From: "biscuit" <chocbikky@yahoo.com>
Subject: ratbags.com and scientology.
Message-ID: <2fxHa.637$3B6.14445@newsfeeds.bigpond.com>
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2003 15:07:40 +1000
Organization: Telstra BigPond Internet Services (http://www.bigpond.com)

http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/

This week's editorial from The Millenium Project.

cheers!

biscuit.

Scientology runs from the truth - again (14/6/2003)

In March 2002, the criminal cult of Scientology tried to get Google to remove some references in their database to web sites which were critical of the cult. Google took out the links while they thought about it for a while, and then restored them when the ramifications (and ridiculousness) of allowing vested interests to determine what is indexed in search engines became apparent. The Scientologists have now had another go at hiding what they do by convincing the Internet Archive Wayback Machine to remove material that the cult does not like. (The Wayback Machine is an amazing attempt to chronicle the evolution of the web, and it provides an invaluable resource for anyone seeking the history of the tens of millions of web sites.)

The Scientology claims against the Wayback Machine are stronger than against Google, because the archive contained the complete text of documents which are claimed to be subject to copyright rather than just links to pages containing the material. There is a real possibility that they could leave themselves open to expensive litigation if they do not promptly remove copyright material, but the interests of free speech demand that the process be open and transparent. The Internet Archive should adopt the policy used by Google (and The Millenium Project) of publishing in full the text of any legal demands or complaints and also registering the complaints with the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse. In Scientology's favour, I can see why they don't want outsiders to read the cult's teachings that 75 million years ago people were thrown into volcanoes and blown up with hydrogen bombs.

Speaking of Scientology ... (14/6/2003)

I was talking to someone during the week who had been searching the Internet for information about drugs which might be prescribed for her daughter's ADHD. She had found a psychologist near her home who had much to say about the terrors of Ritalin and dexamphetamine, and when she quoted some of this to me it all sounded very familiar. Sure enough, it was almost word-for-word off the web site of the Scientology anti-psychiatry front, Narconon. I have no reason to believe that the psychologist is a Scientologist, as her web site seemed to just be the normal "no such thing as mental illness" stuff that can be found throughout alternative medicine and her suggested treatments didn't look like a Purification Rundown, but this incident shows the danger that can arise when two corrupt ideologies synergise each other even if their goals are widely separated. The psychologist may be well-intentioned (although deluded), but her support of the cult's lies could boost their apparent validity. And we all know what Scientology's intentions are...

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