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Scientology memo asks members to censor critical web comments with trumped up "code of conduct" complaints

Cory Doctorow at 5:48 am Sat, Jul 7, 2012

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An internal memo from Scientology's "Office of Special Affairs" (notorious for being a dirty tricks bureau) asks adherents to the faith to find message-board comments on stories about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes's divorce that criticize the church and try to have them censored by complaining about violations of online services' "codes of conduct," which typically prohibit "inciting religious hatred."

Well, I am not somebody that I am going to simply stand and watch a bunch of uninformed people putting my religion under the carpet. So here is a simple hatting on how you can causative fight back and at the same time stand up and defend our religion on the internet.

Microsoft or Google or any of these big online company require that each person when create an account with them follow a Code of Conduct when they are on the internet. If there are abuse of such Code of Conduct, those website do actually invite you to report the matter to the Moderator — in other word, write the matter to Ethics.

Blogger: Scientology group asks followers to censor Web comments (Thanks, Marilyn!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE:  censorship • religion • scientology • web theory

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  • awjt

    Scientology is evil.

    • ffabian

      As a Cultist of the Eternal Evil I feel offended. Stop inciting religious hatred.

      • awjt

        I wrote, “evil” not “Evil.”  You can have “Evil.”  I’m talking about evil.

      • Felton / Moderator

        Your Code of Conduct complaint has been noted by the Moderator on duty.  If I get, say, 999 more of these, I’ll ask Antinous if he feels like deleting the offending comment.

        • EeyoreX

          Oughtn’t 665 more suffice in a case such as this?

        • awjt

          Uhh, can you delete my comment NOW, please?  Two dudes in gray suits carrying something in a suitcase just showed up at my door.  THANKS.

  • http://twitter.com/BilliamJ Bill McClusky

    Why does the wording make me think of the Nigerian emails I keep getting.

    • http://www.disoriented.net/ angusm

      I AM MR DAVID MISCAVIGE, A STAFF OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY. YOU ARE PROBABLY SURPRISED AT HEARING FROM ME. IT IS MY DESIRE TO PROPOSE A BUSINESS TO YOU. AS THE EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF THE LATE L. RON HUBBARD, I AM AUTHORIZED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE TEACHINGS OF COMMANDER HUBBARD …

  • http://twitter.com/MrAaronSwainEsq Aaron Swain

    Perhaps we could simply mock his atrocious grammar instead. 

    • Ashen Victor

       No! They will call us grammanazis!

      • bcsizemo

        Still better than being called a scientologist.

        • Andrew Singleton

          Wow harshness dude. 

    • Boundegar

       This grammar is not atrocious.  It is bizarre.  I think the author is not native to English, or possibly Earth.

      • Baldhead

         If what we’ve been told of Scientology beliefs is true, then he isn’t, at least not originally.

        • Andrew Singleton

          If Scientology’s teachings were at least grounded in truth then none of us are from Earth… technically speaking.

      • nachoproblem

        This language is properly known as Engrish, and follows the grammatical rules thereof.

        Not to be confused with the modern English language of the Anglo-Saxon family, or any of its internationally standardized varieties. As an example of any of those, it would be atrocious.

        • millie fink

          properly known as Engrish

          Properly known where, and by whom? Far as I know, the term is not a “proper” designation of English that appears to be spoken or written by east Asians; further, many people of east Asian descent object to that term. If you know of some authoritative source that claims there’s something “proper” and valid about using the term “Engrish” that way, I’d love a link to it.

      • http://profiles.google.com/westcarleton Ray Perkins

         So he’s a Thetan?? Fuck, don’t tell me they were right all along!

  • Andrew Reid

    So is the bad spelling and grammar evidence that this is just a suggested tactic from some random guy, and not an official Scientology position? Or is it an official position, meant to *seem* random, by deliberate bad grammar?

    Where is the simple hatting for that causative? Hmm?

    • http://imcravingpresidency.tumblr.com/ SedanChair

      That’s the way L. Ron Hubbard talked, so it’s how they talk. Loaded with jargon that answers to no earthly grammar.

      • http://www.aarongilliland.com/ Aaron Gilliland

        Hey, stop interbulating.

    • nachoproblem

      The weird jargon is a patented product of Scientology, but the grammar is distinctly Asian. (Or pretending to be?)  Dropped pronouns, incorrect parts of speech, and almost total lack of verb-noun agreement — they violate rules that exist in English but not so much in east Asian languages.

      Hypothesis: the farmers have moved on from World of Warcraft to Scientology. And why not? They are basically the same thing, only Blizzard is far too open about its process.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001252791051 Sethy Trashroad

       ”Simple hatting for that causative”
      ….is that what happens when an asshat takes a laxative?

      • V10_Rob

        ‘Hatting’ likely derives from wearing the hat of a particular role, as in “he wears a lot of hats within the organization”.  Slang about hats = job seems to turn up a lot in Scilon speak.

  • Rob Gehrke

    Rupert Murdoch : “Watch Katie Holmes and Scientology story develop. Something creepy, maybe even evil, about these people.” 
    https://twitter.com/rupertmurdoch/status/219444368178806784

    When even the dark lord himself finds your millionaire vampire club questionable, you know it’s time to step back and take stock.

    • Andrew Singleton

      Remember:
      http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EvenEvilHasStandards

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001252791051 Sethy Trashroad

         Interesting you link to TVT, which has its own major issues with cultlike leadership etcetera nowadays.

      • numfar

        This time I swore to myself I’d only read one page. It’s now an hour later…

  • Wreckrob8

    Vive la République!

  • http://twitter.com/fossilfuels Funk Daddy

    The most effective defence against Scientology is poverty. The second most effective is CBT.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/7T7OFCJKYKYML4ZIQMIH3I7RGM rawtape

      But what if they don’t have the c&b?

      • mortdieu

        Tea fixes everything.

    • Richard Dagenais

       Computer Based Training? /innocentlook

      • http://twitter.com/fossilfuels Funk Daddy

        thanks for innocent look, prompting my query

    • http://twitter.com/fossilfuels Funk Daddy

      Holy Leather Batman! I was referencing Cognitive Behaviour Therapy not Cock and Ball Torture or any of the others.

      Internet, what is wrong with you when Cock and Ball Torture is FIRST, and well-known, widely practiced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is LAST on the otherwise innocent seeming acronymfinder.com, a site I use all the time to reference some new-to-me acronym riddle?

      http://www.acronymfinder.com/CBT.html
      I’m not saying Cock and Ball Torture isn’t effective Scientology deterrent, just that Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is better than anything else except having no money.

      • elix

        Sing along, everyone!

        “The Internet is for porn! The Internet is for porn! Why you think the ‘net was born? Porn, porn, porn!”

        The third-most effective defense is to wear a Guy Fawkes mask and generate more PR than OSA (OSA is a little like the KGB running the PR arm, only probably with fewer murders, “disappearings”, and other things you can’t make go away with money) knows how to handle using the distributed power of the Internet to spread the movement out beyond their ability to handle it.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001252791051 Sethy Trashroad

         I think Cock and Ball Torture would be DEFINITE $cientology deterrent

    • http://twitter.com/oddsocket Cal Bryant

      CBT? 
      Think you might want to look that one up – it has alternative meanings.

    • http://glitch.tl/ Michael Smith

       Computer Based Training?

  • Snig

    In matters’ of faith, I put my trust in JC:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbNtYdxB64A
    It’s a little more poignant post divorce. 

  • http://twitter.com/Axxxelrod Axel Rod

    Scientology is to science as cosmetology is to cosmology.

  • Rob Johnson

    Slag them off all you like in the UK… we don’t classify it as a religion but as the cult it is!

    • Wreckrob8

      Even better in France scientology officials have been prosecuted for embezzlement, (fraud?), and contribution to suicide.

      • Kris Sakara

        Same in Germany where its pretty much illegal lol.

      • James Penrose

         Been prosecuted in the U.S. also.  Look up “Operation Snow White” to see what these “harmless” folk can get up to.  Amazing how rarely it gets mentioned even though some major people did heavy federal time.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_snow_white

  • PhosPhorious

    These are the simple hattings.  The more complex ones are gonna cost you.  Make checks payable to “Xenu.”

  • RJ

    I doant gettit…… I doant c nuthin rong withhe memmo………..

  • David Carroll

    Dear Antinous, Avram, Felton:

    Promise us that should you receive any “code of conduct” complaints you will post them along with your response. 

    • Felton / Moderator

      Sure thing.

  • paulio

    Sometimes uninformed people know better than the wrongly informed.

    • Daemonworks

      See Fox News watchers for details.

    • http://disqus.com/Kimmoth/ Kimmo

      Sometimes?

      I’ll take agnosticism over blind faith any day.

  • http://www.disoriented.net/ angusm

    I am skeptical about Scientology’s claims to maximize human potential. Judging by Tom Cruise and John Travolta, the only superpower it actually unlocks is the ability to radiate an aura of creepy smugness so intense that it may actually distort space-time.

    This writer, on the other hand, has apparently not reached even that level yet. In fact, based on his uniquely tortured grammar, I think he must be still wrestling with his body thetans. Even more sadly, it looks like he may be losing the battle.

    • benher

      At least the church has helped Jon come to terms with his sexuality.

      • Wreckrob8

        You have no way of knowing that he would not also have found some other way of coming to terms with his sexuality other than through becoming a scientologist. The two events may be purely coincidental however anyone tries to rationalise them.

    • http://profiles.google.com/marc.k.mielke Marc Mielke

      Travolta usually seems intelligent and reasonably sane (by celebrity standards) when I’ve seen him on talk shows and the like. He’s always seemed much more human than the other CO$ posterboy Cruise. That they haven’t pushed him as the face of Scientology instead of the diminutive couch-jumper is further proof they have absolutely no concept of public relations. 

  • Nadreck

    Nothing new here.  The Scienos distributed one of the first Net-Nannies to their members back in the 90s.  Due to the presence of a poster on alt.religion.scientology with the handle “Beast Boy” (or some such) they couldn’t read any posts or news items with the word “beast” in them: along with much of the rest of the dictionary.  This was around the time they tried to sue the InterNet for libel.

  • abstract_reg

    Part of me wants to believe that Scientology is basically a bunch of artists making a post-modern statement about organized religion. Then the other part remembers the actual brainwashing done to individuals.
    Give me the Church of the SubGenius or Discordianism any day.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1247842954 Tom Henthorn

       hAIL eRIS

      • http://insight.pinkonbrown.org/ Dr P Fenderson

        Waiter! There’s some soup in my religion! Also, All Hail Discordia!

    • Andrew Singleton

      The Holy Noodleness calls for your support.

      *not a pastifarian

    • http://profiles.google.com/marc.k.mielke Marc Mielke

      They’re actually kind of a religion-by-convenience. Turns out you can’t just go around offering shoddy pseudoscience in the guise of ‘Therapy’ because most places require therapists to have some kind of licensing.

      But if you call yourself a ‘Minister’ instead of a ‘Therapist’, you can peddle any kind of bullshit you want, just like the grown-up religions do. 

  • Hakuin

    have a good laugh but don’t forget they use murder.

  • http://twitter.com/LennStar_de LennStar

    As a believer in the FSM it is my religious duty to get scientology members on the path back to god. 
    Deleting my criticizing posts would not only incite religious hatred but also also go against religious freedom.

  • Dr Wadd

    I used to work for a company that provided computerised cognitive testing services. One of my colleagues was using the Google tool that suggests alternative advertising keywords. The fact that they already had the keyword CBT led to some very amusing but unsuitable suggestions being offered.

    Grrr, this was being posted as a reply to Funk Daddy

    • http://twitter.com/fossilfuels Funk Daddy

      A mystery, this allusion and others, to me. Mystery resolved (shudder)

  • http://www.summerseale.com/ Summer Seale

    Here in Israel, Scientology is officially classified as a cult, and not a religion. So I can say whatever I damn well please about it without worrying about local consequences.

    So, in light of that: Scientology is a fucking scam for idiots, losers, and liars. The only people who are left in Scientology today are the deluded, or the disingenuous. None of it makes sense, none of it even classifies as being remotely interesting from a mythological standpoint, and none of it is even decipherable without finally succumbing to the insane ramblings of the serial liar and pedophile known as L. Ron Hubbard.

    Since the 1990′s, there has been a huge amount of information on what Scientology is about, what the upper echelons are supposed to “believe”, and how Scientology silences their critics and milks their members for every single penny that they have. Scientology is full of egomaniacal thieves and scam artists at the top who are clearly insane and beyond reason. And, frankly, to anyone who is a Scientologist reading this today: If you’re still in the “Church” of Scientology after all of this, you’re a complete and utter idiot; a waste of space; an utter failure as a human being.

    As an anti-theist, I’d still have more respect for a Scientologist if they left and joined the Catholic church or something. Naturally, I would prefer it if they left and joined no religion whatsoever. But if they have to pick something, almost anything mainstream is better than Scientology.

    Almost.

    • http://twitter.com/anderalert Pat Eisel

      Word up to the MotherShip! 

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001252791051 Sethy Trashroad

       Hell, even some non-mainstream stuff is better than Scientology.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001252791051 Sethy Trashroad

       And of course, word up.

    • lamoore0888

      Well, here in the United States, if any citizen says anything bad about scientology they are in deep deep shit. Our government, for some reason or other, protects the so called church of scientology like it’s a top secret nuclear facility.

      Of course the fact that Scientology Inc. has provided millions and millions of dollars to our ‘elected’ servants might have something to do with it. Eric Holder has deep ties to Bill Clinton, and Bill CLinton has deep ties to scientology (think election money, lots and lots of election money).

      And here is a funny one: The United States Congress had the gall to lecture Germany when Germany exposed Scientology as a fraud and a con. LOL!

      I might have to move to Israel just to get some peace. Lol. 

      • http://www.summerseale.com/ Summer Seale

        Just to be clear: I am American. I just live in Israel since half a year. =)

        And it’s not like Israel doesn’t have problems of its own. One thing it doesn’t appear to have, however, is free speech issues. At least none that I have seen so far. In fact, the newspapers here appear to be much more critical of the government than American media is (the Israeli government, I mean).

  • DonBoy2

    The linked-to Yahoo story now has over 10,000 comments.

  • CitizenJohnJohn

    I can’t believe I have to be the first to point out that a religion is just a cult with a couple hunded years and some property. They are all batshit insane.

    • Wreckrob8

      Nice religious thinking there – to divide the world into the truly enlightened and the other.

      • http://disqus.com/Kimmoth/ Kimmo

        Uh, it’s dividing the world into the systematically deluded and the other, thanks very much.

        And the ‘it’ here isn’t CJJ’s comment; it’s the pissweak tendency of people to grasp at straws and be satisfied with the sort of groupthink balderdash that passes for an operating system in such circles.

    • http://profiles.google.com/marc.k.mielke Marc Mielke

      Members, more than property, makes a cult a religion. Hence the way Mormonism and Scientology have both been ‘promoted’ from one to the other within the last century. 

  • BombBlastLightingWaltz

    Nicole Kidman is laughing her ass off and getting drunk to celebrate, just about now… and has her lackies phoning in Tom’s misbehaviours, just for hijink.