Church of Scientology Proposes Net Censorship In Australia

An anonymous reader writes "Submitted by the Australian branch of Scientology to the local Human Rights Commission is a proposal to eliminate anonymity on the net and the removal of critical websites (MS Word document). The submission is listed as #1931 at this page at the Australian Human Rights Commission." (Read on below for some of the details of what the Scientologists propose.) "SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS: Recommendation 1: The implementation of Criminal and Civil Restrictions on Religious Vilification. Recommendation 2: Restriction on Anonymity on acts of Religious Vilification: 2.1 Websites created with primary purpose of inciting religious vilification shall be removed or their access to the Australian public restricted. 2.2 Creators of websites whose primary purpose is the incitement of religious vilification shall be prevented from concealing their identity. Recommendation 3: Restriction on Religious Misinformation and Misrepresentation known or reasonably known to be untruthful in the Media Recommendation 4: Include a form of Bill or Charter of Rights into the Australian Constitution, which prevents the Commonwealth from making any law, which 'directly, indirectly or incidentally' prohibits the free exercise of religion to the extent of such prohibition."

Comments

Quick on the draw

[Kupfernigk]

Replying to myself (sorry) I note how quickly my original comment was modded down as "redundant" despite not, in fact, being redundant. It looks to me like the Dianetics Foundation (excuse the term, but I'm sensitive about using the word "church" in this context)slashdot-watcher ran out of mod points rather quickly.

I would defend my use of the term "Pyramid scheme". Pyramid schemes are not illegal. It's Ponzi schemes which are illegal, i.e. those which promise impossible returns by using the assets of low-level entrants to pay a return to high-level members. Most businesses nowadays are in fact pyramid schemes of one sort or another, e.g. Ford manufacture cars but appoint distributors who appoint authorised dealerships, and successful individuals may move up the chain. As I understand it, the DF is a classic pyramid scheme in which recruits may progress to higher levels, at which they in turn recruit to levels below them. The main and obvious difference between, say, the DF and the Catholic Church is that in the Church you can become Pope while never having contributed money to the cause, while I do not believe that is true of the DF