Moscow court bans Hubbard’s Scientology works as extremist

RichieC

A Russian court has found that some Scientology literature distributed in Russia is illegal. The writings by the father of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, have been ruled extremist and anti-social.
The Prosecutor General's office said that the Moscow’s Shchelkovo Court had ruled that “What is Scientology?” and other L. Ron Hubbard brochures “contain calls for extremist activities.”
The court’s decision has not been enforced yet, so these books are still being sold in the shops. The PR director of the Church of Scientology of Moscow, Natalia Alekseeva, has told RT her view on the court’s decision.

http://www.rt.com/news/court-ban-scientology-extremist/

What ye make of this? I personally would just ban the "churches" operations. and leave the dianetics books on the shelves as fiction. which is what they are.

It's a dangerous and blood sucking cult that ruins lives.

Biggins

Best news I have heard all morning!
Honestly.
Now if they could just ban the whole thing from the country - and every country!

Seachmall

The books are the initial materials that manipulate people.

People who are depressed or in someway longing for something read it and it promises them the world. Then they're hooked as it feeds their delusions which is extremely dangerous.


So, I'm in complete agreement with banning the Bible, Koran, Talmud, Dianetics,

pickarooney

Pretty rich, coming from Russia.

seamus

It's as religiousy valid as any other. If you're going to ban it, there's no good reason not to ban every other religious text.

cloptrop

Its banned, holy **** thats so cool , where can I buy one.

NiallFH

RichieC wrote: »

It's a dangerous and blood sucking cult that ruins lives.

Just like every other religion

MrStuffins

pickarooney wrote: »

Pretty rich, coming from Russia.

Why did I read that in the voice of Michael Buffer about to introduce Roman Abramovich?

RichieC

seamus wrote: »

It's as religiousy valid as any other. If you're going to ban it, there's no good reason not to ban every other religious text.

If we could just prove the bible and quran were written by low rent science fiction writers that might work, but we can't. we have the unique opportunity to stop the spread of an other sickness before it falls into the realm of myth and legend.

cloptrop

In Russia the book reads you.

fedor.2.

cloptrop wrote: »

In Russia the book reads you.

I was waiting for it

Benny_Cake

I really don't get the enthusiasm about this decision. While Dianetics is obviously a nonsensical form of pseudoscience, it's hardly dangerous. Freedom of expression breaks down if it only applies to expression that one agrees with. It would be far more worthwhile if the finances and business activities of Scientology were investigated.

RichieC

I'll probably the subject of fair game for posting this thread.

Ever see how scientology guys act? it's like the Pods in the invasion of the body snatchers. glazed eyes, no real show of emotion.. creepy.

wes

This is hardly a good thing. The scientology texts shouldn't be banned imho. It wasn't that long ago that the Soviet Union banned the Bible, Koran and Torah etc, and destroying various places of worhship and engaged in repression of various Religions.

Now, like any church however, the activities of the church of scientology should be investigated, if there is a suspicion of something illegal going on. However, they should be free to follow there Religion as long as they aren't breaking any laws.

Ellis Dee

RichieC wrote: »

If we could just prove the bible and quran were written by low rent science fiction writers that might work, but we can't. we have the unique opportunity to stop the spread of an other sickness before it falls into the realm of myth and legend.

I'm afraid it's way too late for that. You might as well be throwing Christians to the lions, because this action by an undemocratic state will only give the Scientology church racket martyr status and boost its marketing efforts elsewhere in the world.:rolleyes:

The only thing that will ever work against religion is enlightenment. And I won't hold my breath while I wait for much of that to emanate from Putin's Russia.:(

Seachmall

Benny_Cake wrote: »

I really don't get the enthusiasm about this decision. While Dianetics is obviously a nonsensical form of pseudoscience, it's hardly dangerous. Freedom of expression breaks down if it only applies to expression that one agrees with. It would be far more worthwhile if the finances and business activities of Scientology were investigated.

The book is published with the explicit intent of manipulating others into joining an organisation with a horrendous past of mistreating it's members.

It wasn't written as a form of expression or for art's sake. It was written to attract the vulnerable members of our society and to exploit them to their own detriment.

Banning the book isn't curtailing freedom of expression, it's preventing the expansion of an organisation that is a threat to each and every individual who comes into contact with it, be they friend or foe.

FinnLizzy

In Soviet Russia, people fúck with Scientology.

smash

There's actually something illegal in Russia?

RichieC

They have their religious tax exempt status in the US only because as is their way, they dragged the litigation out for so long they just caved and gave it to them.

Capt'n Midnight

seamus wrote: »

It's as religiousy valid as any other. If you're going to ban it, there's no good reason not to ban every other religious text.

Most other religions don't have a gaggle of lawyers to enforce copyright at the drop of a hat.

And from what I've seen of it my opinion is that it's about money and power disguised as a religion for tax and law avoidance purposes

Benny_Cake

Seachmall wrote: »

[
The book is published with the explicit intent of manipulating others into joining an organisation with a horrendous past of mistreating it's members.

It wasn't written as a form of expression or for art's sake. It was written to attract the vulnerable members of our society and to exploit them to their own detriment.

Banning the book isn't curtailing freedom of expression, it's preventing the expansion of an organisation that is a threat to each and every individual who comes into contact with it, be they friend or foe.

I don't disagree with anything you say about Scientology - it's history and activities speak for themselves. But Dianetics (the book) predates the founding of Scientology as I understand it. I would always be uncomfortable about banning a book, far better to focus on the harassment carried out by Scientologists as well as looking into the financial activities of the organisation.

Overheal

seamus wrote: »

It's as religiousy valid as any other. If you're going to ban it, there's no good reason not to ban every other religious text.

I wouldn't have a problem with that..

RichieC

Surprised we haven't had a visit in this thread from an impeccably grammatical apologist.

Eric Cartman

As much as I despise scientology , no books should be illegal, its the same level of bullshiít as any other religion, femenism or anthropology .

AboutTwoFiddy

Few aliens be grand.

Biggins

It appears that the cult itself might be banned anyway by reading of the OP's first post;

In Russia, the Church of Scientology was first registered in the city of Surgut in 1994 as a non-governmental organization, but was later banned.

So following on from that, the banning of some of their more extreme books if they advocate what the Russian court states, then it makes sense to do so.

Originally Posted by Benny_Cake
I really don't get the enthusiasm about this decision. While Dianetics is obviously a nonsensical form of pseudoscience, it's hardly dangerous. Freedom of expression breaks down if it only applies to expression that one agrees with. It would be far more worthwhile if the finances and business activities of Scientology were investigated.

As Seachmall replied, well explained in his above post. 100% agree.
They banned the cults more dangerous books - not the principles behind them which are still available else where through other organisations such as "Freezone"

They have their religious tax exempt status in the US only because as is their way, they dragged the litigation out for so long they just caved and gave it to them.

Indeed - after infiltrating the CIA, stealing documents and the American government (Operation Snow White) in order to exploit it!
(The largest infiltration of the United States government in history)

johnwest288

XANU IS MUCH DISPLEASED




PREPARE THE INTERSTELLAR SPACESHIPS IN THE VOLCANOES FOR ATTACK

Beano

johnwest288 wrote: »

XANU IS MUCH DISPLEASED




PREPARE THE INTERSTELLAR SPACESHIPS IN THE VOLCANOES FOR ATTACK

Its Xenu.

RichieC

Beano wrote: »

Its Xenu.

It's what ever you wish, Darling.

Sindri

I find the name Scientology mildly ironic...

Biggins

What is just as damning for the American government is that if any other organisation infiltrated the USA government as this org/cult has done, they like any other modern day bad organisation, be banned and everything related to it also taken off the public shelves.
...But seeing as its stuffed with celebs, is about making millions yearly in profit and actually managed to get a tax-free status, is just about laughable.

Sadly its not laughable by its many, many victims, be they in the cult itself or its naval slavery organisation "Sea-Org".

...Think about that - a "Religion" (cult!) with a navy!

...All tax free too!

Daftness of the highest order and the longer this stupidity continues, the American government allows itself to be seen as equally further complicit in this madness.

Benny_Cake

Biggins wrote: »

What is just as damning for the American government is that if any other organisation infiltrated the USA government as this org/cult has done, they like any other modern day bad organisation, be banned and everything related to it also taken off the public shelves.
...But seeing as its stuffed with celebs, is about making millions yearly in profit and actually managed to get a tax-free status, is just about laughable.

Sadly its not laughable by its many, many victims, be they in the cult itself or its naval slavery organisation "Sea-Org".

...Think about that - a "Religion" (cult!) with a navy!

...All tax free too!

Daftness of the highest order and the longer this stupidity continues, the American government allows itself to be seen as equally further complicit in this madness.

I remember reading in a report once that the "church" hired private investigators to dig around in the personal lives of IRS officials - they are an extremely nasty bunch.

RichieC

Biggins wrote: »

What is just as damning for the American government is that if any other organisation infiltrated the USA government as this org/cult has done, they like any other modern day bad organisation, be banned and everything related to it also taken off the public shelves.
...But seeing as its stuffed with celebs, is about making millions yearly in profit and actually managed to get a tax-free status, is just about laughable.

Sadly its not laughable by its many, many victims, be they in the cult itself or its naval slavery organisation "Sea-Org".

...Think about that - a "Religion" (cult!) with a navy!

...All tax free too!

Daftness of the highest order and the longer this stupidity continues, the American government allows itself to be seen as equally further complicit in this madness.

People are afraid of them. you need to be clean as a whistle to take them on, even then you have to be prepared to have your life scrutinised and lies published about you. It's no surprise politicians in the US don't confront them. they all have skellies in their closets.

Biggins

Benny_Cake wrote: »

I remember reading in a report once that the "church" hired private investigators to dig around in the personal lives of IRS officials - they are an extremely nasty bunch.

They have complete towerblocks which consist of purely investigators in their much owned town Clearwater alone!
They even infiltrated that city by infiltrating government offices and media centers - known as Operation Normandy.

Now if this was a foreign group - the whole lot would be frogmarched off to 'Gitmo' in a flash!

...But this is a RELIGION!
Yea... Right!

P.S.
They don't like me!
Fcuk them!

Capt'n Midnight

Eric Cartman wrote: »

As much as I despise scientology , no books should be illegal, its the same level of bullshiít as any other religion.

no IMHO it's a worse level, as there are lots of claims that people are targeted

you didn't see that episode of Millenium with the Selfosophy and the lads stashing away books so their books would survive into the future ?




I'm one of those people who thinks that theta is an angle.

NiallFH

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

no IMHO it's a worse level, as there are lots of claims that people are targeted

Which is different to other religions that dont target but rather brainwash the masses via the school system, much less evil

Biggins

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

...you didn't see that episode of Millenium with the Selfosophy and the lads stashing away books so their books would survive into the future ?

Thats fiction - this is fact: Scientology-The Bunker Footage
(...of which they have three. Two others elsewhere.)

Video footage: http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=08b_1186419752

A Place in the Desert for New Mexico's Most Exclusive Circles
From: washingtonpost.com

From the state that gave us Roswell, the epicenter of UFO lore since 1947, comes a report from an Albuquerque TV station about its discovery of strange landscape markings in the remote desert. They're etched in New Mexico's barren northern reaches, resemble crop circles and are recognizable only from a high altitude.

Also, they are directly connected to the Church of Scientology.

The church tried to persuade station KRQE not to air its report last week about the aerial signposts marking a Scientology compound that includes a huge vault "built into a mountainside," the station said on its Web site. The tunnel was constructed to protect the works of L. Ron Hubbard, the late science-fiction writer who founded the church in the 1950s.

The archiving project, which the church has acknowledged, includes engraving Hubbard's writings on stainless steel tablets and encasing them in titanium capsules. It is overseen by a Scientology corporation called the Church of Spiritual Technology. Based in Los Angeles, the corporation dispatched an official named Jane McNairn and an attorney to visit the TV station in an effort to squelch the story, KRQE news director Michelle Donaldson said.

The church offered a tour of the underground facility if KRQE would kill the piece, the station said in its newscast. Scientology also called KRQE's owner, Emmis Communications, and "sought the help of a powerful New Mexican lawmaker" to lobby against airing the piece, the station reported on its Web site.

More: http://cryptome.org/cst-bunker.htm

http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=1538

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trementina_Base

...Then there is Tom Cruise's bunker: http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?1980-Tom-Cruise-builds-10M-shelter-to-hide-from-Xenu

Capt'n Midnight

NiallFH wrote: »

Which is different to other religions that dont target but rather brainwash the masses via the school system, much less evil

In Ireland the religious run the schools because no one else put money into setting up schools.

quite a few parents in south west Dublin are alleged to have lied about their religious preference to get their kids into what they perceive as a better school

NiallFH

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

In Ireland the religious run the schools because no one else put money into setting up schools.

quite a few parents in south west Dublin are alleged to have lied about their religious preference to get their kids into what they perceive as a better school

That doesnt really change the fact that the school place is being used to drill these beliefs into children who are too young to know better. I almost feel violated knowing how I was taught religion in school and its scary to think not everyone cops onto it 'in my opinion' being a load of garbage fairy tales.

I reckon doing it in a school is worse than these books, at least your a free thinking adult picking up the book of your own free will

Benny_Cake

NiallFH wrote: »

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

In Ireland the religious run the schools because no one else put money into setting up schools.

quite a few parents in south west Dublin are alleged to have lied about their religious preference to get their kids into what they perceive as a better school

That doesnt really change the fact that the school place is being used to drill these beliefs into children who are too young to know better. I almost feel violated knowing how I was taught religion in school and its scary to think not everyone cops onto it 'in my opinion' being a load of garbage fairy tales.

I reckon doing it in a school is worse than these books, at least your a free thinking adult picking up the book of your own free will

Given that you have now rejected the beliefs that were "drilled into you" at school, surely it indicates that the school was unsuccessful? And surely the blame, if any, for sending you to such a school would lie with your parents. Ultimately, you, as an adult, have made the decision to reject those beliefs, and I'm sure that you haven't faced harassment or anything goes like that. Those who get sucked into Scientology wouldn't be able to say the same.

seamus

Benny_Cake wrote: »

And surely the blame, if any, for sending you to such a school would lie with your parents.

For the vast majority of people currently using boards, their parents had no choice. It was either religious school or no school.

For many parents this is still the situation.

Beano

RichieC wrote: »

It's what ever you wish, Darling.

No, its Xenu. was i not clear?

RichieC

Beano wrote: »

No, its Xenu. was i not clear?

Like I said, anything you wish.

RichieC

I like to call him Frank.

JohnMarston

Tbh i have no idea how they have credibility in the first place, even to be labelled as 'extremist'
Its credibility is on par with the Jedi religion

RichieC

JohnMarston wrote: »

Tbh i have no idea how they have credibility in the first place, even to be labelled as 'extremist'
Its credibility is on par with the Jedi religion

Money and star power. Frank needs more money.

Cork24

NiallFH wrote: »

Just like every other religion

what do you class as Religion ?

would you class Hindu, Buddism Religion, to me Buddism & the japanese style to it is a way of life.. Hindu would be in the lines of Religion but not a cult

Beano

RichieC wrote: »

Like I said, anything you wish.

So Xenu it is. Thank you sweetie.

Chuck Stone

Banning **** is usually counter productive. Better to subject Scientology et al to ridicule and stigmatise it.

Here's my favourite bat-**** crazy religion of recent times.

Temptamperu

Benny_Cake wrote: »

I really don't get the enthusiasm about this decision. While Dianetics is obviously a nonsensical form of pseudoscience, it's hardly dangerous. Freedom of expression breaks down if it only applies to expression that one agrees with. It would be far more worthwhile if the finances and business activities of Scientology were investigated.

Number one reason: They make you sign a billion year contract... you know because we are immortal beings :rolleyes:

Number two reason: you can sign up anytime you want but if you leave or say something derogatory they will make your counciling/auditing sessions public.

Number three reason: you have to put money into raising your thetin level. If you want to raise with no money you are made become a soldier of sorts and cut of completely from your family that don't support nonsense.

Number four reason: Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

Benny_Cake

seamus wrote: »

For the vast majority of people currently using boards, their parents had no choice. It was either religious school or no school.

For many parents this is still the situation.

In fairness, that's a valid point and there needs to be far more choice in terms of schooling.