Event: The Internet vs Scientology - Edinburgh. Saturday 15th March - Page 2

**LesMTS** · 17th March 2008, 12:01pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

People in masks handing out cake is really smart. Or don't anonymous realise that they're actually attracting more interest in CoS than they are detracting from it?

The aim is to attract interest. And I think that has been pretty successful, by all accounts. From personal experience, when I was checking out the first Edinburgh protest, the general public seemed very happy to engage and ask what it was all about, why people were out protesting Scientology, etc. And the response was overwhelmingly in favour of the protestors, with a lot of "oh, I don't know Scientology was like that" chat.
As for attracting positive attention to Scientology, I've seen not one bit of evidence for that. Only the opposite. Anon even made it to the front of the US Senate website, with questions raised about Scientology's tax status which directly reference the protests. And, somewhere in the states, Scientologists were evicted from a building they rented for use as an Org after Anon furnished the landlord with information and resources about what the church actually is, i.e. an enormous, cynical, brainwashing, exploitative pyramid scheme (I'll get a source for this).

MarkMono · 17th March 2008, 12:37pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

Or don't anonymous realise that they're actually attracting more interest in CoS than they are detracting from it?

At least you're consistent.

This still isn't a worry/was never a worry/is never going to be a worry. In fact, it was Anonymous that were losing media coverage until the scientologists tried to have a restraining order put out on them.

pANDAS Radio · 17th March 2008, 5:06pm

It all seems a bit like playing at being activists to me, not so much the core of anon but a fair amount of the people they've attracted. Probably something to do with the attraction of mask wearing. Even the website address edinburghlulz.com seems to cheapen the whole thing as it shouldn't be about lulz at all.

**LesMTS** · 17th March 2008, 5:13pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

It all seems a bit like playing at being activists to me, not so much the core of anon but a fair amount of the people they've attracted. Probably something to do with the attraction of mask wearing. Even the website address edinburghlulz.com seems to cheapen the whole thing as it shouldn't be about lulz at all.

I don't know, I think there's a lot to be said for delivering a serious, even grave, point with levity.

Addy · 17th March 2008, 6:44pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LesMTS

I don't know, I think there's a lot to be said for delivering a serious, even grave, point with levity.

Exactly, if it takes itself too seriously then the result will be that it becomes inadvertently laughable. By building a degree of that attitude into what they are doing anyway that's less of a problem.

pANDAS Radio · 17th March 2008, 8:07pm

If a protest against human rights abuses takes itself too seriously then the result will be that it becomes inadvertently laughable? Ever actually been to a big protest?

Levity as part of a protest is a good thing, but the outward appearance of these 2 protests is in danger of being that the levity is a major attraction for protestors rather than a sidenote to the issues. Most protests will attract support from relevant, interested, more organised groups with a known track record. No sign of that in these protests.

**LesMTS** · 17th March 2008, 8:20pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

Most protests will attract support from relevant, interested, more organised groups with a known track record. No sign of that in these protests.

This just isn't close to being true.

The two biggest, most esteemed, and longest running anti-scientology organisations have lent their support, advice and encouragement to these protestors.

Mark Bunker, who has tirelessly fought against Scientology for years and is probably its most hard-working and respected critic, has declared himself onside with Anon after initially being sceptical, and went to the protests in Los Angeles to join them. His YouTube channel is here, featuring lots of stuff about Anon and loads more about Scientology in general.

Operation Clambake - www.xenu.net - another old and well-respected anti-scientology movement has declared themselves onside (after initially speaking out against Anonymous for their pranky style).

Also, Tory Magoo nee Christman, an ex-OT8 scientologist who gives lectures speaking out against the CoS has given Anonymous her approval. She appears in and does a voiceover on that "Road to Feb 10th" video, calling the achievements of Anonymous "awesome" and sincerely and emotionally thanking them.

Paulette Cooper, the target of operation freakout and the author of the first and most famous expose of Scientology, has also given her approval.

pANDAS Radio · 17th March 2008, 8:30pm

I was meaning organisations that protest against all types of human rights abusers, not people already involved. Amnesty International and groups like that, hence the "known track record".

If people are generally unaware of Scientology's dubious ethics and tactics then they're even less likely to know of anyone you mentioned.

MarkMono · 17th March 2008, 8:33pm

So, not the right human rights protestors.

You have got to get that sand out of your vagina.

pANDAS Radio · 17th March 2008, 8:40pm

I never said that. Simply stating that people would probably take the protests more seriously if they thought the protestors were taking it more seriously. The involvement of groups with a household name would help with that and help the cause far more than cake being distributed.

MarkMono · 17th March 2008, 8:47pm

If they wanted to be taken seriously, I doubt they'd say they were doing it for the lulz.

Dux0r · 17th March 2008, 10:12pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woolies

Why are people being harassed in the street based on their religion?
Also, is it cool to do this because the internet says so?

People are not being harassed for their religion, nor beliefs. We support the right to believe anything you want, no matter how silly it may seem to others.

We DO disagree with the abuse and fraud committed by the higher members of the Church, will has an adverse affect on everyone. We disagree with their infiltration of the government, the media and UK schools. We protest against their greed, corruption and suppression of freedom of speech by suing, slandering, lying, cheating and in some cases murdering.

However, if you're talking about the incident in the video above, I'd agree with you. I don't think the Anonymous members should've engaged the Scientologists, merely handed out fliers and brandished the signs nearby. However, they were pretty harmless and didn't openly shout or demean them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

People in masks handing out cake is really smart. Or don't anonymous realise that they're actually attracting more interest in CoS than they are detracting from it?

That's the whole point. We want to give people more information on the CoS and let them make their own minds up. We want to attract interest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pANDAS Radio

And if people are so keen to be all principled and boycott human rights then why don't they go for targets like Burma or China? Higher human rights abuse rates but less likely to "be for the lulz" and that is what makes me regard Anonymous as nothing less than a group of retarded bandwagon jumpers.

I can't speak for anyone else, but personally I don't know very much about the human rights abuses in Burma or China. I protest Scientology because it affects me and those around me.

You can regard us as retards and bandwagon jumpers all you like, FOX news even reported us as cyber terrorists, comparable to the KKK. These opinions don't change the fact that the CoS is a corrupt fraudulent cult.

You also mentioned a lack of interest from outside groups, you even mentioned Amnesty International who we have an open dialogue with regarding the child abuse in one of their bases at Florida. We also gained a bit of interest from a couple of the anti-war protest groups from the 15th of March.

- Cheers

pANDAS Radio · 17th March 2008, 11:00pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dux0r

You also mentioned a lack of interest from outside groups, you even mentioned Amnesty International who we have an open dialogue with regarding the child abuse in one of their bases at Florida. We also gained a bit of interest from a couple of the anti-war protest groups from the 15th of March.

- Cheers

Cheers for that. Were any other groups invited and if so what were their responses?

Hammer · 17th March 2008, 11:34pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dux0r

We disagree with their infiltration of the government, the media and UK schools.

Sorry to nitpick, but can you provide any evidence for that statement? It just sounds paranoid.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dux0r

I can't speak for anyone else, but personally I don't know very much about the human rights abuses in Burma or China. I protest Scientology because it affects me and those around me.

In what way?

endless psych · 18th March 2008, 3:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer

Sorry to nitpick, but can you provide any evidence for that statement? It just sounds paranoid.

Schools:- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle1290317.ece.
(attempts have been made to introduce Narcanon into British Jails aswell.)

Government:- Come on now Hammer old boy they were responsible for the biggest infiltration of the American Government ever! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White
See also:- http://www.kevinleitch.co.uk/wp/?p=517

The police:- http://www.xenu-directory.net/news/1...beandmail.html

Paranoid? http://www.xenu-directory.net/practi...ltration.html?

(As an aside been reading some Jung (of all things) do you consider Marxism to be a religion?)

Quote:

In what way?

Thats lazy rhetoric that is.