Church of Scientology Banned from Editing Wikipedia

[Liberal_in_LA]

Source: Tech-Ex

Wikipedia has decided enough is enough. After too many self-serving edits by the Church of Scientology, Wikipedia has decided to ban edits from IP addresses owned or operated by the Church of Scientology and its associates.

Here's a word for the church though: proxy server. At any rate, regardless of whether or not the Church manages to get around the ban, this is an unprecedented move.

------------------------------------

Individuals have been banned for gaming the system before, but according to The Register, which first broke the story of the "court decision," multiple Wikipedia admins indicated that the barring of Church of Scientology IP addresses marks the first time Wikipedia has officially barred such a high-profile organization.

Additionally, The Register adds:

According to evidence turned up by admins in this long-running Wikiland court case, multiple editors have been "openly editing from Church of Scientology equipment and apparently coordinating their activities." Leaning on the famed WikiScanner, countless news stories have discussed the editing of Scientology articles from Scientology IPs, and some site admins are concerned this is "damaging Wikipedia's reputation for neutrality."

Read more: http://technologyexpert.blogspot.com/2009/05/church-of-scientology-banned-from.html

[Mythsaje]

1. I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

Not really.

[jeff30997]

2. Those freaks are really creepy.

They have an army of lawyers so I wouldn't be surprised to se that escalating.

[hotnuke]

3. I Lose All Respect for Anyone Noted as Being Connected to Scientology

Any time I read a news report about someone being connected to Scientology I lose all respect for them. Not to mention any woman I find out is involved with this modern-day CULT I immediately find disgusting, even if a minute before that I found them extremely attractive. Case in point is Marisol Nichols, whom I thought of as extremely attractive. In fact, I had thought she was stunningly attractive since she was in Vegas Vacation.

I then went to her official website recently, because I'd watched a film she was in called "Felon" with Stephen Dorff and Val Kilmer, and was reading her bio. At first what was on it only further attracted me to her. She was not only a completely stunning woman physically, but her tastes were so similar to mine in regard to movies, books, music and political views I was like, "Man, this woman is a dream".

Then I came across a little factoid on another link, ironically, the wikipedia page for her, that she was a scientologist. She immediately went from hot babe in my mind to wacked out nutcase cultist in a heartbeat. My attraction to her ended in a split second.

Simply put, those involved with this insidious cult are beyond pathetic, for as with any cult, it doesn't just stop with them. These scum are adamant about growing their numbers. And they don't just go after the poor, as with other organized religions (because those religions main purpose in getting new followers is to gain money), no, they go after people in positions of power. I truly believe that the Church of Scientology's sole purpose in recruiting people to their cult is to eventually gain control of enough positions of power to effectively control this planet.

They are a very, very scary bunch of scumbags.

[No Elephants]

4. Anyone could have added that to her wiki, whether true or not. For all we know,

the Church of Scientology adds that to each hot celebrity's very evening. And then other web sources pick it up there, believe it and repeat it at their sites. Then again, it could be true, but you may never know. Just sayin'

If you never plan on meeting her IRL, does it really matter anyway? Believe what makes you feel best. Why not? On the other hand, if you're planning to ask her out IRL, you may want to check further first.

[kenfrequed]

11. Annoying and foolish yes, but scary?

Sorry these guys don't even come close to my definition of scary. How about a list of groups far more powerful and far closer to controlling parts of the planet or who are proably in a position to move that way?

Theonomist movement-Christian Reconstructionist- Many of the big time fundamentalists have at least some connection to Rushdooney's crazy old organization and they are actually able to affecte public policy via Heritage and other Think tanks. These guys want nothing less than a theocracy.

Sun Myung Moon and his Unity Church- the original huge cult trying to take over shit. They own Newspapers and media outlets and have extensive connections to korean intelligence. If you want a total white-wash look at their Wiki page. The difference is the Moonies are a hell of a lot better organized and more effective than the scientologists could ever hope to be.

The Roman Catholic church- has increased famine and poverty with its stupid policies regarding reproductive rights and contraceptives and has likewise increased the spread of aids by their idiotic and unrealistic abstinance only nonsense.

The Mormons- They are growing as quickly as any religion and send missionaries everywhere. They also have a clear political axe to grind and are showing signs of organizing to knock out other Americans political and civil liberties (Prop 8 anyone?)

So in summation:
Scientologists- moronic trite 'religious philosophy' that isn't. It also has all the staying power of Amway with regards to its membership. I find it hard to take seriously a cult that believes in Zemu the galactic overlord. They are also in little danger of going anywhere unless L Ron Hubbard rises from the dead or they manage some Extraterrestrial Miracle or something.

So can we dismiss them (and their legal cases) already and treat them with as frivolous as they really are.

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. good info here. Thanks

[No Elephants]

5. According to some "escapees," several cults check wiki nightly and edit accordingly. Thing is,

these cults have devotees scattered worldwide, as well as those who headquarter "on campus." So, banning by IP number is almost impossible. Ban the headquarters IP and Tom Cruise (or folks equally devoted, but less famous) will gladly do the honors from an entirely different location, and without even asking for payment for their time. In fact, they may donate more because being of service is just so much of a privilege. (Not exaggerating here. I've known folk like that for years.)

[tomm2thumbs]

6. they should just put a hold on any page being edited that has 'Scientology' in the page

although my guess is that they are planning on doing that but they didn't want to announce it as such.

[Jim Lane]

13. Wikipedia protects pages only as a last resort

Open editing is one of the project's core values. Page protection goes against that ideal.

The overwhelming response from the Wikipedia community would probably be to, at a minimum, wait a while and see if the ban on editing from identifiably Scientologist addresses cures the problem.

[Soylent Brice]

7. that is HILARIOUS.

[LostinVA]

8. Good!

[lame54]

9. So, Tom Cruise is NOT a good actor?

[progressoid]

10. Well, that should solve the problem.

:eyes: