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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

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

568 replies

gordyslovesheep · 09/10/2014 16:07

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

OP posts:
CrumpleHornedSnorkack · 11/10/2014 20:51

Posts were deleted on this thread because some posters who had been threatened by SP asked for their whole MN history to be deleted.

Because although some of them had given MN permission to delete the posts SP was objecting to - just to avoid the fight - they were afraid of being cyberstalked and outed.

Not because they'd done anything wrong, but just to keep their and their families' privacy. No one in RL needs to know about little Chelsea's bedwetting problems 9 years ago, etc.

Exactly this and the fact MNHQ never clarified whether details held by them because of competition wins etc would be passed on. Shame some long standing posters had to take this action because of the bullies.

RedToothBrush · 11/10/2014 20:58

gooner1956 Sun 13-Oct-13 17:50:57

Why is it that when anyone shows any kind of support for OCC there are people on this thread who seek to ridicule them, shut them up and drive them away. You know who you are!

What happened to people being entitled to hold their own opinion and allowing others to do the same. It's called tolerance and this place would be all the more interesting and dynamic for more of that!

Brian

Just felt that needed to be quoted.

RedToothBrush · 11/10/2014 21:18

P.S.

Suffolk if you are still reading this thread but have deregistered, it was great talking to you in the past. Its great to have passionate people who believe in injustice and feel that they need to speak up. Don't stop. Keep doing it, in whatever you do in life. The world needs it.

CalamitouslyWrong · 11/10/2014 22:07

Arf. I'm not sure Brian knows what irony means. But he's good at it.

CrumpleHornedSnorkack · 11/10/2014 22:13

Oh dear Brian

to draw your attention to MN'ers being threatened with court for posting
BackOnlyBriefly · 11/10/2014 22:38

Thanks for quoting that. I'd forgotten that bit. :)

plumnc · 12/10/2014 09:42

Thank you mumsnet 4 (5or6?) for highlighting all this. I tried to explain to our HT last year why my dcs won't be taking part in OCC and why I thought she ought to reconsider whether OCC really belongs in our school. I'm not sure she really listened, but I encouraged her to do a bit of googling herself. The penny didn't drop last year but hopefully this will help it drop this year!

Greengrow · 12/10/2014 10:34

The MN summary of the new defamation law and its effect above is very good and that is exactly what most websites do. Either they choose to take anything down which is complained about (because why court trouble unless you have to?) which is a victory for those who want to censor even accurate non defamatory comments or you undertake the procedure they do - giving the other person the right to respond and be identified (although few posters would be happy to be identified to anyone who might sue them so are more likely then to take the posts down). So for practical purposes unless a website is a campaigning one you tend to find those who want to censor on a particular site tend to win.

On the other side if you are an organisation wanting material taken down you can certainly often get it removed from particular site, s but if people want to keep the material up somehow on line it is usually possible to achieve that on blogs and by constantly moving it around. A cat and mouse game.

I have not read any of the posts in issue here but the sooner we remove all religions from all state schools the better. As people like Cameron, Gove and Blair all use religious state schools we have no chance of that.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 12/10/2014 11:51

Just posting in support of the MN5/6.

This has reminded me to talk to DD's school about SP.

Bluestocking · 12/10/2014 12:10

And me, Norma - it was about this time last year DS's school sent home info about SP. I'll get in there on Monday with some info for them to consider.

exexpat · 12/10/2014 12:53

I've been having a little browse around the Samaritan's Purse website again, and they have some new videos which might be useful to point head teachers towards - I think the Nepal one has already been linked to on this thread (equating Hinduism with darkness), but there's a new one about shoeboxes in India which makes it absolutely plain that the boxes are an evangelical tool and not really about bringing Christmas joy and goodwill etc: From the Box to the Bible.

exexpat · 12/10/2014 12:58

Also, anyone who read the two long threads last year will remember Brian made a big song and dance about producing a new, more honest leaflet for schools which makes the evangelical element a lot clearer - but then it was hidden away in a corner of their website and could only be read or downloaded if you registered.

I just checked, and this year it is actually available for download without registration (well done, Brian), though I have no idea if it has been sent to schools or promoted at all. It's the OCC Parent and Teachers Guide on this page. If anyone is tackling their school on this subject, it would probably be useful to have a copy.

PiratePanda · 12/10/2014 12:58

Well I for one will never be supporting Samaritan's Purse or Operation Christmas Child now - not because of their alleged missionary activities or because of Franklin Graham's alleged views, but because of their cack handed attempt to use UK defamation law to close down free speech on Mumsnet.

Fabulous own goal Samaritan's Purse. Well done.

WhistlingPot · 12/10/2014 13:00

For once greengrow I agree with you (in terms of not allowing any particular religion to dominate a state school).

Surely churches would be better placed supporting all schools in their communities, altruisticly.

SchrodingersFerret · 12/10/2014 13:09

Altruism without proselytism? Sounds good to me. I think this is what makes me so sad and kind of cross about SP - it's the semi-subterfuge about their aims, almost tricking people into supporting them. This kind of bully boy tactic is part and parcel of that.

Charitybag · 12/10/2014 13:24

Same here, PiratePanda. I'll be pointing a few parents and teachers to this thread. My kids can donate to the local foodbank and toy collection appeal this year.

confuddledDOTcom · 12/10/2014 13:31

As a Christian they disgust me, their practices, attitudes and behaviour towards those who disagree with them. Just like WBC their behaviour is nothing like Jesus taught or lived.

There are plenty of Christian charities out there who can help people without preaching at them first. The Bible says by their fruits you will know them, and I'll tell you the fruits of this charity are sour and rancid. The Bible also says not to associate with Christians who don't act like Christians so I would have nothing to do with your charity.

phantomnamechanger · 12/10/2014 14:32

confuddled who or what is WBC, please?

SchrodingersFerret · 12/10/2014 14:43

Westboro Baptist church?

phantomnamechanger · 12/10/2014 15:02

Ah yes, them

Ahem, erm, no comment.

Greengrow · 12/10/2014 15:52

We do allow religion in schools. As soon as you do that you allow a religion to say it is right and others are wrong surely? I would remove all religion from schools. However it is not news that the religions disagree with each other. Some born again Christians (all?) think you burn in Hell if you aren't "saved" and there are many similar things we could say about most of the other religions. We would all be better off without all of them.

I don't think it's wrong to say you think your religion is right but I certainly agree that people should know the beliefs of those coming into school. We have a hindu state school near us. I've always thought hindus tend to be much easier to have around and be with than many other religions. India has faults but it is an awful lot more peaceful than Pakistan. I'd say Islam was darker than Hinduism any day but if we could eradicate all the religions we would probably be better off.

There are two types of religion - those who very actively try to make converts and those who do not. We have all had Jehovah's witnesses at the door. Most religions of both types believe they are right and other are wrong.

Ormally · 12/10/2014 22:59

You know what? This is interesting timing. This morning (Sunday), after a really positive experience in a church I don't normally attend, I was wavering about changing my opinions about SP. For years I have been very uncomfortable about them because I cannot align my views with theirs in many respects - not in the least influenced by MN. Now...reading this has really cemented that discomfort irrevocably, to put it mildly. I can't align my views with a lot of things - Christian- or Faith-based movements included - but I do try to understand them or at least find out more. I find it most interesting that this particular one has apparently made a serious move towards taking a path to suing. In my opinion, that speaks volumes.

Greengrow · 13/10/2014 09:15

Anyone of sense who is defamed though is morally correct to want to protect their good reputation and rights. That is not a wrong stance. So the only issue is whether or what was said was true or not. if it's true it's not defamation. if it's not true it is.

Although in practice plenty of people don't go as far as court action as that can draw more attention to the libel as McDonald's found in one case. It is a difficult issue in practice.

SurelyTemple · 13/10/2014 09:21

Sorry can't read all 21 pages, but I@m not surprised.

The speed the thread about VB came down, for saying nothing worse than she was too thin and needed to treat herself to an avocado spelled a lot out loud and loud. All around that thread were threads slagging off amanda holden, christine bleakley, claudia winklemann, and on and on and on really.............

no idea who islamic purse are. or samaritan's purse!? who what? now all i know about them is that they are litigious at the drop of a hat.

inloominorti · 13/10/2014 09:29

Posters should not be threatened for posting!

I think Samaritan's Purse probably have a few more problems than mumsnet, judging by a certain video I saw yesterday.....

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