Scientology Today

Why do these OBC Connect threads so often display a banner heading advertisement for 'Scientology Today' when I visit them?

Does paid Scientology advertising contribute directly or indirectly to the costs of maintaining this site on a server?

If so that seems bizarre to say the least.

Hi Iain,

From what I can glean, banner ads are chosen by the forum host (the company called Forumotion) based on key words found in posts or searched on by our members within this site. The word "Scientology" has appeared in recent posts and I expect that why we're seeing their ads now.

If paid Scientology ads are contributing to costs in some way, only Forumotion would know. No one associated with OBC Connect has paid anything to set up this site, and along with that, we have no control over the banner ads that are displayed. When we go to the other platform we will have control of this and you won't see ads anymore.

Hope this clarifies -

Lise

Hi Lise

Thanks for your reply. It clarifies the situation but it hardly resolves it.

Lise wrote:

Hi Iain,

If paid Scientology ads are contributing to costs in some way, only Forumotion would know. No one associated with OBC Connect has paid anything to set up this site, and along with that, we have no control over the banner ads that are displayed.

Clearly Forumotion MUST be benefiting financially from carrying these Scientology banner adverts, otherwise why would they commit expensive server space and bandwidth to displaying them? A part of that benefit must then in turn be being transferred to and enjoyed by you at OBC Connect as a content provider in kind - in the form of unbilled server space and the bandwidth provided to publish your material to the Internet free of charge. Unless you can explicitly establish otherwise with Forumotion we have to assume that the Scientologists are - albeit partly and indirectly - funding this forum.

I can understand that you might not have previously picked up on this. However I hardly need point out that in view of the extent to which various threads here have included critical submissions attempting to portray the OBC itself as a 'cult' it is rather bizarre - and quite unacceptable - that the site itself is apparently being partly funded by one of the most pernicious and destructive cults of present times.

One contributor here has sent me a private message suggesting that I could use software that will filter out these banner adverts on my laptop. But frankly this seems even more unacceptable to me - I would then be appropriating the benefit of Scientology's investment with Forumotion while deliberately denying them any value in return. It also doesn't deal with the more serious immediate issue that other readers of your OBC Connect site might actually be attracted by the Scientology links you are carrying, visit that site and become drawn into that cult.

Quote :

When we go to the other platform we will have control of this and you won't see ads anymore.

Then I think you need to move to this other platform immediately. I don't think that - unless you can persuade Forumotion not to publish cult advertisements on OBC Connect - that you can in all conscience continue to publish a public forum here carrying cult advertising.

With Bows

Iain

Hi Iain,

I don't think we're ready to move the forum yet. Plus I don't have an opinion on whether Scientology is a cult or not, so their ads aren't a problem from my perspective. We see a lot of ads here and I don't get too worked up about any of them, to be honest.

For the record, I did not experience the OBC as a cult and do not believe that it is one, although some members here feel strongly that it is. That's ok, opinions differ.

The OBC Connect forum is not based on the premise that the OBC is a cult, just to refresh anybody on that who needs a reminder.

cheers,
Lise

Hi Lise

Thanks. I also share your opinion that the OBC is not a cult but my own personal opinion is that Scientology very definitely IS.

In case others have not noticed what I'm concerned with here I see that my currently loaded version of this page is presently carrying the following banner advertisement below the 'OBC Connect' header

Truth about Scientology You’ve heard the controversy. Now Get The Facts. Watch Online Videos! Scientology.org

The attached hyperlink is

http://www.scientology.org/?source=gaw&gclid=CL7awsGgnqYCFUaApAodpHmHng[url][/url]

My guess is that what is happening here is that Forumotion sell their banner advertising space through Google. The sophisticated Google search engines are analysing the text of entries made by contributors on this forum, finding references to Scientology and then allocating the advertising space for part of the time to what I am sure is a very professional Scientology web marketing team.

In effect this forum by operating in the way it is, is attracting Scientology advertising aimed at the readership here.

There are also incidentally some quite bizarre 'Buddhist' advertising links appearing, presumably triggered by the use of the word 'Buddhism'.

I think this needs some very careful consideration by the OBC Connect administrators. I would also like to hear some feedback from those who have expressed strong opinions here about the characteristics of cults, or who have spoken of their role in helping people move away from the influence of cults. Are they happy to see the forum to continue to run Scientology advertising for example?

With Bows

Iain

Hi Iain,

The adverts have been raised before and while they do often miss the mark, it's not compulsory to go and read them. Had we all gone off to read the adverts cropping up on the transgender thread we'd have found ourselves at a number of somewhat blue sites. While I found it offensive that the only advert links to the word transgender here are basically pornsites, it has been, and is being looked into with the idea of moving the forum.

When a forum is free, there will always be the need for compromise; after all, there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Great!..... I only joined Scientology because I thought their ads were sponsored by the OBC connect . Now my wife is also starting to question my joining Dharma Dating.

The lessons of 2011 are coming in fast & furious..

Howard, you're too much.

I wasn't curious about Scientology before, but it's growing on me . . . but then, I'm cult-resistant to the max, so . . . bring it, Mr. Hubbard's minions. I'm ready for you.

I don't pay attention to the ads at all. Howard, you might be on to a real money-maker with Dharma Dating!

But then his wife might kill him and we wouldn't have any more Howard on the forum . . . that's no good.

Just fyi, my cousin Cameron is a great-looking guy, fun Buddhist, not one of those dour pious types. He's 28 and I wish he could meet a nice girl. He's outdoorsy, cooks really well, took honors degrees at Cambridge, no kidding. Lives near Reading. PM me if you know somebody who might be nice for him

Okay Lise, I guess we should start a dating thread!!!!

honestly Diana, we should I feel it's my duty, given that certain male relatives of mine seem to need a boost in getting out there and meeting people. Cam is gorgeous but shy, never even has a clue that women look at him. Hopeless

I was always curious what girls talked about when they were on their own, I always thought it was washing powder

Chisan,
That's exactly what I thought!

Thanks Henry I may need some support when they climb out of bed

chisanmichaelhughes wrote:

I was always curious what girls talked about when they were on their own, I always thought it was washing powder

Yes, well, Mr. Hughes, once we've covered cleaning products we spend a great deal of time sharing tips for keeping you lot befuddled and under control. We measure this in terms of how many times you were required to miss the rugby (or football) to go shopping with us.
To sisterhood

Well Lise
I have to say that is the first time I have understood what you are saying!

Lise wrote:

chisanmichaelhughes wrote:

I was always curious what girls talked about when they were on their own, I always thought it was washing powder

Yes, well, Mr. Hughes, once we've covered cleaning products we spend a great deal of time sharing tips for keeping you lot befuddled and under control. We measure this in terms of how many times you were required to miss the rugby (or football) to go shopping with us.
To sisterhood

And all this time I thought I was the master of my own befuddlement...must ask my wife about this....

then I must try harder to be clear

Now I'd like to apologise for taking Iain's thread so far off-topic. If anybody wants to talk about Scientology I would be interested to hear more. I have read nothing and heard very little about it nor do I know anyone who's been involved. All I see is that celebrities in the U.S. seem drawn to it.

Iain, I didn't mean to be dismissive of your concerns stated above. If some of the banners here are advertising harmful things then it's good to have people cautioning others, if they feel moved to do so.

L.

Isan, I just saw your post -- yes, do go ask her

Lise,

Since you ask about Scientology...

I had a friend/co-worker a long time ago (1981) who was a Scientologist and encouraged me to look into it. When I responded by checking the book that she recommended out of the library, I was told that it was important to *buy* the book. That raised my suspicions. Then when I read the library book, the thing that struck me most strongly about it was that it was putting a lot of effort into setting up an "us vs. them" mentality, which has always been a hot button of mine, and was a major turn-off. I also took their "personality test" at the urging of my friend and was even further turned off by the way that the person who called with my test results talked to me (sorry, I don't remember details at this point). That was enough looking into it for me. I did stay on good terms with my friend, and a year or two later went to her wedding, which was a Scientologist wedding. I don't remember a lot about it, but I remember the content of the ceremony being a reasonably pleasant experience, unlike my experience with the book and the person who called with my test results.

According to my friend, the organization had a positive effect in her life. I'd be interested to know if she's still involved with them after all these years, but I've lost touch with her, long ago now.

If you want to read about Scientology, I recommend Rick Ross' cult-tracking website. Here's a link directly to his Scientology page:

http://rickross.com/groups/scientology.html

There's plenty of chilling stuff there, but I haven't read it in a long time, so I can't recommend specific articles.

And now that I've used the "S Word" in one of my posts, I suspect I might start to see those ads that others have complained about. (I'm not sure what that face is supposed to convey, but I like the eyes-wide-open connotation.)

-Karen

Karen, thanks -- I will check out the link. Interesting, to think personality tests are part of their theory or approach.

Yes, I guess by discussing this we're advertising them -- oh well!

I don't think discussing Scientology in the terms we have could be called 'advertising' them, no more than our talking about Hitler would be advertising Facism. Many years ago I bumped into them on Tottenham Court Rd in London and fell for their 'free personalitry test' con; the personality test was rubbish, conducted with a kind of fake lie detector, followed by the hard sell. It struck me as just another pyramid selling scam but with cultic religious overtones.

If this leads to my getting Scientology banners and they get charged for them that's great. The bigger the cost to them the better. I think that I may just be able to withstand their advertising blandisments. However judging from the John Lewis office furniture banners I'm getting the banners relate to the stored browser history, or search history, rather than the postings content - unless I'm having a senior moment and have posted about redoing my office!

Seems odd to think that a hard sell approach would even work, but obviously it must with some people.

Mark, I don't remember you mentioning your office, but if you'd like to post pictures, we could critique it? Just in case it needs a bit of help and you're not sure where to begin. No charge for the consult.

Back to work, lunch hour's over.

I'm not sure 'critique' is quite the right word. My brother once said: 'Ah! Mark's office - half of it looks as if a bomb has gone off in it; the other half looks like a bomb went off in nineteen-fortyfive!'

I merely say that it is a mirror image of my mind!

Lise,

I am not able to see Chisan's posts. Where his posts are I get a message saying Chisan is on my "ignore" list. I can't find any ignore list and don't know how that happened. Not that I'm upset about it. Frankly he has be threatening me for some time and I have been hoping you'd step in and put a stop to it. Did you put him on the ignore list in order to prevent him from threatening me? Any way, I'd like to know about this ignore list in case someone I don't have to protect myself from accidently gets placed on it. As I previously have said, I think I could take Chisan down if I had to, but I prefer to not mess up my hair.

Oh, you boys. If either of you knocks over any lamps or chairs in your scuffles here, you'll be O-U-T out, get it?

Fine, I'll go look at your profile and see how to undo the "ignore" button.

We must have an invisible admin gremlin on this forum -- weird stuff is popping up --

Must be something to do with discussing Scientology...

Robert wrote:

Must be something to do with discussing Scientology...

Yeah, Scientology - are we clear yet? LOL!

D'oh! Not the "S" word again! You'll draw them in swarms

Henry
I have some youngs kids coming round later who may know how to load a photo on here for me.
It is only fair as you mentioned not wanting to mess your hair.
At your age anyway you are lucky to have any hair
Mine dimishes by the day,but i will give you half an inch start if yours is half an inch longer than mine I will willingly give you round 1

Ok Scientology, nice scientology, good scientology, must bow to scientology, can't seem to stop myself aaaarrrggghh.
Cruize & Travolta are already outside my house. They probably know where everyone else on this forum lives too.

It's too late for me, just save yourselves..and...no more scientology jokes.....

You're right, it's no laughing matter. Don't they have a spaceship or something that might come back and do . . . well, who knows what. I don't want any trouble from pyramid-scheming aliens.

Shh! Lise, don't mention the pyramids!

Robert wrote:

links to the word transgender here are basically pornsites,

I get the opposite problem. Whenever I try looking at porn I wind up at Thai transgender sites.


I wonder if repetition of the word porn porn might affect the banner adds. Would the word "porn" do that? (did I mention I'm talking about the word porn?).


Hey ChisanMichaelHughes I showed your pic to my chick and she said, "oh my god thats you (ie me) a long time in the future!" !!


Haven't we derailed Iain's thread? Look on Youtube; there is little doubt that The Church of S is dodgy. Really dodgy.

Glorfindel

Your girl friend puts me in a priviliged position then,so I can talk to you from the position of someone,who is closer to the end than the beginning of this strange dance we do.
I recognise you, you go away ,sometimes with your tail between your legs but you bounce back ,and jump out from behind a tree,and shout out boo and try to scare us.
I do not blame you either, you either want only the truth on your terms,or you do not want any body elses truth.

Because you are still here I suspect and hope that actually you don't want any body elses truth. Now that is a good place to be , not a bad place to be. The problem though is if you find a quiet moment,if you do sit still for a moment, if you do reject, all ideas, values, concepts,and opinions of someone else truth,your true way may, just may manifest itself.
This is not always such a joyous occasion,and angels with trumpets may not play for you,.

The trouble with seeing the true way even for a second,is you know you have to walk it, anything else is simply just not quite right.

What was passed on from the old man? was it a way to control the masses, was it a formula that out argues all other fornulas, was it a fancy coloured robe,was it indeed someone elses truth. Is that what religion is for you someone elses truth?

Now if I were a young boy maybe I would quit ,maybe I would get on my motor bike and head south,find that place. where everyone always smiles,and we can genuinly say no worries

Thanks for that chisanmichaelhughes. That meant something to me. I think you must be a wizard. And since it was said by the me of the future I'd better pay attention! My gf says she's ok with what I'm going to become.

chisanmichaelhughes wrote:

Now if I were a young boy maybe I would quit ,maybe I would get on my motor bike and head south,find that place. where everyone always smiles,and we can genuinly say no worries

The remains of the earliest known hominid are c. 7 000 000 years old. You ARE still a young boy.