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The ESMB Unpopular Opinions Thread

Bill

Gold Meritorious Patron
You surprise me Bill (by your "LOL.")

ESMB's primary purpose is to help others -including newbies - not to be a circle jerk for handful of old members.
Yes, you are quite correct. ESMB has an important role in helping newly out and almost in people.

I "LOL"'d because the whole idea of Alanzo having any influence, good or bad, is amusing. He actually doesn't make any sense. He makes vague insinuations, makes arbitrary generalizations and attacks Scientology critics. He might make a newbie a bit confused as to what the heck Alanzo is doing here but, in reality, he's basically "off topic".

A newby, reading all the various comments and viewpoints, should be reassured that we tolerate a wide variety of viewpoints, even off-the-wall-Alanzo comments.

Does Alanzo's defense of Marty damage newbies? I don't think so. Does Alanzo's absolutism on anti-Scientologists and anti-cultists damage newbies? That's what they get from Scientology so, I don't think it's a problem.

You could say that Alanzo represents the Church of Scientology's viewpoint here on ESMB. A newbie can see, right here, how absurd that viewpoint is, because we can respond here. We can point out the illogics, the lies, the misinformation, the weird conclusions, the lack of true data. I think he provides a service.
 

Veda

Sponsor
Yes, you are quite correct. ESMB has an important role in helping newly out and almost in people.

I "LOL"'d because the whole idea of Alanzo having any influence, good or bad, is amusing. He actually doesn't make any sense. He makes vague insinuations, makes arbitrary generalizations and attacks Scientology critics. He might make a newbie a bit confused as to what the heck Alanzo is doing here but, in reality, he's basically "off topic".

A newby, reading all the various comments and viewpoints, should be reassured that we tolerate a wide variety of viewpoints, even off-the-wall-Alanzo comments.

Does Alanzo's defense of Marty damage newbies? I don't think so. Does Alanzo's absolutism on anti-Scientologists and anti-cultists damage newbies? That's what they get from Scientology so, I don't think it's a problem.

You could say that Alanzo represents the Church of Scientology's viewpoint here on ESMB. A newbie can see, right here, how absurd that viewpoint is, because we can respond here. We can point out the illogics, the lies, the misinformation, the weird conclusions, the lack of true data. I think he provides a service.
Thanks for the clarification.

At this point much of the MB is Alanzo, too much, and it can, IMO, drive some people away.
 

Alanzo

Bardo Tulpa
The insularity on display here is hilarious.

You guys are anticult movement evangelists and you are worried that if someone injects alternatives to those tired 80s era, pseudo scientific and self destructive ideas, you'll lose recruits.

Well hey. Maybe so.

Shaking in your boots, are ya?

Better be.

Alanzo's gonna GITCHYA!!!


:hysterical:
 

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
Yes, you are quite correct. ESMB has an important role in helping newly out and almost in people.

I "LOL"'d because the whole idea of Alanzo having any influence, good or bad, is amusing. He actually doesn't make any sense. He makes vague insinuations, makes arbitrary generalizations and attacks Scientology critics. He might make a newbie a bit confused as to what the heck Alanzo is doing here but, in reality, he's basically "off topic".

A newby, reading all the various comments and viewpoints, should be reassured that we tolerate a wide variety of viewpoints, even off-the-wall-Alanzo comments.

Does Alanzo's defense of Marty damage newbies? I don't think so. Does Alanzo's absolutism on anti-Scientologists and anti-cultists damage newbies? That's what they get from Scientology so, I don't think it's a problem.

You could say that Alanzo represents the Church of Scientology's viewpoint here on ESMB. A newbie can see, right here, how absurd that viewpoint is, because we can respond here. We can point out the illogics, the lies, the misinformation, the weird conclusions, the lack of true data. I think he provides a service.
I think it's best to provide a variety of viewpoints and let people make up their own minds. I think you are all doing that. I think it's good.
 

He-man

Hero extraordinary
Now you're being a troll and creating noise, and those impulsively responding to you are troll enablers.

You've repeatedly avoided my questions and my posts because you can't counter them intelligently, and if you were to try to counter them you'd look foolish.

It's time to start ignoring Alanzo before this MB become a junk yard.
Jeez, again with the labeling. :D

If Alanzo is a troll, the rest of us degenerates troll enablers, what are you then?
 

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
It's time to start ignoring Alanzo before this MB become a junk yard.

A junk yard? How is it becoming a junk yard exactly?

How does this look to people newly discovering ESMB?

What are you so worried about? People searching for answers don't really want one sided discussion. They want to see things thrashed out. They want to see multiple viewpoints so they can make their own minds up.

Why do you think I let Andy Nolch post his videos? He posts them, you criticise. It's how it works.
 

He-man

Hero extraordinary
A junk yard? How is it becoming a junk yard exactly?



What are you so worried about? People searching for answers don't really want one sided discussion. They want to see things thrashed out. They want to see multiple viewpoints so they can make their own minds up.

Why do you think I let Andy Nolch post his videos? He posts them, you criticise. It's how it works.
What she says.

Before I started posting here in 2009, I must have spent TWO YEARS just reading and reading and reading... Wow, good times! Good threads! Loads of banter, loads of heated moments!

Loved. Every. God. Damn. Minute. Of. It.
 

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
What she says.

Before I started posting here in 2009, I must have spent TWO YEARS just reading and reading and reading... Wow, good times! Good threads! Loads of banter, loads of heated moments!

Loved. Every. God. Damn. Minute. Of. It.
What did you think of ESMB allowing FZ posts from Terril? Did you view it as a "Pro Scientology board" because that was allowed?
 

He-man

Hero extraordinary
What did you think of ESMB allowing FZ posts from Terril? Did you view it as a "Pro Scientology board" because that was allowed?

No, not really, It was clear to me that a line was drawn, it was "ok" to post success stories from the FZ, for instance, it was equally "ok" to ridicule them, criticize Terril for what was perceived as predatory stalking and promoting his way of life post Co$.

Sometimes you saw the mighty Emma come down from the heavens with her glorious banhammer, someone would go away for a week in the Bahamas or so, wipe the dust off the trousers and then after some time everyone would have a go at it again.

There was a cyclic wave of tolerance witch would then be replaced with intolerance. But, at the end of the day, the "tone" was cheerful. People had a laugh, someone would pop in to a toxic thread and make everyone laugh. From what I can see, that cheerfulness still exists, but the people that have remained on the board have become more "allergic" towards what they perceive as toxic behavior. A generalization, yes, but that is how I perceive it.

Like, I don't dislike Alanzo for instance, I don't mind him in that sense, I used to love his posts. Even when shit exploded around him he seemed so cheerful about it. Same with most of ye back in those days.

I think we've all had it easy to spot one common "enemy", the church and its OSA, but I think "we" had a hard time seeing that there was already several different non convergent viewpoints in between ex Scientologists. Is everyone accountable? Who gets a free pass after leaving? Good questions that also leads to a lot of bitter fighting. Thank you Alanzo for taking that up in this thread, I hadn't thought about that for a very long time!

The biggest and most worrisome discord is for me is of course the value of the "tech" post scientology. That topic will always be a battle ground between those who equalizes auditing with mental rape, and those who for some reason can't kick the habit. :D Yes, I am biased and I don't mind it showing.

Was i ever bothered by all this back then? Hell no! I came from an environment where even thinking about these sort of things was a big nono! It was so unbelievable refreshing to see people having different opinions about the tech! You know I actually cried meself to sleep over it several times! that such a thing did actually exist! Free fucking people! My tribe!
 
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ThetanExterior

Gold Meritorious Patron
I've found it refreshing lately to be able to read through entire threads like this with their varied viewpoints without encountering the ubiquitous Helluvahoax posts that used to interrupt most threads with the apparent purpose of getting likes and lols for the poster.
 

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
Was i ever bothered by all this back then? Hell no! I came from an environment where even thinking about these sort of things was a big nono! It was so unbelievable refreshing to see people having different opinions about the tech! You know I actually cried meself to sleep over it several times! that such a thing did actually exist! Free fucking people! My tribe!
That's amazing. I cannot either confirm or deny, but you may have made me cry a little just now.

May free speech be protected always.
 

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
I've found it refreshing lately to be able to read through entire threads like this with their varied viewpoints without encountering the ubiquitous Helluvahoax posts that used to interrupt most threads with the apparent purpose of getting likes and lols for the poster.
This belongs in the "Unpopular Opinions" thread :D

Edit:
Oh wait, this IS the unpopular opinions thread. :duh:
 

pineapple

Silver Meritorious Patron
You could say that Alanzo represents the Church of Scientology's viewpoint here on ESMB.
Yes, I agree.
Even when shit exploded around him he seemed so cheerful about it.
Because he's an attention junkie. The way he gets attention is by annoying people. He'll take attention any way he can get it, and being a pain in the ass is the easiest way.
 

He-man

Hero extraordinary
Because he's an attention junkie. The way he gets attention is by annoying people. He'll take attention any way he can get it, and being a pain in the ass is the easiest way.
By that argument, do you also consider everyone else who seemed cheerful when shit exploded around them back in those days in 2007-2009 to be attention junkies?

Am I an attention junkie? I mean I love the attention you're giving me right now! Is that bad? Should I stop? Seek help? Is there an attention junkie support group somewhere where I can sit down and get over meself?
 

Emma

Con te partirò
Administrator
By that argument, do you also consider everyone else who seemed cheerful when shit exploded around them back in those days in 2007-2009 to be attention junkies?

Am I an attention junkie? I mean I love the attention you're giving me right now! Is that bad? Should I stop? Seek help? Is there an attention junkie support group somewhere where I can sit down and get over meself?
The first step is admitting to yourself that you are an attention junkie.
 
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