.xenu.net/ and have a look around. This thing's more sinister than just a bunch of people believing a bad science-fiction story.

NarwhalSunshine:
I don't think the Nashville one happened yet. Tommy, the semitic religions don't forbid medicine, have paramilitary organizations, censor the internet or charge unnecessary fees for services. But as a minister and more importantly an American I agree that Chanology is wrong

MusicScribbles:
It's all well and good that you have your opinions, but what Tommy is saying is that religious intolerance is still relgious intolerance. I won't simplify him, so if he wants to expand on his previous statement, he will. Just because this religion does things others do not does not mean it should be seperated from every other one as particularly insane. I do not believe that there has been a religious war in the name of scientology yet. To be the 'devil's advocate' here, scientology has as much right to hate things as every semitic religion does.

IronOxide:
Why is it that some people now find persecution funny and cool? I thought that it was something that we had generally started to get the better of in this nation. I know we weren't perfect, but this it a huge leap backwards.

I really don't get it in the slightest.

Switchblade:

--- Quote --- If you don't like it, ignore it. It's not exactly hard to do. How does Scientology impede on your daily life? My guess is it doesn't in the slightest. Let people believe whatever the hell they want to believe and you do the same.
--- End quote ---

The problem with that attitude is that the self-styled "Church of Scientology" (CoS) does indeed impede upon people's daily lives. As well as pursuing unnecessary legal action against their critics (rather than just ignoring or dismissing them), they have also been known to try and dig up potentially embarrassing "dirt" on their critics which they have then used either for attempted blackmail or else simply released in an attempt to undermine their credibility (according to: http://www.xenu.net/cb-faq.html question 4)

Bear in mind, the protests are aimed at the CoS, not the actual religion itself. The protestors claim that the CoS is actually a cult that extorts its members for money and brainwashes them. They claim that it has many of the hallmarks of a cult, especially:

   1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members.
   2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society.
   3. Its founder/leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma.
   4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds and recruit people.
   5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society. 

There have also been allegations made against the CoS that they were involved in a number of suspicious deaths (the most famous of them being CoS member Lisa McPherson). To date, all of these cases were thrown out.

This is more than religious intolerance, I'm afraid. I wouldn't be signing up to it if it was - I have no trouble with letting people believe what they want. This protest, however, is in reaction to some genuinely sinister activity on the part of the CoS. I appreciate people's points on religious intolerance and how it might represent a step backwards as a society, but this is not just some harmless religion.

Whether or not you buy it, of course, is your choice. I'm just interested in hearing what the QCers have to say.

(Oh yeah, mods: if this thread is in violation of forum rules in any way, please go right ahead and delete it.)

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