Thursday, February 7, 2008

2.10

It seems one can't go anywhere on the Internet without seeing a news blurb or a blog post about "Anonymous" these days. It's been interesting for me to watch this groundswell unfold (or bubble up, I guess), because I've been aware of the critic community and the Church of Many Copyrights for about 10 years now. After reading (or trying to, I don't even think the aid of a dictionary would have helped) Dianetics, I started looking at both sides. I looked at the official website for the "church", and right off the bat was put off by all the glitz and hyperbole...it reminded me of something I would see on Trinity Broadcasting. "Look how shiny and golden everything is here! You want to live in a golden world, come join us!"...that just makes me run in the other direction. Also, I found a lot of ambiguousness, which lead me to believe if I wanted to know more, I would have to find an "org", or buy a book. Or books. Or sessions, as suggested.

Then, I found the critics' side. Websites, newsgroups, blogs. The more I read, the more I leaned towards the critic end of the spectrum. Stories of disconnection and breaking up of families, of people taking out mortgages so they can learn more and reach higher planes or levels. Being a "science of the mind" one day, and a "religion" the next, just for the tax status. The way the "church" suppresses information. The way people who confront the orginization are bullied, and worse. Thier "if you're not with us, you're against us" mentality. The idea that it's a "crime" to seek out psychiatric help.

Enlightenment should be free to everyone. I know when I went to church, there was an offering box at the door, but I never had to hand over a twenty through the confessional screen. To know God, or god, or gods shouldn't come with a bill for services rendered. I don't care if that god looks like an elephant, a man, or E.T. It's not about the tales that created the religion...it's about the action of the people running the show...that is what causes shivers to run up and down my spine.

I can walk into most doctor offices and find a Bible, I even found a copy of the Qura'an one day. I could read them. Freely, and for free, if I choose. Try that with any of the many tomes of The Church of Many Copyrights. Those puppies aren't cheap. And, you must buy more and more to become more and more enlightened. And here is the rub...you never get there. "There" always moves, or changes, or is re-written.

So, on 2.10, a new set of critics will emerge and make thier voices known in real life. Anonymous will be across the globe, picketing. When the first video messages came out, I was skeptical, them being in it "for the lulz" and all. For years, I've read about pickets put on by ex-members. I understood why they felt the need. I read thier stories. To be honest, I felt that Anonymous was just a bunch of shit-stirrers, nothing more. But they have quickly materialized into a group that wants to make a stand, make a point, that it's not okay for any organization to supress information, to deny freedom of speech, to punish people for changing thier minds, for breaking up families, for not seeing themseles as they truly are...a copywrited business that smells like a pryamid scheme. If you say you're a church, then act like a church.

So, I hope 2.10 passes peacefully. I hope they listened to the Old Dogs. The ones who came before, the ones who are still out there. I hope they don't get all wrapped up in pointing fingers at the funny alien and lulzing about the wacky origins. Like I said, it's how the show is run. There is where the story lies. Would I picket if there was an "org" in my town? I would probably show my support in some way. Maybe I'd bring cookies. Maybe I'll write some more blog posts, but that's pretty safe, considering no one reads my blogs.

And to clarify something...because of how "the show is run", I don't practice organized religion. So far, no one has declaired me a bad person because of it. Well, that I know of.

I know there is many atrocities, many "causes", many fights to be fought...this just happens to be the one I've been following.

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