to draw your attention to MN'ers being threatened with court for posting

[gordyslovesheep]

By Samaritan's Purse

I know I'm not the only one

who else have they decided to silence?

It's quite interesting that they dislike criticism so much

I feel for the people who got emails. Even though I'm sure nothing will come of it they can keep it hanging over you for weeks.

But I'd be amazed if details MN had on file were immune to a court order. After all the law would have been written to protect the person being libelled. Probably a friend of whoever was running the country at the time who didn't like the idea of the poor talking back.

On the plus side MN are not obligated to keep them are they. They may be looking right now in a folder called 'Competitions" at a file called winners.txt and finding that in fact it only has usernames after all and the addresses have long been lost. One of those involved may want to get MN to look and confirm that they have indeed been lost.

No one would be surprised to hear that. A judge would expect that to be the case with an internet forum anyway. You don't normally give your address.

When a company complains to an internet forum I don't think even they normally expect addresses or even want them. What I imagine they'd want would be to have anything they didn't like deleted and then for the site owners to impose an unofficial censorship to avoid any hassle.

The person most in trouble though may be the executive who set this in motion. Is there anyone here who doesn't plan to mention this at every opportunity? Are there many schools, scouts, guides etc that don't have a mumsnet member involved?

"We can't give to them this year they are threatening to sue my friend!"
"Why"
"Well, I'm glad you asked. Let's all sit down and I'll tell you"

I'm more of a lapsed Christian, Wind, but I don't at all agree with the aims of SP. What aims do you mean?

I wrote a blog about this a couple of years ago - my initial objection was against the shipping of cheap tat across the world to the countries where in some cases the cheap tat was being produced. When I learned on MN that this was in fact a cover for proselytizing, I was even more against this organisation.

The alleged opinions of the leaders of this organisation about homosexuality and other religions is just the final nail in the coffin, along with their attempt to silence those who disagree with them.

I agree with the aims of organisations who send aid to people in need, with no strings attached, and no feeling of moral superiority, so will be donating to our local foodbank this year instead.

windchime would you care to be more specific.

When someone says for example "I believe in jesus" I can't tell if that means they like the idea of being nice to your neighbour or if they mean "I can't wait to get to heaven - I've been told you can look down and watch the unbelievers burn"

windchime
I am a lapsed Christian married to a Muslim.

Do you know the real irony?

I suspect that there would be a a fair few people of people within Saudi Arabia that would fully agree with Franklin Graham's views on homosexuality / gay rights / women's right to bodily autonomy / other religions except their own etc. They would even recognise Jesus as a prophet (Isa) but not as the Son of God.

Its a funny old world sometimes!

I'm a Christian and can't be doing with SP, but then I'm not big on proselytism. It's one thing to share one's faith, but to absolutely tie that to the charity and good works that you do is imo, way out of line.

that's fine Windchime but do you also agree with taking people to court if they don't agree with you?

People are free to believe what they wish

I really really hope this is taken up by the media. What with the themes of free speech and religious fundamentalism, surely this is particularly relevant at the moment. I do hope MNHQ are on the phone to Newsnight, Radio 4, Channel 4 News etc etc RIGHT NOW!

As long as it isn't twisted to come across as "internet trolls attack well-meaning charity", I wouldn't put it past some media outlets!

I'm glad I read this thread and the linked ones, I had no idea about the back-story behind this organisation.

I wrote a blog about this a couple of years ago - my initial objection was against the shipping of cheap tat across the world to the countries where in some cases the cheap tat was being produced. When I learned on MN that this was in fact a cover for proselytizing, I was even more against this organisation.

I agree with you there, but they do some excellent work as well. Sorry for linking to the Mail, but can you fail to admire dedicated people like this? :
www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2787780/brave-ebola-doctor-spent-three-weeks-confined-flat-treating-victims-returning-liberia-help-fight-outbreak.html

Helping treat Ebola victims is very worthy; handing out boxes of presents in order to get children to sign up for bible classes, not so much.

And of course it is possible to provide dedicated medical care for victims of disasters and epidemics without trying to convert them to your religion at the same time - like Medicins Sans Frontieres.

gordy, of course you are free to believe what you like, but equally if you say something false about someone or an organisation, they are free to take action if they think they have been damaged by what is said.

I do think that the libel laws in this country are far too much weighted against people who make fair comment. e.g. that they have to prove what they say, rather than the person suing them proving it is false (see the McLibel case).

The balance is wrong, but there does still need to be a balance. People shouldn't be able to say whatever they like, even if it is false, without some form of redress.

yes they do some excellent work ...Hitler made the trains run on time ...it doesn't make the rest of it okay

Genuinely - why can't people just do nice things for others without bringing their personal views into it?

Because they are Right, Right with a capital 'R'. And everybody who is not with them is against, so need to either be converted or… discouraged and convinced about the error of their ways.

I agree with Chaz: IMO radical Christianism is just as damaging and ill-conceived as radial Islamism or any other radical -ism.

I am a lapsed Christian too, I have worked in Africa, I have nothing but respect for the vast majority of people who work for various charities and NGOs on the ground, but I don't see how the good work of individuals gets to 'excuse' the wider and possibly more pernicious aims of the organisation they work for.

sallyingforth it's possible for people whose views we disagree with to do nice things. The point is that it's not ok to do them with toys in one hand and a cartoon telling kids they are going to hell unless they follow Jesus in the other.

and yes I'll call Godwins before anyone else does

I've been dying to bring the Nazis into it
Even more so on the UKIP thread…

Oh, and btw I have no idea what 'radial' Islamism might be

I imagine it's because for them, they honestly believe they are doing the right thing by trying to save people from a roasting hell, and children are no different. If I believed that, I might feel inclined to do the same thing. IMO it comes down to what kind of God you believe in, if you go in for that sort of thing.

I am sure that they do good work, and it is a shame for the many dedicated and well-meaning people who work for them that they bring disrepute upon themselves by some of their actions.

It is possible to criticize one area of an organistation's work, while being critical of other areas.

I am sure that they do good work, and it is a shame for the many dedicated and well-meaning people who work for them that they bring disrepute upon themselves by some of their actions

Yes, as I said in an earlier post it's sad that this happens.
I doubt very much whether the very dedicated doctors shown in that link have any time or even inclination for proselitising. But they are being discredited by the policies of their masters in the US.

It is a shame if people feel the need to deregister over this.

To my knowledge none of us did on the Queen Ethelburgas thread (which is still there in its bowlderised form)
and to my knowledge QE never took action against any of us

MN did remove one of my posts against my will, but then it was a bit of a goady one

I took screenshots of the whole thread before the 'editing' so there was proof of what I'd said in what context.

I assume that those involved in this case have done the same
or that MNHQ have a copy of the complete threads for reference.

Have you tried reporting your posts Kate? Often a quicker response that way

Clearly they missed the topic in grammar school about opinion vs. fact.

"Bread is delicious" does not become a fact simply because you didn't state "It's of my utmost opinion that..." in front of it.

TalkinPeace

I wondered if you'd appear on this thread, given what happened on that previous thread that attracted potential legal action. I don't think anyone deregged following that, and some deleted posts were rewritten and reposted in more careful form.

Whoa. Hey Samaritan's Purse... you know how the internet works right? I didn't know any of this shit. I now think you organization is shit and will make sure every person I know realises how hateful you are. This thread will show up for years when people look up your group.