Seven days
Not too long ago I came across a little internet movement called Project Chanology a little while back on a whim (and a Multiply PM) and I was pretty shocked at what I saw. I mean, I'm from the Philippines. We're no stranger to cults as any Filipino would tell you. But the kind of brainwashing the CoS is doing to these people are at levels even I've never seen before. I saw this guy with a camera getting harrassed on a public street by people who act all accusatory and judgemental at this guy's supposed "skeletons" he's keeping in his closet. Then there was the media suppression and the censorship and the pulling out of several dozen videos on YouTube, the hordes of Evil Copyright Lawyers.
I mean come on people.
I've seen religious oppression and even experienced it a couple of times. But the crap that the church of scientology (I refuse to use capitals on the name of a common cult) tries to pass off as oppression from a close-minded that's supposedly out to get them? From where I'm standing I can see religious oppression all right. And it's not coming from people outside the so-called religion.
Let me tell you about what religious oppresion is.
Religious oppression is like this: a person is forbidden either by government law, a dominant culture on society or any external circumstance from freely practicing his or her faith. This can come in the forms of legislative or civil action, harrassment, social ostracizing and even physical attempts at one's life and well being. Religious oppression is dying for something you believe in because other people can't accept that you believe in a different God than them.
Now let me tell you what religious oppression is not.
Religious oppression does not consist of pressuring people to believe the way you do and force people to see things your way. Religious oppression does not consist of harrassing people with legal action and psychological forms of intimidation.
Religious freedom does not consist of killing people who stand in your way.
I hope Anon gets you, scientology.
“ Scientology has been officially declared Fair Game. Any Scientologist may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Anonymous without any discipline of the Anonymous. They may be tricked, sued, lied to or destroyed. „
-Anon, Paraphrasing CoS
February 10, 2008.
Expect them.