Anonymous v. Scientology

This thing is starting to get noticed ...

Newsweek:

Now, a loose-knit consortium of hackers and activists calling itself "Anonymous" has declared "war" on the organization. In a creepy YouTube clip addressed to the "leaders of Scientology," a robotic voice announces "with the leakage of your latest propaganda video into mainstream circulation, the extent of your malign influence over those who trust you as leaders has been made clear to us. Anonymous has therefore decided that your organization should be destroyed." [...]

The church did not return multiple phone calls this week but did issue a statement to NEWSWEEK in which it calls Anonymous "a group of cyber-terrorists ... perpetrating religious hate crimes against Churches of Scientology and individual Scientologists for no reason other than religious bigotry."

The Economist:

Now Scientology is under attack from a group of internet activists known only as Anonymous. Organised from a Wikipedia-style website (editable by anyone) and through anonymous internet chat rooms, “Project Chanology”, as the initiative is known, presents no easy target for Scientology's lawyers. It is promoting cyberwarfare techniques normally associated with extortionists, spies and terrorists. Called “distributed denial of service attacks”, these typically involve using networks of infected computers to bombard the target's websites and servers with bogus requests for data, causing them to crash. Even governments find this troublesome.

NBC News

Sky News

I doubt very much that a bunch of hackers can "destroy" the church, but I'm amused as all get-out that they're annoying the Scientologists. And it's delicious to see a lawsuit-oriented group faced with a threat they can't sue into the ground. (It's been a long-established practice of the Church to instigate annoyance lawsuits which are meant to drain/bankrupt the opponent regardless of the merit of he suit.)

So what do the Orgahs think? Are Anonymous using terrorist techniques to annoy a legitimate church? Or are a bunch of kids with bandwidth taking on a money-grubbing cult?

https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e...enuHomeboy.jpg

Hit it up here Lemur

Also I dont support Anon and their war against Scientology. Knowledge should be free, and scientology is just a joke, in my opinion, because it was devoloped by a Sci-Fi writer i mean really..

I would be there for the Brisbane one, if I wasnt working.

Friend is going along to film it.

Dang, Jkarinen, I searched all over for that thread, decided I must have dreamed it. I don't suppose you could do a brother a favor and put either "Scientology" or "Anonymous" in the thread title? How the heck was I supposed to find it again?

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I doubt very much that a bunch of hackers can "destroy" the church, but I'm amused as all get-out that they're annoying the Scientologists. And it's delicious to see a lawsuit-oriented group faced with a threat they can't sue into the ground. (It's been a long-established practice of the Church to instigate annoyance lawsuits which are meant to drain/bankrupt the opponent regardless of the merit of he suit.)

So what do the Orgahs think? Are Anonymous using terrorist techniques to annoy a legitimate church? Or are a bunch of kids with bandwidth taking on a money-grubbing cult?

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They have my moral support.

Of course I have little knowledge about the group, but it seems quite an effective way to fight the 'church'... considering their resources and ability to exploit the legal system against its spirit...

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Originally Posted by Lemur

a bunch of kids with bandwidth taking on a money-grubbing cult?

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:yes:

I fully support Anonymous.

I also support Germany in wanting to ban them. You shouldn't have to pay to be a member of a religion, a religion shouldn't be run like a business, with registered trademarks, so therefore it isn't a religion, it's just nothing more than a cult, and a dangerous one too, which the government is quite right in banning.

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Or are a bunch of kids with bandwidth taking on a money-grubbing cult?

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This one.

HAIL XENU!!!

This thread is now about /b/:

https://img246.imageshack.us/img246/7817/blackupjj4.jpg


Ichigo is my /b/lackup.

C-C-C-C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER.

DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU DESU

Hm.... Needs moar desu.

Rule (insert number here) says Desu isn't funny. It's about as funny as chuck norris jokes

Anonymous targeting Scientology? Good for them. I've got nothing against them attacking a cult, and as long as it doesn't effect the rest of us, legitimate Internet users, I'm all for this.

Here's a raid. More of these and scientology must begin to tremble. ~D

As I read more and more about scientology, I think of someone reading the Onion and thinking it's the New York Times.

Here's a page with the info on the Anon raids on the Co$:
http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com...ST_PAGE#U.S.A.

WARNING! LOTS of Images, takes a LONG time to load.

EDIT: fixed.

CR

Rabbit, the link, she is broken.

Wouldn't illegitimate acts legitimatize the attacked not the attacker?

Pearl Harbor didn't exactly give kudos to the Japanese. :balloon2:

I have to say that this thing has taken off, to my surprise. I've learned more about Scientology, and can explain why I severely dislike it.

Also, on the previously cited website, I watched a video where some scientologists constantly harangued Mark (Bunker?) about his previous crimes and attacking Scientology as a 'cult' as labeled in Germany.

ITT newfags.

Iv been watching the anon protest videos for about 20 minutes or so, and for lack of a better phrase...they really got their shit together.

Yea, I gotta say that I am surprised by how well they pulled it off.

CR

Scientology raids have been huge successess round the world, at the rate we are going we can cripple this church of "knowledge" into an actual church and not a corp

I think it shows the difference between Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Pastafarianism, and the Scientology group. I think that while it may lend 'credence' to the church, it does highlight the very abusive nature of Scientology and it's adherents. You almost wonder

A. How much money they have
B. [censored by Scientology]

I'm pretty surprised so far by how much this is publicized and how big it's gotten. It may be possible after all.

I went to the Adelaide raid (otherwise known as 'Adelraid') and it was pretty good - 150 people showed up, and a good larf was had by all. Many flyers were given out, and Anon's gradually spread through the city like a cancer, resulting in honking horns being constantly heard. Some kind Anon even bought 5 boxes of pizza for the main protest group after hearing people complain they might leave because they were hungry. It was a good day out.

EDIT: Also, i have pics on my phone. When i get a chance, expect pics.

I would have went to one but I doubt there was one anywhere near here. Probably would have been worth it.

Honestly, I've been searching all over, does anyone have any links that will decently support all of the controversial things that Scientology has done?

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Originally Posted by Kanamori

Honestly, I've been searching all over, does anyone have any links that will decently support all of the controversial things that Scientology has done?

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Iv heard of a video called a "Unfunny truth" that was pretty good. I think I watched the first part of it, just google it and see what you get.

I can't seem to find anyone willing to help me start a San Rafeal raid.... it sucks.

Also: its surprising how many new/old fags we have in the backroom. It's interesting.

Even though this project has given the shady buisness more bad PR, Tom Cruise already did a good job at just that. :clown:

Coverage of the real-life protests ...

LA Times

Edmonton Sun

news.com.au

Scotsman

DCist

Daily Texan

St. Petersburg Times

And on and on and on. This thing seems to have gotten traction all over the place.

so many /b/rothers.

good to know more than me and ichigo.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Daily Texan

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I love how the Austinites wore V-style Guy Fawkes masks. :2thumbsup: Keep Austin Weird!

I wonder how they will do Fair Play on Anon ??

Sue Gen Y. :laugh4:

Video of the protest in Milwaukee, where the high temperature was -4.

http://www.whyaretheydead.net/

I stayed up for a while reading through the list of deaths they have on that site.

@Lemur:They've got videos on YT from most of the major city protests. In England, France, Germany, I think Belgium or The Netherlands, a lot of US cities, Australia, NZ. There are a lot from England cities as well, but I haven't watched them all.

Update: Church of Scientology seeks a restraining order on Anonymous. Judge says no way, you been pwnzored.

Tuesday's suit, a petition for an "injunction for protection against repeat violence," was denied Wednesday afternoon by Circuit Judge Linda Allan, who ruled the relevant Florida statute does not apply to corporations.

Just hours before Allan ruled, the church filed a separate, nearly identical lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order. The second suit seeks protection under a different Florida statute. No decision has been made on that suit.

Both suits claim members of Anonymous "made repeated and explicit threats of attacks, raids, wars and assassinations upon" the Church of Scientology and its members.

The second suit names 26 people, many from Tampa Bay, who Scientology thinks are members of Anonymous, which describes itself as a loosely organized group united against the injustices perpetrated by Scientology. [...]

Matthew Dakan was one. A 28-year-old comic book appraiser from Sarasota, he is named in the lawsuits, but says he isn't a member of Anonymous.

Calling himself an Anonymous "sympathizer," Dakan said he doesn't know any members of group, but participated in the Feb. 10 protest after seeing information about it on Anonymous Web sites. He also said, "I personally have a problem with Scientology, I think it's very bad."

Dakan said he gave his name to someone who identified himself as a reporter and later saw someone photographing his license plate.

Bolding by Lemur. Why do I keep picturing the comic shop guy from the Simpsons?

Lemur - worst stereotyping ever.

If you get the reference, a cookie is your prize :beam:

Anyway, there's another bunch of big worldwide protests tomorrow, (Saturday) so if you live in a town with some scientology offices, there's a good chance of people showing up.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Both suits claim members of Anonymous "made repeated and explicit threats of attacks, raids, wars and assassinations upon" the Church of Scientology and its members.
?

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Wars ??:laugh4:
Are they afraid anon will roll up on their doorsteps with tanks or something ??:hmg:

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Tuesday's suit, a petition for an "injunction for protection against repeat violence," was denied Wednesday afternoon by Circuit Judge Linda Allan, who ruled the relevant Florida statute does not apply to corporations.

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Epic failure! :beam:

I particularly like the way the Judge referred to Scientology as a corporation, not a religion.

And if they are actually taking Anon's threats seriously, and not just doing this to avoid yet more bad publicity, then they are more silly than anyone previously thought. As the motto of a certain board goes...

"The stories and information posted here are artistic works of fiction and falsehood.
Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."

I've been without Internet for a few weeks so I've completely missed this. Hilarious.

I love you Anon.

Video covering the entire Anonymous/Scientology conflict. Surprisingly good, from a local Fox affiliate in LA.

-edit-

Video of Atlanta Police attempting to arrest the "leaders" of Anonymous. I guess they're unclear on the concept ...

Update: The Church of Scientology has a new, fancy, anti-Anonymous web site.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Video of Atlanta Police attempting to arrest the "leaders" of Anonymous. I guess they're unclear on the concept ...

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Well that's clever.
Make a random arrest and hope one of them is the leader.
That said, some of those anon chicks are hot.:yes:

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Originally Posted by Lemur

Video of Atlanta Police attempting to arrest the "leaders" of Anonymous. I guess they're unclear on the concept ...

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I find it slightly alarming that the cops were pulling over people that honked. I don't remember DeKalb cops being that fascist when I lived there. :inquisitive:

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Originally Posted by drone

I find it slightly alarming that the cops were pulling over people that honked. I don't remember DeKalb cops being that fascist when I lived there. :inquisitive:

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Atlanta is a zoo and the cops are like that Australian guy who got a stinger through the heart (pretty sad I've forgotten his name already).

My reflex is to applaud the anons, even though experience tells me that the nature of such groups, once uncovered, is often rather disappointing. Let's be honest, for all we know they may be neonazi's...

After all, I think I prefer a fair fight, even if Scientology leaders have been known to wear horseshoes in their gloves, hit below the belt and buy off the referee.

And I am absolutely opposed to any sort of ban on Scientology. The reasons people give for such a measure (they are not a religion as we know it, I don't like them, etcetera) are invalid. These Scientology types are probably mad, and greedy as well. Most religious leaders are either one or the other, sometimes both. We had the same sort of issue in The Neds with a bunch of followers of an Indian guru, Swami Whatshisname. It was allowed to peter out. In the end people have the right to believe what they want.

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Originally Posted by Adrian II

Let's be honest, for all we know they may be neonazi's...

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hahahhahahahaahahahhhahhahhahahahahahahahaha

oh wow

um... whatever would give you that idea....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://i122.photobucket.com/albums/...epy_in_red.jpg

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Originally Posted by Adrian II

And I am absolutely opposed to any sort of ban on Scientology. The reasons people give for such a measure (they are not a religion as we know it, I don't like them, etcetera) are invalid. These Scientology types are probably mad, and greedy as well. Most religious leaders are either one or the other, sometimes both. We had the same sort of issue in The Neds with a bunch of followers of an Indian guru, Swami Whatshisname. It was allowed to peter out. In the end people have the right to believe what they want.

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i agree. scientology is no less valid a religion than any other. that said, i applaud anon and hope they destroy hubbard's scam asap.

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Originally Posted by Big_John

i agree. scientology is no less valid a religion than any other.

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Yeah, actually it is. But nonetheless, people should be able to believe whatever stupid stuff they want so long as they aren't hurting others.

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Originally Posted by Xiahou

Yeah, actually it is. But nonetheless, people should be able to believe whatever stupid stuff they want so long as they aren't hurting others.

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That's the thing though - they are hurting others. More specifically, their own members, or people who try to leave.

yup, there is certainly evidence that scientology, as an organization, has a history of hurting people. same could be said of many religions, no doubt.

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Originally Posted by Xiahou

Yeah, actually it is.

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nope. it's a belief system born out of implausible stories like most any religion. people should be allowed to believe it, sure. and other people should be allowed to ridicule its nonsense.

Uhm, yeah, the catholic church may ask for a bit of money from it's followers, Scientology requires a lot of money from it's followers, often to the point of making them bankrupt. The catholic church may tell you you go to hell when you leave them, Scientology may forcefully put you into some camp when you want to leave and brainwash you to stay. :dizzy2:

The ex-director of Scientology in Austria, Wilfried Handl was on TV once and talked about how they ruined his bank account, his life etc. and his website underlines that, note that while the website is german, he also links to and talks about the anonymous efforts, the german part also talks about the SeaOrg and their internal correction camps etc. As a person who was in the organization for 28 years, and feels very sorry about that now, I give him quite a bit of credibility, he should know what he's talking about and he doesn't say it's like any other religion at all.

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Originally Posted by Husar

Uhm, yeah, the catholic church may ask for a bit of money from it's followers, Scientology requires a lot of money from it's followers, often to the point of making them bankrupt. The catholic church may tell you you go to hell when you leave them, Scientology may forcefully put you into some camp when you want to leave and brainwash you to stay. :dizzy2:

The ex-director of Scientology in Austria, Wilfried Handl was on TV once and talked about how they ruined his bank account, his life etc. and his website underlines that, note that while the website is german, he also links to and talks about the anonymous efforts, the german part also talks about the SeaOrg and their internal correction camps etc. As a person who was in the organization for 28 years, and feels very sorry about that now, I give him quite a bit of credibility, he should know what he's talking about and he doesn't say it's like any other religion at all.

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mechanically, the organization may behave differently from most other religions, but that is unrelated to its validity as a belief system. interesting story though. more reasons to cheer on anon.

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Originally Posted by Big_John

it's a belief system born out of implausible stories like most any religion. people should be allowed to believe it, sure. and other people should be allowed to ridicule its nonsense.

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hear-hear! :applause:

Sure Scientology is a pretty obvious offender...as it demands money from it´s followers and ruins lives directly....

but other religions in the past have done the exact same thing....sure they now appear as more benign organizations...maybe that´s the normal maturity process of a religion or something....but in their core they are pretty much the same thing.

I´m completely an anon sympathizer....sure we don´t know exactly who is behind it...but I can´t deny the validity of their actions.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

I´m completely an anon sympathizer....sure we don´t know exactly who is behind it...but I can´t deny the validity of their actions.

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Am I lost, or is it not 4chan, the, uh, website.

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Originally Posted by Viking

Am I lost, or is it not 4chan, the, uh, website.

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not exactly.. i mean 4chan is where the term 'anon' originated (in this context), and the idea of an 'anon entity' was born out of 4chan's message board design, but it's something bigger than that one website now.

https://img175.imageshack.us/img175/...20burnsxs7.jpg

The Toronto office of Scientology deserves the protests.

They set up booths on the sidewalk outside their office with huge signs that say "Free Personality Test". Then for everyone who takes the test, the conclusion is of course: "Scientology is perfect for you".

well...one never turns away a sucke....uhm....a potential faithful :sweatdrop: :book:

no religion would turn people away and say they are not "right" for it.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

no religion would turn people away and say they are not "right" for it.

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Actually, several try very hard to turn people away if they are "not right" - if you think about it, this makes sense and ensures commitment. Even the Roman Catholic church has a pretty harsh initiation regime - depending on diocese - mainly to winnow out those who just want to get their kids into a good school.

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Originally Posted by Banquo's Ghost

Actually, several try very hard to turn people away if they are "not right" - if you think about it, this makes sense and ensures commitment. Even the Roman Catholic church has a pretty harsh initiation regime - depending on diocese - mainly to winnow out those who just want to get their kids into a good school.

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Well...I would agree that all religions will try to indoctrinate you.....and if that fails they will turn you away....because let´s face it...no one wants disturbance on the "flock".......if you mean it like that....I´ll agree that a religion might turn someone away if they fail to successfully indoctrinate them.

but no religion turns someone away before even trying to bring them into the fold.....that defeats the material (I won´t discuss spiritual purpose or if they even have one) purpose of a religion.

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Originally Posted by Ronin

but no religion turns someone away before even trying to bring them into the fold.....that defeats the material (I won´t discuss spiritual purpose or if they even have one) purpose of a religion.

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ahura mazda disagrees. :brood:

https://img142.imageshack.us/img142/8885/ahuraqi4.jpg


or would have in the recent past, at least..

When will the Church of Scientology understand the power of the Streisand Effect? When will they learn that you don't threaten the internets?

Wikinews has learned that the Church of Scientology warned the documents leaking site Wikileaks.org that they are in violation of United States copyright laws after they published several documents related to the Church. Wikileaks has no intention of complying, and states that in response, they intend to publish thousands of Scientology documents next week.

Well its true, Anon delivers.

Honestly, Co$ neesds to watch out. Anonymous will organise another thing, in the meantime other things have warrented the attention of Anonymous.

So who wants to be an Operating Thetan? Levels I to VIII, free for the taking. Come on, Orgahs, step right up! This kind of knowledge would cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars on a normal day. Think of the savings! At these prices, you can't afford not to become an Operating Thetan!

lol. wikileaks, i <3 u.

So what idiot gave Co$ tax extempt status in america ? and does it have tax extempt status elsewhere ?

For once the UK is being sensible and it is classed as a cult over here...

it is tax exempt over here...the Portuguese state treats all nut balls equally.

if I was in charger I´d do away with all tax exemptions of this kind....one day....one day....

*imagines future*
'I now proclaim myself:knight: supreme leader of the United States of Myselfia!!!'

WARNING FOR SENSITIVE EARS!!!
Jason Beghe on Scientology
WARNING FOR SENSITIVE EARS!!!

But he explains it pretty clearly.

I fought the law and the law won.

A New Jersey teenager convicted of participating in a denial of service attack against the Church of Scientology has been jailed for a year.

Dmitriy Guzner, 19, from Verona, was also ordered to spend two years on probation following his release and pay $37,500 in compensation at a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports. Guzner confessed last May to taking part in a January 2008 attack against Church of Scientology websites.

The teenager is one of only two people ever charged with taking part in attacks protesting against alleged online censorship by the Church of Scientology that left its main website inaccessible for around a day and continued for about two weeks.

A second man, Brian Thomas Mettenbrink, was indicted over the same denial of service attack last month.

The denial of service attacks against the Church, co-ordinated by the Anonymous group, were made as a protest against attempts by Scientologists to stop the online distribution of a controversial Tom Cruise video.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

I fought the law and the law won.

A New Jersey teenager convicted of participating in a denial of service attack against the Church of Scientology has been jailed for a year.

Dmitriy Guzner, 19, from Verona, was also ordered to spend two years on probation following his release and pay $37,500 in compensation at a sentencing hearing on Wednesday, The New Jersey Star-Ledger reports. Guzner confessed last May to taking part in a January 2008 attack against Church of Scientology websites.

The teenager is one of only two people ever charged with taking part in attacks protesting against alleged online censorship by the Church of Scientology that left its main website inaccessible for around a day and continued for about two weeks.

A second man, Brian Thomas Mettenbrink, was indicted over the same denial of service attack last month.

The denial of service attacks against the Church, co-ordinated by the Anonymous group, were made as a protest against attempts by Scientologists to stop the online distribution of a controversial Tom Cruise video.

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cut off one limb and two more shall take it´s place.....
HAIL HYDRA!! :smash:

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A New Jersey teenager...

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That's disgraceful. I would say that Scientology should be ashamed, but shame is a feeling reserved for decent people.

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Originally Posted by Big_John

ahura mazda disagrees. :brood:

or would have in the recent past, at least..

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Hehe, I just got a book about Zarathustra today from Amazon :2thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Lemur

online distribution of a controversial Tom Cruise video.

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Really? Where? Linkie please? Where is that video they are referring to? (Sorry too lazy to spend time on Google - and I want to be sure I get the right one, and not some other related video)

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Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus

Really? Where? Linkie please? Where is that video they are referring to? (Sorry too lazy to spend time on Google - and I want to be sure I get the right one, and not some other related video)

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I'm guessing this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4O2_rZIgrQI

Btw, I have friend who has made some videos which conclusively prove that Scientology is bunk (As if you didn't know already)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiOxaXmBIFg

I can imagine Lemur in a guyfalks mask now.

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Originally Posted by Lemur

I fought the law and the law won.

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Well, the kid broke the law, he deserves punishment, even if the target is the Co$. The sentence seems a little harsh though, maybe the prosecutor or judge is on the Co$ take.