UK teen summoned to court for using the word "cult" to refer to Scientology.
― Neil S, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 11:31 (sixteen years ago) link
"A policewoman later read him section five of the Public Order Act and "strongly advised" him to remove the sign. The section prohibits signs which have representations or words which are threatening, abusive or insulting."
That's illegal in the UK???????
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 15:18 (sixteen years ago) link
you know whats fun about scientology? the rich people.
― sunny successor, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 15:22 (sixteen years ago) link
The City of London police came under fire two years ago when it emerged that more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology.
― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 15:28 (sixteen years ago) link
see!
― sunny successor, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 15:39 (sixteen years ago) link
I'm shocked you can get arrested just for saying something insulting in the UK. Sounds like 1984
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 15:42 (sixteen years ago) link
Well it's a blatant misuse of the law - I'm fairly sure the law was introduced to prevent incitement to racial hatred and the like. But yeah you can be arrested/fined for swearing in public, which is total bullshit.
― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 15:45 (sixteen years ago) link
The poor Scientologists apparently believed that the use of the word cult was "threatening", and hence invoked the Public Order Act. But yes, a flagrant misuse of the law.
Steven Poole has a good take on it all here: http://unspeak.net/cult/
If you live in France, you can call “Scientology” a cult or secte with impunity, because that is how it is defined in law. And as a point of fact, the “Church” of “Scientology” is not a religion under UK law either.
― Neil S, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:31 (sixteen years ago) link
Yes, this is astonishing. Especially as there is another demo vs. the cult in Tottenham Court road where the same banners don't seem to get the same reaction. Different police force though, this was the City of London and that's the Met (iirc).
And one doesn't want to get all conspiracist or anything but there is this.. Gala dinners, jive bands and Tom Cruise: how the Scientologists woo City police
At the lavish ceremony, Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley, the fourth most senior officer in the force, praised the scientologists for the support they had provided after the July 7 attacks
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:35 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh, sorry didn't see Poo's post upthread. So yeah, what he said...
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:36 (sixteen years ago) link
By "support" I suppose the City of London Police meant "attempts to take advantage of bomb victims", yes?
― Neil S, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:38 (sixteen years ago) link
praised the scientologists for the support they had provided after the July 7 attacks
Yes, I remember that, they were out on the streets in force helping to drum up membership for their ridiculous cu1t Londoners to cope with the stress induced by the terrorist attacks. I remember, there was a FAP and, on the way there, and I noticed them.
― Tom D., Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:42 (sixteen years ago) link
But yeah you can be arrested/fined for swearing in public,
Actually you've always been able to be arrested for swearing in public, or even just shouting - behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace - in fact the met have used this to arrest two men kissing in public. They have plenty of laws at their disposal!
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:55 (sixteen years ago) link
I was thinking of that case when 2 kids were sitting on a bench talking to each other and a policewomen overheard one of them swearing, just in conversation with his friend, not even shouting, and gave him an on-the-spot fine. Fucking ridiculous.
― Colonel Poo, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 16:58 (sixteen years ago) link
There was some fellow on the tube a couple of years ago who suggested that the metal detectors were...erm...not up to scratch, and got an £80 fine on the spot. That's the British Transport Police though (I presume), they can be especially touchy.
― Ned Trifle II, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 19:12 (sixteen years ago) link
Excuse me for criticizing the laws of another sovereign nation, but that's ridiculous. I'd either be broke or spending life in prison. I think " behaviour likely to lead to a breach of the peace" can often lead to positive things. MLK Jr anyone?
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 19:12 (sixteen years ago) link
They shot him
― admrl, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 20:37 (sixteen years ago) link
I think you missed the point.
― Bill Magill, Tuesday, 20 May 2008 20:38 (sixteen years ago) link
Seems the City of police were being over-zealous.
Anyways, yeah Bill the "behaviour likely to lead blahblahblah" is a pretty catch-all offence.
― Ned Trifle II, Friday, 23 May 2008 11:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Oh it just sounds like SOP whenever someone rich wants to silence a critic. Hit them with a nuisance lawsuit that costs $30k to deal with before it gets dropped.
― suzy, Friday, 23 May 2008 11:24 (sixteen years ago) link
Raj Persaud brought down by Scientologists.http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/24/raj-persaud-psychiatry-maudsley
― A country only rich people know (Ned Trifle II), Friday, 24 October 2008 08:57 (fifteen years ago) link
Well brought down by his copying of other peoples work obviously.
― A country only rich people know (Ned Trifle II), Friday, 24 October 2008 09:00 (fifteen years ago) link
THE OBSCENE BRASS DOG
― Abbott of the Trapezoid Monks (Abbott), Friday, 2 January 2009 20:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Scientology is just mostly common sense ppls.
― ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( ( (libcrypt), Friday, 2 January 2009 20:19 (fifteen years ago) link
Duh, if you don't b3l33v3 then you're just hung up on a failed R6 rundown.
― Viceroy, Friday, 2 January 2009 20:36 (fifteen years ago) link
banned from Wikipedia lolz
― Kool G Lapp (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 29 May 2009 21:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Derek P. May 29th, 2009 4:45 pm ET
Obama supporters have also manipulated Wikipedia. However, unlike Scientology, they are evenly distributed throughout the US. Anyone they don’t like, they ban. They are able to do this because there is a sadistic subculture in Wikipedia. Kids vote for each other to become “administrators” who can ban anyone and unbanning often only occurs if the original administrator agrees (Wikipedia policy). Wikipedia is not an encyclopedia. It is worse than twitter
― velko, Friday, 29 May 2009 22:03 (fifteen years ago) link
noizipedia
― all yoga attacks are fire based (rogermexico.), Friday, 29 May 2009 22:40 (fifteen years ago) link
James Bond vs. Scientology (sorta):
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6740831.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6740728.ece
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 August 2009 15:09 (fourteen years ago) link
No-talent film director bails:
http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/paul-haggis-breaks-with-scientology/
― Your Favorite Saturday Night Thing (Dr Morbius), Monday, 26 October 2009 12:16 (fourteen years ago) link
whoa.
― banned, on the run (s1ocki), Monday, 26 October 2009 14:44 (fourteen years ago) link
That is a pretty good letter.
― Bill A, Monday, 26 October 2009 15:41 (fourteen years ago) link
I bet it would suck if Haggis adapted it into a movie, tho.
― Your Favorite Saturday Night Thing (Dr Morbius), Monday, 26 October 2009 15:48 (fourteen years ago) link
HA!
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 October 2009 15:52 (fourteen years ago) link
good to finally have a plausible explanation for all his success, though
― President Deez (some dude), Monday, 26 October 2009 15:56 (fourteen years ago) link
http://www.popeater.com/2009/10/26/tommy-davis-scientology-interview/
― it's like a Shark-Cage but for "Your Junk" AKA Your Penis & Balls (stevie), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 09:01 (fourteen years ago) link
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Testimony_by_John_Travolta_that_son_was_autistic_raises_Scientology_questions
― it's like a Shark-Cage but for "Your Junk" AKA Your Penis & Balls (stevie), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 09:26 (fourteen years ago) link
THey scare the shit out of me.
― Nathalie (stevienixed), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 09:49 (fourteen years ago) link
i watched that Tommy Davis, cylon spokesman interview when i was at work and when it concluded with asking the viewers if they thought that Scientology should keep their tax exemption status as i stood up to out i calmly and gratefully said to the tee vee screen "thank you, Martin Bashir". lol.
― Sébastien, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 13:28 (fourteen years ago) link
Just read this today: http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/
Wow. Apparently their leader has a Napolean complex.
― musicfanatic, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 22:22 (fourteen years ago) link
Or Napoleon complex - whatever works ;)
― musicfanatic, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 22:23 (fourteen years ago) link
It's a pretty revealing three part article from the St. Petersburg Times written back in June.
― musicfanatic, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 22:24 (fourteen years ago) link
I wonder if Haggis has googled Xenu yet.
― Matt Armstrong, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 22:51 (fourteen years ago) link
From his letter: To see you lie so easily, I am afraid I had to ask myself: what else are you lying about?
I totally feel that, it's a reason I left the Mormon church...so weird seeing your religion's leader saying something on the TV to cover PR that completely contradicts what you're told at church.
― we are normal and we want our freedom (Abbott), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 00:18 (fourteen years ago) link
I think Scientology is like a blown up version what I dislike about religion. Pedantic self-righteous lying bastards. -> Oops, I guess I'm still pretty much an atheist despite mentioning on the Prayer thread that I mellowed when it came to religion. heehee
― Nathalie (stevienixed), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 08:46 (fourteen years ago) link
The T-shirt would read 'I spent 13 years talking about it and all I got was this $150,000 debt.'
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 25 January 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago) link
The page you have requested cannot be found.It may have moved or may no longer be available.You may want to try searching tampabay.com for the content you desire.
― I'm FINNISH!!!! (s1ocki), Monday, 25 January 2010 16:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Had to redo the link, try again. Alternate, Gawker summary:
http://gawker.com/5456002/how-to-spend-150000-on-scientology-the-larry-anderson-story
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 25 January 2010 16:17 (fourteen years ago) link
Oopsy:
http://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/david-miscavige-violates-tom-cruises-confessional/
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 8 May 2010 06:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Ding ding... Round Two
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/sep/28/church-of-scientology-john-sweeney
― Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Wednesday, 29 September 2010 12:50 (thirteen years ago) link