The CHurch of Scientology is under attack. A group of individual(s) have posted a direct challenge to the fabricated religion developed by ex-Navy officer L. Ron Hubbard. CNET, the tech news source, has a more detailed story.
Is this the day when we mark the genesis of a true cyber war? A war between non-nation players in which information is the only weapon? The stakes are high. Scientology is a multi-million dollar organization which is, in my opinion, a dangerous and predatory cult. It uses clear psychological manipulation to subvert an individual's will and consume their financial and physical assets. The veneer of legitimacy and belonging is held up by the likes of John Travolta, Tom Cruise and other celebreties.
For a good insight into the vulnerability of the human psyche, read Corruption of Reality by John Schumaker. For a tongue in cheek insight into Scientology, go see the Completely Unauthorized Children's Scientology Christmas Pageant.
Personally, I doubt the veracity of the threat. The video is very Sci-Fi and likely a retaliatory shot against the churh's recent litigation against the posting of a "secret" recruitment video. However, if it is real, there could be a very interesting struggle about to take place.
Nonetheless, there seems to be an appetite for this sort of action. Individuals feel empowered by the internet and threatened when a group (like Scientology) tries to restict free speech.
It may be the first day of the new war.
Is this the day when we mark the genesis of a true cyber war? A war between non-nation players in which information is the only weapon? The stakes are high. Scientology is a multi-million dollar organization which is, in my opinion, a dangerous and predatory cult. It uses clear psychological manipulation to subvert an individual's will and consume their financial and physical assets. The veneer of legitimacy and belonging is held up by the likes of John Travolta, Tom Cruise and other celebreties.
For a good insight into the vulnerability of the human psyche, read Corruption of Reality by John Schumaker. For a tongue in cheek insight into Scientology, go see the Completely Unauthorized Children's Scientology Christmas Pageant.
Personally, I doubt the veracity of the threat. The video is very Sci-Fi and likely a retaliatory shot against the churh's recent litigation against the posting of a "secret" recruitment video. However, if it is real, there could be a very interesting struggle about to take place.
Nonetheless, there seems to be an appetite for this sort of action. Individuals feel empowered by the internet and threatened when a group (like Scientology) tries to restict free speech.
It may be the first day of the new war.
5 comments:
Oh CD, you're forgetting the excellent Scientology proxy "Mind Head" in Steve Martin's extremely biting portrayal of the Hollywood crowd in Bowfinger!
But don't they know that only Tom Cruise, and Tom Cruise alone can help them? That Tom Cruise, has, in fact, personally saved thousands of people? That, in fact, Scientology was able to cure Tom's infertility over night by his marriage to Katie Holmes? The dirty, dirty bastards! :).
(I love the speculation that Suri was conceived using frozen sperm from L.Ron himself....and the church now "owns" the clearwater police...)
The Clearwater angle is quite personal to me. My step-uncle was a crusading journalist who railed agianst their creeping influences in the city and was threatened a number of times.
Their presence in Clearwater is extremely creepy. I am sure that Travolta's fly-in residence in close proximity is not an accident!
Frog - A GREAT movie. I had forgotten about that one.
War might be a bit too much of a characterization. It seems a bit more of a cyber-feud to me. If it would spill over to the point where it took down parts of the Net or screwed up services/comms for other people than the Scientologists, then we'll see.
I hate to admit it, being a rather strict law and order type, but I am cheering for the hackers on this one...
I am with you, Major. The likelihood of this being more than a flash in the pan is small. I don't like the CoS and I am unhappy with Black Block type anarchists - however - I am a BIG fan of free speech and the truth.
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