Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology From: dennis.l.erlich@support.com Subject: Leisa Goodman: Scient 1/2 Message-ID: <9508011736.0OQ5F00@support.com> References: <122338Z27071995@anon.penet.fi> Organization: L.A. Valley College Public BBS (818)985-7150 X-Mailer: TBBS/PIMP v3.35 Distribution: world Date: Tue, 01 Aug 95 17:36:03 -0700 Lines: 178 stark@prostar.COM >I finally got around to reading Leisa Goodman's web page. It consists of a >bunch of what is scientology articles, plus a section of articles on the >internet. > >I read through all the internet articles. They were disguised as a >discussion of ethics and the internet, with some general "what is the >internet" info thrown in, but ARS readers will instantly recognize the >entire section as an attempt to dead agent our friend Dennis Erlich, and to >argue against anonymous remailers. They also dead agented Netcom, while >they were at it. > >In an article called "a crime by any other name", a number of internet >criminals were discussed, including a child pornographer, a hacker >doing various criminal deeds, and, worst of all: > > "DENNIS ERLICH: COPYRIGHT TERRORIST > Dennis Erlich's claim to fame is his contribution to the increase of > copyright infringement on the net. He has boasted that no judge or law > enforcement officer could ever make him follow the law. Erlich was > aptly dubbed by one copyright expert as a "copyright terrorist," but > even before he came on-line, his terrorism was directed to other > aspects of his life." >[snip] > "Erlich also supported an unsuccessful plot in the early 1980s to > topple the Church's leadership and gain control of the assets of the > Church. Part of the scheme was to redistribute these assets to private > individuals -- and profit personally in the process. Later, he was > found to be privately employed by those same people who had > masterminded the plot." > >[dennis, is this bit in any way true? I don't recall any mention >of this on ARS before.] This is the latest BS the can manufacture. The alleged "unsuccessful plot" they're referring to probably was my wandering into the first Mission Holders meeting at Flag. They're saying that a spontaneous movement to reform the cult by a number of ordained ministers constituted a conspiracy. And since I later worked for one of the Mission Holders for a week, after I was declared, some seedy deal went down. It's pure >[snip] > "Erlich was expelled from the Church ministry for his many severe > departures from Church standards of ethical conduct. Yea sure. I left because I wouldn't abide the totalitarian, repressive regime of poodleboy and his minions. > Years later, after more violence and drug use, Erlich launched a > copyright infringement racket, Gee, this could get the scienos in more doo-doo. I'mo see to it. > aimed against his former Church. To > camouflage his long-standing animus and gain sympathy from whatever > allies he might dupe, he claimed his acts were not violations of the > law but rather "freedom of speech." > > He loaded copies of stolen More libel. > sacred religious works of the Church of > Scientology -- protected by law -- onto his computer. He then posted > these works on an Internet bulletin board service and refused to stop > doing so until finally ordered by a court. He apparently did this > solely to violate the Church's rights, nullify its lawful trademarks, > and then exploit them for his personal profit." > >[personal profit? What personal profit could Dennis have gained from >posting fragments of OT sci-fi silliness to a usenet newsgroup and >commenting on them?] None. >[snip] > > "The child pornographer who seeks new children to exploit, the > prodigious criminal who "fixes" a radio contest, the child and wife > abuser who turns to misappropriating copyrighted works -- all have > shown continuing flagrant disregard for the law and have simply moved > their activities onto the information superhighway in their mistaken > belief that they would not be held accountable." Cc to MoFo for sure. >As you can see, the usual Scientology dead agenting. Although >"copyright terrorist" is an awfully silly term, one which definitely >deserves to go in some people's SIG's. Note the ridiculous claims >that Dennis "launched a copyright infringement racket", in order to >"exploit them [whatever 'them' was supposed to be] for his personal >profit". > >One of the scienos' main failings seems to be the underestimating of >the general public's intelligence. Anyone who was in any way familiar >with the ARS situation would know in an instant that these claims were >all bullshit. Only a brain dead robot (Woody, Jack Farmer) would >go along with equating a child pornographer with someone who posted >portions of Scientology writings for the purpose of criticizing them. > > >In another article, called "Hijackers on the Information Superhighway", >various types of internet criminal activity were discussed, including, >as you may have expected, the following: > > > "In Glendale, California, Dennis Erlich sought repeatedly to post > sacred and confidential religious works of the Church of Scientology > -- protected by copyright and trade secret laws -- on the Internet. > > He ignored warnings to cease and desist. Instead, he boasted on the > Internet that he would continue his infringements and that "[n]o local > government or court in the U.S. has the power to tell me otherwise." > > A federal judge, however, disagreed, and on February 14, 1995, > officials enforcing a federal court order seized materials, including > computer software, disks and documents, he had used to violate Church > copyrights. > > The bulletin board system (BBS) operator and the service provider -- > Netcom, based in San Jose, California -- refused to take action, even > when put on notice." >[snip] >