AfterDawn: News

Wikipedia blocks Church of Scientology from editing entries

The user-edited online encyclopedia Wikipedia has announced today that any IP address connected to a computer owned by the Church of Scientology is now banned from editing contributions. The site says for years the Chruch has been editing anything related to Scientology to show it in better light.

"All IP addresses owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates, broadly interpreted, are to be blocked as if they were open proxies," says the site's press release.

Wikipedia's arbitration committee noted that for years, computers owned by the Church had been coordinating editing techniques to make the Scientology articles biased to one specific viewpoint.



"You could imply that there is a conflict of interest," added Dan Rosenthal, a media contact for Wikipedia. "Rather than two unrelated people getting together, Scientologists were getting together, saying, 'Let's work together to make this a more pro-scientology article.'"

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 May 2009 17:15

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• 41 comments

• def&blind

  .

  30.5.2009 17:24 #1

• ROMaster2

  I know am I right?

  30.5.2009 17:49 #2

• dadrian

  How can they know that a member of that cult has published something in Wikipedia? Other than that, I agree with the decision, no cults should be allowed to express their opinion on planet-wide religious matters.

  30.5.2009 18:17 #3

• Hopium

  if you read the original article that was out 2 days ago they are just banning Ip's of known scientology churches and centre's and such, not individual residential ip's so it just kinda of a filter to make it a little hard for then to push their agenda

  30.5.2009 18:29 #4

• Amak

  Originally posted by dadrian: How can they know that a member of that cult has published something in Wikipedia? Other than that, I agree with the decision, no cults should be allowed to express their opinion on planet-wide religious matters.While that's true and I agree, they are blocking them because they are basically preaching via Wikipedia.

  30.5.2009 20:13 #5

• BLAHHHHH

  WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH...YOU SAY SOMETHING YOU SIGN..

  30.5.2009 22:56 #6

• MrGoats

  Originally posted by BLAHHHHH: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH...YOU SAY SOMETHING YOU SIGN..First, caplocks much? Second, freedom of speak is only valid in public places wiki is privately owned.
  I agree with Wikipedia decision. alter the facts to please your agenda on any wiki YOUR OUT!

  30.5.2009 23:04 #7

• Jhult

  Originally posted by BLAHHHHH: WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH...YOU SAY SOMETHING YOU SIGN..
  It is one thing to exercise freedom of speech. But it is something completely different to alter someone's view just because you feel it doesn't cast you in a good light. Just my two cents.

  31.5.2009 00:51 #8

• ddp

  BLAHHHHH, knockoff the caps lock as we are not deaf like you.

  31.5.2009 01:11 #9

• BLAHHHHH

  MY MY...TOUCHY PEOPLE HERE...A LITTLE BIT OF MANNERS HERE PLEASE...OR DO I HAVE TO DEFEND YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS TO DISAGREE WITH AND ABUSE ME..LOL

  31.5.2009 01:30 #10

• ddp

  BLAHHHHH, lightning struck!!!

  31.5.2009 01:39 #11

• djgizmo

  Good, Scientology is such as weird cult/religion that they SHOULD be banned in general.
  
  I'm all for freedom of religion and what not, but they take stupidness to the next level by believing all illness is caused by mental fatigue or emotional stress.

  31.5.2009 07:01 #12

• Stu_dent

  Originally posted by djgizmo: Good, Scientology is such as weird cult/religion that they SHOULD be banned in general.
  
  I'm all for freedom of religion and what not, but they take stupidness to the next level by believing all illness is caused by mental fatigue or emotional stress.Most definately, I think its a joke people still call it a 'religion'!

  31.5.2009 07:15 #13

• KingNot

  I wonder how many other 'religious' groups use the same tactics?

  31.5.2009 11:13 #14

• jimors

  The "church" of scientology should not be taken lightly. They have been implicated in brainwashing, kidnappings and suspicious deaths.If their propagandist material is allowed to spread without oversight many more gullible people will be harmed.
  
  They employ a virtual army of clones specifically directed to keep their doctrine pure. Pure in the sense of no outside opinion allowed. Please hide your children.

  31.5.2009 12:49 #15

• canuckerz

  Originally posted by djgizmo: Good, Scientology is such as weird cult/religion that they SHOULD be banned in general.
  
  I'm all for freedom of religion and what not, but they take stupidness to the next level by believing all illness is caused by mental fatigue or emotional stress.All religions when it comes right down to it started out just as far-fetched as this one did; and most have done far worse things. I'm not supporting scientology in anyway I'm just saying its kind of hypocritical to knock one religion while supporting another.

  1.6.2009 00:46 #16

• DRokKer

  Only sheep need shepherds.

  1.6.2009 06:12 #17

• varnull

  Originally posted by DRokKer: Only sheep need shepherds.Oh quality .. I'm going to remember that.. excellent.. cheers XD
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.
  I would rather you hate me for who I am than love me for what I am not.
  “It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state.” - Bruce Schneier

  1.6.2009 06:15 #18

• Mez

  It is not about who should be able to post opinions in Wikipedia. No one is allowed to post opinions there.
  
  Wikipedia is supposed to be factual and contain only commonly held FACTS. They do not even allow the posting of primary research. If 'they' remove great cutting edge information they can surely cut out propaganda.
  
  I wish they would allow the posting of primary info with a disclaimer. From what I have seen, most of the primary source info that was removed was probably factual cutting edge that has not been published. I deeply resent jerks like the Church of Scientology proving more censorship is needed.

  1.6.2009 08:34 #19

• mystic

  ok Lets get this to a light that can be spoken about openly like lets not alow our beleifs to rule our every day ideas like ok most of us think that the Church of Scientology has some nuts in it but lets not rush to judgement for those that do must be willing to take the first stone ( like upside their head) I could careless if they alter anything that isnt true but the facts should be left alone now with that said lets list all the preist names on wiki as well for diddling with the alter boys and lets list the money spent by those churches to protect them and lets list where they got moved to so the public knows who the are like oh lets call it a sex offender list of preditors... you know what I really cant remmber ever hearing about one of those sceintology cadets ever play around with the kiddy set..... food for thought

  1.6.2009 14:07 #20

• mystic

  and oh yeah i'm not religuis just a concerned parent

  1.6.2009 14:10 #21

• ThePastor

  Quote:Good, Scientology is such as weird cult/religion that they SHOULD be banned in general.
  
  I'm all for freedom of religion and what not, but they take stupidness to the next level by believing all illness is caused by mental fatigue or emotional stress.I'm not a Scientology supporter at all, but this statement just seems so wrong.
  You say that "they're weird so should be banned in general?"
  And then that they are weird because they believe all illness is caused by..."
  So, Christianity believes that all people who believe in God/Jesus will go to heaven and that humanity was "created" in like 1800bc (or some such date)... does that make them "werid" as well?
  
  Freedom of religion is just that. I would venture to say that most people who do not follow a particular religion would find most religions to be "weird". I don't think that should ever be a reason for censorship or banning "in general".
  
  As for the article, if they are systematically altering the Wiki for propoganda purposes then they deserve the site wide ban. They've broken the TOS so later for them.

  1.6.2009 15:00 #22

• Mez

  You arn't getting it. There are rules for posting just like there are rules here. It is not about freedon of speach or if the religion is good. It is about they broke the rules or at least broke the spirit of the rules as big as you can.
  
  Just like was it right for BLAHHHHH to be suspended? He broke the rules and didn't take the warning in the right way. This was very simelar except they were banned by a committee not a moderator. You are correct in that your freedom of speach is empeded on this forum. You can't curse and you can't even say things in all caps. Get over it! The rules are not put there to hurt you or take away all your rights.
  
  They posted their beliefs as facts and used material that was published by the Church of Scientology as proof that it was factual. Some of the facts sited may have been very outragious! I have read some of there literature. All that matteral was removed so I could see what they were claiming but if I had to make a guess by some of the warnings that they claimed communicating with dogs. It is one thing to say someone claimed to mind link with a dog and another to say it really happened. Certain topics are now banned from the article. I would have loved to see the unedited version!
  
  The other religions are content with factual statements that state the followers believe a thing. That is far different that stating something is fact. The point is they broke the rules to put themselves above other religions.

  1.6.2009 19:10 #23

• garmoon

  Quote:Only sheep need shepherds. a golden nugget for sure!
  

  
  
  "Remember some people are alive simply because it is illegal to shoot them"

  1.6.2009 20:37 #24

• windsong

  Anyone here can look up that cult on YouTube and see countless documentaries/interviews with former members. I think the cat is out of the bag..we all KNOW what Scientology is and what it purports to do. This scares them.

  2.6.2009 01:49 #25

• borhan9

  This adds more fuel to the fire against the church. They really need to figure out what they stand for.

  2.6.2009 02:02 #26

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by borhan9: This adds more fuel to the fire against the church. They really need to figure out what they stand for.
  -Brainwashing, lies, control, and opression...just like any other church/cult.
  
  This is advertising. The church of scientology is a business...instead of selling cars, food, or something usefull, they sell lies. In that sense, their actions are a bit like if Coca-Cola edited the Pepsi page to read, "has been shown to cause rectal cancer in 56% of users"....then edited their own page to read, "Only know cure for AIDS".

  2.6.2009 05:02 #27

• domie

  The Church Of Scientology and its members are vile and must be destroyed - it wouldn't be so bad if these psychopathic wackos just kept to themselves and left us in peace but they won't - they are sloly trying to foster a plan of world domination. They've begun with Hollywood , easiest way to control the media , next it will be politics and then McDonalds - they will control everything that is vital for normal sane people to survive ;) lol

  2.6.2009 15:04 #28

• DXR88

  Originally posted by domie: The Church Of Scientology and its members are vile and must be destroyed - it wouldn't be so bad if these psychopathic wackos just kept to themselves and left us in peace but they won't - they are sloly trying to foster a plan of world domination. They've begun with Hollywood , easiest way to control the media , next it will be politics and then McDonalds - they will control everything that is vital for normal sane people to survive ;) lolyeah Tom Cruze must be destroyed.

  2.6.2009 21:46 #29

• eljay

  Yeah! We most definately need somone to invent a Tom Cruise Control ;-)

  5.6.2009 10:28 #30

• dinkypoo

  I Live in Buffalo, NY. I have a friend I knew since high school, probably 15 yrs. He and his family were all Scientoligists. In his mid 20's he was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Being that Scientoligists don't believe in mental illness or Psychiatry his parents treated that illness with vitamin supplements. That didn't seem to work because shortly after he murdered his mother in his kitchen. I'm still the only one who even visits him or even seems to know he's really a good man. Feel free google Jeremy Perkins if you think I'm b.s.ing. Thats just ONE thing Scientology has wrong with it.

  5.6.2009 15:07 #31

• senator29

  Please correct me if I am wrong.
  
  But for a few years now and from several people I have heard that Scientology came about from some dude who wrote a fictional story.
  People believed in the book so much the religion sparked up.
  The author is the obvious leader collecting millions if not billions.
  
  I heard on TV it costs lots and lots of money to join.
  
  I have never figured out the tie between religion and money and how it flows ever so unrestricted. Next thing you know this massive over priced church is built that you can see for miles. I am not saying wrong, I just don't understand.

  5.6.2009 15:53 #32

• DVDdoug

  Quote:Please correct me if I am wrong.
  
  But for a few years now and from several people I have heard that Scientology came about from some dude who wrote a fictional story. "Some dude" is L. Ron Hubbard. He was a science fiction author. He also wrote Dianetics, which not intended as fiction, but explains his philosophy and beliefs.

  5.6.2009 17:36 #33

• garmoon

  @senator29
  
  Quote:I have never figured out the tie between religion and money and how it flows ever so unrestricted. Next thing you know this massive over priced church is built that you can see for miles. I am not saying wrong, I just don't understand.Religion is a BUSINESS- nothing more. The sweeter ones sermons are, the fatter the collection plates. Through out history, every civilization has come up with basically the same business model- central meeting place-mystical writings and shamans ,and enough people gathering to support their life style.
  
  As DRokKer so well put it- "only sheep need shepherds."

  5.6.2009 18:50 #34

• senator29

  Truth lies in the history.
  
  Religion ages ago was used to gain control on the population. Now it is government.
  
  This thread could go on forever talking about this stuff.
  
  If freedom of religion were true then sacrificing little children wouldn't be illegal.

  5.6.2009 22:04 #35

• Bluto1841

  All you naysayers had better stay anonymous because if you cross them you are "toast". Their "Security Forces" will getcha. No bad words please. Do some research on their tactics but stay mum. Hide under your bed!!!

  5.6.2009 22:35 #36

• garmoon

  And if I don't pass this on to ten of my best friends, I will suffer tragically, tomorrow. Bring 'em on! It seems that no one is defending them at all. You'd think there would be one nut posting here.

  6.6.2009 12:10 #37

• ddp

  garmoon, i thought we were all nuts!!!

  6.6.2009 12:27 #38

• garmoon

  @ddp
  
  LMAO sometimes we feel like nuts, sometimes we don't. I'm mainly feeling bad from being overserved last night. So I bes in the nut stage now.

  6.6.2009 12:36 #39

• varnull

  The membership of this cult obviously have better things to do .. like banging on peoples doors along with mormons and other totalitarian groups tubthumping and trying to draw sad and lonely people into their "churches" of division. Where difference and open questioning is frowned on, and anybody who says anything different from the book or the priest is a heretic and should be burned at the stake.
  
  Don't I know this one.. I get it even on sites where difference and diversity is a cornerstone of the rules. ALL are supposed to be allowed a voice and an opinion.. but don't tell a christian they are being "superior" without any other justification than their belonging to a particular cult (all religions are cults) or you will be censored and your posts not approved... My mistake was to object to being replied to as if without my consent I was also something to do with a fictional god.. and that's all you need to be.. different.. to see the abuse these people will use against you.. I would love to out that particular person to their church and see how many more sunday brainwashings they are welcome to attend... because their church sees them as as much of an "affront to god" and "an abomination" as I am.. yet they act as it's apologist.
  
  Wikipedia should have one page for religion.. and one page only .. with the large words..
  
  Religions are cults.. they promote and support lies over facts. They encourage hate and division among people.. they seek to enforce their prejudice on others through manipulation of lawmakers.
  
  That's all that really needs to be said about any and all religions.. They lie and twist and force.. and as such should be consigned to the dark ages where they belong.
  
  So consider.. some supreme being who made the whole universe (and by that logic made itself also) decided to tell this to some goat farmers scratching about in a desert .. and didn't give them any proof.
  Apparently if I laugh at that nonsense then I will be burned alive for all eternity in some place by some angel who was thrown out of somewhere by this all loving and all forgiving supreme being who supposedly made me in it's own image (so this supreme being was transgender eh? .. where does that put this supreme beings non intersexed creations who say they are made in the image of this so called god?.. inferior that's where) even though I know I'm evolved from a bacteria .. errrr.. yeah... right
  
  excuse me while I walk away wiping away the tears of laughter.. I worship the great pink elephants .. seen them with my own eyes XD
  
  oooooooo.. wouldn't it be a lovely place without all these religions.. where people have to be responsible for their own actions and don't have any fantasy creation to blame for their ignorance and prejudice?
  
  Time for the human race to grow the f--k up and get into the 21st century and out of the 6th
  

  
  
  Free open source software = made by end users who want an application to work.
  I would rather you hate me for who I am than love me for what I am not.
  “It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state.” - Bruce Schneier

  6.6.2009 12:46 #40

• ThePastor

  Gotta love the massive generalizations there!
  
  List of Religions with more than 500,000 members:
  1.Christianity: 2.1 billion
  
  2.Islam: 1.5 billion
  
  3.Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 1.1 billion
  
  4.Hinduism: 900 million
  
  5.Chinese traditional religion: 394 million
  
  6.Buddhism: 376 million
  
  7.primal-indigenous: 300 million
  
  8.African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million
  
  9.Sikhism: 23 million
  
  10.Juche: 19 million
  
  11.Spiritism: 15 million
  
  12.Judaism: 14 million
  
  13.Baha'i: 7 million
  
  14.Jainism: 4.2 million
  
  15.Shinto: 4 million
  
  16.Cao Dai: 4 million
  
  17.Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million
  
  18.Tenrikyo: 2 million
  
  19.Neo-Paganism: 1 million
  
  20.Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
  
  21.Rastafarianism: 600 thousand
  
  22.Scientology: 500 thousand
  
  Then there are the many different "sects" of each religion: For example, several years ago there were more than 30,000 Christian faith structures.
  
  Several of those top religions do not even believe in an "all-knowing" Godlike being and most have very different creation myths.

  9.6.2009 20:37 #41