TECHNOLOGY

The Passion of ‘Anonymous’

A shadowy, loose-knit consortium of activists and hackers called 'Anonymous' is just the latest thorn in Scientology's side.

By Brian Braiker | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Feb 8, 2008 | Updated: 6:25  p.m. ET Feb 8, 2008

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  • Posted By: martialguy @ 01/07/2009 6:06:10 PM

    I think it is interesting to explore and know other religions. Thanks to the internet, you can type a search word in many encyclopedias (such as wikipedia.org) and learn with amazements.

    In scientology, it is believed that:

    * Psychiatry and psychology are destructive fields which must be abolished.

    * Spiritual beings ( thetans) live many lifetimes. Thetans lived among extraterrestrial cultures before becoming trapped in bodies on Earth. Thetans were brainwashed by these extraterrestrial cultures as a means of population control

    * Thetans have existed for ???tens of trillions??? of years. During that time, thetans have been exposed to a vast number of traumatic incidents and have made a great many decisions that influence their present state. Thetans were conditioned by extraterrestrial dictatorships such as Helatrobus in an attempt to brainwash and control the population. These early events collectively are called "space opera."

    * Xenu is the ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy." 75 million years ago Xenu brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and detonated hydrogen bombs in the volcanoes. The thetans then clustered together, stuck to the bodies of the living, and continue to do this today. Isolating thetans and neutralizing their ill effects are neccesary.

  • Posted By: depaul Consiglio @ 05/16/2008 7:05:47 PM

    Anonymous must have felt threatend by Scientology. Maybe even it was the actor Tom Cruise's comments over the years regarding psychiatry. Some people believe that Humor is a sporting game. Others know that Humor is in the Mind of the Amused. Whatever the reason I don't believe that it is an attack on Scientology as a religion. Still the KKK does burn crosses as if to swear at Jesus or call him back.
    And in the sense that the belief or sense of humor becomes threatening is terroristic in nature, the US has other religious terrorists in the form of for instance abortion clinic bombers and murderers of abortion MDs.
    So what evever the reason I would feel threatend too.
    By the way anonymous ,what is your IP address?

    dePaul Consiglio
    Monsey N.Y.

  • Posted By: take2la @ 04/18/2008 1:45:30 PM




    what can we learn from this. Well lets see. There's religious bigotry. There's misinformation
    & media manipulation. Qui bono? Qui might bono? The masks say it all. Where there isn't any responsibility, there isn't any credibility. Who better than an ANONYMOUS entity to make unsubstantiated claims & ridiculous parallels. & these are just the broader, public & systemic issues. On the personal level, when was the last instance you sought approval for your beliefs. Did you check the internet before your wedding? How about checking your social networks administers opinion about the leader of your church.
    Or how about the person you haven't seen in your church for a while. Did you make a missing persons report & assume they have been "disappeared".
    I can answer all these questions for you, NO because you didn't ask my permission. Had you, I would have laughed. Which is my response to masked, anonymous, whiners. I don't want, seek or need your approval. This was assured more than 250 years ago.
    We have many more important issues these "effective(ly) targeted communication tools" could be used for.
    But no, we're wasting them on whether or not some religious bigots feel "validated" or "liked".

  • Posted By: Gnosis5 @ 04/10/2008 7:04:26 PM

    Lumar, you don't have a clue what Scientology is, do you? Are you allowed to investigate Scientology?

  • Posted By: Gnosis5 @ 04/10/2008 7:02:05 PM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6eNyBrQUKs Yes, Anonymous understand very well, and as an ex-member I see that Anonymous spots this cult for exactly what it is -- a money-making cult. Anonymous welcomes the investigation into the allegations of gross child neglect, sexual abuse, forced abortions, heavily coerced family disconnection by leaders of the Cult of Scientology.

  • Posted By: zensurfer @ 02/19/2008 12:36:56 PM

    Re. the 'Anonymous' protests against the Church of Scientology on Feb 10: unfortunately I can say that the reporting of the success of these protests has been somewhat distorted. I was present at the Manchester UK protest. 'Anonymous' sources state that the Manchester Scientology centre was closed due to the protest when quite to the contrary it remained open all day with a regular influx of visitors attending courses at the centre. The centre staff were largely unphased by the demo which appears to have been manned by a rent-a-crowd from the local university many of whom seemed to have little knowledge of Scientology.

    • Posted By: Lumar @ 03/22/2008 11:30:56 AM

      Very true - I spoke to a bunch of them. They didn't have a clue what Scientology is. For a lot of beer and parties, they'll hold up any sign you want.

    • Posted By: Lumar @ 03/22/2008 11:29:57 AM

      Very true - I spoke to a bunch of them. They didn't have a clue what Scientology is. For a lot of beer and parties, they'll hold up any sign you want.

  • Posted By: ARSCC.WDNE.POSTAL @ 03/02/2008 8:08:57 PM

    Those of us who have been fighting Corporate Scientology on the Internet since the 1990s are extremely grateful a large group as Anonymous is willing to take on the Cult of Greed and Power. I hope they manage to stay Anonymous since Scientology will attack them as viciously as they have attacked us for criticizing the Criminal Corporation. The intern al mindset of Scientology can be terrifying to the educated. As and example just substitue the word "Jew" for SP (critics) in Tom Cruises words,"Have you ever met an SP? Won't it be great when SPs will only be in history books?." Hubbards Holocaust is not going to happen but it is a frightening and disgusting goal someone of Cruise supposed social standing would advocate.

  • Posted By: ceocomp @ 02/24/2008 1:10:13 AM

    Notice how many times Dr. Zook repeats the words childish and psychotic. You don't suppose he is on PsychoPharm drugs that are causing this babble?

  • Posted By: LuisaB @ 02/10/2008 1:31:55 PM

    I am not a an ex-Scientologist but smart enough to look at both sides of a story. Newsweek, get a moderator on this forum. It is full of brainless propaganda. Ah, and talking about "according to Scientology's origin myth" check out www.scientologymyths.info

    • Posted By: JeraldR @ 02/10/2008 2:03:38 PM

      Luisa, The link you say proves scientology myths is a SCIENTOLOGY site. Now do you really think scientology will tell anyone the truth on its own self promoting site? Do you have even ONE independent site that agrees the xenu story is a myth? Or that Operation Snow White and Freakout is a myth? Or that scientology makes you disconnect from family and loved ones if they dare to speak out against the abuses of scientology? Come on now, there must be ONE INDEPENDENT LINK that agrees with scientology. Isn't there?

      • Posted By: LakeMan75 @ 02/15/2008 2:45:24 AM

        JeraldR wrote: "Come on now, there must be ONE INDEPENDENT LINK that agrees with scientology"

        Um, off the top of my head ...

        http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/31/christian.scientology/index.html?iref=newssearch
        http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez (search on "sauna detox")
        http://www.cesnur.org/2002/scient_rpf_01.htm
        http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78814.htm
        http://www.cesnur.org/2001/CAN.htm

        • Posted By: Gargravarr @ 02/22/2008 12:23:50 PM

          I know about the NCBI Entrez site because I use it regularly at work. That search brings up one medical abstract mentioning "xenobiotics", which means "chemical compounds that are foreign to a living organism". Gee, did you think it meant alien organisms sent by Xenu? I wonder how reliable your other pointers are...

      • Posted By: usaftwilight @ 02/11/2008 5:27:21 PM

        Own3d

  • Posted By: mksl1 @ 02/09/2008 4:15:44 AM

    Those who try to help scientologists always advise one to be kind and gentle and not make them confront the hypocracy of their existence.Like for example the fact that scentology is supposed to be all about honesty yet members are never publicly honest about their whacked out theories and practices.Look,some folks came out of the communist party when they accepted the truth about Stalin.But most did not.And the american communist party behaved very much like scientology.Your friends,your family even your livlihood was dependant upon the party.What finally ended the communist party in the US was exposure.The fall of communism completely exposed the fraudulance of the idea.The idea became passe and the members finally left.The party collapsed.The answer to the destruction done by this so-called church of the self [church without god] is to expose the non-member public to it's con game. The members themselves are addicts and most can't be helped.Only a few have the courage to leave on their own.The members will only finally accept the corruption of their organization when it is fully exposed and has it's "Oprah moment".When the full public acknowledges and understands the nutty and fraudulant nature of this organization and humiliates and prosecutes it off the stage.
    That's how the Europoenas have handled it and it's far more effective than tryng to coax one member out at a time.

    • Posted By: ceocomp @ 02/09/2008 4:20:06 AM

      Hey mksl1 - Is this the best you can do? You are still a failure. Please REPORT BACK!

      • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/16/2008 1:56:36 AM

        Ceocomp, you are the best argument AGAINST the Church of Scientology that anyone could present. You are childish, repetitive and clearly unable to communicate in any normal fashion. And yet you claim that the Church of Scientology has methods to enable a person to be more sane, more capable and better able to communicate! You sounds like a total psychotic! Take deep breath and actually LOOK at the evidence as Scientology, REAL Scientology teaches. You will then see that the Church of Scientology is just a scam that is pretending to practice Scientology in order to separate you from your money. Come join us in the freezone. You can learn REAL Scientology and hang on to your life savings as well.

  • Posted By: ceocomp @ 02/09/2008 4:24:57 AM

    Comment: Newsweek is one of the major media tools of the Psycho-Pharmaceutical Cartel. Scientology effectively exposes Psychiatric genocide, murder and rape. That is why Newsweek works overtime to spread derogatory propaganda about Scientology - no other reason. Ironically, its former principals, the Grahams, were both victims of psychiatry. Phillip Graham, former CEO, committed suicide in 1963 under the "care" of psychiatrists. The cult of Psychiatry is what Newsweek should be investigating. But that would cost them billions in advertising income from Big Pharma.

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/16/2008 1:49:22 AM

      Let's say you are 100% correct Ceocomp and Newseek is conrolled by Big Pharma and they are out to rule the world with the help of the psychiatrists, etc, etc, etc. Exactly how does that make the scam called the Church of Scientology okay? I mean if Pol Pot or Idi Amin said that Hitler was an evil dictator that killed a lot of people, that sure wouldn't instantly mean that Pol Pot and Idi Amin were gentle, kind men. If you have a shred of rationality left, get out of the Church of Scientology and come practice the philosophy of Scientology in the freezone. It's all waiting for you here. We are nice, normal people who will NOT scam you or rip you off for all your money.

  • Posted By: mksl1 @ 02/09/2008 4:39:43 AM

    respectful-anon,
    You're kidding right? I'm a bar owner and a guitar player in NYC. I happen to have encountered scientology here in NYC in the early 70's and could see it was a cult even then.New Yorkers laugh at scientology because they flooded this town with free copies of Dianetics back in the 70's and 80's.Some ended up with those homeless sidewalk book sellers,but most ended up in the trash.New York City is no place for cults.Those nutty ideas wouldn't last a manhatten minute where I grew up.

    • Posted By: ceocomp @ 02/09/2008 4:43:40 AM

      Hey Bar owner/guitar player. Please do what you are told - Go to a mirror and say REPORT BACK many times. Let me know how you feel after doing that.

      • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/16/2008 1:42:39 AM

        This statement by Ceocomp demonstartes how far Church of Scientology (CoS) members have strayed from actually practicing the religion. Telling someone to "Report back!" Is an attempt to make them mentally return to a time when they received and "implant". An implant is supposedly an incident that happened to someone in ages past where they were given false memories under the influence of extreme pain and duress. Imagine "brainwashing" but 10,000 times worse. Whether or not implants exist is besides the point here. The fact that Ceocomp is trying to use the command "Report back!" to upset is the point. For any Scientologist to tell someone to "Report back!" would be like a Catholic priest attempting to conjure up a demon to attack someone! Again, whether or not that is something that a priest could actually DO is beside the point. The fact that a priest would even attempt to conjure up a demon to hurt someone shows that he sure isn't a loving Christian full of peace and love! This Ceocomp is clearly NOT a legitimate Scientologist. All of the honest, legitimate Scientologists have left the CoS and now practice the philosophy as protestant Scientologists or "freezoners".

    • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/09/2008 4:44:07 AM

      Also, what bar? I'd love to add it to our boycott list. No worries if you don't care to provide it. I'm sure we can figure it out, after all, how many bar owner guitar players could there be?

      • Posted By: mksl1 @ 02/09/2008 4:52:38 AM

        How many guitar playin' bar owners in New York? Oh,maybe a couple of hundred,that's all.
        Boycott list? That's funny.
        Scientologists can't handle an 8 oz. serving of beer! Right?
        Besides which if I found a nutball like you in my bar I'd throw you out on your butt.

        • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/09/2008 4:58:09 AM

          Once again I apologize and feel like a baboon who obviously didn't read your post closely enough. I once again retract my negative replies to you. Sorry :(

    • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/09/2008 4:43:16 AM

      mksl1, unfortunately I'm not kidding at all. Did you ponder my question? Do you care to pose an answer?

      If you are so free, why can you not read any book you choose?

      ABSORB IT. ANSWER IT.

      • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/09/2008 4:47:03 AM

        I apologize - confused the names here. I retract my replies and again apologize for my confusion.

        • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/09/2008 4:49:00 AM

          UGH! Sorry to keep posting unnecessarily -- to answer your question though, I am not kidding, that is what he is referring to with "report back".

  • Posted By: Bai-ren @ 02/09/2008 5:07:04 AM

    scientolgy is a scam, but we do still have freedom of religion in the USA. Anonymous' use deplorable tactics (denail of service attacts and other criminal activities) to make their point hinders their cause more than it helps it. Exposing any deceitful practices used in scientology (or any group) is a nobel cause, catching a criminal by becoming a criminal is not.

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/16/2008 1:28:32 AM

      Bai-ren says: "Scientology is a SCAM, but we do still have freedom of RELIGION in the USA." (Emphasis added.) So exactly what are your assumptions and reasoning in regards to that statement? Are you saying that all religions are scams? Are you saying that it is okay to scam people as long as you claim that your scam is a religion? With everything that has been said about the Church of Scientology, has it not occured to you that maybe they are not really practicing the religion but just PRETENDING to practice the religion in order to scam people? In my opinion, religions should be about truth and spiritual betterment, NOT squeezing as money as one can out of the parishioners like the Church of Scientology does. Also, please note well that this is a big world, with 6 billion people on it. The USA is just one country with 300 million people. So, the USA has just 5% of the total population of the planet. I am sure you are proud of your country but lets recognize that the USA is NOT the whole world.

    • Posted By: jdark13 @ 02/09/2008 5:14:23 AM

      They have actually called off all illegal and gray-area tactics (or at least TRIED, a group that doesn't exist within a known orginzational chart is hard to control....score -1 for Scientology).

      The group (or nanotech entity of individual freeminds known as the internet if you will) have taken to peaceful protest. Check out February 10th where worldwide protests and informational distrubution will be held at a good majority of Scientology Orgs (aka Churchs).

      They are pretty well communicated in the tactics known to be used by Scientologist 'Handlers' * why try Bull-Baiting' * them into causing trouble, or infiltrating their ranks and starting discent from the inside via 'Fair Game' *

      In other words, come out, protest to help others, and don't let yourself be provoked into anything by the verbal abuse and taunting the 'handlers' * will dish out.

      * = Google these for clarification on definition in regard to the Chuch of Scientology

    • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/09/2008 5:11:00 AM

      You are correct Bai - that is how it started. It was just a joke to most people at first... until we started researching. It changed shape almost overnight and the DDoS attacks stopped immediately. You must understand, we are just a collective group of random individuals bonded by the same cause. We do recognize our mistakes as a "group" and have instructed everyone we know involved to refrain from any even REMOTE criminal activities. Thank you for recognizing our efforts, at any rate.

  • Posted By: Neron @ 02/13/2008 4:05:04 PM

    Search wikipedia for r2-45

    Knowledge is free, inform yourselves.

  • Posted By: Lobotomy @ 02/09/2008 4:19:55 PM

    I'm glad to have escaped with at least part of my brain.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgh02vOMyW0

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/13/2008 7:14:14 AM

      This is the only sensible thing you have said Mr. Lobotomy. I don't think anyone reading your posts doubts that you have only a part of your brain. This lunatic is your typical member of the Church of Scientology: irrational, indoctrinated and unable to effectively communicate. So explain to me how the Church of Scientology enables one to become more sane, more capable and better able to communicate?

  • Posted By: btate2329 @ 02/08/2008 11:45:49 PM

    People, I do agree that Anonymous is not doing the right thing by attacking your organization, however I do agree that people should be aware of your doings. I was once told by my father, "If you're not doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to worry about." If you still believe in Scientology, then you're entitled to both your freedom of choice and speech. Nonetheless, I ask you did the Lord ever ask you to pay a fee? No. In fact, in Luke 21:1-4 a poor woman only had bu two small coins ; almost pennies but Jesus states that her contribution was greater than all the richest gifts because of her unselfishness. I do not know much about Scientology but I know Satan when I see him. We all make mistakes and every day, God blesses each of us with another day to learn more about him and to come to terms with our choices both good and bad. I can only hope that each of you who read this, remember what God had warned us about such people and learn it well...

    2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (New International Version)
    New International Version (NIV)
    Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

    13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/12/2008 3:03:24 PM

      I am not a Christian, I am a freezone Scientologist but I definitely agree with you my friend: Real religions are interested in SPIRITUAL betterment NOT in extracting as much money as they can from their parishioners through lies and deceit as the Church of Scientology does.

    • Posted By: anonymous3.141 @ 02/09/2008 7:03:50 AM

      btate2329 --
      YES! You must understand the sinister anti-Christian side of Scientology. Please get word to other Christians in your forums, for anons need all the help we can get but have foolishly alienated some religious folks methinks. Please know that anonymous isn't attacking religious belief.

      Scientology's occult origins: Lafeyette Ron Hubbard met Jack Parsons and in 1946 they began working on sex magic called "Babalon Working" to summon a "moonchild" (this is the origin of speculation as to whether Suri--Tom Cruise's child--is supposed to be a "moonchild"). Jack Parsons was an associate of Aleister Crowley, the infamous occultist who formed the O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis) and was notorious throughout all of England. Hubbard, the messianic figure of Scientology, referred to Aleister Crowley as his "very good friend" and seemed to be heavily influenced by such teachings, which were later promulgated in Scientology. The organization's aim is global subversion until it is the only true "faith" while simultaneously undermining governments and operating as a business until it has enough power for SeaOrg (their paramilitary wing which includes a fleet of ships) and their Office of Special Affairs (OSA is similar to the Nazi SS and Soviet KGB) to take more control. If you don't believe me just google or wikipedia L. Ron Hubbard's history, OSA, SeaOrg, Babalon Working, Jack Parsons, OTO/Aleister Crowley, etc. or follow this link:
      http://www.bible.ca/scientology-satanism-Hubbard-jr.htm
      OR search for interviews with Hubbard's son. They intend to make a mockery of all religion via the mockery of equating it with science-fiction from an occultist. Scientology hides behind "religious persecution" to undermind all faiths, avoid taxes on their businesses, and ultimately supplant previous orders with their own. PLEASE INFORM FELLOW BELIEVERS!

  • Posted By: NoUserName @ 02/08/2008 11:55:46 PM

    ""I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it""

    I understand this is a hotbutton issue, but I think that even if you disagree with Anonymous, they have a right to express their views. The CoS has been trying to say it promotes free speech, but a lot of these comments seem like they want to silence these Anonymous people. Just because you disagree with someone doesn't' mean you get to take away their right to say it or their right to peaceably assemble.

    Besides, I really don't think these peace protests will limit the freedoms of anyone, including Scientologists, to practice or believe in whatever they want to. Until Anonymous does something that prevents people from believing what they want or restricts their right to believe, it's not a consitutional issue. Plus, how many hot topic issues get protested every day? Abortion, the war.... You don't have to agree and you might be offended, but you don't have a right to stop them from saying it.

    Every religion has critics and people upset with their practices. Why is this any different? Seriously, who cares if people protest the Church of Scientology? I don't understand why everyone is getting so upset over people who disagree.

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/12/2008 2:59:39 PM

      It is not the Church of Scientology or the philosophy of Scientology (CoS) that are being protested, really. It is the continual deceptive practices of the CoS in defrauding people out of their money and trying to oppress their parishioners and control their lives. Their are currently far, far more Scientologists that practice the philosophy outside the CoS than those in it. These are the so-called "feezone" Scientologists. Note well that there are HUNDREDS of freezone groups, but no-one protests their actions because they do not lie and cheat and steal and ruin people's lives! The CoS is no longer a religious organization in any way. It is a fraudulent confidence scheme that exists solely for the purpose of taking large amounts of money from people and given little or nothing in return. The CoS does not even practice the original philosophy of Scientology. They are altering the subject on an ongoing basis. The only people who practice the original philosophy any more are the freezone groups.

  • Posted By: chewyandbert @ 02/08/2008 7:46:16 PM

    I guess Anonymous has proclaimed themselves judge, jury and executioner. Just what we need is another band of hooded vigilantes who spread propaganda and hate. Hiding behind computers, masks and sunglasses (as they suggest to their 'protesters')...they apparently cannot see that they are suppressing the free speech of the Church of Scientology by hacking into their ewebsite dndenyingpeople the right to think for themselves.



    hts and free speech of the Church of Scientology with their

    • Posted By: respectful_anon @ 02/08/2008 9:40:34 PM

      Are you a member of Scientology or the OSA?

      • Posted By: Lobotomy @ 02/09/2008 4:11:32 PM

        Suppose *I* was a member? What about it?

        • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/12/2008 7:28:45 AM

          ??? If anyone wants to truly understand exactly what the Church of Scientology is all about, then
          read all of the posts by the person calling himself ???Lobotomy??? found in the comments to the
          foregoing Newsweek article. This person is a member of the Church of Scientology. His
          communication is childish, nonsensical and obviously psychotic. This person is attempting to
          defend that organisation? This pitiful madman? Read his posts and see if you can in any way
          believe that the Church of Scientology can make a person more sane or capable or better able to
          communicate.

      • Posted By: Ammari @ 02/08/2008 10:25:42 PM

        I think someone's Thetan is getting a cookie for putting in a good word for Scientology!! You go boy, right back to whatever planet that drug overdosing moron makes you believe you come from.

      • Posted By: Ammari @ 02/08/2008 10:24:12 PM

        OMG it's that guy thta shouts about "your crimes". Stop the namby pamby crap and go back to your home world.

  • Posted By: Quantum_Idea @ 02/08/2008 8:19:31 PM

    My question, to all those that oppose Scientology, is what about the fredom of religious practice free from fear of persecution? I personally am not involved in that particular church, but am an advocate for freedom of religion. There are other secretive religions that can be dubbed similar cults, what is the reason for targeting only Scientology? Whether your belief lies with those in the church, or are aligned against the church, I do believe they are still entitled to the same freedoms as the rest of the American public.

    • Posted By: DrZook @ 02/12/2008 7:26:10 AM

      If the Church of Scientology is not a money grubbing cult, why does it cost upwards of $300,000 to buy all of their services? Why do they mercilessly attack and harass people who practice the philosophy of Scientology outside the Church? How nice that the Church of Scientology is entitled to freedom of religion but those who choose to practice Scientology as "freezoners" (non-Church Scientologists) are not allowed to do the same! "Freedom of religion" to the Church of Scientology is just a public relations tool that they use to try and get sympathy from the general public when their exploitation of people for their money is exposed.

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