What is your Opinion on censoring individuals and their view?

Question

I have just been labelled a "religious Nazi", had claimed I was "affiliated with a religious hate group", and that "this scourge of religious freedom" (me) should be banned.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkWmkiFpUGSB4AtKfghLutwgBgx.?qid=20060625061002AAKDm4y

What do you think?

Which is using this site properly ,
A) Me criticising the Church of Scientology in an open questions forum with my opinion on the evidence providing links of my sources
B) Someone personally attacking me

OK so I admit, I'm subjective. I think scientology is a cult and I want others to be aware of the danger. Is that so bad?

http://www.xenu.net

Ok, Thanks for your responses.

It does seem people prefer the freedom to speak out for the things we believe in or indeed want to criticise.

I will think about the comments regarding my own conduct. However at present, I think the CofS is dangerous and would actually consider it irresponsible of me NOT to distribute my findings on the CofS. Yes, so I search for the topic I have a lot of knowledge on and want to inform people of the dangers so they can in turn make an informed decision on whether to join. This is my motive.

I do not see "vitriolic blathering" in this statement personally, but as said I will think about it. If I have ever personally insulted anyone with my criticisms I fully apologise and would retract those statements if possible. If I have simply posted information you don’t like, or an opinion you don’t agree with, then sorry, but this is my right and I will continue to do so.

Again thank you for your responses.

I also found this... kettle and black.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkgneixTPXGVN53jihb2qN0gBgx.?qid=20060616061804AAckJXq

Look for Foxtel's answer.

Sorry Foxtail, If xenu.net was illegal it would be closed down. It does not host anything without evidence that is fully checkable by anyone. The web owner invites anyone to rebut what he has posted and he will remove it. You or any scientologists can do this.

I'm sorry we have met this way. I will continue to inform others about the church of scientology, but I understand that is not appropriate in discussion with you. I understand this now, but cannot avoid you seeing my answers to other people's questions. I will not post questions about scientology, I haven't done so yet.

I am always including links to the CofScientology in all my answers now, and am trying to quote facts and be more objective. I will work on this.

I have very clearly said in my question above that this is my opinion, therefore is one-sided by definition of the word.

Kathdes, that is wierd logic.

I wrote a whole long passage explaining why opinions are critical in this Q&A site but I think this highlights it nicely

Thank you for your opinion, but I don't share it.

Answer 1

Well said Liam,but I think you are far too gentlemanly in your replies to foxtel.This guy is obviously a Scientoligist,which means you cannot have a rational debate with him.He has threatened you with the rtc,this is gang whose sole purpose is to hound,threaten & discredit any-one who dares to disagree with Scientology.They hire private detectives to dig up dirt to blackmail critics into silence,and expensive lawers to threaten legal proceedings.Scietology is not a religeon,it' a mafia,dedicated to gaining as much money & power as possible,using any means,no matter how vile.

Answer 2

I don't know how you answered a question to be called "a religious Nazi". But, everyone should be able to express an opinion within reason. I.e., no threatened violence, sarchasm etc. Sarchasm is used in a wide vein because most people (including me) don't understand most religions and can be sarchastic without meaning/realising it. Just through lack of knowledge. I'm very sceptic on scientology and don't believe. I don't believe in a man creating a religion in this day and age. To me, it's a cult. A fashionable one at that and against nature. I.e. childbirth - don't make a sound etc. etc. I'm saying 'etc.' cause I can't remember what other ideas they have about (just) childbirth but they are ridiculous. It's the most natural thing on earth. How dare a man dictate how a woman should react when giving birth. Then again, it's A MAN. No idea.
Now I've got that off my chest ... people should be able to give their opinions on religion. Within reason. Swearing and condescending abuse maybe shouldn't be used - if anything just to emphasise your feelings instead of getting peoples' backs up. That's my opinion.

Answer 3

Subjective is about accurate. There is nothing wrong with giving your opinion, but there are some that are not going to be to;tolerated by the rules of the site.

Going after one person, or one group tends to make you appear bigoted. Obviously you have some motive,

I understand what you mean though about personal attacks.

Just because someone disagrees with me they are on a bent that I was never in the military, though my father was an Army officer in South Vietnam as an adviser when I joined the Army on my 17th birthday, May 27. and did basic at Ft Jackson SC in the summer! A little over 6 months later I was in South Korea freezing my A__ off!. I ended up doing two tours there and spent 1966 and 1967 in Vietnam, I got out at Ft, Devens, MA after 8 years active, but you always find some that if they can't attack your answers, they try and attack you. The person doesn't know what he's talking about and I, after some of his rantings, tried to get him kicked off! I don't need that crap! I KNOW i spent 8 years in!

Don't single anyone out, it isn't going to help your case. It makes you look obsessed!

I find that funny! A religeous Nazi???

Answer 4

I was sure this was a free country & that freedom of speech was part of that overall freedom.
Therefore, I think that if you feel strongly about something you should be able to give your opinion in the subject without fear or ridicule or chastisement.
Anyone who attacks you, because of what after all is only one persons opinion, is obviously a fool.
It doesn't matter of people agree with you or not. The point of an opinion is that it is yours.
I have read a lot about Scientology & its origins & quite frankly I think it is a cult & that anyone who takes it seriousy has mental problems.

Answer 5

i don't agree with censorship of any sort - let people say what they think - if they are an idiot it's up to the rest of us to make that point with well constructed arguments that blow their opinions to bits.

that said, you haven't really done yourself any favours by making such blunt statements, similarly neither has the clown who decided to take you task by being just as unreasonable in with their approach

to actively seek to persecute 1 particular topic of debate, or for that matter, to persecute 1 specific user seems more than a little immature.

if you feel so strongly then make your points with good arguments and leave out the vitriolic blathering

edit: in response to the 'free country' comment up there, the UK isn't a free country at all but that's not the point. this is Yahoo! not the UK and Yahoo! has rules and does censor the posts on this site if they break those rules.

Answer 6

FOXTEL_IQ

You are either severly brainwashed or a servere brainwasher.
Your kind should be put in prison.
I'm living in France at the moment, and did you know that Scientology is an illegal sect here that is considered morally and financially criminal?

If you want to pay all your money to people who think they can help you with problems you don't actually have, then do so.
DON'T start telling others about it on a public question board, ok?

Answer 7

My opinion is that it is wrong to engage with any form of religious hate subjects. I think that it is OK to criticize and offer your opinion and have something to back it up. I think that it is wise to choose your words carefully. You can hardly avoid to be misunderstood time to times, no matter how you present your point. Especially with written "arguments", because people cannot hear your voice.

Every religion and cult have their extreme people. And oftentimes you will find that these individuals give the religion or cult a bad name.

When you look beneath the surface, you will find out that there are major differences between the religions - among Christians, among Buddists, among Atheists etc- including contradictins who God is.

For example, some forms of Buddishm don't even teach that there is God; Hinduism teaches that God exists and that everything is part of him; Christians teach that God exists but that He is separae from all He has created. These are mutually exclusive definitions that cannot possibly be descriptive of the same God.

To me Jesus is the only God who backed up His claims by rising from the dead. I would not like people attacking me personally for my opinion, my belief because I have done my homework to satisfy by hunger for proof... even if they do not think the same way.

I think that open questions forum is healthy if you do not start to slander anybody for their beliefs. I am not sending anybody to hell if they do not believe what I believe, but I see it all the time that non-chritians make accusations that all the Chritians are sending them to hell. I want to make my point cross time after time that as we have a lot of choices here on the earth, the Bible is very clear about the eternity. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, and no one will enter to the "Father's house" except through Him...so eternity is for everybody, but in eternity you have only two choices, hell or heaven. I believe God loves us all, is the feeling mutual. But out of fairness, you are given the free will and you can choose. If you do not end up with God, it is your choice. Why blame anybody else???

Answer 8

Here's the thing....if you were presenting a even debate on the church or real facts then there would be no issue..but because you insist on publishing the religious hate propaganda from www.xenu.net....you deserve all you get. I have reported you to the RTC, know who that is? They are the office that looks after the intrests of the church - copyright/misleading information/attacks etc....obviously you are attacking the church and spreading mis-information, how on earth do you think you are presenting a two sided debate or is that your aim...to be one sided?

Answer 9

I think freedom of speech is one of the best things about this country.... However we must be careful not to abuse it and be uncaring, like for example when a religious organization choose to Pickett at solders funerals in Indiana, with signs that said *** solders will go hell and baby killers and so on..
Can you see my point here? We must all have some tact or any point we are trying to make will be lost.

Answer 10

Freedom of speech is your right in the US, however, just because you have an opinion doesn't mean you need to be rude or crude about it.
Your opinion is never going to change a person's mind, especially when it comes to religion.
And it may do more for your relationships to keep some opinions to yourself in respect to another's opinion.
Every religion is an opinion of the person practicing it, and remember, we have a freedom of religion in this country too.