You can not make this shit up...

[Archbio]

Amateurs.

[Arcanum]

Founded by 19-year-old philosophy student, Isaac Gerson, this brand new church believes that copying and the sharing of information is the most beautiful thing in the world. To have your information copied is a token of appreciation, say the church, a sure sign that people think you have done something good.

The church has its own set of axioms [...]
# Reproduction of information is ethically right.

Bold emphasis is mine. Now I've heard of some pretty stupid excuses for why somebody committed plagiarism, but making your own religion so you can deem copying work is part of your faith? That takes the cake right there.

I mean, this is even dumber than when I made up my own religion based around worshiping sentient stars. (It was an April Fool's joke a few years back. A friend and I started preaching it to everyone we saw.)

[Kim]

I find it somewhat ludicrous that in a forum where religious discussions of a certain variety are a no-no, we're having an argument about why one religion is stupid and fakey-fake and not a real religion. Especially as these arguments generally come from religious people. Were I to make a thread about why I think Catholicism is stupid and fakey-fake, I would rightfully get in trouble, cuz thems the rules, but you guys are validating the (from my perspective) made up bullshit that one group says over the made up bullshit another group says just because the first group was saying made up bullshit a long time ago. Any time is a long time ago given time. There was in-fact a time when Catholicism was a new brand of fakey-fake made up bullshit.

It's just pretty ridic.

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by NonCon

I find it somewhat ludicrous that in a forum where religious discussions of a certain variety are a no-no, we're having an argument about why one religion is stupid and fakey-fake and not a real religion. Especially as these arguments generally come from religious people. Were I to make a thread about why I think Catholicism is stupid and fakey-fake, I would rightfully get in trouble, cuz thems the rules, but you guys are validating the (from my perspective) made up bullshit that one group says over the made up bullshit another group says just because the first group was saying made up bullshit a long time ago. Any time is a long time ago given time. There was in-fact a time when Catholicism was a new brand of fakey-fake made up bullshit.

It's just pretty ridic.

Well, this guy can come back when he's got some miracles to his name. Like, really, being brutally honest, I'm not all for Jediism, either, or whatever the people who think Meyer is a literal goddess are called (other than batshit insane). I mean, basing a religion on explicit works of fiction pretty much just strikes me as being the highest kind of retarded. One thing I'll begrudgingly admit about Scientology is at least Hubbard's terrible fiction was dressed up as alleged fact.

In the different vein, this is less a religious movement and more of a protest in the actions they're committing. They're glorifying an act in hopes of sidestepping the law, rather than worshiping any sort of entity. This is an entirely selfish thing with no basis in faith and every basis in trying to validate something they're already doing. That's why it's bullshit. They're looking to establish legal protections against performing illegal acts.



EDIT: Furthermore, their stance on proprietary code makes me sick. It's people like these who make me question just how charitable I really should feel on the whole piracy/DRM/C&D/etc. blanket issue. Frankly, I can feel myself regressing as I read about them.

[Kim]

Originally Posted by bluestarultor

Well, this guy can come back when he's got some miracles to his name. Like, really, being brutally honest, I'm not all for Jediism, either, or whatever the people who think Meyer is a literal goddess are called (other than batshit insane). I mean, basing a religion on explicit works of fiction pretty much just strikes me as being the highest kind of retarded. One thing I'll begrudgingly admit about Scientology is at least Hubbard's terrible fiction was dressed up as alleged fact.

So, what you're saying is they're not making up enough outright bullshit to be a real religion? If they talk about how Jesus torrent enough fish to feed a host of people would they be more legit?

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by NonCon

So, what you're saying is they're not making up enough outright bullshit to be a real religion? If they talk about how Jesus torrent enough fish to feed a host of people would they be more legit?

No, and the relevant part of my post is somehow missing from your response.

[Kim]

Originally Posted by bluestarultor

No, and the relevant part of my post is somehow missing from your response.

"Well, they don't have any miracles..." wasn't relevant?

[Kim]

In the different vein, this is less a religious movement and more of a protest in the actions they're committing. They're glorifying an act in hopes of sidestepping the law, rather than worshiping any sort of entity. This is an entirely selfish thing with no basis in faith and every basis in trying to validate something they're already doing. That's why it's bullshit. They're looking to establish legal protections against performing illegal acts.

They're labeling something as inherently, morally good. That's a pretty religious concept. Certainly some, or even most, may be doing it simply as protest, or as a way of justifying their actions, but there are also bound to be some who actually believe the moral teachings of it, even if not the exaggerated faux-spiritualism. They may be looking to defend illegal acts, but their moral code may in fact be that these acts are good and should not be illegal, and in that case I'd say they certainly qualify as as valid a religion as any other.

EDIT: Furthermore, their stance on proprietary code makes me sick. It's people like these who make me question just how charitable I really should feel on the whole piracy/DRM/C&D/etc. blanket issue. Frankly, I can feel myself regressing as I read about them

This has nothing to do with their validity as a religion.

[akaSM]

Yeah, this religion looks like it's more a protest movement than a religion. OTOH, what are they missing to be on par with other religions? :/

[Kim]

Originally Posted by akaSM

OTOH, what are they missing to be on par with other religions? :/

This is my main point. You can't really invalidate them as a religion. Even if you think it's bullshit, I think most religions are bullshit. Doesn't mean they aren't religions. I dislike the idea that we protect Catholicism and whatnot on these forums from being called fakey-fake bullshit, but with something like this it gets "Well, it's obviously fakey-fake bullshit, so that's different." If you're going to restrict our ability to call Catholicism fakey-fake bullshit, you really ought to do the same for this.