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See the original image at newsweek.com —

Newsweek: The Passion of ‘Anonymous’

newsweek.com — A shadowy loose-knit consortium of activists and hackers called 'Anonymous' is just the latest thorn in Scientology's side.

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  • gonzojeff, on 02/09/2008, -1/+161I love the fact that this story is breaking into the regular media so that non-Internet savvy people are hearing about it too.
    • prisoner24601, on 02/09/2008, -0/+36I think it is helping that not a SINGLE Scientologist has the courage to stand up in any of the places like Digg and try to refute or reply to the criticisms. The cowardly nature of Scientology, it's intellectual bankruptcy is screamed through their silence.

      Apparently the only form of reply they can muster is a nuisance lawsuit.
      • positron, on 02/09/2008, -2/+20Scientologists are not allowed to use the Internet. They do have small teams of people whose job is to find and "refute" comments about them, but the current backlash is far beyond their ability to even attempt to contain.
        • Tazmaster, on 02/09/2008, -0/+9Scientologists are allowed to use the internet. However, the internet they see is quite different than what you or I experience. Their connection software is provided by their church. This software restricts access to sites that are critical to Scientology and/or are deemed to be dangerous. The common (low level) scientologists probably can't even connect to the sites that have been discussing anonymous' claims or activities.
    • iforget1919, on 02/09/2008, -12/+1Sage.
    • diggitny, on 02/09/2008, -0/+8Digg this posting before diggtologists bury it: http://digg.com/world_news/Corporations_deny_ties_ ...

      It says that corporations named in a recent Scientology video deny ties to the organization.
    • bdbr, on 02/09/2008, -0/+1Still, if it weren't for the media, most of us wouldn't even know that Scientology exists. Its "Access Hollywood" stuff.
    • volonix, on 02/09/2008, -0/+1I'm not. THIS is exactly the cancer that is killing /b/.
    • thenewanon, on 02/16/2008, -0/+0Anonymous...
      I came for help
      We need more people in Brazil !
      Access this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6GxfA05pdY
      All translated for our cause
      Thank you !
  • Phnx, on 02/09/2008, -4/+135Hey look at anon go... 9000 strong
    • h4mx0r, on 02/09/2008, -4/+75ITS OVER NINE THOUUUUUUUUUUUSAND!
    • Reziarfg, on 02/09/2008, -6/+51THAT'S EXACTLY NINE THOUSAAAAAAAND!!
    • RandomTaskMan, on 02/09/2008, -3/+42WHAT NINE THOUSAND!?
    • EvilJelloMan, on 02/09/2008, -2/+22Perhaps the best part of this whole thing is seeing memes work their way into mainstream news. Epic lulz are had every time I see something like this. I can't wait to see a mudkips reference on Faux News.
    • rentmitchum, on 02/09/2008, -1/+8...and groooowwwwing. lol that was a commercial. For vitamins maybe? Flinstone's vitamins were good. When I watched the flintstones, sometimes I'd think "If I ate them, I'd be strong.".. And so it was.
    • pands, on 02/09/2008, -3/+59IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEE THOSUIAND900000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
    • Berkana, on 02/09/2008, -0/+9Anonymous may be only about 9,000 strong, but the number of people pissed at Scientology is legion:
      "Digg this if you are sick of $cientologists burying articles"
      http://www.digg.com/educational/Digg_this_if_you_a ...
      This story got over 20,000 diggs.
    • themastersb, on 02/09/2008, -5/+1Lets do this the way it was meant to be (ie. if people translated things properly): IT'S OVER 8000!!!!
    • volonix, on 02/09/2008, -1/+3THIS is exactly the cancer that is killing /b/.
    • thenewanon, on 02/16/2008, -0/+0Anonymous...
      I came for help
      We need more people in Brazil !
      Access this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6GxfA05pdY
      All translated for our cause
      Thank you !
  • chays, on 02/09/2008, -8/+125Front page of Newsweek and MSNBC, they even included info about Xenu.

    We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect Us.
    • volonix, on 02/09/2008, -5/+2***** OFF. you are not anonymous, you have a ***** username!

      you are not welcome in /b/, you utter ***** of a newfag. 'Expect Us' is a *****, retarded saying.

      ***** OFF.
  • GuacamoleSan, on 02/09/2008, -3/+30Anon was on the front page of MSNBC.com in big lettering! Woo hoo!
  • ManyLulz, on 02/09/2008, -15/+7Over nein-thousand people!
  • EznorbYar, on 02/09/2008, -3/+110I loooove how the newsweek people took an Anon's claim of OVER 9000!!! members literally.
  • KentAllard, on 02/09/2008, -3/+130"Anonymous--which one member estimates to comprise 9,000 people" - lulz
  • ShadowAnon, on 02/09/2008, -24/+14Be wary of the tenth of February
    We are Anonymous.
    We are Legion.
    We do not forgive.
    We do not forget.
    We will be heard.
    Expect us
    • Hayaemsay, on 02/09/2008, -5/+3No, just no.
    • birkoph, on 02/09/2008, -2/+16SHUT UP, WE KNOW!!! ***** CHRIST!!
    • habbofresh, on 02/09/2008, -1/+1does anyone remember remember the ***** of november?
    • mikesbaker, on 02/09/2008, -4/+3I can't ***** wait for nothing to happen. I will laugh and laugh.
  • TomK88, on 02/09/2008, -30/+4Run along kiddies.
  • Agathor, on 02/09/2008, -4/+35Over 9000? They really ARE legion.
  • Descend, on 02/09/2008, -2/+27I'm glad they're trying to get rid of the "hackers on steroids" image

    XD
  • Biks, on 02/09/2008, -28/+5I think any idiot has the right to stand on a soap box and do their thing. I think anyone has the right to make fun of that idiot. I don't think you have the right to kick the soap box out from under said idiot. (i.e. denial of service attacks, etc.) As an atheist, I would've had my balls strung up long ago if I had opened my mouth in public.
    • mCanada, on 02/09/2008, -0/+17They are the ones kicking the soap boxes out from under people. This cult goes beyond freedom of speech, they venture into intimidation and and fear tactics. It would be like saying "Tony Soprano deserves Free Speech!"
    • skyfire1, on 02/09/2008, -0/+3Scientology doesn't have any omnipotent deities. Do you admit to being a scifag?
  • diggitny, on 02/09/2008, -1/+41Exactly what did the CoS do to get the IRS to grant them tax-exempt status?

    Watch Scientologists "handle" an SP (suppressive person) who shows up to their party. "What are your crimes? Murder, perhaps!" Great stuff: http://youtube.com/watch?v=pPol_m8wm8Y
  • TOMCRUlSE, on 02/09/2008, -20/+2I have great stability in my life and it's not going to be upset by kids. I love kids, don't get me wrong, but if some of them are looking for a challenge they can't win, they might as well use their energy to better things.

    So what if newsweek writes about Xenu? They haven't experienced the story. It's like singing a song without the band playing.
    • LBobRife, on 02/09/2008, -1/+10Today's kids are tomorrows policymakers.
    • RandomTaskMan, on 02/09/2008, -0/+17***** L. RON HUBBARD

      i very well might be related to the Hubbards.

      But *****-um.

      • KeepOffMyLawn, on 02/10/2008, -0/+1We're not trying to attack YOU - we're after the CoS, not its members. We just want people to be able to make up their own minds, rather than following Scientology blindly - we want people to know that it's OK to question the Church.
    • KeepOffMyLawn, on 02/10/2008, -0/+1We're not trying to attack YOU - we're after the CoS, not its members. We just want people to be able to make up their own minds, rather than following Scientology blindly - we want people to know that it's OK to question the Church.
  • bullcutter, on 02/09/2008, -1/+18"Anonymous hopes to deconvert members and "infiltrate" the group by joining and posing as sincere Scientologists. "

    Awesome! Good show. I've always wanted to take that test.
    • Shananra, on 02/09/2008, -1/+4Got lots of cash on reserve?
      • bullcutter, on 02/09/2008, -0/+9i think the initial test (the one that lets you know you need more Scientology) is free.
      • purzzzell, on 02/09/2008, -0/+1I've been thinking the same thing - I've thought of joining for years (kinda a "what can I learn from inside?" initiative, but I don't have the dough).
        @bullcutter - yeah, but that's ALL thats free, and you ain't in just from that.
    • SlimFastForYou, on 02/09/2008, -0/+2xenu has all the answers for the test so you can cheat or take it yourself and see what it says. Seriously though a lot of the questions are ***** I've seen it.
  • Canada4Life, on 02/09/2008, -1/+22Dugg for the picture.
    • bfrank72, on 02/09/2008, -0/+3Indeed, nothing like a maniac Tom Cruise photo.

      And if that's not Cruise feel free to bury me in shame.
  • CATSCEO, on 02/09/2008, -3/+19Epic lulz.
  • jm4847, on 02/09/2008, -3/+5On February 10th they'll be exposed!
  • Amadeus2490, on 02/09/2008, -16/+5I know i'll get dugg down for this, but that's completely irrelevant. I just want someone to reply to this and tell me:

    How does giving Scientologists a really hard time count as "dismantling Scientology?" These 4chan dorks think that if they keep annoying them that they'll say "Y'know what, forget it. Let's close down the Church." If these idiots really wanted to "dismantle" them they would do something that actually works and was NOT a waste of time.
    • athalus2, on 02/09/2008, -0/+16They're doing a petition drive and lobbying campaign in the weeks after the demonstration.

      This is just the beginning.
      • Lazydriver, on 02/09/2008, -3/+2Damn right, only the beginning of a long war!
        • Amadeus2490, on 02/09/2008, -3/+1 I just fail to see the point in making cars honk their horns in front of their building. I would say that a lobbying campaign would help, but the way the government is lately - and since the scientologists have alot of connections in law - I think it'll just be thrown off as an annoyance.

          I think people that really know what they're doing would have a much better shot at this than some kids who try and mess with them after school.

        • Phnx, on 02/09/2008, -0/+4I think you fail to realize just how many anon's there are. You also categorize them as "kids who try any mess with them after school" the truth is many of us are much older, married with good jobs, and we want to see the leadership of the church removed. They can believe what every they want. This is about their litigious ways, and their illegal activities.
        • Phnx, on 02/09/2008, -0/+2I think you fail to realize just how many anon's there are. You also categorize them as "kids who try any mess with them after school" the truth is many of us are much older, married with good jobs, and we want to see the leadership of the church removed. They can believe what every they want. This is about their litigious ways, and their illegal activities.
  • gs68, on 02/09/2008, -10/+4Hackers on steroids, internet hate machine, etc.
  • Alex2, on 02/09/2008, -49/+8I consider Anonymous to be a hate group.

    It doesn't matter if you hate Scientologists, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists or Jews; hate is hate, and hate is a bad thing.
    • RandomTaskMan, on 02/09/2008, -4/+24I'm not racist
      I don't care what religion you are.


      I hate stupid people.
    • gldfshnpcklejar, on 02/09/2008, -0/+23Preventing scientologists from destroying families and financially ruining members who are down on their luck and looking for a way to understand the world isn't hate. It's love.
    • Trammel, on 02/09/2008, -0/+18Incorrect, I am actually part of an internet love machine.
    • prisoner24601, on 02/09/2008, -1/+14I'm not anonymous so I cannot speak for them, but I for one I really LOVE the poor Scientologists who are trapped in that cult. That's why I want the IRS to revoke their tax-exempt status so that this "religion" that (unlike EVERY other major religion) refuses to expose their "scriptures" to public scrutiny much less put them into the public domain like all other groups will no longer be able prey on these vulnerable people by SELLING them their doctrine instead of actually teaching it without regard to ability to pay.
      • diggitny, on 02/09/2008, -1/+5Well spoken, prisoner. All these people that think Anonymous are haters need to hear what you have to say. Praise.
    • joebonk, on 02/09/2008, -4/+3religion is ingorance, one day religion will be illegal
    • RAEP, on 02/09/2008, -0/+5We don't hate scientologists. We hate the organization. There is a difference. It has nothing to do with the common people. We are trying to take down the bigwigs.
  • r4ge, on 02/09/2008, -16/+4Bored of this.
  • gsadamb, on 02/09/2008, -0/+49People were skeptical that a bunch of random Internet users could do anything, and yet, look at all this coverage! Everyone, from the average Internet user, to news reporters, are tired of all this secrecy and lawsuit ***** from what is obviously a dangerous cult. This is the time to shine a bright light on these cockroaches.
    • bdbr, on 02/09/2008, -0/+1Of course these same sorts of random internet users were supposed to take Ron Paul to the top two months ago.

      Will they take down Scientology, or will they get distracted by lolcats and then move on to the next story of the week?
      • gsadamb, on 02/09/2008, -0/+1Let's leave Ron Paul out of this, I sure didn't bring him up. :P

        The two situations are completely different. The first is getting a relative-unknown into the White House.

        The other is just about getting an article or two written about an organization that no one really likes anyway and is getting lots of publicity because of Tom Cruise.
  • nirvanix, on 02/09/2008, -31/+2Get a life already. Do something useful and bring down the New World Order.
  • grangeryoung, on 02/09/2008, -12/+2I think it is safe to say Newsweek in not unbiased.
  • AppleMacMan, on 02/09/2008, -18/+0Perhaps Steve Jobs could secretly hire these guys to take down Microsoft's website and replace it with Apple's.
  • nunu4u, on 02/09/2008, -2/+11This article was on my homepage! Win, Anonymous!
  • retr0grade, on 02/09/2008, -4/+8here's a bit of legal analysis from earlier in the week

    'Should an Anonymous member lose their anonymity, however, they would be subject to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), which makes it a crime to send a transmission with the intent to damage a computer (or network), or to prevent the use of a computer (or network).

    Furthermore, the USA PATRIOT Act amended the CFAA, and increased the penalties associated with computer crimes. Currently, a first-time offender can receive up to 10 years imprisonment, and 20 years for a second. The Act goes on to state that the attackers need only intend to cause damage generally, and that in determining damages, time and money spent investigating the crime can be taken into account.'

    http://www.thelegality.com/archives/22
    • Phnx, on 02/09/2008, -0/+9I'll go ahead and throw the BS flag... To charge any person with the DDoS attacks they would need proof that they were part of it. Since Anonymous is not a "group" of "club" and any body and everybody is anonymous they can't just arrest any protester or poster on a forum. It's called the burden of proof, and it lies on the prosecution's shoulders.
    • xxxana, on 02/09/2008, -0/+2Indeed, who says anyone confirmed for brawl was involved in the ddos attacks?
  • bagboyrebel, on 02/09/2008, -12/+2So who else is sick of digg censoring these scientology articles. Oh, wait.....
  • cathypear, on 02/09/2008, -9/+3How Chanology is DDosing Church of Scientology:
    http://www.linuxhaxor.net/2008/01/25/how-chanology ...
    • mikesbaker, on 02/09/2008, -7/+1scientology.org is still up and fast. my guess is Feb 10th will be an equally useless waste of time. oh and BTW you are not part of anon if you are on digg. you are just a wanna be.
  • r3negadeX, on 08/11/2008, -1/+25"OVER 9000" and "hackers on steroids"! Oh my god this is *epic* win
  • taffyhealscrowd, on 02/09/2008, -10/+1Wow, anyone else agree that anyonymous needs to just take a breather for a second and chill out? I imagine him just hearing the name Scientology and getting red in the face and indiscriminately bashing his keyboard.
  • Ne007, on 02/09/2008, -18/+3Why ***** with scientology for ***** sake! People have the right to religion.

    If you are going to go after a group GO AFTER THE GLOBAL ELITE!
    • LBobRife, on 02/09/2008, -2/+6Lol. Scientology. Religion. You make me laugh.
    • TheGroje, on 02/09/2008, -1/+4The global elite are off limits. ... "Do not attack an other anon for any reason, ever"

      See?
    • tucsonwc, on 02/09/2008, -1/+3How many other religiions charge their victims err members to learn their faith?
      Scam and Cult. Cult and Scam.
      • Ne007, on 02/10/2008, -0/+1You've got to be kidding me right? You can't think of any other religion that pressures for money donations?
        • sysonymous, on 02/10/2008, -1/+0Pressuring for donations is one thing - outright demanding money is another.
    • cristianl, on 02/09/2008, -1/+1You know: lurk moar.
  • heynoop, on 02/09/2008, -1/+19finally, a description of anonymous that is pretty accurate
  • zplot, on 02/09/2008, -1/+24Anonymous is gradually getting a better reputation in the news, moving towards legal activity. Scientology can accuse them of "perpetrating religious hate crimes against Churches of Scientology" all they want, but Anon is making it clear enough that this a campaign against Sci's actions rather than their beliefs.
  • Vaktathi, on 02/09/2008, -4/+5Reading that article and the depth of the misunderstanding surrounding the whole "Anonymous" thing astounds and amuses me, almost to the point of physical pain. They make it seem far more organized and close knit than the whole thing really is.
  • computergod, on 02/09/2008, -14/+1Tired of scientology spam? Here is the cure:
    http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/10883
    Install the grease monkey plug-in, then install that script. By default it blocks any story with iPhone or Ron Paul, but you can add scientology.
    • kingmanic, on 02/09/2008, -1/+5I am not part of anonymous but CoS shenanigans must end. If your sick of it, move on. Digg is still full of lots of trivially interesting things.
    • computergod, on 02/09/2008, -0/+1I and many others couldn't give a flying ***** about CoS, RP, iPhones, the US elections, and other things.

      Digg does not allow keyword filtering (yet) so this just allows us to customize things. Really for those of you that like to see scientology stuff, this is a good thing. Much less pissed off people in your threads.
  • kahrytan, on 02/09/2008, -0/+23Suggestion: Anyone can hurt CoS. And it's easy.

    Do not watch or see any tv shows or movies where Celebrity is in it and is part of CoS. The more money the Celebrity makes, the more money CoS gets. This means, DON'T BUY ANY MOVIE TOM CRUISE STARS IN.
  • toomanytuxedos, on 02/09/2008, -11/+0Kay, not finished reading the article yet but screw anon, I hate them ever since they sent me a picture of a kitten being lit on fire just because I posted on a forum they decided to hate. =/ Surely I'm not the only one who hates them and wishes they would just go away.
  • tufftugg, on 02/09/2008, -10/+2http://711chan.org/i/
  • Atanarjuat, on 02/09/2008, -1/+49today, out of the blue, my mom asked me "have you ever heard of anonymous"

    i ***** a brick
    • CrudeDarkness, on 02/09/2008, -0/+4wow. and here i thought only duke nukem can ***** bricks.
  • henhouse0, on 02/09/2008, -0/+14Good-bye Scientology. Anon wins tomorrow.
  • ultrachimp, on 02/09/2008, -1/+6oh lawds
  • skyfire1, on 02/09/2008, -0/+9Jesus ***** christ the article says that the evilness of scientology is a "conspiracy theory".
  • AerosM, on 02/09/2008, -0/+21Not for long it won't be. To All Anons. The protests tomorrow will be a great start. But just a start. If you want to cause lasting damage to the Churches leadership, we need to hit them harder. The Protests will attract public attention.

    After the 10th, go to you home counties Registrar office, and find out various laws to getting signatures from registered voters to demand congressional action. A strong grass roots demand for a congressional investigation into Scientologies alledged practices and abuses following the 10 FEB Protests.

    This might very well result in David Miscavige and his cronies hauled before the Senate Judiciary Committee to awnser some "Questions". After seeing some previous interviews from David Miscavige, I can only conclude that this will result in EPIC Fail for $cientology.

    Get to it people!
    • lisitpc, on 02/09/2008, -0/+0You go9ng to go after the Jews next? Bigot
  • ryanonfire, on 02/09/2008, -0/+13Scientology is a delusional belief system, based on fiction and fallacies and propagated by falsehood and deception. While making an appeal to the public as a worthy system whereby ability, intelligence and personality may be improved, it employs techniques which further its real purpose of securing domination over and mental enslavement of its adherents. It involves the administration by persons without any training in medicine or psychology of quasi-psychological treatment, which is harmful medically, morally and socially.
    Its founder, with the merest smattering of knowledge in various sciences, has built upon the scintilla of his learning a crazy and dangerous edifice. The HASI claims to be "the world's largest mental health organization". What it really is however, is the world's largest organization of unqualified persons engaged in the practice of dangerous techniques which masquerade as mental therapy.
    • Berkana, on 02/09/2008, -0/+4In the end, the real objections to Scientology are not their kooky beliefs; people are entitled to believe what they want. The real objection is to their horrible abuse of members who try to leave, their breaking up families by their policy of disconnecting present Scientologists from any who leave, and their charging upwards of half a million dollars for the courses that advance a person to the upper levels of Scientology. On top of that, they operate their own prison labor camps, where they send elite Scientologists who turn against the church and their criminal infiltration of government to twist it to do their bidding: http://digg.com/world_news/Scientology_Above_the_l ...
      http://www.digg.com/educational/Missing_in_Happy_V ...

      If anyone finds the whole "auditing" process and that sort of thing helpful, they can get it for free from "Free Zone" or independent scientologists, who practice those things apart from the Church of Scientology. Not surprisingly, the Church of Scientology has launched vicious attacks and attempts at infiltrating their organization to take it over: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Zone_%28Scientol ...
  • sorbix, on 02/09/2008, -0/+15The way I understand it, Anonymous is about 6 billion strong.
    • smek2, on 02/10/2008, -2/+1Oh really? Funny you never heard of them before right? For all i know, it could be some teenagers sitting in the basement, fantasizing about being hax0rs.
  • mateo60, on 02/09/2008, -1/+10I think Scientology is a cult. I kinda get a kick out of the whole Anonymous thing, but I just worry that it will make people sympathetic to Scientology. I'd hate for them to become the perceived victims of the whole situation.
    • mikesbaker, on 02/09/2008, -7/+1how about all the innocent people who got bothered (that school that got the DDOS attack accidentally) or had their personal info posted online (that lady who had that happen) and lots of other stuff like that - the people doing these things are retards seconded only to the idiots on digg who think they are a part of if all.
  • noseeme, on 02/09/2008, -8/+5Scientology is a pretty cool guy. eh clears thetans and doesn't afraid of anything.
  • nukemunky, on 02/09/2008, -0/+3Wow, you should see the activity going on in the comment section!
    http://www.newsweek.com/id/109410/output/comments
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