Scientology Critic Arrested After 6 Years

destinyland writes "Friday police arrested 64-year-old Keith Henson. In 2000 after picketing a Scientology complex, he was arrested as a threat because of a joke Usenet post about "Tom Cruise Missiles." He fled to Canada after being found guilty of "interfering" with a religion, and spent the next 6 years living as a fugitive. Besides being a digital encryption and free speech advocate, he's one of the original Burr-Brown/Texas Instruments researchers and a co-founder of the Space Colony movement."

Comments

Tom Cruise Missile

[lecithin]

"Other posters joined in the internet discussion, asking whether Tom Cruise missiles are affected by wind. "No way," Keith joked. "Modern weapons are accurate to a matter of a few tens of yards."

So, does that make Tom Cruise a 'straight shooter'?

Re:Tom Cruise Missile

[DJCacophony]

Tom Cruise? Straight? I think not.

Re:Tom Cruise Missile

[uncqual]

Amen

Re:Tom Cruise Missile

[frank_adrian314159]

I would think that threatening a person with unimaginable torture for all of eternity if they did not deny the existence of their gods would be considered a threat.

No, John Travolta's and Tom Cruise's movies just seem like they last for eternity and, as far as I know, denying isn't enough; you aren't forced to watch them unless you actively spread the information that L. Ron wasn't actually God.

Re:Tom Cruise Missile

[Lars T.]

I see the point you are trying to make, but Christians don't have the power to damn someone to Hell. Usually it is said that God will damn you, or something like that. It is more of a warning, as it is not within their control. It is similar to someone telling you that if you lie in the middle of the freeway, you are likely to get hit by a car. They aren't threatening you with a car, but warning you of the car's coming. Whether you believe in what the Christians are saying or not isn't relevant, just that the message they are bringing isn't a threat. Oh so it's more something like: "If you don't stop posting here, somebody (who I have no control over) is going to kill you and your family!"

Re:Tom Cruise Missile

[Saxerman]

Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?"
Priest: "No, not if you did not know."
Eskimo: "Then why did you tell me?"
--Annie Dillard, 'Pilgrim at Tinker Creek'

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Space colony, eh?

[PhxBlue]

Can we set up a solar colony for the Scientologists?

Re:Space colony, eh?

[anagama]

It needs to be in this order:
1-Set up space colony.
2-Send up scientologists.
3-Send up air.

Friday police

[Anonymous Coward]

Friday police arrested 64-year-old Keith Henson.

I don't know who these Friday police are, but they should be stopped. Friday police don't have the right to stop free speech anymore than normal police do!

What's your excuse?

[Rahga]

'In 2000 after picketing a Scientology complex, he was arrested as a threat because of a joke Usenet post about "Tom Cruise Missiles."'

I thought people only read Usenet for the pictures.

Re:Scientology isn't a Religion

[Timesprout]

Legitimate religions are based on Gourds or Sandals. Scientology is based on science and so clearly is not legitimate.

Re:Scientology isn't a Religion

[jspectre]

maybe it's about time someone starts an open-source religion? license it with the gpl so it can be distributed freely and not require payment to participate in. everyone can modify it as they see fit and all gods/goddesses must be open for all to see.

i just wonder how long will it take for microsoft to embrace the new religion, add their own pantheon, patent it and try to squash the rest of us? i can hear the chant now... "developers.. developers.. developers.." as we do a monkey dance around a bonfire of burning penguins.

Re:Scary

[green menace]

Not true. I heard a great one this morning. A terrorist, A scientologist, and a donkey walk into a bar.... Oh snap... I suck at remembering jokes.

Re:I don't get it?

[jrumney]

While not outright illegal, everyone here would give me the eyeball if I went out picketing a Jewish mosque.

If you can find yourself a Jewish mosque to picket, then I say go for it. You'd probably get a lot of support from Jews and mosques around the world (not to mention the evangelical Christians) for picketing such an abomination.

Re:Religion ?

[robably]

They have lots of followers but that is only because they have been brainwashed. Scientology is a way of making money for the high ups.

Sounds like they're perfectly qualified to be a religion.

In Soviet California....

[sconeu]

Xenu imprisons YOU!

Re:Scary

[DrKyle]

A terrorist, A scientologist, and a donkey walk into a bar....

The terrorist says to the scientologist,"Stay away from the donkey, I've packed him full of explosives."
The scientologist says to the terrorist,"You can't blow up the donkey, I've packed him full of thetans!"
Finally the donkey says,"Actually, I'm fine. You filled each other up, you Asses."

Being religious is like being gay

[NotQuiteReal]

Being religious is like being gay - both have a genetic component.

Some people have both genes, but I'll Cruise away from further speculation on that subject.

Re:Digital Monks of the Internet Monastery

[hotdiggitydawg]

I am intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

It's only a matter of time...

[naChoZ]

"interfering" with a religion

So now it's just a matter of time before creationists start having archeologists arrested for digging up dinosaurs and interfering with their religion...

The moral of the story is

[ClosedSource]

Don't mess with space aliens.

Re: "The land of the free" bullshit

[Paracelcus]

I guess you're from Europe and did'nt know any better.

The US of America has the best legal system money can buy!

And we have a constitutional right to freedom of speach, and our gummermint has a right to break in to our homes sieze our property
put us on a (very special) plane and send us to an undisclosed location where there is no constitution.

And never come home, ever.

Re:Ecumenical Councils: the Christian Party Line

[sokoban]

You do not know or understand the history of Christianity. Matt. Matt. Matt. Matt. Matt. You don't know the history of Christianity, I do.

You're being glib.

Alternate Scientologist in a Bar Joke

[hullabalucination]

Note: the following joke is subject to final script approval by Mr. Tom Cruise, in accordance with his production company's contract with United Artists.

OK, see, this Scientologist walks into a bar with a frog on his head. And the bartender says, "HEY...what the hell is THAT?!" And the frog says, "Well, I'm not sure exactly, but it started out as a wart on my ass."

* * * * *

The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.
--David Ogilvy