Meet at the Umbrella Man. 11:00, Saturday.
The crowd, wearing British folk-hero Guy Fawkes masks in the style of the book and film V for Vendetta, surrounded the bronze man with a parasol and were heading towards a clash with the disciples of Hubbard and Cruise.
“We are Anonymous, we are legion, we do not forget,” they proclaim.
The Anonymous, or anons as they’re called in the wiki-shpere and chat rooms, have taken part in sabotage and cyber-disruption and have called for the destruction of the Church of Scientology. (See one video here.)
Beginning in February, Anonymous began to hit Scientology websites with denial-of service attacks, effectively shutting them down, in response to the infamous Tom Cruise video being removed from You-Tube. Now Anonymous has moved on to targeting Scientology as a whole. The Church of Scientology characterizes Anonymous as cyber-terrorists.
The Portland group of about 30, mostly in their teens and twenties, met at Pioneer Courthouse Square before walking up Southwest Broadway to the Church of Scientology building on Southwest Salmon Street.
This demonstration, billed as “Battletoad Earth: Operation Fairgame Stop,” was part of a coordinated worldwide attack on the Church. It was the fourth in as many months held in cities such as Los Angeles, Clearwater, Fla. (Scientology headquarters), and Atlanta.
The masked youths were protesting against the practice of so-called “Fair Game,” or, in their words, the harassment of reporters and ex-Scientologists and their families by the Church.
In previous demonstrations, the group has voiced concern over another practice by the Church called “disconnection.” This, again by their account, is a practice that separates the Church member from family and friends that aren’t members or believers.
As with many religions, the definitive beliefs within Scientology are hard to pin down. In essence, it’s a system of principles, teachings and rituals originally established as a secular philosophy by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard—or LRH, as he is often called within Scientology.
In fact, according to its followers the religion is not considered to be faith-based but an “applied religious philosophy.” Hubbard’s 1950 book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health provided the core principles of what would later become Scientology.
The timing of today’s anti-Scientology rally was chosen to nearly coincide with the May 9 anniversary of Dianetics‘ publication, is a big day for Scientologists.
![Gwenbarnard1[1]](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2220/2481065825_9dd11660b6_m.jpg)
Gwen Mayfield-Barnard (pictured above), a member for 22 years, a self-proclaimed ex-hippie and current reverend of the Portland Church of Scientology, didn’t appear alarmed by the group outside the building.
Barnard, an affable and matronly woman, seemed more likely to present the masked youths with milk and cookies before sending them on their way.
After some time speaking about the situation, however, she did admit a certain discomfort of and disdain for the protesters. “I celebrate their freedom of speech, but it only takes one of these little guys to be off his Ritalin and then he stuffs his daddy’s gun in his pocket and starts blasting people.” (Barnard has had some words for WW as well.)
Upon considering the concerns of the anons, here and elsewhere, she was dismissive. “I’m telling you how that’s supposed to be used,” speaking of disconnection. “Scientologists are individuals, and if things happen after they walk out…” she said, looking away and shrugging her shoulders.
When asked about public distrust of the Church, she likened it to anything new that people aren’t used to, like a “new computer program.” (Newness is, of course, relative: Hubbard opened his first Scientology church in 1953—the same year IBM introduced its Electronic Data Processing Machine Type 701, the first commercially successful general-purpose computer.)
Uniformed Portland Police were not conspicuously on the scene around the building but, Barnard said, “Oh, they’re around, they’re around.”
Julie Brown, who was unmasked, came from Astoria with her 13-year-old son Bobby (who was masked) for the protest against the Church. “It’s such a Portland kind of protest,” she said. “Everyone’s so peaceful.”
Coming to the rally was Bobby’s initiative, Julie said, admitting that neither she nor her son knew any Scientologists. “I think the church sounds pretty bad,” she said, “but I try to think for myself, this is important to him. He’s educated himself about this issue, and I support him.”
Like the Browns, most of the protesters have had no involvement with Scientology. But Cathy Mullins, 59, was involved with the church off and on in her life in the late 1960’s and once again recently. Why the break?
“I knew they were nuts, then I forgot that I knew they were nuts,” Brown replied.
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I applaud the work of Anonymous in bringing to light the corporate cult that is $cientology.
As an American I am enraged that this cancer masquarading as a religion has been allowed to carry on its illegal activities for so long. They have successfully turned the writings of pathological liar and science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard into a multi-million doolar business that bilks the gullible out of their life’s savings. Oh, and they do it with the full tax exempt status of a religion.
Blackmail, intimidation, lies, and litigation are the tools they have used against anyone who has been critical of the Cult of $cientology. They have gone out of their way to ruin the lives of anyone who has dared condemn them with covert operations such as ‘Operation Freakout’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout).
$cientology is not a religion. It is a business empire that uses cult style brainwashing and manipulaition to control and intimidate its members. I urge you to write your congress person and ask them to look into $cientology and its current tax exempt status under IRS guidelines. Ask them to work to revoke this status and force $cientology to at least pay taxes on the money they are bilking people out of ever day.
To: Jay McGraw, Scientologist.
"I think the more people learn about SCIENTOLOGY, the less they’ll want to have to do with it."
Did u c wut i did thar?
You will not remember this Jay. You will not remember this Jay. You will not remember this Jay.
Jay McGraw, I really recommend you and anyone else interested in the history of Anonymous and the current action against Scientology to watch the video "The Road to February 10th" ( http://www.dailymotion.com/SA-Anonymous/video/7341208 ) Anonymous is anyone who posts anonymously on the internet. Occasionally Anonymous works together to perform a group action, called a raid. Often this has been petty, but sometimes (as now) not. Scientology seems to think that we are some dark conspiracy (funded by Big Pharma and Psychiatry, if so, where’s my check?!), when all we really are is the internet’s combined will–democracy at its most basic level.
Scientology has had a long history of trying stamp out dissent. For a long time they succeeded, but thanks the anonymity that the Internet provides they are no longer able to do so. If the CoS had simply behaved as other religions and not tried to stomp on other’s Freedom of Speech the Tom Cruise video that sparked this movement would have simply been a one week kerfluffle, just like his couch-jumping incident. Instead by trying to get it pulled from the Internet they attracted the attention of Anonymous.
I could go on. I could write about how Anonymous dug more into the CoS and discovered the deaths, the lying, the abuse. I could go into how Mark Bunker single-beardedly convinced Anonymous to change it’s tactics from DoS attacks and spam pizza to peaceful worldwide protests. It would be very much Too Long; Didn’t Read for most people, and "The Road to Feb. 10th" does it much better than I ever could. Go watch it and learn the truth.
Scientology Reverends are NOT sent through other Universities or Schools other than Scientology using ONLY information given by L Ron Hubbard as to the way to handle things with special word meanings etc in place. There is no comparison to what Scientology is to the mainstream religions as we generally know it. This is what I believe.
Gwen was of course throwing a threat in refering to Scientologists are individuals and what they do after leaving there is??? hmmmm Well …. they are actually learn to lie, attack and defend whatever is needed for the benifit of Scientology.
Yeah, I was in for a couple years only and it was really difficult to admit and believe to myself now I had been lied to and hard to believe I actually stayed even for the short time I was there. I kept thinking I must be wrong, how can these nice people (most of them) be lieing and be so nuts????
Well I hope more wakeup and see the light soon. There is a real world here that has lots of good in it.
Ever heard of satire? The Fox News report that was in response to was over-the-top in its attempt to be scandalous and expose-ish. They got the response they did because it’s hilarious how people have been reacting:
"OMG, THEY’RE OUT TO RUIN THE WORLD!"
Think of it as our version of Bullbaiting…only a lot funnier.
Scientology understands nothing about the human spirit, certainly not as much as, say, Catholicism or Christianity. Hubbard was the biggest liar who ever lived, and he built his religion (which, make no mistake, was purely designed to make him rich) on a combination of lies and a bizarre mishmash of concepts from other religions. He took some Buddhism, some science fiction, some elements from christianity, through it all in a blender and thus Scientology was born.
Deny it all you like, but I know more about your religion than you do. Want to know why? I came to this as an impartial outsider. I read all of the materials they haven’t shown you yet, some of them that they have, without the indoctrination and without the isolation they put you in (as in, everyone you know is a scientologist, you live with scientologists, scientology is all you know, etc). I have read your "tech," and when you subtract all the indoctrination and the surroundings they immerse you in, you see it for what it really is: nothing. You have spent 35 years of your life, your energy and your livelihood on something that is so empty and devoid of value.
You are to be pitied.
NO scientologist will ever celebrate the freedom of speech og one opponent. Unless he is very novice. Doing so would cost the faulty member as much as expulsion from the cult, in some cases. With everything going with: broken family, other members no longer speaking to him (my brother does not speak to me since decades), etc.
Trusims from the past do not acurrately refelct the present or the future.
There is no denying that the group called Anonymous was just a bunch of "hackers" getting "lulz", but like Scientology started out as a attempt at "science" then evolved into a "religion" when LRH found out he could make a lot more money that way and not have to put up with peer review… he evolved it. So, to did Anonymous evolve. For the record I am not a teenager (those years are far gone) nor am I a hacker, or that skilled with computers. I do not fit the profile of what Scientologists would like you to believe. I’ve never been arrested or in trouble with the law- my entire life. I certainly don’t laugh at peoples misfortunes… the exact opposit actually and is the reason why I do join protests, and I do spread the word of what Scientology really is. If through my actions I’ll prevent someone from getting in that environment or convince someone to leave it, I’ll feel as though I did something.
I didn’t decide to take my own personal time and use my own personal money, to help for the "lulz" (I don’t even know what that means, I think it means fun.) I did it becuase I took the time to find out for myself what Scientology was all about… and when I got the facts I was outraged that this has been allowed to go on… outraged enough to actually want to do something about it. Anonymous has helped give that forum to do so… they should be thanked. If it was some kind of violent terroist organization I would have never joined. But, don’t take my word for it, do what I did and start informing yourself not only of Scientology but Anonymous. You’d be surprised how many famous and intelligent people are behind what Anonymous is doing.
Anonymous and Scientology… one is supplying the truth, the other lies… why don’t you find out for yourself who is doing what.
Article is purposely inflammatory to guarantee site hits and a flood of comments i think, although i thank you for reporting this "Reverend"s comments, im sure they will be reposted all over the internet forever.
OK, I admit it, I am a troll. I was never a Scientologist and my post is just a mashup of stuff I read on the intertubez. Anybody seen my Ritalin?
Lisa
All religions are a form of brainwashing.
Should be right next to your check from Pfizer.
If you are reading this article and these comments, and if you are in scientology right now, there is a voice in your head, that is screaming, I TOLD YOU SO! Listen to that voice, Listen to your doubts. Stand up, walk outside, and quit.
I know you think you are just one session/class/level from understanding it all. You will be more clear when you leave. you will be more clear than you have ever been since you joined. We are waiting for you. The rest of the world is smiling, and waiting for your smile. Come join us. We will do everything we can to make your journey back a good one.
See you soon.
All those that have not done so yet, please get on the internet and read the ex Scientology data. You owe this to yourself and the others in the group. There is a good reason a Scientologist is not supposed to read negatives about Scientology. It will not only give you doubts but truths and wakeup calls about Scientology, Dianetics and L.Ron Hubbard.
Go to a library and look this data up since many Scientologists can’t afford a home computer and internet nannies maybe on your personal computer so you cannot find the data.
Wakeup and come on out into the real world. There is lots to do for the planet and it’s people.
Wrong Anonymous, get it right!
This karaokefest is going as planned. All the sheeple bleeting in harmony at the latest projected angst target. Mission Earth proceeds on schedule.
The protesting in front of their offices(church ?)I see as a few steps away from Hitler
Hey Rey,
Are you really equating freedom of speech to Hitler and Brown Shirts?
Any citizen of any community should be asking any organization to be accountable.
We the people, it means you too.
I’m sorry, you’re right! Aliens dumping nuclear bombs into volcanoes in order to kill more aliens makes more sense! Not to mention aliens posessing our bodies for the luls. I guess their spaceships broke.
Why is Scientology considered any more of a scam or any more evil than Christianity, Islam, or Judaism? After considering the atrocities committed in Yaweh’s name over the last 2k years being "disconnection" doesn’t really sound that bad.
And how could any sane individual believe 1/2 of the fantastical nonsense in either the NT or OT?
Wasn’t it Vonnegut that LRH told: "The only way to make money with Sci-Fi is to start a religion"?
Some of $cientology’s greatest hits:
EFF List of Lawsuits that they defended against $cientology’s attack on free speech and criticism – http://w2.eff.org/legal/cases/Scientology_cases/
Windows 200 had to have several components re-written for release in Germany due to a developer that wrote the components being a $cientologist. (Germany recognizes $ci as a *CULT*)
Shutting down the first anonymous remailer on the net (RIP anon.penet.fi)
Confiscation of usenet servers that propagated both alt.scientology & alt.religion.scientology. For hosting articles and posts that were not only critical but exposed documents and truths about them.
Sure, they are all for free speech :::groan:::
Comments about people on medication stems hevally from their negitive outlook on any and all medication. To them a little Vitamin B will Cure anything, and apparently when combined with exercise it has a 75% success rate of curing drug addicts. If you think the religion is weird you should check out the side of the cult that Builds anti Psychiatry centers and accuses Psychiatrists of being behind the holocaust
i must say i am truly disgruntled by gwens comment. she has taken it too far. i have been to every protest except for the first one, and i have never taken ritalin in my life, nor have i handled a gun, and i dont plan on doing either. by the way, the portland group is much larger than 30 people.