scientologists banned from wikipedia

[Yuri-G]

Wikipedia bans Church of Scientology – SciTechBlog - CNN.com Blogs

May 29, 2009
Wikipedia bans Church of Scientology
Posted: 03:47 PM ET
The collaborative online encyclopedia Wikipedia has banned the Church of Scientology from editing the site. The Register reports Wikipedia’s Arbitration Committee, or ArbCom, voted 10 to 0 in favor of the ban, which takes effect immediately.
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Wikipedia’s innovative free-encyclopedia draws upon the knowledge of millions of users to create and edit articles on every conceivable topic. Edits appear immediately and do not undergo any formal peer-review process.
Wikipedia officially prohibits use of the encyclopedia to advance personal agendas – such as advocacy or propaganda and philosophical, ideological or religious dispute – but the open format makes enforcing such policies difficult.
According to Wikipedia administrators speaking to The Register:

Multiple editors have been “openly editing [Scientology-related articles] from Church of Scientology equipment and apparently coordinating their activities.”

However, Karin Pouw, with the Church of Scientology’s public affairs office, told me she is unaware of any coordinated effort to alter Wikipedia. Instead, she described the edits as individual attempts to correct inaccurate information by impassioned Scientologists and interpreted the ban as a typical Wikipedia response to arguments over content. She noted that even the U.S. Department of Justice received a temporary ban after someone erased references to a controversial scandal from inside the government agency.
One Wikipedia contributor I spoke with that was involved in the Scientology arbitration agreed that some of the edits coming from the church were justifiable, but insisted the ban was necessary after the church refused to follow Wikipedia’s policies:
“The edits coming out of Church of Scientology servers were of the sort that made their organization look better. Up to a point that’s justifiable, when it comes to correcting inaccuracies or removing poorly sourced negative information. There were times when they went beyond that and deleted well sourced information that was unflattering, and there were times when they insulted other editors in a manner that would reflect poorly upon any religion.”
Some see Wikipedia’s decision as a setback to the Utopian goal of Web 2.0 in which every user is allowed to freely contribute.
How do you feel about the ban? Should Wikipedia actively suppress self-serving, misleading or inaccurate information? Or does every voice deserve to be heard?

[_chuchu]

How do you feel about the ban? Should Wikipedia actively suppress self-serving, misleading or inaccurate information? Or does every voice deserve to be heard?

Feels good man. Yes, they should.

[Dimmauk]

Wikipedia isnt a forum. Its supposed to be for facts only, but you know how that goes sometimes.

[Burrows]

Fuck yeah. Ban those fucking self-serving, schizophrenic, aliens-in-heaven-believing nincompoops.

[Celeste]

This is in no way a Setback to Web 2.0. Facts are facts, and the fact that Scientology cultists tried editing out the more unflattering facts is reason enough to ban them. We all know how Scientology loves their lies and vicious attacks on their opposition.

Last June, when I was protesting Scientology, I saw some fellow follow us around, recording us, who looked awfully familiar to someone I saw a few months back when we were protesting in front of their office. Surely, he was recording this, and then would bring this back to the local office to discern identities of the protesters, and perhaps incriminate us as well. It has clearly not worked well, so let them have their ban. It's well-deserved.

[quannum]

my religion is being persecuted... just like xenu said.

[Demosthenes11]

we are legion

[Kiro]

Now we just need to ban them from Earth and we're set.

[Celeste]

Now we just need to ban them from Earth and we're set.

From the Universe! The Multiverse! Eradicate the plague!

[Rhinox]

On a similar note. How the fuck are Mormons not outcasts like Scientology? Have you guys read some of the fucking pillars of Mormonism?

[Dimmauk]

On a similar note. How the fuck are Mormons not outcasts like Scientology? Have you guys read some of the fucking pillars of Mormonism?

Couldn't you say the same for all religions?

[Komm Suesser Tod]

On a similar note. How the fuck are Mormons not outcasts like Scientology? Have you guys read some of the fucking pillars of Mormonism?

Well, they're pretty nice about it, at least. And they ride those cute little bikes....

[Correction]

Some see Wikipedia’s decision as a setback to the Utopian goal of Web 2.0 in which every user is allowed to freely contribute.

Utopia isn't a place, hence the name. CNN.com loves these weasel-worded 'tell us how you think' drops at the end of every article

[Celeste]

On a similar note. How the fuck are Mormons not outcasts like Scientology? Have you guys read some of the fucking pillars of Mormonism?

I dunno man, at least some of the more disturbing sects of Mormonism are dealt with.

[Rhinox]

Couldn't you say the same for all religions?

sure you can. But believing that god lives on another planet is just on a whole another level.

[Demosthenes11]

On a similar note. How the fuck are Mormons not outcasts like Scientology? Have you guys read some of the fucking pillars of Mormonism?

I've wondered that too. A lot of christian beliefs are batshit crazy, but compared to mormons or scientologist, christians are logical. It's pretty funny lol

Maybe one day project chonology 1.337 will start up and we'll see a similar attack on the mormon church. And no, mormons officials are definitely not nice about their beliefs or to non believers

[Dimmauk]

Lets go find out what really happend!
http://www.newsgroper.com/files/post...%20future.jpeg

[Ksandra]

On a similar note. How the fuck are Mormons not outcasts like Scientology? Have you guys read some of the fucking pillars of Mormonism?

I think it comes down to the money issue.

NO religion outside of them requires people to pay out $100,000 + in money just to learn about the religion. You may think the Mormon religion is crazy, but if you were interested, you could ask any mormon, and in a nice manner they'd sit down and tell you anything you'd want to know.

Everything about them screams it's a business. 1.Hubbard saying "the best way to make money is to start a religion." 2. Operation Snow White. 3. payment for knowledge.

Added to that most $cientologists admit that Xenu is "just a story", but if it is "just a story" then how is $cientology different from Yoga training, and therefore why does it get tax exemption?

Tip of the iceburg I know, but I think it's enough to separate it from other religions, hence why outcasted.

[Burrows]

The higher pillar Mormons believe we're all aliens.

[0ni0n]

I will just go ahead and dissociate myself with all organized religion.