Misrepresentation
Question answered by FreeZone in Scientology
tenspan asked this question on 9/14/2000:
This is an open request for all experts:
As far as I can see, I am one of only two Scientologists in this
panel. Most experts here are ex-Scientologists or
anti-scientology in some way or another...though it is their
right to assert their opinions if they feel it's wrong, they
misrepresent themselves as educated experts in it, since they
do not have active involvement with it. From reading profiles,
few claim to have even studied its teachings outside of
repeating public propaganda. (Just to clarify things, it isn't
always true just because it was on TV.) Answers to questions
posed this group have sometimes been purposefully steered
toward non-representative biases. Yes, I'm biased toward
Scientology, being a member of the church, and I have a right,
this is the Scientology Board, not the Ex- or Anti-Scientology
board.
There is a debate category, among others, that promotes the
healthy scramble of opposing ideas, and there is also the
potential of creating sub-categories, though I haven't seen any
specific anti-religious sub-categories yet on the religion page,
which is good, because in my view THEY DO NOT BELONG HERE.
Allowed or not, they are not true areas of expertise on the
subject, they are contending factions. For preservation of your
freedom of speech, I'd rather you found a place that fit you
than remained in this one. I can't demand that, but I do ask
that you consider it seriously.
Again, feel free to answer any open questions, but only in your
true area of expertise-politics, philosophy, what have you.
Reevaluate yourselves for the sake of giving me an equal
chance in this arena. I and my peer are outnumbered by
dissent, and that is unfair. I do not want to have to defend my
answers or counter statements that oftentimes claim the exact
opposite that I do, or make unrelated claims (not of religious
nature.) Please, I don't expect you to convert, goodness no, I
just ask that you represent yourselves in a different list more
centered on your views.
A panel completely supporting anti-abortion can't represent
abortion, Christian-scientists can't support all Christianity (nor
can Satanists, for that matter), and elephant-trainers can't
really call themselves experts in wildlife. Please, for the people
curious, if you intend on having information on this religion, let
them make their own decisions on it and just provide truth and
experience. If there are indeed bad experiences, so be it, but
represent them as such, for they are not in the majority. It is
rare that I have read an unbiased response to any of the open
board questions. If I wanted to learn about Scientology, this
site would have completely soured my curiosity, which I believe
is the intention of some here, rather than the pursuit of
education. To call it a cult, a scam, or any other derogatory
word is asserting opinion only, for it does not consider itself
that, nor do its followers. I am personally and intellectually
insulted that any religion of today is so openly and confidently
jeered over as such. Be professionals, that is what inquirers are
expecting. Pointing fingers is not what we do here.
For those to whom this letter does not apply, I apologize if it is
too general. Answers to this request will of course be
appreciated, but I will not debate nor defend myself against
counter-questions resulting from it. I do not mind being
privately contacted on this matter; my email address is
Tenspan@yahoo.com. Again, I mean no offense, and I am not
interested in making a public uproar on this subject. I will not
use the board again in this manner, as I feel it is not the
purpose of Askme.com to support experts' opinion-wars.
Experts should not pose their own self-serving "questions" to
further promote their ideas, we should be paitent for true
inquiries. And so I will conclude this, and wait to be asked in
the future.
I sincerely apologize for any upset caused by my, or anyone
else's opinions getting in the way on this topic, or if you feel I
have misused this site in making this request.
FreeZone gave this response on 9/16/2000:
I represent myself as an expert here for the simple reason
that I know an enormous amount about Scientology, the
Church of Scientology, and various related subjects and
controversies. I am a Scientologist, but that fact is not
necessarily relevant to my expertise, nor is the fact that I
am not a Miscavigist and have no desire to be involved with
the RTC and its subsidiaries.
There is no reason to apologize for stating your beliefs. This
site and the vast majority of its users support free speech,
and will uphold your right to do so. But I intend to stay here
and express my own as well. Mine are certainly closer to the
majority views here than yours, but I don't agree that that
gives me any advantage over you. The real advantage goes
to those who can formulate their ideas clearly and back
them with supporting evidence.
tenspan rated this answer:
Too right, good call.
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