Be Wary, Be Wary, the 10th of February: "A" for Anonymous Wants to Kick Scientology's "S"

Let me start off by paraphrasing a popular disclaimer: I'm not "Anonymous," nor am I affiliated with the mysterious internet group in any way.

That said, as a fan of The X Files I love a good conspiracy theory, which means that the recent antics of the shadowy entity known only as "Anonymous" have admittedly piqued my interest. In deference to those who just stepped out of a bathysphere, Anonymous is the name that's been adopted by a self-proclaimed collective of hackers and supposedly pissed-off average folks for the purpose of meting out justice via the internet -- and it's now declared war on Scientology. Two weeks ago, the group launched the first salvo in what it says will be an extended campaign to bring down the controversial "church"; it released an eerie video message attacking Scientology's tactics and promising retaliation for what it claims is a history of lies and generally sinister behavior on the part of the organization. To its credit I guess, Anonymous didn't keep anyone waiting: It launched a series of coordinated denial of service attacks on the official Scientology website almost immediately, effectively shutting it down. This was supposedly followed by prank phone calls and "black fax" transmissions to Scientology offices across the country.

At least two more videos have been released by Anonymous since its initial declaration of hostilities, one promising a global protest at Scientology centers on February 10th.

Needless to say, the normally confident Scientology big shots, who've raised damage control through vindictive litigation to an art form, suddenly find themselves in an amusing PR bind: If they dismiss Anonymous as a bunch of pathetic computer geeks -- which they already have, word for word -- they appear hopelessly arrogant; If they take the group seriously, they give it power; if they just ignore it altogether, they look stupid.

In other words, for all their supposed higher-brain functions, compliments of L. Ron Hubbard's questionable teachings, they can't win this one.

A group of internet savvy kid vigilantes has, to some extent, already beaten them.

The question some are asking though is whether Anonymous has crossed the line -- whether, in its battle to expose Scientology, it's engaging in the same kind of underhanded tactics it accuses the church of. The founder of one popular anti-Scientology website, Operation Clambake, has already criticized the group's supposed skulduggery, claiming that it'll only put Scientologists in a position to play the religious persecution card.

Maybe, but honestly -- who cares?

Almost since its inception as an organization, Scientology has been involved in one unscrupulous scheme or another -- at various points guilty of fraud, exploitation of its adherents for financial gain, and the illegal infiltration of government agencies. It's upheld the basic edict of its paranoid narcissist founder and set out to destroy its critics through intimidation, innuendo and impossibly dirty tricks. It was once called the "most lucrative cult the country has ever seen" by the Cult Awareness Network, a watchdog group which was eventually taken over by associates of the Church of Scientology. The whole thing, including the silly cosmology that serves as the basis for Scientology's belief system -- the kind of nonsense only a hack sci-fi writer could dream up -- would be laughable if it weren't so damn scary.

Anonymous claims that it was the Church of Scientology's efforts to suppress the recently leaked and utterly surreal video tribute to Tom Cruise which led to its decision to take action. Admittedly, watching Cruise -- looking not simply crazy but dangerously crazy -- spouting Hubbard's official-sounding acronymic lingo and making ex cathedra declarations of "no mercy" for psychiatrists is as mesmerizing as it is frightening. He almost seems like he's channeling his Frank T.J. Mackey character from Magnolia, demanding that we all "respect the crock."

The problem of course is that if you say any of this too loudly, the church will have no compunction about removing the choke collar from its legal pit bulls, which is what makes the mischievous guerilla attacks of Anonymous tough not to enjoy a little -- provided they never cross the line into the realm of genuine terrorism.

The bottom line: It's kind of satisfying to watch someone turn the tables on Scientology, using the same brand of furtive cloak-and-dagger absurdity to publicly shame an adversary that the church has used for decades.

If the Scientology people knew who to file a lawsuit against, you can bet it would've already happened.

That's why it's so much fun that they're left chasing shadows.

Comments

[JohnBryansFontaine]

Having once been a member of the Cult known as $cientology, I greatly applaud the courage of Anonymous. There were few men in the 20th Century more mendacious and cunning than Scientology's founder: L. Ron Hubbard.

If one has any questions about the Cult, start with the their symbol: the crossed - out cross. That is how Scientology really feels about Christianity.

The War against this Lying, suppressive Cult will grow stronger by the hour, until the victorious day comes when Hubbard"s Neo-Thuggee Cult can neither fool nor threaten anyone.

[Benjamin50]

You are certainly far more tolerant of those advocating hatred than you are of religion. One can criticize any religion -- and in America that's an acceptable pasttime. Anti-papists once flourished before their rants were seen as hate speech. Anti-semites flourished even more -- again, until their general allegations were seen as, well, as hate speech. You want to see real venom, chilling and if I may use a word I rarely use, evil? Then see the Anonymous response to Fox News when it exposed their attacks on many innocent MySpace users:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ1qi9gz7UU
Then see their response to a young man who dared to say their use of masks and tactics reminded hm of the KKK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3driiEerYI&feature=related

[Nexus7]

The issue is not whether one irrational belief system holds more validity than another. It is the criminal misuse of a belief system to exploit the ignorant and vulnerable for the purpose of profit and control, which Scientology excels at.

While Scientology claims to be a religion, it has no archetypal or mythological content, and purports instead, to be based upon the fact of scientific principles, which would then make it a branch of natural science, and thus disqualifying it for tax-exemption status.

What Scientology doesn't want is attention. It does not want to be scrutinized too closely by the public and the media; which is exactly what happens when inner-circle documents are leaked and make it onto the web for the entire world to see and analyze. This causes discussion and investigation into its past and present totalitarian operational identity, which are anathemas to Scientology.

This is obvious by the reactive postings left by Scientology apologists who are logically incapable of defending the system. Predictibly, the content of their postings betray the unconscious anxiety of the threat of exposure and diminishment. The reptile brain strikes. We are given the Jr High locker-room level suggestion to "get laid" and take your mind off us... ie, stop looking at us, stop talking about us.

These are not intelligent or sophisticated people. They are bullies and cowards... enemies of free speech and democracy...pipsqueak Fuehrers.

This is totalitarianism in the making.

[OhgReaTone]

The anonymous faith is proud to bridge the abyss of religious difference - A new faith is required to meet the challenge.
Ohg
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/01/16/mormon-scientologists-for-jehovah-on-the-7th-day/

[danonymous1]

Good day.

Anonymous greatly appreciates all of the favorable press we have recieved over the last few weeks.

We want to make our intentions and motives crystal clear. We are taking it upon ourselves to bring to light the truth of The Co$. Our wish is to expose not only their shady litigious nature and unethical business practices, but also the lives they have destroyed.

Google Lisa McPherson.

Google Operation Snow White.

Google Operation Freakout.

Google L. Ron's policy of "Fair Game."

Understand that Anonymous is steadfast in it's resolve, and we will not be silenced.

Understand that Anonymous is not the group of "internet bullies" and "hackers on steriods" that some have claimed. We are the common man. We make your food. We drive your cars. We connect your calls. We protect you while you sleep. We are you. Sons and daughters, mothers and fathers. The single collected voice of those who are voiceless.

Anonymous invites any and all who wish to join this cause to do so. Join us on February 10th in front of "Churches" of $cientolgy worldwide. information can be found at http://partyvan.info/index.php/Project_Chanology or http://whyaretheydead.net/

We thank you for your time.

We are Anonymous.
We are legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
We will be heard.
United as one.
Divided by zero.

Expect us.

[bigdaddyvike]

Scientology is not a church or a cult. It's a tax dodge. Unless you really think L. Ron Hubbard wasn't really insane. Zenu rules! Whatever.

[OhgReaTone]

I am not anonymous - I know who I am. How can we tell when one group of passionate people are more correct than the next? Perhaps if they joined together in their wackiness we could settle the deal.
Ohg
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/01/16/mormon-scientologists-for-jehovah-on-the-7th-day/

[maggie24]

After "Anonymous" finishes this project maybe they could direct their "forces" against child pornography on the internet!

[TJS]

I disagree with those who argue that Scientology is less dangerous than any of the other major religions. Consider, for a moment, if there were as many Scientologists as Christians, Moslems, or Jews. A world where the Scientologists were the majority religion would be a very scary, dangerous place. When the Taliban reached a threshold population in Afganistan, they imposed their warped represive religion with a vengenance. As as tiny minority, the Scientologists are already vindictive, intolerant, and exploitive. If their membership grows to any sizeable number, they are potentially as dangerous as any of fundementalist religious terrorists.

[sethfilms]

Frank T.J. Mackey meets Tom Cruise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qq7CTu9ufE

[sagopalm]

Does this mean Tom Cruise is the anti-christ?

[moodygirl]

Love you column Chez. Thanks for having the courage to speak out about these fraudsters. Whenever I find out another celeb has joined their cult, I make sure I don't spend my money going to see them. Have also stopped watching 'The Simpsons' and wish I could do more. It's criminal that Nancy Cartwright gives $10 million (how much of this is tax free?) to the Scientologist hierarchy so they can keep fishing for more prey.

[shaman]

L Ron wrote a ten book series called Mission Earth. I read the first 6 or 7 books. The books devolve into disgusting and graphic pedaphila that made me question the man's sanity. I disposed of them without finishing. Anyone who would write this type nasty stuff is not a person I would think as a god who started a religion, unless of course that kind of thing turns you on. Hopefully, Scientology is wrong and he will not be coming back anytime soon!! LOL

[Thucydides Jr.]

Would it be so very wrong to start a musical group called Xenu and the DC-8s?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Open challenge to those defending Scientology based on "first amendment" and "freedom of religion" arguments below:

A few years back, a number of families who had lost family members to cults of all stripes, including Scientology, formed the Cult Awareness Network.

Scientology waged war on it, bankrupted it, bought up its assets, and yet kept the doors open as... the Cult Awareness Network. Of course it was a sham.

What say ye? What say those of ye now crying "first amendment?"

Even if you don't accept my chronology as factual, which it IS to the best of my recall (a friends mom helped run it) and per link below, feel free to respond to it as a hypothetical.

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